Survival Kits

DBaker · Nov 5, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Nov-06-08 AT 00:50AM (MST)[p]I just got done creating my own survival kit. Their are six key ares to my survival kit...

1.Fire: Fire Steel, Lighter, Water Proof Matches, Cotton Balls Soaked in Vaseline

2.Shelter: (2) Adventure HeadSheets Blankets

3.Signaling: Mirror, Whistle, Pen, Sharpie, Paper

4.Water/Food: Aquamira Pro Filter, (2) Candy Bars

5.First Aid: (1) Ice Hot Sleeve, (2) Trauma Pads, (2) 4x4 Gauze Dressing, (2) 3x3 Gauze Dressing, (2) 2x2 Gauze Dressing, (3) Elbow Band-Aids, (10) Standard Band-Aids, (5) Mini Band-Aids, (2) Moleskins, (4) Antiseptic Cleaning Wips, (4) Antibiotic Ointment, (4) Burn Cream, (12) Ibuprofen, (1) First Aid Tape, (1) Eye Wash, (2) Rubber Gloves, Benadryl, Tweezers, Q-Tips, Sun/Insect Block

6.Tools: Multi-Tool, Duck Tape, Zip Ties, Safety Pins

I would like to hear your comments and suggestions on the survival aid kit I created...

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DBake

hntbambi · Nov 6, 2008

How about QuikClot Blood Clotting Agent? Something to seal up nasty lacerations like one of the body stapling kits or a tube of super-glue?

Yoyak · Nov 6, 2008

What does all that weigh?

DBaker · Nov 6, 2008

Thanks for the replies.

I will be sure to add the blood clotting agent.

And it weight 20 ozs.
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DBake

ART338WM · Nov 7, 2008

Now for THE MOST IMPORTANT PART! Pick yourself a cold, windy (if your realy serious a cold, windy and rainy or snowy night) night and spend it outdoors with nothing but your home made survival kit to get you through till day light.

Trust me nothing else you can do will ever give you more confidence and reduce your fear of getting lost than actually spending the night out of doors using only your survival kit to do so. You will also learn first hand what in your kit works or does not. You never ever want the first time you have to give your survival kit a test drive be the time your life may actually depend on it.

ART338WM · Nov 7, 2008

LAST EDITED ON Nov-07-08 AT 04:12PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Nov-07-08 AT 04:09?PM (MST)

LAST EDITED ON Nov-07-08 AT 04:07?PM (MST)

LAST EDITED ON Nov-07-08 AT 04:04?PM (MST)

LAST EDITED ON Nov-07-08 AT 04:02?PM (MST)

I would strongly suggest you consider adding the fallowing items:
<>50-100' of good 550 para cord for making a shelter as well as contless other uses
<>2-Trioxane bars as thay come in their own W/tight vary tough package unlikely to tear open accidentally in storage and are far less messy than soaked cotton balls.
<>Spair compass
<>NATO Life Boat matches. Best mathes money can buy and will not go out once lit. Faaaaaar superior to the ones you show.
<>Small roll of balze marking ribbon for signaling
<>1 or 2 Cylum light sticks

I guess I should add what my survival kit contains:
<>5'x7' well made insulating tarp with red & silver sides spacificly made for EM use
<>Well made space blanket this one will not rip easly and with carefull use, will at the minimum last for 1-3 nights out in the wilderness.
*<>100' para-cord
<>unbrakable signal mirror with aiming hole
<>Bomb proof signal whistle
*<>2-super HD huge garbage bags I can fit 100% inside of
<>Gerber blast match
<>Med fire steel
<>2-Trioxane bars
<>4-fire starting cubes
<>1-cont/NATO life boat matches
<>1-spair compass
<>1-lrg pencil & sharpener
<>1-Sharpi marker
<>1-small water proof note pad
*<>1-SM roll of duct tape made by Coghlans
*<>1-roll of 33 electrical tape
*<>1-partial roll of blaze orange/reflective ribbon for signaling
*<>2 Cylum light sticks.
Items listed with * in front of <> are stored in my pack but not actually in survival kit itself.

All is stored in a tightly wraped Coghan's water proof pouch.

I also have a excellent Adventure Medicle Kit 1st aid kit compleat with "Quick Clot" I store seperately in my pack.

Total weight of both survival and 1st aid kit is around 2.5-lbs.

I will add I have tried out everything in my kit and it all works gr8. Especially the trioxane bars and Blast Match. You can litteraly place a Trioxane bar in a bucket of water and it will float, light and burn.

DBaker · Nov 7, 2008

Thanks for the replies,

I do carry 100' of para cord and balze makring tape, I figured that as general hunting gear. Although I will add a light stick or two. And will look into the NATO Boat Matches and the Trioxane bars.

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DBake

NORKALNIMROD · Nov 8, 2008

This might sound stupid as I know you have a knife or two with you, however, there is no substitute for a stout all purpose knife. I carry a standard Camillus combat knife (Kabar patern). To most this sounds extreme and it may be. I am sure the basic Pilot survival model would be just as effective but I am partial to this knife as I have relied on it for over 25 years. I replaced the original leather sheath with a well made cordura one. This sheath has a large belt loop and can be moved on and off most any belt easily. It also has a steel loop at it's base for a leg tie or fasten point. I epoxied a fine diamond stone to the front of it and fashioned a cover for it out of a wide strip of hook and loop material. I also have about 72" of durable cordage that is braided and connected to the leg strap loop. This knife is ALWAYS with me in the field. If on horseback I place it in my waist pack which also contains the remainder of my survival gear. If on foot the knife is on my belt. This knife is extremely durable, is RC of about 56-57 and is tempered so that it has a little flex in it's back. A great all around tool. I have used the cordage for starting fires on more than one occasion (bow and drill)and use the diamond stone to sharpen my "good" and much smaller hunting blades and broadheads. Sorry about being long winded but I feel strongly about one having a good knife when in the field. I believe aside from the brain it is the most important item to have in a survival situation.
Norkalnimrod

DBaker · Nov 9, 2008

I agree, everyone should carry a good sized fixed blade knife.
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DBake

BeanMan · Nov 9, 2008

I'd add one pair each of chemical toe and hand warmers. And substitute a roll of Athletic tape for first aid tape. It's wider and more versatile. It can fill both the roll of bandaid if you have gauze and ankle tape as well as many other things.

I've got one of those 'space bags' in my kit that you can crawl inside of, I have concerns about it's toughness though. A good fleece hat with ear flaps in your pack will make the night pass much warmer.

Bean

NORKALNIMROD · Nov 9, 2008

BeanMan,
I carry one of the heavy-duty space blankets the same as the one mentioned previously. I also carry a rip-stop pancho (no liner). The space bags are alot better than nothing and can be carried in your jacket pocket, but they are not designed for extended use. I have never tested one, but don't believe one would last a night if I were using it. The pancho and blanket combo is alot bulkier but is still very light and very durable. As far as headgear I would suggest a wool watch cap over fleece. The wool will retain heat far better when wet and is much more flame resistant, something to consider when your trying to sleep next to an open fire.
Norkalnimrod

BeanMan · Nov 10, 2008

Norkal,

Thanks for the input. Since I have a couple of those space bags I should try one out in the greasewood and sage behind the house.

Bean

DBaker · Nov 10, 2008

I have been thinking about taking that first aid tape out and replacing it with athletic tape, just haven't gotten around to it. Just yesterday I picked up some hand warmers...Thanks for the replies guys...

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DBake

sageadvice · Nov 10, 2008

I seen the ibuprofen but for me, that stuff hardly works on aches and pains. If you're really hurt and in lots of pain so you can't hardly move without screaming, i carry vicodin(sp). There's 4 pills in my pack at all times and they don't weigh much but if you need them, could allow you to get yourself out.

Joey

ART338WM · Nov 10, 2008

My hunting knife of choice at present is a Cold Steel Carbon V Master Hunter I got at NSS for less than $40. They have since doubled in cost. I use it because it is a good stout knife that i can get shaving sharp and resharpen easly. I also pack a Leatherman Wave as well. Dont sell the itty bitty knife in the wave short. My friend killed a bull back in 05 and we were miles from the road and he found out then he forgot to pack any sort of knife. Well I gave him my only spair, the one on my Wave. It was litteraly shaving sharp to start, but it made short work of skinning out that bull. Surprised the he11 out of me for sure. It even did OK at deboning. And it locks in place, a nice added safety feature.