Hi,

When cleaning up all the images in my computer, I found this photo of the first survival-kit I ever made.

Now, come on guy's, I was 9 years old <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> and all into the militairy:



I don't know exactly what it all is, but if I recall correctly:

1 Survival handbook
1 Knock-off multitool
1 Knock-off maglite-style flashlight
1 map of Belgium (also part of The Netherlands)
1 OD survival bag
1 box of matches
1 BIC
1 tea-candle
more matches and cotton
1 flacon of betadine
1 pair gloves
some field dressings/triangular bandages
1 space-blanket
2m paracord
1 EMT-sheers
1 fire-steel
1 small mirror
2 ORS
1 commando-saw
1 sewing-kit
1 compass
1 'keychain with whistle, SAK, scissors and blue flashing-light
1 small fishing-kit

Not bad for a nine year old, I have seen much worse from "adults."

My first one was in an old tin Boy Scout First Aid kit, with metal belt loops on the back. Other than matches and bandaids, I don't have a clue what I might have put into the thing. I do remember that the damned things little friction latch lid was always popping open, spilling my goodies on the ground. Fixed that by installing a little bitty hasp and a safety pin to lock it...

Haha, I think I had that same crappy multi-tool when I was roughly that age.

My gear at the time consisted of:
-Official Cub Scout Utility Knife
-Knock-off multitool
-Real Maglight (Maglight actually used to be one of my fathers tenants)
-Mylar space blanket (the kind that shreds easily)
-Knock-off Zippo
-A good map compass my parents bought me
-water bottle (the white plastic squeeze kind you used on a bicycle)

That and a first aid kit was pretty much it, though at the time I never strayed far from camp.

If anything it taught me how to quickly change maglight bulbs in the dark. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

when i put my first kit together..i scouts of course..
we not not encouraged to think of them as survival kits..
this would have been around 1958-59..we were to think
about them as "lost kits" or "confidence kits"..
when i got out of the Army in 1969 i found my old kit
and took off the electric tape that sealed the round fish
hook tin that put my "survival" gear into..i had a dime taped
to the inside of the lid--might run across a phone booth..
there were also wood matches cut ot fit in the tin..a couple
aspirin in foil..band aids..halazone tablets--i still have the bottle! !..fish hooks and black nylon line--no monfiliment yet--
safety pins..a folded up square of foil....a single edge razor
blade wraped in foil...there may have been other stuff but
thats all that comes to mind right now..i sealed the can with
electric tape and put about 3 coats of bright yellow paint
on it....just getting out of the service i had a chuckle about
"kid stuff"....however within the next few months i bought
an AR 7 rifle and starting putting a "real" kit together
yes..i still have the AR 7..

What are those?

Halazone tablets were an earlier form of water purification tabs. Basically a chlorine tab. Tasted nasty. <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Simple question, Jim- when you look at that, while you can undoubtedly see things that can and probably be should improved on, is there something you didn't cover? Building that at 9 shows you were more with it and better prepared than 90%+ of the adults you knew.

The real question is, could you use that gear then? If so, everything you do from here on is just refinement. Who knows, in 20 years, you might be setting up your own forum, or writing books, or designing gear. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

first let me say that there are people who don't know
what Halazone tabs are makes me feel very-very old..
in the 50's they were the last word in water purification
for campers..this is all before filter pumps were common
place items.

Didn't they get pulled becuase long term usage had various and sundry medical side effects that one doesn't find with modern iodine or clorine dioxide treatments?

I used to get mine in Army Surplus stores (oh how I miss the smell of those). Half the time the little pills were all melted together. They didn't taste all that great either...