Hey everyone. Just want to say I love the site and all the ideas Ive gained from it. So the other day I was digging around the house and came across a mini Altoids tin. I though to myself, "I wonder if I could make a survival kit with this or is it to small." I have a few ideas but am wondering if any of you might also take up the challenge and see how complete survival kit can be made out of a mini Altoids tin.

Welcome Kristina! How big is the tin?

Well bacpacjac the mini Altoid tin is that: mini, measures 2x1. It definitely will be a challenge for space.

Oh and about 1/3 inch tall.

It sounds like a little matchbox! Or a container for single fishhooks, and maybe even some line.

I wonder how many would fit in a standard Altoids tin? Compartmentalize your stuff?

Fold a couple of $100 bills in it?

And welcome, Kristina! We need more women here, it's kinda heavy on testosterone. But they are really good guys!

Sue

I have used that size tin to assemble the components for a fire making kit. Frankly, I think that is about the practical limit for that sort of volume.

Maybe there is room for a couple of testosterone pills. Those are always handy....

I use a mini Altoid for multi-Vitamins and other pills, and nothing else. I'm sure I could use one to build a self-contained firemaking kit: small ferro rod, scraper, cotton balls, Vaseline. You're good to go!

If you already edc light, knife, firestarter etc (and you really should) then use the tin for other 'nik-naks' - button compass, needles, OTC meds and elastoplast - whatever is your highest need. It won't be comprehensive, but it will add significant functionality

Interesting... What will you credit us with having on our person? Or should this be completely stand alone?

I use the "Altoid Smalls" tin for medications too. I used to carry a small pill capsule that I could attach to a keyring. I take migraine meds that have to be left in a heavy foil/plastic capsule that is about 1"x1" and the Altoids Smalls tin is as portable, durable solution as I've been able to come up with.

well ironravon I was hoping to make it stand alone with everything but if it works better as a supplement to EDC knife light and fire that could be the way to go. I guess the real trick is finding the essentials that are small or in this case mini. A light and whistle could be very hard to find with in the space constraints

Susan one mini altoid tin only fits in a standard tin. Using it to compartmentalize is a good ideas but maybe in a larger tin or container. To me I think it would waste more space than make a benefit to an altoid kit.

hikermor has a point it would make an excellent fire kit. I dabbled with that idea as well as a fishing kit. I plan on making one of each I just am really enjoying the challenge of making it a survival kit.

1 Safety razor blade ...clean fish/game, strike firesteel, shave tinder.......
button compass...navigate
'mouse' firesteel section...heat, light, signaling
http://goinggear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2
10' monofilament. fish, sew, lash
2 #10 fish hooks...fish, snare, hang
2 butterfly bandages..wounds, blisters, minor repairs
2 sewing needles...repair, pin, splinter removal
2 pk ibuprofin...pain relief

I used one of those for a fishing kit. I have a much bigger PSK, and that fits in there nicely and keeps everything together.

I think Byrd_Huntr nailed it pretty well...if he has room for a couple of ClO2 water purification tabs and aspirin tabs that would be a plus

down here water transport is high on my list...if you allow an MRE hot beverage bag or home made vacuum sealer bag to be folded on the outside and retained with a bike innertube (which will slip off easily) and a couple of feet of duct tape around the innertube and not make access that difficult...

a Leatherman Squirt PS4 with scissors and pliers and Fenix E01 would make a good pair of minimal sized accessories

Water is high on my list. In southwestern heat, sometimes your survival kit is your canteen(s). It is that simple. Condoms and la-ti-da plastic bags just don't cut it.

Ergo, your "survival kit" is unavoidably heavy and tends to bulge a bit. A few items can be tucked away in cute little tins, but sometimes you simply must scale up and carry a PSK equal to the environment.

Dido to you LesSnyder Byrd_Huntr has a really complete survival kit. I would also consider adding a cotton ball that's been cut in half, just a little tinder.

NightHiker the kit could be for either urban or wilderness. Heck one of each would be possible. I just like putting them together.

I think this is definetly the way to go.

Hi kristina, welcome to the group. As everyone has said you'll find us a good lot, so don't be afraid to ask questions even if they seem stupid. I've asked a few myself along with every one else here at some point.

I've been toying around with the idea of using Altoids small tins myself and came across these . Maybe these can give everybody some ideas

Cauldronborn2 this site is awesome. Almost a survival kit paradise. Their example of the Mini Altoid Kit is right on. I think this example is the most complete that it could be. On second thought I wonder if a condom would fit for water collection. I really like the glow stick. I would have never thought of using that. When I think light source I think flash light.

If you liked that site you should take a look at another called survival resources. They stock survival kits and all the things you need to make your own.

It's run by a guy called John McCann, one person here Izzyg99 has a blog (timbuk 2 and tippy canoe) where they have reviews of some of his stuff.

Oh, and I think those mini glow sticks are the ones you can get to go on the end of fishing rods. You could probably get them in any sports store that sell fishing gear. That said a small flashlight would be better

I'd try to fit it fire, sharp, light, sound and water but the how is tricky.

Fire: A mini fire steel - maybe the striker part of a magnesium block or a couple of wooden matches and a cotton ball to go with it.

Sharp: A scalpel or a blade from one of those artsy exacto knives?

Light: A photon would probably be too big... Can't think of anything else that would be worth the space.

I once had a tiny brass whistle that would fit nicely and leave a little room but I'm not sure how loud it was. (Can't find it now to check.)

Water - a few micropur tabs and a breast MILK bag?

Navigation - throw in a needle to use as a compass.

Signalling - polish the whole thing for signaling

Extras - wrap it in paracord, add some fishing line and then wrap those in duct tape.

Never judge a man until you've walked a mile with his breast bag.

DB

Hello and welcome,

Lots of good inputs so far. Only real suggestion I have would be maybe a small USB thumb drive (or sd or even smaller a mini sd card) for electronic copies of your emergency binder contents.

For fire and signaling you could use a spark lite and one tinder from the package. Maybe throw in a birthday candle?

I could home brew a small flashlite as part of the kit if modifying the tin is acceptable.

-Eric

Good ideas.

I don't think the mini glow sticks throw much light, they are good as markers, but I don't think you could count on them for actual illumination.

I'm pretty keen on rescue for my kit, so fishing etc are not priority. I'd focus on fire and signalling:

mirror - you can cut down an existing perspex or glass mirror, sand the sharp corners.

mini whistle

mini-fire steel, or some wproof matches and striker or a Ranger Rick sparker or cut down a sparklite - you may need to trim the lengths to fit ?

Tinder - I'd go for something wproof again, like quiktinder etc or cotton wool with wax (rather than PJ which can be sticky)

Inspired by Eric, you could include a LED (ie just the "bulb" from as electronics shop) and a button battery to improvise a light, you couldn't get much smaller than that.

LOL! Thanks DB! I needed that this morning.

I'm having Deja-vu, I think I've been to this site once before. Thanks for reminding me of it. Definitely a good collection of supplies across the board.

Not too shabby bacpacjac. As for the light issue Aussie has a very appealing idea with the naked LED light and battery. I one wanted an actual light that would definitely work.

Eric you know having a USB or SD card with important documents included would never have crossed my mind. Normally when I do survival kits its for the wilderness. Including either of those in an urban kit is really smart. I'm gonna have to jot this down in my kit notes. Thanks

I agree with you about the glow stick now that more though has been put in it. When I first saw it I said to myself,"I would have never thought of that." A way to think outside the box. The plain LED bulb and battery seems so much more useful. The only problem I see is you would have to hold the bulb to the battery and that could become annoying unless there was something in the kit that could be used to fashion it together, maybe thread or tape? Any thoughts?

Have a look here for some inspiration:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Led-Scaries/step2/Attach-led-to-battery/

http://www.instructables.com/id/LED-Throwies/

Of course you don't need the magnets

Thanks Aussie. I'm having a Homer moment right now. Its so simple its ridiculous. And of course duct tape would be present in my kit.

Doh !

kristina27,

I am an old-timer who hasn't contributed to these forums in years, but I saw your post and it got me feeling nostalgic.

Back in 2003 I posted about a Micro PSK which I packed into a little Altoids "Tiny Tin." That post, Re: New PSK tin!, contained an image of the contents I managed to squeeze into that kit. The idea was that I carried a lot of stuff in my pockets anyway, so I just wanted to add a few small items.

I later made an improved version in a slightly taller tin and kept it with my EDC gear for well over a year, just because it was fun! I don't really remember any more just now long I carried it, but quite a while. I liked it because 1) the extra volume allowed me to include a couple of water procurement tools without sacrificing any of the contents from the first kit, 2) it kept all the many small items together, organized and out of the way, and 3) it was still small enough to be convenient.

At the time I wrote up two web pages to show more detail about how I managed the packing. Archived copies of those pages are still available for viewing online. The first page is just images. The second chronicles more of my thinking. They're out of date, but I offer them to share that, yes, back in the day I took up the challenge and still think the results are worthy.

My First Micro PSK · In An Altoid's "Tiny Tin"

and

My Second Micro PSK · Contents And Packing Order

Stay safe,
J.T.

lol I actually use a mini-tin as a subkit inside a tobacco tin sized kit, to hold all the little bits and pieces.

It really is like a little match box. I keep a roll of duct tape, my fishing gear, a ferro rod/magnesium rod, an LED light, two curved needles, safety pins, eyelit screws, and tinder quik in there.

Not really stand alone but great for sub compartmentalizing stuff.

Jet..the cord on the outside of a small kit is one of the best ideas i have run across.

GREAT idea!!