Survival Kit Component Brand Recommendations

Sesoku

Sesoku

Joined
Oct 19, 1998
Messages
498
The SAS Survival Handbook has a list of items the author recommends for a mini survival kit. Below is the list, I would like suggestions on modifications to the contents and also specific brands and models of each of the components. Container suggestions are also appreciated.
1. Matches
2. Candle
3. Flint
4. Magnifying glass
5. Needles and thread
6. Fish Hooks and line
7. Compass (button)
8. Beta light (i.e. photon)
9. Snare Wire
10. Flexible Saw
11. Medical kit (Analgesic, Intestinal Sedative, Antibiotic, Antihistamine, Water Sterizing tablets, Anti-malaria tablets, Potassium permanganate)
12. Surgical Blades
13. Butterfly Sutures
14. Plasters
15. Condom



 
Needles: EZ-All leather work needles. Big fat needles with the hole near the tip. I got mine from Hobby Lobby.
Condom: I prefer to use a gallon size ziploc bag as I've never figured out a reliable way to get water inside a condom, and i'd much rather drink out of a ziploc bag anyway.
Containers: The plastic nerve agent injection kit containers work well as they are crush proof and waterproof.
Butterfly sutures: I prefer a couple of feet of 100mph tape wrapped around the container. Butterfly sutures and Band-Aids don't usually stick to dirty or wet skin. Also the tape can be used for a myriad of tasks.
Also, I keep a Medium clip point Cold Steel Voyager in my kit. I took the clip off to save space. It's extremely light and durable.
Happy Holidays!
Clayton
 
Scalpel blades are good to have. Loaded suture (big medical needles with "0" silk attached) also, I get my suture in 10 packs, the perfect -- ready to go sewing kit. Great for those pesky equipment repairs.

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Go Get 'em Gear
 
There are a lot of good firestarters out on the market, but the one with the best size/performance ratio is the little stick distributed by Ron Hood (I've asked about getting them apart from their inclusion with other of his products - http://www.survival.com). You should also have something that will serve as a reliable tinder to catch the spark as this is often the hardest thing to find or make when you must make fire under adverse conditions. You can make your own (carbonized cotton, or cotton balls soaked in vaseline for example) or get one of those fuel cubes, sticks, or trioxane bars.

I use quart sized ziplock bags. I always carry a few and pack most of my equipment in them (besides what ever else serves as a carrying case). I've also reinforced the seams with a little duct tape. This has proven useful when once I actually had to use one to hold liquid after many months of its being used to hold other gear. I think the reinforcing kept it water tight.

Other elements of your survival kit are very personal. Mine has a small glass bottle that will hold a couple ml of water with a gram of pure metalic iodine in it. This for water purification. I also carry a small container of good lip balm (carmex) because my lips often dry out in extremely hot or cold weather. The sewing needles and some thread are always a great idea as is a roll of electrical tape.

 
Hi Sesoku,

First of al Merry Chrsitmas and a happy New Year to you and your loved ones.

As a firesteel I have to advice you the Light-my-fire Large Military Firesteel which in recent versions has a metal scraper plate attached to its lanyard.

When "out" with the scouts I found the plastic thumbsized endpiece of the Military Firesteel to be a very good thought out addition to the ferrocium rod. People (some of my scouts also) who don't have much power in their hands can still hold and control the firesteel very comfortably and foremost securely without much effort.

Also I found that cold hands don't like to hold cold round ferrocium sticks one tends to lose fine control over ones fingers when they become cold.
The plastic end-cap of the Military Firesteel feels "warm" even in cold weather and aids control of the spark throwing process.

This is the main reason our Scouting club only uses these Large Military Firesteels from Sweden they have been proven over and over again at below zero temperatures by the Swedisch army and we can get them for a very nice scouting price
biggrin.gif
.

We're planning to get another batch of 50 to one hundred of them depending how many "neighbouring" clubs want and if any of you are interested in "simply the best" drop me an email.

If you want to see an Large Firesteel go to Jeff Randall's site his new Laser Strike knife comes equipped with one of them.

Best scouting wishes from Holland,

Bagheera

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[This message has been edited by Bagheera (edited 12-26-2000).]
 
You're right about holding those small rods with cold hands, but you have to be awfully cold for it to be a problem. On the downside, those rods take up much more room in a small kit.

I did hear from Karen Hood. Their fire starter rod is $4.95 alone, but they will give nice discounts on small quanties (like $3 each for a dozen at a time).
 
Matches: waterproof British Lifeboat Matches supposed to be best but I use Coghlan’s waterproof (not the windproof type!!!) matches.

Candle: left out from basic kit but I have Nuwick 44hr survival candles.

Flint: I still use the ubiquotous magnesium block/flint combination, however, a large size rod might serve you well (see previous threads).

Magnifying lens: not absolutely sure about the importance but have a credit card size flexible Fresnel lens in basic kit. You can get it at Barnes & Noble or Pearl art supplier.

Needles and thread: nothing fancy, Singer poly thread. Still looking for BEST thread.

Fish hooks and line: some small hooks (single and triple hooks) and a 15 lb. monofilament, small led weights, all from Sports Authority.

Button compass: I picked a Silva 424 wrist sighting compass instead.

Beta light:not the same as photon. I do not have one although sounds useful. It is, however, a bit expensive. I would probably go for the Photon instead. I have Mag-Lite Solitair (1AAA) and Mini (2AA) in kit (paranoid about stuck in the dark).

Snare wire: 28 gauge copper wire from hardware store. Haven’t been tested.

Flexible saw: no wire saw in kit but Leatherman Wave has a good small saw. Larger kit has a two-blade Gerber folding saw.

Medical kit: iodine crystals (Polar Pure), triple antibiotic ointment, bandage, ibuprofen tablets, imodium, azytromycin tablets. Antihistamine and potassium permanganate are missing.

Surgical blades: Bard-Parker #10 Surgical Blades (single use, sterile in foil wrap). That is what we used in lab.

No butterfly sutures. Plenty of duck tape J

Plasters: Band-Aid.

Condoms: zip-lock bags, instead.

Hope it helps.
Best,

HM
 
For candles, try a couple of the trick birthday candles. Won't blow out once you get them lit. Haven's had any problems with temperature stability either (I wrap indicidually in foil).

p.s. Bagheera, did you get my e-mails about the aluminum boxes??

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Run and you only die tired....
The art of being wise is knowing what to overlook.
 
Hi Thatmguy,

Yeps I got your emails about the "French" survival cans but I haven't been able to find them at Major Surplus.

Still I bought some nice variations when I was in Paris at the Miltary Surplus shop that were either somewhat lower or somewhat higher then the originals that I had last year.
The Scouts really liked them.

I also bought a very nice aluminum box that is about 13" by 9" by 2.5" and that is completely waterproof as it it closed by 6 "pulling" snaps and indide the top is a silicon sealing ring.
It was originally used as "trousse the secours groupe" or 'group emergency box' and divided in 2 partitions inside.

I'm currently filling it up, half as first aid kid and the other half as survival kit.
As soon as I have it "complete" I'll make some pictures andwrite down what's in it and post it.

Best Scouting wishes from Holland,

Bagheera

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