PSK- What is your limit?

Hello, all. I'm curious about just how much space and weight you're willing to devote to your PSK. Now I realize I'll quickly be snowed under by the "it depends" posts. So let me head you off at the pass by stipulating the max weight/space you'll tolerate for the activities you regularly engage in, in your climate & home turf, in the season you typically trek in. You have carte blanche- your environment, your comfort level and your skill set.

I ask this for many reasons. First off, many of us probably carry the Ritter/AMK PSP. It's a wonderful minimalist kit, and I have half a dozen of them! It's my practice to tuck a PSP into most of my larger kits. And of course, occasionally I carry just that kit (augmented with a few items). But I think Doug would be the first to say carry more if you can. And if you knew for a fact you'd get lost when you went hiking today you'd simply stay home and avoid the drama!

Secondly, you could design a 50 lb pack with a tent, sleeping bag, 2 GPS units, a stove, nine kinds of fire, some food, a portable kitchen sink, etc. But of course, we know where that pack would be when you got lost on a day hike: It would be in your garage because it's too much to carry!

So please chime in- how much "insurance" will you tolerate on a day hike? A three day trip? A week long canoe trip in the BWCA? Design your own scenario, but let me know how much your life is worth in ounces, pounds, and/or cubic inches. I'm not looking for an answer written in stone, just the ratio you allocate gear (that you know how to use!) vs pure luck (ie "I won't ever really need ______"). Long answers are great! Give me as much info as you like for each scenario.

Lastly, this is just your PSK. You may carry lots of other gear, but this is just what you'll carry in a package that's very unlikely to be separated from your person (eg. in your pocket, in a waistpack, on your belt, in a vest, etc). If you have an EDC package that's also secured to your person and always on you, please list it and explain how it dovetails with your PSK.

Thanks! I'm eager to hear your responses!

Well, a lot of it is just definition too on how you define "survival" kit versus "stuff I need to live" kit. I mean, realistically, a quart of water is needed to live if you're off on a 3-day backpacking trip, but few of us would call it that.

For example, I don't consider a jacket and lunch with 2 qts of water anything unusual for a dayhike. I'll toss in my altoid-tin PSK. If I'm on a 7-day trip through the Sierra Nevada's, typically my PSK is there too. Everything else is considered necessary for the trip - 10 essentials, clothing, food, water, tent, etc. So, to me, a PSK is truly a last ditch, holy crap where's EVERYTHING kit. Ie, I don't carry a 10lbs kit, I carry 10lbs of gear and a 0.5lbs kit.

The one exception I can readily think of is when I spent a month in Alaska. there I took a backpack on my plane rides, specifically as a survival kit. I figured I wasn't camping/hiking and it was designed expressly to keep me alive for a few days in the event of a plane crash. I didn't break it open at all the entire trip, until I left and used the bag as my carry-on.

In my car, I have a car kit, but even that has a smaller PSK. That kit is about 3-5lbs, but I don't carry it.

I guess your answer is, my PSK is worth my back pocket. Sometimes a bit of belt real-estate too. But it's rare that, when I'm out, my backpack isn't with me. If I'm on a long trip, almost always I'll have a few smaller pouches that I can stuff things into, if I'm not carrying a camelback (hate them). Does that answer your question?

Everything is an answer. The question was purposely nebulous, so your answer was great! I basically spelled it out that all your EDC that's mean to dovetail into your "PSK" was fair game.

I like your approach. I think most people that frequent a site called "Equipped To Survive" will carry more gear than your average day tripper. You somewhat answered my question. The failing is mine. I should have asked- at what point is your PSK large enough that you won't take it with you?

BTW, I would call it that. You need water to live, and if you don't have it on you, you'd better have a way to obtain it. This goes back to the opening premise, and I'll shamelessly quote Mr. Ritter- If it isn't on you, it can't save you. So again, your PSK is just what can't be separated from you, and will be the gear you pin your life on.

Like MDinana, I carry a variety of things depending on my environment, activity and expected duration, always with back-up. (i.e. A dayhike means being prepared to be out for a night or two, depending on where I am.) My minimum carry, regardless of where or what I'm doing, is my urban and wilderness EDC. It's always with me and on my body. I migrate that gear between my "purse" for urban and an Obusform "Breakout" fanny pack (no affiliation) for wilderness or active urban activities. It weighs maybe a pound or two, more when I clip on a full 32 oz. water bottle.

While I do believe in the PSK concept, because of my spontaneity I will often find myself with little more than my clothing, EDC items, and water (in some sort of container obviously). While not ideal, it's amazing what one can MacGyver up with a little know-how and creativity when necessary. With that said....I'm seriously considering getting a PLB. Just in case I find myself in an Aron Ralston kind of situation.

Otherwise, as I get older, I find myself not wanting to carry as much stuff. I'm not an ultra-light hiker, but I scrutinize what I carry a lot more closely than I used to.

Interestingly, the larger the group I travel with, the more gear I'm likely to bring. I figure, with more people, the pace is typically slower (so carrying a little more weight isn't too detrimental) and the potential need for extra gear sinply becomes greater. When I'm with others, I guess I just feel a certain burden of responsibility towards them, even if it isn't really warranted.

I generally use a modular approach, and usually based on Doug Ritter's PSP. I add water purification (Aqua-Pouch Plus from Survival Kit Component Specialists) and shelter always (Heat Sheet and poncho). The poncho can be clipped onto my bag or belt. I may carry more fire making tools and signaling tools as well. I will carry the survival necessities on my body (pockets) and other things in a fanny pack or day pack. Even when I am backpacking, I have a small packable day bag which I can pull quickly and go with. That is also where I keep my trauma kit, the basic first aid kit is usually attached on my backpack.

All that and dressing properly for the activity and carrying enough water for myself (and usually others) and I am prepared for just about anything.

my inquiry into EDC started with a discussion in my Chem I class to the terrorist attack at Mumbai...it was for a remain overnight (RON) in a foreign country or get to the embassy kit...I had several students going to Africa (Kenya and Uganda)with a church group, and they had asked for some ideas...I was led to this forum by articles by Jeff Randall in Tactical Knives magazine... I had always carried a pocket knife, P38 on the key ring, couple of bandaids in the wallet, and later a Photon light..but mostly after the fact lessons learned when I didn't have what I needed...

I'm old, so my first addition to the key ring was a pill capsule for some aspirin for heart attack or stroke, then a plated brass whistle

an on body water carrier eluded me...condoms were iffy, and found some heavy duty zip top pouches that worked till I found the MRE hot beverage pouch...the pouches folded flat and afforded space to add some more first aid supplies..cloth knuckle bandaids,povodine pad,hemostatic gauze,OTC analgesics, and some ClO2 tabs,couple of feet of duct tape on a card and still not taking too much space (I had retired by this time)in cargo shorts... later added the mirror from an AMK kit

the TK magazine suggested the Vic Farmer (I carry a Benchmade Aries axis lock or Reeve Sebenza)so designed my additional kit around it...rather than carry a heavier multi tool, used the pouch for my on body kit...utilized heavy clear tape to minimize clutter...4 quarters in a strip, section of hacksaw blade with ferro rod, needle, and safety pins...15'mono for cordage, AAA battery (upgraded the Photon to Fenix E01)..tweezers, miniBic with button compass taped on, cut down stick ball pen...

tiny Leatheman PS4 has both mini pliers and scissors in pocket..bandana...KelTec 3AT in rounds out typical EDC

my GHB is built around a GI poncho, and a Sawyer filter bottle..like all, I try to re evaluate my original thought process, and refine and reduce the weight... still waiting for the "ah ha" moment I guess

What I carry, in the order of most used to least used -- Note #7 &8.

1. Keys (with tiny button flashlight)
2. Cell phone
3. charge card/ cash
4. Water
5. Granola bars
6. Pen
7. knife
8. Latex gloves (never used in 3+ years)

The Devil being in the details and in need of being chased out, I like to begin with definitions. I have an urban everyday carry or UEDC, an urban personal survival kit or UPSK that contains no metal, and an urban personal first aid kit or UPFAK that contains no metal except some foil packets.

These are sized to all fit easily together into pants' pockets, though best in some kind of cargo pant. My thought is that they are with me whether or not I am separated from whatever else i am also carrying.

I do have slightly beefed up versions which I carry in non-urban situations, where I feel free to add metal implements.

I do not consider water to be part of my EDC, UPSK, or UPFAK, though I have the means to carry and purify some water in both my UPSK and UPFAK.

Of course, I live in suburban California which is not friendly to things like knives and have often had to go through metal detectors.

Les... be careful with aspirin in strokes. If you're having a bleed, you've almost signed a death warrant by taking it. However, most (about 85-90% of strokes) are NOT hemorrhagic...

Dweste, I grew up in SoCal too. Never had a problem with a knife. Everything, however, was a "mini" version, ie SAK classic or mini-benchmade (3" blade). In fact, I've never been stopped/questioned about one, except going into jails (I worked EMS, and can't take weapons in past the guards). Have you had different experiences?

MDinana...thanks for the heads up, I did not think of the danger of a bleed, only a clot....

My PSK for urban environment is about the size of an Altoids tins. The PSK for other environment is in a regular tobacco tin. In addition I carry a FAK that takes the space of about 2 packs of cigarettes. I also EDC a knife, a compass, a multitool, at least one flashlight and a whistle. The overall weight may be around one pound.
As a HAM I also carry a handheld tranceiver.
Everything beyond that would be equipment.
The PSK is not there to extend the equipment, it´s for emergency. Getting lost means the equipment has to last for more time than originally intended. There should be no need to touch the PSK for that. For a day trip there is food, water and shelter for an overnight stay (not really comfortable but will do the job). For longer trips there is enough food and water for at least an additional day. Shelter was already covered in the original plan.

When should we give sublingual aspirin in a suspected cardiac event?

Out in the woods, my minimum PSK is a PSP+ and a 2-person Heatsheets. I've added a mini-Bic (with cable tie "safety") and a P-38 can-opener secured with a bit of tape to the PSP+.

This is in addition to my EDC, which includes my iPhone, a knife (Rittergrip or EDC Forums Manix 2) at least one flashlight, a full-size multitool, and a pistol with a spare magazine anywhere I'm legally permitted to carry it. My iPhone has iTopoMaps on it, and I download the quads for anywhere I expect to be, so I'm not dependent on a wireless carrier for my backup navigation system. I always drop a "pin" at camp and the trailhead.

In urban environments, I'm almost invariably within walking distance of my car or carrying my laptop bag. My car kit is fairly comprehensive; my laptop bag kit is optimized for weight and bulk and many compromises were made.

It is possible to have a spring/summer/autumn day pack weighing in around 15lb excluding water, which would have all the kit mentioned and more.

Berghaus Freeflow Light Rucksack - 850gms
Vango Venom 300 Down Sleeping Bag - 850gms
Neoair short inflatable mat - 260 gms
F10 Vitesse 2 man tent - 1300gms
Titanium Gas Cartridge Stove - 50gms
Alpkit MytiMug Pot - 126gms
100gms Gas Cartridge - 160gms
Titanium Spork - 17 gms
GPS + Mobile Phone + Backup LED light: Samsung B2710 - 122 gms
Map + Waterproof Case + Compass - 200 gms
Klean Canteen 1.9L Stainless Steel Water Bottle - 355 gms
3x Expedition Foods Freeze dried Meals ;Total 2400 Kcal - 555 gms
CR123 Flashlight Tank007 TK-360 + spare CR123 - 86 gms
Katadyn Mini Ceramic Filter - 220 gms
Waterproof TNF over trouser - 200 gms
EDZ EPIC Sierra Smock - 355 gms
Swing Liteflex Umbrella - 260 gms
Helle Odel Knife - 160 gms

Total = 6.12 Kg = 13.5 lbs

Other Kit - Firelighting; Hygiene, signaling, hat and gloves etc add another 1.5 lbs

Total weight excluding water = approx 15 lbs.

For a 72 hr kit add around another 3 lbs i.e. more gas fuel and food to take the weight to around 18lbs

Okay without reading any other responses I'll chime in. My PSK that I could carry alone or as part of my day pack, dry weight is 16 ounces. It will flux a few ounces depending on if I switch knifes or a fire starter, etc.

That goes in my backpack which I always, yes ALWAYS carry out of the house and that also carry's other gear like SS cup, couple different choices to carry water, (right now its usually 2 Nalgenes of water that are filled half way and frozen overnight, then filled up before leaving house, wallet, phone, notepad, yada yada yada.

So my PSK is 16 oz but my daily pack, the center piece of my EDC is closer to 8-10 pounds depending on which backpack and water weight.

Thanks, there've been a lot of good responses. If I was on a day hike in the park closest to me I'd keep my gear pretty minimal as it would be difficult to get very lost there (small park). But if I was hunting or camping in wilder woods I'd definitely carry more. While the gear you'd want on you may vary from region to region some stuff is near universal- fire, water, shelter, etc.

I find a small lumbar pack to be comfortable to wear and unobtrusive. Right now I have a Jansport Coltrane and two Mountainsmith packs, a recylced-material Day and an older Tour. With the Strappettes the Day will carry a lot of gear comfortably, and even though my older Tour won't accept them it has a good suspension system. At the moment one of those bags generally contains my PSK & day hiking stuff. I recently ordered a True North Gear SERAC SAR but they goofed and sent me a Double Diamond. I'm RMA'ing it and hopefully will have the SAR soon.

I'm like a fish when it comes to water! Gotta have it on me all the time. It's not unusual for me to drink 3 liters a day at home! So I have a stainless steel 1 l bottle on me even for an hour hike. Obviously that's heavy but I'm willing to accept it to have water.

The most minimal kit I carry is my Maxpedition 11 x 5 bottle holder. In it I keep the water bottle, a cup, and a collapsible silicon funnel & filter. In the front pouch I keep a modded Ritter/AMK PSP, a disposable poncho, a space blanket, 10 Chlorine Dioxide water sterilizing tablets and 2 small fire steels and strikers. I also have a few different packages of vacuum sealed tinder (1 fatwood & Tinder Quik, 2 x PJ cotton balls and a square of tinfoil). On the side I have a Mora Triflex with the sheath stuck into the molle webbing. There's about 25' of paracord wrapped around the knife sheath, secured at the end by a 1.5" wide strip of bicyle inner tube. It keeps the cord on and is a good firestarter. I actually haven't weighed that pack yet, but with a padded nylon shoulder strap I swiped off my old laptop bag it carries very well. I consider this about the least gear I'd take with me if there was any chance at all that I'd have to face an unexpected couple nites out.

First, it's not sublingual - just chew it and swallow. Sublingual is nitroglycerin

Without getting too technical, if you think you're having a heart attack, you're better off just taking the aspirin. Supposedly people with stomach ulcers shouldn't, but we can deal with an ulcer. Dead is a lot harder to cure. Aspirin isn't a cure-all! You're still going to need to go to the hospital, via EMS preferably. If anyone has ever had a heart attack, they can probably tell you they got way more than just aspirin.

If you're thinking stroke, I wouldn't recommend blindly taking an aspirin. Like I said, most are a clot, but some aren't. If you choose to play the odds, that's on you. Best thing to do is get to an ER (preferably accredited as a stroke center) ASAP - the meds have a 90 minute window from symptom onset.

I'll have to go back to my notes, but one of my instructors said under the tongue. Thanks for correcting that.



If paramedics are going to arrive within, say, three minutes, then my plan is to concentrate only on keeping the victim alive for that long. If it's going to be more than three minutes, that's when I'm going to start thinking about whether it makes sense to offer aspirin.



Thank you! Let's hope that if I'm ever around a heart attack or a stroke that better help than me is there or close by.``

Good info, but way beyond the normal scope of a PSK! You could of course add items for any imaginable medical emergency, but eventually you'll need to pull your pack on a sled and need a team of ER docs behind you!

If you have special medical needs then obviously you should keep them with you. But a PSK normally just addresses the Rule of Threes. It's tough enough to deal with that without making up medical scenarios.

PSK for me is a Pocket Survival Kit. Pocket carry for me is stuff I use; none of it is preserved for a survival situation -- daily carry and used as needed. My limit here is the capacity of those six pockets. Generally those pockets will carry a billfold (ID, DL, cash, credit cards), Mission Wallet (SAK Farmer, Leatherman Squirt E4, Peak 1xAAA LED, ID, ferro rod), small FAK, locking folder, cell phone and sometimes Leatherman TTi on belt. That's all.

The next level up will be my backpack. I'll have water, a 2xAA LED flashlight w/ four spare AA batteries, another locking folder, FAK, spares socks, wool Tee-shirt and room for more stuff as required.

The next step up from the backpack is my truck. In a survival/emergency situation, the PSK and backpack are to keep me going until I can get to the truck -- food, water, shelter, tools and transportation.

In my system, there is no MAXIMUM limit for survival equipment - there is just the right compromise between season, location (How far to civilization? How rugged terrain? What kind of activity/risk level do you plan for?) and how much you're willing to carry. I strive to find the MINIMUM size and volume for each trip.

In my climate, clothing is absolutely essential to my survival - even in summer. (Even more in summer, because the temperature may drop from 80's to the 50's at no notice at all). Usually, extra clothing takes MUCH more volume and weight than what the ETS community would typically consider my "PSK proper".


My typical outdoor clothing will include the Doug Ritter PSK (tweaked a bit, see the "PSK sharing center" thread for details), a fixed blade knife, a heavy duty thrash bag and a rain poncho. For fire I have a lighter and some vaseline cotton balls. This all goes into cargo pockets on my trousers. My anorack (goretex equivalent shell jacket) includes a whistle, a ultra-minimalistic first aid kit and minimum a merino wool buff (usually gloves and a wool cap as well).


Except from my local jogging trips, I always bring a daypack. "Daypack" may be anything from some el cheapo satchel the size of a small shopping bag to my 55 litre Bergans pack - or a small hip pack. The size of the pack is dictated by whatever else we're bringing and how much extra clothing/equipment that is needed. Obviously, I bring much more during winter than on a hot summer day.

The survival contents of whatever daypack-of-the day is at the minimum my bivy bag, which is too big to fit comfortably into a pocket, some warm clothing and whatever food or drinks I care to bring that day. (Drinkable water is everywhere where I live, although in solid form during the winter - in which case I need to prepare for that).

How can I possibly separate my pack into "comfort" and "survival" components? I will put on the extra layer during breaks - but the same extra layer of clothing will be absolutely paramount to my survival if I must spend an involuntary night out in the woods.

In my view, the question of what MINIMUM gear to bring is much more interesting. But I guess that is just rephrasing your question.


I guess the closest I come to answering your question is the contents of my cargo pockets (lighter, cotton balls, knife, modified Doug Ritter PSK) and my bivy bag. But that is nowhere near my maximum limit for the sum of gear + clothing + food/drinks I'll bring.

ok, I read thread and am considering my EDC, also my "search bag". Having done SAR for years I lightened my bag to allow prep yet be able to do "hasty searches" without overload. The usual stuff...
2-1qt canteens (1 treating water, 1 drinking water),
small alcohol stove (homemade cuz I'm cheap, and I made it to fit inside of the mess kit),
minimal trauma/FAK,
heavy-duty "space-blanket" (not the thin mylar) to double as backup shelter,
LED headlamp (I now also carry the UV blacklight headlamp, message me if you're curious why),
2 MRE's and extra foil packages of tuna, ham or chicken,
homemade fire-starters carried in pocket (see thread on EDC tinder) and other parts of pack,
trail marking tape and floursecent (sp?) string,
pencil/paper, road map of the state I'm working in,
of course navigation tools such as compasses and a ruler,
signal mirror,
but most important 8oz of instant coffee..;~)
Please notice I did not mention brand names or types, because you do the best with what ya got. "Keep it r.e.a.l. and keep it s.i.m.p." is the motto I always teach. Train yourself in emergencies to "Realize Everything is Always Lost" when ya need it, so learn how to adapt and survive with just the "Stuff In My Pockets". REAL & SIMP ;~)

My PSK and EDC kit is all modular. I mostly did that for ease when traveling. Now all I have to do is remove the sharps and firemaking stuff and its ready to go anywhere. Having to rebuild kits after every trip was a pain and I'd wind up forgetting to put something back in.

I've come up with the following system based on what I've learned on this forum. Please keep in mind that my main activities are 4 wheeling, prospecting, hunting and fishing, and I go to some very, very remote areas, and I go often. I'm in the wilderness at least 180 days a year - soon to be 250+. I also range all over the place from Alaska to Canada to Florida and the western states. (I quit doing Mexico a couple years ago).

First I carry some items on a neck lanyard. This includes about 24" of paracord and the following items:
"split pea" peanut lighter
small capsule with vaseline, cotton balls, and jute twine
small capsule with 6 water purification tablets
Photon Freedom micro light with hood - Red LED
Sun Mini Comp II compass
Boker Plus Subcom F Camo neck knife

The above is lightweight enough that I rarely realize I'm wearing it and I wear it all the time 24/7 even when swimming or in the shower.

Next I wear a paracord bracelet. It's a king cobra weave that has about 20' of paracord. In the weave, I've incorporated a 1/8"x2" ferro rod and a 5" piece of jute twine and I can wiggle the ferro rod and jute out if needed without unraveling the bracelet. I plan to incorporate some kind of striker into this but haven't figured that out yet - maybe a cut down P38. I don't wear the bracelet if I'm dressed up.

I wear a leather cowboy hat while in the outdoors and it has a fairly wide brim to shelter me from rain and sun.

I wear a watch either a nice Seiko when dressed up or a Casio Pathfinder PAG240-CR1 while in the outdoors and this has a compass, barometer, altimeter.

In my shirt pocket, I carry my PDA phone. I get about 5 days of standby from the batteries so I don't usually carry a spare battery for this. Plus where I go there is rarely cell coverage. My PDA does have a lot of maps in it and I have a sky mapping program for night navigation. It also makes a handy flashlight.

In my wallet, I have a Tool Logic credit card companion that has a knife, compass, magnifying glass, etc. I carry a very small wallet - it only has a couple credit cards and some business cards. I carry cash separately, plus car keys which is a minimal key ring with only a few keys.

I carry a knife but it depends on what I'm wearing. I carry either a small swiss army pocket knife in my pocket when dressed up, or a Buck folding 110 in a leather sheath when dressed down (but still in the city).

When I'm doing some outdoor activity like camping or trail riding, I wear a paracord belt that has 50' of paracord and I'll switch to a much bigger Becker BK7 knife and I wear a 4Sevens Quark 2AA flashlight in a pouch and sometimes another small pouch to hold bug repellent. I also carry a sidearm, usually a Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 mag revolver and a little pouch with 12 rounds. If I go into town, I drop the BK7 and switch to my Buck 110 folding knife and drop the revolver. My concealed carry pistol is a Sig Sauer P229 with crimson trace laser grip in an inside the belt holster along with one extra mag in a belt pouch but I don't carry concealed much - it's too heavy. I only carry concealed if I'm going into a bank or if I ride into town for groceries and the neighborhood that the grocery store is in looks scary.

Also while out in the woods, I carry a PSK in one of the cargo pockets of my pants. It is a Maxpedition Fatty Organizer 7x5x2. In this PSK I have a lot of items and it weighs 1 lb 9 oz. which is definitely my upper limit of how much I will carry in a leg cargo pocket.

The Maxpedition organizer contains these items:
Maxpedition Fatty pocket organizer 5x7x2
10' paracord bundle woven onto the outside handle
Reward if found notice and phone number on a small biz card
20 Micropur MP1 tablets
heavy duty foil 2 sheets
paper for writing
oven bag for water
clear 30 gallon 2mil trash bag
"Aqua Pouch" Kit - bag plus coffee fliters
extra Amex credit card, 5 $100 bills
mini bic lighter
USB drive - encrypted - copies of important docs
mini comp II compass
AMK Rescue Flash Signal Mirror Mini
Aquamira Frontier Pro - Military Version 1.25x5.5
Aquamira Frontier Pro Straw
6' of duct tape wrapped around old card
fresnel magnifier wallet card
Ben's 100% Deet 1.25 ounce
Mini Leatherman pliers
victorinox pocket knife with writing pen and other tools
Petzl E+Lite headlamp
vaseline and cotton balls in baggie
survey tape spool
Fishing Kit in Aloksak bag
fishing hooks
fishing weights
beetle spin lure
30" nylon black shoelace
20' of nylon #18 green cordage
fishing line
balloons for fishing floats
First Aid kit in Aloksak baggie
hand sanitizing wipes
moleskin
butterfly bandages
bandaids
neosporin packet
pepto bismal tablets
immodium
alcohol pads
Bayer Aspirin
Burn Gel
Electrolyte Tablets
sudafed
condom
Possibles Aloksak bag containing:
razor blade
Aquamira extra prefilters 3 each
sewing kit
snare wire 20' 24 gauge brass
commando wire saw
2 extra photon freedom red LED - CR2016 batteries
mixed safety pins
2 8d nails
1/8x2" Ferro Rod
12' Crest Glide trial pack dental floss in dispenser
2 mini zip ties 3-3/4" long
2 large and 2 small paper clips
4 each CR2032 for Petzl E+Lite
a few salt and pepper packets

Also while wheeling, and in my other leg cargo pocket, I carry these items:
AMK bivy bag (the little one)
Platypus Plusbottle
McMurdo FastFind 210 (soon to be a ResQLink)
Orange bandana
small vial of Break-Free CLP
mosquito head net (sometimes)

All of the above are carried on my person. Is it heavy? YES!!! Especially the firearm and ammo. I may have to start wearing suspenders in addition to a belt!!! I will say that you get used to it so it's not a big deal. I used to carry a small altoids PSK in my cargo pocket and from the suggestions on this site, I upgraded to the Maxpedition Fatty with lots more stuff and started carrying the PLB in my pocket at all times. That added about 2 lbs to what I carry but it's not unbearable. I do think that I am at my upper limit though.

I also have a small backpack that I call a ditch bag that I keep next to me while 4 wheeling that has much more stuff like a tarp and a full medic kit, satellite phone, solar panel, GPS, saw, food, stove, signaling equipment, etc. It sits in the front with me in case I were to lose my whole rig suddenly from fire or flood while trail riding. The backpack weighs in at around 18 pounds and all the items in it are "ultralight" versions of whatever the item is.

The main idea is that the really critical items I might need are on my person while out on the trail. Everything is kept in waterproof containers or Aloksak bags because I tend to be in wet environments from rain or standing in creeks while panning for gold or fishing. If I am lucky, I'll be able to grab my ditch bag and that would provide me with quite a bit of luxury over the items I carry in my pockets and has enough provisions that I could probably do my own self rescue (long hike out to pavement). Without the ditch bag, I'm not sure I could make an 80 mile hike, but I do carry a PLB so I would probably use it if I couldn't get to my ditch bag.

I think along the same lines, Harmless. It usually finds me rethinking my carry every season as the pack gets too heavy.

I'm currently working on PSKs for the friends I go fishing with every year. I want something small and unobtrusive for them so that their eye rollling isn't followed with them leaving their PSKs onshore. I need to figure out the maximum so they'll stick it in their pocket when we hit the water, as well as the minimum to actually make it effective. (Without me breaking the bank either.)

We all carry water bottles, full tackle boxes (with line, lures, hooks, pliars, filet knife, etc.) and a travel mug with coffee.

So far I have assembled the following in small digital camera bags:

-whistle
-disposable rain poncho
-mini bic lighter
-vaseline soaked cotton balls
-led keychain
-mini FAK with bandaids, polysporin and a few gauze pads
-bandana
-micro pur tabs
-small multi-tool

EDIT: I'd like to add a container for carrying water as well.

Wow, lots go good answers! Yes, in a way asking what the minimum is will be the same question. We may strive to take the least gear we can get away with, but then it really must still be enough to give you a decent chance to survive if things truly go pear shaped. But as you add just one more thing...and then another...at some point you have a pack you'll be tempted to leave at home given the excuse.

Thanks a lot for the comprehensive lists! Pictures would be cool, too. When listed it looks like a ton of stuff; it would be nice to have visuals to put things in perspective.

Not mine, but the official pics of the Mission Wallet are at: http://www.bladeart.com/catalog/KnifeDisplay.aspx?MakerID=363

NuggetHoarder,

When you are out walking you need to carry that kit somewhere except your cargo pocket. The extra effort of carrying stuff that you have to lift with each step is like carrying two or three times the weight on your belt or back. Cargo pockets are great when in a vehicle but should not be used on foot.

Respectfully,

Jerry

Thanks Jerry, Since I created that PSK, I haven't taken any long hikes and it's been ok but I understand what you're saying. On long hikes I'm sure it will also be a chafing issue as well since my pants are pretty baggy and my legs kinda wobble around inside them and would brush up against the PSK with every foot stroke. I'll probably convert it to a shoulder bag of some kind on my next long hike.

for hiking, I like fanny/ lumbar packs ( or a small camelbak type hydration pack) for my psk.

That way I can carry my psk, jacket and water, food, plus whatever gear I'm playing with.*

To me h2o and a jacket are part of the off- road kit

TRO


* GPS, etc,

Dweste, I would really like to know how you set up these kits, if you could provide some details, I would much appreciate.

Thanks,

C. Rowe

Minimum? I wear clothing for the worst weather than can be expected over the next 24 hours period, a knife, a way to make fire, my cellphone and my keys. (A Photon is on the keyring).

Good philosophy, Ducker. Appropriate clothing for 24 hrs, knife, fire, and light are my four absolutes since joining this forum.

That is a very fine fundamental list, but I am enough of a desert rat that I would add water (or at least access to a certain source).

Out here on the left coast, a knife, lighter, cellphone, PLB, Steripen, hiking stick, ARC AAA flashlight, a dark chocolate Snicker bar, small compass on my watchband, 1 liter Nalgene bottle of water, and an AMK bivy bag serve well. All I need to do is basically make it back to my truck, or short of that, notify the cavalry that I can't.

Oh, and all this goes into my vest pockets.

Sotto, great list. I don't want this to come off as sharpshooting, but my hard learned advice. I carry almost the exact same kit daily except for the snickers bar that tend to melt on me. I switched to Payday bars. They don't melt at all.

Thanks, but I'm allergic to anything that starts with the letter "P". Besides that, I love those dark chocolate Snickers so much they never have time to melt. Oh, and I freeze them.

Good call Hikermor. Water is life. I'm rarelly without a bottle close at hand. I carry a litre or more in a ss bottle, depending on how far off the beaten path I'm going. Along with a bandana and micropur tabs I'm usually set for refills around here. I also keep a military mess cup in some of my kits.

I might add a 3/4 length pad...Like being warm and comfortable

"Don't take aspirin if you think you're having a stroke, because not all strokes are caused by blood clots; some are caused by ruptured blood vessels. Taking aspirin could make a bleeding stroke more severe." http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/daily-aspirin-therapy/HB00073/NSECTIONGROUP=2

My Current PSK is 5x4x1.5 Inch at the widest midsections and weights 12 Oz's. The Heavy Bulk of it is a Mk5, Ronson Jetlite, Streamlite Micro. I think its a Major Tradeoff for size and weight to have reliable items that make the survival ordeal abit easier.

For most applications ( hiking/ camping) make it so small you won't leave it behind. Figure a pound max.

There is a limit?

Actually a pound would be ideal but currently it sits around two.

Urban PSK (large version): Lightweight backpack that gets thrown in the back of my Jeep each day. It's with me during work and commuting.
Small PSK: Small tin with lid that holds a few essential items. Fits into pants pocket.

Pete2