I was just looking on the web, I found this:

http://www.bestglide.com/emergency_ration_info.html

Very cool, but over priced. I can build as good or better into an altoids tin for a lot less.

I found the specs on it:
# Plain Mint Cake (85g)
# OXO Cube
# Snickers Bar
# Coffee x 2
# Milk x 2
# Sugar x 2
# Solid Fuel Tablets 40g
# Book Of Matches
# Poly Bag
# Water Purifying Tablets x 6
# Whistle
# Pencil
# Survival Instructions
# Wire
# 6 x Sweets
# Button Compass

I'd start with an Altoids tin and theoretically put in:
6-8 jolly ranchers
A cut down oven bag for water
A tiny vial with 18-20 water purification tablets
2-3 tiny chocolate bars (dark, less melty) or maybe walnettos
3-4 tea bags
2-3 true lemon packs (crystalized lemon juice, great stuff in tea and it kills the water purification tablet taste)
4 sugar packets (does anyone know of where to get individually wrapped sugar cubes?)
2-3 bullion cubes
3-4 lacquered matches, with striker, in a zipper bag
25-30 feet of 20 test braided spectra fishline on a trimmed embroidery floos card
2 needles and 6 fishhooks taped to the inside of the tin
And maybe a square of aluminum foil, folded flat and pressed thin

That's a theoretical. I might try my hand atmaking this guy this weekend.

But, if I have this guy (deignated Pocket Rations Kit, or PRK), I already have my PSK, PMK and PAK (pocket auxillery kit) with me, and/or my bigger survival tin.

1. I purchased one of these ration packs a few months ago because I always wanted to know what the famous Kendall Mint Cake was--it is just a firm, powdered-sugar (possibly boiled a bit), white candy with mint flavoring added. I also was wondering if their chocolate was like the Tropical Chocolate that Hersey made in the 40s--not that I have ever seen or tasted it to compare. The chocolate was a bit coarse as I remember and I did not try a melt test to see if it easily melted or not. I will stick with Tootsie Roll Midges if I want to add chocolate to a kit. The whistle was OK and I already have too many button compasses. Overall, I would not purchase another.
2. I had never heard of True Lemon Crystals. I searched the net and found free samples here: http://www.truelemon.com/superfan_Milito.html (scroll down--on right hand side)

What you are looking at here is an imitation of the food packs in a R.A.F. survival pack. It's not actually a bad compromise for someone who needs something that's storable and either doesn't have our level of experience or does not want to be bothered. The calorific value of the mintcake - which was developed for high altitude climbing/artic exploration - is very high. It will certainly do for the 1st 24hrs or so and believe me living on mintcake & oxo cubes will motivate anyone to get their ass rescued!

OK, I need to pick up the candy for this. What can I say, kits are an obsession. :P Should be able to get 6 jolly ranchers in there no problem, but I'm not sure about the water bag. Looking for a local source of walnettos this weekend.

Pete, if you tried the chocolate, was it a little bitter? Since you describe it as "coarse", if it is about three quarts of the way in bitterness from bakers chocolate to dark chocolate, from what I've read, it is spot on if they've added the vitamins and minerals to it.

(I'd love to see a tiny chocolate bar that is shelled with M&M armour. Melts in your mouth, not in your tin.)

The site you found is the guys. Great stuff. You can also get True Lemon and True Lime through minimus.biz.

I don?t know about that. I love the mint cake <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />; of course this is coming from someone who has to have a layer of ?white death? (sugar) sitting on the bottom of a glass of iced tea <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> or loves to suck on rock candy. I am so bad that friends of mine, who are Persian, make for me a ?candy? (it is really for using with strong Persian Tea), which is basically sugar, rose water and saffron, which is melted together and recrystallized <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />.

Pete

Sounds yummy, Pete.

As I remember, it was coarse as if it were made with cocoa powder and no other oils instead of squares of baking chocolate and butter. I do not remember it being any more bitter than a Hersey's bar. I doubt if there was oat flour in it but maybe more milk solids than a regular chocolate bar. Now I am going to have to eat my words and buy another ration pack to stimulate my memory.

So why not just package 20 granola bars and some drink powder in a bag?

Lots of calories, some fiber and vitimans.

I'd rather carry real food. My mission for this kit is as part of hypothermia preperations. Instant energy and something warm, with the added benifit of the tea being a mild stimulant for combating the mental effects of the first signs of CO poisoning.

With my car, that latter is a constant issue. :P

Pete,
I'm not up to such high level of sugar tolerance. I finally found mint cake in a candy store in on holiday in Australia last year. When i opened it to try a piece, i almost choked on the high sugar content.... <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />
For the calories, in a survival situation, it'll do, but i suspect it would taste better mixed in a cup of tea. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Sounds like it would also make good squirrel bait! <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

All this talk of sugar is making may mouth water for a giant grape flavored pixie stick (a straw filled with flavored sugar) <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />.

Pete