Like many around the world, locked down in their homes, I got my mind wandering around the internet, then wandering around ETS ...

I just got thinking about the layout. The last two sections are obsoloete. So, I started wondering what whould be any good ideas for rennovation.

So, if the sherrif and deputies do not mind, what would you suggest for replacing those two sections. just because we have nothing else to do.

The simplest thought I got :
Eliminate those two sections. No need for any replacement.

But this is not exciting enough.
Lets crank our minds and find better alternatives.

Maybe :
Gear reviews
Prepper Economics
Prepper psychology
Survival/prepping stories
Bug In stuff ( Home improvement or DIY projects to beef up preparedness)

It is perhaps Doug Ritter's gear reviews that I wanted to know more about his website.

Speaking of which, I would love to see a review of Limitless Equipment's Mark 1.

https://www.limitlessequipment.co.uk/pages/mark-1-survival-kit-details

Jeanette Isabelle

It is better than nothing, but not much better. Totally inadequate lighting provisions,easiy surpassed by any number of off the shelf products readily available. of course they include the obligatory fishing and sewing kits - like I am going to spend mu surival time hemmingmy pants. For quik and dirty repairs for a variety of items, for heaven's sake, include duct tape - far more practical.

Shelter provisions are a joke. Some sort of plastic sheeting or equivalent is usually a pretty good idea. I would liketo know more about the specifics of their knife, but why bother? Paper clips?/??

Perhaps you can tell I am not impressed.

When comparing kits in this size category, the PSP has some advantages. For one, Doug has sewing, fishing, and four safety pins together and taking up less space and weight than the Mark 1. Second, the PSP has better fire starting and signaling.

On the other hand, the Mark 1 includes light, water purification and storage, and minimal first aid.

The shelter options and blade are about the same as the one in the PSP.

Jeanette Isabelle

Over the years I've obtained several different 'off the shelf' kits including the PSP and every time I find myself adding to it. I've also noticed that my kits keep evolving and changing... I went from a get-home bail out bag to a bail out coat to a mini waterproof sealing box of stuff and it never seems to end.

With that, the Mark One Pro kit you referenced is interesting but I agree with you that I don't really see the point of some of the items and I would package it differently too. I also wonder at paperclips but in some environments they could really be useful. I've seen them used to shim open handcuffs so maybe you want some stashed away?

I also think that the EDC or "day kit" or whatever you carry around is something you have built with your needs and situation in mind and that will always be better (as it is specific to your needs) than the generic cover-all-the-bases pre-filled kit of any kind.

Still - this is a very interesting idea!

The Mark One Pro seems like would have been SOTA around 1950. Really, are we still packing condoms for water carry and tampons for first aid? There are vastly better options now. I didn't look at the price but I'd certainly rather take a PSP over that stuff. I have to qualify my opinions about PSKs by stating that my home is at 5,000 ft elevation in western Montana, so my choices are based on all my adventures taking place between 5k and 10k in the mountains of MT and ID. Water is an area I take seriously but there's a lot of water around me, just need something to contain and treat it. My biggest focus (outside of not getting lost, natch) is surviving the elements. In the peak heat of summer it can still get down into the upper 30's at night which is life threatening if you don't have shelter (which of course might be clothing).

I am going to be pretty dubious of any kit that doesn't include a high quality space blanket at a minimum. It's often said that skills are lighter than gear and that's true. Given time I could craft a very nice natural shelter out of the materials provided by the forests around me. But it seems like those survival situations rarely crop up at 9:00 am on a nice morning. They seem to start by 1) getting lost or 2) getting hurt. It's rare that you realize you're lost early in the day and decide to hunker down. Normally it's the setting sun that finally convinces a hiker that he's not going to get where he planned to be today. Maybe bad weather is rolling in. Here in the mountains things go from blue sky and sunny to thunderstorms and rain virtually out of nowhere with little to no warning (because the horizon is so short).

My kits take into account the need to go into SURVIVAL MODE at a moment's notice!

Now, having said that I'll readily concede that many of you are not in the situation I am. Perhaps in FL or elsewhere in the American south you may be able to spend the night out with no shelter at all. Or you may be able to drink right out of whatever water source you have (eg there are many springs and melt-water streams that I'd drink out of without treatment here).

I think both Phaedrus and pforeman make some very good points. The very best kits are those you develop yourself, attuned to your local situation, circumstances, and situation - also the need for something that can serve as part of a quick and dirty shelter. This is often a space blanket and they do function decently for this purpose.

i actually prefer a light weight poncho which is even more versatile. For many years I packed a standard US army poncho, used both as rain gear and often pitched as a shelter. Pieces of light weight painters drop cloths also serve adequately.

One thing to emphasize. If one is embarking an a planned hike, either for just the day or for longer, whatever you are carrying is in effect your survival gear. It is much more than some little box that you open when all of a sudden you are in "survival" mode. Ideal gear components are light weight (or at least not unduly heavy), reliable, and versatile. If you get in a tight spot, you will use whatever you have at hand or can scrounge up from the environment. Your gear should be good for the territory you are in, and for the time of year. My kit for Arizona summers is a lot different from what Phaedrus carries.

I found the price for the kit - 22 pounds which I think is somewhere around thirty US dollars - that is highway robbery; that kit might be worth about five bucks or so.

I agree that a poncho is awesome to have! This is maybe straying a bit afield as I forgot the actual topic was overhauling the forum! But for the record, my PSK is not tiny nor something that tucks neatly in a pocket where you hardly notice it. My smallest "kit" is around 2.5"x4"x6" and even then I'd have that in addition to hopefully a good warming layer and some other gear. That small kit would be something I'd slip into a day pack. Realistically my day pack is going to be set up as a PSK in and of itself. It will have a poncho, tarp, water, fire stuff, cordage, etc. Almost a camping kit because the needs don't change for an unplanned night vs a planned one.



I imagine it be different but some stuff would overlap. I've never been to AZ but at elevation I know it can still get cold and deserts get down to very cold temps at night, too. Probably you will carry more water than I would although I usually have at least two x 1 L or 40oz bottles plus Aquatabs to treat more.



I don't begrudge a company making a few bucks but I concur! That's a lot of money for a poor selection of off-the-rack trinkets. Doug's original PSP is still the benchmark for small PSKs IMO.

Content of survival kit depends on greatly where you are.
But this guy proves that in Finland it is enough with a knife and firemaking kit. And knowlidge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLOsnBaWVBA

I will check the video out, thanks! I still think even if you have a lot of knowledge it's still good to have gear. Given a knife and a firesteel I would probably do alright if I knew ahead of time where I was going and when. But recreating everything from scratch in the woods is very slow and inefficient compared to taking along proper gear.

Certainly knowledge plus gear is the best situation. But knowledge is probably most important since many survival situation revolve around decisions made as to actions to take.

Coming to a flooding stream,do you cross or not? Do we climb this cliff, even though we don't have a rope or climbing gear? I see lightning, should we seek shelter or forge ahead?

The gear has no value unless the owner knows how and when to use it properly - indeed the goodies can get you deeper into trouble if not employed appropriately.