I think you are missing the point of the exercise, Vince. This is a lot more than a PSK.

Realistically, when you look in your tin, how complete is it? Do you have a cup that you can count on? Or a water container that can take being sat on accidentally? Do you have more than a few days of water tabs? Do you have a flashlight, or a real knife, to replace the ones that just fell out of your pockets into at least 20 feet of water at night? If it is like mine, you don't, not unless it is cased in a mess tin or something similiar, in which case it is as bulky as the Nalgene kit.

A water bottle with a mouth big enough to let gear pass is inheriantly waterproof, so your gear stays dry- toss in a small clay desiccant packet and it will absorb whatever moisture is in there. It's also in one place, and it's really hard to squash the stuff in it- I've seen Nalgenes that looked scuzzed enough to support the claim the were driven over. And it is big enough that if you have to find it in the dark, in the rain, in 30 seconds or less, so yes, a Nalgene based kit is bulkier than the PSK. But it isn't a PSK, but a larger size of survival kit.

As someone who uses tinned kits as well, I can't say that they will take the same degree of abuse, nor will they float, nor would I trust tin and electricians tape to keep the water out for more than 20 minutes. And in fact and truth, any truely pocket sized kit in anything other than a Pelican mini-case or an Otter-box that claims to be was well protected against the elements as one in a Nalgene. That doesn't mean that I will be retiring my tinned PSK, but for my parents or my sister-in-law, I'm sorely tempted to build just the kit I describe for each of them.

Never compare a pocket knife to a hunting knife, nor a hunting knife to a sword or axe. It is never fair to anyone. For the average person, what's better? A bigger, more capable kit that they can find in their car and can forget about for a few years, or a pocket kit that has been skeletonized to the bare bones and is lost in the trunk?

understood ironraven..the pocket survival tin was never intended (for me at least ) to be a stand alone survival kit..but as a last ditich kit if i lose everything else, as it has the bare bones items to survive...i base my survival kits on the british S.A.S theme of a survival tin,clasp knife, compass in your pocket on your body...the survival pouch with more items of kit on a web belt with water bottle and sheath knife hanging on the belt..lastly i have my ruck/patrol pack with still more items.... i try not to have all my eggs in the same basket but spread around in my kit....vince g. 11b inf....

Nalgene bottle kits are great as backup/standby kits in your office drawer, glove compartment, as an additional kit (within your BOB) to share with someone special in special circumstances.

One thing I haver to consider though. If you keep it in your glove compartment for long time and those hard objects ( knife, spoon ..etc ) keep etching the plastic , wont that cause a health hazard when you fill it with water and drink "plastic beverage" ?? I guess a good wash is necessary before you fill it.

That would imply things are able to move around in there. I don't know about others, but I thought the whole idea of a PSK (or other survival pack) was to cram the thing so dang full that it distorts and stretches around the edges! ;-) Nothing moves around in there ... not in MINE anyways!

I doubt there'd be any significant health consequences to a few scratches anyway. At least none I'd worry about during a survival situation.

No worse than chewing on a pen. I won't tell you how many I "eat" in a month.

In that case, I apologize. I thought you were dismissing the concept.

Although, in my usual model, I've got a pair of BDU-patterned sweatpants on under utitlies, with my PSK and PMK in the thigh pockets of my sweats, or in a pouch on my belt under my vest and pack.

I started with a Nalgene bottle kit (store bought) , and added too it. It was ok, but when hunting season started I quickley realized the weight & bulk was too much.
I do like the idea of using the Nalgene with a car kit. I am currently doing nothing with mine, so I may just re-stock it and put it in the trunk.
Good thread!

This is how I carry a nalgene water bottle and suvival kit.

Take care,
Bryan

You never did tell us where you got the pack, last time you showed this kit. It still looks very cool. I'm thinking custom but from where?

For years I've kept most little things in my nalgene kit in a baggie. Nowadays it's migrated to an aloksak bag. I seem to access it all the time, for gear repair, minor first aid, etc. If I need to use it to hold water, I have everything already in a waterproof bag to throw in a pocket.

(Well, mostly waterproof. Over the last couple years that aloksak isn't as proofed with the little things making tiny holes in it. Still good enough to through in a jacket pocket or another dry container.)

I carry that nalgene kit nearly everywhere. It's pretty beat but still in plenty good shape. I like those lexan bottles as general containers. Besides the usual duct tape wrap, I also have a jug sling tied near the neck, for another length of paracord but also a darn convenient lash point.

As an aside, the one time I REALLY could have used that kit, it was strapped in my kayak floating down a river. Shortly after I found this forum, and now carry a pocket kit in the pfd all the time, in addition to the nalgene in the boat.

Jason