PSK tin opinions

Ok.

I know these kits are a last resort kit. I dont think they are for anything other then backup.

I dont carry all the things commonly in a PSK tin in my pockets. Just my SAK Farmer, K&M matchcase, and a lighter. On my belt is my knife and firesteel, and a firearm where allowed.

Then I have all the crap to do about anything I want in my bag. Cordage and everything. If you have all this in your bag, then why the tin? How many times have you been seperated from your gear? I know things happen. I am in the business of things happen. However, I just dont think carrying anymore in my pockets then I already do is gonna matter much. Crap, I mean, You can carry 3 packs if you want, but what if you lose all of them, and your pants? I mean you can what if till the cows come home. However, realisticly, is having the fish hooks and sinkers, and some wire gonna matter?
 
I can totally see it in a military E&E sense, or a SHTF sense just not someone like me that carries all this gear in the bag. If bad stuff happens, I will just get the good stuff out and use it. Thats why we carry it isnt it? The only thing I can see is in case you are seperated from your bag, and how does this typically happen? Ive been AVID in the outdoors since I was a kid, and have never been seperated from my pack.
 
jw, you're probably right, of course. Just how much redundancy does one need?

For me, the bottom line is it was fun to make, the stuff inside is not somehow miniaturized (Bic lighter, sparker, tinder, water bag, wire, etc.) to the point of being useless. The razor blade is harper than my sharpest knife, etc.

And now that it's made, by God, I'm gonna carry it. I do agree with your question to the other poster about why stick it in your pack? That defeats the purpose of a mini-kit, does it not?
 
Nay. Although I have been known to carry an altoids tin with altoids in it. I think the PSK in a tin is a fairly useless thing to have. Sure, its fun to sit around with survival gear and see what you can pare down to fit in a tin. Kind of like a jigsaw puzzle. However, when the rubber hits the road, I think the tin can be a real liability.

Other than the guys here, I depend a lot on Nesmuk and (shudder) Thoreau ("Walden" notwithstanding "The Main Woods" has a lot of good information on wilderness skills) for inspiration and information. Both of these guys spent a lot of time in the wilderness. Although available to them, neither of them stuffed gear into a tin.

Nesmuk talks about his ditty bags and those make a lot more sense to me. They are more flexible, you have a lot of carry options and you can take full size and extra stuff if you need it. I recently started reorganizing my PSK and FAK into Cordura sacks and they are great. I can get to the stuff I need without spilling the contents all over the place. When I am done with what I need, I just toss it back into the bag, without worrying about where it goes and how to fit it in.

I mostly go for day hikes. I know that day packs are not too popular on this site but I really swear by mine. I can put my FAK in an outside pocket where I can get to it in a hurry. I clip my saw to an outside strap. I put my psk, some rope, my tarp, my thermos (tea addict here), some snacks, a book and leather gloves in the main compartment. With my pocket ax and a Buck 110 on my belt, I am good to go. There is a lot of room left in the day pack, which is great when I find stuff that I want to take back home. I have room to take off or add clothing, an extra sweater, a hat, neck gaiter, rain gear, etc.
 
j williams said:
Why the tin in the bag, and not just full size gear in the bag? If they are meant to be carried on the person, then why bother if your not gonna carry it in your pocket? Not bashing, just trying to get my head around it, and figure out what I have been feeling lately.
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Because I use bags for other purposes. And I also don't want to carry a complete full-sized set up in a compartmentalized bag everywhere I go. I want something small, and most importantly... transferrable. The emergency Altoids tin works best for me.

Example: If I leave camp to get firewood, I'll have to carry it back to camp. I'd rather just toss the little tin in my shoulder bag or day pack with water and axe and saw. If I go out for a paddle, I'll put the little tin in my PFD pocket in case I'm separated from my boat.

Keep in mind that I do also bring proper tools on wilderness trips but they stay in camp mainly. Some useful items are always in my pants pockets which round out my emergency needs.
 
CSG said:
jw, you're probably right, of course. Just how much redundancy does one need?

For me, the bottom line is it was fun to make, the stuff inside is not somehow miniaturized (Bic lighter, sparker, tinder, water bag, wire, etc.) to the point of being useless. The razor blade is harper than my sharpest knife, etc.

And now that it's made, by God, I'm gonna carry it. I do agree with your question to the other poster about why stick it in your pack? That defeats the purpose of a mini-kit, does it not?
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If you made it, then by all means carry what works for you, They are so small that it really doesnt matter to stick one in a pocket. A little piece of mind ya know?

But with the gear I carry in my pockets anyways, I dont see how an additional button compass, a few more matches, an additional lighter, etc is a nessisary for me.... To each his own, I know, Im just wondering mainly if anyone else has had a similar thought process.
 
Hassilov said:
Because I use bags for other purposes. And I also don't want to carry a complete full-sized set up in a compartmentalized bag everywhere I go. I want something small, and most importantly... transferrable. The emergency Altoids tin works best for me.

Example: If I leave camp to get firewood, I'll have to carry it back to camp. I'd rather just toss the little tin in my shoulder bag or day pack with water and axe and saw. If I go out for a paddle, I'll put the little tin in my PFD pocket in case I'm separated from my boat.

Keep in mind that I do also bring proper tools on wilderness trips but they stay in camp mainly. Some useful items are always in my pants pockets which round out my emergency needs.
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:thumbup: I see now.... good stuff.

I am really enoyin this discussion!
 
These kinds of PSK Items like fishing kit, firekit etc... I do carry them in containers in my pack, for transferability etc, I guess like the Ditty bags MBTull mentioned.

How many of you guys use the gear in these tins? Are they a in case of fire, break glass kinda thing?

Like the cool belt pouch in the other thread. That strikes me as a user gear pouch, not really a PSK emergency type thing. Is this what you consider your PSK?
 
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I'm with Rick, I like the idea of a small neat little package that I can survive from but in reality i've found it rarely works as I always need what I don't have. That or I need more of something.

I'm also with Spooky on the ditch the weight thing. Hell i'm 230lbs I can carry a few extra ounces maybe a pound even. If I was that bothered about weight I'd be constantly crapping in the woods just to get rid of weight. I carry what I need and generally have a few things in various pockets.

One thing I like to do is have a couple of things on my sheath like a firesteel, spare cordage, a FFD.

I also have a checklist so when I come out the woods and put my clothes in to wash I put the contents of my pockets into a bag. Then when i'm off again I just simply empty my bag back into my pockets.

While I don't often carry a PSK tin I wouldn't rule one out especially if you're just starting or prone to forgetting stuff.
 
Interesting stuff.

I still carry my PSK tin. I will probably still carry my PSK tin. Just wonder when is it enough? Is it ever?

Redundancy is important. I guess the overall goal is to not need to ever use the contents. Kinda like one of those Id rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it type of things.

I guess maybe with what I do carry in my pocket, I can focus the tin as a source of dry tinder, and water pills, and a condom, and some Jute twine etc. Things I dont carry on my person.. I guess I got sidetracked by the contents of other peoples PSKs, when it is their PSK. Just need to look at personal needs here.
 
j williams said:
How many of you guys use the gear in these tins?
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I use a tin almost everytime I go out. Although it is one of the tins I carry in my bag for whatever I am doing. I keep seperate tins in my bag for organization. I usually use the fire tin (Larger than altoids, not the one in my pocket) to get a fire going, and the water/food tin to make chicken broth while I am out for a day hike. If it is longer than a day, I usually just use the fire, as I will cook food that won't fit in the tin, and just drink water.
 
i would think of my tin as more of a convinience tin than a PSK tin. if, for example, i am outside target shooting, i usually dont bring anything out with me except my archery stuff, a waterbottle, a knife and my tin (on belt with knife). so it i get a little cold or somthing, then i can start a fire. that is really the only purpose i look for my tin to serve. cramming a fishing kit, some snare wire, iodine tablets, first aid stuff and 3 inches of paracord really seems to spread the uses to thin. if your tin kit is specialized in one aspect, then i think it is worth carrying, otherwise i dont really think i would get much use out of it.
 
MBTull said:
Nesmuk talks about his ditty bags and those make a lot more sense to me. They are more flexible, you have a lot of carry options and you can take full size and extra stuff if you need it. I recently started reorganizing my PSK and FAK into Cordura sacks and they are great. I can get to the stuff I need without spilling the contents all over the place. When I am done with what I need, I just toss it back into the bag, without worrying about where it goes and how to fit it in.
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I started doing the same after I read Nessmuks book. While the tin can be a nice thing to throw into a pocket when going away from base camp, I don't see anything wrong with slinging a small bag over my shoulders. It might not be as light or as small as the tin kits, but I definitely have more luxuries such as a SAK Farmer instead of just a small razor blade.

I made mine from some scrap cotton cloth and it worked pretty well. Made a few new ones with these slots around an inch and a half wide and 3 inches long to put stuff into (like the Farmer) to help distribute weight and organize things a bit so I don't have to rummage around the bag.
 
I got a fire lit under me, and just put together a very respectable kit in a new tin container I bought online. Its quite a bit bigger then a Altoids Tin, but allowed me to not "skimp" on gear for it.

Pics to follow!!
 
j williams said:
I got a fire lit under me, and just put together a very respectable kit in a new tin container I bought online. Its quite a bit bigger then a Altoids Tin, but allowed me to not "skimp" on gear for it.

Pics to follow!!
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Planning on packing it in pocket, pouch, or pack?
 
Yay ... another cool kit thread. Yep I'm self confessed "kit crazy" and I carry whatever is appropriate for my adventure, whether my keys nor normal running around, my chewing gum / folder size kit for short distance, my lozenger tin for longer distance day, my fixed blade with kit on sheath kit for overnight, my large fixed blade with sheath kit and folder attached for "out there" adventures for 2 nights, my bum pack with large fixed blade small fixed blade large kit and two smaller kits on sheaths for one of my "seat of your pants adventures" which is soon going to include my pack fly rod and take-down bow complete with the infamous take-down arrows.
Call me "kit crazy" call me what ever you want just don't call me late for dinner.
 
Ok.

I learned alot so far in this thread. I learned that it really wasnt the "altoids psk" thing that was frustrating me as much as what I felt like was nessisary for my own PSK. I know pretty much every survival guru, and book I have read says you should have a "kit" of sorts on your person as a last ditch type thing. I was just having trouble with the fact of what I carry in my bag already, and in my pockets, but thats not the point. The point (IMHO) is that you need these things as a preparation for the worst type thing. Which the worst would be getting lost, and seperated from your gear.

One of the other posters made the comment about having the tin in his bag, mainly for a transferability thing. That really got my gears turning. So I went and dug out a mountain of gear from my trunk, and from my packs etc and just stared at it. This is what I came up with thus far.

I wanted a kit I could slip in my Timbuk2 or whatever, that was easily transferable to pocket or belt if needed. I also wanted a kit that was bigger then an altoids tin, so I could have room for good stuff, w/o cutting corners.

This is it.

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Contents:
-Metal container I got from specialty bottle awhile back. ( I have 5 of these, along with other tins I bought)
-Countycomm pocket orginizer
-Signal mirror in pocket of pouch
-SAK alox farmer
-spycapsule full of water purification tabs
-small tin of fatwood dust
-stick of fatwood
-10ft of cordage
-6ft of military tripwire
-duct tape wrapped card
-ferro rod
-magnesium bar
-pencil
-whistle
-compass
-gluestick
-minimal FAK with sting relief prep, alcohol prep, iodine prep, antiseptic prep, benydryl and vicoden.
-spool of fishing line.

Ok. This is a work in progress. There is lots ofroom for a few other items. I left room for a mini bic, and a small LED.

Do I really need to put together a fishing kit?

I didnt go more indepth with a FAK, b/c I have another tin in my bag just like this one that is a dedicated FAK. This is just a kit for last ditch.

What do you think??
 
The reason I went with the pouch, was to stash my mirror, and a space blanket in it. It all fits. If I got a 1 person AMK sheet instead of the 2 person I have now, It would be even slimmer. Also, if you dont know, these have 2 molle type snaps on the back to put it on a pack or on your belt.
 
looks like a good set up jake :thumbup: . i like how it dosent attemt to cover every imaginable task in one tin, leaving a nice amount of space for the basics.
 
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