Lots of good threads about the PSK. Here's one that should give you some direction;

http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=118617

http://www.survivalistboards.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=1366

 

Start with the 5 C's.
Cutting tool aka knife
Combustion device aka something to start fire with
Cover aka tarp or tent
Cordage aka bankline or 550 cord

Oops I forgot one
Container for boiling water

 

Bic Lighter
Matches
Firesteel & Striker
Tinder(vaseline&cotton balls, jute twine and dryer lint)
Paracord attached to outside of pouch
Small First Aid Kit(10 large bandaids, 10 small bandaids, 5 alcohol prep pads, 5 neosporin packets, 1 large gauze pad, 1 small gauze pad, 1 abdominal pad, tape, tweezers, 1 roller gauze, 1 eye pad, eye solution and safety pins)
Bandana
Sanitizer
Toilet Paper(cardboard removed)
Small Folding Knife
Small Knife Sharpner
Tweezers
Packet of Kleenex

Thats all I can think of right now.

 

My 5 C's of survival are:

Cover (shelter material or poncho)
Container (container to collect and boil water in)
Combustion (something for easy starting of a fire)
Cordage (550 paracord, or heavy gauge BRAIDED fishing line)
Cutting (Knife or Multitool)

Start with that, then add other items if you have room.
Water treatment tablets, first aid supplies, signaling devices, food bars, etc..

 

A good PSK covers the 6 primary needs in a survival situation:
-Navigation (travel)
-Shelter
-Sustenance (food)
-Water
-Signalling
-Fire

My kit started as a SOL kit (store bought) and then I changed the pouch out and added to it. It is small enough to fit in my cargo pocket- 7" x 4" x 1-1/2". To date, it contains (Going off memory so I might forget some things):
-Button compass
-Signal mirror
-Pea-less whistle
-Fresnel lense
-Small LED flashlight (keychain type)
-Matches
-Mini-bic lighter
-Cotton tinder
-Candle
-Water filter (straw type)
-Tin Foil
-Zip loc bag
-Mini fishing kit
-Snare wire
-Emergency reflective blanket
-Plastic sheet
-Duct tape
-Band aids
-Nails x 4
-Small blade
-Pencil
-Magnesium bar w/ flint
-30' tarred bank line (250# test)
-Wire saw
-Mini repair kit (needle, thread, etc)

Combined with my belt knife, it's a complete mini survival kit. I do plan to add to it some comfort items: cube boullion, packet instant coffee, and also a replacement sling shot band. But other than that I'm pretty happy with the contents.

 

once you have the initial 5 c's you can add an additional 5 c's.
1st 5 c's:
cutting: knife, saw, shovel, multiuse tool, leatherman.
containers: 1 metal boiling pot/cup, 1 water canteen.
covers: poncho, allweather blanket.
cordage: rope, twine
candles: candle, led head lamp, led flashlight

2nd set of 5 c's
critter: small fishing kit, small snare kit.
clean: 1st aid kit, bar soap, towel, face cloth.
cargo: extra ziploc bags, trash bags, mesh laundry bags.
compass: primary, secondary compasses, maps.
combustion:spark maker, waterproof matches, bic lighter

 

For me a kit should always start with at least the first 5 C's and it never hurts to have all the 10 C's. To me it's a really good concept that makes sense and explains why you need what you need. This video pretty much explains the what and the why for me.

 

Good posts from everyone!

Those are certainly covering the basics for immediate survival. I'd also recommend giving just as much thought to medical or first aid kits. If you're carrying fire starters it'd be a good idea to practice with those things so you can get the technique down when its not raining or you're freezing your buns off!

 

My survival kit

Every survival kit is different based upon one's preference and needs. Here is just a little insight to what I keep in my survival kit. This kit has been modified quite a few times since this video and I have made a couple separate kits for EDC and to keep in my glove box.

A few items I have also added to this kit include:

tea light candle
coffee filters
razor blade
eyelet screws (for fishing kit to be used on a stick)
paracord

Hope this helps!

Also, check out my new channel for survival videos. I plan on putting up some new videos of my Altoids survival tin and pocket first aid kits!

http://www.youtube.com/user/FloridaAdventurers?feature=mhee

 

Every survival kit is different based upon one's preference and needs. Here is just a little insight to what I keep in my survival kit. This kit has been modified quite a few times since this video and I have made a couple separate kits for EDC and to keep in my glove box.

Outdoor Gear Review: Pocket Survival kit - YouTube

A few items I have also added to this kit include:

tea light candle
coffee filters
razor blade
eyelet screws (for fishing kit to be used on a stick)
paracord

Hope this helps!

Also, check out my new channel for survival videos. I plan on putting up some new videos of my Altoids survival tin and pocket first aid kits!

http://www.youtube.com/user/FloridaAdventurers?feature=mhee

That's a pretty good start. :thumb: I always try to stay away from trying to make a complete survival kit in a container that small. The closest I get to that is a carabiner kit. When I have a container that small it usually ends up being a fire kit or a FAK that goes inside a larger kit. I always have a good folder and a multitool on my belt. It's way too easy to build a good 5 C's kit in a 10x4 bottle pouch or something similar.
I'll post pics of my 5 C kit down below. I have since greatly expanded it by adding two more 3x30 round magazine pouches to it which allows me to carry some food and first aid items. I feel pretty good about just having a flour sack towel or jumbo bandanna and a roll of Vetwrap for any major scrapes or cuts I might get and some pain relievers and antihistamines. That all covers my FAK needs.

http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/yy288/alwjr77/5Cs002.jpg

http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/yy288/alwjr77/5Cs001.jpg

 

"Build the Perfect Survival Kit" by John McCann.

Check out Field & Streams DIY survival kits, several pages of different sized kits:

http://www.fieldandstream.com/photo...al/food/2006/08/make-survival-kit-out-altoids-tin-and-two-more-life-saving-diy-

 

IMO an altoids tin is not big enough for a proper PSK. I will not stake my survival on the meager contents of such a size container. I refuse. It's too simple and easy to build a kit in a better size container. Even a carabiner is a better "container" for a PSK.

 

While personally I agree with you, the reason PSK's have gotten so compact is that once they get above "pocket size" many people find them too bulky to carry and won't carry one at all so the logic is that if they carry even a small one they are better off than if they carry nothing at all.

People tend to change their thinking on that after they've had a wake up call. My husband refused to carry survival gear, until one time ATV'ing we got separated and he got soaked and hypothermic and the person with all the survival gear (me) was not nearby to help. He does carry a PSK now.

 

I completely agree with what you guys are saying. These kits are always used in addition to my 3 day pack, which already includes most of these items in a more robust fashion. I would never walk out into the woods with just one of these in my pocket (although technically I could for a day or two). These are just good little supplements to the gear I carry just in case someone I'm with forgets some gear or I somehow get separated from my pack. Thanks for the input!!

 

Didn't you get banned from one site because of your rants of the B.O.A.T.?

Just asking.

 

Doesn't change the fact that the "BOAT" is a stupid idea and there are far better options that can even be put on a carabiner. I'll put my carabiner kit against ANY single Altoids tin "kit" everyday and twice on sunday.

I'm just saying.

 

thanks everyone! should have pics up tomorrow afternoon thank for all hte input im preety sure ive covered the bases and more

 

My PSK is pictured here in the below link or in my "gallery". I have tried several types, for me this is what works. And the kit that works is the one you pack and use in the field.
http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?p=3372100#post3372100

It fits in my cargo pockets or parka pockets, I also store it in my ruck while backpacking. Day trips it rides in my camelback pack, I add a light weight breathable rain suit, fleece beenie, gloves,pull over, small FAK and a headlamp.

 

What does BOAT stand for? I already know it's controversial, so I'm not asking for opinions, just what it stands for?

 

FYI an Altoids PSK doesn't have to be a stand alone kit. My can doesn't have a knife in it, only razor blades. So I would never carry the tin without also having additional items like a large compass, knife, water bottle, etc.

Keep in mind that a survival kit is the sum of everything you have on you when you get into a survival situation. Your clothing is probably the most important part of the equation. I'd rather be properly dressed with a small kit, than badly dressed with a larger one.

 

Useable sized knife
FAK
bic lighter
poncho
water
clothes suitable for the weather
gold emergency blanket
map and compass
Don't forget the loud whistle, many do.

 

BOAT stands for Bug Out Altoids Tin. It seems that some people think an Altoids survival kit can be a proper kit. My opinion is that there is no way that an Altoids tin can hold the things that you really would want or need in a self reliance situation.
IMO every kit should start with the 5 C's and you just can't really put all those in an Altoids tin. Sure you can put a little razor blade knife in one or some little fixed blade but that's not going to help you build a shelter or split firewood.

 

Well I believe in having a belt knife in addition to my PSK because I'm not going to want to depend on a little PSK knife but some of the PSK knives are actually pretty skookum. But yeah, too small for wood processing tasks.

I do believe, however, that if it's a choice of someone carrying an altoids tin PSK vs. nothing, they are better off with the small kit. It's not complete, but neither is my larger kit. I think most people with decent knowledge can do a lot with a knife, fire making kit, and some cordage though.

And what another person here said, about clothing needing to be considered part of the PSK-- I agree with that completely. A person dressed well in synthetics or wool that layered properly is going to be way ahead of someone who wore cotton everything and didn't layer properly. I still know a lot of guys that wear jeans and cotton shirts for their outdoor activities and it bugs me because while it might serve them fine while they are active and moving, I'd hate to see how bad it would get if they had to spend the night in those cold wet cotton clothes.

 

I have a JUMP bag containing the following items.

1. Kershaw Blur Tanto Folder
2. Compass
3. Standard First Aid Kit with tweezers and gauze wrap
4. 50 Water Purification tabs and 50 Water Treatment tabs
5. 50ft of Paracord 550
6. 270 Lumen LED Flashlight with extra batteries
7. Camo bandana
8. Emergency thermal blanket
9. Black work gloves
10. Small fishing kit
12. Hobo-tool
13. Four Glow sticks
14. Multi-tool
15. Whistle/Compass/Termometer
16. Small tube of Carmex
17. Bio-wipes
18. Four tent stakes
19. Hatchet attached to outside of pack
20. Tin cup attached to outside of pack
22. Two 10rd magazines for Beretta 92FS and One 10rd magazine for Ruger Mini-30
23. One can of Tuna
24. A few multi-vitamins
25. A few mini snicker bars
26. Fire kit (Two Bic lighters, 100 Water/Wind proof matches, cotton balls dipped in petroleum jelly, ferro rod, dryer lint etc) inside two ziplock bags

It is amazing what you can fit in one of these JUMP bags. Check it out.

This attaches perfectly to the back of my Maxpedition Vulture II pack which helps make alot of room for food, shelter items, clothing, and other items. On the sides of my main pack I have a water pouch for my Sawyer water filter/purification bottle and ammo pouches.

 

Altoid Survival Kit

I did a new video of my Altoid survival kit. Enjoy!

 

I carry a Aquamira frontier emergency water filter in my EDC bag small in size and inexpensive. http://www.amazon.com/Aquamira-Frontier-Emergency-Filter-System/dp/B000OR115W

 

I love this filter! we live on a ranch and I do frequent hiking this is all I take ALL the time. it make stagnant pools taste like a crystal clear water source.

 

In an EMT molle kit... A good folding knife, basic Buck 110 or real (Victornox/Wenger)Swiss Army will do. I'd recomend a smaller secondary knife, or a Leatherman. Always want to have a backup, sh!t happens. Small diamond stones work the best for me to keep a sharp edge and are very small. Wire saw for cutting saplings, making shelter.

Heavy duty plastic bag, 550 parachute cord and mylar space blanket will cover shelter. If youre in a cold/wet area, a tube tent would be good advice. Fire? Bic lighter, ferrocerrium rod, small tea candle, tinder. If its pouring rain, might not find tinder. Youre slowly freezing to death. Bring tinder that will burn like crazy, dry out the little stuff, light the bigger stuff...

Basic first aid items in ziplock or better Aloksack- bandaids, 4x4's, usgi combat bandages (more compact than Israelis), antiseptic wipes, packets of pain killers. I'd recomend a small LED headlamp or flashlight, they are small and last forever on one or two AA batteries... A small compass will keep you from getting more lost.

Small sierra cup you can boil water in to keep you from getting sick, or cook tadpole stew..... If its stainless, its reflective and acts as signal mirror. Small fish hooks catch more fish than big hooks, some fishing line, lead sinkers, etc. Basic fishing gear- use a stick as your reel and your arm toss as the pole. 4 bluegills are easier to catch than a 50 lb catfish.

If youre over 21 you can get a small 22 magnum revolver- it will work on small game and medium game in a pinch, up close... Drop an elk between the eyes. A box of shells is small. Snare wire is complicated and doesnt always work. Its better than a sharp stick 'n club, right? A pistol shot will also attract rescuers and is multi purpose- a whistle, isnt.

 

A pistol shot will also attract rescuers and is multi purpose- a whistle, isnt.

I'd still have the whistle, as long as you can draw breath the whistle can be "reloaded" but once you've fired your last round the pistol is just a hammer.

 

oh yeah, water. Cant always boil 20 sierra cups to fill a canteen... I prefer iodine tablets to water filters, you wont use them. If youre thirsty, have to wait 30 minutes, big deal. Also a source of food/salt is important- ziplock or alokasack of bullion cubes, tea bags, hard candy... Its amazing what a few hundred empty calories do when there is no food for days. Or how much better that squirell brain stew will taste with chicken bullion.

 

This is my answer to the Altoids tin video above.

I will post pictures again of my latest 5 C's kit later tonight.