Survival situations can happen when you least expect it, or in places where such a thing doesn’t make sense. Even your regular run or evening walk can turn dangerous, and a simple survival kit can make all the difference.

These items are lightweight, easily-carried and could save your life if you're injured while running. From left: handwarmers, cell phone, flashlight, knife, Boy Scout flint stick, whistle, and firestarter.

by Leon Pantenburg

Maybe you’ve gotten into the habit  of taking a run in the same urban area every evening. Then, one evening, the endorphins kick in, and you decide to double the usual mileage. As darkness approaches, you realize you have to get back to the car before it gets really dark. You slip, twist your ankle and can’t move.

Or you might decide to go for a walk and just take off without thinking to tell someone where you went. You’re strolling along, relaxing and enjoying the iPod, and letting the stress from the office dissipate. Then, as it starts to get dark, you realize you’ve taken a wrong turn and are lost. And pretty soon, it will be pitch dark, and you can’t see the path.

Maybe you have your routine down, and are so set in the pattern that you don’t consider the potential danger. After all, you don’t  go that far from your home, and this isn’t some wilderness area…

A similar situation happened to Bend, Oregon resident Karen Johnson. (Click on highlighted word to read Johnson’s complete story.)  She nearly died of hypothermia after slipping on the ice and  breaking her leg. The area she was running in was a popular, well-used trail. But when Johnson was injured, there was no one around. Only prior preparations, her survival equipment, and being very, very lucky saved her.

Here’s a few tips on what survival equipment to take, and the links to find them,  on a run or an evening walk. These items are lightweight, take up little space and can easily be fitted into a fanny pack or jacket pocket.

• Leave a note or verbal message about where you’re going and when you’ll be back: Even if you’re only expecting to be gone for a little while, nobody will know where to look for you. They might think you went to a movie, the library or some place where you had to shut off your cell phone.
• STOP: Stop, Think, Observe, Plan. This survival mindset exercise applies to every survival situation. Know how to use it.
• Cell phone: You can call for help if you need to. Even if you can’t get coverage, leave your phone on. The pings to your phone from the nearest cell tower can be traced.
• Small flashlight: If you end up out after dark, the flashlight can help you get safety out of the dark places. Not to mention, the psychological boost it can provide if you have to stay in one place and wait for help.
• Whistle:A whistle carries further than your voice, and won’t give out. You
  

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  can signal for help more effectively, and sometimes a whistle works to scare off potential bad guys.

• Flint stick or lighter and firestarter: If you’re injured, you may be able to build a fire for warmth, signaling and as a morale boost. It will help you stay in one place so you can be rescued. Strike It, Matchless Firestarter
• Small knife: I carry a Swiss Army knife Classic everywhere. The blade can be used to strike sparks of a flint stick, whittle kindling,  or cut string. The tweezers, scissors, toothpick and file also have multiple uses. Victorinox Swiss Army Classic Pocket Knife
• Lanyard: Combine everything together on a lanyard so you can wear it around your neck or tie it to your clothing. If the gear is tied to you, it won’t be lost.
• Handwarmers: Even if the weather is warm, a runner will cool rapidly if he can’t move. The handwarmers can be placed on the chest or torso to keep the vital areas warm. HeatMax Hot Hands 2 Handwarmer (40 pairs)
• Water: Hydration is always a good idea. If the water gets too heavy, you can always drink it, or pour it out. Platypus Sport Bottle

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There is more than just meat to harvest from a big game animal. With a little thought and ingenuity, you can find useful projects that will use many of the other parts of the animal!

The best way to show respect for the big game animal you harvest is to use as much of it as possible.

by Leon Pantenburg

Before the foreigners arrived on the American scene, the indigenous people used virtually every part of  a big game animal.

They had no choice! The carcass of a deer, elk, buffalo, antelope or other game animal was their combination grocery/hardware and home store. A large animal provided the raw materials for food, shelter, weapons and virtually everything else needed for wilderness survival.

Today, a harvested big game animal is still a great survival resource. And, IMO, the best way to show respect and appreciation for the animal whose life you took  is to use everything possible.

To start with, every shred of usable meat should be harvested. That means learning butchering and meatcutting skills to most effectively cut, wrap and preserve the meat. (Every prepper and survivalist should know basic butchering as a survival skill!) Get good tools, and practice cutting and wrapping meat whenever you can. The better you are at butchering, the less meat you’ll waste.

Get a meat grinder or grinding attachment for your blender. I have been using the same Osterizer blender with grinder for over 20 years. By now, it has ground up the meat from a small herd of deer and elk and is still going strong.

The ability to make your own hamburger is cost-effective, and assures you save all the tougher and less flavorful cuts to eat.

Don’t neglect the organs. In October, after a successful elk hunt in Oregon, the intact heart was saved from one elk  carcass. It was donated to  Mountainview High School (in Bend, OR) to be used in the anatomy class for dissection.

Dog Food: My office supervisor is Belle, an 11-year-old Labrador (non)Retriever, and there are no wasted scrap meats at my house.

While butchering, meat scraps are placed in gallon Ziploc bags, labeled, and frozen. Later, the scraps will boiled and used to supplement Belle’s  food. The broth is also saved. Belle’s favorite meal is  boiled elk or deer scraps, with broth, poured over her regular dry dog food.

Dog Liver Treats: If boiled deer scraps are Belle’s favorite meal, then baked liver treats are her favorite food on earth! If you don’t personally like liver, don’t leave it in the gutpile! (Take along a 2-gallon Ziploc bag and it will be big enough to carry a bull elk liver!) Give the liver to someone who will eat it, or use it to make dog treats.

Store  the completed liver treats in a plastic sandwich bag in the freezer until ready to use. If you don’t have a dog, give the treats to somebody who does. I imagine other organ meats could be prepared in a similar manner.

In no particular order, here are some suggestions to make the fullest use of that elk, deer or antelope carcass.

Soap: If an animal has fat, that fat can be rendered into lard, and made into soap. I made some soap one year from a fat whitetail doe, and distributed it to the rest of the hunting club members for Christmas presents. I called it “Buck Rub,” but think about it while you’re while out on stand, and you can probably come up with a better name!

Soapmaking expert Karla Moore, owner of Heart of Iowa Soapworks, regularly makes soap with a variety of wild game tallows. Click here to get her recipe for a basic  bar soap.

Hides: I am too lazy to attempt braintanning a hide like the Indians did.  But the hide can still be kept, rolled up in a garbage bag in your freezer,  until it can be donated to a worthy cause. In many areas, barrels are placed at check stations to collect hides, and local civic clubs process the hides as fundraisers.

In my hometown of Bend, OR, the local taxidermist trades hides for leather gloves. The hide has value, even if you don’t personally want to tan it.

Fishing Lures: If you know a fly tier, give the tail to him or her. The hollow hairs of a whitetail make great lures, and flytiers – good ones, anyway – are notorious, constant scroungers of natural materials such as animal hairs, feathers and other stuff. Play your cards right, and you might get some neat flies back.

Buck Tail jig: One of the finest all-around lures I know of  is a simple leadhead jig tied into a
bucktail. Making one is simplicity itself – all you have to do tie some of the long tail hairs to the jig and go fishing.

Tip the jig with a minnow or a nightcrawler and and you have a very effective rig for catching walleye or northern pike. One of the most effective colors for the jig is the hair’s natural brown.

Antlers or Horns: Talk about a useful material! You can make handles for knives, and other tools, and use them for a multitude of pioneer products.

Saw an antler into thin slices, drill two holes in the center, and you have bone buttons. These become prime barter items at historic re-enactments or mountain man rendezvouses.

I used a piece of horn for the handle of my blackpowder rifle’s round ball short starter. It’s easy to make powder measures out of antler tips. Just cut off the desired length, clamp it into a drill press and start drilling. Pour sand or salt into the hole from a powder measure, and keep enlarging the hole  until you get the right sized hole for the desired volume. When you’re done, check the capacity of the horn with a powder measure and gunpowder. These are so easy to make, you can have several.

Elk Ivory: Every elk has two ivory molars in the back of their jaws. Make sure to take a pliers or Leatherman along.

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Travel can be very dangerous this time of year. Black ice, slippery pavement, high winds and blowing snow, or reduced visibility due to fog, rain and snow storms can all happen within a few miles.

It doesn’t matter if you live in the Oregon high desert or the frigid

A survival kit for your car can be indispensable when the weather turns bad.

Midwest. If  your car slips off the road in an isolated area, during a blizzard, a routine drive to visit the family can turn into a nightmare.

by Leon Pantenburg

Nationwide attention was brought to winter survival in a stalled vehicle in 2006.

In December, Californian James Kim, 35, died in Oregon’s Rogue River Wilderness after leaving his wife and children to get help. The family car was stuck in snow on a remote road for several days.

After Mr. Kim departed from the car, he  left the road and apparently got lost in the deep snow. He bushwhacked five miles down steep canyons, covering about eight miles through rough country, but ending up only about a mile as the crow flies from his car. Mr Kim’s body was found several days later, and he had apparently died of  hypothermia . His family was found alive in their car a few days later.

(To view the complete story, click on Kim Tragedy video)

Here are some things you can do for a car trip – before you leave –  to make that road trip safer.

• Leave a note, telling someone your route, and when you intend to reach your destination.  If you don’t arrive on schedule, the designated person should contact the area highway patrol or state police. If you have changes in plan, call that person to update the schedule.
• Warm clothing: Make sure everyone in the vehicle has, as a minimum, a warm coat, hat, gloves and boots along. Throw in a couple of blankets and a sleeping bag in the trunk for extra protection.
• Lots of Gas: The vehicle should have a full tank of gas before you leave to go anywhere. Top off the gas tank when it gets to about half full.
• Daytime travel: If possible, schedule your travel in the daytime.
• Known routes:  Only travel routes you know to be safe – not rural service roads and cut-off roads that are unfamiliar to you.
• Food and Water: Assemble a complete emergency kit to carry in your car. Periodically update the kit by checking the food and water and making sure you have spare batteries for emergency flashlights.  These days you can acquire car chargers and solar charging kits for cell phones.

Winter survival can start by assembling a selection of easily-obtained items. Here are some suggestions from Oregon AAA on what items to  include in your  car kit.

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Part of the fun of  being a prepper/survivalist is that there is always some piece of equipment that needs to be bought or upgraded. But if you’re just getting started in the process, you will need a lot of stuff, and your budget may be stretched.

So what better gift to give someone at Christmas than an effective, inexpensive piece of survival gear?

by Leon Pantenburg

Several years ago, my daughter Mary started her own family Christmas tradition. Starting in October, she began making presents for family members. Since she paints, we all got acrylic images of things we like. My painting of the intersection of Highways 69 and 41 in Clarksdale, MS, hangs in my office. (For people unfamiliar with the Blues, that is where the legendary Robert Johnson allegedly sold his soul to the devil in return for becoming a better guitar player.)

I replaced all my boot laces with paracord. Many useful gifts are also great do-it-yourself projects.

Here are 10 suggestions for do-it-yourself prepper/survivalist gifts that are easily made and incredibly effective. Several would make unique stocking-stuffers. Best of all, in my frugal mind, is that these items are very inexpensive, or recycled. All of them  cost under $10.

Cotton balls and petroleum jelly: This is one of the best survival firestarters available. It is quick, effective and cheap. All you need is an old prescription bottle, or some other sealed container, several cotton balls and some petroleum jelly. Infuse the cotton balls with the jelly, and place them in the container. When it’s time to use the firestarter, fluff the cotton and use. (Here’s how.)

Waxed Firestarter: This is another incredibly effective firestarter. You can use old cotton rags, some candle wax mixed with paraffin, and create an easy-to-carry firestarter. (To read the recipe, click here.)

Mop handle walking stick: A walking stick doesn’t need to be expensive. Go to the local hardware store, and buy a five to six- foot-long hardwood mop handle. Then get a rubber end, such as is used on chair legs, and slip it on the tapered end. The walking stick will serve you well at a cost of between $5 to $8.

Bic Lighter Wrapped With Duct tape:I don’t smoke, but I carry a small BIC lighter everywhere. Affix a poptop, so it can

Butane lighters work fine as long as they are warm and dry.

be secured to a lanyard, and wrap the lighter a couple feet of duct tape. You’ll be surprised how often you use the tape!

Notebook and pencil: As a journalist, a notebook and writing implement are part of my wardrobe. The internet is full of suggestions on making notebooks from recycled paper. Make a pocket-sized notebook, and carry a pencil (they write upside down, and don’t freeze). You will use your notebook every day.

Paracord shoelaces: One of the most useful ways to carry several feet of paracord  is to substitute it for shoelaces in your boots. Just check out the length of the shoelaces,  cut the paracord to fit, and fuse the ends with a match or lighter. Not only do the laces last almost forever, but in an emergency, you have several feet of cordage available.

Mora Knife: If you watch the  sales, you can get one of these fantastic, small fixed blade knives for under $10. I carry a Mora in my Bug Out Bag, daypack and briefcase. Here’s a good deal.

Charcloth: Charcloth is a material that will catch a spark, develop into an ember, and allow you to blow that heat source into a flame. All you need to make charlcloth is a heat source, an Altoids tin and some old 100 percent cotton cloth. Here is how to make it.

Trash bag for an emergency shelter: In our Boy Scout troop, we carry large plastic bags to use as emergency shelters. While you can buy the larger bags at any hardware store, a good source is your local tire store. Chances are the manager will give you one if you ask. I carry at least one shelter bag in all my survival kits. Here is how to use them.

Credit Card Sized Signal Mirror: Several years ago, I was researching materials to include in a wallet survival kit. I went to the local car parts store and found some flexible plastic mirror material. I used a utility knife to cut it to size, and drilled a hole in the center. The mirror is flexible, and fits in the credit card part of a wallet. It can be used for signaling, of course, but it you get something in your eye, or need to adjust a contact lens, the mirror proves its worth. Cost per mirror is about a buck.

For more info on making survival kits, click here.

 Learn what fabrics to wear in the outdoors to stay warm and dry.

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What Christmas gifts do you give your prepper or survival mom or dad? Here are some suggestions for the person who may need everything!

The intangibles should be part of every survival kit!

by Leon Pantenburg

Everybody needs to carry a small, pocket-sized survival kit wherever they go. If an unexpected emergency happens, and by definition they are unexpected or they wouldn’t be an emergency, the only survival tools you’ll have are the ones in your pockets, purse, briefcase or coat pocket.

Maybe your family members are already on the preparedness or survival bandwagon, and are pretty well set up.  Or, maybe (more likely)  they don’t have anything, and see no need to prepare for anything.

Either way, here are some suggestions for inexpensive, useful gifts that can come from the kids. Any parent worthy of  the title will appreciate and carry these items, because of who gave them!

This photo demonstrates how a trash bag can be used as a quick, effective emergency shelter. (Peter Kummerfeldt photo)

Many of the necessary items are small and inexpensive such as water bottles or a notebook.

Start giving some of these items piecemeal, possibly as stocking stuffers, and soon a complete kit will have been made.

Here are some suggestions, in no particular order, for gifts.  Include a cute little daypack to make it a fun gift!

Large plastic bag: This can fit easily in a briefcase or purse, and has multiple uses. The bag can be improvised into a shelter or raingear, used as a mat while changing a tire, as a way to signal for help or as a container for water. The uses are limitless, you can probably get one free from your local tire store, and the bag can fold down small enough to be easily carried

Mora Knife: This small, Scandinavian-style knife can be carried in a purse or briefcase, and its convenient size and shape make it incredibly useful. Your survival knife is the one you have with you! A knife is my nomination for the most useful survival tool, and a Mora is one of the most useful survival knife designs!

BIC Lighter wrapped with duct tape and attached pop top: I don’t smoke, but I always have a small BIC lighter, wrapped with a couple feet of duct tape, and with a can pop top attached, in my pocket. In a survival situation, I hope to “Flick my Bic,” and take care of any firemaking needs. Duct tape is useful for everything, and makes a pretty decent firestarter. A  pop top to the lighter attached allows you to secure it to a lanyard or piece of cord, so it doesn’t get lost. 

Small notebook with pen/pencil: As a journalist, I feel naked without a notebook of some
sort and a writing instrument. This combination can be used for everything from grocery lists, to notes on windshields in the office parking lot, or during an emergency, to record waypoints, directions or emergency phone numbers. A small, pocket-sized notebook is best, so it won’t get left behind.

Collapsible water bottle: These containers roll up into a tiny package, and can be stashed easily. If you need to carry water, you will have an effective method to do so!

Signal mirror: While the point is to have a  mirror for signaling, mom can also use this to check her makeup and help put in a contact lens! Not to mention, if you have to remove something from your eye, this tool is invaluable!

Cotton balls and Vaseline: To be used as a firestarter. This is a hands-on project the smaller kids can make for Dad. It is a bit messy to put together, but it is a definite winner in the crafts project division! (To learn more, click here.)

These basic survival items can be carried in your pocket, purse or belt.

Put these items on a keyring:

Swiss Army Classic: This is the smallest, and one of the most useful, Swiss Army Knives imaginable. I’ve carried one constantly on my keychain for at least 20 years, and it gets used virtually every day.

The knife features a small blade, scissors , toothpick, fingernail file and screwdriver tip.  Most importantly, it has the best tweezers in the world for pulling splinters out of kids’ fingers.

First impression of : “What good is that tiny thing?” will soon change to: “How did I get along without it!” You can also get special colors in the handle!

Small, Keychain LED light: This will be one of the most-used items on your keychain. But make sure you get one that has an on-off switch. Otherwise, you’ll get really tired of pinching the light to keep it going!

Whistle: Use this for signaling, calling for help or to attract attention in crowds or disaster situations.

Fingernail clippers: This is another item that will get almost constant use.

Small magnesium stick: For firemaking and signaling. Make sure the parent  knows how to use this!

Small laminated photograph of family and/or note in gear: I opened my duffel bag at elk camp in the middle of nowhere, Idaho, several years ago to find little notes from my 10-year old daughter stuck in pockets, rolled-up socks, and in my book.

I put all those notes in my survival gear before heading out into the backcountry. Sentiments such as “I love you, Dad” and “Dad! Come home safe!” reminded me to be safe, and how much I had to lose if I got lost or  injured  in the backcountry.

These little reminders may keep you from giving up, and may be the deciding factor in any survival situation!

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It doesn’t matter if you’re planning a quick snowshoe trek or an hour-long stroll along a wooded path. Common sense dictates that basic survival tools be taken along. Above all, this gear, or kit, must be lightweight and convenient to carry, or it gets left behind.

by Leon Pantenburg

That said:  BEWARE! If you don’t know how to use the materials in the kit, and don’t practice with them, you may develop a false sense of confidence. This attitude could get you in a lot more trouble!

Keep basic tools with you at all times. On the keyring: LED flashlight, fingernail clippers, whistle, Boy Scout Hot Spark and Classic Swiss Army knife. The other knife rides in a pouch on my belt.

Mention survival kits among recreationists and an argument/discussion will follow.

At one end of the spectrum is the guy who takes the heavily-loaded backpack full of gadgets, doo-dads, knick-knacks and neat stuff. He may not go far, because of the pack’s weight, but he’ll be safe. Unless, one time, he decides to leave all that stuff at the car, since he’s never used anything and it’s damned heavy. And he’s just going a little way…

Then he becomes the optimist, the guy at the other extreme.  Since he’s never been in an emergency situation, then it stands to reason that nothing will ever happen. He denies the need for survival gear, because he’s never been in an emergency.

Somewhere between these extremes is the common sense approach.

Here’s my take (and of course, this opinion may place me squarely in the survivalist wacko camp!): Everyone should have a collection of survival tools with them at all times.

As I type this, I have a butane lighter in my pocket, a whistle, knife, fingernail clippers, LED flashlight, small knife and magnesium stick on my belt clip, and a Swiss Army knife in my belt pouch. My wallet has firestarter, charcloth and a signal mirror in it. This gear goes with me everywhere it’s legal.

Suppose I have to run out of my house, right now. Let’s say an earthquake just hit and all the pictures are falling off the walls and it’s in the middle of January. If I have to sprint for the door and can’t grab anything else, I have the minimum tools on me to build a fire for ourselves and the neighbors, stay warm, help others and signal for help.

If I can grab my jacket on the way out the door, there is an Altoids tin mini-survival kit in the pocket. And if I can get to my car there is a full component of survival gear in there, including food, water, a sleeping bag, and several tarps. I won’t waste any time looking for equipment, when the walls may literally be falling down around me.  This will come in very handy for a quick evacuation due to a forest fire, urban natural gas leak, tsunami warning, forced evacuation of the neighborhood or city.

Any personal survival kit will ultimately boil down to opinion, knowledge, skill levels and the season.

Let’s start here: Many experts agree that a MINIMUM KIT should contain the following materials. Here are my suggestions and the links to find them below this article:

Carry survival gear in your wallet. I always have (from left) firestarter, charcloth and a signal mirror with me.

• survival knife
• firemaking tool(s) plus the firestarter
• compass
  map and GPS
• mirror (for signaling)
• signal whistle
• flashlight
• Some form of emergency shelter, like a tarp with rope.
• Food and water, plus water filter.
• Layering Clothing (fleece, wool, polypropylene)
• Waterproof packable shell

While commercial survival kits are available, the quality of some items is sometimes reduced to cut costs. Some things, such as fishing hooks, sinkers and line are included because people think they need them. And some items are included in commercial kits because they’re cheap and take up space.

The safest bet is to make your own survival kit. Start with a realistic assessment of your skills and needs, then start researching. One size doesn’t fit all – a survival kit that works in the cold winter of Oregon, will be different than one designed for Florida, and vice versa.

Every town has a survival guru with a website, but that doesn’t mean they know anything. In fact, be leery of any survival website – a lot of people are out to make a fast buck. Start by contacting the people who work with emergencies every day: police, sheriff’s departments, search and rescue, the Red Cross and see if they have recommendations for necessary gear. They will also have a pretty good idea of  who is good teacher and who is a fraud.

If you have certain medical needs or conditions, make sure the kit includes the appropriate medications.

Then, educate yourself. Practice with your survival tools. Don’t take any recommendations at face value, unless the source has been proven to be reliable. Then, make your survival kit, and take it along.

Every time.  Check out the many other articles about personal and wallet sized kits, plus car kits, home kits, etc. by browsing the survival kit category on this site.

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I got this message from “Alaskan” regarding a post earlier this week on making a survival kit for your vehicle. (To read the story, click here.) Thanks for the feedback! – Leon

Winter weather presents challenges to drivers. Make sure you have a winter survival kit in your car! (Pantenburg photo)

Last night, I was bopping along the Alcan at 22:45 on my weekly 410 mile round-trip to Fairbanks, and was about 30 miles from home when I came along a broken truck along the highway.

It was thirty-something below zero.

I stopped to see what’s up and turns out that it was a friend from my town who’d broke a serpentine belt and was waiting for his brother to come out and tow him back.

He was prepared for cold weather. What would have been a dire survival situation, just turned out to be an inconvenience because he was prepared. I called his brother’s house when I got within phone range just to make sure he was on the way.

Same thing happened to me last winter, and I was prepared, too.

Besides all the proper gear, never overlook the essential rule of survival: Set your attitude that you WILL survive, and realize a survival situation when it happens. Don’t be a victim!

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The Altoids tin prototype kit was field tested in the summer of 2007 by two experienced backpackers, Josh Sullivan and Jeremy Cline of Bend. Prior to a weekend hike in the Three Sisters Wilderness, they were given the kit with no instructions, but to use it as best they could.

Am Altoids tin survival kit is a valuable survival tool, but it does not have everything you need!

by Leon Pantenburg

The Altoids tin kit is intended as a five-ounce backup, not as the primary collection of survival gear. As with any equipment, it is worthless unless you spend the time needed to learn how to use it! Both men carried complete survival gear with them. (To read what items are included in the Altoids tin survival kit, click here.)

This is from Josh: Leon, I had a great time tinkering with the items you and Mr. Grenfell put together.  Here’s what I found I was able to test, in order of usefulness for me:

LED light: This was by far the most-used item for me. I liked the size of the light and the light’s ability to be turned on, rather than having to constantly push a button to keep it on. Since I was playing with some of the fire-starting tools in the survival kit past dark, I was able to turn the light on and balance it on a rock and it provided me with sufficient light.

Black rubber bands: I was surprised to find a use for these, but they really came in handy after dinner. I had some half-eaten food that needed sealing before I hung my food bag and the rubber bands were perfect for securing plastic bags and wrappers over my food.

Jute twine: I’m a long-time user of the cotton ball/petroleum jelly method (of fire starting) and was delighted to find that jute twine seems to ignite better than cotton. I was able to light the jute faster than cotton and it seems to provide a better flame. In addition to its flammability, I can think of a multitude of other uses for the jute, which makes it a clear winner for me over cotton balls in the future.

Wax-covered linen: (This was actually the 100 percent cotton waxed firestarter. A small instruction sheet was included on how to use it.)
This was the sleeper-hit of the survival kit. I’ve never seen a material like (the firestarter) before and was curious to see how it could be used.
Following directions on the small instructional sheet, I was able to twist a match out of the linen once I got a small flame from the jute. It burned for a reasonably long time and only took a tiny amount of the cloth to twist into a match. I was able to start a second fire by the flame from this cloth alone. I like how lightweight it is, and the wax covering seems to make it more durable. Two thumbs up on this stuff!

Petroleum jelly packet: This goes along with the jute twine. It’s lightweight and I could probably get three, maybe four fires out of just one packet. Fantastic!

Swiss Army knife: The blade on this knife was worlds better at throwing sparks from the flint stick than the provided striker, which dulled after a few passes over the stick. I didn’t use the knife for much more than starting fire, but I can’t imagine a survival kit without it.

Tiny compass: I didn’t actually use the supplied compass on my trip, because I have my own I use while hiking. That said, this is another essential item for the kit in my opinion, and if I had forgotten my compass I would have used this a lot.

Duct tape: A rock from my fire pit exploded and burned a large hole in my tarp during the night. Since the rock made a large noise when it threw shards, I woke up and assessed the damage. I used a strip of duct tape to cover the hole in the tarp. Since it was sprinkling on and off through the night, it was nice not to have a gaping hole where water could enter.

Orange fire-lighter flint: (This item was replaced with the Boy Scout Hot Spark in the final kit design after several people reported difficulty getting it to work.)
This was kind of a miss for me. I couldn’t seem to throw enough sparks for my lubed jute twine to light, and while it’s cool to be able to use this with one hand, it just wasn’t effective for me.

Conclusion: With the exception of the orange lighter-flint and the Boy Scout quick-dulling striker, every item I used was great, and perfect for the survival kit. I wouldn’t necessarily exclude the orange flint, because it can be used with one hand. If you’re going to keep the waxed firestarter as part of the final kit (I hope so!), I would be interested in having detailed instructions on how to make the stuff, since I’ve never seen anything like it anywhere else. (To read the recipe, click here.)

Addendum: I also took along a small magnesium block to test. The clear disadvantage of the block is that the small pile of magnesium shavings are really easy to disturb or blow away while trying to light them.

Something interesting I found, though, is when the magnesium is used with the petroleum jelly jute or cotton ball, the shavings actually stick to the material because of the jelly. When I used the magnesium stick with the jute, I was able to get a fire going faster than by any other means. As an aside, the magnesium block fits perfectly inside the Altoids can.

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Sometimes it takes a tragedy to focus attention on preparedness and wilderness survival.

Am Altoids tin survival kit is a valuable survival tool, but it does not have everything you need!

by Leon Pantenburg

The idea behind the Survival CommonSense.com Altoids Tin Survival kit started after two fatalities in Central Oregon in late 2006.

In November, veteran snowmobiler Roger Rouse, 53, of Bend, died of hypothermia in Deschutes National Forest, about 10 miles west of Bend. He and his son had intended to only be out for a morning ride when a fierce snowstorm overwhelmed them. (To read the complete story, click here.)

Less than a month later, in December 2006, Californian James Kim, 35, died in the Rogue River Wilderness after leaving his wife and children to get help. The family car was stuck in snow on a remote road. (To see Larry King’s coverage of  the Kim tragedy, click here.)

Shortly after the Kim tragedy, The editors of The Bulletin in Bend, Oregon, asked me to put together a practical winter survival guide.

“Talk to (Deschutes County) Search and Rescue, find out what the trends are, and what gear people need to take with them,” editors said. “Then, come up with a practical survival kit for our readers, based on the experts’ recommendations. This is an investigative assignment. Check out all sources, and test everything.”

The Altoids tin kit is a small piece of that project, and it is by no means all you should carry for survival!!! But you need to have something in your pockets, in the event you are separated from your gear.

This keyring kit is one way to keep some of the basic survival tools with you at all times. On the keyring: LED flashlight, fingernail clippers, whistle, Boy Scout Hot Spark firemaker and Classic Swiss Army knife. The other knife rides in a pouch on my belt, wherever it is legal.

I couldn’t find a pocket-sized commercial survival kit that was worth a damn. In some, the quality of gear was pathetic. In others, unnecessary or cheap filler items were included to flesh out the list of “necessities.”

One kit, I found at the local sporting goods box store is called “The Essentials Survival Can” and retails for $4.99. The components are: one book of “waterproof” matches; three feet of duct tape, four fish hooks, a whistle, and emergency cord.

In January, 2007, I asked the late Dr. Jim Grenfell of Bend to help develop a survival kit that would fit into a standard Altoids mint tin. This pocket kit would be limited in size to an Altoids tin, and weigh about five ounces. (That’s about what an iPod weighs, or my wallet, depending on which side of payday we’re on!)

An incessant tinker, Grenfell was also an Air Force combat veteran and graduate of three Air Force wilderness survival schools. I made an Altoid kit, too, and for the next several months, we added and subtracted gear, and tested, researched and refined the final kits.

Once the kit was completed, two veteran outdoorsmen took the prototype on a backpacking trip for final testing. Their input lead to further refinement. (To read their review, click here.)

The final kit is not cheap to make. It will cost between $50 to $60, depending on the quality of the materials. But I have several, and one rides in my coat or hip pocket at all times.

Carry your Altoids survival kit in a waterproof container for added security.

Here’s the list of what you need:

• Altoids tin

• Five pieces of duct tape, about 2-1/2 to 3 inches long, layered on top and bottom.

• Rubber bands cut out of bicycle tube. They can be used for firestarter, as well as keeping the Altoids tin cover shut.

These items go inside:

1. 12-inch square of aluminum foil

2. Bicycle tube rubber bands on outside of container

3. Two alcohol prep pads

4. Petroleum jelly: use for medical needs, and in conjunction with jute twine and flint stick for fire-making

5. Compass

6. Emergency whistle

7. Boy Scout Hot Spark wrapped in 18 inches of jute twine. Used with petroleum jelly and item 13 for fire-making

8. LED flashlight

9. Glover’s needle and 2 feet of dental floss

10. Signal mirror

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11. 6 feet of seine twine

12. Pills: aspirin, Imodium, Benadryl, water purification

13. Knife — (Swiss Army Classic: contains knife and screwdriver blades, scissors, tweezers and toothpick)

14. Safety pins and nail

15. 12 feet of 19-gauge annealed wire

16. Waxed fire starter

Not intended to be the primary collection of survival gear, the Altoids tin kit is designed to be compact, and easy and convenient to carry. It was never intended to replace a complete survival kit.

For information on making your own survival kits, click here!

 

http://www.survivalcommonsense.com

The earthquake that occurred  off the coast of Japan, the Feb. 22, 2010 quake in New Zealand, the Easter, 2010 earthquake in southern California and the catastrophic quake in Chile later that year should be wake-up calls to anyone who lives in an earthquake zone. You need to make a personal earthquake survival kit that you can carry with you at all times.

Keep basic survival tools with you. On the keyring: LED flashlight, fingernail clippers, whistle, Boy Scout Hot Spark and Classic Swiss Army knife. The other knife rides in a pouch on my belt, wherever it is legal.

by Leon Pantenburg

An earthquake, tsunami or other natural disaster is unlikely to happen? And, of course, not to you? You don’t need to read further!

….Still here?

Then here’s  a fact: In ANY emergency, 80 percent of the people involved will be in denial of the situation and have to be told what to do, according to John Leach, author of Survival Psychology. Of that crowd in the emergency, 10 percent will do the wrong thing, and the other 10 percent will act rationally, based on the training they have acquired.

If you want to be a survivor, of any emergency situation, you have to start with knowledge and training.  And you need the correct survival tools or survival kit and know what to do with it.

HERE’S THE SCENARIO: The earthquake hits while you’re at work. The office walls start to shake and the pictures start to fall. Alarms go off. Head pop up above the cubicles, as people, with no idea of what to do, look around. Some will sit back down and get back to work.

Now what? Stay? Go? Logout, then go? Ignore the situation?

Knowledge is key to survival, and you are prepared. You never thought: “This can’t happen to me.”  You paid attention at the mandatory safety meeting about building evacuation. You read earthquake survival information from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Because you prepared before hand, you already have a survival mindset,  a survival kit and a plan. You know where the stairs are, and the quickest way to get out of the building.

So get out immediately. Ignore any jokes or jibes from the 80 percenters. Don’t pay attention to the members of the 10 percent who want to do something stupid. You are intent on survival, and that means getting out of the danger zone.

As I type this, I have a butane lighter in my pocket, a whistle, knife, fingernail clippers, LED flashlight, small knife and magnesium stick on my, and a Swiss Army knife in my belt pouch. My wallet has firestarter, charcloth and a signal mirror in it.

This gear goes with me everywhere it’s legal, even though the 80 percenters tend to roll their eyes if they
notice my stuff. I have carried this collection in the pocket of a suitcoat, or in my briefcase, but it’s always on me.

The ladies can carry complete urban survival kits in their purses, and no one will ever be the wiser. After all, the earthquake could  happen when you’re in a meeting or away from your desk.

If  the earthquake happens right now, and I have to sprint for the door and can’t grab anything else, I have the

Carry survival gear in your wallet. I always have (from left) firestarter, charcloth (in a waterproof, plastic bag) and a signal mirror with me.

minimum tools on my person to make a fire and stay warm and signal for help.

In our office earthquake scenario, you may have to start using your survival tools immediately.  Here’s how the evacuation situation may play out: You use your survival mindset and leave your desk as soon as you sense danger and head for the nearest exit. If necessary, push through the people milling aimlessly around.

If the lights go out, then you and your flashlight become the leader. In the darkness, people will look toward the light and wonder what to do next.

Blow your whistle loudly, (this immediately makes you the  perceived authority figure), and in a loud, matter-of-fact voice order everyone to remain calm, and follow you quietly. (The 80 percenters won’t have a clue. They’ll do whatever the authority figure tells them to.)

Your actions to organize an orderly evacuation may later win you an award and plaque. BUT the immediate purpose of this organization is to make sure YOU make it to the exit. If people panic, crowd around or pile up around the door, nobody gets out.

Lead everyone quietly down the stairs and out of the building. Don’t let anyone distract you: Your immediate goal is to get out of the building before it collapses.

A map, compass and possibly a GPS should be part of any survival kit, and may be very useful once you get out of the collapsing building. The whistle may be what gets you out!

Gather everyone at the safe place mentioned in the safety briefing, and then assess the situation. Order everyone to stay out of the building, and if someone insists on going back, order them to stay put.

But they are now responsible for their own safety, and you have accomplished your first goal: that of getting out of the danger zone.

If it is safe to do so, and there is no smell of gas or chemicals, building a campfire  in a safe open area might be the next order of  business. The fire will serve as a rally point, and a gathering place, as you wait for emergency personnel to arrive. Also, gathering firewood from pallets, dumpsters etc. will give people a focus while they wait for rescue.

Depending on the severity of the earthquake, what happens next is hard to determine.

Now, you’ll use the rest of your survival kit and training to make it through the emergency. This might mean you start walking home, or you make a shelter. If someone needs medical attention, let’s hope somebody has taken a first aid course.  You have accomplished your first survival goal and got out of the building. Now, you will need to rely on the rest of your survival training and follow the plan you made.

Survival Kits or Gear

The safest bet is to make your own survival kit. Start with a realistic assessment of your skills and needs, then start researching. One size doesn’t fit all – a survival kit that works in the cold northwest, will be different than one designed for Florida, and vice versa.

While commercial survival kits are available, the quality of some items is sometimes reduced to cut costs. Some things, such as fishing hooks, sinkers and line are included because people think they need them. And some items are included in commercial kits because they’re cheap and take up space.

If you have certain medical needs or conditions, make sure the kit includes the appropriate medications.

Let’s start here: Many experts agree that a minimum kit should contain the following materials:

• survival knife
• firemaking tool(s) and firestarter
• compass, map and GPS
• mirror (for signaling
• signal whistle
• flashlight
• Some form of shelter

Survival Knowledge
Every town has a survival guru with a website, but that doesn’t mean they know anything. In fact, be leery of any survival website – there are a lot of people out to make a fast buck.

Start your survival training by contacting the people who work with emergencies every day: police, sheriff’s departments, search and rescue,  and the Red Cross and see if they have gear recommendations. They will also have a pretty good idea of  who is a good teacher and who is a fraud.

Then, educate yourself. Practice with your survival tools. Don’t take any recommendations at face value, unless the source has been proven to be reliable. Then, make your survival kit, and take it along.

Everywhere.

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