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I've seen dozens of Altoid Tin and similar survival kits here on Instructables and elsewhere. Many of them are quite good, while others--both home built and off-the-shelf--are left lacking some key components. EDC kits are as varied as the people who create them, but there are some key features and "must have" items they have in common...no matter if you're traversing the urban wilderness or truly miles from civilization.
I just wanted to share the handful of items I carry day-to-day, in the hopes others here would experiment and see what works for them. The point of an EDC kit is to have something small and light on your person at all times, as a redundancy to the better and more specialized gear you may have for whatever adventure you're planning. Think of it as the fire extinguisher of your preparedness, in that it should be out of the way and little noticed, but readily available and easy to use should you need it. While it can be agreed having *something* is much better than having nothing, those "somethings" you carry should be worth their weight and the space they take up. More importantly, knowing how to *use* those items is much more important than having the best out there. It's no point to have top of the line gear if you haven't practiced with it, hence the danger of the off-the-shelf "sealed" kits. Rather than sticking a lighter, stick of gum and a sewing kit into a tin or buying one of those God awful "survival" kits and thinking you're ready to live off the land, these few items are readily available and easy to procure or make. Remember that survival isn't about comfort, but rather just making it out of there alive.
I should note the best "survival" scenario is to have a game plan and stick to it. Tell at least two responsible people where you're going, how you plan to get there, when they can expect you back, and at what point they should be alarmed if they haven't heard from you. Even better, have a description of your vehicle, what you're wearing, and any backup plans you may have should the weather turn. Have a charged cell phone handy, but realize chances are it won't work when you need it to. Most survival situations play out within 72 hours, and by far the majority start out as "day hikes". Pack light and go far, but pack for what *could* happen. There are many, many articles both on this website and others as to how to plan an outing and pack for it, so I won't repeat those here.
Now on to the "Everyman" (or woman!) EDC kit...
I just wanted to share the handful of items I carry day-to-day, in the hopes others here would experiment and see what works for them. The point of an EDC kit is to have something small and light on your person at all times, as a redundancy to the better and more specialized gear you may have for whatever adventure you're planning. Think of it as the fire extinguisher of your preparedness, in that it should be out of the way and little noticed, but readily available and easy to use should you need it. While it can be agreed having *something* is much better than having nothing, those "somethings" you carry should be worth their weight and the space they take up. More importantly, knowing how to *use* those items is much more important than having the best out there. It's no point to have top of the line gear if you haven't practiced with it, hence the danger of the off-the-shelf "sealed" kits. Rather than sticking a lighter, stick of gum and a sewing kit into a tin or buying one of those God awful "survival" kits and thinking you're ready to live off the land, these few items are readily available and easy to procure or make. Remember that survival isn't about comfort, but rather just making it out of there alive.
I should note the best "survival" scenario is to have a game plan and stick to it. Tell at least two responsible people where you're going, how you plan to get there, when they can expect you back, and at what point they should be alarmed if they haven't heard from you. Even better, have a description of your vehicle, what you're wearing, and any backup plans you may have should the weather turn. Have a charged cell phone handy, but realize chances are it won't work when you need it to. Most survival situations play out within 72 hours, and by far the majority start out as "day hikes". Pack light and go far, but pack for what *could* happen. There are many, many articles both on this website and others as to how to plan an outing and pack for it, so I won't repeat those here.
Now on to the "Everyman" (or woman!) EDC kit...
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Signing UpStep 1The Container
I chose a small stainless steel container for the contents, sealed with a fitted polyethylene lid. I picked it up at a dollar store, and it was marketed as a stainless steel freezer container.
Why metal instead of a lightweight plastic?
The container can be used to collect and sterilize water, and is even strong enough to use as a digging tool. Stainless isn't prone to rust and won't impart anything to whatever liquid or food item you prepare in it. Plus most plastics, especially polystyrene, are prone to differences in temperature and are very likely to get brittle in the cold. The polyethylene lid on this container is flexible even in the cold, and fitted for a water-tight seal.
Why metal instead of a lightweight plastic?
The container can be used to collect and sterilize water, and is even strong enough to use as a digging tool. Stainless isn't prone to rust and won't impart anything to whatever liquid or food item you prepare in it. Plus most plastics, especially polystyrene, are prone to differences in temperature and are very likely to get brittle in the cold. The polyethylene lid on this container is flexible even in the cold, and fitted for a water-tight seal.
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By the way, are you referring to Doug Ritter the knife designer? He also produces survival kits?
Cheers!
Also, don't rely too much on the condoms, they break very easily and are hard to carry, store, etc. Over 20 years of military experience on several continents also teaches a few hard lessons.
Good tip on the antibiotic ointment--I haven't tried to light the stuff, but its certainly worth a try...might be worth replacing if it's just as effective! The Swiss Card is plastic, and the thinnest on the market as far as I've found, but yeah there are a few redundant items I could probably do away with--I just liked how all the little bits you usually have to fumble for are all self-contained. I agree--boiling is certainly the way to go--much more preferable to any chemical treatment. Plus, boiling is a sure way to kill any critters some chemical treatments will leave behind. It's just nice to have more than one option available, right? Since collecting water with condoms is an art form in itself, and perhaps *not* the best option if you're already a bit hyperthermic and panicked, I'm looking at throwing in a few produce bags folded flat. Those thin bags from the grocery store are already food-grade plastic, and fold or roll up super thin!
As for this EDC, I pretty much always wear pants or shorts with a cargo pocket. It is bulky, but you get used to it fairly quickly, especially if it's taken every day, and the size of the container holds a full 8oz of water--enough to make the fuel expense count to boil and make an actual difference in hydration. For the times it's impractical, I'm working on a smaller but just as robust version...will keep you posted!
http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Single-Use-Antibiotic-Ointment-Blister-Packs/step5/The-final-result/
other than that, a little bulky for my personal taste, and a little overkill on tinder (not that its a bad thing)
if i may make a suggestion though. throw in a couple 1 quart and 1 gallon ziplocs, so many uses with little space. a small candle is also a good addition so you have a small flame, it could make a huge difference if your wood is a little damp. and of course some chlorine based water purification tabs. iodine ones taste foul.
also its nice to see a kit on here that isnt lets see how much junk we can shove in an altoids tin
You're very correct, in that part of core body temperature regulation is proper hydration. That's why there *ARE* chemical water treatment tabs in this kit--item #13 in the first-aid kit :) I prefer iodine as my primary means in my carry pack (not this EDC), since you can treat a liter in about 30 minutes. If you're thirsty enough you don't mind the bitterness of iodine so much, and you can easily kill the taste with anything containing vitamin C, such as Emergen-C. Even tiny amounts are very effective at it. Iodine has a secondary purpose of being a first-aid item, so there's one item with multiple uses.
Ziplocs are worth their weight in gold--I agree with you there! It's why I have several gallon and quart sized ones in my standard pack. Since they have a bit of bulk, even when rolled up tight, I left them out of this kit to save the space for other items. A couple of non-lubricated condoms would serve the same purpose as water containers with less weight and bulk. Practice with them is key though...there's a definite technique to scooping a liter of water from a sill without it gushing back out.
I've seen candles in various kits, and honestly I haven't found a use for them enough to account for the weight and space they take up. They're a "one show pony", in that candles are really only good for burning (and gooping up the rest of your EDC if they get hot). I prefer items you can get at least three different uses for. My tinder overkill is pretty practical--the fire straws take a spark quickly and have a good, *hot* burn time of at least 30 seconds each. If, with practice, someone can't get a fire started with that, they should get out of the water and try again :)
Cheers!
as for the ziplocks i tend to fold them instead of rolling them, that way they lay flat and the space taken is flatter than rolling them.
a great tinder ive found is similar to your fire straws, instead of petroleum jelly use melted wax onto the cotton then insert into straw, i timed a 1cm piece at 60second burn. so its fairly impressive, needs a small patch fluffed before use though.
ive used candles to help start fires in damp conditions, used the wax from them to create small torches when needed, as dumb as it sounds used the wax as a light duty lube, and a light duty glue. never been a time where ive needed a candle but theres been a few times when its come in handy. just personal opinion really.
if i come off as hating or w/e i honestly dont intend to. its nice to see others are prepared even if its just a day hike or w/e
By the way: There are 2 things I'd like to include (as I have them in my kit)
1) sawing kit : 2 or 3 needles and a couple yard of heavy duty line, black and white
2) zip ties: just like paracord and duct tape you can never have enought of these
Believe it or not, there is a sewing kit in there! The vial with the fishing items also includes a heavy-duty needle, and in a pinch one of the fish hooks could be re-bent into a makeshift needle if you needed more. Between the spool of black nylon thread and the strands of the white nylon cordage, one should have plenty of line to stitch until their hearts are content. I personally haven't needed zip ties, but I see their usefulness! Adding a few is virtually no weight and space, so why not?
I was thinking to save even more space and have room for more "stuff", either I could just remove the vial altogether and wrap the contents in plastic (like the matches), or reuse the vial as a small pill-caddy and add it to the first aid kit. See how this thing continues to evolve?
Cheers!
The first aid kit seems very good too
Still I don't get one thing:
Why do all keep addind fishing stuff in theyr kits?
The chances of gettting anyway near to ariver/lake/sea are small, then the chances of having fish in it are even less, those that that type of fish can be fished with those hooks etc are even less... simply too few...
Plus, can you fish? did enyone try? it's not as easy as it seems... so why rely on the "tool" if you don't have the "skill" ??
For the fishing stuff, as I mentiioned the contents from this kit also include the contents from the Doug Ritter kit. The vial containing the few fishing items, safety pins and needle was in his, so it's in mine as well. The amount of space and weight it adds overall is negligible so I left them in there, and being a pointy piece of wire with a looped end could produce something more creative that just fish hooks. You're very correct in your assessment, in that not knowing how to fish would pretty much eliminate the need for fishing gear of any kind, and that space could be best utilized for something you *would* need and use. As I reiterated in the last "step" of this Instructable, knowing how to use what's in your kit is just as important as what's in it.
Food procurement is the very last priority "out there", as the priority should be rescue first and foremost, and keeping the core body temperature regulated until that happens. If someone does manage to get themselves into an extended stay, expending the fewest amount of calories to get the greatest caloric gain is an art form itself. Since the "Everyman" concept is most wouldn't be familiar with what plants are safe to eat, critters are the way to go, using passive techniques. This is where the snare wire and fishing equipment come in, as you can set up lines and snares to do the "hunting" for you while your energy is best used elsewhere.
Thanks again!