Hello! I've finally put together my first survival kit, using a Lock & Lock waterproof container. I'm pretty proud of what I have done.



I am considering removing the latex gloves and lightstick; those two items take a lot of space and I could add some first aid items instead such as band-aids, ibuprofen, as well as a photon freedom light.

Comments for improvement are appreciated! This kit is to be used for backpacking/day hikes/fishing trips.


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

The box is really interesting - can you tell me more about it? (Such as how waterproof is it, size and where you got it plus price?)

I would add some medications, as you indicated.
Maybe some Benadryl for reactions to insect stings and the like.
Good job!

Nice first kit. You are ahead of 99% of most everyone else.

I agree with removing the lightstick and gloves.

Add bandaids, etc

You could also gain some space by rewrapping the thread around a small metal or plastic thread bobbin used to hold thread in sewing machines. Just go to a fabric store and ask where the bobbins are...the ladies there will show you and you can look around.

Add a couple of needles as well.

Good idea on the Photon light. Since it is a wilderness kit let me suggest a compass and maybe a couple of trick birthday candles. You may already be carrying a main compass but it is such an important piece of equipment that you probably should have a mini stashed in your kit. Pencil or pen, and paper, and some heavy-duty tinfoil could also prove invaluable.

Regards, Vince

yes, remove the lightstick !
AFAIK, they are supposed to be in a closed wraping, under controled atmosphere ; if wraping is punctured, they don't have a very long shelf life (at least for the brands I know).

I no longer use those chemical lights : most were dead when I tried to use them, even with a good pakage, and even within the useable date range indicated.

Lithium batteries + LED : much better.... If you are not obliged to leave the lights on site.....

Try to get your hands on a AMK Doug Ritter PSP. You'll have a flint (Spark-Lite, very small and efficient), you'll upgrade your mirror and whistle, you'll get a decent button compass, you'll upgrade the razor blade to a #22 scalpel blade sterile, you'll get some braided nylon cord, safety pins, survival instructions, etc. You can add to that a small diameter tube, a condom and a wire saw. And you could upgrade the water purifier to Katadyn MP1 tabs that will kill cryptosporidium...

BTW if you ever decide to get a PSP it's available in Canada at mec.ca (it's not on their web site but the item number is 5007-140)
Frankie

Unfortunately I think "relight" candles are banned in Canada since 1977 because they are considered hazardous.

Frankie

I was getting ready to made a bunch of item-by-item substitutions and suggestions -- wrong.

One of my kits, my pure emergency, keep your grubby fingers out of it, kit consists of a Ritter/AMD PSK in a 4" x 6" x 1.5" nylon belt pouch. Packed with it are:
Windmil butane lighter (or 2 reg butine lighter with adjustable flames
sheet of MP-1 water pure. tabs
2 space blankets in 1 gal zip bag
SAK
splinter picker tweezers
flourescent marking tape
wire saw [I have a new one on order, said to be a big improvement]
30' para cord
another folded 1 gal zip bag
more wire
more needles - lose the plastic bag in the Ritter plastic vial
Photon III
eye drop bottle filled with bleach
assorted zip strip wire ties
Small ziplock with: 6 assorted frabic band aids, 4 steri wound strips, 3-0 silk suture pack; 4 immodium, 4 benadryl, 2 foil mini bags 3-way antibiotic, 2 providone iodine towelettes

I decided that I needed to make a decision about fishing stuff: I needed to either really pump it up, or lose the whole thing. Based upon my travel patterns and climate, I took the fishing gear out of the Ritter kit, and bought a fishing kit from Buckshot's Camp, www.buckshotscamp.com. He carries a lot of good hard to find stuff, including the best site for snare equipment I have been able to find. He comes to a surprising conclusion: snare gear is not worth the trouble for short term survival scenarios.

If the trip includes the possible need for fishing gear, it comes in a plastic tube I just throw in a bag, otherwise it stays in my much larger EDUse/BOB bag.

He sure does. Good find. Not a fancy site, but that isnt really what matters.

Wolf, you can find Bee's container here:

http://www.organize-everything.com/lolofostco-all.html

Drop the lightstick and get a tiny led light. Gloves are useful for doing first aid on other people, so let that guide your choice. A suggestion -- an spf 30 chapstick. Can be used on your nose, ears, etc in an emergency. tro

Thanks very much!

Good idea on the chapstick! I have some small sunblock sticks (about half the size of a small stick of deodorant) but chapstick would be much more compact!

I bought Blistex ultra protection (SPF 30) once following Doug's recommendation but I just didn't think I could use it on other places than on the lips. I originally thought all the stress on the SPF was because the lips may be more sensitive to the sun than the skin but now it makes more sense...

Thanks -- remember to replace it every year or two when you replace your meds...It is said to wear out.

T Ro

Woot, you could find pictures online... Good job, I couldn't find any. They are called Lock & Lock containers and are available in a lot of convenience stores, at least here in eastern Canada. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

It's probably not 100% waterproof although i'm sure it wouldn't spill too too much, considering this is to bring soup to work and such. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> So I guess it would be alright.

It's not bulletproof either, I took it with my on a fishing trip last week (way back in the woods, which is why I made my kit in the first place), and it has a little crack in one of the corners. It's still a very sturdy, reliable container IMHO. As for price, I can't really give you specific prices but it was slightly pricier than the cheap sandwich containers. But still affordable.


Bee

Hmmm... the chapstick looks too big for my small container. Is that really necessary, in a survival situation?! Hmm... Anyways, here is my slighty updated, v2 survival kit after a little rethinking.



I have replaced the pea whistle with a Fox40 Micro whistle. I also removed the lightstick as per duckear's suggestion (you can see it glowing on the pic!). I guess it doesn't really need the foil wraping after all; i've had it for a long time and, well, it glows nicely! *Looks at wasted lightstick and sighs*. The mirror will be upgraded soon with a real survival mirror with aiming aid. I also want to put my hands on a golf pencil.

I added a few Band-aids.

Things to be purchased : Photon mini-LED light, pain killers such as Empracet (prescription strength), button compass (I can't seem to find one locally), Benadryl (JoeBob's suggestion), sewing bobbin (duckdear's suggestion; rolling the nylon thread around the satin floss bobbin was a real pain and it's not tidy enough to my taste), a few Powerbait nibblers as additionnal bait...

Some of you have suggested Doug's kit... It looks nice but my goal was to make my own kit mostly out of items I already had on hand. I didn't want to invest too much on the kit, that was one of my goals (the most I spent is 15$ CAD on the Gerber knife).

There we go! Weeeee <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Bee

I live in an area where sunburn is pretty darn common (103F today and not a cloud in the sky) and I dont carry anything for sunburn in my pocket kit. I would use mud if necessary. In a slightly larger kit I think its justified though (atleast in Texas at this time of year) and I think the chapstick is a great alternative to the sunblock sticks I have been using in the past. When I was talking about chapstick and sunblock sticks in the other reply, I was thinking along the lines of lightweight backpacking or larger kits... not a pocket kit. I apologize for not being clear on that before.

It's all good! I guess it boils down to the specific needs one might have depending on the area where he lives.

I live in Quebec (eastern Canada), which makes me more worried about mosquitos and black flies than sunburns. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />


Bee

I used two of the smaller sizes this past weekend on a rafting trip. One for a PSK, the other for a FAK. Both were in a mesh bag in the bottom of the raft and despite being wet all of the time neither developed any leaks.

Pete

When you get ready to put the fishing line or thread on the bobbin...wrap some masking tape around a drill bit, just enough so the bobbin will slide onto the drill bit but not spin. Chuck in drill. Use drill to wind for you. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Takes about 30 seconds to load up the bobbin with thread or line.

Where did you get the micro fox 40 whistle?

I think you wanted to reply to someone else on this thread.

Pete

Hi! That's a good suggestion... I would have done that but I don't have these kinds of tools handy. I thought of using the Braun food processor but I decided to do it by hand... ;-)

I'll do it with the sewing bobbin and a drill.

The Fox40 Micro comes from Canadian Tire, a convenience store chain we got in Canada. I'm sure you can purchase it online somewhere, a 2-pack costs 6$ CAD.


Bee

Is six Canada dollars about $1.50 US or $50 US? I never can keep that straight! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Its about a pint and a half, but its served warm.

Duckear, six canadian dollars is about 5 USD.

I'm sure you can find the Fox 40 micros 2-packs in a store near you.

Ttyl!