Making a BAG ..

[Battle Creek Knives]

Greetings,

I'm looking to make a survival bag for the woods (2-3 day hikes), I'm not wanting to 'buy' a ready made bag.. Just looking for ideas as what to carry..

I'd like to stay budget minded, ie, I'm not looking to spend $25+ on an ESEE fire rod.. I've made fires in the snow with a WP match and cotton dip..

Just looking for ideas on things that work, not looking to obtain the "kind" gear..

Pics would be great of your kits, or even better yet links to where you guys get stuff on the cheap.. but yet still usable in a survival situation.....

I don't have a kit AT ALL and realize I need one. Instead of me buying a gob more knives I need to focus on a a kit for the hikes, and then I'll build one for my wife's van as well as my truck..

Thanks,

 

[Codger_64]

Sewing up your own usable pack can be quite a daunting task. Often the materials used (cloth, zippers, cords, straps, buckles, mesh, foam) can cost nearly as much as buying a good used factory pack.

Here is one guy who made his own lightweight pack.
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi...ums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=35833

 

[Battle Creek Knives]

I have a couple small bags I can use.. More interested in the contents..

You're right by the time all is said and done I could buy one.. Which I go to thrift stores on occasion while running from job to job and always look for bags mostly to fit tools in etc..

can be had from 2-5 dollars and be compared to 20-50 new..

 

[steeljhp]

I can understand wanting to make your own stuff ,Im kinda the same way sometimes. Before you do check some of the big army surplus stores they often have surplus packs from all kinds of european,s.african,soviet and australian countrys that are really well built and can be had at rock bottom prices.

 

[Frostyfingers]

Hey folks...I think he's after the contents of what we would call our PSK or survival kit....not a design for an actual bag. In other words, what non-knife kit do you recommend?

 

[Tony Nguyen]

Well before we suggest anything, how heavy would you like the bag to be? Or is weight not a concern?

 

[Battle Creek Knives]

sorry for the confusion..

I'm looking for something the size of maybe a small digital camera bag (not like 35mm size), should not weigh hardly anything when complete.. I will use as a FAK also..

looking for inexpensive contents I can purchase separately, compass, fire starter, mirror, whistle, snare material ideas etc..

I'm not looking for the most expensive just want something functional when and if the time ever came I needed to blow the whistle it would work etc..

 

[j williams]

You could use a surplus first aid/compass or other pouch and braid a baldric out of 550 cord....

As far as the odds and ends to fill it look at goinggear.com

 

[Joben]

Pics would be great of your kits, or even better yet links to where you guys get stuff on the cheap.. but yet still usable in a survival situation.....

Fire Kit:

Firesteel - Unlike some cheepies this one has a nice striker.
Lighter - Peanut Lighter type.
Tinder Capsule - Optional, but nifty for a couple Petroleum Jelly Cotton Balls or something like that.

$8 Shipped

I made a similar one to that for my sister a few weeks ago.

On another topic, If you're planning on a flashlight, that's one thing I would not skimp on too much. Spend 20-40 and get a good AAA or AA light from a brand like Fenix or iTP. It will pay in the end.

 

[hiwa]

When I was young and not so well off , I really budgeted my outdoor trips on the cheap. I used to roll my stuff up in a 7'by9' canvas tarp,tie the ends off with a chunk of good rope and swing it over my shoulder hobo style. I never lost anything. When I got to a place to rest or stay , I rolled it out and my smaller stuff I had in cotton whisky bags ( FAK,toiletries,etc.) Had a folded wool blanket and slept out under the stars. I must add that my only knives those years where a Solingen 4" hunter and a 110 copy. Never had problems.
Gear has changed a lot since then, and so has the cost. Improvisation can save you a lot of money.

 

[Battle Creek Knives]

yeah, I'm partial to fenix myself ever since I bought the LD20 last year..

I'll have to check some more surplus stores, the one I've been going to is out of anything worth while to me.

 

[Moosez45]

I like using a good wood stove, homemade, hobo style or alcohol. Cheap light. Poncho, lightweight hammock, mosquito netting, firesteel, ASK, LED flashlight, hobo kit, FAK, 550 cord (100'), USGI canteen and cup is what I got riding in a Maxped Condor II I got here on the forums trading. Its my EDC go everywhere bag. I never leave home without it. Oh, and I like the Clif bars too, the peanut butter ones, so I usually have a couple stuffed in there somewhere. Also a set of binos, and an XD45 and 2 mags. Yea, thats all think. Sans the gun, most everything in the kits I either made, or bought for less than $20 for each item. The ASK, FAK, hobo kit, and stove I made ' myself. Yeah, I'm paranoid, but I know it, so it works in my favor. Moose

 

[HandofCod]

I keep a Berocca tube filled up with cotton wool with vaseline. It's brightly coloured and water proof. I've also wrapped gaffer tape around the tube.

Pair with that my firesteel and you've got fire taken care of. I'd also throw in a mirror for signalling and maybe a whistle too. I have a space blanket in case I need shelter and extra warmth. You'll need something for water, either tablets for safe drinking or a simple billy or both.

Cordage, paracord is great because you can use the inner strands for fishing etc.

 

[dullblades]

empty snuff cans work good for holding cottonballs, dryer lint, small fish kit etc. i even have slingshot ammo in one.

 

[kgd]

I've went through a bunch of kit types for day hikes. Beginning with outrageously stuffed first aid kits, moving onto a largish lock'n'lock container and then weaning that down to things I both like to use and deem necessary in 3 separate altoids tins.

For me the altoids tins represent a great carry system. The three tins reflect separate content types and they are each different colours for immediate recognition. The tins themselves are small enough to individually put in your front pockets, jacket pockets or a small bag. When carrying a daykit, I often have a small haversack bag with me that holds the tins, my water bottle and other things I might forage while in the woods.

My three altoids tins:

1) Primitive fire tin. This is redundant, but I often like to practice primitive fire and use this most often when just starting a regular fire. Its a quirk for me, but I get a lot of pleasure doing impromptu demos for other people on friction fire and flint and steel. So even though its redundant, I use it the most often. Contents: paracord for a bowdrill bow, small rock with a divot used for my bowdrill headpiece, flint, steel striker, charcloth, tinder fungus.

2) Personal survival tin. This kit contains navigation, trapping/fishing, sewing, signal, modern fire. Contents: sewing needles in a little plastic tube, mini-bic, brass snare wire, fish hooks, 4 water purification tablets, button compass, small whistle, flag tape, heavy duty nylon thread (for fishing or sewing repair) wrapped around a piece of coglan fire stick, scalpel, blade, two small nails, credit card type fresnel lens, about 3' duct tape wrapped on itself.

3) First aid tin. Contains mole skin (for blisters), bandaids of different sizes, small gauze pads, alcohol disinfectant wipes, iodine packet, immodium tablets (most valuable kit item), antihistamine tablets, gravol (anti-nausea), advil (pain), sugar packet (diabetes emergency).

Each tin is secured with two ranger bands (piece of cut up bike tire inner tube). The ranger bands are just handy to have and they burn very well. Plus, having six ranger bands on the tins means I can afford to lose a couple during use and accessing the kits.

Miscellaneous items. I always carry a triangle bandage and safety pins which don't fit into an altoids packet. Can be used as a sling, heavy bandage for larger wounds, head band, water filter. Bandana (mostly used as a sweat rag). Large garbage bag or emergency blanket. Small flashlight. If your water bottle isn't a metal one, then it is also good to carry a nesting cup like a GSI cup that will allow you to boil water.

 

[Bear]

I put my survival kit in an AMK zippered pouch with a clear front. It's not waterproof, but the contents are individually waterproofed using small plastic bags. It's compact enough to carry in my trouser pocket, so it's always with me. Here are the contents. Several thin items (needles, toothpick) fit in the SparkLite kit, as does the spool of thread. The large garbage back doesn't fit inside, but is folded to the same size as the pouch and attached with rubber bands. Sorry, but no pictures.

MEDICAL
- 2 x pouches Purell wipes
- 2 x bandaids (3/4 x 1 in.)
- 1 x triple antibiotic packet
- 4 x ibuprofen
- 2 x benedryl
- 4 x Immodium AD
- 3 day supply of personal meds
- 1 x plastic toothpick
- 1 x moleskin pad
SHELTER
- 20 ft. braided nylon line
- 1 x large trash bag
- 1 x tea-light candle in tinfoil
FIRE
- 1 x butane lighter (MiniBic)
- 1 x SparkLite kit (brass)
SIGNALS
- 1 x Photon Freedom LED light
- 1 x compass
- 1 x signal mirror
- 1 x whistle
WATER
- 20 x MP1 PuriTabs
- 1 x 1 L ziplock baggy
TOOLS
- 1 x SAK Lumberjack (knife, saw, combo tool)
- 1 x Sliver-gripper tweezers
- 2 x large sewing needles
- 1 x spool kevlar thread
- 4 ft. gaffer tape (orange)