DIY Survival: How to Build Your Own Pocket Sized Survival Kit
Building your own pocket survival kit from scratch can be very satisfying. With a little ingenuity you will be amazed at what you can fit into a pocket sized DIY kit. Remember, you’re putting together a kit that could save your life, and the lives of those with you. If you build your kit wrong or forget a single, simple item you could end up in trouble.
Before we get started its important to remember EVERYONE has different individual survival needs. Also, one kit will not perfectly suit every situation!!!
Let's cover the basics first… Fire, Water, Shelter, Food, Protection and First Aid… you can modify your kit to suit your needs from this base.
Believe it or not here is a list of what I have stuffed into my own personal kit
GENERAL SURVIVAL STUFF:
Trash Bag : Waterproof Poncho, shelter, ground tarp, flotation device, pillow, water carrier, solar still, waterproof sack.
Stainless Ballpoint Steel Pen: Writing instrument, straw, weapon, hole punch, spear tip, Fire piston.
Bandanna: First aid, head wrap, sanitation, cleansing tool, filtration, soaks up water, sling ect..
Pocket Bible New Testament: Spiritual refreshment, morale booster, practical life guide, hope.
Paracord: DIY snare traps, various survival tasks including: shelter building, lashing rafts ect, fishing line, etc.
Snare Wire: Snares and traps, binding, fixing things, general DIY .
Emergency Space Blanket: Shelter cover, ground tarp, emergency signal, heat reflector, blanket.
Zip / Cable Ties – 8 inches: shelter building, general repair, quick lashing, handcuffs, Melt and mold for cutting edge ect..
6″x4″ Plastic piece, cut from the side of milk jug for example, to use as a cutting board: This will help keep food clean and off the floor, makes for a firm surface to cut on. Prevents your knife from getting dull while cutting.
Victorinox Swiss Card: Credit Card-Sized Multi-Purpose Tool with various survival uses.
Sewing Kit: Stitching clothes and wounds, fishing, shelter building, needles for compass.
Pro Knot Card Knots are very important, using the proper knot can help you keep safe and even save your life! Knots can prove very useful in an emergency.
Duct Tape: 20′ Rolled Small, Shelter building, waterproofing, first aid, general repair and my favorite build a hammock.
Signal Mirror: Personal hygiene, signaling , cutting tool and fishing.
DIY Fishing Kit: Line can be used as a trip wire, Snares, for stitching wounds and clothes.
Recommended Bear Grylls Micro Torch / Flashlight: Seeing in the dark and signaling for help, moral support for when you are scared witless in the dark!
SOG Knife Sharpener / Fire starter: Fire starting, sharping knifes, sharpen improvised arrows, making improvised cutting and hunting tools.
Button Compass: Navigation and reflective surface.
Swiss Army Knife: Multipurpose purposes
Emergency Whistle: Signaling for aid. Uses very little energy to produce a loud sound that travels far.
Pencil: Writing implement or use for dry kindling in an emergency, simple weapon, insulated conductive electrical instrument ( The lead running through a pencil is a great electrical conductor ).
Note Cards or post-it's Writing and taking notes, fire starting, leaving clues ect..
Condoms: Fill with water and tie off to use as water sachet's, tie to your belt, plat together for rubber slingshot elastic bands!
Survival Wood Saw: Shelter building, improvised tools, trap wire, cutting firewood, weapon.
Bear Grylls Priorities of Survival Pocket Guide: Free with any Gerber Bear Grylls Gear Purchase LOTS of good basic, instruction on how to stay alive in the wilderness.
Bar of Soap: Preferably a small one from a hotel on your next stay, Personal hygiene.
WATER
Water purification tablets are essential
Self Standing 1 Liter Bag: Water collecting
Coffee Filter Used for Pre-filtering water before boiling or treating.
FIRE
Lighter: Why rough it until you have to? Always conserve energy!
Candle
Magnesium Fire Starter
Tinder: Cotton balls with a dab of petroleum jelly work very well.
Matches and Striker Pad
12″ x 12″ Aluminum Foil : Can form a cup, bowl, cook in or on it, can be used as an emergency signal reflector.
FIRST AID: A basic kit should have about everything you need. Buying individual items can be expensive.
A Medical Aid Kit Should Have
- Wash and Dri Packs
- Gauze Pads
- Antibiotic Salve
- Medical Tape – Small Roll
- Tweezers
- Safety Pins
- Assorted Bandages
- Alcohol Prep Pads
- Aspirin
- Tylenol
BAGS
Quart Size Freezer Bags: Put your kit in this to water proof or divide items. Being able to see through is very helpful when you need to find something quick.
Small Pint-Sized, Zip Seal Bags: Useful for many things.
Silica Gel Packs: I save the ones that come in vitamin bottles and shoe boxes but you can purchase them if you like.
Silica Gel is a amazing desiccant and absorbs moisture from condensation and changes in humidity very very well, it will keep all your emergency things bone dry in a small sealed container or a quart sized zip lock bag for example.
DIY Kit Example
And that's it! Now that you have your DIY survival kit setup and stashed you can steemit with confidence knowing that even us computer geeks can survive in the wild! Just start with what you have around the house and start building your kit. One day, you’ll be glad you did that I can promise you.
Tip:
Before heading out into the great outdoors on your next adventure don't forget to notify a friend or family member. Give them a estimated date for your return so they can seek help on your behalf if you do not return for some reason. You can also leave a post on FB for example.
Thanks for reading,
Cheerz
Awesome could be fun, I will post a pic of mine when I have something substantial to show lol.
Thanks I enjoy this kind of thing, Thanks