As a few of you have received the latest The Aviation Consumer may have noticed, Aeromedix.com is now offering some aviation survival kits that I designed. Actually delivery of the first units is some months off, probably early this summer, but Aeromedix.com is accepting orders and offering a substantial discount for pre-orders.

More information about these Doug Ritter Aviator Survival Paks can be found at:

http://www.dougritter.com/DR-Aeromedix_survival_pak_index.htm

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of each Doug Ritter Aviator Survival Pak goes to support the non-profit Equipped To Survive Foundation.

Any rough idea on what the prices will be? Just wondering?

It varies depending upon the Pak selected. All that information can be found via the link.

Oooooooo...
I see the Doug Ritter RSK MkIII Fixed Blade Knife by Benchmade there.

Did I miss the announcement or something? <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Just a figment of your imagination... <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Ah, I didn't look at the Aeromedix link. Sorry.

I can't wait to pick myself up one of those fixed blade chimeras then! LOL

Those Aviation Survival Paks look awesome. Sorry I got sidetracked there. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

As does the price. <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

Quality doesn't come cheap. <shrug>

No problem. I'm not allowed to quote prices. <g>

Very nice kit! While the contents lists speak for themselves, can you provide some additional information concerning the pack itself? Is it a daypack or fanny pack - I can't tell from the photo? How may compartments does it have? What is is made of? Will the pack be available for purchase as a separate item?

I'm interested.

Doug

What is the bag shown in the photo? I did not see it in the contents list.

20

Sure, it's expensive, but as your background page points out, many private aircraft cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Folks spending such money probably wouldn't blink at spending a thousand or more on a kit.

And I agree -- quality isn't cheap. And if the ETS Foundation gets something out of it, all that much better.

As I sit here and think about the money and time invested in my own gear, all of a sudden it adds up quickly! <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

While I won't be buying one of the kits, I really do appreciate the time taken to write-up the components and take lots of pictures. It helps to give us great ideas for our own kits (not to mention the "drool" factor). <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Very impressive. I especially like the write up of contents, good explanations.

Dave

As noted, the pack shown was used only for the prototype and we are developing our own special purpose pack. The pack shown happens to be a Mountainsmith Challenger Day Pack. The pack we are developing will be custom produced to our specifications and is still under design as we consider various options. Volume will be 1900-2000 cu. in. and it will generally look like a day pack. Our aim is a pack that will stand up to considerable abuse, protect the components of the kit, be carriable by a handle and optionally as a pack with shoulder straps if it is necessary or desirable to move from a crash location (which we generally do not recommend except in extraordinary circumstances) and is lightweight. It will likely be red on top and black on the bottom. That is really all I can offer at this time.

For the prototype I used a Mountainsmith Challenger Day Pack

For anyone that wants one anyway, Summit Hut has the Mountainsmith Challenger on sale for $19.95!!! Regular $40.00...

Good enough. I thought it looked like a Mountainsmith. If your design is anything close, the pack alone would be worth the price of the entire kit. I'm eager to see what develops. Keep up the good work!

Steve

Ohhhh, the MkIII fixed blade ...

I feel like a kid that opened up a closet and found the Christmas presents...

I can't wait 'till Christmas finally arrives!!

Does that cost include divorce insurance?

;-) Fantastic kits. Really probably very much like something we would all build for a bob (minus some food/water) and build up over time.

Simply Awesome... Are you working on marine kits and vehicle/home BOB kits as well?

Edit: Oh, and they do make zip ties that are reusable/adjustable. Might want to consider those instead of standard ones.

Yes, they do make reusable cable ties, but not in larger sizes, at least none that I've found.

Right now, we'll see how these go before we consider anything further.

I have gotten a couple of the reusable ziptie s and was not impresed. They would have a very fine nich becuase most of what they could be used for, a good knot could have do twice as good.

Question for Doug. Of all the choices of Leatherman multi-tools, why did you choose the Blast and the Juice? Just curious.

The Blast was selected as the base tool for the Paks because it combines the basic tools desired including a file, saw and scissors, in the lightest and most economical package. IOW, it's a good value and provides the features most desired for my purposes. Not sure where you came up with Juice. I don't recall that as being part of the Paks.

...........my mistake. It's the Wave that's included as well.

The Wave is the best value in the line for daily carry one-hand opening, which I prefer.

I thought that price was GREAT. Considering what is in there you'd be hard pressed to do better, I suspect if you tried you'd be well over that mark.

Adam

Doug
What kind of information will be inclueded in these packs and will it be a valable without having to buy the kit?

Is that the same as voices in your head? I've got a lotta figments, too many voices, or maybe both. The more, the merrier. Yeah, I'm still same. Just having a REAL busy Friday. Too busy.

-- Craig

Yeah and I've put together many PSK's (and I know you've put together a few <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />) over the years and buying individual items and factoring in shipping cost - they get expensive.

Adam

Doug, you realize, of course, you have established the benchmark against which all of our similiar sized survival kits will be measured.
(Nobody ever said quality was cheap.)

'There is nothing so frightening as ignorance in action."

Nice kit. $2450. Ouch.

What is the blue rolled up thingy in the picture? Foam pad? But I didn't see it mentioned in the text.

In the list of contents, Doug lists a closed cell foam sleeping pad then lists a strap with buckle.

Perhaps you missed this:

"When the pack is outfitted with the standard components, there is some extra room to add personal gear and to accommodate some of the options we expect some customers to select. The unused space is filled with ultralight 3/8-inch closed cell insulating foam that a survivor can use to insulate themselves from the cold ground; no sense wasting space. The pair of 24-inch long cinch straps that secure this foam roll can be used for shelter building or other survival purposes. If the customer prefers, they can dispense with the foam and save 3.1 ounces. The foam can be cut shorter with a utility knife or household scissors to fit a smaller space if the customer adds personal gear."

Reading is fundamental. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Thanks. I thought that was what it was.

I searched this site today....no mention of the Challenger anywhere...do you have a link?

Just checked, and it looks like they are sold out...
I must have got my order in just under the wire!!!

I was surprised that the mini waterproof survival guide used in the Doug Ritter Aviation Survival Pak ( The Pocket Guide to Outdoor Survival ) is not reviewed on the ETS website's publications section...

(It's a nice little basic guide!)

They are the best aviation survival kits i've seen so far.
Nice the way that you described all it's contents, it's very interesting.
I'm trying to make one myself.(and for myself)
BTW: Could you publish the packing scematics of the kits,it would be a great help. <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

But is the price really just for assembling the kit and it's components, or are their other expences like marketing?
It's a good think that a part of the profits go to the ETS foundation.
And when is the Aviation Survival Vest ready?

Well, I gotta think that the price is because all of the components are essentially top-notch and field tested. If you bought this exact kit piecemeal, it's going to cost you more than this pre-assembled kit.

Packing something like this becomes an art in itself (Not sure if AMK is going to let Doug publish that since it's sort of a trade secret how they do some of their stuff - let the competition spend a couple of grand to find out on their own!).

So, even though they get the items for far less than we would all pay retail, they still have to pack, and yes, market the items. Even so, it's a fairly incredible value. I started a spreadsheet and was looking up prices for items individually. Even at the lowest I could find, I gave up about a 5th of the way through because I realized there was no way to do it "on the cheap" unless you purchased knockoffs and such, which I'm not inclined to do.

Sadly, that bad-boy would make a killer BOB, so I have a goal to try to replicate it over time as my budget allows. :-)

Thanks for the compliments. You are certainly welcome to use these as a guide to produce your own kit, we recognize that was going to happen, but I think we've gone as far as I am willing to go as far as providing information about the kits. You'll have to figure out how to pack it yourself. After all, the concept is we want to sell these. Others are already "borrowing" (to use the polite word) ideas I developed for these kits for their own commercial kits, not going to make it any easier for them.

Thanks, I understand. <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I do have a question about the kits:
You said in the water/food group on ETS that: ''For most uses, we prefer the Aqua Blox to the flex-paks, but they do generally cost a bit more.''

If you prefer the Aqua-Blox, then why do you include the flex-packs?
Does it have to do with the price (is there such a difference between them) or the space they take in?

Also I would probably add surgical tubing and a carabiner hook for securing equipment (of courdt you could also use the safety neck lanyards for it)
Still they are the best aviation kits available so far.
Well not available yet, but you know what I mean.... <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Aquablox are tougher, but if a flexible pouch meets what the packers considers to be the minimum of durability, it is a lot easier to pack.

The flex-packs are lighter and more compact, both critical issues for an aviation survival kit.

There's lots of stuff that can be added, based on personal desires and priorities. In fact, the options are unlimited. However, you have to draw the line somewhere when it comes to weight and volume limited kits, and these already push acceptable limits for most pilots.

In the medical kit of the ASP, should the emphesis be on stuff to stop a serious bleeding or on medicines?

The ultralight medical kit (.3 or .9) from AMK has some bandages, gauzes and a single dressing. Almost all the rest is medicine and desinfectant.

Doug has included this kit into his Aviation Survival Pak (and two trauma bandages, nice addition BTW)

Doesn't most crashes cause serious trauma? So don't you want to have a medical kit that can cope with trauma?

Therefor I was a bit surprised that the aviation medical kit was focust on medicine, not on serious trauma. And that there was no triangular bandage.

And it's nice that you have all those medicines, but a aircraft crash is in most cases a short-term survival situation, so are they directly needed, or can it wait untill your rescued and safely in the hospital??

Not that I want to say that the AMK medical kit and the Aviator Survival Pak are a bad choice (certainly not!), but I just wanted to give my opinion. Please give me yours!

While Bleeding Control is one of the primary priorities. Each of these kits have adaquate wound managment suppplies for their size. When travelling light and fast, you will likely have to use improvised dressings and bandages for bleeding control.

The AMK Lightweight 0.3 is designed to be a superlight and compact kit for hikers and endurance athletes. I have two of these for running and MTB, I have added a few items but these kits take care of the basic needs for the light and fast crowd. It doesn't apear Doug has a O.3 in his kits.

The Kit looks like it contains a modified version of the AMK 0.9 to Doug's specifications. As far as lightweight and compact kits go the 0.9 is great, I would add little to this kit for trips off road up to 3. The first two items I would add, Doug has in his kit (Trauma Dressings and SAM Splint). The 0.9 has one of the best items when it comes to producing a pressure dressing, an elastic bandage.

These kits aren't expedition kits, or anywhere near what I keep in my truck, but they a the best on the market for their target consumer and a good choice for anyone building a BOB or large survival kit. With a few items added of course.