Survival kits are definitely an important part of Z-day preparedness, so this page will take you on a ONE YEAR journey (real time) to buy and develop a full size survival kit.

We will take EACH MONTH of the year and use a budget of $10 PER MONTH to buy gear for our kit. This will represent real life's constrains on a person's monthly finances to purchase gear for Z-day. We will prioritize most important items first and round out the kit second.

Each month I will discuss the decision making process of why I choose the gear that I did and costing alternatives to what I purchased. This verse that. I will put up pictures of the gear I buy for your to see examples for your own kit. We can also discuss that month's purchase on the boards for ideas on how to use these items.

EACH MONTH we will also scrounge up FREE ITEMS that you will be able to find easily around your home, office & area that are free to you and will improve your kit. We will also be discussing these items as well on the boards for that month.


The Challenge:

YOUR CHALLENGE will be to find your own gear (similar in type from what I've found) in YOUR area. Your gear may and will be different, but this is a learning process that will help you start thinking and working on your kit.

I will also try to even give you ways to PRACTICE with this gear to improve your own survival skills.

By the time we get finished, in one year, you will have spent time creating your own survival kit, working through the decision making process for all the different gear available and be ready to go for Z-day.

So join me as we work out the $10 x 12 Survival Kit - one month at a time.


Starting: Aug 2010

Finishing: July 2011

Let's go!

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NEW: Get a "Notepad"! (1/12/2011)

here's a tip....

When you are designing your kit on a budget, you need to keep a list of those things you want with you so when you're out you can remember what you wanted to buy. Also, if you see something you want to add to your kit, but can't afford it right then, make a note of it for later.

The "notepad" can be a small notebook or your cell phone's to-do list. Just get something so when you're thinking about survival gear, you'll have something with you.

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Aug 2010:

Purchased Items: Bic Lighters (2 pack) $2.00, Matches (10 box pack / 32 per box) $1.00, Farberware 3.5" Paring Knife $6.00

Free (scrounged) Items: Tin Can (soup can), Plastic Bottle (2 lt Coke), Coat Hanger (wire only), plastic grocery bag (from store with purchased items), pill bottles (vials or plastic) NEW (8/7/10): extra bottle caps

This first month, I'm going to look at starting off with the first and most important items. I call them the "Basic 4". If I got stuck in the middle of no where tomorrow, these are the things I really NEED in order to survive.

They are a fire starter, a knife, canteen/bottle and tin can.

Fire starters:
The first thing I buy is a 2 pack of Bic lighters and 10 pack of regular kitchen matches. I really only wanted half of this, but that's how they came packed when I was looking. I want redundancy here, so I get the lighters AND the matches.

Now I'm looking to pack HALF the matches into pill bottles to help water "proof" them. You could use other waterproof match cases if you have them, but pill bottles keep them pretty dry in all but extreme circumstances - i.e. being crushed. You will have to use a pair of scissors to cut out and add to the bottle the boxes' striker as you will need it to strike them. The other HALF of your matches will be used to PRACTICE lighting a fire. (more on that later.)

The Lighters, I pack in their plastic IN an empty (an cut to length) paper towel roll. A toilet paper roll works too. The idea is to keep the lighter's fuel button from being pressed in your pack. I use tape to close the ends. You could also use another larger pill vial for this, just use something for long term storage of your lighters so they are not empty when you need them.


The Camp Knife:
My options here at the $7 I had left were limited, but not bad to buy a general purpose camp knife. There were a couple of cheapo folding pocket knives and some cheaper kitchen knives, but I chose the Farberware drop forged 3.5" paring knife. I again say - Camp Knife as that's what I'm looking for. This is a simple knife to handle camp chores like game cleaning and basic cutting. It doesn't take a brute of a knife for this, but HAVING a knife is the MOST important thing to round out my Basic 4 items.

This is a good example of a common kitchen knife that will serve well in the wilderness as it does in the daily grind of your kitchen.

The biggest drawback with this knife is not having a sheath for it. For now, we're going to just make a "blade cover". Use the cardboard backing from the package, fold in half and wrap it with duct tape to the length of the knife blade. This isn't pretty, but all we're after is a cover for the sharp blade to keep it from cutting while carried in our pack. NEW: 9/4/10 (blade cover pic)


Tin Can:
You're going to need water and if it comes from ground water, then you're going to need to boil it to purify it for drinking. A tin can is a cheap, easy and available container to do this. Just make sure you get one that is all metal and doesn't have any plastic liners and you should be go to go. I prefer the 1 lb. coffee can if I have one available, but any tin can will work without having to buy a pot for this.

We're going to punch a hole about 1/2" down on one side to hook it will the coat hanger to hang it over the fire to boil. I just use a nail to make the hole. You can punch holes on both sides if you want, but it's not necessary.

Canteen/Plastic Bottle:
You need something to carrier water in - ANY plastic bottle will work! I grabbed the first one I found - empty 2 liter Coke bottle. I also grabbed a second smaller water bottle and cut off the top to use as a funnel. If the bottle mouths of the canteen and the funnel are the same size, cut a hole in the funnel's cap to make a smaller stream. I like Gatorade bottles for canteens as they have larger mouths to make using the funnel easier.

Keep the rest of the cut off water bottle too as using the funnel inverted back into the bottle can be used as a small trap for minnows or bugs.

Another thing I like to do is to use TWO bottles for water. One is for purified (boiled) water for drinking and the second one is for "dirty" water. You can use the dirty water for cooling yourself without using up your precious drinking water. Also, if you are on the run when you find water, you can quickly fill the dirty bottle up with water till you have a chance to boil it for drinking.

Practice: Fire Starting
ONLY UNDER ADULT SUPERVISION!

Lighting Candles: This practice is for youngsters or others with little experience using lighters and matches. First, Bic lighters are hard for a young person to use, that's why they are called "safety lighters". So if you want to teach your youngster to learn to start a fire - start with matches.

To practice this skill, have them try lighting a candle. This gives them practice at striking the match and holding it while it is burning. This is usually where any one who has little experience with matches gets nervous and hurries to light their candle - resulting in blowing out the match from the rapid movement. With a little practice, they will realize that the match doesn't burn their fingers immediately when it strikes.

Next, have them light the candle. This makes them focus on a single spot (the wick) to light the candle. This is crucial when they actually get to ready to light a fire as they will need to focus on a single point in their tinder to light.

Fire starting - on pavement: This is practice not only in getting the initial spark and lighting of a fire, building your tinder bundle, but also teaches you how to feed a beginning fire slowly. Starting a fire on the pavement of a parking lot or a concrete side walk is harder than you might image. Having a good tinder bundle to get your fire started is the same as if you were in the woods. Even more as usually there is more wind across the flat surface of the pavement than you may encounter in the woods. You may even need to use rocks or woods to make a wind break to help.

Once you get the tinder lit, you'll need to feed your fire slowly to get it burning good. Be careful not to make your fire too big as the object here is to keep it small and controlled while you learn to start a fire. Once you've got it burning good and can add - say 1" diameter sticks to it, it's time to put it out and try again. Make sure you have water close at hand to put out your fire.

Uses for the Wire Coat Hanger - I wanted to cover a couple of general ways to use the wire coat hanger to get you thinking. First way, is to make a hanger to hold your tin can over the fire. I cut the long straight cross piece at each end. The cross piece now makes a skewer for cooking. Then make hooks on the ends to hold you tin can and bend the "arms" straight. Now I can use the top hook on a branch to hang it over the fire.

Here's a pic I found to illustrate "tin can cooking".







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Sept 2010

Purchased Items: Harbor Freight Sale - Hatchet $6.99, LED Flashlights (2) $2.99, Gloves $1.29 (over)

Free (scrounged) Items: Cargo Strap (2" wide x 3' long), 8x BK Restaurant Napkins, Large pill vial, 4x wire ties, safety pin, extra bottle cap, pencil (small golf type), paper clip, push pin, hair band

FLEXIBILITY IS KEY! This is a good example of having a flexible plan to buy your gear. I had originally planned other items, but I got my sale flier from Harbor Freight today and there were some GREAT deals on items I wanted, BUT had planned on buying later on. So I exceeded my $10 goal and I took advantage of the sale to buy the hatchet, flashlights and gloves for $11.29.

This sale runs on their website and stores through Sept. 23, 2010 - so if you want to get these exact items you can. Here's the link to the website... http://www.harborfreight.com/


Hatchet: $6.99 Central Forge (HF item #96231) I love this hatchet and the price! Hatchet head weights 1-1/4 lbs, Overall length is 14" with a fiberglass handle, so it's a good size for the backpack and general purpose camp axe. It's made in India, so don't look for this to be a high quality tool, but it's better than the cheapo hatchets with metal handles and it's serviceable enough for most camp needs. It can also double duty for a melee weapon if you need it.

My main issue with this hatchet is that it comes a little too "dull" for my taste OR not as sharp as I like. Maybe it was just the one I picked up, but I doubt it. So you will want to do a little sharpening on the edge before. I'll give you some ideas on how to do that later. The point here is that I took advantage of a good sale to buy a better "quality" tool than I would have gotten at the same $7 price later.


Flashlights: $2,99 3.5" Gordon 9 LED lights (HF item #97036) Okay, these are NOT a Mag-Lites or high quality, but for $3 you get TWO LED flashlights WITH batteries! They had replaceable 3x AAA batteries in each, but for the price and sheer amount of light they put out - they are a bargain. LED's rarely go bad or break and are more efficient, so these will last longer than a standard bulb flashlight. I was looking at Mini-Mag AA lights for $10, but I went for these will work for the price for general use.

Why a flashlight? IF you're going to scrounge in buildings or bunkers, you're going to have to have light to do it. Open flames like candles are very limited as they go out when you move. Nothing like needing light when something happens and your candle blows out! ANY flashlight is a better source for mobile light.


Work Gloves: $1.29 (Item #97115) - Next to your feet, your hands are most important part of your body. Leather palmed gloves (even these cheap ones) protect your hands from cuts, bashes and scraps when you're scrounging for wood, rocks or chopping something. I usually go for the $2.00 "Mule Skinner" gloves, but these were just as good and cheaper! So I bit the bullet for $1.29 over my budget! NEW NOTE 9/6/10: I used these today to load some wood. Yes, they worked fine, but damn! The smell of dye (?) or something gets on your hands and won't come off! I'm going back to the $2.00 Mule Skinners even if these are little cheaper.


"Murphy's Kit": This is a kit that helps you when Murphy's Law attacks! And it WILL attack at THE most inconvenient time. So it's time to start gathering up repair items now!

Warning : ) IF you believe that Murphy's Law is "rubbish" and "this won't happen to me because I'm smarter than that" - please STOP working on your survival kit now, because it WILL NOT help you survive! And I will suggest you read the works of second smartest man ever (next to Murphy) - Charles Darwin. LOL! j/k : )

Those scrounged up small items like the paperclip, wire ties, push pins and safety pins all get stuffed into a large pill vial that is properly labeled "Murphy's Kit". These items can be used to replace or fix those little "disasters" that happen like zipper breaks, lost buttons, lost screws, etc etc. So this kit is for little intangibles that you'll need along the way.

Other things like: Super Glue, misc sized nails, pennies, straight pins, sewing needles, etc go in it - just watch that you don't pack so much of this that you're whole survival kit turns into a "tool kit". I use the large size pill vial for this to keep things small and manageable. And yes, we WILL have a roll of Duct Tape in the pack when we can afford to do so : )


Sept Projects: Cargo Strap Knife Sheath


Here's one example of the cargo strap sheath. It's simple and durable.


In short, you take a piece of 2" heavy nylon cargo strap, measure to your knife so that 90% of it is covered. Add 4" to the top of the back piece for a 2" belt loop. Sew with thread or (I prefer) fishing line across for the belt loop first, then completely down the front edge of the sheath. On the back I sew up about 75% of the length to allow for room of the wrapped handled knife (shown). With the Paring Knife we're using in this kit, I'd will sew 100% of the back edge. This keeps the knife from falling out and retains it well. I wrapped he handle of my Paring Knife with a single wrap of athletic tape (bat wrap tape), just to give it some texture for gripping and it helps to keep the knife in place in the sheath too. This isn't a necessity - just an option.

For the accessory "pouch", I took a small nylon belt pouch I bought for $1.00 that's made for a small pocket knife and attached it using paracord wrapped around the sheath. The end of the paracord goes through the belt loop first to hold it in place. That's were I carry a small Bic lighter. You can add this to pretty much ANY knife sheath to add a accessory pouch.

This makes a good replacement sheath for a knife too. The 3" straps are better for a little larger knife. Yes, the color isn't "tacti-cool" but you may find that black is hard to find in the grass or leaves when you using it. The yellow or orange colors of straps make them visible and easy to find.

I have another idea for an integral pouch version of this sheath that I'm going to work on this weekend, so we'll see how that goes. I'll post pics as I make it : )

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Oct. 2010

Purchased Items: 1-5 Tool $3.00, Knife Sharpener $1.56, 15# Fishing Line (300 yds) $2.00, Fishing Hooks (10 #8 Brass) $1.50, Jr Hacksaw $2.00

Free (scrounged) Items: Cardboard box or other temporary container (to store your kit together)

5-1 Survival Tool: Just like it says, 5 tools in 1 package of basic survival tools = signal mirror, compass, match case, whistle & flint AND a 6th = 30" nylon cord (lanyard). This tool covers about 75% of the things you need for general survival that is not covered by the "Basic 4".

The whistle and mirror are the top 2 communication items you need in a survival kit. The whistle requires little energy to use and can be heard a greater distance than your voice. The signal mirror can be seen over several miles. (see how to use a signal mirror) The are the best for helping rescuers find you.

The compass is not a high grade version, but it is accurate enough if you need to find your way out and have a map or the area. (see how to use a compass)

The match case is good space to keep some matches (and striker) water tight, but I don't like the cheap o-ring that comes with this tool, so I replace it with a better one for about 10 cents from a hardware store. Still it's a good space to carry extra matches, medicine (if you have a special need), fish hooks, needles or other small items.

The flint striker on this tool is just about USELESS! It's too small, too thin, too hard to use and arranged too far to be of much help in starting a fire. It takes A LOT of practice and a good piece of carbon steel hacksaw blade to work at all. In fact, the only real use I've found for it is as an emergency replacement flint for a lighter (if you break it off). This thing is just NOT usable, but since the rest of the tools on this are good, just ignore it and DON'T count on it.

The last piece of the tool is the 30" nylon cord that is used as a lanyard or necklace to carry it. The most value is to make it easy to carry and keep up with. Second, it does give you a small length of cord to make a fire bow or tie something if you need to. They don't count it in the original 5 pieces, but given the uselessness of the flint, the cord is the REAL 5th piece of this item.

Knife Sharpener: This is like the one should in the picture - red plastic version using ceramic rods crossed to sharpen the blade of a knife. ANY knife will dull after usage, so having a knife sharpener is essential. There are lots of different kinds of these, but one of the EASIEST to use and SAFEST to use for most people is one like this.

They run between $1.50 & $3.00. Look around as I've seen these in the camping section for $3.00 and in the fishing section for $1.50.

Fishing Line & Fish Hooks: Fishing is a low energy, high return activity that is one of the best ways to get food in MOST temperate environments. Fishing requires little skill or strength, so just about anyone can do it. The most important rule to fishing is this: "Big hooks catch ONLY big fish. Small hooks catch ALL fish." So you want smaller hooks in ranges of #6, #8 or #10 for your kit. You also want SHINY brass hooks as many times a fish with strike something shiny, even without bait.

One thing you do need to know is how to tie a fish hook. Here's a link detailed instructions on how to tie an improved clinch knot, which shows things better than I can explain how.

Fishing line works good for tying or thread if you need it. I like line in test weights of #8 to about #15 for dual purpose use. It comes in rolls of 300+ yards for $2.00, so you'll have lots to use.

Jr Hacksaw: These are cheap little saws that are a cross between a hacksaw and copping saw. They cost as little as $2.00 (in an auto parts store) up to about $8.00 (in a hardware store), so look around some for this. The one shown is a simple wire framed saw with a 6" blade.

This saw is really a handy, light weight and lower energy way to cut wood - compared to a hatchet. It is also sometimes less of a "legal hassle" to carry one of these than a hatchet in those places that restrict weapons. It works better than the saw blade on a multi-tool too.

Container (Scrounged item): We just need a temporary container to keep things together till we get a backpack or other permanent carrier.

I'm using one of those re-usable grocery bags I got free from a vendor (like the one pictured right), but a cardboard box, bucket (5 gal plastic with a lid is dandy!) or even an empty plastic cat litter container (washed out). It's just for keeping things together for now.

I like the re-usable grocery bag and I think I'll keep it even after I find a backpack. It'll make a good scrounger or foraging bag.



Oct. Practice: "Trigger Time" (Shooting)

This month's active project is really more of a reminder for you to get out and practice shooting this month. Seems like something that "I'll do it when I have time", but this month MAKE TIME to FIND a place to shoot and then get out and shoot. Doesn't matter what you shoot, just getting in some trigger time on the indoor or outdoor range.

Yesterday, I took my 13 yo son to the indoor range for the first time. It's an experience for ANY shooter that has never been to an indoor range. We shot revolvers (.22 Ruger single action, .22 Taurus double action) and autos (9mm Beretta 92FS, 9mm Glock 17, 9mm Kimber 1911 & .45 Mauser M2) and one rifle (.22 Ruger 10/22) givings us a good cross section of firearms to practice with. 1 hour on the range = re-installing all those shootings skills left dormant over the past couple of months.

Indoor range tip - wear BOTH ear plugs AND head phones. If you're "shy" to loud sounds or are not use to others shooting around you, this will help you get use to it. It is better to learn to shoot well with others shooting around you now, then later when you need it.

Shooting for survival takes practice. Practice takes TIME shooting.

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November. 2010

Purchased Items: 6' x 8' Plastic Tarp $4.88 (All Purpose, Blue 5.1 mil Plastic), 4x 12" Steel Tent Stakes $3.00, 45' x 1/8" Utility Twine $1.50

Free (scrounged) Items: 6+ Flat Washers, 6+ large nails

Sorry, I just getting this posted, it's a little later than I had planned.

Tarp Shelter (Using 6' x 8' Tarp, Stakes and Twine)

This month of November is about shelter building and using a tarp is the easiest and most LOW ENERGY way to make a solid shelter.

There's couple of places that you spend the majority of your time in a survival situation and those are shelter building, collecting firewood and gathering food. Shelter building can (and usually is) the most energy and time consuming activity with the least amount of return for that energy spent.

Many would say that is BS you need to make a good shelter and I'm not saying it isn't. What I'm saying is think about how much time it takes to make a "natural shelter" using (having to FIND and HAUL back to your camp) logs, branches, dirt, snow, grass, etc etc. You really have to work at it to make a GOOD shelter that is wind and rain resistant. That ain't as easy as you may think. Then what happens when you need to move - you start the whole process over again in a new location.

Having a tarp, stakes and twine lets you make a durable shelter quickly, without much loss of energy AND you can take it down and put it back up.

12" Steel Stakes ($3.00 for 4 pack)

Yes, these are heavy compared to aluminum or plastic tent stakes, but they are more durable when hit with an improvised "hammer" and are longer to give you a good anchor on your shelter. Also, if you need an improvised weapon or a dead fall trap spike, they'll work.

Pictured (left to right):

1) 7" House Gutter Spike (.50 cents each)
2) 7" Gutter Spike with added plastic retainer
3 &5) 12" Steel Stakes ($3.00 for 4)
4) 6" Plastic Stake ($2.00 for 4)
6 & 7) 7" Aluminum Stakes ($2.00 for 4)

The Plastic and Aluminum stakes are fine for a summer camp out. The aluminum ones bend and pull out easily in high winds or storms. The plastic will shear or break in cold weather or if they are driven into a rock. Hitting them with a hammer, hatchet or rock will also chip and crack them. Both cost about $2.00 for 4.

Gutter Spikes - Maybe you haven't seen these, but they are used to hold the gutter on the edge of a house. The look like a big nail, but they are made from a light weight galvanized steel. If you use a washer or other type of retainer on top of it to hold your tarp's grommet, they will work for cheap extra stakes at .50 cents each.

Scrounged Items: Washers and Nails

These are in the scrounged section because finding a FEW of these is easy in most garages and shops. They are secondary items for your shelter building.

The washers should be either the same size as your tent stakes and your nails. They give you a better hold if you need to use them through the grommets of the tarp or to tie twine to. If you have a grommet tear out, you can use to replace it - like you would a rock on the corner of a piece of plastic. You can also use them for sinkers when you go fishing, instead of buying lead ones.

The nails are for general purpose use to tie twine to for your shelter, to make tools or handles for your pots. Pot handles can be made by driving the nail through the side of your tin can and then into a piece of wood. I've used them for making fishing spears - not as the tine of the spear, but as the spacer to spread the tines.



GENERAL DISCUSSION: Tarps vs Ponchos and Plastic Sheets

The tarp is much easier for most people to build a shelter with due to the grommet rings for tying to. This makes it easy to work with and tarps (even the cheap blue ones) are generally more durable than most plastic sheeting or PVC style ponchos.

I think the plastic sheeting works well for rain coverage, but not as a sun shade. We're talking about 4 mil thick heavy duty plastic sheeting here. (For reference, heavy duty garbage bags are 1.1 mil and the All Purpose Blue tarp like the one above is 5.1 mil in thickness.) You also have to use a rock on the corners of your tie offs to give you something stable to tie to in high winds.

PVC Ponchos or Military Ponchos are heavy duty and usually have the tie grommets like tarps. However, they are smaller than the 6' x 8' tarp I am listing here at about 5' x 7' and really only provide a small shelter for a single person. I hate the hole in them as it always seems to leak in water no matter what I do. I do like ponchos as they generally more compact then a tarp and they do allow you to move around while wearing them - which the tarp does not. But for a shelter, the tarp is a better deal for your money.



Practice: Shelter Building

"QUICK SHELTER" (2 minutes to build)

The first picture on the right is one I call the "quick shelter". No I didn't invent it, but it's one I've used for years. It is simple and easy to set up and takes about 2 minutes to do it. You can use a tarp (or poncho) to make this shelter.

NOTE: this pic is an approximation of what I'm talking about. We do not use the second tie off on the back side of the tarp.)

First step is to tie your twine (or rope) around the tree about chest high. Then tie the twine to one corner of your tarp.

Second, take stake #1 and stake on the opposite corner from the one you tied. Make sure you pull the tarp tight before you stake it.

Third and Fourth steps are the same, pull the leftover corners out and stake them with stakes #2 & #3.

Your done!

The "Quick Shelter" gets you in out of the rain, snow or sun quickly with very little energy spent making it. It's very efficient since it only requires one securing point (the tree), a short length of twine (about 4'), the tarp and 3 stakes to make it. Total cost: less than $10.00!

You can modify it for hot weather by opening one or both sides of it up with poles or lower the main tie off on the tree to make it more storm resistant. I also will tuck one of the corners of the tarp inside (using the middle grommets to stake instead of the corners) and make a partial floor to my shelter. This gives me a dry place to sleep or store my gear. Once you try this, you'll come up with your on variations.

"Natural Support" Shelter (takes advantage of available natural "supports" for stability)

This again is nothing new or innovative to those of you that are Scouts and Campers, but this is the second shelter that is easy to construct taking advantage of natural "supports" for a frame to create a solid shelter. It does take a little more time, materials and effort than the "Quick Shelter", but the pay off is high - especially if you want a long term shelter.

The picture right shows the tarp draped over a fallen tree for it's center line support. The tree's limbs have been cleared away so the tarp won't tear. The back side is weighted with rocks and the front using poles to make it more open. The front poles have to be staked out with 2 stakes each for support. I also support the end of the tree with a single pole or two crossed poles, so the whole thing won't come down on me if the tree shifts.

IF you wanted a more enclosed shelter, you simply use rocks to weigh down the on the other side as well. The only drawback with this shelter is it is more limited in size due to the space under the tree.

This gives you a very stable shelter that is a low energy build.
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4 month Recap:

I wanted to take a moment and recap the things we've collected and check off what we still need. To do this, I can use either the Survival Kit template or the BOB and Survival kit template. I have both listed below.

Purists, would use only the Survival Kit template as it's based on the S.A.S. kit and is a "strict" wilderness survival kit.
This is the traditional military style survival kit that most people think about when they think of "survival kit". These types of kits ASSUME that you are dressed for the climate, have "geared up" for the outdoors and that you have advanced survival training.

I find them lacking in versatility for other situations that are non-wilderness based (like emergency evacuation) and it ASSUMES too much for the common person going about their NORMAL daily lives. They also trade off a simple more practical item for one that is space saving - for example: using a condom for a water carrier verses using a plastic soda bottle. I will go ahead and post our gear on this template too, if you want to compare. If you want to make a smaller kit, this is a better template to help you.

The 10 x 12 kit is a larger and more encompassing kit than just for wilderness survival, so I'm going to use the BOB template as I find it a little better to work with and it helps me format things to think about them on a larger scale when I'm building a kit. (and yes, I really use it!) You can cut & paste the template to your profile if you want to display your kit : )

Survival Kit template

1) Fire Starting (2 min.) 2x Bic Lighters 320x Matches (in pill vial)	5) Shelter 6' x 8' Plastic Tarp 4x 12" Steel Stakes	9) Food
2) Knife 3.5" Paring Knife	6) Fishing/Hunting Gear 320 yds x 15# Fishing Line 10x #8 Fishing Hooks (brass)	10) First Aid Kit
3) Water Container 2lt Plastic Bottle /w extra cap	7) Navigation Compass (5-1 tool)	11) Signal Mirror (5-1 tool) Whistle (5-1 tool)
4) Water Purification 2x Tin Cans (for boiling water & cooking)	8) Lighting 2x LED Flashlights (AAA)	12) Lashing 45'x 1/8" Twine

Using the BOB and Survival kit template, here's a recap of what I've put together.

(Please see template link for explanations of these categories.)

Range Weapons: (Not in the scope of this project)	Clothing: Gloves (work)	Personal Hygiene: Restaurant Napkins (TP) Hairband
Melee Weapons: (Not primary scope of this project so will only be "dual purpose" tools) Hatchet (14")	Camp Kitchen: 3.5" Paring Knife Tin Can (Soup) Tin Can (1 lb. Coffee)	Shelter: 6' x 8' Plastic Tarp 4x 12" Steel Tent Stakes 1/8" Utility Line (45')
Food & Water: 2 lt Plastic Bottle /w extra cap	Fire Starting: 2x Bic Lighters 320x Matches (in pill vials)	Maintenance/Tools: Knife Sharpener 6" Jr. Hacksaw
Lighting: 2x LED Flashlights (AAA)	Entertainment:	Repair Kit/ Supplies: Wire ties, Safety Pins, Paper Clips, Push Pin, Nails, Washers
Information: Pencil	Hunting/fishing: 15# Fishing Line (320 yds) 10x #8 Fishing Hooks (brass)	First Aid Kit:
Communication:	Optics:	Carrier or Bag: Grocery Bag(Temporary Carrier)
Survival (Misc): 5-1 tool (whistle, mirror, compass, match case, flint)	Other: Coat Hanger 3' Cargo Strap (2")	Other/Special:

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December. 2010 (SKIP)

It's Christmas time and we all have to spend our money on gifts and such, so December we skip our kit purchases. This is the reality of life :P (Actually, I didn't plan this it just happened that way.)

So maybe instead of kit stuff, how about posting what good gear you got for Christmas!

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January. 2011

Purchased Items: First Aid Kit items - Antibacterial Soap (bar) $1.00, Bandaids (60 count) $1.00, Aspirin (100 count) $1.00, Soap Dish $1.00, Duct Tape (large roll) $5.00, "Tea Light" Candles (10 pack) $1.00

Free (scrounged) Items: (Misc Goodies & stocking stuffers you get from Christmas)
Jerky (homemade), Coffee (2 oz. sample), Chapstick, Hersey Chocolate Bar (lg), Hand Warmers, Lotion (1 oz tube with Aloe), Hand Sanitizer (1 oz), Gloves (light wt knit), Notepad (sm pocket)

First Aid Kit (Soap, Bandaids, Aspirin = $3.00)

Look, Basic First Aid is not that complicated: Stop the bleeding. Clean the wound from getting infected and keep wound clean. Manage Pain. That's it!

First Aid is "field treatment" for the AVERAGE injury. If it's more complicated than that, then you better be (or have) a TRAINED medical professional - i.e. EMT, Combat Medic, Nurse or Veterinarian with you. All the cool medical goodies are USELESS to the untrained person! Combat troops have EXTENSIVE support networks that evacuate the wounded quickly and get them to this type of help.

So unless you ARE one of those, keep your First Aid Kit simple and realistic. Soap, Bandaids and Aspirin are the basics.

Soap (and clean water!) will get the injury clean from bacteria contamination. (I haven't seen this in an "expert" survival kit yet!) This is too valuable an item to leave out. Get a soap dish too.

Bandaids are just basic quick bandage material that will cover MOST injuries that don't require a more extensive bandage or large area. You can spend more and get waterproof ones if you want (I do), when you're not under a budget.

Aspirin (or other pain killer) helps with the pain and makes you more comfortable. Also, Aspirin are key in keeping fevers in check. Long term, this may end up being your biggest friend, so don't skimp on a couple of doses like most survival kits - buy the bottle! Tylenol and Advil are the same, if you prefer them.

Here's a good weblink if you want to so some studying. (http://firstaid.webmd.com/)

Duct Tape $5.00 (large roll), $3.00 (small roll)

I will not go into all the reasons to carry Duct Tape, but having it to repair items is paramount - especially for things like your tarp, water bottle and/or a rifle stock. There are millions of usages for duct tape and volumes written about it. If there's a specific question about how to use Duct Tape, just post on the January thread and we'll discuss it. Otherwise, just get it, pack it and leave it alone (so it stays in your kit). If you want a smaller roll, then fine - just get some. You'll be glad EVERY single day you're in a survival jam.

"Tea Light" Candles $1.00 (10 pack)

These are perfect little candles for survival kits. Yes, there are other "survival candles" out there, but I haven't found them to be hugely more effective as the little Tea Light. Tea Lights are a good little package of candle and holder that allows you to use them effectively when you need to.

One way is for fire starting. Why? It's sometimes easier (and better) to strike a single match, light the candle and then use the candle to light your tinder. The candle gives you a sustained flame to light with, instead of a quick burning match.

Another way, is a small (and controllable) heat source that is controlled and contained so you can use it under a plastic tarp or dry wood shelter. Trying to keep warm and burning down your shelter is not good! So a Tea Light can give you a little heat in the right place. Under a tarp tent, the little candle's heat is captured easily and you'd be surprised at how much warmer you are with just the little candle.

Scrounged Christmas Presents:

** suggested uses for these to get you thinking.

Jerky (homemade), Coffee (2 oz. sample), Hersey Chocolate Bar (lg) - these are all just BONUS "food" items for your kit, although the Coffee (at least for me) is a necessity : )

Chapstick & Lotion - Chapstick, sunscreen, Vaseline, lotion, etc all come under exposure protection items and/or exposure treatment. The lotion I get has Aloe in it, so it definitely goes into the kit.

Hand Sanitizer - is a fire starting aid.

Gloves (light wt knit) - These types of soft material gloves aren't much, but if they are used as interior liners for my work gloves, they help for cold weather.

Notepad - see new note at top of the page.
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February. 2011
Topic of the month: "high percentage food gathering techniques"


Purchased Items: Replacement Landing Net Bag $6.00, Victor Rat Traps (2 pack) $3.00, Tweezers $1.00

Free (scrounged) Items:


"High Percentage Food Gather Techniques"

This month is focused on a couple of specific items that will EXPONENTIALLY improve your success rates at gather food - specifically meat! The other important part of these is that they require little skill or experience to make you successful - if you have the right tools.

If you're a classic, die hard wilderness survivalist, this is your month!



Replacement Landing Net Bag ($6.00)

I've been saving this one for you : ) This is one of my "secret weapons" for survival kits - Net Bag! i.e. making a Dip Net.

Okay, it's not very exciting till you start USING it or thinking about how you CAN use it to catch fish.

To make a Dip Net handle and frame is easy (see the picture above for what this looks like), to make a net is HARD! So compromise and just bring the net bag with you. It's light and cheap.

For fishing (by comparing to spear fishing) using a dip net is A LOT easier to master and you can use a longer pole to reach with and have good success without having to be "accurate" with your spear.

When compared to Hook and Line fishing - think about how many times you've seen a fish swimming next to your bait and it DIDN'T bite! Not what you want when you need food.

Also, my personal HIGH success way of catching fish is by making a fish corral - especially in an area that I'm STAYING in. This is a way to catch multiple fish at once and contain them to keep them fresh till you need them.

Here's a link to an excellent page by M4040 that shows you how to make a fish corral better than I can explain here. M4040's pages are very good references for survival techniques, so take a look at them.

Besides use as a fishing net, you can use it to bag small game too or even as a foraging bag.

Get the idea?


Rat Traps ($3.00)

My buddy Timberrattler was the first one to tell me about these babies, but since then I've seen several places about these - I dunno WHY I had not seen them before!

Since then, I've taken them to the woods to try them out, and this thing works! And works well!

I can't get a snare to work to save my ass! But using a Rat Trap in place of the snare is about a 30% success rate! That's MEAT in 1 in 3 of your traps! That is truly PHENOMENAL in the trapping and snaring world. Some people might than better than that, but that is MUCH better than I've been able to do with snares and other traps.

What makes them so good is that IF a trap is sprung, it is almost 100% effective in catching the game. That is the key as making and setting a snare or trap requires some extensive experience and skill to do it WELL. If you've got that, then I salute you. If you don't, then the BEST thing you can do for yourself is pack some of these little gems.

I've caught squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, mice and snakes in these now. I'm not talking about HUGE game here, but these are certainly enough meat to supplement your diet and keep you going.

These are about $3.00 a pair. I try to deploy them in 4 packs if I can, but even a couple will get you and MUCH better chance at trapping game than ANY OTHER trapping technique. For bait - you can use anything! I've used peanut butter, almond extract, alfalfa pellets, cheese and beef jerky. I'm sure there's lots of others.

The most important thing you need to do is to drill a hole in them on the metal bale side of the trap (see pic above). and tie them off to a tree or stake. I've even used the 7" gutter spikes through the hole to anchor them. This keeps the game from dragging the trap away OR some scavenger coming by and taking off with your kill.


Tweezers ($1.00)

It's just a ***** to get a splinter in your finger, especially a metal sliver, and not be able to get it out. Yes, you can use a needle to dig it out, but sometimes it's just as easy to have a pair of tweezers around for the duty. I had a buck left over, so tweezers made the budget this month.


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March. 2011

Purchased Items: Jacket (Hooded, "Weather Resistant") $10

Free (scrounged) Items: (see note below)



"Weather Resistant" Jacket ($10)

This jacket is a simple, lightweight "windbreaker" or the more modern term - "weather resistant" jacket. It's a lightweight jacket that forms a wind and rain resistant shell when worn.

Nothing fancy here, but what you get is a warm jacket that is easy to pack, light in weight and with only a shirt under it, provides warmth (and dryness) through a wide range of temperatures. It's one of the "big bang for your buck" items that when you need it, that $10 you spent on it will seem like it's worth alot more!

The Jacket I purchased for $10 was at Walmart. Made by Starter, it's made of "Ripstop" (100% polyester) material, elastic cuffs, drawstring at the waist and has a hood with drawstring. It's your average windbreaker.

One note: Buy this big (maybe one size up) as you'll want it on the outside of what you are wearing to maximize it's use. Even in temperatures colder than you would wear this jacket alone, it'll still give you that outer protective shell against the wind and rain so you can wear other non-weather resistant, warmer clothes under it.

If you already have one of these jackets you can scrounge up, then put your money from March into the Radio/Earphones or extra batteries for your April purchases.

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April. 2011

Purchased Items: Pocket AM/FM Radio (2x AA Batteries) $10

Alternative Purchases: Ear Buds $5, Extra AAA Batteries $5 (if you had the Jacket)

Free (scrounged) Items: Ear Plugs (cheap set that only one ear works, but it's the mono side.)


Survival Ideology: Batteries - Commonality or Availability?



AM/FM Pocket Radio ($10)

This is a basic, public information device that is a cheap way to find out what is going on in the world - regardless if it's Z-day or other natural disasters. There are HUNDREDS of these radios available, so I will show you one and what things to consider when purchasing one of these.

Pictured is the Sony model ICF-S10MK2 AM/FM radio as an example of what to look for in a pocket radio. (I have an older model Panasonic that I scrounged up for this kit.)

Here's the capabilities you will WANT in a pocket radio:

• External, Telescopic Antenna for FM (AM is internal) - external antennas work better than one that uses the earphone wire for it's antenna. It can also be directional to help you pickup signals OR to determine their direction from your location - i.e. signal strength.
  
• Earphone Jack - mono or stereo doesn't matter as long as you can plug in to hear and still be quiet to your surroundings.
• External Speaker - so several people can listen in a secure location.
• Analog Tuner - This is subjective, but I have found that digital turners will ignore weak signals/channels to find stronger ones. This is NOT a good thing if you are LOOKING for communication - even if it's far off or has a weak signal strength. So I prefer being able to "scroll" through the frequencies slowly by manual turning.
• Battery Powered - this can be the MOST critical aspect in deciding on which radio to buy. (see notes below). Get one that uses ready available batteries. AA and AAA are suggested. You can use the Solar Battery Recharger if you want to use rechargeable batteries.
  

Survival Ideology - food for thought!

Batteries - Commonality or Availability?

Ideology on batteries takes two directions - 1) commonality and 2) availability. (Both are right!)


"Commonality" Approach:

The "Commonality" approach is to use the SAME BATTERIES for ALL your gear - i.e. AAA batteries in the flashlights and radio.

This approach allows you to carry ONE TYPE of extra batteries that will work in all your gear. It also lets you switch them out to what you need to OR minimize battery use by only using 1 set between gear till those run dry - i.e. 2 batteries rotated as needed from your flashlight (stored) to your radio (when you want to listen to it) and back again instead of loading 6 batteries up (3 batteries in both devices) at once.

Commonality works well when you expect NOT to be able to resupply your batteries (of any type) and allows you to determine the weight and size of your extra batteries and the gear that use them.

This approach's strength is in being able to carry what you need with you (on your back) without lugging the "extra" weight of different batteries and/or having to carry the larger (and heavier) types of batteries - i.e. opting for gear that use AAA batteries instead of D-cells.



"Availability" Approach:

The "Availability" approach is to use a couple of DIFFERENT batteries so that you are not "hamstrung" to one type. The approach is one that pro-actively addresses situations where you cannot find the batteries you want at a given time - i.e. "D-cell" batteries, etc.

This approach goes for FLEXIBILITY in what you find or use and allows you to use MORE THAN ONE TYPE of battery with your gear. Here you may carry a 6V Flashlight, 2x AA Flashlight and a AAA Radio.

This approach (usually) does not depend on having to carry lots of extra batteries, but EXPECTS to find a resupply of batteries AND expects that supply will not be uniform in type of battery available. So this approach is not limited to the use of one type of battery and can use multiple types of batteries that are found.

The approach also QUALIFIES what gear is MOST IMPORTANT to you and allows you to not strain those power cells with less important power use. For example: if you're checking for something in your pack (in the dark), you would use your AA flashlight instead of wasting light from your good 6V Streamline flashlight - saving the Streamline for when you need to search a house. Or maybe wasting your radio for some music without using up your flashlight batteries. Then when the radio runs out of juice - you're done till you find some more AAA's.

So, for this approach, you would only carry extra batteries for your critical and important gear.

The Availability approach's strength is in it's flexibility to use multiple batteries that are found and/or acquired AND the ability to qualify your important gear. In this case, if you can only find 3V batteries, you have a flashlight for that. Maybe you find only AAA's, so you have batteries for your radio without draining the ones you need for your good flashlight.


Both of these are right - in their own way.


"Splitting the Difference" (Primary/Secondary Batteries)

This is a hybrid of the two approaches above by QUALIFYING your gear into what is most important AND by having TWO TYPES of batteries with one being your PRIMARY power source and the other being your SECONDARY source.

In this, you first lay out a plan for your PRIMARY gear using all the SAME types of batteries. (For our kit, I planned to use AAA batteries as our primary power source.) So the critical gear like the flashlights and the radio use the same AAA batteries. Then went I get a chance to buy batteries, I buy AAA's that will work in all my primary gear. Also, AAA's are VERY common and easy to find. So I want my primary power source to be easy to get and I want to carry lots of extra batteries. AAA's are light weight, compact and inexpensive.

Second, you qualify some REDUNDANT gear using a SECONDARY type of battery.

I want redundancy here for two reasons: 1) to conserve my primary batteries for non-essential use (or special use); and 2) to give me flexibility to use another, ALTERNATIVE source of power in some of my gear. So I might choose another flashlight using AA batteries (another common battery) or something like a more powerful 6V tactical light (for special use only).

Here's an example:

If my primary batteries are AAA for my flashlights and radio, I may also carry that 6V tactical flashlight that uses two 3V batteries as my secondary light and power source.

In this case, I would ONLY use the 6V flashlight when I need lots of light for clearing a house (which is a special situation in which the AAA flashlight would not provide as much light as I would want for this duty). I don't want my primary source to be the 3V batteries as you don't normally find pocket radios that use 3V batteries and 3V's are MUCH harder (and more expensive) to find than the AAA's on a daily bases.

So for this example, I would want to carry a couple of 8-packs of AAA's and maybe only two extra batteries for the 3V's.

Battery Storage:

Store the batteries for your kit's devices seperately in their original packed container and NOT in the device they are used for. Two reasons: 1) Keep dated items close to the top of your kit for easy retrieval to check for expiration dates and replacement when they need it; and 2) Battery acid (white powder) will damage or corrode your device if the battery leaks during storage. So store your batteries seperate and you won't have any worries.

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May. 2011

Purchased Items: Coppertone Sport 30 SPF Sunblock (1 oz) $1.00, Task Force 7-in-1 Screwdriver $2.00, Rayovac AA Flashlight /w Batteries $1.00, WD40 (3 oz) $2.00, Slip Lock Pliers $1.88, Locking Pliers $2.00, SS Fork $.33, SS Spoon $.25

Free (scrounged) Items: Plastic Utensils (if you don't buy the SS ones above)

Survival Ideology: Why do I need tools in a survival kit?

Keep Your Eyes Open For: P-38 Can Opener



Coppertone Sport 30 SPF Sunblock (1 oz tube) = $1.00

This is one of those things that many people forget or leave behind on a sunny day to only be miserably sun burn at the end of the day - especially those of you like me that are "fair skinned". I'm not going to go into WHY to wear sunblock and the ramifications of not wearing it long term, but I'm going to suggest what to look for in a good sunblock.

This one's marked "Ultra Sweatproof" and "waterproof" - that's what you want. That way water and sweat won't wash off your precious protection.

30 SPF (Sun Protection Factor) If you want to go look up the American Academy of Dermatology and read their suggestions, be my guest. But here's the short version - get a sunblock of at least 30 SPF and apply it ever 2 hours if dry, every 30 minutes if in the water.

This is a 1 dollar easy fix to a ton of problems if you don't!


Task Force 7-in-1 Screwdriver - $2.00

They call it a "stubby grip" but the grip is 3-1/2" long and better than most "stubbies" I've used. It has a hex drive and comes with Phillips two #2, #1, Flat #3/16, #1/3, Torc #15, #20 bits. It isn't fancy, but it's a compact and handy tool for times when you need a screwdriver to work on something OR if you're scrounging for parts : )





Rayovac Value Bright Flashlight - $1.00 with 2 AA Batteries!

Why in the hell am I buying another flashlight!?! The answer is that I wasn't looking for the flashlight! I was looking for AA or AAA batteries for my radio and our other flashlights when I came on this.

My Sony model ICF-S10MK2 radio (above) uses 2 AA batteries, so I needed to find some. I was looking at the AA batteries when I saw this flashlight WITH batteries.

Here's why:

Flashlight WITH two AA batteries = $1.00
Four pack of AA batteries = $2.88

So I could buy TWO of the flashlights AND get FOUR AA batteries for $2.00, which is cheaper than I could just buy the four pack of AA batteries! Since I only wanted the one set of batteries for my radio in this month's purchases, I only bought one flashlight. (Actually, I did buy another one, but it's not in this month's budget :P )

Now I have two AA batteries for my radio AND a backup flashlight that uses AA batteries too!

WD40 "Handy Can" (3 oz) - $1.00

WD40 is the "duct tape" of the oil and lubricate world. It's not that it's the best at anything, but a little WD40 is good for many things like cleaning firearms (when you don't have solvent and good gun oil), lubricating mechanical devices and tools, loosening rusty bolts, hitches, lug nuts, door hinges, locks, etc.

So having a little WD40 when you need it make it a valuable "non-tangible" addition to your survival kit.



Slip Lock Pliers ($1.88) & Locking Pliers ($2.00)

Pliers are the type of tools that all our fancy modern Multi-Tools are based on. They represent those common tools that are used when working on ANYTHING from bolts & nuts, wire to holding something hot.

Slip Lock Pliers are the basic version. (Shown left) They are "hand" held in place to use them. Most have wire cutter notches on the inside, so these can be pliers and wire cutters at the same time. Since my cheapo Locking Pliers didn't have the cutters, I grabbed these too. I actually like these for most chores over the Locking Pliers as they are sometimes easier to use.

Locking Pliers or "Vice Grips" (shown right) are a more modern version of the Slip Locks, but they will clamp onto your item and hold it till released by their "unlock" lever. These excel over the Slip Locks by holding the item (in it's jaws) and allowing you to use more force to turn it - the the case of a rusty nut. Some have wire cutter notches, some to not - these didn't.

Both types have their advantages and at less than $4.00 for the pair of them, they're much cheaper than any of the Multi-Tools and easier to use.


Stainless Steel Fork & Spoon - $.75 (total)

I actually purchased these in sets: 4 Spoons for $1.00 and 3 Forks for $1.00

The Spoon is a necessity. The Fork is a luxury.

A Spoon is hard to make in the wild and a simple thing that can make eating things like soup or stew (made in your coffee can) difficult to eat when you don't have one. So I really consider a Spoon as a necessity. You can use a plastic one scrounged from a restaurant if you want, but either way - you'll need a spoon for eating.

A Fork is NOT a necessity. You can eat with chopsticks or a sharpened "forked" stick if you want, but I prefer to just pack a fork to eat with. Yes, it's prissy, but honestly - if you have dirty or "unclean" hands in the field, touching your foot is a contamination issue that is too easily remedied by having a utensil to eat with. You can use a plastic one if you want.

Stainless Steel Fork & Spoon are metal utensils that are better than wooden ones and more durable than plastic utensils. You can also "clean" them in a fire instead of washing them in water. You can tie your fork to a stick to cook with and you could use your spoon to dig with - neither of which you can do with a plastic one.

The cost is small, so I buy one of each for my kits. Sets of 3 & 4 utensils go into several kits OR in one multi-person kit.


Survival Ideology - food for thought!

Why do I need tools in a survival kit?


Having the right "tool" at a time of need is important, whether that tool is a knife, spoon, pliers or fish hook. They all have their place. Hand tools like screwdrivers and pliers are common hand tools that (when you don't have one) can make simple tasks into major problems.

It's kind of like having a can of food and NO can opener. Not impossible, but creates a situation where extreme caution is needed and the probability of accident is high! (Remember Murphy's Law?)

So having a FEW of the right tools is essential whether it's Z-day, natural disasters or wilderness survival situations. That's why Multi-Tools were invented - to allow you to carry a variety of common tools in a small package. Unfortunate, the price and quality of Multi-Tools can vary. Most Multi-Tool's tools are not the best quality and sometimes not even as good at the "real tool" it is trying to be and can be harder to use - for example: screwdrivers, pliers and can openers. I've had my hand pitched BAD by a Multi-Tool that NEVER happens with a cheap set of pliers.

Simple tools like the ones I have listed above represent the "cheap" versions of their brand of tool. They are usable and they will serve you well enough if needed. Having the right tool when you need it (and where you need it) is better than a set of good tools in your garage or at home.

New!
Keep your eyes open for: P-38 Can Opener

These are cheap and invaluable when you need it. (pictured)

They run from .50-$1.00, but they can be a little hard to find. So starting looking for one.

P-51 Can Opener is same thing, only bigger than the P-38. They'll run $1-$2 and are easier to use if you can find one.

If you see one of these for sale, STOP what you're doing and buy it! The alternatives are much more expensive and bulky than this little beauty.

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Recap 2: Where are we now?

We're on the home stretch now, it's time to take an inventory of things and check it against the BOB and Survival kit template. Again, this Template is a tool for you to use to see if you are covering everything that is important to YOU. So print this Template out and use it to sort out your kit for the last two months of purchases. That means we have $20 left in our budget to spend!

Range Weapons: (Not in the scope of this project)	Clothing: Gloves (work) Jacket, Windbreaker	Personal Hygiene: Restaurant Napkins (TP) Hairband Tweezers
Melee Weapons: (Not primary scope of this project so will only be "dual purpose" tools) Hatchet (14")	Camp Kitchen: 3.5" Paring Knife Tin Can (Soup) Tin Can (1 lb. Coffee) SS Fork & Spoon	Shelter: 6' x 8' Plastic Tarp 4x 12" Steel Tent Stakes 1/8" Utility Line (45')
Food & Water: 2 lt Plastic Bottle /w extra cap Goodies (leftovers from Xmas)	Fire Starting: 2x Bic Lighters 320x Matches (in pill vials)	Maintenance/Tools: Knife Sharpener 6" Jr. Hacksaw 7-in-1 Screwdriver Slip Lock Pliers (Wire Cutter) Locking Pliers WD40 (3 oz.)
Lighting: 2x LED Flashlights (AAA) Tea Lites (10) Flashlight (2x AA; batteries for radio)	Entertainment:	Repair Kit/ Supplies: Wire ties Safety Pins Paper Clips Push Pin Nails (6) Flat Washers (6)
Information: Pencil Notepad AM/FM Radio (2x AA)	Hunting/fishing: 15# Fishing Line (320 yds) 10x #8 Fishing Hooks (brass) Net Bag, 18" x 20" Rat Traps (2)	First Aid Kit: Soap, Antibacterial (bar) /w Soap Dish Bandaids (6) Aspirin (100) 30 SPF Sunblock (1 oz)
Communication:	Optics:	Carrier or Bag: Grocery Bag(Temporary Carrier) Box
Survival (Misc): 5-1 tool (whistle, mirror, compass, match case, flint)	Other: Coat Hanger 3' Cargo Strap (2") Pill Vials (for matches)	Other/Special:

Recap 2 Concerns:

There's a couple of things I really need to get to round out this kit.

#1 is a local area map! This includes local, state and national maps too - if I can scrounge them up. Old maps are better than NO maps! Little pocket calenders (mini-daytimer types) can also have a national road map in the back of them. Start looking!

#2 is a Backpack. Yeah, we've finally reached the time to make this kit mobile, so we're going to WANT a backpack that will carry it all. Can we scrounge one? Can we buy a used one? Starting looking!

#3 is SOMETHING for entertainment. This doesn't seem important, but it's something to amuse yourself while you pass the time hunkered down in a building or on a rainy day. This keeps you mentally occupied and awake. You want QUIET things like playing cards, books or games. My personal favorites are Playing Cards (Solitaire) and the S.A.S. Survival Guide (book). Starting thinking about this!