Kit based on a modified SAS kit. This is a "minimalist" type of kit - meaning it is designed to be compact and used by someone with advanced knowledge in survival techniques.

If you want something "larger" and easier to use or for someone with lesser skills, try the Budget Survival Kit or if you want to know just the basic equipment for survival, see the "Basic 4" kit.

What's in the Pocket Survival Kit:

Container: Altoids box (round)

1) Mini-Bic Lighter
2) Flint & Steel - Scout model FireSteel (broken) & Striker
3) Needle
4) Dental Floss (18")
5) Fishing Hooks (5x #8 Shiny Brass)
6) 20' Fishing Line (10 lb)
7) Split Shot Sinkers (3)
8) Compass, Button
9) Snare Wire (7'; 20 gauge)
10) Wire Saw & Ring Handles
11) Medical Kit
- Analgesic (2x Tylenol)
- Antihistamine (2x Benedryl)
12) Pocket Knife (2 5/8" max length) - Maxan Falcon IV Keyring Knife*
13) Mirror, 1" Round
14) 10' Twine (18 lb Nylon/Cotton)
15) 4x Safety Pins (various sizes)
16) Knife Sharpener (1"x 1" grill screen)
17) Water Treatment Tablets (4) with Directions!

ADD (not in kit):

18) Water Bottle, 500 ml (carried separate)

*Note: There is a small knife in the kit, but I prefer to carry a better knife in my pocket and not in the kit.
Space left over in the tin is used for additional gear or medicines per user's choice.

With knife removed from tin (substitute the following):

19) Imodium (2)
20) P-38 Can Opener
21) Tylenol (2)


Closing the Tin:

Tape the whole thing around the edge with duct tape or electrical tape and mark the date to replace items inside.

Kit Notes:

1) Mini-Bic Lighter - has more strikes than do matches in the same space; waterproof (if not damaged); even after it runs out, it can be used as a striker to start fires.

2) Scout Model Firesteel (Broken) - I prefer to take a Scout Model (red) FireSteel and break off the red plastic handle to make it fit in the tin. It's about 1-3/4" long this way and I can make a little wooden handle if I need to later. Yes, this makes it harder to use, but the FireSteel is the best striker made - even broken.

3) Needle - Used to sew clothing and dig out splinters; use a large eyelet one.

4) Dental Floss (18") - can be used floss teeth or as thread; split it for smaller thread. You can substitute some thread if you prefer.

5) Fish Hooks (5) - use #6, #8, or #10 shiny brass hooks because small hooks will catch bigger fish, but a large hook won't catch a small one; shiny hooks can sometimes catch fish even without bait. Snelled hooks work too.

6) Fishing Line (20 ft; 10 lb) - wrap around the tin; 10 lb test line is strong for other uses too.

7) Split Shot Sinkers (3) - easy to reuse and simple.

8) Compass (Button) - small, but usable; illuminated if possible

9) Snare Wire (7 ft, 20 gauge Stainless) - makes small game snares or use to tied with; a little hard to pack in tin, so pack this first.

10) Wire Saw & Ring Handles - also know by medical term as Gigli's Wire Saw; very effective cutting tool for cutting tree limbs and that packs easily in a round tin; handles can be packed or not, if you want to make small wooden pegs to use instead - I pack them because I prefer to make larger peg handles for better grip; medical ones have good stainless steel handles, but they are too big to pack in this tin; pack second to hold snare wire in place.

11) Medical Kit - I leave this a little open ended for the user to decide what they want to carry; this is primarily for medications only as bandaids will not fit in the tin anyway.

Suggested medicines include: Analgesic (Tylenol/Aspirin/Advil), Intestinal Sedative (Imodium/Pepto), Antihistamine (Benedryl)

12) Pocket Knife (2-5/8" max length to fit in Tin) - this is always an issue with me. Most kits, even the SAS kit, use a scalpel blade for a freakin' knife! Terrible idea! The runner up will use a swiss army style penknife. No the Maxan knife isn't the best in the world, but it's better than the other mini-kits offer you. This $1.00 is a copy of a much more expensive Syderco knife, but works if you don't have another knife. I prefer to carry a better and larger pocket knife not in the kit.

13) Mirror (1" round) - taped to the inside top of the tin for protection; good long distance signal device. Use it by using two fingers in a "peace sign" aimed at your target. Flash the mirror between them.

14) Twine (10 ft nylon) - seems unnecessary, but having a little bit when you need to quickly tie something is better than working it out with "natural rope" when you're in a hurry; I pack it last to fill in the holes, pad the mirror and make the kit quiet.

15) Safety Pins (4 various sizes) - used for digging out splinters, fixing eye glasses, to replacing a lost button, they work for lots of things; small in space, so you can pack in a few different sizes.

16) Knife Sharpener (1" x 1" Grill Screen) - a grill screen is a sand paper like screen used to clean a flat grill. It's not the best to sharpen with, but it'll work if you have nothing else to sharpen your knife with.

17) Water Treatment Tablets (4) - use these to treat water when you cannot boil it; 1 tablet treats 1 liter (1 quart) of water; I don't like using these, but in a mini-kit they are necessary since I don't have a tin can to boil water in and the kit tin is too small to be effective. Make sure you put the directions in the tin!

18) Water Bottle (500 ml minimum) - most of the mini-kits I've seen use a condom or Ziploc bag for water! Condoms are NOT for drinking from and ziplocs are too thin to do it in a rough environment. ANY plastic bottle will work. Carrying a water bottle is normal everywhere today, so just carry one and you're covered!

19) Imodium (2) - this is primarily for you to keep from dehydrating if you're having "issues". If this is the case, you need to stay near a water source till things have "improved".

20) P-38 Can Opener - ever tried to open a can without a can opener? More dangerous to cuts than getting the food out. P-38 is simple and small to pack. Works for backup flint striker, flat head screwdriver and "sharp edge".

21) Tylenol (2) - carried primarily for a fever reducer if necessary as you can't really carry enough for pain relief.

Ironhand