Homemade survival kits for Christmas

[hillman]

I know this has been somewhat discussed before, but I'm looking for current and specific recommendations.

I'm putting together survival kits for my family and friends for Christmas this year, and wanted to make them myself. I'm trying to avoid the "4 feet of fishing line and a tin foil space blanket" thing and make something that is not only useful, but could be used and used again.

I'm putting the kits in small canvas bags, something like the G.I. tool bag or similar. I haven't found the exact bag yet, so recommendations on that are good as well, but that is the size I am shooting for. Ideally, these could go in the truck behind the seat, or tie to a backpack for camping.

So far, I have:
A hunting knife with firestarter in the sheath which actually works very well because I started a duffel bag on fire while testing it out. 'nuff said.
small bottle of water purification pills
waterproof matches
The never useful space blanket
spool of fishing line, hooks, sinkers.
packets of wet naps
a couple cans of meat, like spam, only cheaper. Smells like bacon, so can't be that bad.

What can I add to that, keeping it small, but to make it very useful in both survival and camping situations.

Thanks.

 

[CTC]

You can never go wrong with 550 cord and duct tape. Real-world, I once tied a coworker's broken car door shut with a dog leash I had in my trunk. 550 cord would've been a lot easier.

 

[ACfarmer]

How about a compass, collapsible metal cup, spork?

 

[hillman]

I once tried to give my young brother in law a compass, he said "why, I have an app for one on my phone". Thanks for the ideas, folks. I love the idea of the collapsible cup but all I can find are plastic ones. I have a great tin one that's held up well over the years.

 

[fattylo]

"""he said "why, I have an app for one on my phone"."""" What is he going to do when the battery dies? Some type of fold up saw would be good to have or a small first aid kit.

 

[daveyburt]

how about one of those handheld chain saws:

 

[ns939393]

A good thick rain poncho.
They fold up small and are actually pretty useful.
I swear every time I go camping in rains.

 

[bambame2]

How about a small first aid kit. You could even make them your self. One thing I always take with me is a needle and thread great for quick fixes.

 

[glostamon]

one of those headband flashlights/head lamps , a Multi-Tool & a fifth of Vodka

 

[Brian5582]

I don't want to derail but I when I saw the compass app. on my Droid I downloaded it to see how well it worked. Well I tried several different ones and none worked very well. They were consistently several degrees off at best.

On the subject I have a large stainless cup I use because you can boil a decent amount of water in it. I have tried with a collapsable one and I don't like them. They are not as big and its just something that can fail. When you are talking about a decent size bag anyway it really isn't going to take up that much more space. You can even pack some stuff into it.

This is a great idea, When you figure it all out you should let us know what you end up putting in it. Also what you end up using as a bag.

 

[P-14]

Your list and the other suggestions in this thread are good. Consider adding Cutter insect repellent (liquid not spray), carmex lip balm (like chapstick) and a small tube of 15 SPF suntan lotion. Also, consider an Adventure 0.7 waterproof hiker's first aid kit (http://www.google.com/products?q=Adventure+0.7+ultra+first+aid+kit&hl=en&scoring=p)

 

[Coyote33]

soap
bandaids
bug spray
toilet paper
jumper cables
windshield fluid
oil
fix-a-flat
flashlight (crank up?)
road flare

 

[pernox]

Gloves
Candles
Small AM/FM radio

 

[bigjim]

one of these http://www.vtarmynavy.com/canteen-combo.htm


its much more likely they will accualy use it if its easy to carry and if they have a way to carry it

something like this might be handy i dont know how big it is inside though probably just big enough for a flint and knife maybe a tightly folded poncho

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00139A1318

 

[Kicker96FS]

A copy of the latest Maxim magazine.

 

[Boghog1]

Maybe a good book to go along with the stuff you get . I like 55gallon barrel Liners, they come in handy.

http://www.codylundin.com/Loose.html
I have
http://www.codylundin.com/degrees.html
and he is one of the better authors for survival that I have read.

 

[ChevyGuy91]

Maybe a good book to go along with the stuff you get . I like 55gallon barrel Liners, they come in handy.

http://www.codylundin.com/Loose.html
I have
http://www.codylundin.com/degrees.html
and he is one of the better authors for survival that I have read.

I am actually reading "When All Hell Breaks Loose" now. It is a bit lighter reading then one of Rawles books while still getting the info out. It seems to be geared toward being self reliant then you need this gear or that gear, and razor wire and barricades.

This is a cool gift idea, and one day could wind up being the best gift any one ever received.

Few things I don't see is an emergency signal whistle, a mini-mag light with extra batteries, chem lights. I am looking into one of those Katadyn water purifying bottles that you can fill with anything and it filters the water as you drink it.

 

[Mustad]

crank flashlight/am fm radio

 

[hillman]

Yeah I am probably going to go with crank flashlight over mini-mag light, and chem lights.

These are some great suggestions, thanks everyone! I'm going to check out some bag/pouch ideas this weekend at some surplus stores. I think I'm going to throw in some kind of power bar option as well.
Also, maybe some condoms. The reason being I was once stranded in Mexico when our radiator blew a hose. We patched the hose, but had to walk several miles through rough country to a house where we found a hose, but had nothing to carry water back with. We used condoms we had in our wallets and brought it back water-balloon style. You never know...

 

[Sprocket]

I have a kit assembled - it all fits in a Nalgene wide mouthed bottle - I have a nylon pouch for the bottle if I have to empty the contents to fill the bottle with water.

Just a suggestion

 

[Coyote33]

... power bar option as well.
Also, maybe some condoms. The reason being I was once stranded in Mexico ... had to walk several miles through rough country to a house where we found ...

Was expecting a different finish to this story.

 

[Palladin]

The wife will love this almost as much as that vacuum I got her 5 years ago!!

 

[C-pher]

Don't forget a bag of Skittles or Jelly Bellys.

Maybe no maybe so...not an expert survival person an any means. But was in the Scouts. And we were told that having these in your pack will not only give you a little sugar lift...but will give you some comfort while lost or hurt in the woods. This was mostly thought that if you were hurt and waiting to be located if you can't walk out yourself. A simple thing that doesn't take a lot of space...that might help get through the night until it's light.

 

[Prepper]

They may need to do things like build a shelter, but not know how. Some sort of compact book that explains things like this would be good. Someone mentioned the Boy Scout Handbook... it has been a while so I don't recall if it has shelter building in it (it must, right?) although it isn't all that compact either.

 

[Boghog1]

Shelter building is not in the BSA handbook. although the wilderness survival merit badge book should have it

 

[eric_07]

I have a kit assembled - it all fits in a Nalgene wide mouthed bottle - I have a nylon pouch for the bottle if I have to empty the contents to fill the bottle with water.

Just a suggestion

What's in it?

 

[BenDover]

How about survival bars like these:

They're actually not bad i've tasted them. They are designed to not require a lot of water to digest like other foods (spam).

 

[green_metalflake]

I once tried to give my young brother in law a compass, he said "why, I have an app for one on my phone".

Years back on a Cub Scout den hike, the den leader marched us into the woods using his GPS and setting way points as we went. It was rainy and most of the hike was under tree canopy. About an hour in I realized we were lost or, as lost as you can get on town reservation land. It was however at the point where it would start to get dark soon. All I could picture was the town FD out looking for us, our names in the Police Blotter, etc., ugh!

Fortunately I'd given a compass to my son to keep in his carry kit. Before we left the parking area I had him check direction and note which way the cars were. We came out of the woods finally about 100 yards away from them using the compass to get back. And about that GPS? It worked great when there was nothing above us. But under the wet tree canopy there was no reading at all! That was a great reminder for everyone on not placing too heavy a reliance on tech.

 

[hillman]

So far I have in the kits:
Compass , lensatic marching compass with pouch
Special Forces Survival Guide (Found on Amazon, good stuff in it and it's smaller than some of the other guides so will fit in the kit, plus the people I give these too will think it's cool)
1 person emergency tube tent
1 canteen cup with the two folding handles
1 collapsible 1 liter water container
1 bottle water treatment pills
2 emergency blankets
1 small hiker's first aid kit
1 tube combo SPF 15 and bug spray
1 bear bell
1 small jar (makes 10 cups) coffee. It's a little plastic jar of instant coffee.
packets of sugar and creamer
packets of salt and pepper
50 feet of paracord
2 duraflame mini fire starters
1 bag trail mix
1 bag beef jerky
4 powerbars (some have cliff bars, some powerbars)
1 quarter roll toilet paper, with center tube removed so it squishes flat.
2 condoms, non lubricated, glow in the dark.
1 sheath knife with firestarter, I sharpened it up good. It has paracord wrapped on the handle in case extra is needed. Not great quality but will get the job done. Firestarter works fantastically.
SOG Tomahawk (I added that one just so I would be the coolest gift giver this year)
1 flashlight, with crank handle
4 chemlights
1 box waterproof matches

I still need to get some more emergency food, the Datrex bars or something.

I put it all in a Bread Bag, I believe it's Swiss with a leather cover over one side and a shoulder strap. It all fits neatly inside with the Tomahawk strapped to the outside. Alright, I know the Tomahawk was a bit much, but I have one and take it camping, AND there's something about being the coolest gift giver at Christmas, it's like winning a prize and bragging rights

My wife says we have to wrap everything individually...I might not have thought this through.

 

[JimGiven]

What is the final tally on cost for all this??

Jim