Talk:Mini survival kit/Proposed rewrite 2008


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Mini survival kits are survival kits which consist of those most essential outdoor survival tools and supplies which are the hardest to improvise or replace. A mini survival kit is intented to be carried along all the time and is usually designed to complement or -form the center of- other survival tools carried along in a larger, seperate bag. These kits may be referred to as BOATs, or Bug-Out Altoids Tins.

The container
The survival tools and supplies found in a mini survival kit are kept in a container with a size of around 9,3cm x 5,8cm x 2,1 cm. The containers usually employed for this purpose are an Altoids tin (hence the name), or a regular tobacco box. The boxes are usually waterproofed using adhesive tape.

The contents
A mini survival kit usually contains an atleast the following items: '''The Current Kit contents do not reflect the items which would fit inside a Mini Kit; ie. the number and size of items listed, nor compare and contrast options for such a kit. eg. Matches are an immediate source of heat but when they have run out there is no tinder in the kit, when tinder is expired there is no 'fire making device' ergo, a kit which provides the opportunity to make fire will offer a sparker tinder and not matches. Additionally kit components which may provide 'additonal' resources may need to be made of 'specific' material  [which should be identified in this  wiki]'''--Sp00nf3d (talk) 19:00, 21 May 2008 (UTC)
 * 1) Matches (waterproofed by candle grease or factory made element-resistant)
 * 2) Candle (for making fire, as lightsource, to waterproof matches, as emergency food and to cook with (when made from talcum. Usually made square to conserve space)
 * 3) flint rod with striker (may be provided with extra magnesium rod to facilitate fire-starting)
 * 4) Needles and durable thread (for clothing repairs, lashing, fishing, ...
 * 5) Miniature compass (e.g. Silva SERE 40, Recta DW)
 * 6) Fishing hooks, lead balls, and fishing line (for fishing and catching birds)
 * 7) Copper wire (to ensnare animals, lashing, equipment repair, ... Usually between 60-90cm long)
 * 8) Flexible saw (to cut larg(er) trees, ... Usually greased-in to protect from rust)


 * 1) Large plastic bag will NOT fit inside such a kit(to create condensation bags or condensation-pits to retain water)
 * 1) Potassium_permanganate (to sterilise water or make it antiseptic
 * 2) Water purification tablets (to make polluted water drinkable without needing to boil it)

Mini kits require;

'''Planning- in order to determine what items are of use in any given application  A base of Knowlege- of the kit component; materials, application, redundancy and limitations,...'''

A base of Knowlege of; Camping/wilderness survival, first aid, cooking, microbiology,...

Willingness to accept not all possibilities are covered [no warranty]

Insight or Critical point thinking; to best utilize the space available for 'critical components' 

'''if you are looking for a citation see UDT Bud trainning, SAS trainning, SAR trainning; or John 'Lofty' Weisman [SAS], Doug Ritter equiped to survive, Ray Mears on Bushcraft and survival, Mores Kochanski on Bushcraft and primitive survival/living.

thanks for reading and discussing- --Sp00nf3d (talk) 18:44, 21 May 2008 (UTC)''' '''

The contents
listed with ammount, specifications for psk or mini kit, uses, upgrades, and how to get by with alternatives [on the cheap]. Alternately the page might place the items in the kit as a list leaving the reader to make their own assumptions ie. condoms - used for duuuh...wrapping about the penis [Spoiler]- This is sarcasm. Condoms are included in many kits; I've seen one used to form a magnifying lens and actually start a fire! But not always needing to waterproof an M1 Garande 30-'06 muzzle for Normandy landing [a la... Saving Private Ryan Google the IMDB] a high quality zip lock type bag [Gerber 'zip and go'] can be much easier to use in; collecting, storing, and treating water, but you may not be able to beat the condom for compact storage.--Sp00nf3d (talk) 04:59, 23 May 2008 (UTC)

A mini survival kit usually contains at least the following items:

From Fire, Light, Signaling and Heat kit components e.g. BCB, NATO lifeboat Matches or Hurricane Match) e.g. Ultimate Survivor Strike Force/Blast Match, Swedish FireSteel Scout, Mag/Flint Fire starter Scout 10NH, ... ) Selection Tip; cotton wool/balls and Petroleum jelly or triple anti-biotic ointment will light readily ,when 'fluffed', and provide many other uses to the kits limited contents including; first aid for cuts/blisters/abrasions or lubricant (for gear first aid...A 'Cuts and Bolts' type kit consideration.)
 * 1) (6)Waterproof Matches or 'Life Boat Matches' and (1)striker board (waterproofed by candle grease or factory made element-resistant
 * 1) (1)Processed Flint rod with striker (may be fused with magnesium rod as tinder to facilitate fire-starting also used for signaling;
 * 1) (1)Candle for; fire making tinder, as a light source, to waterproof matches, as emergency food (if made from tallow ), and to cook with. (Often made square to conserve space)
 * 2) Survival Whistle - selected for the low energy required to signal -  eg. Fox-40® Rescue Howler™, NATO Survival Whistle BCB International
 * 3) Signal Device; processed flint and striker, LED micro light, Small mirror, or Survival Whistle - selected for the low energy required to signal
 * 4) sparker [eg. Spark-Lite Fire starter, Blast Match] Often chosen for ease of use and reliability,ability to start thousands of fires, in addition to one hand operation-You never know how hard it will rain on your parade
 * 5) (6-8)Tinder - eg. Esbit stove fuel tabs, Tinder-Quik Tabs, Magnesium, Cotton balls, Golf Pencil, [unsharpened] etc.

From Food and Water Procurement kit components e.g. from Potable Aqua, Katadyn MicroPur, potassium permanganate, poviodine,[dry H.T.H. or swimming pool chlorine]... * List of approved for survival conditions by USRSOG]  '''Tip/Techniquie; Iodine water purification tablets [eg. PotaAqua] have the advantage of being useful in treating cuts by mixing in 1-2 oz. of water to create an antiseptic vs. treating 32 oz [or approx. one liter] for potable water, but should be replaced within 6 months of opening to ensure effectiveness.'''
 * 1) (1-2) Needles or sewing awl and durable thread eg. 550 parachute cord inner strands, upholstery thread wound on a bobbin /card  or fishing line [10 to 20 pound test is common] (for clothing repairs, lashing, fishing, etc.)
 * 2) (6-9)Assorted Fishing hooks, (3-5)'split shot' lead balls,(2) snap swivels and (30-100 feet/10-30m or all that will fit on a bobbin)fishing line [10-20 pound test] [an artificial lure is a nice addition] fishing and catching birds [the foil from a bullion cube may be used to bait the hook)
 * 3) Copper or Brass selected for workability without tools [24 gauge wire, between 60-90cm long]
 * 4) Steel 'trip' wire or Utility Wire - 6 ft. of .020 inch (1.83 m x 0.5 mm) mil-spec grade, stronger than brass, won't get brittle in frigid cold, multiple uses (to ensnare animals, to lash, make equipment repairs, etc. )
 * 5) Small plastic bag 10 - 16 fluid ounce [.5 L] capacity (Gerber 'Seal and Go' Sterile Bag triple zip bags 10 fl. oz. (300 ml)) used to; keep tinder dry or for storage and chemical purification of water by; [iodine, katadyne tablets, or H.T.H. [dry pool chlorine]to remove bacteria and some virus pathogens] or Reynolds brand oven type bag 'small' or 'cut down'.
 * 6) Glucose tablets, bullion, tea bags or hard candy as an energy supplement [tea bags may provide caffeine or be used in some types of compress] or For a nice cup of Tea, Cheers :)
 * 7) Water purification tablets or a small vial of bleach for Chlorination to make polluted water potable without needing to boil it and for first aid uses
 * a simple 'tightwads' example of how to carry and use chlorine; see water purification US Army Ranger (Ret.) Rick F. Tscherne or 'Ranger Rick'

From Navigation kit components '''Tip/Techniquie; An analog watch may also be used in one technique to find north; using the suns shadow and median to 12 on the watch designating the north south meridian.
 * 1) Button compass (e.g. BCB International Explorer, Brunton Button Compass, Pyser sgi fb1605, ...)

From Shelter kit components Tip/Operation; the first tool/material cut with the wire saw should be a flexible branch to form the 'bow' of a bow saw where the blade will be the wire saw; approximately thumb/broom handle size branch only slightly longer than the wire saw.
 * 1) Flexible survival saw such as NATO 'wire saw' (both commando wire saws and chain saws are used, yet the latter are heavier. They are usually greased-in to protect from rust; e.g. BCB Survival saw, Supreme Products Pocket Chainsaw, Ultimate Survivor Saber Cut, ... )

From First Aid kit components 'A Note: kit contents should be checked on a scheduled and periodic basis to remove expired medications, dried out alcohol pads, old water purification tabs, etc. some otherwise very good military kits avoid including effective items due to this necesity. imagine opening up all the air crew survival packs stuffed under ejection seats, in parachute harnesses, compressed in life rafts, etc. '
 * 1) Potassium permanganate (to sterilize water or make it antiseptic or as fire tinder when combined with glycerin/glucose)
 * 2) Information cards with; regionally selected information, knots for fishing, multi use listings for kit contents.
 * 3) The tin itself may be used as a vessel for non potable water and placed over a fire brought to a boil [for safety since most pathogens are killed at pasteurization temperatures 160 deg. F] to make water potable, though in small quantities at a time. A small oven bag [or cut down large one] shows its worth here, as 'treated' hot water is transfered then to the oven bag to cool while more water is heated.
 * 4) Alcohol wipes make excellent additions; take up little space, effectively clean wounds, and may be used as fire starter
 * 1) scalpel or Xacto blades (2) for minor surgery and fine work (to supplement a regular pocketknife of which the user may not have already in possession

Miscellaneous kit components

In addition to the items marked above
The following items are also frequently found in many mini-survival kits (depending on the brand, personal preference, ...). Also, in some kits certain items marked above can also have been completely replaced by certain items below.


 * small signal mirror
 * aluminum foil (to make a cup for boiling water, to use as a fire base, and for signaling via the reflective surface)
 * an unlubricated condom or a Ziploc bag to carry water, keep collected tinder dry, ...
 * fire starting materials such as a lighter, Hexamine fuel tablets, cotton balls to use as tinder
 * duct tape
 * safety pins (for clothing repair, improvising fishhooks, ...)
 * scalpels (to supplement a regular pocketknife of which the user is assumed to have already in possession)
 * Patches 'to keep wounds clean)
 * Analgetic (e.g. Codeine phosphate,)
 * Anti-malaria tablets (in areas where malaria occurs)
 * Antibiotics (e.g. [[Tetracycline)
 * Antihistamine (against insectbites and stings, allergies, ...)
 * Loperamide (e.g. Immodium, ..., against acute diarrhea)
 * Beta light (for light, luring fish, ... It can also be integrated in the compass)
 * Magnifying glass (to make fire, to treat bites and stings, look at vegetation, ...)

Commercial mini survival kits
[contain some poor choices for space and usability]


 * BCB International Combat Survival Tin
 * Pro Survival Kit Co. Pocket Pro Survival Kit
 * Adventure Medical Kits Pocket Survival Pak

Individual mini survival kits
http://www.equipped.org/drperskit.htm