Improving Your Survival Kit

Improving Your Survival Kit by Gary Benton
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I’m always visiting survival web sites, looking at lists of survival kit items, weeding out what I think I need and what I don’t really need. Some sites offer premade survival kits, which might be okay for home use, but I hardly need a 300 pound kit that will support a family of 5 for two weeks. I tend to visit sites about Special Forces, Army Ranger, Seals, Air Force Survival Instructors, and other professionals that I know are knowledgeable on what it takes to stay alive in the wild. Granted, there are some good civilian sites on survival as well, only I come from a military background and tend to trust my own. Keep in mind; you want a general survival kit, not a combat or escape and evasion survival kit. Those types of kits will have items in them that you’ll never need in a general survival situation; camouflage stick, IR strobe lights, Escape and Evasion manual, emergency survival radio, and other interesting, but not need items. You will wanted to be seen, where these kits help keep you hidden.

Since I do a lot of backpacking, the last thing I want is to carry additional weight and never use the item. With survival gear, hopefully, you’ll never use it, but you should always carry it. Nonetheless, when the time comes to use it, do you have what you honestly need to survive? Do you even carry a survival kit? Many folks don’t, but mine is my life assurance policy.

I never go out into the field without my survival kit with me. It’s not very big and it doesn’t weigh much, but it could prove to be a life saver. I actually carry most of it in a small plastic box about three inches wide and about five inches long (about the size of a band aid box). I have it in my right pants cargo pocket at all times. What do I have in it?

1. A quality penknife or jack knife.

2. Condoms for water storage, unlubricated.

3. Water proof matches or storm proof matches.

4. Flint and steel, or a metal match.

5. Water purification tablets (Check the expiration date periodically).

6. A long strip of aluminum foil folded up to cook with.

7. Fishing kit, i.e., hooks, sinkers, and some line, nothing fancy.

8. Commercial back packing first aid kit (with instructions). I carry a very small one.

9. One small pack of gum and one of hard candy (energy).

Also, I carry four luxury items on my person.
Good quality space blanket – To retain body heat.
A poncho – To stay dry during rains.
Dry socks – 2 Pair, I hate wet feet.
About twenty feet of 550 cord (parachute line) which has multiple uses from making shelters to setting snares. The inner portion of the line is made of many smaller lines, which have different survival uses.

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