Pocket Survival Kit

[IA Woodsman]

I have seen a few threads on PSK lately. I really like survival kits. I don't know why I do. I enjoy putting then together. I like trying to think of items that have multiple uses. Once that process is complete, I attempt to shove it all in to a very small package. I always carry a small kit in my pack while in the woods. If I have a base camp I put the kit on my belt or in a cargo pocket. I was asked to do a vid on my kit so here it is.

[YOUTUBE]umVcCuEHn_E[/YOUTUBE]

Here are a couple of pics.

For those of you who can't or don't watch vids here is a breakdown.

The pouch is a US GI compass case
Mylar survival blanket
1 gallon ziplock bag
Turley PSK knife
2 band-aids
2x2 gauze pad
Snare wire
Fishing line
3 hooks
5 sinkers
100 lb test cord
Tin foil
Iodine tabs
Wire saw
Fire steel
Fatwood
3 needles
Button compass

This kit takes care of; shelter,water,knife,sustenance,signaling,first aid, and fire.

 

[TheGame]

Just watched the vid when I was eating a sandwich. Good vid, bro. :thumbup:

 

[powernoodle]

I really like survival kits. I don't know why I do. I enjoy putting then together.

Me too. What is it with that? Something about having the ability to manipulate our environments, which I think is what draws us to knives, lights, guns, etc.

Very nice kit you have there. I'm going to have to cogitate on it and see how I might make improvements to my own.

 

[PayetteRucker]

Me too. What is it with that? Something about having the ability to manipulate our environments, which I think is what draws us to knives, lights, guns, etc.

Very nice kit you have there. I'm going to have to cogitate on it and see how I might make improvements to my own.

I don't think I'd go as far as manipulation, maybe just experience-but you nailed it!

 

[mesoscopic]

Good video. :thumbup:

Some questions:

1. How heavy is your PSK?

2. I have heard of sealed condoms as a water carrier, but it is clear they don't hold much and might not last very long or repeated usage (I have no actual experience in this).
Will your Ziploc bag hold 3.785 liters (1 US gallon) of water without leakage or breakage for 24 to 48 hours?

3. Compass. The button compass you included was intended for orienteering or finding your way around with or without a map as well?

I have heard of compasses being sold as Northern Hemisphere- or Southern Hemisphere-only. Might it not be a good idea to check if the compass is intended for a certain hemisphere ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orienteering

 

[Evolute]

I enjoyed you video and like your kit.

Your kit does seem weak in regard to signaling for help.

 

[RescueRiley]

mesospic, a condom can hold up to a quart of water..If you put it into a sock before you fil it up you've got yourself a nice bladder bag.. that wil handle being jostled.. Just dont get the Lubed ones...

 

[IA Woodsman]

I enjoyed you video and like your kit.

Your kit does seem weak in regard to signaling for help.

Thanks for the comment, but I disagree.

1 Space blanket tied as a flag or staked out for a ground to air signal
2 Tin lid is polished for use as a signal mirror
3 Fire making equipment for making a smoke generator

 

[IA Woodsman]

Good video. :thumbup:

Some questions:

1. How heavy is your PSK?

2. I have heard of sealed condoms as a water carrier, but it is clear they don't hold much and might not last very long or repeated usage (I have no actual experience in this).
Will your Ziploc bag hold 3.785 liters (1 US gallon) of water without leakage or breakage for 24 to 48 hours?

3. Compass. The button compass you included was intended for orienteering or finding your way around with or without a map as well?

I have heard of compasses being sold as Northern Hemisphere- or Southern Hemisphere-only. Might it not be a good idea to check if the compass is intended for a certain hemisphere ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orienteering

1 The kit weighs less than a pound
2 I am not a fan of a rubber for drinking out of. The ziplock works ok for a few uses
3 A button compass can be used to orient a map, but is not perfect. It works well for following a specific direction.

I have never heard of or seen a Northern Hemisphere- or Southern Hemisphere-only compass.

Hope that helps

 

[bindlestitch]

Good stuff, man.
Iz

 

[Evolute]

Thanks for the comment, but I disagree.

1 Space blanket tied as a flag or staked out for a ground to air signal
2 Tin lid is polished for use as a signal mirror
3 Fire making equipment for making a smoke generator

Yes, I understood that from your video.

That's better than nothing, but:

1) The polished tin lid is well short of an actual signal mirror (which isn't necessarily large, heavy, nor expensive), in terms of effectiveness;

2) Your kit has no form of audio signaling, such as a whistle (which also isn't necessarily large, heavy, nor expensive).

I still say your kit seems weak in regard to signaling.

 

[jcl-MD]

Thanks IA!!!


RP#141

 

[Davyd]

Well there you go - you learn something new. I thought someone was havign a go.

I live in the South Hemisphere and had never heard of Northern or Southern compasses.

The punchline is that in the North H - the North pole of a compass needle is dragged towards the ground to point directly to the pole. In the south the south end of the needle is to the South.

What can be done is to counterweight the needle to stop it dragging as much.

Or for most of us we simply angle the handheld compass till the needle spins free.

This would be a great trivial pursuit question!!

 

[warrigal]

There are 5 zones for compasses. Vaguely they follow a combination of tectonic plates and lines of latitude. There are global compasses that are balanced for any zone. And a Zone five will work in Zone four probably to well for most to notice the difference. It really doesn't effect button compasses.
http://casanovasadventures.com/catalog/compass/img_silvainclination1_lg_small.gif
I much prefer ziploks to condoms Apart from the mental gymnastics of putting a condom to my mouth.
Try to untie a condom.
I have to give up my Socks!!!!!!!!
a couple smaller zip loks and put one in each pocket, spreads the load. Small ones even full are square and flat.
Fill it full of snow and leave it on a rock to melt.
You can repair a hole in a zip lok with gaffa tape. try that with a condom.
Yes condoms fold down smaller.
With the range of a proper heliograph I wouldn't be caught with out one.
Carl

 

[Allen Newberry]

Cool video and really nice kit.

 

[nmb]

That was awesome. I'm piecing my kit together as we "speak". Time to go spelunking in the camping gear and see what I already have.

 

[Buckeye67]

Great stuff, IA. Thanks for posting.

The pics & video are much appreciated as I'm currently in the process of putting together a GHB.

 

[IA Woodsman]

Great stuff, IA. Thanks for posting.

The pics & video are much appreciated as I'm currently in the process of putting together a GHB.

Funny you should say that I am doing the same thing.

 

[Stainz]

What should be in a GHB? BTW - nice video!

Your signalling critic may have wanted that new 'Bear Grylls Commemorative Satelite Phone', complete with solar and windup power backups included...

Stainz

 

[IA Woodsman]

What should be in a GHB? BTW - nice video!

Your signalling critic may have wanted that new 'Bear Grylls Commemorative Satelite Phone', complete with solar and windup power backups included...

Stainz

GHB is a "Get Home Bag". As far as Evolute goes he is entitled to his opinion. It is a forum after all.