Water Bottle Survival Kit

F

freekboi

Joined
Mar 3, 2006
Messages
354
Has anyone seen the Survival Kit in a Bottle available from Lifeline First Aid? The local Dick's Sporting Goods had them 50% off over the weekend so I decided to pick one up as the base for my own personal kit.

The kit comes with a 26oz. water bottle, a plastic flashlight, a pack of batteries for the light, a pack of pocket tissues, a box of water-proof matches, a tea-light candle, a flat whistle, 5 bandages, and a reusable zipper seal bag (two if you count the small one they packaged the bandages in.)

I was thinking of taking out the pocket tissues, replacing the large flashlight with a smaller led version, adding a small SAK, some water purification tablets, a compass, a space blanket, a poncho, my pill-bottle fishing kit, and some other method of fire starting. What do you think? Is this a good set-up? What more do I need/should I take out?
 
I bought something like this at our local Joes Sporting Goods outlet last Christmas. I gave them as gifts to my two daughters and two nephews to start getting them to think about WS. Its a functional kit but basically a gimick.
 
Those water bottle survival kits are primary designed, it seems to me, to be cheap. I would question the quality of items inside and the bottle itself (a broken bottle or a whistle that that didn't blow would .... blow). I like the idea of the bottle for small survival kit, but I would start with a 32 ounce Nalgene and build it myself with the gear I trust. I like the things you selected for your kit, and I would expand the FAK and wrap the bottle with duct tape and then paracord (you can never have too much). I would carry hand warmers, extra set of gloves and make sure you get the HD space blanket. There was a thread recently about some making a tarp shelter with a HD space blanket.
 
I'd but some kind of bag in the bottle that could hold all of the contents. After all, if you fill it with water...
 
Colt6731 said:
Its a functional kit but basically a gimick.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I received one as a gift and promptly tossed the flashlight. It is a good concept, but for a $10-20 kit, you get what you pay for.

Lifeline has some pretty cool automotive kits though.
 
As mentioned above, I think you're almost always better off just putting together your own kit. I've toyed with the idea of making PSK's for sale, but there's just not a real good way to keep costs reasonable using good "ingredients" and still make a profit. Ever notice how the 1st-aid stuff in those is often some off-brand you never heard of?

Not to mention the zillions of options people might want; maybe you prefer plastic band-aids while I insist on the cloth ones. Look at all threads comparing the simplest little flash-lights...
 
I like putting together my own kits, this guyot-based one rides on my belt:


IMG_6305.jpg


IMG_6293.jpg



I've added or replaced a few things since taking this picture, but the contents are basically the same.
 
RKSOON, nice kit, what size bottle is that? I have'nt seen the ones marked 'Nalgene' yet. Which belt is that? I had a similiar idea to get a 4ft piece of double sided velcro to use as a belt; but figured it would not hold the weight of gear due to the small width. How comfortable has that rig been for you with a full water bottle, and the rest of your gear?
 
Ankar Sheng said:
Where do you put all the stuff when you need to use the water bottle for... water?
Click to expand...


Usually there is a ziploc bag that you put in them. Or you can just use your pockets and put the stuff in them.

The ones that you buy have cheap materials. I bought one because it was on sale for $2.99 at the local miltary store, and I figured the Space Blanket, Match/Whistle, matches, and the other items would be worth at least $3. The flashlights are great for when the power goes out. Don't need to use a high quality flahlight if you only need to navigate the house.
 
TheGame said:
The ones that you buy have cheap materials. I bought one because it was on sale for $2.99 at the local miltary store, and I figured the Space Blanket, Match/Whistle, matches, and the other items would be worth at least $3. The flashlights are great for when the power goes out. Don't need to use a high quality flahlight if you only need to navigate the house.
Click to expand...
A LED flashlight will typically get significantly more light for lots longer than a cheap incandescent. And the LED is not prone to breakage if you drop the flashlight -- around the house or elsewhere.
 
Ankar Sheng said:
Where do you put all the stuff when you need to use the water bottle for... water?
Click to expand...

My guess is that the Maxpedition item that's in between the bottle holder and the Leatherman is a Rolly Polly that he can open and store all that stuff in.

Just my guess.
 
Ankar Sheng said:
Where do you put all the stuff when you need to use the water bottle for... water?
Click to expand...

Stormstaff is right, the second rollypoly on the belt is there to empty the items into when I need the bottle for water. I could also leave the second rollypoly off the belt completely, and I could still store all items in the rollypoly that's carrying the guyot and carry the guyot by hand or use the cap retaining rope to string it onto my belt. I also stuck a few gallon size ziplocs in the mini-rollypoly surrounding the guyot, they can also be used to carry and store stuff. It's a good system that works for me. An additional advantage is that all the items in the PSK are protected from water and sharp objects.
 
1Tracker said:
RKSOON, nice kit, what size bottle is that? I have'nt seen the ones marked 'Nalgene' yet. Which belt is that? I had a similiar idea to get a 4ft piece of double sided velcro to use as a belt; but figured it would not hold the weight of gear due to the small width. How comfortable has that rig been for you with a full water bottle, and the rest of your gear?
Click to expand...

The bottle is the 38oz "standard" model guyot nalgene. The belt is a Blackhawk CQB belt; it's robust, secure, and holds my gear up very well (not that the items on the belt are heavy at all, I really made efforts to cut down on items and weight on the belt). The nice thing about the belt, is that I can put it on Baldric style as well, and it still carries comfortably. The belt won't fold at all, it doesn't sag, and it's comfy :thumbup: Maxped sponsors a Liger belt or something as well that's supposed to be really good, I don't know much about it.

This rig is specifically for PSK purposes, I usually have it on with either a daypack or maxped bottle carrier, so I usually don't carry water on it. But I did try it out with water in the bottle and gear in the second mini-rollypoly, and it carries no differently than if you had a GI canteen on your hip. :thumbup: I decided to go with a belt rig because it works very well with my daypack (probably wouldn't work so well with a full backpacking pack though). It doesn't get in the way, is negligible in weight, and is secure. Previously I had tried to use a waistpack/lumbar pack (maxped proteus) and it just didn't work for me. As I gain more experience outside, I'll probably cut down on psk items, but for now, I think the items complement my limited experience.
 
Last edited:
Thomas Linton said:
A LED flashlight will typically get significantly more light for lots longer than a cheap incandescent. And the LED is not prone to breakage if you drop the flashlight -- around the house or elsewhere.
Click to expand...


Never said they were better, just that they are good for if the power goes out so you don't have to risk the high quality flashlight breaking. I rather drop a cheapo $1 flashlight than a $50+ flashlight on my kitchen floor. To each his own, though.
 
TheGame said:
Never said they were better, just that they are good for if the power goes out so you don't have to risk the high quality flashlight breaking. I rather drop a cheapo $1 flashlight than a $50+ flashlight on my kitchen floor. To each his own, though.
Click to expand...

It is for this reason that I picked up a ton of cheap flashlights that Wal-Mart was discontinuing. I keep them everywhere; kitchen drawer, by the desk, the nightstand, the bathroom, etc. They are handy and put out enough light for me to get around...
 
Thanks for the ideas guys. This kit was mostly just to have a base to build up from and customize. The little cheapy flashlight came out today and was replaced by a smaller, brighter one. I'm slowly trying to replace the less than desirable equipment with the better stuff. I know the whistle works, I decided to give it a try and my wife came running from across the house saying "What the heck was that!?"

RKSOON, I love that bottle, I may have to get me one and just transfer the stuff to it!
 
freekboi said:
RKSOON, I love that bottle, I may have to get me one and just transfer the stuff to it!
Click to expand...

I think it's a good idea because you can boil water easily in the guyot; you'd have safe drinking water indefinitely as long as you can fill the bottle and find fuel with which to boil it :thumbup: Good luck, will keep an eye out for your finished kit :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top