What to put in a mini kit ?

K

Kevin the grey

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Aug 26, 2005
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I want to put two little pockets on my knife sheath , These two pockets will be the size of those rectangular bic lighters . I think they call them crickets .
If you could only bring two things the size of a lighter in the woods with you as an emergency backup what would they be ? Let us say its an emergency situation . Badly sprained ankle or other injury . Just plain lost . If you want a firestarter you can cheat a bit . It doesn,t have to be included in the two items . I can always hang a little firestarting rod on the side . At this point one of my items would be a lighter as I am not skilled enough to futz around with a more primitive starter . Choose two items you would bring and why ?
 
Given the size limitation and the fact you are going to have a fire starting device in addition to your blade:

Whistle - to attract attention
Button compass - to assist with getting "un-lost"
 
Hmmm... just two? You can cram a lot in that much space.

A large roll of dental floss wound around a golfer's pencil, Duct tape wound around a nail, a few water purification tablets, a few bandaids, two lead split shot and two hooks, a few inches of flourescent surveyor tape, An X-Acto blade, a needle, two bullion cubes, a bit of aluminum foil, a few slivers of trioxane, a small heavy duty baloon, all closed in a rolled up ziploc. That fits in a bic lighter sized pouch.

The uses are many and quite apparent. Except the needle as a compass.

Codger
 
Codger 64 you have my respect ! The only questions I have is what the heck is trioxane ? How do I magnetise the needle to make it into a compass ? You are a better packer than me if you can fit that all in . L:O:L
I,ll do my best .
Thanks for the other responses as well . The whistle is a good idea . I,ll hsve to try and find a button compass.
 
The other option is a survial tin as per Lofty Wiseman in the SAS survival handbook. You can buy them made up but, I think you are better off making one up for the environment you are going to be in most of the time.

I've seen others that fit into a belt, the argument being you will always wear a belt but, you might just leave the tin behind.

I guess it's up to you and the risk assesment for the area you are going to be in. If you are going get into 'true' bushcraft and put in the effort, you can make do with only a knife and craft the rest from nature. Not sure how doable this is by yourself, even the cave man had to work in groups to survive.

I tested out my belt knife, survival tin and skills for a long weekend. I setup a camp near the car to tune into the outdoors and then spend 2 days & nights about 500 yards away from my base camp, using only what I had walked out of camp with. Now I was near water, as I just headed up stream. The object was to test the kit and my skills with them, not to try and get from A-B.

I made a lean too, started fire, boiled water, caught fish, found mushrooms. All the basics.

Why I did find out was, what you walk about in during the day, does not keep you warm enough at night. I was having to get up every so often to feed the fire, to keep warm. I now keep a hat and gloves on me at all times, it I'm going to be away from my camp. I did have a space blanket with me but, they do not do much to keep the wind out if it's blowing hard.

I also spent a lot of time looking for food. I need to do something to improve the skills here and I think being able to trap birds/animals is going to be the next thing I have to skill up on.

It's now winter here in Australia and I'm going to try this again in the High Country, Victoria. I think this time I will be warmer overnight as it's colder during the day and I will be better dressed for night as the days as cold as well. Also I'll have more pockets, so I will fill up on a few food items before I head off and make this part of my standard walking gear for cold weather walking.
 
mmm here my 2 cents:

Skip the fishhook, snare wire etc. If during survival situation you intend to spend the 2 weeks or so (after which food becomes an issue) in the woods you are in much bigger trouble than any hooks can get you out of. If you still for some reason want some food getting item learn to make dead falls with that knife of yours and some twigs.

leave the button compass as well. (*puts on flame retardant suit*) the thing is what are you going to do with it if you don’t have a detailed map of the area? and if all you want is a basic direction (which is what a button compass could ever give you - remember they are a few degrees inaccurate) use one of many methods available to any person - the clock, the sun stick, the sun rise/fall, the north star and even the less reliable moss and ant hill signs.


Here is what In my eyes is a must:
Wool hat, wool sweater, wool socks. - since you are going so light (one knife and some trinkets) this is your first and quite likely last line of defense from the cold. You better have that hat even in a desert or hope that the night never comes. I propose the SmartWool (http://www.smartwool.com) brand as they are light and seem to me comfortable. Good shoos. Something water-resistant in case of rain.

Butane lighter. Some other method of making fire (fire steel). A fire straw.

Whistle as others suggested is a must. Btw has anyone used that wegner Swiss army classic whistle/knife? Some sort of a reflector - small mirror perhaps.

id carry a nalgen bottle/canteen with me outdoors anyhow, but if you don’t want to a 1 liter zip lock bag is good. Some iodine tablets - take em out of the
original bottle and put into a much smaller one http://www.epcamps.com/packaging_vial.html (be careful not every bottle will do, iodine is an active substance you need to have a proper cap)

Some duct tape is good. So many uses. And can easily wrap it around something like your belt and not think twice.

I would add a Photon Led Light. But some would call it a luxury.


After that you are getting into bigger kits. That do include garbage bags and cordage (floss), survival blankets, detailed waterproofed map of the area, high quality compass, GPS, cell phone.

And last but not least that plan of travel and date of return you left back at home with your most trusted reliable friend or two right? ;)
 
needlejr ? I hope your fire retardant suit has an internal cooling system . L:O:L
At this point I don,t look at this as being able to camp with just a few items . My skills are way too low for that . Its just being able to survive for a little longer than I would normally . Water purification seems a must . Fire making is another given . Stout small knife is a given with me . I agree in a way that the fish hooks might be questionable . It would depend on the circumstance . I don,t think a hook and dental floss takes up enough space to warrant discussion . I think practicing with such basic fishing gear would be a must .
Compass ? As long as it was small I don,t think it is as impractical as you suggest . Correct me if I am wrong . If there is an error it would be the same error all the time ? I would think that could be compensated for . It would be much more practical than the north side of the tree moss thingy . Again if I can get the one I want it is negligible as to space consumption .
As this is truly a :better what you have with you than nothing at all : situation . I think all the items mentioned are great .
 
A lot of the differing opinions presented here reflect the concerns implied by the geographical locations of the posters. For me, fish provide the easiest obtained protein, and in the semi mountainous regions of the mid-south (U.S.) that I frequent, streams and small rivers are almost always within walking distance. None of this kit precludes the trapping ideas, and yes, you could include a few feet of snare wire if you so choose. Just remember that the use of snares and deadfalls is not legal in a lot of jurisdictions therefore hard to practice, and generally seasonally allowed with license where it is allowed.

Cold, I agree is a factor in some places/seasons, but nothing you can carry in a 1"x3/4"x3" pouch will help you there, aside from firemakings.

Trioxane is a military surplus MRE heater substance that comes in a foil pack, and looks like a blue bar of soap. It burns long enough to start a fire from damp tender, and is fairly easy to ignite.

Some people have an inborn or learned natural sense of direction, and in the environments I frequent, uphill and downhill (or upstream and downstream) point to roads and civilization. It does not take much magnatizing to use the needle for a compass though, and general direction finding is good enough for survival situations as opposed to orientiering with a lensatic compass and a map.

Water purification is another geographic variable. I tend to drink from springs high on hillsides instead of from rivers and streams. And in my environment those fairly abound it you know how to find and clear them.

Remember, this scenario started out with a size limitation on the kit. Yes, all I listed will pack into the space mentioned, albeit tightly.

Given the option, I would use a mil-surp plastic container like the ones the firstaid kits come in. They are waterproof, come in a belt pouch, approx 4-1/2"x1-1/4"x3" and will hold the above doubled plus a space blanket, the lighter, a more complete fish kit, and more if you pack judiciously. But again, we are limited here to what the thread starter specified.

Codger
 
When packing a mini-kit, or a backpack, I think in terms of functons that I want to be able to do rather than nifty items I can fit in small spaces.

In no particular order...

FIRE
WATER
SHELTER
NAVIGATION
SIGNALS
LIGHT
FIRST AID
FOOD GATHERING

What you decide to pack onto the sheath of your knife should be redundant to what you are already carrying in your pockets or pack.

I carry an extensive knife based kit as my last line of defense in the event that all my other gear is lost. The kit is based around a BK-7 and the end result is little bigger than the knife and sheath itself.

In terms of priorities I rank fire, water, and shelter at the top. If had to pack your sheath I would include in one pouch a five liter water bag and a supply of Clor-in 1 water purification tablets (or some similar set-up). The other pouch would be devoted to firemaking, button compass, and an LED light.

My logic? If you can solve your need for water and fire right away then you will be able to devote whatever time you have to finding and improving some form of shelter. An LED light takes up little space but will enable you to work in the dark and will double as a signal. The button compass will orient you and maybe get you "unlost" as pointed out.

On my BK-7 I put a space blanket under the main pouch covered with rubber ranger bands (slices of bike innertube about 1.5 inches wide). The leg tie at the bottom of the sheath has a bundle of 3 meters of paracord. The space blanket is wrapped in duct tape to use in closing it off or repairing rips. A space blanket in itself is a miserable form of shelter but it is water and windproof, the two enemies in any emergency shelter you would find or build.

One thing I have done with several of my knives is to stretch rubber ranger bands over the entire sheath. I did this with my Air Force Survival Knife and Ka-Bar, it creates all sorts of space to attach all sorts of stuff.

If you are going to include a button compass on a knife sheath then be sure to check it periodically against another compass to make sure it hasn't demagnitized.

In the limited kit you are considering I would forego any resources devoted to food gathering. You should be concerned with the things that will get you through the first 72 hours.

One item that takes up very little space that I always include is a needle with #4 waxed line wrapped around it. The line itself is strong enough for a variety of uses and it will enable you to repair clothes or kit that get ripped. I have used mine to fix everything from shoes and packs to a horribly ripped crotch. Mac
 
Codger Quote :Trioxane is a military surplus MRE heater substance that comes in a foil pack, and looks like a blue bar of soap. It burns long enough to start a fire from damp tender, and is fairly easy to ignite.

REPLY : No wonder that soap smelled funny . L:O:L

Yep I am pleased that the responses are so varied and from different viewpoints . I do not mind if we diverge occasionally from the idea of a simple kit . You are right that I put a space limitation and it is just for a last ditch kit . Small enough not to be a pain and always on my person . In some situations I would carry a more complete kit . If one day I had to step into the woods or couldn,t get back out my knife is always with me .
 
My mini kit is a Mora Knife necklace with cordage and two methods of fire starting.

For wilderness trips I also take a pot kit. I travel with my family and the pot takes care of hydration. In the winter it melts snow in the summer it steralizes dirty water. I also take fire starting and shelter materials in the kit with a lot of cordage to make stuff and two innertube rubbers to make traps or snowshoe bindings.

395084.JPG


These are my two favourite kits from the outside. The coffee can kit has the same stuff in it as the pot kit and is used as a trainer. The little hatchet has to go with me as does the Mora necklace kit.

395083.JPG


I don't worry too much about food on short trips. For long trips off the beaten path my food procurement group includes a firearm. Seems to be one of the best peices of survival kit going. I like the old Savage Arms company stuff and here are two of my favourite's
400907.JPG


They double as bear protection. Also..it's a good idea to have real fishing gear like a net.

I don't have the skill to do much with 2 oz of hooks and string as found in an altoids tin. I also have 90 days of fat to see me through bad times. (Want to get it down to 45 though)
 
Lots of good responses. What goes into a mini/micro-kit is very personal and should vary depending on where you are in the world. Consider the Pocket Survival Pak designed by Doug Ritter. There are lots of good ideas there and some of the items in the pack may better serve you by being repackaged into your knife sheath.

I packed a Ritter PSP with para-cord, gloves and a wool cap in the bottom of my EDC backpack. It takes little space and could be just enough to get you through a bad situation. For me, nav and signalling takes first priority. While staying the night is always a possibility, staying found and getting help/rescue is a better choice. Food is way down the list.
 
I attached a couple of small pouches to my knife sheath too. you would be surprised at what you can stuff into one if you try. Here's a way to save space in your pouches... get a small watch band compass, and strap it to your sheath with one of those little velcro one-wraps, or any similar thing. Wrap some paracord around the sheath too, and then attach your pouches over it. now you have 4 items. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
 
North61 said:
My mini kit is a Mora Knife necklace with cordage and two methods of fire starting.

For wilderness trips I also take a pot kit. I travel with my family and the pot takes care of hydration. In the winter it melts snow in the summer it steralizes dirty water. I also take fire starting and shelter materials in the kit with a lot of cordage to make stuff and two innertube rubbers to make traps or snowshoe bindings.

395084.JPG


These are my two favourite kits from the outside. The coffee can kit has the same stuff in it as the pot kit and is used as a trainer. The little hatchet has to go with me as does the Mora necklace kit.

395083.JPG


I don't worry too much about food on short trips. For long trips off the beaten path my food procurement group includes a firearm. Seems to be one of the best peices of survival kit going. I like the old Savage Arms company stuff and here are two of my favourite's
400907.JPG


They double as bear protection. Also..it's a good idea to have real fishing gear like a net.

I don't have the skill to do much with 2 oz of hooks and string as found in an altoids tin. I also have 90 days of fat to see me through bad times. (Want to get it down to 45 though)
Click to expand...


That savage over-under is one of the best survival guns you can get. Does that one have the 20GA on the bottom, and a .22 on top? I already see from the pic that it has the compartment in the butt stock
 
Yes... thats a 20 gauge bottom that shoots slugs like crazy (3" groups at 75 yards) and a 22LR top. I also have a 30-30 adapter that drops into the shotgun tube.

Maybe I have hijacked the thread about mini-kits? Sorry but these are amongst the lightest guaranteed food gatherers I know of.
 
The book "Building the perfect survival kit" is good for beginners seeing what is out there as far as gear. and how to pack it. I gives even the veterans good ideas and refresh your old thoughts on the subject.
 
Kevin the grey said:
Thanks Pict , would that waxed number four line be fishing line ? Where is it available ?
Click to expand...


The waxed #4 polyester line is commonly used for sewing leather and heavy fabric. I buy it downtown at a leather supply store. You might check craft shops. It isn't used for fishing through nothing prevents you from doing so. I just find it a good general purpose line for whatever I'm doing. I buy it in black and OD green.

It is strong enough that you can use it to tie up low stress points on shelters. I use it to reinforce pack strap attachment points and for all kit repairs. It also works well for traps and snares. Mac
 
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