# Outdoor Emergency Kit



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I was blessed to have a daughter that loves doing stuff with me. She likes hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, motorcycles and talking smack on BYU fans. 

Some time ago I was called as scoutmaster and my wife made a comment that has stuck in my mind regarding how the LDS church handled activities for boys vs girls and expressed her disappointment that girls don’t get the chance to learn outdoor skills like boys do. Her comment really stuck with me and I promised myself that once she was old enough to really understand what I was talking about, that I’d start teaching her some outdoor survival skills. Now she is 10 years old and it’s time to start teaching her. 

So I have been working on a little kit to teach her some basic skills with as a result and thought I’d share what I have put together thus far in case anyone has suggestions of things to add or is looking for ideas themselves. 

I started with a Condor Molle Pouch which is about the size of a large grapefruit and decided that this size would not be too cumbersome or too small to be of any real value to hold useful items. 

This far here is what I have inside:

Tiny Altoids can with lead shot sinkers, a few treble hooks and bait hooks along with swivels and a couple Marabou jigs. 

One fishing bubble / float

Small spool of 4lbs test fishing line

Emergency poncho

Pink bandana

Waterproof bandages

25’ parachord

Duct tape

Sewing needle

Safety pins

Emergency whistle 

Small flashlight with extra battery

Bic lighter

Fire steel with magnesium

Mini wood burning stove (Bushcraft Essentials)

Small aluminum cup to boil / catch water

Gerber Dime multi-tool

Fixed blade Mini Scandi knife w/ kydex sheath

Carabiner 

I still need a mirror and maybe some wet fire tabs but overall I think this will be a good kit for her to have for when we take our little trips together. 

Hope this helps give you some ideas for your own kits. Feel free to give me some suggestions if you see any opportunities to improve upon.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Ps: I also taught her to make a penny can alcohol stove which is also pictured above


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

Good idea for a thread. I won't pretend to be an expert, I was never in the boy scouts; but this is a topic that always interests me. My thing with emergency supplies is weight. I am VERY MUCH guilty of packing too much stuff, and it weighting me down. I've found there's a fine line between preparing for your fears, and packing the stuff you might need in a pinch. The fishing tackle is a good example. At first glance, the fishing equipment might be considered unnecessary ounces (I would have thought so a couple years ago), but I think that depends entirely on the area your in, AND... I have found some trout in the darnedest of places where I honestly didn't expect to see any fish at all. I am amazed where fish can live. They're not big, but caloric intake just the same. 



Good idea on the stove, that will make boiling water easier, and that can isn't much weight at all.


On the poncho, Poncho's are one of the most versatile pieces of kit you can have. They can keep both you, AND your equipment dry if your on the move, and they can be made into a shelter. Only problem is you get wet anyway from sweat if your hoofing it any good distance. During the spring, I usually pack an old USGI poncho (ive 3 of em), but they are heavier/bulkier, so I usually only bring it when I'm sure i'll see some rain. Obviously, not ideal for an emergency kit when you leave it home or in the truck.


I used to keep a space blanket in my kit, but I've since upgraded that to one of those "Emergency bivy's". That's me preparing for my fear of being stuck overnight during an evening hunt. 



For immediate tender, Ive packed cottonballs saturated in Vaseline. They burn a good while like candles, only trouble is they'll blow out like a candle too.


I'll take a picture of my kit later.


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## bowgy (Oct 10, 2007)

I was also thinking of a mylar space blanket or the mylar sleeping bags, they are small, lightweight and cheap.
https://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-Gear...=1551109509&s=gateway&sr=8-27&tag=googhydr-20


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

Here's my current kit. For me, I find this is something that gets added to or subtracted from over the course of time.


1. Commerical IFAK with shoulder sling and safety pins i took from an old Issued IFAK
2. Leatherman multi-tool
3. Lensatic compass
4. Bic Lighter w/ duct tape
5. Prescription pill bottle stuffed with 8 Vaseline cotton balls.
6. Ferral rod
7. Water purification tablets
8. Trauma bandage. (AKA "Israeli bandage")
9. Modern day version of a canteen cup.
10. T.P
11. Emergency sleeping bag. (Basically a glorified space blanket.)
12. 25' of 550 cord
13. Emergency whistle
14. Signal mirror


The IFAK and trauma bandage i pack in an easily accessible place in my pack. The rest of it gets crammed into the multicam pouch.

I need to redo my IFAK. I've had to use it a couple times in as many years, and I've mulling over sticking tourniquet in it for giggles and grins, but I seriously doubt I'd ever need it. Shoulder sling might do almost as well for that anyway.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

bowgy said:


> I was also thinking of a mylar space blanket or the mylar sleeping bags, they are small, lightweight and cheap.
> https://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-Gear...=1551109509&s=gateway&sr=8-27&tag=googhydr-20


Sleeping bag > space blanket. Sealing off wind / escaping heat is a huge deal, and much harder with just a blanket. Plus, if you really really need a space blanket, you can split the sleeping bag with a knife.

We have mylar emergency sleeping bags in all the vehicles, I dont remember which brand they were... but I do remember they are small rolled up orange bags and less than $9 each. If we are going snowmobiling or otherwise in winter conditions we'll throw a couple in the snowmobiles.

-DallanC


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Last summer we did a "survival night" on Provo Peak. The idea was that we were going to hike Provo Peak that evening, and on the way back down we would "get lost" and have to spend the night on the mountain with only what we would take in a day pack that we would normally take on a hike. It was an interesting exercise. I learned a couple things that night about comfort and emergency blankets vs sleeping bags. I did the blanket, and it was not big enough for me and I was cold most of the night. The participants in bags got hot, were sweating, and then got cold because they were wet. Interesting conundrum there, huh?

There are some must haves for any survival kit. But the most important thing for any of it is you better know how to use it properly if it's coming along with you. Magnesium and steel is completely worthless if you don't know how to use it, as an example. We made sure every participant was able to actually start a fire with one before we went on this activity, even if they weren't going to use it. (because of how dry it was, we didn't allow a fire where we "got lost" for the night anyway)

I have done the vasoline covered cotton balls in an empty pill bottle for many years now. It's a great option and does a good job as tinder. This stuff caught my attention recently, and I may try it out: https://pyroputty.com/

This is a great thread. I need to reconfigure my survival kit, so this gives me a good place to think about stuff.


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## Lone_Hunter (Oct 25, 2017)

DallanC said:


> Sleeping bag > space blanket. Sealing off wind / escaping heat is a huge deal, and much harder with just a blanket. Plus, if you really really need a space blanket, you can split the sleeping bag with a knife.


That is exactly why i switched to the sleeping bag style of emergency blankets, instead of the old space blanket I've had in my kit for years.

Here's the one I have in my kit:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M9CBOP3/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Although It looks like the design has changed since i bought mine. I must have the 1.0 model or something. I got the blaze orange version because I figure If i have to open that thing up, odds are I want to be found, and nothing has more contrast, then hunter/blaze orange. One big massive signal flag.

edit:
As an aside, I think throwing one of these in your hunting pack is not a bad idea.

https://www.amazon.com/Israeli-Dressing-First-Aid-Compression/dp/B003DPVERM


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Vanilla said:


> Last summer we did a "survival night" on Provo Peak. The idea was that we were going to hike Provo Peak that evening, and on the way back down we would "get lost" and have to spend the night on the mountain with only what we would take in a day pack that we would normally take on a hike. It was an interesting exercise. I learned a couple things that night about comfort and emergency blankets vs sleeping bags. I did the blanket, and it was not big enough for me and I was cold most of the night. The participants in bags got hot, were sweating, and then got cold because they were wet. Interesting conundrum there, huh?
> 
> There are some must haves for any survival kit. But the most important thing for any of it is you better know how to use it properly if it's coming along with you. Magnesium and steel is completely worthless if you don't know how to use it, as an example. We made sure every participant was able to actually start a fire with one before we went on this activity, even if they weren't going to use it. (because of how dry it was, we didn't allow a fire where we "got lost" for the night anyway)
> 
> ...


Like anything to learn how to use it you need to practice with it until you are confident that you can do what it was intended to be.

Back when I took a survival course more years ago than I want to think there was no little bar of magnesium with a flint on one side of it so we actually made some out of broken mag wheels. We still had to pack a flint or know where to find it but it worked. But mostly we learned how to make fire with the old bow and hand drill using bootlaces for the string on the bow drill. We quickly learned how to go to the army surplus store and buy paracord and weave belts and bracelets out of so that we would have a good supply of it.

Also on sleeping bags, people need to learn how to regulate the heat by opening up the zippers, both top and bottom as the temperature goes up or down. They can learn how to do this in the backyard when the temperatures are cooler. The nice thing about the backyard is if it gets too bad the kids can come inside and parents can keep a eye on them.

But one thing about this is that kids are never too young to learn some of the basics of outdoor survival. They might not actually have to survive out in the wilds but some of the ideas are basic and can be used in a lot different situations.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Here's what I got, $8.55 each. For that price its really not worth NOT having a few stashed in vehicles. Heck even put one in a tackle box in case a squall blows up.

https://www.amazon.com/SE-EB122OR-S...56D90FRZN63&psc=1&refRID=5SJMRS35756D90FRZN63

-DallanC


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

????????? I'm an "Ol-Fart" but does anyone carry waterproof matches anymore?????????


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

I gave up on waterproof matches a long time ago when I couldn't get any to actually light. They would just fizzle. 

For a while I tried making my own by dipping regular strike anywhere matches into wax but had problems with them also even when placed in a vacuum sealed bag.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

I have never had luck with waterproof matches. Just recently I found an old container full of them I've had for probably 20 years and never been able to light a single one of them successfully. Maybe a bad batch? I don't know. I go other directions with fire starting than that.


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## one4fishing (Jul 2, 2015)

My 9 year old didn’t even know what matches were until a camping trip last fall.


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

I have carried similar things around like this for years, I really need to consolidate it though for "one stop shopping" when needed.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Some pretty good ideas and perspectives have been expressed here. I appreciate it.


The interesting conundrum I face here is size and weight. It seems like if space and weight weren't an issue, we'd all like to carry all sorts of things but obviously that isn't practical and we have to be selective about what we can and cannot carry.


My goal and hope is to provide her with enough resources and knowledge to make use of the materials I give her and hope that I can teach her that some items can have multiple uses. I think that I want to start by teaching her that water, shelter, and fire could be the most important things for her to seek first. Since we can survive quite a while without food, I don't think we will focus much on finding food just yet but I would like to show her how to get water in the desert and how to build a few shelters to keep her warm and dry.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

Bax, I'm sure she will surprise you when you take her out in the woods. Most kids now days can grasp onto things fast, and come up with some new ideas. 


I guess I should say "Most kids that have spent time outdoors and not in front of the TV and cell phone".


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