Hello out there in Cyberland's survival world! As you can tell, I'm new to this forum after finding this cool website and realizing that it has a forum...COOL! Are there any other forums that you all frequent regarding the same subject? This is actually the first that I've seen as such. <br><br>Anyway, after doing a little searching on these cool Altoid PSK I decided to put one together for myself. THe reason being, a couple of years ago i was taking my daughter downtown via the train. While waiting, she skinned her knee and I had notthing to patch her up with. Luckily a good samaritan had some bandages that she gave to me to fix her up. Since then I've carried all kinds of little first aid kit's and added to it things that I thought I needed. Over time this became unweilding since I tried to prepare for every apocalyptic event. I pretty much had a crash bag that I couldn't carry anything else in! I've slimmed it down to the essentials to what I think I need and I carry it routinely now. I finished a tin of altoids off, (it certainly took a while :-) ) and started filling it with "survival gear" which turned out more of a first aid kit I think. Hopefully I won't bore you with details but here it goes:<br>1-2x3" moleskin (for hiking around the city)<br>1-2x3" gauze pad (patching up and using and kindling)<br>4-7/8x3" elastic bandaids<br>1-iodine swab (antiseptic, water treatment?)<br>2-alcohol swabs (antiseptic and fuel for a fire)<br>2-antibacterial wipes (full size sheets)<br>1-knuckle bandaid<br>1-packet ibuprofen *<br>1-packet acetaminophen* <br>(*can be alternated for fever relief and pain relief)<br>1-packet anti-acid<br>2-Claridin (antihistime/decongenstant, allergeries 24 hr. ea.)<br>5-water proofed matches (dipped in parafin, cut down and sealed in a plastic baggy)<br>4 ft of black and white thread wrapped around a 1/4"x1/4" cardboard<br>1 needle<br>1 straight razor<br>1-$50 bill<br>3 quarters<br>2 dimes<br>1 nickel<br>2-medium safety pins.<br>2ft- duct tape (folded over itself 2x3x1/4")<br>all in an altoids box that has elertic tape wrapped about the edges (about 3 ft) to seal the contents. I also plan to use some ranger bands on the ends to keep the 10ft. of 550 paracord from slipping off the ends. <br><br>Along with this stuff I typically carry a Swiss Army knife (Climber) and I need to get a small flashlight (thinking of a photon 3) for my key chain. I chose these things since I don't thing I'll need snares or fishing equipment on State Street but I would faster need first aid stuff. <br><br>What do you think? I'm a newbie at this so I'm sure there are lots of flaws. I'd be interested in what you all have in your PSK's and is there anything vitally important that I should have or missed?? Size in important because I really can't be toting around an alice pack with tactical gear while pushing a stroller or going to work with it in place of my leather soft sided brief case. :-) The altoids box looks like a wallet in the back pocket which si nice. I've had the bigger pack and found that they were never around when I needed them. This is convient and always around. Sorry for the long first post and I look forward to your replies. Have a great day!<br>-Mustang

I think that for urban survival your PSK is fine.<br><br>I guess I would put some single dollar bills in there instead of the whole $50. Or maybe a combination of 2 $20s, $5 and five singles.And get four quarters instead of 3. I see that you PSK is mostly devoted to medical stuff which in urban settings is a logical thing to do. Photon is a nice thing to have. I find it hard to use knifes that don't have locks on the blades (reffering to your Swiss Army knife) but that's a personal choice. Have you ever thought about geting a multi tool instead of you knife? I see you have no signaling devices in there. Since search from the air in urban settings is not really practical I think that a whistle would do. All the best,<br><br>Matt

I recommend to add tweezers, a lens, a mirror and some stainless steel wire (sometimes it´s handy even if you don´t need it for snares). I prefer disposable scapell blades to the razor. I also always carry a lighter and a spare battery for my flashlight.<br>I doubt that the iodine swab helps to treat water, but in your case that shouldn´t matter. IMHO the amount of antiseptics could be reduced (in first aid courses we discourage their use).

your kit sounds quite useful for an urban daily carried kit. I carry an Altoids tin FAK similar to yours though I have added tweezers, scissors, magnifying glass, sewing kit, eyeglass repair tools, pen and paper. And an Altoids tin PSK with a list of contents similar to that suggested by Doug on this site.<br><br>I think that you will find the electrical tape paracord and ranger bands in the way when you go to patch up a bloody knee. I keep one ranger band around the FAK to hold it closed but I don't worry about sealing it. I am into it very regularly to patch up skinned knees for my daughters (this is not a sexist slant indicating that my son's don't need such things - I have no sons) I have found that bandaids stop tears and self-pity faster than they stop blood. <br><br>I keep the PSK sealed with electrical tape, paracord and ranger bands because I need those items for that kit and I probably won't be into that kit unless the s***t really hits the fan. It is not wholely necessary in an urban environment, as you mentioned, there is little likelyhood that I will need a snare or fishing kit in town but there it is. A kit for survival needs that contains tools for survival. <br><br>I wouldn't want to have to unwrapp, untape and unpack my PSK to get a piece of moleskin or bandaid out on the play ground. Simply taking the ranger band off and replaceing it is much quicker and easier. <br><br>I like the Altoids box but I am not sure that a soft-sided FAK wouldn't be better since it would be easier to re-pack and reclose. Though the temptation to pack more and more in is limited by the restrictions of the Altoids tin .... OK, so now I'm rambling.... <br><br>TTFN

Really? Why is anticeptic discouraged? Thats pretty interesting. Is it because the have to be replaced annually or is there another reason.

Oh a whistle is a good idea. I didn't think of that. I figured I'd polish the tin and use that to signal in a worst case senerio. I don't know who effective it would be. I think a mirror is a good idea in an urban setting since it could be used to signal firemen etc... in a tall building to let them now that people are stranded in higher floors. Whereas a whistle, still needed my not be heard over whaling sirens etc. Thanks for the input. I think I need to add both. Any recommendations?

Another possible addition is to add one of the little cheap phone cards to your tin (the little $10 ones that you see hanging in the checkout lines). <br><br>A small light is the only other thing that readily comes to mind. I've got a Photon 2 on my keyring and a Photon 1 in my pocket. I'm also in the process of obtaining a Surefire Executive E1 flashlight for daily carry. There are times when a good BRIGHT light is needed.<br><br>Kev

Well I use the whiste and mirror from Orion 12 Gauge Flare kit. It is very flat and fits perfetly into my PSK.<br><br>http://www.orionsignals.com/Marine/Products/other.html<br><br>Matt<br><br>

I see you've gotten several answers. We've discussed the "Urban" PSK here at least a couple of times, and it's a particular interest of mine, but my criteria are quite different- no kids, and my kits are much more slanted toward getting me personally through an urban emergency than toward first aid.<br><br>I'd second the suggestions for more money, a whistle, and some sort of light. The phone card is a good idea, but all you really need are the numbers, and a small piece of paper can carry those for a lot less bulk... I'd suggest combining that with all the friend and emergency (and taxicab company) numbers you can think of to add.<br><br>Depending on where you are and what the environment is like, I'd suggest a tiny radio of some sort (at least FM). There are few things more frustrating than not knowing the source of a disruption, or which way to go to get away from it and toward safety. I also tend to think a tiny compass is useful in the city (I get turned around in a city much more easily than in the wilderness) and maps are worth considering. Safety pins, nylon wire bundlers, and needle and thread (I include a needle threader- my sight is not what it used to be, close up, and it's flat, tiny and cheap) can be very useful and take up little space. Fires are of limited use in an urban area, but a mini-Bic lighter might be worth it's weight.<br><br>

Hello, Mustang -<br><br>Actually, I thought your kit sounded pretty darn good!<br><br>I'll throw my 2 cents worth in, though, and second the motion to add some small bills either in lieu of the $50 or in addition to it. I think I read that in Homestead after Hurricane Andrew, if you wanted a burger and only had a $20, well, guess how much the burger cost -- because the electric/electronic cash registers were inop.<br><br>I like the phone card idea, too - the AT&T card never expires, unlike some others I've used, and I have a 120-minute card in ALL of our BOB's (OK, I come from a family of yakkers!). On the front of the card where there's just useless AT&T advertising, I put all those 'friendly' numbers mentioned by someone else -- my sister, parents-in-law, doctors, tow companies, local cab companies, etc.<br><br>I also have about a million Photon 2 lights --OK, maybe just a hundred -- and love them. But when the battery dies, it's history in about 2 seconds. I now have spares littering my cars, house, and BOBs.<br><br>OK, now I'm rambling. See why I need a 2-hour phone card??!!<br><br>Mamabear