Building a PSK

DaleW

DaleW

Joined
Dec 22, 2006
Messages
2,194
I picked up a non-issue M-16 single magazine pouch and started to build a bare-bones PSK with it.

The goal is to have a compact and easy to carry PSK (on my belt) in the event that I lose the rest of my gear while hiking. I normally carry all the essentials so the broad spectrum is covered when I'm on the trail. I always have shelter, extra clothing, extra food, water treatment, and so forth. I picked a container that is a size I can live with and I want to maximize the contents. Assume I have a larger knife. In fact, some of the discussions about what to put in a sheath pouch are what got me going on this. I would be carrying at least an SAK Trekker and I have a 4" fixed blade on order that I plan to carry with this kit.

Here is what I picked to go in it:

M-16 single magazine pouch
small flat roll of duct tape
small roll snare wire
DMT Mini Sharp
NATO matches in container
10 tinder tabs in bag
36" 4lb test leader with sliding sinker and treble hook
Small roll seine twine
BCB wire saw
1/4oz vial of Cutters
lanyard with:
ACR whistle
Silva keychain compass
Inova Micro Light
small milspec firesteel
Bucklite Mini Tool
2 scalpel blades taped to the Buck tool sheath

It measures about 7" tall x 3" wide x 2" thick and weighs 12 ounces. I could add a couple condoms for water. There is a little room left-- anything come to mind?
 
A couple of large leaf or trash bags (shelter/ poncho etc)

I would also address ist aid in some way at least a bandana to use as a bandage or sling (I have used a bandana and duct tape to stop bleeding). Some bandaids are a must.

Sounds good so far
 
I vaguely remember looking at a fellow's survival webpage where he had a kit about the same size in an M16 mag pouch, but I believe it was the double mag pouch. The benefit that I saw in this was that it could comfortably fit a little loaf baking tin, useful for lots of things, not the least of which is boiling water and cooking.

I think it would be a small increase in size that would give you several more options (maybe even a med/small piece of tarp!).


EDIT: Found the website: http://www.m4040.com/Survival/Survival Kit.htm
 
550 cord at least 30ft-I recommend a 50ft hank. Use the side clasps on the Mag pouch to hold it outside the center pocket if space is an issue.

1 mil thick (9' X 12') painter's clear drop cloth, this can be used as e-shelter or a solarstill if you live in the desert. you can get this for like $2 at any home improvement store, plus it is very easy to fit in your M-16 mag pouch w/ your other items.
 
nothing to new to add to what others have suggested, but here's my list of a few things you could consider:

band-aids and antibiotic ointment, maybe some OTC analgesics like aspirin or ibuprofen

Survival Straw or iodine tabs or small vial of bleach

more cordage

trash bags (for shelter/poncho)

a container to boil water
 
akennedy73 said:
nothing to new to add to what others have suggested, but here's my list of a few things you could consider:

band-aids and antibiotic ointment, maybe some OTC analgesics like aspirin or ibuprofen

Survival Straw or iodine tabs or small vial of bleach

more cordage

trash bags (for shelter/poncho)

a container to boil water
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I tried to get a trash bag or a space blanket in there, but there just isn't enough room. No problem getting a couple ibuprofen in there and a couple Immodium AD would be good too.

The condom water carrier idea is weak to me as well, but I do have the Micropur water treatment tablets in there. In my "regular" hiking PSK I have a one liter Platypus bladder, space blanket, garbage bag, sunglasses, first aid kit-- all the "recommended" essentials and more.

I'm trying to get just one step beyond a sheath-pouch PSK. I was considering going to a compass/strobe pouch that I can tie down to the kydek sheath on my fixed blade. I may still go that way. I would carry the M-16 single mag pouch on the opposite side from the knife, hopefully balancing it out a bit and not having a big lump on one side to hang up on brush.

If I was going to go with an all-in-one belt pouch, one of the newer canteen bags or a SAW magazine pouch would work. I'm pretty sure my pants would fall down though :) Going to a two mag pouch would leave enough room for a bread loaf pan (I have one), and a space blanket or garbage bag. Beyond the SAW pouch, you might as well go to some sort of man purse like the Maxpedition rigs, or a small light backpack or hydration pack. I'm strong on that last option as I've said before. Another way to build a belt-carry PSK would be to find a holster for a Nalgene bottle that still has enough room for the Olicamp

This little PSK is great to get the small hardware transferered from my multi-day pack to my day-hiking pack and I can carry it as a PSK in my commuter pack too. I have a small first aid kit space blanket and gabage sack in my commuter bag anyway (and a ton of other EDC stuff).

Another day-hiking item I really like is one of the Adventure Medical bivy bags. I could get through a pretty nasty night with that and a little fire.
 
Orange dispoable poncho. You get protection and visibilty for searchers in a small and cheap package
 
SkunkWerX said:
Forgive me if I missed this in your list, but, how about a........

BIC LIGHTER
I can't stand Bic lighters. To blend two threads, I'd much rather go afield with a mora knife than a BIC. I have a Colibri CXGear windproof rig in my pocket with the SAK. It has the platinum wire that heats up and keeps the fuel burning no matter what. It has a peizo electric ingnition and the case has o-ring seals. It's like a blowtorch too. Me likum.

I figured with the firesteel and the tinder and the matches, another lighter would be overkill. Excellent point though. It's a lot easier to flick your Bic than fiddle with matches :)

I have a Cricket lighter in my cook kit, wrapped with 3 feet of duct tape and a safety pin under the tape with the hinge end hanging out if I want to hang it from a lanyard. The Cricket has a longer body then the BIC and peizo electric ignition rather than flint. Works great for starting my butane stove too (Coleman F1 ultralight).
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One thing you hardly ever see mentioned that I carry and that comes in handy all the time are zip ties. They are small and light, take up very little room and are handy for lots of things. Chris
 
I assume you meant 36 feet of fishing line? Could you fit more line? You might consider a little bit stronger line too. Spiderwire is great and super strong.
 
BrettP said:
I assume you meant 36 feet of fishing line? Could you fit more line? You might consider a little bit stronger line too. Spiderwire is great and super strong.
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Well, lessee

Fishing in mountian lakes with a hand line or a line on a stick for a fishing pole, I opted to use a rig that will float the bait off the bottom-- bait being whatever bug I could find or a worm if I was in lower elevations. Now we have a long leader with my heavier line (#32 braided seine line) and tied to my long pole or short stick for a hand line. The leader, hook, and adjustable sinker all come in one nice little package. I included this because it takes up about the same space as a couple baseball cards and I already had some small diameter line in there. Like the snare wire, it's a why-not item. Also, as with the snare wire, the game warden might not like it.

I do have about 50 feet of the seine line. It is finer braided stuff and really tough. I have some paracord and mule tape in my pack anyway. I have some Sprectra fishing line around somewhere and a hank of that would be nice.

If I were going to some remote part of Alaska or Patagonia I would be looking at a very different rig. I'm hiking the Olympics and Cascades. The worst senarios are something like falling down a bank and ending up at the bottom with a bum leg, falling in a stream and losing my main kit, or having a bear take off with my pack. If this were my one and only kit, I would have a lot larger container.

Play this game with a smaller pouch-- say a compass/strobe pouch. What items would you put in there? You really get down to the nitty-gritty-my-life-is-a-chess-game.
 
DaleW said:
SkunkWerX said:
Forgive me if I missed this in your list, but, how about a........

BIC LIGHTER
I can't stand Bic lighters. To blend two threads, I'd much rather go afield with a mora knife than a BIC. I have a Colibri CXGear windproof rig in my pocket with the SAK. It has the platinum wire that heats up and keeps the fuel burning no matter what. It has a peizo electric ingnition and the case has o-ring seals. It's like a blowtorch too. Me likum.

I figured with the firesteel and the tinder and the matches, another lighter would be overkill. Excellent point though. It's a lot easier to flick your Bic than fiddle with matches :)

I have a Cricket lighter in my cook kit, wrapped with 3 feet of duct tape and a safety pin under the tape with the hinge end hanging out if I want to hang it from a lanyard. The Cricket has a longer body then the BIC and peizo electric ignition rather than flint. Works great for starting my butane stove too (Coleman F1 ultralight).
Click to expand...

No problem, didn't know about the lighter and SAK in the pocket.

I was just thinking, matches are pretty finite, and given the choice, I'd rather have a small lighter in that space, more flame for more time.

Good deal, the lighter is gold.
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an imps net from brigade quartermasters. tons of uses and takes up little space. sewing kit might be nice too. a dozen assorted fish hooks. a signal mirror too.
 
Looks like a pretty good list. Dump the wire saw, yet got a larger knife on yea and a SAK in the kit. Medical supplies, shelter, 550cord, tin foil, stronger fishing line are some things I would put in its place. Lots of other good suggestions too. Eventually yea gotta carry what yea want.
 
Forget about Solar Stills, if you ever built one you will know its not worth it, even in a desert - I built one in the Sonoran.

I would add:
- an oven bag instead of a condom for water collection
- dental floss for cordage
- 2% tincture of iodine for water purification and disinfectant.
 
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