All The Things You Need For A Survival Kit...

All the things you need for a survival kit...

Step 1 Altoids Tin

Most people use altoids tins to put their survival kit in, but i wouldnt recommend to use one, as it is not fully watertight, however, you can basically use any sort of tin, box or bag you want.

Comments

[kreiben]

Besides catching fish, small animals like possum or racoons that will eat your left overs......... Place leftover fish on hook, sit real quiet at night, when you feel tug, yank to hook, then reach out and stab with spear you made earlier. I know you could just spear it, with out the hook, but the hook sure slows em down and confuses them.... Just make sure its not a skunk.

I love fishing for possum and raccoon. Easier to catch than fish.

[phillip48124]

A pellet tin is a much better option. Unlike altoids tins, they are water tight. Just be sure to clean them

[ManchesterUtd.]

You must remember the rule of 3's:
             You can survive 3 minutes without air, 3 days without water (being generous in a wet climate) and 3 months with minimal food intake

[asandro]

its 3 weeks without food and YOU CAN survive more than 3 days without water. ITS an URBAN LEGEND perpetuated for decades. It is NOT so. You could die after 24 hours or 12 days. Depending on the situation or exertion.

[ManchesterUtd.]

its a rule of thumb. is 3 days not within your 24 hour-12 day time period?

[B2BSurvivor]

Having taken and taught survival classes in the military, I can assure you of the validity of the "rule of 3's". We are talking about general rules for survival. 3 minutes without air will not kill many people, but in a survival situation, 3 min without air will put most people unconscious and that renders them helpless to access any more air. 3 hours of exposure to extreme environmental conditions can kill, or at least start you well on the road, hypothermia is hard to reverse in a survival situation,etc. 3 days without water IN A SURVIVAL SITUATION has killed many people. You're right about the food, 3 weeks. These are NOT urban myths, they are based on studies done by the military looking at thousands of cases (NO, not experimenting on people) of survivors, and those who did not survive. These are general rules, and as such have exceptions. Look at the records in the Guinness Book and it's plain these rules are not absolutes. But they are excellent planning guidelines to keep in mind and use as planning priorities for survival.

[milododds]

Isn't it 3 weeks without food?  Though some of us might be fat enough to go for 3 months (likely)? There is more to the rule of 3's, there is one variation that goes you can die in 3 seconds if you panic in certain situations.

[KittyF]

well, I'm sure Jesus wasn't fat and he went 40 days. Research suggests (don't ask for references I read this 20 years ago in a book about fasting) that after 40 days a person body starts to break down muscle for survival. I don't know if you'd make it 90 days in that case, but who knows? I doubt anyone's done THAT research.

[gaist]

Also, 3 hours when exposed to extreme weather

[ManchesterUtd.]

it might be. im just restating words out of my fathers mouth

[strods]

LOL... where did you hear that?  I just wonder because I wrote up something to that extent for my scout troop but couldn't find anything simple enough for kids to remember.  I turned that lesson into an instructible.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Survivals-Law-of-3/

If there is something similar to what I wrote I'd be happy to read it myself and give credit where it's due. 

[drstu2000]

I never read your instructable until just today but, I was taught the "Rules of Three" years ago in Military Survival and Evasion training.  Im not sure of the exact origin.  Regardless your article is a good guide on survival and it is great that you are teaching children about self reliance.

[ManchesterUtd.]

 my father but ill give you credit. kudos on the article! it was quite interesting! i hope i dont sound like i plagiarise your work!

[strods]

don't even worry about it... independant creations just go to vouch the truthfullness of it...

[ManchesterUtd.]

very true. i shall not.

[Danny1433]

you forgot condoms they are useful for carring water

[badwooki]

zip lock bags work just as well as condoms for water carry...

[badwooki]

a gallon size ziplock bag is more practical and has more applications... space requirement excepted

[TiberiusNewman]

I personally wouldn't suggest taking matches on any venture, even water proofed they aren't guaranteed to work, and are far too easy to waste. Spend the 10 dollars it would take to buy a waterproof lighter, it will always light your fire.

[asandro]

WRONG! a wet or cold lighter will NOT light, flint can wear out and is NOt the best thing,BEST of all is FIRESTEEL or Magnesium FLINT! It will work EVERYTIME and for thousands of fires. Even in WET windy cold temps.

[B2BSurvivor]

NEVER SAY NEVER, NEVER SAY ALWAYS !!! I agree about lighters. I have had several waterproof lighters that have failed to light. Good ones, too. One was over $25 and guaranteed. After the failure, the manufacturer gladly refunded my money and sent me a new one, with the explanation that the pin holding the spark wheel had twisted or some such thing. Good thing I had my trusty wax dipped, strike anywhere matches with me that day. When you get to be as old as i am, you learn from experiences, EVERYONE'S EXPERIENCES, NOT JUST YOUR OWN ! That's what these instructables are all about, now isn"t it?
Flint and steel can fail also, if its too wet, it's happened to me and several friends.Usually not because of the flint and steel so much as the tinder. Always have a minimum of 2 different fire starting methods, 3 if you have the space.

[facilitator476]

I love the flint and magnesium bars on campouts, but it just seems hard to beat a Zippo.

[B2BSurvivor]

A good rule of thumb for fire starting gear is a minimum of 2 different fire sources, 3 is even better if you have the space. Rethink the Zippo, bulky and they leak. Heat will cause the standard rectangular Zippo type lighter to loose fuel by evaporation. Try a "peanut" type lighter instead. more compact, very dependable and has an O ring to prevent leakage and evaporation. Find them on Amazon, check out several sources, some of the dealers charge as much for shipping as the cost of the lighter. I found some with free shipping. One on my keychain I have carried for over a year, use it occasionally and it's still got fuel from the first filling. I'm actually trying to see how long it will last with a minimum of 10 quick uses per month. Flint and Mag bars are good, too. I prefer to file some shavings off the mag bar into a small 2" X 2.5" ziplock bag for pills. I carry this in a kit with a "Scout" spark rod about 2 inches long. It all takes up less space than the full mag bar.

[KittyF]

I think everybody's right on this. Carry them all. then you have a good chance that one of them will work.

[smaloney2]

The survival Code says two is one and one is none. I personally don't like matches for their single use, but i'll grab a candle and a lighter if need light on the go

[KittyF]

true, but they're better than nothing.

so far, I have a 7 boxes of strike anywhere matches, 4 or 5 boxes of strike on the box matches, four lighters, three long lighters (lighters with long barrels on the front) and that's it, except for a dozen candles. six glass Kerosene lamps, 4 Coleman lanterns and such like, two Coleman stoves and a heater or two. We used to buy up camping equipment at yard sales.
When i get some stuff stuffed into the car, it'll be a lantern a few candles, a metal bowl to light the candles in, some matches and a lighter or two. from there I'll set about adding to that as the opportunity arises. (btw we bought those matches years ago and they still light, I check them every so often and burn a few from each box to be sure they're not ruined).
Fire is the one thing I think I could manage for now. I'd still like to add a magnesium rod or whatever you call them, and whatever else I see recommended, but what I really need is a Water filter.

[facilitator476]

You left out one thing, an exit strategy. Besides a match there is nothing to help immediate rescue. I would almost say ditch the compass because that only makes people want to wander off when help is only a mile behind.
Remember: when you get lost, hug a tree.

[B2BSurvivor]

Hug a tree is the best strategy, most of the time. But in several survival situations, you may need to move on. If someone is injured and needs care as soon as possible. If you know that a few miles west is a highway, etc. In those situations, a nice little quality, liquid filled compass can be invaluable. It takes up minimum space in a kit.

[olmon]

Take Vodka, 150Proof, in place of alcohol. That way your antiseptic can do triple duty. It's good to drink, it will kill germs and will also work in an alcohol stove in am emergncy.

[olmon]

I have all three, BIC lighter, matches & Flint/magnesium, & keep them all in a ziplock bag to make sure they're dry. Nothing worse then being cold & unable to cook.

[badwooki]

dental floss and needle will work much better than thread and replace f.m.on survival with the little gem sas survival manual can be packed in a water proof pouch with a matchcase... and store the sewing needle either with
matches or in floss container... but other wise awesome job on the ible....

[WILL62]

seein its 2010 hows about a cell phone?

[medius]

The creation of the disposeable $10 cell phone available at most gas stations has made that a good idea. The whole purpose of wilderness survival is keeping alive until help arrives, so yes. If you had one of those you could simply get to a high point (a hill, would be your best bet), find a signal, and call 911 and have them trace the call. Then all you have to do is set up basic camp just in case and wait near the call sight in plain sight. Good idea, I'll have to add one to my kit, although replace it every once in a while to make sure the battery is alive when you need it, or its just a bunch of junk

[PuzzleJenn]

There are a few issues with this idea, though it is a good one in theory. It's a major myth that 911 can find you with your cell phone. IF your cell phone has gps, you might be in luck, but 911 operators will usually only get your general location, and that's only if they can triangulate off of multiple cell towers. I don't think the $10 cell phones would have gps, but I could be wrong.

It's important for EVERYONE to know that 911 can't tell your exact location when you call from a cell phone. Know where you are. "Downtown, near a warehouse...it might be gray, or maybe brown" isn't accurate enough for the police to get to you. ;)

[goosetheawsomescout]

the matches in your picture are NOT WATERPROOF i have had that tipe and they will not light when wet they cant even take one rain shower

[dknight297]

dip them in candle wax and "voila" you have waterproofed matches!

[atomiclegocreations]

great add-on to my cure to all wounds, to put it on and protect against even MORE dirt, and makes something for a shark bite, as i saw on some shark week episode thing, i don't know...

[atomiclegocreations]

i have a GREAT idea. You need a rubbing alcohol sheet that comes in a first aid kit, along with gauze and 2-4 & 1/2 feet of medical tape wrapped around itself. Take the rubbing alcohol and put some on the wound you have, then take the gauze and wrap it tightly around the wound, and put a few amounts of medical tape and put it on! Simple medical procedure to save your life!!!

[rabb72994]

Not being rude. I mean you can use it for small game traps and what not.

[rabb72994]

Fish hook. Great idea. Good no matter if you're near water or not.