Does anyone have any reviews or experiences with these survival kits in can? The can apparently can be used to boil water etc.<br>Please let me know your thoughts.<br>Warmest wishes,<br>Oliver

TMR has produced these for years, at least back into the 1960s, at a reasonable price. The contents cover most of the basics for alpine and mountain environments. As always, the basic kit will be improved if you modify, add, to meet your personal needs and skills. I have owned at least two, and I believe I have one kicking around in the car somewhere even now (my van is a mobile museum of gadget survival kits).

Oliver,<br><br>The original was a nice sized pocket kit, very basic, but included some cheap contents, for example a pack of paper matches, and their personal shelter (long plastic tube, essentially). The current kit is about twice as thick, pretty bulky for anything but a very large coat pocket, few more goodies and somewhat better quality in some cases, a full box of wooden strike anywhere matches, for example, but a cheap wet compass that had leaked in my sample. Very basic, nothing fancy, but inexpensive. Room to add your own stuff.

This would be the "Storm & Survival Kit" that comes in the yellow and black rectangular can. I once bought one of these to check out the quality of the contents. It was about what I expected, given the price; a nice idea, cheaply executed.<br><br>The can cost me $16.00 plus tax off the store shelf. If we assume the retailer (in this case, REI), wholesaler, distribution/shipping company and manufacturer/original assembler (T.M.R.U.) each made a minimum of $1.00 off of this item, then the contents could only have cost $12.00 total. Since it lists eighteen (18) contained items on the back, that means that you are depending for your life and perhaps the lives of your loved ones on crucial emergency survival gear that costs an average of .75cents per item!<br><br>They bill this as "for overnight emergencies", and that's about right. Truth is, if we could convince every Joe Average Hiker in the world to carry even this much gear, we would probably save lives every year. A plastic sheet and string to tie it up with to keep the rain and wind off, matches and a candle to start a fire to keep warm and heat a can of broth and/or tea to warm them internally, a diagram on the front of the can of how to position a tarp to reflect campfire heat around themselves... if nothing else, it might prevent panic and keep them in one place long enough for SAR to find them. And it can be had for a price which Joe Average Hiker might actually consider. Thus, I consider this can/kit a Good Thing.<br><br>Yet, for myself, I saw it mainly as inspiration for assembling my own first homemade outdoor emergency survival kit. I didn't really want to rely upon a .75cent knife for my primary all-purpose tool, nor upon a .75cent compass for my primary navigation tool. However, I love the high visibility, idiot proof design of the printing on the can, and the size is convenient enough to just drop into a backpack for a hike (or even a nice sized fanny pack). Also, yes, it could easily be used to boil water in, and in a quantity sufficient to actually be useful (at least, more so than my Altoids tin). So, I thought, "What if I kept the can and replaced each item with a quality version of the same type?" And that's what I did.<br><br><br>First, I examined and sometimes tested the contents. Then, I replaced them with better, and often more, items. The back of the can lists the contents. Here were my impressions, test results and chosen replacement and additional items:<br><br>Matches:<br><br>I believe this unit came with was a box of 32 Diamond brand Strike On Box matches. I was pleased they came wrapped in plastic. That was better than unwrapped paper matches, which I had expected. However, better is available, so out went these matches and in went B.C.B. "Lifeboat" matches.<br><br>I also added a Four Seasons Survival "Spark Lite" and "Tinder Quik" and a Done Right Mfg. "Sparky" magnesium/flint firestarter.<br><br>Later, I swapped the Lifeboat matches out for a (smaller) package of Coghlan's "Windproof/Waterproof" matches (not their merely "Waterproof" matches... those are different!). I found that I can get 30 actual matches into each of these match boxes, even though they only come with 20, and it would still free up more space for other additional items.<br><br>Candle:<br><br>I burned the candle. It lasted for 45min. Better is available, so I replaced it with two 3-4hr tub/tea candles. I also added a couple of trick self-relighting birthday candles, for use as tinder.<br><br>Later, after hearing about Chris' experience with candles melting in his PSK, I wrapped mine all in foil before putting them back in the kit.<br><br>Sugar:<br>Salt:<br>Tea:<br>Bouillon:<br><br>I put these in my kitchen and did not replace them in the kit, since I just can't take that seriously. I've gone without food for ten (10) days before. I was hungry the first day, famished the second, sick the third and woke up feeling better than normal on the fourth. I could think more clearly and was more productive during those seven days than is normal for me. I think that fasting will focus the mind on the realities of a survival situation in ways that are more important than the temporary morale boost which a can of hot salty bouillon followed by a can of hot sugary tea can only provide for the time span of one single meal, and I'd rather use the space for something... anything... else.<br><br>Wire:<br><br>This was a paper-covered 18" twist tie, guaranted to rust quickly. I replaced it with a nice long plastic covered twist tie and 20' of stainless steel .025" wire.<br><br>Later, I added a W.S.I. teflon coated, seven strand, stainless steel snare, to use as a model for making others out of the bulk wire listed above.<br><br>Whistle:<br><br>The three-tone harmonica-like toy they called a whistle was simply awful. I replaced it with a Fox 40 Int'l "Mini Fox 40" whistle with the "wings" filed off the way Doug describes.<br><br>Paper:<br><br>Four (4) small sheets of normal paper with a staple through them. I replaced them with ten (10) slightly larger sheets of lined waterproof paper which I tore out of my Rite In The Rain spiral tablet.<br><br>Pencil:<br><br>Good enough; a pencil is a pencil. For personal preference only, I replaced it with a Fisher Space Pen refill cartridge.<br><br>Compass:<br><br>Mine came with a surprisingly large dry compass... a toy, pure and simple. I replaced it with a Brunton button compass.<br><br>Foil:<br><br>The can came with a 12"x18" rectangle of ordinary aluminum foil. Good enough, I guess, but I replaced it with an 18"x18" square of Reynolds extra heavy-duty aluminum foil, the heaviest foil I've found.<br><br>Knife:<br><br>I tested the knife by pressing the blade sideways on my counter. It was tougher than I expected... I had originally thought I would be able to break it with just my bare hands. After destroying it, I replaced it with a knife I wouldn't mind relying on in a crisis.<br><br>I won't go into specifics, because personal preference in knives is such a volatile topic and there are so many good ones, but I will say it did have a one-handed opening, locking, drop point, smooth edge blade, all of which matters to me.<br><br>I also added a Sterling Systems' "Superior Sharpener", an "Exacto" type razorknife blade, a single sided razor blade, a length of hacksaw blade and a B.C.B. wire saw w/ split rings for handles.<br><br>Cord:<br><br>3' of orange shoe string. I like the color, but that's not enough to choose cordage based on. So, I replaced it with 10' of 550# test, seven strand light colored paracord, some thin light colored braided Dacron thread and some other heavier light colored braided Dacron cord.<br><br>I also added some HD rubber bands, cut from bicycle inner tubes, some "100MPH" HD duct tape and both some orange and some yellow 3M/Scotch brand "Super 35" vinyl electrical tape.<br><br>Later, I also added 10' of Kelty "Triptease Lightline", which I cannot find for sale on their website, but which I found elsewhere on the web and, more recently, at REI.<br><br>Poly Bag:<br><br>A normal plastic bag, it seemed a bit large to me. I would not fill a bag this thin-walled nearly so full as this one could be filled... the water would simply become too heavy and akward, almost begging for an accident, burst or leak. I prefer smaller thicker bags, so I replaced it with one of the small 4mil clear ziplock poly bags I found at Safety Central.<br><br>I have since also added redundant water carry devices in the form of a surgical glove and a condom. I want to replace the condom with an ultrasound probe cover, but haven't gotten any yet...<br><br>Signal Mirror:<br><br>What they call a "Signal Mirror" is a piece of reflective silver tape stuck to the inside of the can lid. I want some of that stuff for my other kits, but I also wanted a real mirror in a kit this size. So, I added a 2"x3" Ultimate Survival barnd "Starflash" signal mirror.<br><br>Plastic Tube Tarp:<br><br>This is the item that prompted me to crank down my A/C as far as it would go and sit in front of my computer in my underwear one night, trying to stay warm wrapped in a trash bag. I wrote about this in the very first post I ever made to this forum, back in March (of 2001).<br><br>Based on the results of that test, I replaced T.M.R.U.'s yellow tube of thin plastic with a reflective aluminized mylar Space Blanket. I would prefer a Space Bag or "Heatsheet", if I could just manage to fit one of these larger items in with all the other stuff I've stuck in that can.<br><br>Survival Brochure:<br><br>I kept this, as it contained some good information. I need to try out some Map Sealer on some printed material, as the acrylic spray sealers I've tested turn the paper translucent, making them difficult to read. I want to waterproof this and other pieces of written and printed material I've added to this kit.<br><br><br>More stuff that I've added:<br><br>I really like this can. It's small enough to be conveniently carried by nearly any hiker or camper, yet has enough space to contain all my replacement items plus quite a bit more. In addition to the items listed above, I currenly have, with the help of judicious packing and repacking, the following items my TMRU can:<br>a ball chain<br>a G.I. can opener<br>a HD sewing awl<br>assorted paper clips<br>assorted safety pins<br>repacked iodine tablets<br>assorted sewing needles<br>a waterproof family photo<br>a fresnel magnifying glass<br>a teflon tube f/ water seeps<br>a white Photon Micro-Light II<br>a SOG Cross-Grip mini multi-tool<br>a couple of very small carabeeneers<br>some written instructions of my own creation<br>a fishing kit with assorted swivels & split shot, assorted hooks incl. an extra large one for use as a gaff, some 20# monofilament fishing line, a few plastic curltail grub lures, small nails for attaching the gaff & some fishing knot instructions<br><br><br>When my girlfriend's sister went off to Nepal with nary a preparatory thought in her head and just minimal equipment or gear, this was the kit I managed to convince her to take with her. She barely capitulated on this item... I'm sure she would have balked at anything larger and/or at anything that came in multiple parts. Having all of this stuff together in one single relatively small unit satisfied her need for minimal bulk, weight and "fuss", and satisfied my desire for her to have something useful with her should she need it. All went well for her, and she returned it to me, unused. I think I made some points with her family during that episode, since every time her father spoke with her about her plans, trying to convince her to prepare better, they just ended up fighting. This kit made the difference to him, at least, and at least helped him to worry less over a situation he couldn't do anything about.<br><br>It's less convenient than my PSK, but it's a great size for when I'm not just relying on my pants pockets for carrying gear, and I sure can pack an awful lot of stuff into it!