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.