putting together a small survival kit.

This instructable will give a good idea about what is necessary to put together a small survival kit together.

I find these components to be most useful, and customized to my needs. you may wish to change a few things. I feel also that this is better than most commercially available ones. that said you could use a fair few of the things that come in those. and this is also just an opinion, so don't blame me if you get into trouble and it doesn't work for you.

it worked for me when i got lost in the new forest, which is a huge field and woodland area. in the end we walked our way out. 40 miles in 2 days. this kit worked for me so i thought i would share.

Step 1 The first thing may be the hardest thing to get!

a tobacco tin. seriously, Mine is from 1965. In the Uk we don't tend to be able to buy altoids. this is annoying because those tins are really useful, though actually a little small for this. even worse they are made in south wales, but not sold (mainstream) over here. why I don't know. seems pretty stupid to me.

that said once you have one your in business so to speak. i have photos of most things how ever not all of them, but i shall right them down as well. and i shall explain how to use these things, and my reasoning for including them. and what to do with them in the field.

Comments

[myfacelackseyes]

I would suggest a using a bic lighter or similar in place of the zippo unless you use/ maintain this kit often; left to sit the fluid in a zippo (or any fluid lighter) will evaporate. You may also want to replace the cotton wool with birch bark (which will light even when wet) and remove the stricker which comes with the flint as a flat blade always works better.

[Blackonyx2234]

Compaq lap top?
i think my mother has the same one

[rownhunt]

why did you add a zippo? the fuel will evaporate and all it would do is serve as another firesteel.

[F1X0R]

Kept in an air tight container as it was, minimises evaporation. Especially when you consider that my rucksack is cool and dark. It has the advantage over peizo-electric lighters because it works at high altitude. Being a climber this can be very important to me. Good for lighting stoves and such. It takes a long time for the fuel to evaporate out of a zippo anyway I find. So It would be used up before it evaporated if it was used in a survival situation. The zippo also has the advantage of being somewhat wind proof over cheaper sealed flint lighters. I always advocate taking what is right for you though. What suits me, might not suit you.

[smokehill]

The little Altoids tins are great for very small kits, but are not waterproof. One alternative to consider for a container is a plastic jar, like for peanut butter. Messy to clean out, but absolutely water and air-tight, and weigh nothing. And come in a lot of different sizes.

[F1X0R]

Yeah, I've found that a water bottle, something like a Nalgene Lexan wide mouth works wonderfully for the job too. With this though you can use electrical tape and that pretty much seals it. Or a small bait box for fishing works nicely too. Thanks for the comment.

[weebs13]

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[F1X0R]

I'm glad that you have seen the big red box underneath the reply box about being constructive, and the "be nice Policy" Its only very small and intended for a few nights tops, and as I say I have used this thing for real, and it works, you've got all you need to set a trap/get food, collect and light a fire, find you're direction, pretty much all you will need in the initial stages of an incident. treat wounds, store water and so so on, now unless you can think of constructive things don't say anything at all. thank you kindly

[teaaddict314]

might be a little late for the comment but: "set a trap/get food" it really would be better to use that space for something else, since a person can go about 25-40 days without food, and by then your most likely either rescued or dead.

[survivor569]

40 days?!? i think you may need to reconsider your figures.

[teaaddict314]

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[F1X0R]

Yes torture victims. I'm not being funny but that is a very different situation, if you had to do a lot of work to survive it may be a lot different. Its hard to say for sure, but with out the right salts and so on the body could not last for 40 days and the conditions are very different so I wouldn't bet on being able to last 40 days with out food, if you don't have the energy to go and get water, how long can you last?

[teaaddict314]

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[F1X0R]

And I quote "the fact that there is no guarantee that you are even going to be in 100 miles of water." If that is the case then you need to be able to collect water, in a way that is energy intensive, and after you get very hungery then then you don't just feel a bit slow and sleepy, it gets hard to move.

[teaaddict314]

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[F1X0R]

You can go without food, this is very true, Look at David Blaine, the difference is that Blaine had water on hand, in a situation where you have to collect it yourself, if you can't collect it, you've got three days, not 40, If you can collect it, but can't go and collect Firewood and build a fire (which is pretty labour intensive) then you can't ensure the water is clean, then you become diseased. The point is, you need food, and fishing line + Hooks offer many options for catching food, plus the line has other uses, and so too do the hooks as it happens.

[teaaddict314]

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[survivor569]

only ray mears can sort this out. but i agree with F1X0R 40 days is a little OTT

[teaaddict314]

i said 25-40.

[teaaddict314]

some people can live up to 40 days with no food, but average is around 25-30 i think

[F1X0R]

True. How ever if you go a long time (well even a couple of days) with out food, your energy starts to drain, and you find simple tasks quite a bit harder. So in the interests of keeping up energy levels I think it is is a good addition. Also In any such situation You never know how long you are going to be there, also having food helps to keep morale high.

[teaaddict314]

Food can get morale up, but if you dont catch anything that would probably bring morale more down than getting food would bring up.

[F1X0R]

That is why you must learn techniques before you have to use them!

[teaaddict314]

just because you know how to fish doesnt mean that you are going to catch anything. If you go out with a professional guide on a fishing trip (say the guide has 30 years experience) you still might not catch anything. Plus what bait are you supposed to use? Fish don't go for absolutely anything, professional fishermen use bait that has worked for them for years, but even then its not for sure for catching anything. You have to take all this into consideration, nevermind the fact that there is no guarantee that you are even going to be in 100 miles of water with fish in it, and the fact that the chances of you catching anything for shore is not very likely at all since fish are usually way out there...

[franklinonline]

 if you have a stream where you can see fish, and you dont care for the enviroment, you might be able to shoot the stream/pond, and the shock will kill the fish inside. Better than using bait as its more garenteed. But there wont be fish anymore

[F1X0R]

If you are going to do this you must remember not to put the muzzle in the water. You could end up killing yourself. It would I imagine also need to be a fairly high powered firearm to have the desired effect.

[F1X0R]

I know, but It isn't just for fishing, It can also be used to make a snare, and there is enough there to do both. I have been fishing for about 12 years myself (since i was about 5) I've come away empty handed plenty of times. Interestingly Hobbo fishing seems to work really well. As for bait, I've actually had a fish using a leaf, If you know what you are doing, then it is possible. And as I say it is there because you may end up being there are a long time. Of course there is every chance that you will be no where near water, but making a snare is none to hard either. Again the use of proper techniques will maximise your chances of catching something. This is multi-purpose, with out trying to be rude, I think you are thinking a little one dimensionally. Also you always need string, always, and this stuff doubles as string wonderfully. Its great just for putting a tarp up between two trees, at 6lbs breaking strain it isn't going anywhere.

[teaaddict314]

Snares arent very good for getting animals either, granted they do work, but they are not too effective...

As for thinking one dimension, not to be rude but I think my kit is more multi-purpose than yours.

[F1X0R]

I've already seen your instructable as it happens, and I note that you include fishing line which was really the main issue here. So I don't see why you think that it is such a bad idea. I like the stuff you have included too. though they noticably are not too different, granted the stuff is different, but the results indended are very similar. Yes snares do work, you have to knwo how to do it though. I have managed to snare a rabbit (obviously I ate it as well) over night befre now, it was actually very easy. Granted snares are not the most efficent method of catching your food, a gun is, How ever they are rather bulky.

[smokehill]

Guns are far better for getting game, but sometimes not allowed in certain areas (Nat'l Parks or Forests, some State forests). There are a couple of survival guns designed specifically for this -- the AR-7 probably the most popular (and cheap). It comes apart in a couple of seconds, and all the parts fit inside the foam-filled stock -- and it floats! It's a ten-shot .22, not much good for bear protection, but great for small game like rabbits, birds or squirrels. As far as fishing -- if you're anywhere near water of any size at all, there's probably fish there, even if small ones. I'd like to see a small mesh net in the kit since it weighs nothing and takes up no space. Even in tiny creeks there are usually frogs or crawdads (crayfish) or salamanders. Not appetizing, but better than worms or grubs. Bait should never be a problem. Poking around in dirt, leaves, or in dead, rotted trees, should bring up tons of bait, and fish will bite faster on that, or worms, better than on fancy lures. Another thing I like in a survival kit is a good-quality Swiss Army knife, either Wenger or Victoninox (most other brands are junk). I wouldn't be without a very high-quality hunting-type knife, but there are a lot of handy little things in the Swiss thingie -- saw blade, toothpick (for cleaning wounds & splinters), can openers, etc. The ideal survival kit is probably about the size of a steamer trunk, and we have to be realistic -- but depending on the area and conditions, I'll usually put up with "more & bigger" just in case .... One of us usually carries a cheap plastic flare gun (from boat supply places), so if we see someone looking for us, like in a plane or chopper, we can signal them. We've always figured it might be a great defense against bears or cougars, too. Magnesium burns into the critter and keeps on burning for several minutes. Nobody usually mentions map or compass in these kits. A GOOD compass costs about ten bucks, and is worth every penny. Good, detailed maps of most areas are usually cheap, sometimes free -- you should never be in the boonies, especially if you don't know the area well, without a map.

[F1X0R]

Being in the UK gun laws are quite strict, yes I could get a .22 Riffle but carrying it around (even in a legal manner can really spook the police). Does have a Victorinox, Its a good knife even if the edge does dull a bit quickly there again its stainless so thats kinda what you get. I normally carry my compass when I'm out and about Hiking, but in a survival situation, the sun makes the best compass of all (Unless its night time), pretty light weight. Also the included Needle and magnet can be used as a compass. But yes a good compass is very useful indeed. Even a button compass is useful. I tend to carry a spare map case, incase one gets wet.

[teaaddict314]

and i never said snares didnt work, they just dont work very well considering they can take a couple of day, and usually people are rescued in a couple o days anyways

[teaaddict314]

well when i originally said the first statement i was talking about the hooks, but then i got a little bit sidetracked to the arguement of catching food being important or not and the likelyhood of actually catching anything

[smokehill]

Yes, and bringing a LOT of hooks is important. You can lose them on snags, etc., very easily. They are cheap and weigh nothing. A couple of little lead sinkers is handy, too. Tying rocks onto fishing line is a real pain. If you have the space, a bottle of salmon eggs stores really well, and is good bait for almost any fish -- probably 50 "baitings" in one little bottle. Saves having to dig for worms & grubs

[F1X0R]

Hooks can be very useful, if for nothing other than sinking into a tree branch and hanging stuff off out of the reach of bugs and such creatures.

[survivor569]

i carry my compass on my watch. nice one! i have one of these but i fit it all in the box from my NATO fire lighting kit.

[F1X0R]

Kl, yeah I don't normally carry a watch thats the thing, they bug the hell out of me. though natural compass is very easy. There are many methods.

[zorro3355]

pretty neat.and go wipe your screen!

[F1X0R]

yeah I know it looks really mucky under the flash (gloss finish screen) It has been cleaned since what can I say don't let 5 year olds near your lappy!

[steelcap77]

Tampon is a GREAT idea. I like trick candles since they do not blow out in the wind. Thanks for the tips, as I'm always looking to upgrade mine.