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PSK tin opinions
- Thread starter j williams
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2005
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- 11,135
No not always. However, I have very well stocked kits at home, and in my truck. This is just meant for when im off the beaten path kinda thing. In addition to the pack I always have with me in the field. Otherwise, it wont be far away. In my glovebox, in my pack I EDC or whatever. Then if I need to, I can snag it up and throw it in the pocket, or on the belt.
Its a work in progress, by no means complete. I need to add an oven bag or condom for water gathering, an LED light, a fishing kit, sewing needle, lighter, among other things. I carry a farmer every day as well, but I have 6 of them, and I looked at it like this....
If all is gone, crap is raining on my head from the heavens, and all I had was this tin, I would rather trust my wellbeing to IMO the most usefull knife Ive ever owned, rather then a classic, or a razor blade. Plus the other stuff is items I use, and if it was all bad, thats what Id like to have. Not to metion the AMK heatsheet also in the pouch. :thumbup:
Man you got barely less then this stuff into an altoids tin?????? wow!!! How did you do that? This tin has not much room left, after I add the stuff I didnt have on hand.
Do you have pics? Id like to see your setup, and a list!! :thumbup:
Its a work in progress, by no means complete. I need to add an oven bag or condom for water gathering, an LED light, a fishing kit, sewing needle, lighter, among other things. I carry a farmer every day as well, but I have 6 of them, and I looked at it like this....
If all is gone, crap is raining on my head from the heavens, and all I had was this tin, I would rather trust my wellbeing to IMO the most usefull knife Ive ever owned, rather then a classic, or a razor blade. Plus the other stuff is items I use, and if it was all bad, thats what Id like to have. Not to metion the AMK heatsheet also in the pouch. :thumbup:
Man you got barely less then this stuff into an altoids tin?????? wow!!! How did you do that? This tin has not much room left, after I add the stuff I didnt have on hand. Do you have pics? Id like to see your setup, and a list!! :thumbup:
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2005
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I do have a small psk too.
This is the tin I have been carrying everyday everywhere for months.
Doc made it for me. It has a sparker, makeup pads for tinder, a spycapsule with rare earth magnet and extra flints, a leather needle, couple hooks, snare wire, cordage, led, and laminated sheets with survival info on em. It rests in a pouch doc knitted out of jute twine that is also unravelable for use.
The other kit is more of a in depth transferable kit that can go either on my person or in my pack.
This is the tin I have been carrying everyday everywhere for months.
Doc made it for me. It has a sparker, makeup pads for tinder, a spycapsule with rare earth magnet and extra flints, a leather needle, couple hooks, snare wire, cordage, led, and laminated sheets with survival info on em. It rests in a pouch doc knitted out of jute twine that is also unravelable for use.
The other kit is more of a in depth transferable kit that can go either on my person or in my pack.
mtnfolk mike
Gold Member
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- Mar 21, 2006
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- 10,040
nice looking set up there Jake..:thumbup: i like that container... i have never seen one with a clear top like that.... i dig that kit that Doc made you too...
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- Jan 1, 2006
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- 1,649
This is the one I carry the most, it rides in a pocket very comfortably, is pretty light, and has a TON of stuff in it, all of it is quality too
Two firekits I carry:
Otterbox 1000, based on the goingear firekit, I added a leevalley scraper, earth magnet compass, REI storm matches, a dry cotton ball, an esbit tab, a photon micro light. The other is a countycomm.com tube, that has a couple hunks of fatwood, a few tinderquick tabs, REI storm matches with striker, and two of these:
The first kit is the one I carry most, and I mostly carry it when I'm not in the backwoods, it gets carried when I am doing day to day stuff. I do carry it as a terciary safety net sometimes. In my pack is the serious stuff.
Two firekits I carry:
Otterbox 1000, based on the goingear firekit, I added a leevalley scraper, earth magnet compass, REI storm matches, a dry cotton ball, an esbit tab, a photon micro light. The other is a countycomm.com tube, that has a couple hunks of fatwood, a few tinderquick tabs, REI storm matches with striker, and two of these:
The first kit is the one I carry most, and I mostly carry it when I'm not in the backwoods, it gets carried when I am doing day to day stuff. I do carry it as a terciary safety net sometimes. In my pack is the serious stuff.
I think those are some very nice kits. My question, not directed at anyone, but that might be asked, is: "Do you carry better gear on your person?" If the kit is comprised of less than useful backup gear...is it really serving a purpose?
The kit Doc made might serve as an example. If you don't carry an LED on you, or a lighter, or cord, then that kit would be perfect. In that case, it would complement what you carried. If your EDC was a paracord bracelet, highpower flashlight, and you had a lighter in your pocket and a ferro rod on the keychain, then it might be of considerably less utility. For the record, I am not knocking the kit...I have no idea what anyone carries daily.
On a backpacking trip, one of the pins that held the shoulder strap on a frame pack came apart. The circlip had come off/broken somehow, and the pack could not be put back together. There was a large safety pin in my FAK that I used to replace the ring, and we got on our way. After that happened, it seemed a kit like the AMK pocket survival kit, with all it's odds and ends, made a lot of sense. Carry what you need, and let your kit complement what you carry.
The kit Doc made might serve as an example. If you don't carry an LED on you, or a lighter, or cord, then that kit would be perfect. In that case, it would complement what you carried. If your EDC was a paracord bracelet, highpower flashlight, and you had a lighter in your pocket and a ferro rod on the keychain, then it might be of considerably less utility. For the record, I am not knocking the kit...I have no idea what anyone carries daily.
On a backpacking trip, one of the pins that held the shoulder strap on a frame pack came apart. The circlip had come off/broken somehow, and the pack could not be put back together. There was a large safety pin in my FAK that I used to replace the ring, and we got on our way. After that happened, it seemed a kit like the AMK pocket survival kit, with all it's odds and ends, made a lot of sense. Carry what you need, and let your kit complement what you carry.
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Any Cal.- all of the stuff I have in my PSK is secondary, the idea behind mine is I have it in a pocket in case I get seperated from my pack
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I have another angle to look at this tin package ... I spent lots of time travelling using various methods of transport with bags being stuffed with items, thrown around, packed and unpacked, sat on, leaned against, rolled on, fallen on, knocked, squashed while sharing seats, brushed against trees / rocks ... the list goes on and on for conditions that my kits have to endure, not including the incident where I need more than some sting-go's 0r paracetamol.
So I want my packet of miniature/portable help-survive things to survive itself, then I want to be able to use it as long as the kit or contents arn't broken. Then there's the tin itself ... not only do I want to be able to use the contents of the tin but I might just as well want to use the tin itself. I consider myself a bit of a bush engineer and like to think I can make things out of whatever I can scrounge ... practising all the time ... so I carry things in a tin to keep them together, keep them protected and provide a tin of goodies I can actually use to help me survive.
Making thread or cord in the wilderness is not easy, neither is making painkillers or antiseptics. Try and use a home made fish hook ... I'd rather use a commercial one ... those frikken fish give me a hard enough time catching them as it is. Fishing line with its many uses, compass in one piece ... I can tell direction using sun, stars and even vegetation but if you can't see any of that crap then using a compass can be a life saver especially if you got blood coming out and cant stop it.
I say the survival tin is an absolute must to anyone who is going into an area where they may be isolated.
So I want my packet of miniature/portable help-survive things to survive itself, then I want to be able to use it as long as the kit or contents arn't broken. Then there's the tin itself ... not only do I want to be able to use the contents of the tin but I might just as well want to use the tin itself. I consider myself a bit of a bush engineer and like to think I can make things out of whatever I can scrounge ... practising all the time ... so I carry things in a tin to keep them together, keep them protected and provide a tin of goodies I can actually use to help me survive.
Making thread or cord in the wilderness is not easy, neither is making painkillers or antiseptics. Try and use a home made fish hook ... I'd rather use a commercial one ... those frikken fish give me a hard enough time catching them as it is. Fishing line with its many uses, compass in one piece ... I can tell direction using sun, stars and even vegetation but if you can't see any of that crap then using a compass can be a life saver especially if you got blood coming out and cant stop it.
I say the survival tin is an absolute must to anyone who is going into an area where they may be isolated.
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with the exception of a full size compass, the gear in that first kit is all gear I carry in the bag as well. In addition to a bigger FAK, beltknife, etc..:thumbup:
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From what I have gathered so far, is they are worth it to carry, if the contents are practical, and of good quality. Things you cant make in nature, or cant easily.
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I like a fire dedicated tin because you have a built-in char cooker. When I start packing too much other stuff in a small box, I never use it because of the repacking hassle factor. A small ditty bag is nice because you can root around in it for what you need.
Jeff
Jeff
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Thats true, some of the tins are a jigsaw puzzle when full!!
It took 3 hours the first time to get mine right! Now it's taped shut and I don't open it.
Nice pouch by the way. The fit with your PSK looks perfect. You inspired me to order a Boker Plus small pouch this morning for some small items. Looks like I can slip in a tin if I so wish.
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Thats a nice pouch!
Yeah the pockt orginizer is a perfect fit for it. They are pretty neat pouches.:thumbup:
Yeah the pockt orginizer is a perfect fit for it. They are pretty neat pouches.:thumbup:
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Yup, I've been through this I don't know how many times. For wilderness travel there are some basic items you want on your person at all times. IMHO, the tin kits are all based on having it with you. Losing your main pack a couple days out in bad weather is the scenario I aim for with pocket gear. I want enough to get a fire going, build a shelter, navigate, and signal for help.
Many are intrigued with seeing how much functionality that can get into a small space. You can play this game with any standardized container. Like many here, I quickly ran into the limitations of trying to get full survival backup into something as small as an Altoids tin. I've played the game with tins, small belt pouches, one liter water bottles, stuff sacks and small backpacks.
As others have said, it is all backup. This isn't the stuff I'm going to camp with or use for day-to-day tasks: it is there for the event that things go very wrong.
My pick for pocket gear:
*SAK
*Compass
*Firesteel
*Tinder
*Whistle
*Light source
That amounts to a keyring in my pocket plus my choice of knife. From there my choices go to something like a one liter stuff sack or a Nalgene, particularly for a day hike, when I'm not carrying shelter and sleeping bag. It's enough to turn a life-threatening night in wet and cold weather into an uncomfortable one. I do incorporate a small fishing kit and some wire for food gathering, so my kit could be considered for multi-day survival. I'm not optimistic about getting much out of it, but the cost, weight and space required for those items are so small that it just makes sense to have them. The fishing line and wire are good improvising and repair supplies as well. The rest of the bulk is from items like a larger light source, space blanket bivy sack, first aid kit, duct tape flat pack, line, redundant fire making supplies and some extra food.
The problem gets to be that if the kit gets beyond belt pouch size, it ends up in your pack and you just raised the risk factor. If I have my pack with my regular camping gear, I don't need a PSK! That takes us right back to a pocketable kit like the Altoids tin. Ultimately, I think a small pocket kit like my keyring choice plus a small belt pouch is about the best you can do without resorting to heavier bulkier choices that will end up in your backpack after a few miles of it bouncing around on your belt. With a simple zippered pouch about 4"x5" you can haul 4x the gear you can in a tin and it can have some lumps and bumps where a tin requires extreme compactness.
I think there is a benefit and good design exercise to picking a container and maximizing what you can accomplish with it. BTW, I have no problem getting a good selection of stuff in a small kit until I add something like a space blanket or a first aid kit-- then it all goes haywire. You can get all kinds of fire starters, signals, small knife, line, wire, fish hooks, tape, small compass and the rest in a very pocketable kit. It all assumes having a decent knife to do the major shelter and fire making chores. Again, you want one you don't mind wearing all the time-- it won't save your bacon sitting in your pack.
The bottom line? If you have some kind of kit with you, your chances of survival have improved. Keeping a PSK in your pocket or on your belt shouldn't be any more effort than putting on a hat. Just going through the exercise of making a kit helps thinking about your needs and may help prevent you from getting into trouble in the first place.
Many are intrigued with seeing how much functionality that can get into a small space. You can play this game with any standardized container. Like many here, I quickly ran into the limitations of trying to get full survival backup into something as small as an Altoids tin. I've played the game with tins, small belt pouches, one liter water bottles, stuff sacks and small backpacks.
As others have said, it is all backup. This isn't the stuff I'm going to camp with or use for day-to-day tasks: it is there for the event that things go very wrong.
My pick for pocket gear:
*SAK
*Compass
*Firesteel
*Tinder
*Whistle
*Light source
That amounts to a keyring in my pocket plus my choice of knife. From there my choices go to something like a one liter stuff sack or a Nalgene, particularly for a day hike, when I'm not carrying shelter and sleeping bag. It's enough to turn a life-threatening night in wet and cold weather into an uncomfortable one. I do incorporate a small fishing kit and some wire for food gathering, so my kit could be considered for multi-day survival. I'm not optimistic about getting much out of it, but the cost, weight and space required for those items are so small that it just makes sense to have them. The fishing line and wire are good improvising and repair supplies as well. The rest of the bulk is from items like a larger light source, space blanket bivy sack, first aid kit, duct tape flat pack, line, redundant fire making supplies and some extra food.
The problem gets to be that if the kit gets beyond belt pouch size, it ends up in your pack and you just raised the risk factor. If I have my pack with my regular camping gear, I don't need a PSK! That takes us right back to a pocketable kit like the Altoids tin. Ultimately, I think a small pocket kit like my keyring choice plus a small belt pouch is about the best you can do without resorting to heavier bulkier choices that will end up in your backpack after a few miles of it bouncing around on your belt. With a simple zippered pouch about 4"x5" you can haul 4x the gear you can in a tin and it can have some lumps and bumps where a tin requires extreme compactness.
I think there is a benefit and good design exercise to picking a container and maximizing what you can accomplish with it. BTW, I have no problem getting a good selection of stuff in a small kit until I add something like a space blanket or a first aid kit-- then it all goes haywire. You can get all kinds of fire starters, signals, small knife, line, wire, fish hooks, tape, small compass and the rest in a very pocketable kit. It all assumes having a decent knife to do the major shelter and fire making chores. Again, you want one you don't mind wearing all the time-- it won't save your bacon sitting in your pack.
The bottom line? If you have some kind of kit with you, your chances of survival have improved. Keeping a PSK in your pocket or on your belt shouldn't be any more effort than putting on a hat. Just going through the exercise of making a kit helps thinking about your needs and may help prevent you from getting into trouble in the first place.
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For those who haven't seen it, there is lotsa survival tin talk on Ron Hood's survival.com under "library" and "survival kit". Several people detailed their own kits there.
He also has a video devote to kits: http://survival.com/volume-3.htm
He also has a video devote to kits: http://survival.com/volume-3.htm
Sorry, I guess my point didn't come out like I had hoped. I don't have too much problem w/ duplication of what is in your pack, but duplication with inferior tools of what you already carry ON YOUR PERSON.
To illustrate my point...here is what I EDC, w/ some sheet tinder in my wallet, a watch and a cell phone.
The necklace is 4' of 550 cord. Redundant knives, firestarters, and lights. What exactly would I put in a tin to keep on me that I was not already carrying?
My point is that if there was a tin, it would need a compass, maybe first aid, safety pins, etc. Those would complement the gear I carried, and actually serve a purpose. Having a backup light, backup knife, and flint and steel wouldn't do any thing for me.
That is why I liked Grunt's little fire kit. It seemed to have a lot of high quality things that wouldn't be carried normally.:thumbup:
To illustrate my point...here is what I EDC, w/ some sheet tinder in my wallet, a watch and a cell phone.
The necklace is 4' of 550 cord. Redundant knives, firestarters, and lights. What exactly would I put in a tin to keep on me that I was not already carrying?
My point is that if there was a tin, it would need a compass, maybe first aid, safety pins, etc. Those would complement the gear I carried, and actually serve a purpose. Having a backup light, backup knife, and flint and steel wouldn't do any thing for me.
That is why I liked Grunt's little fire kit. It seemed to have a lot of high quality things that wouldn't be carried normally.:thumbup: