These are the items you DON'T leave home without.

These will keep you alive if you have nothing else. This kit is NOT for long term survival and does not include equipment for shelter or food gathering. Price of the equipment is up to you. It is just the basic equipment you MUST have to have a CHANCE to survive if you get lost or hurt while out hiking, boating or other outdoor activities.

Point of note: Ever watch Man vs Wild? Bear ALWAYS has these with him when he's "roughing it".

This is the no B.S. minimum kit!

The "BASIC 4"are:

1) Fire Starter - Carry 2 if possible - i.e. Matches & Lighter.
2) Canteen (Water) - Minimum: 16.9 oz (500 mL); Prefer:1+ liter.
3) Cup/Can (Metal/Tin Can) - to boil water for drinking; stainless steel or aluminum cup or empty soup can (cheap)
4) Knife - 3"+ blade preferred

Fire Starter
Fire is not only a source of heat, a necessity to cook with, can signal your location to rescuers, but also for your general "mental" well-being to allow you to relax and think. It also serves as a good signal for others to find you. It is your first most important item to have with you.

For your first fire starter, I recommend "water proof & wind proof" Lifeboat matches. They are guaranteed to light and burn in all environments.The cheaper "waterproof & windproof" ones come in a box of 20 matches for $3.00 at Walmart or Dick's. The very best of these are the true NATO MK3"Lifeboat Matches" that run $3.50-$5.00 for a waterproof case of 25 matches. (shown in picture from tadgear.com. It's the only good pic I could find.)

You don't have to have a waterproof match case, but I would suggest you do. Cheap one runs $1.00 all the way up to a Silva aluminum case /w compass for about $20. Other things you can scrounge to use are pill vials, 35mm camera cans, small plastic shampoo bottles or even plastic spice containers - just to get you thinking.

Lighter is my second fire starter. I like butane refillable lighters because they are easy to top off before I go. A disposable Bic lighter is fine too. Zippo type refillable fuel lighters are the best type since they are more wind proof, but I find them a little messy with the lighter fluid sometimes leaking out. Bic lighter runs $1.00 up to the Zippos around $15. More expensive "survival" lighters run $50-$80.

Quick Special Note: The older style Zippo lighters are much easier to use by children or people with "not as strong hands". That's the reason we now use safety lighters, but in a survival situation, you may WANT your young person to have one of these in case they need it. Instruction on how to use and fire safety is essential, but this is an option.

Another type of fire starter you could useis one of the various "metal" flints. Some have magnesium blocks with them and lets you use the magnesium to get it going hot & quick. The best are the SwedishFireSteel flints. These take a little practice with to get good at making fires, but they work and are very durable and waterproof. One caution - only carry a metal flint as a backup and never as your primary fire starter. Although you can start fires with them eventually, they take a lot of time and practice to learn to use them correctly. I prefer to use them as a 3rd fire starter.

Canteen
Water is key to your survival. You can live without food for 2 weeks, but water you must have to live and cannot go without for more than 3 days. Collect it at EVERY opportunity.

Again, an Aquafina bottle works fine,draws no extra attention when carried around and you can just buy these on your way out. Keeps the water fresh. Go for the 1 liter bottle if you can, but take a minimum of the 16.9 oz(500 mL) bottle. Tie off the bottle's neck with some paracord or buy a little neoprene "bottle carrier" if you want.

Another recommendation is to use the US Army issue1 liter plastic military canteen system. It's a nice package with the canteen, canteen pouch and cup all fit together. Runs about $12 for the lot. If you want a quick, easy way to heat liquids, use military Trioxane bars under the cup holder. For $1.00 for 3 bars, these are quick& easy to light.You can carry a couple inside the canteen cover.


Metal Cup
This item is really important to allow you to boil your collected water. Boiling water kills ALL those bacteria found in ALL ground water and is better than any filter or chemical water treatment. This is your biggest danger, but can easily be avoided by boiling your water first.

This can be as simple as a cleaned up soup can or coffee can up to a stainless steel military cup with the above canteen. Carrying the tin can could be more of a challenge than the nice military pack, but I have a little neoprene bottle carrier that clips on my belt. I stick the can in the bottom and a water bottle inside the can. Looks like it's just a water bottle when carried.

Whatever you use, you MUST boil your water in order to drink it or you will become VERY sick!

Knife
A 3" blade is minimum for this. There is such a wide array of knives that will work; just having ONE is what is important. I prefer to use a "tactical" folder for this stored inside a pouch as it's less "militant" looking when you are walking in a park, city or other area where a fixed blade knife may not be "politically" acceptable.


What's in my Basic 4 kit?

My Personal"Basic 4" Kit is packed in a neoprene water bottle carrier (like the one shown). It's very discreet and I have the basics of what I need.

1) Zippo or Bic Lighter (In my pocket)
2)500 ml water bottle or 32 oz. Gatorade Bottle
3)"Chunky Soup" Tin Can or 1 lb. Coffee Can (The water bottle fits inside the can and the can inside the carrier.)
4) Browning Barracuda folding Knife (3 1/4" blade) (In my pocket)

Yes, there are A LOT of things I CAN add, but this kit is "basic" and only the minimal of things I NEED "just in case". You decide what you want to add, but make SURE you have the "Basic 4".

Kurt's Quick Carry Bag:
Here's a really quick and easy carry bag for carrying your larger water bottles and a cup. Take a cut off pants leg from some old pants. Turn them inside out. Tie off one end with string or a short piece of rope. Turn them right side out. Cut a small hole above the height of the bottle and run a string around the bottle and back inside. Then roll the end down till the top of the bag is even with the bottle top. Tighten the string around the bottle top and tie off. Use the left over to make a loop to carry on your belt. It doesn't look impressive, but it works.

Ironhand