Survival kit; first build.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Hi guys.  Last night I put together my first survival kit.  I based it off of various different sources, but altogether I think it's probably pretty generic.  I'm sure there's room for improvement, so suggestions are welcome.

I'm using a MaxPed EDCO, regular size. 

Here's the outer view.  Storm emergency whistle and a few pages of useful info on knot tying, and other stuff in outside pocket.  Doubles as tinder if necessary.   



Here's the insides.


On the left side; SAK Outrider (modded, sans saw), 16 ft 550 paracord, firesteel and striker, 2 XL contractor grade trash bags.

On the right side; 4Sevens Q-mini AA R4, spare L91, Spyderco Dragonfly 2, Smith pocket sharpener,
Bic lighter (safety removed) with 12 ft. of duck tape, mylar 'emergency' blanket.  Further inside the pocket is a clear, large heavy gauge trash bag, and 10 tabs of Micropur water treatment.

I deliberately designed this to not include medical supplies of any kind, as I already have a small FAK in my MaxPed Micro EDC.

Right now I want to change my SAK, to a model with a saw, so I'm thinking an OHT or a Soldier.  I might be able to get my PER Ranger 179 to fit, but I haven't tried it yet.  That one lives in my backpack anyway, and I'm not planning on using it for this kit.  But if it fits, I might consider getting a Rangergrip 78 to replace my Outrider.

I'm planning on adding a tinder source, like vaselined cotton balls.  I'm also considering exchanging the DF2 for my Juice S2.

Comments and suggestions appreciated.

Paul.

[Lynn LeFey]

I just discussed this on another forum. I don't like the mess of vasoline on cottonballs. I've done batches where I partially coat the cottonball with paraffin. You get the same usefulness without the mess, IMO. I've also tried strike-anywhere matches coated in paraffin, which makes them more-or-less waterproof, and doubles their burn time. You just have to scratch the wax off the very tip before striking.

You might want to consider a few heavy-duty 1 quart zip-lock bags for water storage. Yes, you have the bigger contractor bags, but smaller ones specifically for water might be handy.

In a kit this size, a saw on a Trekker would be great, but even one from a Camper/Hiker would do you, and at less weight (if shaving ounces is important, which it may be in a small survival kit).

You might consider a chunk of super-duty aluminum foil. It can give you some cooking options. I built a similar kit recently, but the container used to hold it all was a soup can with coathanger wire bail to use as a billy-can. Yes, I'm a total cheap-a$$.

Might not hurt to throw a photon/fauxton in. That's a quarter ounce for a back-up light.

The dragonfly probably weighs very little compared to the Juice S2. You could probably carry the dragonfly AND a squirt ps4 for less weight than the Juice. PS4 has pliers. No need for a Juice, IMO.

You could put together a micro fishing kit for almost no weight, if you fish.

Other things that take up very little space/weight: Cayanne packets (if you can make food, it's flavor, if not, it can clean wounds), bouillon cubes (flavor, salt), teabags (glorious caffeine, flavor for crappy water)

If you've got 3 heavy trashbags, you might have 1 too many, depending on how you envision their use. I carry 2, personally. You could free up a good chunk of space if you eliminated one.

I'm not hammering at all. I think you've got a good kit going. I'm just nitpicking and throwing ideas.

[Chako]

I am a big fan of adding one of these to a survival kit, or a wallet if you don't mind the slight bulk.

http://www.toollogic.com/tools/svc1-38.html

[BIG-TARGET]

Nice layout.  Now put it to the test.  Do an overnighter with it.  See if the layout works.
If not, start adding/subtracting parts and pieces.

Did my mini-kit 4X  before I got it right

[jzmtl]

I did one a few years back, there have been some changes since I took this photo but it's mostly the same. Of course it has been sitting inside my sock drawer since. 

[Suveges]

MEC bag and Redbird matches...very canadian 

[jzmtl]

Hehe, MEC membership is very dangerous to one's wallet...

Also I've since removed the redbird matches, they are crap, rarely strike on natural surface and rip through both the panels on box before it's even half used. MEC now carries UCO lifeboat matches I believe, much better option.

[gcconspiracy]

I am a big fan of adding one of these to a survival kit, or a wallet if you don't mind the slight bulk.

http://www.toollogic.com/tools/svc1-38.html

Do they work well? I saw that exact "card" at a sports shop the other day and just assumed it was a cheap victorinox swiss card knock off. I liked the tool selection, just doubted the quality.

[Lynn LeFey]

jzmtl... Can you explain what some of the smaller bits are? I can't identify everything.

[Nikos]

The Survival Card 1 [...] offers a new skeletonized, serrated knife of tough stainless steel, a magnesium alloy fire starter, a loud signal whistle, plus an 8x power lens and compass. There's also a tweezers and toothpick and a hole for lanyard attachment.

EDIT: Oops! I thought you asked about the Survival Card...

[jzmtl]

jzmtl... Can you explain what some of the smaller bits are? I can't identify everything.

row 1: ziplock bags, tape, paracord, carabiner, sharpener, fenix e01, pencil, tealight, spork (since removed), firesteel with duct tape, storm matches with fishing line, compass and brass wire, trioxane.

row 2: strike anywhere matches (removed), dental floss, sewing needle, caffeine pill, antacid tablet, tylenol, water purification tabs, bandaid, alcohol swab, fishing hook and lure, signal mirror, whistle

row 3: coin cell light, utility knife blade and magnesium block, paper clip, fatwood, spare battery, Vic OHT, head net, space blanket, tyvek sheet, aluminum foil.

It turned out to be pretty big so I don't carry it at all, I guess I'll bring it for any long trips away from help.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

Thanks for the input everyone...  I did "try it out" a little bit this past weekend.  Went backpacking with my wife on the Tuolumne river; 2 nights and three days.  I've made a few adjustments.  I went ahead and put my Ranger 179 in, and replaced the Dragonfly with my S2.  I bit more weight, but I like the extra functionality the S2 gives me, and combined with the 179 I have very little duplication. 

I just had one of my NVG Photons die on me... so I'm not real big on any kind of coin cell light right now.  I'm sticking with the Mini AA... no switch to break.

I'm still mulling a tinder/firestarter source... not sure if I even need one, as I am capable with a fire bow, but I'm still planning on it anyway.  Ideally, I'd like to rely on consumables as little as possible for this kit, but I'm not sure how well that's gonna work out.  I also realize I'm going to need a larger organizer.  The "fatty" is the same size as the standard one I'm using right now, just a little deeper, which should work well for all the extra crap I've loaded in the internal pockets.

I'll report back once I've made a little more progress with it.

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

Exotac do some great ferro rod firelighters that I'd heartily recommend

[AimlessWanderer]

The Exotac's are nice. A pencil sharpener makes for a nice tinder maker

[Lynn LeFey]

A pencil sharpener makes for a nice tinder maker

That's a new one by me. Nice idea. In anything bigger than an Altoids tin kit, it'd be quite doable, I think.

[Gryffin]

The Exotac's are nice. A pencil sharpener makes for a nice tinder maker

Interesting idea, thanks!

Does it work well just for pencils, or does it work with, say, green twigs? Or do you just carry a piece of dowel for source material?

[AimlessWanderer]

Why take dowel? Pencils are useful stuff for the kit anyway  The graphite can be a lubricant if it's a softish pencil, and of course there's use as a writing implement too  Green twigs won't work, but featherlight shavings on a dry twig with a crisp snap to it would work (one that's been caught up and air dried in the crook of a branch for example, rather than one that's been sat on the forest floor). That said, if you have some other tinder such as cotton wool & vaseline, shavings that aren't quite dry enough to catch a spark, will still help keep a small flame going long enough for twigs to catch. That way you can make a small supply of cotton wool last a bit longer as you're only using it to catch the spark rather than relying on it to ignite your fuel

[colt 1911]

Why take dowel? Pencils are useful stuff for the kit anyway  The graphite can be a lubricant if it's a softish pencil, and of course there's use as a writing implement too  Green twigs won't work, but featherlight shavings on a dry twig with a crisp snap to it would work (one that's been caught up and air dried in the crook of a branch for example, rather than one that's been sat on the forest floor). That said, if you have some other tinder such as cotton wool & vaseline, shavings that aren't quite dry enough to catch a spark, will still help keep a small flame going long enough for twigs to catch. That way you can make a small supply of cotton wool last a bit longer as you're only using it to catch the spark rather than relying on it to ignite your fuel

yeah i am with you on the cotton an vaseline, also dryer lint takes a spark.

[Gareth]

BTW I've just remembered another way some pencil sharpeners might help with fire starting.



Some pencil sharpeners are made of magnesium alloy such as these ones.

[Heinz Doofenshmirtz]

BTW I've just remembered another way some pencil sharpeners might help with fire starting.



Some pencil sharpeners are made of magnesium alloy such as these ones.

There must be some magnesium in the ones that burn...  Makes me wonder if the graphite in pencil lead could be used as a fire starter...