Mini survival kit

A mini survival kit kept in a medium tin box

A mini survival kit is a survival kit consisting of essential outdoor survival tools and supplies. It is intended to be carried on one's person at all times, be appropriate to all environments, and be a comprehensive kit without being too large. Mini survival kits are meant to provide for the basic needs of a survival situation, followed by self-rescue, assistance, or a return to normalcy in optimum situations.

Two philosophies surround the preparation of mini survival kits. Some are prepared with a few relatively large items such as a knife, matches, whistle, emergency food, water bottle, etc. Others are made up of a collection of smaller but more comprehensive items such as rubber bands, paper clips, fishing equipment, lashing material, razor blades, etc. The decision as to which technique is best depends on one's physical condition, survival skills, wilderness knowledge, and other factors.

Container

The survival tools and supplies found in a mini survival kit are generally kept in a container that is small enough to fit in one's pocket. Altoids tins are commonly used, but many other options exist, including specially purchased mini-survival kit tins, regular tobacco boxes, life capsules, film canisters, plastic bottles, tin cans or boxes. The common Altoids-type tins measure approximately 9.3 centimetres (3.7 in) x 5.8 centimetres (2.3 in) x 2.1 centimetres (0.83 in). Some kinds of containers benefit from waterproofing, which may be done with adhesive tape, or by dipping the closed container in paraffin wax.

An alternative approach is to carry mini survival kit items on a neck chain, or in a satchel, pouch or belt pouch. Survival items may also be part of the belt itself (as is done in money belts).

Contents

Because each kit depends on the situation and environment of the user, they can vary greatly. Listed below are common items one might find in a mini survival kit:

• Small fire sources such as butane lighters, matches, tinder and ferrocerium rod or "life boat matches" and striker board
• Signal devices (LED micro lights, small heliographs, or survival whistles)
• Candles, which can be used for emergency food if made from tallow
• Cutting tools, such as flexible wire, collapsible saws, or pocket knives
• String, fishing line, wire, finishing nails, and safety pins, often used for tying off or affixing shelter materials

A tallow candle

Food and water procurement

• Fishing line and assorted fishing hooks
• Snare wire: malleable copper or brass wire is often used, as well as steel 'trip wire' or utility wire.
• Dental floss, for any uses that string might be helpful
• Water purification bags, often used to keep tinder dry or for water storage/transportation
• Glucose tablets or hard candy
• Water purification sources, including chemical purification means such as Potassium permanganate or bleach
• Non-lubricated condoms, used for their capability to expand to store a large quantity of water

Navigation

• Button-sized compass
• Magnetized needle and thread: a makeshift compass can be produced by using Earth's gravitational field, steering the magnetized needle in a north–south orientation. The needle can be suspended on water or in the air to reveal North and South.

First aid

• Wound treatment/antiseptic, such as potassium permanganate or iodine tablets
• Scalpel or utility knife blades, for minor surgery and fine work
• Plasters/bandages; alternatively, superglue or cyanoacrylate glue is also used, due to its adaptability to the size and shape of injury
• Prescription medication for pain, such as Paracetamol or Vicoden

Miscellaneous

In addition to the items marked above, the following items are also frequently found in many mini-survival kits (depending on the area the operator is expecting to be in, personal experience, multiple use considerations, serviceability, and durability).

In some kits, certain items marked above can also have been completely replaced by certain items below. Items and many of their uses are listed along with alternative uses and/or alternative items to perform the role in the kit.

• Tweezers
• Files
• Information cards with regionally selected information, knots for fishing, multi-use listings for kit contents.

• Candle kit component: effectively replaced with 'ready-made' tinder i.e., tinder quick tabs, to save on space.
• Rubbing alcohol wipes or Povidone-Iodine Prep Pads for wound cleaning or fire tinder
• Needles or sewing awls and thread, used for equipment repair, attaching fletching to arrows, and creating sutures
• Butterfly closure, medium
• Braided nylon cords, used for shelter building, lashing, and repairs
• Waterproof paper, for note taking or use as tinder
• Plastic bags used in transpiration water traps
• Compressed sponges for collecting dew
• Aluminium foil for boiling water, cooking, signaling, and reflecting heat
• Baking soda, used as an antacid, antidiarrheal, antifungal, deodorant, toothpaste, source of electrolytes, or cleaner
• Electrical tape or teflon tape for waterproofing
• Parachute cord for lashing, fishing line, trapping small game, rigging shelter, and sewing repairs
• Sharpening stone
• Systemic analgesics such as aspirin or paracetamol
• Anti-malaria tablets, for regionally specific kits
• Broad spectrum antibiotics such as Azithromycin, which inhibit staphylococcus bacteria and can treat ear infections, pneumonia, strep throat, and sinusitis
• Antihistamine, for first aid against insect bites/stings and allergies
• Anti-diarrhea medication such as Loperamide
• Tritium or Superluminova kit markers
• Magnifying glasses or Fresnel lenses, used for igniting charcloth, and many first aid applications
• Super glue to protect skin, stop fabric from ripping further, weld a knot or two pieces of fabric together, and other repairs.

See also

• Bushcraft
• Hiking equipment
• Survival kit
• Survival skills

External links

• "Doug Ritter's Mini Survival Kit". Equipped To Survive. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
• John D. McCann. "Make a Survival Kit out of an Altoids Tin". Field & Stream. Retrieved 2008-07-14.
• John D. MacMenamin. "How to build the Ultimate Altoids Survival Kit". Altoids Survival Ideas. Archived from the original on 2014-12-14. Retrieved 2014-11-12.