Survival Cards

Are survival cards, such as the following, any good? The following appears to have a better design than some of the others I have seen, though there may be better.

https://www.ultimatesurvival.us/collections/tiny-survival-gear-1/products/tiny-survival-card

This company also has what seems like an interesting product, a tiny knife sharpener. Does anyone know if it is any good?

https://www.ultimatesurvival.us/collecti...-fits-in-wallet

Jeanette Isabelle

I would not waste money on either product

Save your hard earned money. Unless your purchase could be considered pure entertainment. I'll have to admit that I've done that sort of thing.

Mea culpa- I have not those but a couple of similar cards purchased many years ago. Even then I just thought they were neat gadgets more than serious survival tools. Some of the components are usable but realistically there's no reason to choose them over the "real" version. For example you could catch a fish on one of the supplied fish hooks BUT...you could buy a hundred high quality Japanese hooks that are razor sharp for the same money. That's pretty much every tool on the card. Sure, there's the cool factor of it fitting in your wallet but since most of the card is fluff you could easily tape some hooks to an old credit card be further ahead.

The one thing that might be handy is the card sharpener. Certainly having a flat diamond sharpener that fits in your wallet could genuinely be handy.

Or a survival tin.

https://www.ultimatesurvival.us/collecti...n-standard-size

The survival card did look promising until I considered how I would use it. However, I wanted a second opinion. So far, we have a unanimous consensus.

The tiny sharpener appears to be a good item for a small survival kit. For those who say "no," could you give us your reason why?

I'm on the fence regarding the Pocket 30, which I think is better than the Pocket 45.

https://www.ultimatesurvival.us/collecti...ic-survival-kit

While building a compass would make for a great school science project, I rather use the button compass from the PSP than assemble one in the field. However, since the sticker is waterproof, I imagine it would be better utilized as a waterproof patch.

On the plus side, it has water purification tablets and two Tinder Quick. And, just like the PSP, the kit uses multi-purpose items.

Jeanette Isabelle

Obviously, the proper course of action is for one of us to step up to the plate, buy some of these products, evaluate, and report back to the forum.

You want to pay five bucks for an empty altoids tin? Be my guest.

Phaedrus has a good point about the card sharpener. The only thing is that the grits are rather fine - great for finishing, but not very useful in bringing a dull edge to a workable state. For that, grab a handy, suitable rock.

I note that they mention two double "finishing" hooks. What in the world is a "finishing hook"? Is this a typo for fishing hook? Just an example of the careful thought which has gone into the production of this mess.....

The tin and kit, seems expensive for what it is. Contents don't look that great either.

Nothing like actually using the stuff and figuring out what works for you. I like to miniaturise my things to reduce bulk and weight. However, when it goes too far, it just becomes barely useable. These tin size survival kits; I'm happy to carry a little more and have far more useful things.

The survival card is an item you should skip. The fishing hooks cannot be sharp and if they are not too thick the twist and release your fish. The needles are too bulky for most uses. The harpoons have too small barbs and are probably not stable enough for any decently sized animal. I would prefer a decent knife, even a folder. As far as fishing hooks are corncerned I admit that I am a snob. For me it´s Gamakatsu all the way.
The sharpeners seem to be decent but small. I do not go under 4" and that is small for some knives. I use a Fallkniven DC4 and I am happy with it.

Survival cards are very useful, indeed. I use a standard pack of Bicycle cards, but remove the jokers to save weight.

When lost, I immediately find a a flat space and lay out a spread of Solitaire. This short circuits the fight-or-flight catecholamine storm described in DR's excellent post above.

And soon enough, a stranger will walk up and tell me to play the red three on the black four. Then I follow the stranger to safety.

No matter how remote the site, there is something about a Solitaire game that attracts kibitzers.

Everyone keeps telling me to build a bug-out bag myself. I did. My DIY kit was more than $200 down the drain. I learned a hard lesson. I'm not going there again.

I later bought the Seventy2, money well-spent. The only thing I can say against it is that it is incomplete. Adding the PSP fills in several gaps though not all. It's because of the remaining gaps that I'm searching for additional lightweight solutions.

Jeanette Isabelle

I like to go the route of thinking about how to fullfill the biggest necessitys whicch in my opinnion is shelter from the elements, warmth, water, food. In that order.

Well if you are in a desert enviroment then warmth is something to shield you from (rather than what you need) and water is more important.

So somekind of small tarp and ability to make fire, a knife and water is more important than a a box full of small trinkets. And food is something a human can survive without for weeks.



This kit will give you a good start: poncho, fire making kit, a knife.

The poncho: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2474/6...pg?v=1581024681

"Well if you are in a desert enviroment then warmth is something to shield you from (rather than what you need) and water is more important."

Correct, up to a point. Many are surprised to realize that deserts can become bitterly cold - rapid diurnal swings resulting from low humidity. elevation plays a role, as well.

In Tucson, AZ,temps into the 20F range were not at all uncommon, and even colder has been endured. Of course, it does warm up and get nice and toasty during the day.

Water is indeed very important, in ways that might surprise you. In my time in SAR in southern AZ, the number two cause of death was crowning, just barely surpassed by falls. Flash floods and high wter are real killers.

If you wanted a small sharpener, then I'd suggest DMT is a better brand.

https://www.dmtsharp.com/sharpeners/pocket-models/

The DMTs may be better- I've never compared them directly to the card linked above- but the neat thing is the form factor of the card. I'm not a big fan of diamond sharpeners for the most part. They work phenomenally well for flattening water stones but I generally only use them for a few sharpening applications. The Japanese Atoma plates are much better for sharpening than a DMT and will outlast them by several times. Nothing wrong with a diamond sharpener though for a small kit.

That said, I don't generally see much need to sharpen a knife in the field. Maybe if you only had one knife or tool and had to use it for weeks on end or even months, it might be nice to be able to touch it up. My habit is to have multiple cutting tools and I generally favor knives with steels that will hold an edge longer (eg REX-45, 154CM, HAP40, M390, etc).

DMT makes cards.

When was volunteering for conservation work, I'd at least sharpen tools twice a day. Whether they'd be axes, slashers or billhooks.

Just used to take an puck stone, and a canoe stone for the slasher.

Do you want me to review the gear I buy?

Jeanette Isabelle

I would think that one of the best functions of this forum would be for any of us to pass on information about products, procedures, etc. that function well in the conditions for which they are designed.

If you have actually purchased and used these, your insights and information are welcome, of course. I am particularly interested in the potential application of the double "finishing hooks."

If you have not purchased these, please do not bother to do so. They offer little to nothing that would be of immediate value in the initial, critical stages of a survival situation.

I do think it's very useful when we post feedback of the stuff we test. I'd trust the group here more than I trust commercial reviews from folks that get a slice of the sales of the stuff they "review".

Yes, please, Jeanette_Isabelle. I for one would like that a lot.

I will echo Chaosmagnet....if you have the time and (willing money) to do so, I too would enjoy it. Do not feel compelled if it is not in the means. Thank you.

Even though they are cheap and easy to carry -- How often do I need a tiny, tiny saw/ or some fishhooks? I think for my more more urban needs the card with the knife, scissors, ruler etc is more useful.

Think one of the better ones was needles and buttons.