Reading posts is one thing ... putting it into practice is nicer !
I have assembled the following PSK, as a gift to my uncle (it was supposed to be ready for Xmas (2003)...... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> ... he will get it for Easter ..)
First purpose : this kit will stay in the trunk of his car.
In France, every other year, motorists get stranded on higways, during short but heavy snow falls, followed by huge traffic jams (sometimes not far away from Paris). And people spend a long cold night, trapped in their cars ... generally, order is restored next day.
Second purpose : this kit will be - I hope - thrown in his rucksack when he goes for a day walk in the forested small mountains (Vosges), where he lives.
Usually, he goes wandering with a bottle of water and some fruits, and that's all.
Due to space limitations, I have not included any medicinal item : I guess, in those situations, a few plasters and some paracetamol tabs would not make any difference.
And as far food is concerned, I just put some sugar and sweets, plus tea and coffee, more for comfort than real energy : nobody is going to starve in the few days involved.
What seems more important, is shelter and fire, and eventually signaling and water.
The tin can be used to smell snow and/or heat water, to get hot drinks.
The PSK is composed of a mess tin (16 x 9 x 7 cm), around which paracord helds 2 garbage bags (one black, one yellow)
Inside the mess tin, are the following items :
SIGNALS
- mirror
- ACME2000 whistle (sawed off)
- yellow Photon3 without battery
- one battery, separately packaged
- white Xlight, with batteries
- spare batteries for Xlight
SHELTER
- space blanket
(+ 2 garbage bags outside the tin)
FIRE
- mini Bic lighter
- allweather matches
- 2 tea candles
- 2 magic candles
- home made tinder (cottonwool + petroleum jelly, in plastic straws)
- emergency stove with solid combustible (not Esbit, but something alike)
WATER
- 1liter ziplog bag
- 3 paper coffee filters
- puritabs
- 2 instant coffee
- 2 tea bags
- 3 sugar bags
- 4 sweets
- 2 salt bags
TOOLS
- SAK Victorinox
- razor blade
- chain saw
- compass
- sewing kit, with needle and safety pins
- pen lead
- nylon tie
- paper
- 2 m thin string, for laniards
(+ 15m paracord, around the tin)
(+ some duct tape, tapped to the tin cover)
Any comment is welcome.....
TIA