Kris are you planing on including a mirror in you survival tins? I keep a thin one made from the laminate they make unbreakable mirrors on airliners from. Airline mechanic have used it for years for inspection mirrors ect. It even comes with a nice protective film. I've made quite a few to give a way to friends. The protective film also makes a good place to store a piece of duct tape in your kit. If you want I'll send you one to try. I made up the last batch in about 15 minutes on a shear.

Yes please! Progress is slow, lining up vendors who will even talk business and trying to assemble a kit of true substance for a fair price. It is tuning into a very basic unit, bare essential components of quality. The list so far; Sparklite and tinder, strike anywhere matches,whistle and mirror,water treatment tablets and condom,first aid essentials( bandages,betadine,antibiotic ointment,non pres. pain meds) and small liquid compass ( may distribute swiss Recta line). I have a 4" carbon Mora that will spark with stones and may get the SAS GEM book as options. Scary? I keep looking at a way to get the kitchen sink in my personal kit LOL

Kris, have you considered offering to provide kits "cafeteria" style? Offer several different options for various items - good, better, best, and let the purchaser decide on the level preferred. This will complicate inventory, but you would be a great source for some rather tricky items, and purchsers could make whatever appropriate compromises they desired, instead of being stuck with another's decisions

Just let me know were to send it. I don't envy your task the price points on mini kits seem to be between 20 and 49 dollars after that people don't buy them or the hard core assemble there own and the people that think 50 bucks is too much are generally the people that need it the most.

Thats one of my ideas too. For now I just want to apply the KISS principle. I think somebody buying one of these kits is often a newcomer. We want to keep them alive for the 72 magical hours of a successful search. I've been looking at all the kits, Imagining Doug and the forum shaking your heads ( peer pressure has it's place.) I am also tracking down the orange highway bags. We have plenty of great retailers allready. I just want to fill in the holes we all fall into tracking down this gear.

tracker,please email me kavana1602@aol.com for my address ( to many old Girlfriends out there ;O) I have put a price ceiling on this. Im avoiding "filllers" like gum and boullion cubes and safety razors.The first makes a lousy last meal and the second a messy form of suicide when the paper matches fail. I also have to think up a name( I called my horse, "horse" for 6 weeks until he told me his name), meaningfull instructions garantee and followup servive (full refund if you fail to survive?)

lol chris better make sure your current GF doesnt read that one!

Chris, <br><br>Say, when you find some sources on the orange highway bags, please let me (us) know - I've been digging around a bit and have not found them yet. I suppose I could break down and call the local road crew office, but...<br><br>TIA,<br><br>Tom Ayers

Actually,I did a websearch and found a company in New Jersey. They list orange as a custom color and have several large sizes. I emailed them for mil thickness. I can get1000 for @ $60.

Chris,<br><br>If you have the url handy, please post or send to me via email. I did not find what I was looking for with the searches I did.<br><br>Thanks<br><br>Tom