I did it again.... My PSK has outgrown its container. However, this time I must put my foot down and refuse to get yet another larger PSK container. The PSK is already much bigger than I would prefer in its current container (about twice the size of an altoids tin) and now that I am outgrowing this container also, it is time to reevaluate my priorities. Obviously this kit was made with a stay longer than 3 days in mind. It was designed to be more like a 7 day kit and perhaps even for supporting two people rather than just one.

I need help deciding what to remove from this kit. Your opinions are greatly appreciated.




Please Note: The picture of the BM310 Pocket Knife and the BCB Commando Wire Saw are not to scale. They are part of the kit but simply were not photographed with the kit.


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Signalling Group
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Modified REI Featherweight Mirror
ACR Whistle

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Emergency Devices Group
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Benchmade 310 Knife
Scalpel
BCB Wire Saw
True Nord Compass
Photon II LED Light
Fishing Bobber LED Light
Mini Bic Lighter
Large Ferrocerium Rod (From Swedish Firesteel)
Striker (From Swedish Firesteel
Small Ferrocerium Rod (From Doans MFS)
10 Tinderquik Tabs
12 REI Windproof Waterproof oversized Matches w/ Striker
15' 0.020 Stainless Steel Wire
DMT Diamond Hone
Fishing Kit
-- 30' Fishing Line 20# Test
-- 45' Black Thread #69 10# Test
-- Two Large Fish/Gaff Hooks
-- 5 Small Fishing Bait Hooks
-- 1 Medium Fish/Trap hook
-- 5 Small Split Shot
-- 5 Dehydrated Baits
-- 1 Fishing spoon
-- 1 Fishing Rig (Prerigged Swivel, Line, Small Bait, Weight)

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Medical Group
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2 Large Bandaids
2 Regular Bandaids
4 Butterfly Suture Strips
2 Motrin
2 Tylenol
2 Bayer
2 Imodium
Claritin
2 Triple Antibiotic Ointment Packets
Two Antibacterial Gel Packets
1 Vial OR Blood Clot Powder
4 Alcohol Swabs
Burn Oinment Packet
3 Sting Relief Pads (also serve as anticeptic)

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Water and Food Group
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12 Katadyn MP-1 Tabs
2 Ziplock Freezer Bags
Trojan Condom
Medium Reynolds Oven Bag

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Miscellaneous / Multi-Purpose Group
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6' x 2" Duct Tape
100' 80# Spiderwire
100' Dental Floss ~20# Test
Large Heavy Duty Needle
6 Large Safety Pins

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Kit Container
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LowPro Belt Case

I would drop the fishing kit, you can do without food, but water is more important

You could, perhaps, do without one of the two ferrocium rods. Also - you seem to have alot of water containers for a PSK, maybe go with just the oven bag, or the oven bag and one ziplock.

Brian, Think about these ideas.
Put the mini bic in your pockt. Change the fishing line to thinner spiderwire. Scrap all the Band-Aids and get 2 large Band-Aids with antiseptic on them. You can use larger Band-Aids on smaller cuts if needed. Toss the oven bag and the condom, use the zip--locks for water. Keep the condom if you think you might get "lucky". Why 2 Ferrocerium rods? Scrap the Small Ferrocerium Rod (From Doans MFS) you can cut back to 8 or even 6 tinder quicks if you want. Same with the REI matches. You can use the fishing line (maybe not perfect) in place of the black thread. The fishing prerig is redundant, with the line, hooks, weights and bait you already list.. Cut the dental floss down from 100 feet, same with the spider wire. Any of these might reduce the size of your kit, and not lower the capabilities of your kit too much. Then again, I could be talking out my tail feathers.

One ziplock, and the oven bag for water. Ziplocks are awfully useful, but if you need to scrap the one to make room, do it.

The smaller of the ferrorods stays, the big one goes to a new kit.

2 stingeeze. Loose the blood clotter.

Smaller knife and compass. Take the handles off the saw.

One gaff hook. Switch to 40' of 40# spyderwire- strong enough for most purposes, unless you are catching big fish- you can't hang onto the stuff under tnesion, it will take yoru rinfgers right off.

Smaller thing of floss.

How about ditching the two ferro rods and the striker and replacing with one spark-lite?

And maybe ditch the steel snare wire? And most of the fishing gear could probably go -- you could homebrew something with the safety pins and fishing line.

How about removing one Ziploc bag and replacing it with a rolled Gerber bag?

Good luck on thinning the kit!

Don't listen to those guys -- there is no such thing as too much line, and where we come from, no such thing as too many ways to carry water. However, I would substitute a 1 L Platypus bag or bag like this: http://www.epcamps.com/Water_Bag.html. I have had bad luck with the 'welded' edges of plastic bags.

I have used verterinary grade blood stop in the past; I ran out and an 8 oz. container is the smallest I can find.

I would upgrade the mirror, and put in more needles. I would add some sort of mini-plier even if it is just a hemostat, 'cause with cold wet hands you can't hold on to small things worth a damn.

To make room, I would give up the spoon and the bait.

I have a kit made up in a digital camera bag about the size of yours. It started out being made up of spare gear, but upgraded it leave it hidden in my truck. And I mean hidden, unfortunately.

This is mine:

Can you find a way to integrate some para cord into the overall package? Would it do you much goog to unpackage the drugs and consolidate into one vial?

Everyone,

Thanks everyone! I am getting some great ideas! Keep em coming!

Ranjack,

The Ecamps bag looks promising. I would certainly take one very strong, reliable water container that I have complete confidence in over four water containers that I don't have complete confidence in and I have had only one of several Platypus containers leak on me (and that was easily fixed with my lighter). My problem is that with the MP-1 tabs as my only means of water purification (and Iodine is not an option for medical reasons), having a 1 liter (or larger) water container make things much simpler and prevents me from wasting half of a water pruification tablet. Unfortunately I don't think I could cram a 1 liter Platypus in to my LowPro belt pouch even if I threw out the rest of the kit all together to make room. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> That's why the Ecamps bag shows promise. What are your experiences with it. How do you rank its durability as compared to a Platypus and Ziplock freezer bag? Somewhere in between the two perhaps?

Your from Texas..I understand that you think you are going to catch a big fish...but I would probably trade in that spinner that is larger than the Photon for a much smaller rig..Perch are easier to catch in the shallows and uses less line and lighter line...just my opinion. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I agree with the others that you have a lot of bandaids for a last-ditch kit. Unless you frequently raid your kit for every-day use items I would cut back or eliminate them altogether (heresy I know. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />). As far as fishing gear goes, you would know best what to carry for your environment and habitat. Are you near, or have occasion to travel near, the coast?

I would recommend some boullion, obviously not for cold weather but for extreme sweating and the resulting salt loss (of course assuming sufficient water.)

The SAS compass is smaller than the Tru-Nord. Whether or not it's worth paying 3X is up to you.

Regards, Vince