Your survival kit could be in “mint” condition
Can you imagine trying to stuff your entire bug-out bag into your back pocket? Well, you’d have to have pretty big overalls to do that. But maybe you could build a very small survival kit that would fit inside an Altoids tin. If so, that’s something you probably could fit in a back pocket.
As you probably know, Altoids are mints that come in tins. They’ve been selling them for something like 235 years now, and the tins are very recognizable by their size, shape and color. The tins are also strong enough to keep items inside from getting crushed. With a little improvising, you could make one waterproof.
They say that big things come in small packages, and that would certainly be the case with a “bug-out” Altoids tin. You could only put very small items in this mini survival kit, but you’d make sure that they are the types of items that could save your life.
For example, you could include a small plastic poncho, a small piece of cordage, a small piece of duct tape, a small bundle of thin steel wire and a small multi-purpose knife. You might have noticed that the key word here is “small.” If the poncho doesn’t fit, you could wrap it around your tin when you’re done packing it.
Other items you might want to include are water purification tablets, a mini Bic lighter, a box cutter blade, rubber bands, fishing line and hooks, tin foil, band-aids, a small LED flashlight and extra battery, medications, chapstick, and a small, flat signaling mirror. You might also squeeze in cash, a tweezers, a tiny pencil, a small compass and a magnifying lens.
What other items would you include in an Altoids tin if you could fit them in? I could use some more ideas.
You need to take of your teeth-toothpaste/brush/pain killer/clove oil. I.e. – field dental kit. Small tools like tweezers, screwdriver for eyeglasses.A Small metal file.Talk your doctor into at least 90 day med supply instead of 30.Nail trimmer/scissors.shave gear.mirror.MRSA gel. Eye wash/rinse. If you have dog, they need survival gear. Plan on bugging in, unlikely you’ll be going anywhere. Whatever you BUY QUALITY.
I’m so surprised. You guys actually have some great ideas. I used Altoids tins before going camping. Yea I know it’s supposed to be in your bag. But I had one in my pocket. I dident want to damage it so I put it in my back pocket. I was climbing the edge of a mountain. I slipped and fell only about 6 feet. I landed on my ass. Unfortunately my tin was where I landed. I crushed it. So using that as an experience. Now I use plastic soap dishes to carry little things like hooks thread and stuff. I don’t recommend those wire saws. They break really easy. You pull on it and the ring falls off. :( But I do recommend an entrenching tool. U.S. Army style. It can be used for a bunch of things. Keep it up this is great stuff. :)
YOU PEOPLE CONTINUE TO SPEAK ABOUT A “BUG OUT BAG”!! This is getting very irritating to me. On one hand I’m sold a Solar Powered Generator with an extra solar panel for $3,000.00. The Mash Units in Korea during the War. They would pack up and move away from the enemy. If an EMP attack would occur, no one will be going anywhere.unless they have a horse ranch to put their so called bug out bag to. Just where are all you people running TO? I’m curious. Personally, I own a cabin 2 hours away with all the comforts of home. How do I get there if no vehicles start? So if it’s Global thermonuclear war, it doesn’t matter where you go, winds will carry the fallout where it may. Have any of you thought about staying home, reinforcing your doors and windows. Stay put. If you buy Food4Patriots.com, how are you going to carry all these totes in your bug out bag on foot? Call it an emergency chest/box BUT PLEASE, STOP WITH THE BUG OUT CRAP. GASOLINE PUMPS WON’T PUMP GAS BECAUSE THAT WOULD TAKE ELECTRICITY WHICH THERE WILL BE NONE. ANYTHING USING A CIRCUIT BOARD WILL BE FRIED.SO PLAN ON LIVING IN THE 18TH CENTURY with hores, wagons and roving outlaws. Have your rifles and handguns cleaned. Buy fire extinguishers for each side of the house in case gangs attempt to burn you out. Have loaded magazines in a box on each side of house. That way, depending on which direction a gang may be attacking from, grab your weapon and your cache will be there. Invest in many extra magazines and the ammo that goes in them. I’ve stopped shelling money out to shooting ranges. They suck your money, money that can buy ammunition and empty magazines. I have cut and stacked 2×4’s next to my steel doors. Any trouble, I wedge 3 or 4 of these 2x4s between the door and the adjacent wall. As for water, check out the Big Berkey filtration system. Not extremely expensive but effective. I use the KELLY KETTLE to cook my Food4Patriots.com, that uses anything natural for fuel, dryer lint I’ve been saving up for years. Highly combustible to start your cooking fire.I have 2- 30 gallon trash bags full of dryer lint. Have your family save it. The KELLY KETTLE burns leaves, twigs, grass, paper even dry animal feces. Besides a dozen knives that contain a flint for a spark. Also in a food tote, I have stuffed 250 Bic Lighters from the Dollar store. Cheap, they don’t expire. Another thing, stop worrying about the expiration dates on antiseptic and antibiotic ointments.Don’t throw them out. The worst thing that can happen is it won’t work, it cannot hurt you. I’ve used 5 years outdated Neosporin on cuts and no infection. The same with my pro-air puffers for my asthma/COPD. They are 4 years expired but they work. When you’re on a fixed income, I throw very little out. Finally, when I finally run out of bottled water, (6 months), I’ll hack saw my aluminum downspout into a new metal garbage can. I then dump it into my Big Berkey, where it filters this water. There is then an on/off spout to pour it back into the used water bottles. If you cannot afford this fairly cheap Big Berkey, pour your water back into a clear plastic water bottle, place it into direct sunlight x 24 hours, 48 hours on a cloudy days, it is then safe to drink. If you have the money, invest in water test strips/tablets to ensure water safety for drinkability. The beautiful feature about the filtering elements in the BIG BERKEY never wear out. 2 come with it and I invested in 2 more. With 4 elements, water filters twice as fast. I’ll stick with 2. The elements are $107.00/pair. After they filter 6,500 gallons of rain water, they AREN’T THROWN OUT, THEY’RE SCRUBBED WITH SCOTCH BRIGHT PADS OF WHICH I BOUGHT 30 CASES. SO EVERYONE, BUG OUT ENTHUSIASTS, BEFORE YOU LEAVE TO GO NOWHERE, BUY ROAD MAPS IF YOU CAN FIND THEM ANYMORE (try AAA) because GPS or MAPQUEST on your cellphone but they won’t work after an EMP attack. Also remember that a nuclear bomb emits an EMP SO ANYTHING WITH A CIRCUIT BOARD IN IT WILL NOT WORK. I’M PREPARED TO HUNKER DOWN AT HOME AT FORT CHEDTNUT!!!
Amen, Brother– I would rather take my chances and a stand in my “own home” than a tent or a foxhole. Thousands of people will be wandering like zombies, looking for shelter/food. They will be hoarded into “FEMA camps” until they overflow with people and “crap” coming out of Porta-pots! No Thanks, get prepared, stick it out as long as possible in your own “home fortress!” Brother Don.
Bare hands…not bear hands. That’s funny, unless you’re a bear…then it makes sense.
But then again, bears don’t have hands, so that makes no sense. Sorry…back to the comments.
Dental Floss. Open a small floss packet (waxless is best) and put the spool in your kit. Super strong. You ever tried ripping that stuff with your bear hands? Great post. I have kits in my BOB’s, each car and at the office…never know!!
I can see that keeping to a small Altoids tin is very handy and neat, but that just isn’t much room, and the shape of the contents makes it tricky.
I’m much more fond of using heavy-duty freezer bags, since they’re tough, waterproof and can accommodate a lot of supplies even if they’re odd-shaped. And those bags come in many different sizes.
Once I get them filled, though, I also close the zip-lock top with a piece of duct tape, just to be sure of keeping moisture out. And the piece of duct tape may be handy later, also.
There are a lot of fine ideas as to what you can put into an emergency tin. Like Mr. James Long as already stated each tin should be modify to the needs of each person needs as well as the situation in which you will use them. For example if I was to go out into the woods I would have the fishing hooks, fishing line, perhaps snare wire, a small pen knife, razor blades, needle and thread, lighter, folded aluminum foil, 60 feet of parachute cord*, (I’ll tell you how later) solar-thermal blanket, arrow heads, band aids, moleskin, crazy glue, (super glue), paper and small pencil with 3 feet of duck tape wrapped around it, and cotton balls, and small packets of Vaseline and Advil.
This is good for all occasions. In fact, you should have a kit like this in the car or truck glove compartment. I would also include a candle made of hard wax so that it wouldn’t melt so easy. Why a candle? If your car should break down and it is extremely cold outside and you find yourself sitting in the dark; a candle will provide you with some light but more importantly with heat. That’s right. The heat from a candle will keep you warm and snug as a bug in a rug. Of course I would keep a gallon of water for the radiator or for myself should I become stranded and a few power bars would keep me filled until I can get help.
But in any case, a small tin with the above supplies will assist you in surviving. The key point is to have the items that have more than one use. For example the tin foil can be used in cooking or as a reflecting device to signal for help. The super glue to close wounds as will the needle and thread. The parachute cord can act as fishing line, rope, help you carry stuff, and so on (1000 and 1 things to do with parachute cord.)
* now for the 60 feet of parachute cord – take 9 inches of cord and fold it 3 times. Then at one end wrap the cord around the 3 lengths of the 9 inches into little coils. This will use up sixty feet of cord and you can put it into your tin. It will be 9 inches long and only 1/4 thick. It takes very little amount of space and will give you a valued amount of cord. Parachute cord has 5 to 7 strands inside it that will give you an added amount of cord as needed. So that is over 300 feet of cord should you need it. Good luck
Definitely agree about the candle(s). They sell some that have very long burn times.
For lighting them, I use only full-size Bic lighters. The cheap Asian imports are pure trash and may not last past a few lights, but I’ve never had a Bic fail, even after a couple of years of storage and four-five months of hard use. I estimate 5000+ quick lights, though if you take time starting a fire you may use up the fuel earlier.
Also, even when the fuel eventually runs out, there is always a LOT of flint left, so you can remove it (carefully with a pair of needle-nose pliers) to use in Zippo lighters, or just use the Bic as a spark producer for shavings or other tinder.
You can buy regular-size Bics on eBay for less than a buck apiece, in bulk — which I do.
A mini tub of honey, the kind your get at a restaurant – wound salve (old horse handler trick) and calories in a small container. Still works if it has crystallized after long storage. Eat it the way it is or warm gently to liquify.
Flat salt and sugar (also good for open wounds) packets from takeout food. Electrolytes and calories.
Sutures – I got a dozen for $8 online with no prescription. It takes up the space of 2 band-aids and has the needle and thread sterilized. Wound, sewing, and fishing gear combined.
Compact tampon – fire starting, wound cleaning, gun cleaning (just trim it down and attach string to cordage to pull thru barrel), military uses them to stuff in a bullet hole. If you can’t find OB brand, just remove it from applicator, though the applicator is great for bullet wounds and some applicators are cardboard for fire starting.
Oops, forgot the surgical glue and condom. Superglue for medical uses, but with a better resealable tip. Lots of other uses, too. Condom has lots of waterproofing uses and can be a water carrier, too. And, well, its original intended use.
skip the matches include a few novelty b-day candies, the ones that relight
Does anyone know if this is true?
It’s frightening when the leader of your country is potentially preparing for the end of the world. And that’s exactly the message that President Barack Obama just sent to American citizens with this recent purchase.
You need to hear what Obama’s latest large purchase was. You’ll be shocked.
SEE ALSO: Stores Cannot Keep This Barack Obama Toilet Paper in Stock
Obama recently purchased emergency preparedness and survival kits, which seems very strange and suspicious. What’s even more alarming is who he purchased these kits for: every major bank in the United States.
It seems strange that he purchased these kits for banks, but not for Homeland Security, the FBI, FEMA, or any other relevant organizations that could benefit from these kits in the case of an extreme emergency.
You might be wondering what exactly these kits contain. Here is a list of what they reportedly consist of:
2400-calorie food bar (minimum 5-year shelf life)
3-pack 8.5 oz. water (minimum 5-year shelf life)
50 water purification tablets (minimum 5-year shelf life)
Reusable solar blanket 52” x 84”
Dust mask
One-size fits all poncho with hood
12 hr. light stick
1 pair of latex gloves
Whistle with lanyard
33 piece personal first aid kit
5 Wet Naps
Dynamo rechargeable lantern with AM/FM radio
Air-Aid emergency mask
Wife & Daughter both work for 2 different banks NO kits were bought
I also keep a couple of safety pins. A safety pin can be used to temporarely mend torn clothing thereby preventing possible skin damage due to exposure to cold. A safety pin can also be used to remove splinters.
I have used them as fishing hooks.
so handy for making scrounged clothing fit better, or securing blankets around you in old weaher, as sort of a serape, but closed at the sides to hold in heat.
If you keep a bunch of safety pins around, of various sizes, they’ll definitely NOT go to waste.
Another idea is good, you can go to a cigarette store and pick up some of those metal cases. Even if you don’t smoke they are pretty handy and have about twice as much room as an Altoids tin. Also they fit into pockets, just like a pack of cigs. Also those waterproof velcro man’s wallets work good, slide them in your boot or a pocket. It’s not a hard case but small and good for keeping things dry.
Now that’s a good idea. Thanks Rustytruck
NEEDLE AND THREAD,
And don’t bother with anything less than heavy-duty thread, of the “Rug and Carpet” type. Have several of those heavy needles secured to the thread spool with rubber bands. Needles are easy to lose among brush & leaves, an thread by itself isn’t of much use. I also keep a big heavy thimble, too, to make it easier to push through canvas & denim.
A COMPASS
By rubbing a needle in the same direction against another piece of metal you will create a magnetic compass. You can either stick the needle through 2 sides of a leaf and put the leaf in water where it will float and the needle will point North or tie a thread around the middle and it will do the same. The question now becomes which way is North according to your needle. If you rubbed the needle in one direction, say from the eye of the needle to the point then the point will be North.
Another way to tell directions is to use your arms. When the sun rises use you right arm and extend your arm straight out from your shoulder. As you point to the sun rising you will be facing North, you will be pointing East, your left arm extended will be pointing West and your back will be facing South.
The real problem with compasses is that those little tiny cheap ones are extremely unreliable. You have to spend up around the twelve to twenty dollar range to get one that’s at all accurate, and they don’t fit into a small kit very well.
A good compass is, however, very useful and could easily save a life. Well worth using the extra space and spending a wee bit more than the cheapies run.
Back in WW2 the OSS issued some very tiny hidden “button compasses” that were good quality, but I haven’t seen a modern tiny one that I’d trust to work for long.
I have quite a few things packed in my Altoids tin. You stated you would like some examples. This kit goes inside my Maxpedition fat pack that I have other things I take with me. if you would like more on that I would be happy to share with your company.
Here is the list.
2 bobbins. 1 filled with fishing line, (you would be surprised how much fits on there) the other is filled with 200lb Kevlar cord.
1 small Bic lighter.
6 UCO lifeboat matches with striker.
duct tape around a pencil.
3 utility knife razor blades taped to the top of the tin. (this can be used to fashion a cutting tool using a stick as a handle)
Fish hooks taped to the top of the tin.
needles, taped to the top of the tin.
button compass
moleskin
band aids
safety pins.
butterfly stitches
2 tinder-quick (fire tinder)
folded sheet of HEAVY aluminum foil, used for cooking/ boiling water etc.
Each kit needs to be modified for the person, Nuke kit should include Potassium Iodide pills ETC. feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
-James
The foil is inspired.
How about a wire saw? They are a great survival tool and take up very small space as they coil up into a very tiny package .I keep one in my glove box of my pickup Here is an example I found on Google:
http://www.bestglide.com/camp_survival_wire_saw.html
As well a strip of emery cloth would be a good addition,as a whet or dry stone would be a bit too much bulk to add to your kit. It’ll help keep an edge on your knife.
Dear Frank,
A neat item I recently got would be idea … it is an emergency folding knife that looks like a credit card when closed. It would fit and give you much more control than just a razor knife blade.
God Bless,
Orrin
That’s a good idea Orrin. Frank Bates has given away those credit card knives for free.
You can also include box cutter razor blades and arrow heads that are flat and sharp as a razor and as flat.
Frank Bates charges shipping, though, at (I believe) 2.95 each. Still a good deal.
I would opt for the single-edge razor blades, the ones with the thick “spine” on one side, which would be much easier to actually use than a boxcutter blade that will be hard to hold securely.
Good idea. I have a couple of them and they are definitely an improvement over any razor blade. You have to watch prices, though, and not pay over five bucks, max. I’ve seen them as low as 2.95. I bought five of them and keep one in each vehicle and one in my desk drawer.