I think they serve different purposes. A survival kit is to help you survive at the very barest level. A few tools to make it easier or possible. A mini kit or pocket sized kit will probably never be put to full use in your lifetime. There may be components of it like the knife and water purification you might use but the bulk of it is too primative to be used when you have your "normal" supplies available.<br><br>First Aid Kits have to treat two major types of injuries, trauma and medical. Trauma solutions basically involve having clean and preferably sterile bandaging to stem blood flow and secure splinting material. Lots of 4x4 guaze pads, bandaids, roller guaze, ACE bandage. Maybe a 5x9 major trauma pad for gut wounds. Nothing expires but tends to be bulky.<br><br>On the other hand you have Medical. Meds which have to be protected from crushing, expire periodically, only treat a specific symptom so many different types are required, dosage varies on age and size of subject, and often the best drugs require a doctors prescription to buy. Dispensing by non-doctors to "patients" opens a whole can of worms. Over the couter meds are often good for short term solutions until patients can be tranported to a more definitive care facility. <br><br>Of course there is the whole natural herbal treatment and holistic treatments. Again you would have to store a large variety of herbs and plants if they could not be found along your travels.<br><br>As you extend your treatements you will add additional equipment like airways, IV setups, sutures, etc. We have not even discussed Universal Precaution equipment against blood borne pathogens.<br><br>First aid is a very worthwhile subject. Small kits tend to have bandaids and a guaze pad. Good for minor cuts and scrapes but not much help for medical or major injuries.<br><br>I always add moleskin for treatment of blisters, and large bandaids since the small ones never seem to cover the injuries I get.