There are commercial first aid and survival kits that are based on a kit the creator designed for him/her self. The following are ones I know of:

http://www.dougritter.com/DR-aviator_survival_pak_index.htm
https://www.prosurvivalkit.com/store/kits/master-pro-survival-kit
http://www.aeromedix.com/medical-supplies/doc-blue-s-family-medical-kit

What are some commercial kits you know of that are based on kits the creator designed for him/her self?

Jeanette Isabelle

You have an interesting assortment. They are all survival kits designed for aviation, which poses its own unique challenges, in that the equipment must be suitable for a wide range of environments.

In my own county, a difference of only a few minutes flight time can mean dealing with open ocean, an island, settled urban areas, or mountainous, snow covered in season, terrain.

Non-aviators generally do not have to deal with such a wide variety of environments and can specialize their gear more specifically to the mission at hand. When I was active in wilderness SAR, we always kept a pack loaded and ready to go for the fairly common need to respond immediately for an operation of unknown duration (not usually more than three days). In southern Arizona, this meant conditions ranging from blinding summer heat to steep, snow covered mountains in winter, with caves and swift water rescue for variety,we were constantly tweaking the contents of our packs to meet the changing seasons - from "giant water bottles" (as one of colleagues described them) to much lighter winter assortments of warm clothing and bivouac gear. One can usually tweak a survival pack to meet foreseeable circumstances.

This is why I would agree with the statement by Doug Ritter and others that the best survival pack is that which you assemble personally to meet your own needs. Often these are nothing more than common household and camping items (matches and knives, etc) carefully assembled and identified.

For most us, normal foresight and planning means we do not have to indulge in the very expensive, all-purpose aviation kits (although expensive, the cost is justified to some extent by the R&D required to develop them.

When you think about it, any time you pack up for anything ranging from a day hike to a multi-day backpack, you are assembling gear appropriate for what might be termed "comfortable survival" AKA "rugged camping"... What actual gear is involved will vary widely, depending on the individual and their skills, tastes, and preferences...

I thought the Master Pro Survival Kit is more of a wilderness kit. Anyhow, though adjusted several times over the years, my EDC bag was designed based on my experiences in Dallas when an unplanned overnighter was the norm.

The reason for the initial question is I do learn from other people's designs. It has also been my observation that the best commercial kit designs come from a bag a person built for him/her self.

Jeanette Isabelle

Unfortunately, the MasterPro is probably the most dubious and the most over-priced kit of the assemblage, starting with their headline slogan
-“IF YOU CAN'T SURVIVE WITH THIS, YOU WEREN'T MEANT TO.”
When it comes to really serious survival (not just a mildly uncomfortable night in the woods)what really counts is not the various gadgets in your bag, but your attitude, skills, and knowledge, as shown in the critical decisions you make (or fail to make).

And I have issues with some of the MasterPro gadgets. The Gerber Clutch multi-tool is, to put it mildly, a POS. The one light shown is outdated, in terms of current technology. The first aid material is ludicrous - three bandaids? no Ace bandage or tape? What is with the mini-carabiner (presumably non-climbing rated)? Of course, there is the obligatory fishing kit, which may or may not be appropriate for the situation. I would save a lot of money and use any of several Mora knives (my kit sports a DR Mk 5). I'll bet I could assemble virtually this same kit from my miscellaneous gear and items around the house, for about one-quarter the price.

And I'll bet your choices for unplanned urban overnights are a lot better than any of these assemblages, including my own. Circumstances vary wildly.

Some of stuff in the Master Pro is of good quality. For no good reason I find myself intrigued by the knife they sell (mostly because I'm just a knife nerd in general). At first blush it doesn't really look much more capable than the RSK Mk6 although it's twice the price.

I think Jeanette's list includes some very good stuff. If we're talking kits sold by the designer- and not a committee of marketing folks like the SOL stuff- then I don't know of an awful lot. Personally I like to design my own kits for the area where I will be using them. But very often the kernel of the kit that I build on is a Ritter PSP. It's just too good a value to omit!

I have found that the Ritter PSK is not only a great kit but sized perfectly for the pockets of a Stearn’s life jacket (PFD). That’s where mine lives since my PFD is never far from my reach, on the boat or at home.

I have no affiliation with Doug Ritter or with Stearn’s PFD’s except that I like them and use them.