First post here <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I've been interested in kits for a while, then I found the webpage and it got me motivated again....

I was browsing around at the US cav and came across one of those "sas survival tins"

It looked pretty good. I felt the $21 price tag was a bit high, but I've seen worse, and at the very least I could probably find some useful stuff inside.

So I get it. The first thing I noticed is that the tin I bought does not contain the same contents as the display tin. Several parts were replaced by cheaper items (as in lower quality). Hmph, that sucks... no biggie, I was going to gut it and put my own stuff in anyway!

This tin is a pretty good size, bigger than the old altoid tins I was using. Inside contained...
-Cheap Chinese copy of the swiss army knife, in a little box. The knife in the display was a vintage locking folder knife
-Matches (I call em freakin flares, I had to drop one in the empty tin to keep from burning myself... WOOSH!)
-Emergency Whistle
-Small tea candle
-Fishing kit (made in china)
-Sewing kit
-Overly Bulky magnesium fire starter, and metal thing to start it with...
-Safety Pins
-Wire Saw
-Pencil
-"Button" compass (read: big ugly plastic thing that looks like it came out of a cracker jack box, not like the button compass in the display model)
-Water Purification Tabs

It said on the top that there was a nightlight. They mean the tea candle.
They also had a handy dandy survival information sheet.

Obviously there are a few things missing, so I screwed around.

In place of the cheap swiss army knife, I put in a REAL swiss army knife and one of those little miniature P-38 can openers. Both fit in the same little swiss army knife box, so good. No extra room taken up.

I trashed the magnesium firestarter. There was a BIG plastic handle on there that took up tons of space and was useless. I had another firestarter that was much more compact, but I decided against it. The matches should be fine, and I'll have alternate ways to start a fire before I'm done. I never could get a nice pile of magnesium anyway..
I trashed the compass second, it was crap, and big. I added a compass from a US military survival kit, a "true" button compass. It's tiny, and vintage I think (has a little radioactive symbol on the back). This actually fits inside the matchbox, so good. Saved more room there.

After trashing the magnesium firestarter, I had enough room not only for a cheap multi-tool, but also an LED light, two things I thought would be more useful anyway. In the outdoors, a tea candle just ain't cuttin it for a light, and this day in age, there's no excuse not to find a good LED light. I trashed the survival instruction sheet... first of all, it contained instructions requiring items not even in the kit (not so useful) and also when folded, it was fairly thick.
I put in a compact mirror as well, something I thought would be useful for signalling than the tin lid, and would also work for personal use (finding those ticks in hard to reach spots!).

I threw in a survival card. Why not... it has another LED built in, another blade (akin to the small swiss army knife blade), magnifying glass, needle, sissors, pen, etc.

I also threw in a second wire saw. Just wasn't sure if I could trust the one that came with the kit, considering the quality of some of the other items.

The rest I kept, but if I stumble across something better I'll include it. There are some items I've been meaning to add too, when I buy some.
-Condoms for holding water
-Trick Birthday Candles (burn faster, but probably better than the tea candle in poor weather)
-Diliated eye shades
-Heavy Duty zip lock bags
-Insect Repellant
-Sunscreen packet/chapstick
-small thing of duct tape
-eye screws
-Good keychain sized spyderco knife

Unfortunately some of those items (like the emergency blanket and windproof lighter) are simply too bulky to fit in the tin.

As a temporary solution, I've purchased a camera bag. It fits the tin in the main "camera" compartment, and has a fold over section to boot. Here, I put an emergency poncho and space blanket, basic first aid stuff, a bic, some MRE toilet paper, and probably salt packets as well as a hard candy (for heat exhaustion and...well nummy candy, respectively.)

I will probably search for a pelican case in the future, while looking out for the other items I wanted to include.

The first aid component is very basic. It's just for minor screwups... stabbing myself with a needle/hook, that type of thing. I plan on having a seperate dedicated first aid kit.

This goes with me wherever I go (in the vehicle, or backpack at school) but I don't carry it on my belt. I would if I was going hiking or something though.

This kit is more of a wilderness kit. Many of the items would be useless for something like an urban area... and it's a pretty general kit too. I would bring extra, mission specific items depending on the environment. During winter, I'll add hand warmers and so forth. If I was going to the tropics, I'd probably look for some malaria tablets, mosquito headnets, and so on.

Any comments would be appreciated. I'm always afraid I've "missed" something by over-thinking it.

Please excuse the poor quality images...

Thanks Burncycle for sharing this love seeing what others have done. Mine is in a maxpedition M5 waistpack psk.pocket first aid kit, swiss army knife ,magnesium fire starter,space blanket, saw, handwarmers, ect. Are the aquatabs for water purification? and whats in them iodine?.

Thanks
Lee

that "sas surviva kit" looks like a BCB combat survival kit or there millitairy survival kit

what multitools do got in your PSK ? looks like one i got too, but mine experians with that tools wasn't good at all. The saw worked very effectively in scrathing itchy place's, but did nothing with wood at all. It also remebers me a attempt to screw tight a screw, but ended up with a twisted screwdriver, instead of a fixed screw.

adding some cottonwool, with or without pertolium jelly. Will fill up the space between the bits and stops rattling.

sounds like you traded out most of the stuff anyway and just used a case.

was there anything in the case that exceeded your expectations at all?

Well, what I like to do is buy survival kits and first aid kits and gut them, combine them, and so forth. Around here, you can't find the little fishing kits sold seperately for example. So I may spend $5 on a kit when all I want is one or two parts inside!

I have to say I was dissapointed that I was mislead about the contents. Most of the parts were below expectation... However the items I kept I thought were pretty satisfactory, and I'll use them unless I find something better. I'm pretty happy about it, don't get me wrong. I've seen much worse, like some of those wal-mart kits <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />



I'm not sure what brand of multi-tool I put in there. It's a cheap gerber knockoff or something. I had it laying around the house so I figured why not. Ideally, this kit can be supplimented by the stuff I usually carry in my pants daily (a good knife, good flashlight, LED, decent multi-tool) but I wanted it to be stand-alone capable if I had no other choice.



Thanks for the tip. I do have an annoying empty spot, I think I'll stuff some cotton and eye screws in there



Yep, each tab cleans up about a liter of water. I'm not sure if they're iodine based or chlorine based though, I'll have to look closer when I get back to the house and I'll let ya know.

Thanks for the comments guys!

As always, this will probably grow and evolve, replacing some parts with better ones as I come across them

Where did you get the mini dice in pic #4? <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

lol, my father has a bunch of those. Probably useless survival wise, but it's something to keep me occupied <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I stuck two of them in there, but they're out of frame for most of the shots. When I get back, I'll ask him where he bought them <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

You could use them as the core for a monkey's fist in case you need a throwing rope.

Aquatabs are chlorine based.

I'm surprised to find that the SAS kit contents have deteriorated to such an extent. Seems like a poor comparison to Doug's kit.

Solution:
Buy Doug's kit, put the contents in the tin, add on your other goodies!! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Are there any disadvantages/advantages to chlorine vs. iodine based tablets?



Thinkin about it <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Sorry you had to toss so much stuff. You might as well have just found a tin and assembled your own what with all the substandard components that one had in it.

I outlined a few in this thread last week.

http://www.equipped.org/ubbthreads/showt...o=&vc=1

Flip

Thanks <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Very cool!

I found a new way to pack it <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> it makes even more room, and fits perfectly.

I tossed the tea candle. After browsing the equipped website, apparently it melts if it's hot outside, and it's really not a candle for outdoors. The wax liquifies, and the flame is small. This means any jarring or wind can either put it out, or spill the metal bowl of liquid wax. No thanks...

With that gone, I can fit a mini altoids tin in there. Inside the altoids tin, the two wire saws wrap nicely and out of the way. In the middle is room for snare wire or firestarting tinder. Since I don't know how to use snare wire, and I should really have some tinder, I'll probably buy tender and put it in there.
This also made room for yet another LED (brighter, white light, a little bigger in diameter. It's above the mini altoids tin in the picture)

Round tea candles are clearly not very space efficient <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Now with the extra room....
A locking folding blade (keychain sized, mostly serrated, but it's all I've got this size for now)
Smaller magnesium fire starter
5 eye screws
On top of that, I can now add tylenol, sunscreen, antiseptic towelettes, and other small "packets" inside the tin itself.

Again, still slightly incomplete... but I'm usually on the lookout for other goodies to add (condoms or bags, flat roll duct tape, tinder...)

The idea is this: The survival tin can act as a standalone PSK. Combine it with the camera case, and you get shelter and a few other goodies in a "belt" kit

The first picture shows the kit in the middle, a first aid kit on the right (still working on that one) and an M&M's mini tube filled with enough 550 cord to make a swiss seat (6 feet or so).

just a few thoughts, with everyone talking about the whitmans sampler tins and what not christmas is coming, and the swiss colony company offers alot of items in tins.

you can give away the (repacked) goodies and keep the tins for yourself.

no this isnt a commercial for the company, i just thought of it because we ordered from there last christmas and i still have this small round metal tin that seals really well.
its about 2 inches high, 4-5 inches across.


my other thought is for those of us into crafts or more old fashioned survival skills like making your own candles.

what about this idea, take the mini altoids tin and fill it with your candle wax and a few wicks as a portable candle with built in wind screen?

an alternate idea for those handier with tools, solder 2 thin walls (aluminum maybe?) into the tiny altoids tin to make 3 individualized emergency survival candles ?

see this post

Altoids survival candle

Buying what extreme generosity can only be called junk in retrospect is almost a right of passage. Consider your money well invested <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />. Very few of us have the experience or funds to get it all right the first time. I missed buying a hollow handled, camouflaged, sawbacked Vatican Guard Special Forces EBAY special with 101 FREE items for $9.99. What I did buy is between me,GOD and the trashman <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />.

lol Thanks <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

ouch chris i feel ya pain, i remember once about 10 years ago i was shopping at a flea market with my mom.

i came across someone selling a knights of columbus sword, a saber (marines i think?) and another sword in excellent condition.

after speaking to the vendor about them i was all set to buy them, at an incredible deal.

except i left my wallet at home, and she wasnt feeling well so we finished up her shopping and headed home.
i came running back for those swords but he had just sold them not 5 mins earlier...

the price of not being prepared.

WARNING:

Please be assured, I am not trying to be negative on your thoughts to have paracord on hand, but not for a Swiss Seat. Have you ever tried the paracord for a Swiss Seat? I would suspect that unless you pad significantly, you are asking for a potentially life threatening situation. When tying and using a Swiss Seat even from webbing, there is significant point pressure on the femoral artery, as well as restricting venous flow. This can result in significant compartmental syndrome. The use of narrow, cordage/webbing can and has led to life threatening/ending situations and can occur in mere minutes. Never ever use paracord for a Swiss Seat. Just my opinion. Pete

Never thought about it, thanks for the advice.

Back in jrotc, we did use rope that was a bit thicker <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Ski Patrol in Tahoe use what looks like 1" wide nylon webbing for their swiss seats. Are they using regular 1" nylon webbing or something special that just looks like regular nylon webbing? Also, what would you use for a swiss seat on a person wearing shorts or perhaps a female in a swimsuit, where there would be little or no padding for the upper legs? ...Thanks...

In general, 1” webbing is the standard for tying a Swiss Seat. Some people have been able to obtain 2” inch webbing
( http://www.nrsweb.com/shop/product.asp?pfid=1847&deptid=1039 ) to spread the weight load at points of pressure. The 2” webbing can be more difficult to tie, you should always practice both on yourself and a volunteer “victim” to gain proficiency. The 2” is less convenient to carry around, but may provide a better option for some individuals.

Depending upon the need, skill and frequency of use, I would use a standard rescue harness or diaper sling. A Swiss Seat can come in handy and can be padded with towels, blankets, clothing, etc.

Pete

Correct me if I'm wrong Pete but it sounds like the message is, when you don't have a proper harness and have to go with the swiss seat then 1" webbing is fine and you should make every effort to pad with whatever is available?

Correct <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Pete

Thanks for sharing Burncycle. My thoughts were that the bona fide SAS would be appalled to see the regiment's name attached to such a mickey mouse kit as the one you first purchased. Seems as though someone is taking their illustrious name and trading off it. Shame on them.
My thoughts on your kit: Perhaps a straw [ good for drinking out of puddles ]. Pop an acquatab into the puddle first...
Someone has already mentioned more fire-starting kit. Depending on where you live in the world, perhaps tailor your kit to your environment.. severe heat , cold etc. Winter kit, summer kit..
And how about more band-aids? I find you can never have enough...
a few thoughts... cheers...PeterR, Australia