Your thoughts on pre-made "survival kits"

[Pocomoonskyeyes3]

My cynical comment was to Hunter and Sarge. But, if you want.......you're cynical, too. Are you happy now?

[crashdive123]

I think he's happy now.

[BENESSE]

You know what they say...the more (keys) $hit you got on your key ring, the more important you are.

[hunter63]

You know what they say...the more (keys) $hit you got on your key ring, the more important you are.

Problem is remembering what they are for?.....and the right key is always on the other ring(s) ...in the other truck....etc.....LOL

[Rick]

Or the faster you sink. It's one of those two sayings I'm pretty sure.

[huntermj]

I have a few things on my key ring, But a compass is not one of them.
I dont know what its like in your area but the woods here are so dense here that a person has to know where they are going. And i do carry a GPS for a back-up. But its a back-up only.

[Rick]

So.........What happens if you find yourself in a part of the woods that you don't know where you're going? You'd probably need a pre-made survival kit, I'm guessin'.

[Beans]

You know what they say...the more (keys) $hit you got on your key ring, the more important you are.

Don't forget the clipboard! You can not be in charge without one.

[Rick]

(Dang it! One MORE thing I have to get.)

Who's in charge around here?

(See?)

[hunter63]

Don't forget the clipboard! You can not be in charge without one.

Now that's funny ...I don't care who you are.
Some day when y'all are older I relate a story about this........

[Rick]

Older than what? Dirt calls half of us "sir" already.

[hunter63]

Don't forget the clipboard! You can not be in charge without one.

OK
Trying to get tickets at Alpine Valley, wanted to see Eric Clapton, live in concert, and NOT in the nose bleed section, friend and I got up real early, drove out there, to find a lot of people already standing around waiting to the ticket booth to open.

After a while, a guy with an Alpine Valley t-shirt, Alpine Valley cap, clip board and a whistle.

About 10 min before the window opened....He blows the whistle, waving his clip board around, and had every one line up.....was kinda surprised it wasn't in alphabetical order or by height....like in grade school.

So, everyone does get in line, like the sheeple we are........Window opens and he was the first in line.......buys his tickets and left.

200 people just stood there wondering what had just happened.....LOL

Morel to the story,.... Clip board, whistle, and Chutzpah....You can go far.........

[faber825]

it seems to me that a lot of premade survival kits are not well thought out. most people who die in the wilderness after getting lost die of exposure or lack of water, yet I still see kits that have snare wire and fish hooks, but no emergency blanket, lighter, water treatment tablets, or even a plastic bag for water. maybe they expect you to snare enough rabbits to stitch a fur coat.

[Phaedrus]

I'm a big fan of the Ritter/AMK PSP. Sure, the scalpel blade isn't the best but the bulk of the kit is comprised of very high quality components. And if you price them out you'll be hard pressed to buy them individually for the cost of the kit. I have half a dozen of them; I have them set up as a subscription from Amazon. I have one shipped every three months, and by setting up a subscription you get 15% off and free shipping. The mirror is a very good, as is the whistle. For the space it takes I think the Spark-Lite and Tinder-Quik make a good combo. The tinder is terrific, and I bought a 100 count bag of it to add to other kits. Even the pouch itself if very good- heavy duty and waterproof. And there's a wee bit of room to add a few things. I added a very small Firesteel.com steel & striker, as well as a few Aquamira tabs.

Doug is a widely recognized survival expert and instructor, as well as a writer with many published articles to his credit. FWIW he also started KnifeRights.org, one of the only groups out there that exists soley to protect your rights to carry & use knives. Right now they're involved in a lawsuit vs the D.A. of NY over his strong-arm shakedown of knife dealers and law abiding citizens.

Doug will be the first to tell you the PSP isn't perfect. If you knew you'd get lost on a given day, a prudent person would just stay in the house! Short of that, one would obviously carry more than that. The PSP is designed to be that last ditch bit of gear that might save your bacon if you get separated from your main pack or have to swim out of a sinking float plane with just the clothes on your back. And he knows the reality of the situation is that a small kit that's always on you is better than the B.O.B. you left back at the trail head.

My main use for the PSP is as a building block for my own kits. I can get those core essentials cheaper in the kit (especially after the 15% off) than I could get them alone. You can tuck a PSP into a pouch along with a space blanket and a disposable poncho and have a lot of capability in a very small, light package. It's really great for my day hiking kit, a Maxpedition 12 x 5 with a stainless bottle & cup. There's room for the PSP, a lighter, some tinder, a 100 lumen AAA LED light, a poncho & HeatSheets 2 man blanket and a few bits of tinder. I have a Cocoon on the side that holds some Stormproof Matches, Chlorine Dioxide tablets, and a few other goodies. I lash a knife to the MOLLE attachments on the other side (usually either a Mora Triflex or an SOG Field Pup). I never hike without water and the extras are hardly noticeable, but there if I need them.

[eaglescout2010]

i believe a premade survival kit is a thing that should always be supplemented with new items, and the items that are cheapo made in china quality junk that come with it (i.e button compass, etc) just serve as a reminder as to what should be replaced. I always replace almost over half the stuff in premade survival kits i buy, and i always add a few new things to supplement it.

I would never trust a survival kit as is, but if i customized it with new and more stuff, and it fit in my pocket, then maybe i would trust it.

that is just my opinion on premade survival kits

[Rick]

You might be a bit surprised how many really, really good compasses from brand name suppliers are made in China. Great quality comes from every country as does really poor quality.

[Sarge47]

You might be a bit surprised how many really, really good compasses from brand name suppliers are made in China. Great quality comes from every country as does really poor quality.

Many top quality knives formerly made in America are made in China now. The companies that make them, like Gerber, Schrade, Kabar, and Buck, run them and still keep the strict standards of qulity they always have. Besides, I like the food.

[BENESSE]

Be that as it may...
Still can't shake the memory of my grandfather being impressed with tools and mechanical things made in West Germany. (he'd always check to see where something was made)
He fought against them in WW2, but he respected quality when he saw it. Can't help thinking the same way.

[Rick]

Most of that is habit and you're right. You really can't help thinking that way because you admire your grandfather so his opinion carried weight. Hence, West German goods appeal to you because they appealed to him.

Many of us remember when "Made in Japan" meant some cheapo electronic gizmo that cost a buck or so and might work...maybe. Either way you knew it wouldn't be long before you threw it away. It's a far cry from that today with engineering tolerances that forced Detroit to rethink how to build an automobile. It didn't happen over night either. China is going through their growing pains but their cars and electronics will become synonymous with quality as well. Then we'll be laughing about Made in Kenya or Made in Congo or some other country.

[sh4d0wm4573ri7]

My belief then is that a prepackaged kit is merely a good starting point