How have you modified your S.O.L.?

I purchased the adventure medical kits 'S.O.L.' about 2 months ago. It's a reasonable psk, but there definately was room for improvement.. So here it is..

For a review of the standard-SOL: http://www.equipped.org/etsbriefings407.htm#amksol


My improvements:




- Added a piece of paracord as a lanyard.
- Removed: fishing-hooks, line & sinkers (useless in short-term survival)
- Replaced roll of duct-tape with flat-pack
- Replaced 4 large safety-pins with 2 medium ones
- Replaced 'Slim Rescue Howler' whistle with Fox 40 micro
- Replaced matches with small fire-steel
- Added: SOLED-flashlight, SERE-saw, 6 water purification tablets, 3m. of yellow string.

Also, the supplies were very difficult to get out of the pouch because of the clear-material. Solution: thread some of the yellow string through holes in the signal-mirror, whistle, fire-steel, SOLED and SERE-saw. If you pull on the string, it all comes out easely now.


So, the current contents of the SOL:

- 3ft. of duct-tape (flat-pack)
- Heatsheet survival blanket (1prs.)
- 6 Aquaclear water-purification tablets
- Mini-flash signal mirror
- HD sewing-needle (can't be seen in pic, in pouch of signal mirror)
- 4 tinder-quick
- Fox 40 micro whistle
- Fire-steel (smaller than the LMF scout, don't know where I got it from.)
- SOLED in blaze orange
- button-compass
- SERE-saw
- 3m. of yellow sting


With this modifications I think this is a pretty good PSK, however it's not a stand-alone kit. It's ment for putting into my EDC-bag when I go outdoors, hiking, etc. for a short period of time. My EDC-bag has a lot of stuff, including a good knife, flashlight, FAK, snacks and water-bottle.


Please post your mod's to the AMK SOL here.

Yes, I added a few things, and I changed the container also. The bag is extremely difficult to remove things from. After I test it, I will probably use the bag to protect a cell phone.

I also greatly prefer the Ritter PSP. Along with it I carry an emergency blanket. These fit nicely in my pockets, along with my knife and Leatherman Squirt.

Nice modifications! Thanks for sharing.

I have a question, though -- why buy a PSK when a third of the items are going to be swapped out for something else? Is it because some of the items in the purchased PSK can't be found on their own?

After years I've found that there is no perfect PSK. A lot of the contents will be determined by your geography.

DannyL -- Exactly. Mostly everything in my PSK was acquired individually over time, and is tailored to my situation and locale. Now I only add something if it weakens, gets used up, or expires. (or if I read about an item that I hadn't thought of. That's how I found this nifty forum.)

That's not to say that the above kits are any less good or useful (because they are) and combined with the above mods, they look great!

To be honest, I was just curious about the S.O.L. It looked pretty slick, but later I realised it needed some mods. The basic kit is definately 'adequate', but not as good as I want it to be. (for example the whistle and matches)

Mine has since been... "altered", but lets see if I can remember the changes I made to it.

-Another needle added
-weight-unknown monofilament removed
-card of 25' of 20# spectra braid added
-red and green bobber lights
-sparklite
-sheet of aluminum foil
-hi-vis tape to the back of the compass
-lanyard for the whistle (masons cord)
-mini-Bic
-6 4" zipties
-added a card with directions for the mirror, and some knots
-6 Micro-purs

I know some people don't like pouch, but I think it beats the zippered pouch that the other AMK pocket kits come in becuase when it is closed, you know it is CLOSED.

I know a number of people like to say the PSP is better than the SOL. Other places it is the other way around. This is like the AR vs AK, or Ford vs Chevy vs Toyota debates. I wouldn't say that either one of them is "better" as a blanket statement- the SOL has a lousy name and no directions, the PSP has no shelter. So, I went ahead and purchased one of each, and combined the best of each and a number of other items in a semi-hard, zippered case. *laughs*

I have a couple of SOL's (and 3 PSP's... sue me). I haven't made any changes except to add MicroPur tablets. In all cases the SOLs (or PSPs) are the nucleus of a larger modular kit, and so I think the things that are in there by default are adequate.
That said, I do prefer the PSP and its contents. I think it is targeted at an audience that has more skill and experience and can therefore use its contents to accomplish more. The SOL seems to be targeted at novices and several wilderness survival essentials (fire, shelter, signalling) along with the all-important positive mental attitude (both by having some useful gear and maybe getting some fishing in). I have the SOLs mostly because the local stores that carry AMK merchandise don't bother to carry the PSP.

Talk, talk, talk...

Now for some show.

It is next to my desk's Vic Climber for some scale. The tape is yellow, retroflective tape. The entire thing fits perfectly in the bottom of my Jumbo, so yes, this might be the oddest thing I EDC. The other side has the tape to, but it isn't lettered- that way I can tell which way is up.


Inside and packed.


Mostly unpacked.

I stuck with the whistle from the SOL because you just BLOW it. This is my third Fox 40 Micro, and I have to "toot" them- whistles should be idiot proof, IMHO. I also kept the little signal mirror from the SOL, just because it fits better and if I'm off the black top I've got a larger mirror. I stuck with my old, green Sparklite because I wanted the orange one for a different project, my PSP didn't have one this ugly. The little bag that contains the steel wire has been reinforced with a little bit of clear binding tape.

Not shown is a small, knock off coin battery that BatteryJunction included as free shwag.

Along with this, I have another Bic and Storm lighter, a Fenix and a headlamp, paracord and glocord, another Climber, a LM Supertool, and a Gerber folder, mini FAK, and other goodies. Yes, I'm ready to for... *cue dark, mysterious voice* something.