Pocket sized survival kit

I know this has been done before, but I thought I'd add my $.02 and make one my way. After looking at a lot of these survival kits I realized that they were missing a lot of things, and adding useless weight.

Step 1 Materials

For this kit you will need most of these

-Altoids tin
-Leatherman/ other multool
-Lock back knife (leatherman c301)
-Lighter (Zippo works great)
-Magnifying glass lens
-Wire
-Compass
-Matches (wax coated ones work best)
-Flint
-Firecracker
-String
-First aid materials (Bandaids, alcohol wipes)
-Razor blades
-Tape (Medical- 3M transpore)
-String
-Needles
-Condom
-Bag (1 gallon zip lock style)

Comments

[mad hatter503]

Add one thing-a "can't blow out" candle, the prank ones you all have seen. Light the candle and it will be tough to have it go out, even in windy conditions!

[Knot71]

Can you get Altoids in the UK?

[phonetic]

Poundland sell them for, you guessed it, £1. Marks and Spencers sell them under their own branding for £1.19, I think.

[Mutantflame]

Altoids at poundland? I've never seen them there before. However I found them at a pharmacy near my friends house for 99p so we get them occasionally.

[dsherlock]

Yes ... I reckon I know that pharmacy ...
not, of course, to be confused with farmacie (which is very much like a pharmacy except they keep chickens - obviously)

[rblee]

Yes - Try Waitrose. My local one stocks them.

[rblee]

You forgot a signalling mirror. These are small and durable and attract attention over great distances. S&R pilots will tell you that they're much more visible than burning tyres. I'd swap it for a firecracker any time.

Maybe you could do something clever with the bottom of the Altoids tin, although you'd have to stop it getting distorted.

[Mutantflame]

The inside of the lid of the tin can be used as a mirror, if it's clean.

[hkrasinski]

y do u need a condom

[BigDave67]

Actually, it is the willow's inner bark not willow that is the natural aspirin. Strip the bark down to the cambium layer, then scrape the inner bark from the outer bark and use this to make a tea. A tea may also be made from the leaves. Please be careful where and how you strip the bark as you can kill the tree.

[Lhtrf]

about killing the tree, if its camping, you should be careful, but if it depends on your life, it isn't that important, most important thing is you survive, the tree surviving is optional.

[jtpoutdoor]

aspirin isn't going to save your life however

[Sabata]

Willow are hardy and taking a few small cuttings won't harm the tree. AAMOF, doing so can even make the plant healthier. Also worth mentioning is that many types of can be propagated simply by sticking a branch in moist soil.

[pastaking]

Yeah. FYI, a good park keeper's pruning does more damage than this. Trees are very resiliant plants.

[Grey_Wolfe]

If you're planning on using thread to stitch yourself up (why else would it be in a survival kit, lol), then it is best to use nylon tread, as it is more sanitary. Cotton is unsafe to put into your body. Cotton fever is not a pleasant thing, nor is infection in general.

[pastaking]

Best to have both, as nylon is not the best for repairing clothes. As I found out the hard way ;-)

[LinuxH4x0r]

Thanks! I'm glad I didn't try it yet.

[htikeagkyaw]

Drr...
Damn Scary to stitch yourself up. Can't Even Imagine.

[Grey_Wolfe]

Cheaper than a hospital bill. ;)

[Wascopirate]

great kit!!! Most of these kits I see have the leatherman wave or kick but I personaly believe that the blast is the best for survival great choice!!

[uberzombiebob]

you listed string twice

[htikeagkyaw]

I don't understand this part

[syphek]

magnifying glasses are not nearly as useful as you'd think. i've tried to start fires with them on many occasions, and it hasnt worked at all. and i live in texas, so the sun beats down pretty freaking hard here. it may just be that i'm inept, but i find mathces or a lighter much more useful

[KingOfCatfish]

I've used a magnifying glass to start fies before, it takes a bit o practice to get down, but I've been camping and backpacking most of my life and love wilderness survival. Here's a tip, use a 3 inch diameter glass magnifying lens, no handle of course. This is good for learning. Another way is to take a page magnifier http://www.discountofficeitems.com/office-supplies/general-supplies/magnification/magnifiers/sparco-full-page-handheld-magnifier/p26482.html?ref=bizrate&source=bizrate&utm_medium=shopping_engine&utm_source=bizrate and use this, if you need it to be smaller just cut out the center. I've used these pages to melt through branding mugs http://www.eaglecampmug.com/mugcolors.htm

[googuy]

all you have to do is focus the sun i live in new england and i can start a fire with one anytime that i want without any effort just focus the light on the ground to the smallest dot you can get it and hold it there

[Kasekine]

Another item that would be important is a small squeeze bottle of honey.  You can dab some honey into your cuts before you bandage them to help prevent infection.  Bacteria and virii don't grow in honey so it is one of the safest items you can use.  And if need be you can eat some of it to sustain yourself for a couple hours (all that sugar).

[wn7ant]

Are you sure bacteria doesn't grow in honey. Mayo clinic seems to think it can contain Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum) spores. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/infant-botulism/HQ00854 Just thought I might point that out.

[TheInventor1997]

 how small can you get honey

[NightElectric]

You can get packets at places like Popeye's and KFC

[sk8fux]

Very good idea also....

[ThaRazor]

You could greatly reduce the space taken up by the tape and/or thread by wrapping it around something small and flat such as a business card and laying it in the bottom of the tin. Other than that though, I thought this was a great -ible.

[shizumadrive]

I agree with the other folks on here a zippo is not great as survival fire starter. If you had some spare fuel that would be one thing. Zippo on its own is nice for the sparks it makes and you can store extra flints in the bottom.
You can get really cheap ones for even 5 bucks.

Bic lighter are not dependable they will likely break and spill fuel. They have lousy sparkers compared to zippos as well.

Other things id throw in would be fishing line, hooks, water purification tablets,  and some other things.

Not all of those items fit in the altoids can. But then if you carry them arround in your pockets all the time like I do my swiss army knife and zippo then its ok.

[Cartuner55]

why the heck do you need a condom?!?!

[nathan-safc]

u use a condom to carry water

[XWXAXDXEX]

I dont see it? the quality foods thing?

[squidstew]

Hey, bears need love too.

[DIYerr]

lol... everyone who sees that for the first time says the 'zact same thing. In a survival situation it could be used for water carrying. Good question, very good 'ible

[PCvsMac]

Hold up. - A condom contains spermicide (A chemical that holds and kills off sperm). So would that poison the water!? For hygenic reasons, I prefur NOT to use a condom: To be honest, I dont feel comfortable using one (for holding water...) But other than that it is a good water carrier :)

[DIYerr]

There are some kinds you can get w/o the lube, or spermicide, im pretty sure. But yeah, i know what you mean about the hygenic reasons lol.

[Noname23]

You can buy dry condoms for cheaper then condoms that have spermicide.