I vacuum packed:<br><br>Acme Tornado flat whistle (available at Pep Boy's)<br>a very small Cricket pocket electronic butane lighter<br>thick rubber band for tinder<br>15mm button compass (works through the package)<br>1 hook<br>monofilament fishing line<br>razor blade<br><br>I'ts not a comprehensive kit, but these are some of the very hardest things to improvise.<br><br>The bulk of the package is about the size of a Zippo lighter, just a little wider. I may add a needle, a match, a trick birthday candle and a pre-medicated bandaid or 2. I would have put in my Photon II, but I've been carrying that separately in my pocket lately.<br><br>

I'm also going to add Uncle Bill's tweezers and a large needle. That's it, I promise.<br><br>

Who's Uncle Bill?<br><br>As long as you are repacking, be sure to orient your Photon II flashlight so it can also be used without opening the vacuum-package. BTW, you may have to experiment with various arrangements if you get magnetic compass interferance from other objects in your kit. <br><br>Your tip on putting a starter slit in the edge of the vacuum bag was just what I was looking for. It makes opening a whole lot easier. Thanks.<br><br>

Uncle Bill's tweezers are short fat tweezers that are the real deal unlike the knockoffs that come in Adventure Medical Kits. You can get Uncle Bill's tweezers at REI.<br><br>

Thanks. Funny thing: I actally have those tweezers in my 1st aid kit. I had just forgotten what they were called.<br><br>I just re-vacuum-packed my micro kit. I ended up with:<br><br>Cricket pocket electronic lighter (tiny)<br>rubber band for tinder<br>trick birthday candle for tinder<br>Acme tornado flat whistle with retro-reflective tape added<br>15mm button compass<br>2 pre-medicated 3M "band-aids"<br>razor blade<br>needle<br>paper clip (a bit of wire for general improvising)<br>2 hooks, line and Trilene knot diagram for fishing<br><br>It is still very much a shirt-pocket-sized kit even though my list got a little longer.<br><br>I also determined that the Tilia vacuum bags can be used for tinder in a pinch. They are not an ideal tinder, but they support a flame pretty well and drip flaming drops of melted nylon that can be directed onto your kindling to help get it burning. So unlike regular tinder, you would burn this *over* what you want to light.<br><br>

For those of you with a FoodSaver, I have a new method for vacuum-packing survival gear. It makes small vacuum pouches easy to hang from a neck-lanyard or a safety pin.<br><br>See the illustration below. The process is:<br>(1) make an extra seal along one edge of the package (effectively making two separate pouches). <br>(2) cut the ends open in the second pouch.<br>(3) you will be left with a plastic tunnel through which a lanyard can be passed. <br><br>It's great for a micro-kit and also works well for protecting a signal mirror. It will keep the gear protected from sweat or moisture so it would be a good way to keep some gear handy during water sports.<br><br><pre> -------------------<br> / <- pass-thru -> \ <br> +---------------------+<br> | |<br> | |<br> | Gear goes |<br> | |<br> | in here. |<br> | |<br> | |<br> | |<br> | |<br> | |<br> | |<br> | |<br> +---------------------+</pre><p><br><br><br><br>

Good tip. Thanks for sharing<br><br>

How did you do the water????<br><br>