Just retrieved my November Field & Stream from mailbox and found interesting article starting on page 73 with great pics of several survival kits contents.

First picture - The Pocket Kit in an Altoids tin
Second picture - The Day Hunter in zipper pouch
Third picture - The Wilderness Hunter in a fanny pack
Last page - Make your own kit work sheet

Also gives source for "Build the Perfect Survival Kit" by
John D. McCann. www.krause.com. <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Boone

Excellent resource -- thanks for the tip

Teacher Ro

Small pictures:
www.hunt101.com/img/334235.jpg
www.hunt101.com/img/334238.jpg
www.hunt101.com/img/334240.jpg
www.hunt101.com/img/334242.jpg
www.hunt101.com/img/334245.jpg

Big Pictures -
www.hunt101.com/img/334235-big.jpg
www.hunt101.com/img/334238-big.jpg
www.hunt101.com/img/334240-big.jpg
www.hunt101.com/img/334242-big.jpg
www.hunt101.com/img/334245-big.jpg

Everything is out of scale >.<

Thanks for the pics. I've saved them to my hard drive and plan to use them to check out my gear stash !

(I they appear out of scale it must be a set-up problem with your browser - try saving them to your computer and viewing them with another application). <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Frank's right. Micro$oft's Internet Explorer automatically downsizes images to fit the window. Save the pics to your C:\ drive and look at them with an image viewer.

On Internet Explorer, hover your curser over the picture and wait for the resizing button to appear in the lower right hand corner of the picture, then click it.
On Mozilla Firefox, the curser will turn into a little magnifying glass.

no no, I mean the items in the picture are not all in scale with each other <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I've disabled image resizing a long time ago <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Ok I've read the pages (BTW I use IrfanView to watch pictures. It's a neat little software) The things that caught my attention are:

1. Magnetized sewing needles. Are sewing needles available already magnetized like magnets and where to get them?

2. About the 20mm button compass, what does "grade AA" means?

3. The piece of Mica glued on a mylar film as a signal mirror. It's the first time I see this and I'm not familiar with mica.

4. Another unusual item for me is the piece of glue from glue-gun sticks.

Frankie

Get a needle and a magnet. Try getting a magnet off the fridge if you cant find one but not a flat sheet type or sticker type of magnet.
Hold the needle and rub the magnet from 1 end to the other. only rub 1 way so dont draw it back down the needle. Dont change the ends of the magnet either.
Do this a number of times and the needle will become magnetized.

I may not have explained this clearly, but I hope you can understand.

Mica is a mineral that cleaves in one direction and can produce then sheets that are translucent, somewhat "see through." See Biotite Mica Mineral Specimens for a picture. Years ago, it was often used in place of "expensive" glass, especially for applications where there would be a lot of heat, such as Lampshades and windows for wood burning stoves.

But my take on mica is that it somewhat fragile and I would expect that a commercial signal mirror, such as the one in Doug's kits, would be more durable and easier to use (and easier to find).

Burncycle, the author of the article obviously presented a collage of individual photos to make everything more visible.
For instance on The Day Hunter photo, he has photographed a collection of individual photos. True, they are not to scale of each other, but they are clearly visible. For instance, the safety pin is almost as long as the signal mirror. Obviously not true in actuality but enlarged here for your viewing.

I'm not sure I made any sense in what I said. However, I know what I meant. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I have a subscription to Field and Stream. I’m just not impressed with his selections. I much prefer the Ritter PSP and the bigger set suggested “98.6.” I keep asking myself: “why did he pick that item?” If you look it as what kind of items might be good and not what specific items are good, then it is an OK article. I bought his book and I am having the same reaction.

I have the book too, and have based my bug out bag on his medium/large kit, but with my own selections. Eventually I hope to post a picture of the completed kit when it is done. I have abandoned my tin for the time being for a bare minimum edc of leatherman new wave and cash and a smaller kit with first aid items in my briefcase to carry to work.

billvann,

You are 100% correct in regard to mica being a mineral...except in this case. The mica used for the survival mirror is "super mica" which is a very thin tough plastic used by locksmiths to slide between a door and a jamb to force open a door. Nearly indestructable (see B-Safe Industries, Inc.). Being very thin and tough it worked excellent for the mirror and actually will long out live the mylar spray glued to the surface.

Fox10

Burncycle,

The pictures are not to scale because in the wisdom of the artistic editors at Field & Stream, they felt they would "look nicer" all the same size. Originally they were photographed so you could determine their size in relationship to each other. Makes sense, unless artist get involved. Now, for the sake of art, you can't tell the size of any of the items. The whole idea of the article is to pick the specific component that fits the selected container. This is what happens when art over rules common sense. Hopefully, most people reading the article will figure this out, or their survival kit will really look peculiar.

Fox10

Fox10,

The worst thing about the Field and Stream article is trying to match the numbers on the pictures to the numbers in the text.

Have you actually used the StarFlash? The reflective surface is about the same a aluminum foil, sad to say the least. Compared to a PSP mirror or a glass military style signal mirror is like a toy to a survival tool. Also the bright spot in the aiming hole is too bright. It is hard to see the target past the fireball.

For a light thin mirror check out the REI featherweight mirror. I have a cut piece in my wallet. It is much thinner than a credit card and more reflective than a StarFlash.

There are many good ideas and pictures in the book. Someone needed to write one on assembling survival kits.

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

Craig phx,

I already addressed the article short comings with a post to Burncycle. If I had my druthers, the article would have been laid out diffrently, but they have editorial control.

In regard to the signal mirrors, yes I have actually used a starflash, as well as a rescueflash, a featherweight, etc. However, my choice might not be someone elses. The premise of the book and article is to help anybody, even those without experience, to build a survival kit (their survival kit - not mine). Obviously, there are people, such as myself, who play with this stuff all the time. For those people the book or article probably won't be as much help.

Some of the criticism I've heard is in component selection for certain kits. The book does continue to remind the reader that the component selection process must be yours. The book merely trys to show that there are different size components for different size containers. I appologize if it would appear that I am making recommendation, as what I was trying to do was get people to think about the process of selection.

I don't always agree with a component selection on some kits I've seen, but, it is not my kit. If that person is comfortable with their selection, and it works for them, then at least they are carrying a survival kit (Which is ther purpose of the book and article - to get people to make and carry kits). Hope this explains some of my thought process.

Fox10

Fox10,

Thank you sir! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

>>You are 100% correct in regard to mica being a mineral...except in this case. <<

Well there's always a first time <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

My neighbor's brother is a locksmith. I'll have to watch out for his truck in the driveway to see if I can "borrow" some mica. Thanks

>>as what I was trying to do was get people to think about the process of selection.<<

That's one of the reasons I love visiting ETS and this forum. It's designed as a platform to make folks use their best survival asset, their brain. The best kit components are those that serve multiple uses in different circumstances. Thanks

I agree. These forums are one of this sites biggest assets.

Does anyone recognize the black zippered pouch with the
'Day Hunter" kit on page 75? Know where I might obtain one?

Greg,

The pouch used for the Day Hunter was an old pouch from Eagle Creek, which has been discontinued. However, they offer a new pouch similar called the "Express Pouch", which is still available in black. It is an updated version of the old pouch. See www.eaglecreek.com and do a search for "Express Pouch". Hope this helps.

Fox10

Fox10,

For a CamelBack Blowfish size backpack what is your favorite emergency shelter? How would you set it up for cold and rain?

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

Craig phx,

I don't have alot of time to think about this question, or respond, but here is the short answer.

The only camelbak packs I work with are the militray models, so I'm not real familiar with the Blowfish. I checked quick online and it seems to be just slightly smaller than the M.U.L.E., which I do have, but have replaced with the Transformer. If I have the size right it should accomodate anything I carry.

Now keep in mind, as with all personal kits, what I carry may not be what somebody else carries. For Shelter, in the M.U.L.E. or Transformer (and even my Fatboy), I always carry a hooded All Weather Space blanket and an ultralite silnet Poncho/Tarp. With room, I also carry sveral HD Contractor garbage bags. Of course this doesn't mean I won't have emergency blankets, a coccon or a storm shelter. These might be additional if room permits.

In regard to how I would set up for cold and rain, it would depend on many variables such as location (forest, desert, etc) and season. I would assume you are talking about spring-summer-fall, as you would be carrying more than a Blowfish if it was winter. I am usually in wooded area such as the Catskills or Adirondacks, so I'll respond for that area.

Of course, before I considered a shelter, I would consider time available, weather, season, location, terrain, etc.

For an emergency set-up I would probably build an Immediate Action Shelter, using the poncho/tarp as a tarp (keeping it close to the ground) and the hooded All Weather Space blanket as a blanket (with the hood on). Contractor garbage bags would be filled with leaves and pine needles, with one used as insulation between me and the ground, and another as a comforter over me. This should get me through a night of rain and reasonable cold.

If time permitted, I would probably build an Improvised Shelter such as a Fallen Log, Tree Root, or Natural A-Frame Shelter (Tom Brown calls this last one a debris shelter). I would use the ultralite poncho/tarp to waterproof the top before completion, so additional sticks and debris keep it from blowing off. The blanket and contractor bags would be used the same.

Of course this is a quick response and anything could change after analyzing the situation. If I had any larger pack, such as my camelbak H.A.W.G., I would also have my hammock and larger utralite tarp, and I would be in heaven, so to speak.

Hope this answers your question?

Fox10