Doug talks about a "small" tobacco tin for an EDC kit. Online research has turned up 50g tins and 100g tins...any ideas which might constitute "small"?

I live in a university town, and would you believe, no one carries tobacco tins? Geez!

50g would be a "small" tin, but really, these things are pretty enormous for pocket carry. I really have to wonder why people still carry tobacco tins, given that there are much more comfortable options for pocket carry today than there were 100 years ago... (Even people who smoke pipes tend to carry their tabacky in pouches, not tins.)

Most of us use altoid tins.

Being from a university town, try the head shops (sorry, I don't know what the current generation, which I am a part of, calls them). I've seen them online from British sites that describes them as "stash tins", so they might be used the same way on this side of the pond.

What you say is true. The pouch is much more comfortable in the pocket. The main reason I use a tin instead of a pouch for a pocket kit is because the tin is more resistant to crushing, bending, etc and therefore protects the contents a little better.

I've got the minimum amount of stuff I am comfortable with in a 5 x 7 mesh zip pouch in my briefcase for EDC. When I have to clear security, I just pull it out and I'm good.

Many people use Altoid tins. Most convenience style stores carry Altoids and you can find several sizes.

Adam

Although the Altoids tin is better, I found the advantage over the smaller tabacco tin to be marginal. I used the latter for a year or so when I couldn't find Altoids. Either tin is too big for a trouser pocket - I only carry them in a jacket pocket.

I happened to look closely at an Altoid's tin at the store today, and what do you know? It's a 50g tin! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Guess I could have answered my own question!

100mg, 50mg, regular altoids, small altoids

Those tobacco tins are round. The traditional SAS tobacco tin is rectangular. For example, this BCB tin is the larger-sized one. The large ones are about 4.4"x3.2"x1.1" and the small ones 3.25"x2.6"x0.9". My Altoids tin is 3.75"x2.5"x0.75". These are external dimensions with the lid on.

The Altoids tin is half an inch longer than the small tobacco but slightly thinner and less deep - it's a slightly more convenient shape for the same capacity. If you take the lid off, they are both about the same height. With lid closed the tobacco tin is higher mostly because it has a seal that is more or less air- and water-proof, which can be handy. The Altoids lid is hinged, and the hinge is made by piercing the body, so it is not at all water-proof, but is less likely to come open if the tin is over-stuffed. (Some people like to seal the tins with tape, but I prefer to keep mine accessible for casual dipping-into.)

Even though they are made in England (or at least mine were), I found Altoids quite hard to locate here. No supermarket had them. I eventually found them in a small petrol station shop. Tobacco tins were much easier to find.

Tobacco tins have several potential advantages over a plastic pouch:
+ Rigid, better protection for their contents.
+ Water proof, ditto.
+ The metal surface can be used as a (rather poor) signalling mirror.
+ Fire proof - the larger tin holds nearly 0.2l, which is nearly enough to be useful for boiling water.
+ Conductors, so protect contents against Electro-Magnetic Pulse.