Cargo Pocket - Pocket Survival Kits

M

Mr Jody Hudson

Joined
Oct 1, 2001
Messages
106
There has been some discussion about creating a Pocket Survival Kit; PSK for military style cargo pockets.

I just picked up some nice, clear, waterproof, Rubbermaid "Servin' Saver" containers. They are about 8"x5"x2" at the lid. The box itself is slightly smaller and they are almost purely clear. Nice rectangular style for cargo pockets. These are 1.5 pint, that is three cups in size. The number is 3865. Just go to www.RubberMaid.com

There are dozens and dozens of plastic containers in the supermarkets these days made by Rubbermaid, Ziplock, Tupperware, and several other companies. These containers are often just as good as those sold at camping stores but at just a fraction of the cost and the selection is FAR greater.

This huge selection of plastic containers is a relatively new thing here. I plan to go to the kitchen supply store soon and see what they have too. Large grocery stores are a great place to shop for all sorts of PSK stuff at very cheap prices. Just take several hours to go up and down every isle slowly and really LOOK and think about all the stuff there. We have three huge super store groceries here now and they are all open all night. I went night before last with my pocket radio, an ear bud, listened to one of my favorite talk shows (Laura Ingraham) and spent a couple of hours walking EVERY isle and really checking out all the stuff, with an eye to stocking and restocking my PSKs.

One really rewarding section was the huge areas for Tourist and Traveler supplies. Hundreds of very small containers with all sorts of stuff such as tiny toothpastes, traveling tooth brushes, very small spray pumps, little first aid supply containers, etc. etc. etc. Some things I purchased ONLY to get the container.

I also found a little no-name Chinese made plastic bag with two dozen huge self-relighting birthday candles. I've never seen them before.

The BIG find of the night however was the container section.
 
I agree with Jody about the Rubbermaid "Servin' Saver" containers. I use that size for first aid kit and small tools. They work pretty well, and I like being able to see what is inside. I use different color lids to distinguish between the different types of contents. They work for me.
Jim
 
Another endorsement of the plastic containers here. I use them in my packs for small items and fisrt aid kits, they are cheap, light and water tight. Since they are clear you can find things with out dumping everything out. The rectangular ones stack well inside of the pack, and proctect the contents from getting crushed. They also keep things from leaking out into the rest of your pack (if you ever have an iodine bottle or a light stick leak inside your pack, you know what I mean).

-Frank.
 
I just scored another nice find today at Staples. I picked up, on deep discount and discontinued, a pocket computer pouch -- nice heavy duty, thin and sturdy, zippered black case that exactly fits two Altoids tins, side by side and flat!!! :eek: A DOUBLE PSK is in the future for me. :D
 
If it wasn't for the stuff like the containers and hunting stuff my girlfriend would never get me in walmart. I can't find a positive side to the makeup isle yet. I even found me an excellent daypack in the womens clothing section one day. Ok it was hanging on a purse rack, but it is still cool and it looks like a old boyscout pack.

Keep It Sharp,

Chris Bowles
www.bowlesknives.com
 
OK Chris,

Time to go with her to the makeup area... I purchased several nice, heavy duty, nylon zippered bags in 4 different sizes and in black, red and green a few months ago there. Price: $3 for a package of 4 bags in assorted sizes!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also, sometimes there are some pretty cool containers with makeup in them; just keep your eyes open. One of my pocket sewing kits is in a mini-compact that had powder makeup for the eyes and 6 little brushes, with each brush in a little elastic loop in the lid. The strong little hinged plastic container locks up well and it's 1/2" x 1 3/4" x 3". I keep little coils of dental floss in green and white and a little coil of black dacron carpet thread, flattened and inserted in three of the loops. Then a needle threader, seam ripper, and little plastic vial of needles in the other loops. Numerous buttons, a tiny tube of superglue, several sizes of safety pins, and some little strips of velcro are in the bottom of the kit!!! There have been other finds there as well. I have a dozen diamond surface nail files that I use for everything including one in each tool box and one in my car visor... 10 for $3 and the quality is about equal to a diamond knife sharpener!!!

See ya at the makeup section :eek:
 
Also consider the Plano Fishing/Tackle Containers. The smaller one fits perfectly in a BDU pocket and they're usually double-sided. If you don't like the way they're divided up or need a bigger section, I take an exacto-knife to the dividers and custom make them to suit my needs.
 
The Planos are nice! To customize them, I use dykes; that is diagonal cutting pliers. :D They are VERY heavy duty, thick and somewhat heavy however for my taste and I've taken to the Food Savers now as being far lighter, FAR cheaper, and as they are transparant; I like them better for finding things.

If I were soldiering, jumping, stomping, climbing, etc., I might go back to the Planos for perhaps more sturdiness, however, I abscentmindedly sat down hard on one of the Food Savers and it didn't pop the seal or anything, and it was not so hard as the Plano would have been, thus no bruises!! And, did I mention that they are about 95% cheaper!!!:cool:
 
Makeup aisle in WalMart? Survival supply headquarters! Try some bright colored lacquer based fingernail polish for coating strike anywhere matches and your ferro rod(s). Trial sized goodies for kit supplements - you need to maintain some hygiene even in a survival situation. All sorts of containers, bags and pouches. Assorted sizes of cotton balls and petroleum jelly for making firestarters. Great precision tweezers for taking out splinters, handling small parts, or making fishing lures.

Real men don't fear being seen in the makeup aisle, just make sure you look tough and don't primp ANYTHING there. LMAO ;)

Mike
 
Sigg used to make some aluminum boxes that were about cargo pocket size and about 2" thick. They were like big soap boxes with a soap-box style nesting closure.
 
Also, don't forget to carry tooth brushes, a couple is a good idea. I get the kind that use the protective handle as an extension to the brush. http://www.gearshark.com/finder/details/Pocket-Toothbrush/5295.html or http://www.reach4life.com/details.asp?ProdID=1070 and several more choices http://www.ponzini.it/miradh4.htm

The coolest one is http://www.gearshark.com/cgi-bin/s/...000&langId=-1&storeId=8000&productId=10998792

In addition, instead of toothpaste (which I think likely CAUSES cavities) I take a plastic film can that has been well cleaned out, full of a mixture of pure ice cream making salt and baking soda to use as tooth powder. And of course, I always have my small container of super dental floss the Glide sample size which I get in quantity from my dentist. The "travel size" Glide Floss is perfect for pocket kits or your pocket. http://www.gore.com/store/glidefloss/
 
The wife loves those plastic containers, so maybe I can talk her into getting some for the kits, lol.

The last time we were in Walmart, I was browsing the makeup section and 3 women came over and asked what I was looking for and they were more than willing to help, lol. The wife wasn't amused, lol.
 
Originally posted by sgtmike88
Makeup aisle in WalMart? Survival supply headquarters! Try some bright colored lacquer based fingernail polish for coating strike anywhere matches and your ferro rod(s). Trial sized goodies for kit supplements - you need to maintain some hygiene even in a survival situation. All sorts of containers, bags and pouches. Assorted sizes of cotton balls and petroleum jelly for making firestarters. Great precision tweezers for taking out splinters, handling small parts, or making fishing lures.

Real men don't fear being seen in the makeup aisle, just make sure you look tough and don't primp ANYTHING there. LMAO ;)

Mike
Click to expand...

I concur fully !!! It takes a real man to enter the womanly domain of the cosmetics area of any store. I have used many items from the cosmetics department...the selection is terrific. Use your imagination as to what each item can be used for ..but for christs sake please do NOT try the makeup on !!!
 
"I can't find a positive side to the makeup isle yet."

Hey, you never know when you might want to disappear in San Francisco. ;)
 
I usually carry my kit in an I.D. pouch around my neck. I carries pretty flat and is rarely noticed. When I do move it to my cargo pocket I put it in a Spec-Ops Dry Cell. I played around with the plastic boxes and found that eventually they catch on brush or vehicle hatches and tear the pocket. They also tend to leave nice symetrical bruises on my thigh when playing hard. They do work really well for storing things in a ruck though.

Just my 2 pfennigs
 
If you're going to carry all your gear in a kit type of container, whether it's in a pocket, on your belt or around your neck, if you lose it, you're out of gear.

Carrying a kit and doubling up on critical gear and stashing that gear into different pockets will keep you in gear in case your kit is lost or in case part of your critical gear fails, you've got backup.
 
I recently discovered a good, flat (but not waterproof) container for carrying a few critical pills in my compact first aid kit. The little flip-open containers that Listerine Pocket Strips come in perfectly fits three round (220mg) Aleve tablets and five 325mg Bayer aspirin tablets.
 
bodyhammer: I've used those little guys before for asprin. works great for carrying a few in your wallet.

Went to walmart, fishing gear yesterday... "stow-away" boxes, 5 section, 3cad(got 2)... about 3x5x1.5"... and plano waterproof box,5 section, about 5x8x2" for 8cad(got 1, going back for a 2nd). Have to cut the sections down to what you want(remove dividers), but they'll work.
 
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