Pocket Survival Kits

Pocket Survival Kits are kits that are designed to increase your chances of survival during a crisis or survival situation. The Pocket Survival Kit is the smallest variants of survival kits and the most important aspect of the kit is that it could be light and small enough to be carried at all times. The Pocket Survival Kit is also a natural component for large survival kits like the Bug Out Bag (BOB) and Get Home Bag (GHB).

How much items your kit should have depends and what items that you should carry depends on your personal setting and climate but a small kit with a few items that you always carry is better than a large kit that you never carry. A metal or plastic tin are the most common containers for a pocket survival kit. Other solutions could be a nylon pocket like the pockets made by Maxpedition or a neck wallet. If you have enough space the smallest wide mouth bottles by Nalgene makes good container that also can be used as a water container in an emergency and are extremely hard to break. You don’t have to carry all items in one container; you could divide the different items between containers so that you carry a few on your person, some in your backpack or jacket etc. The hard small hard case from Pelican is another option that you can check out. There is basically no limit on how much money you can spend on a survival kit. A survival kit is just like a knife, there isn’t any survival kit that’s perfect for all tasks and situations. You can get a preassembled kit for around 20 dollars or build your own using items from your home almost for free. Make or buy a kit that’s good for your personal situation and needs. If possible visit a store and check different kits out before you make up your mind. I will give some advice about what items that can go into a Pocket Survival Kit and recommend some items from different companies; however this is only a fraction of the high quality products that can be found on the market. You can often find some of the items cheap on E-Bay, a yard sale, a garage sale or as military surplus.

Suggested Items For The Pocket Survival Kit
• I suggest that you carry at least two items in your kit that can be used to start a Fire. Matches are one of the easiest items to start a fire with. There are many kind of matches, if you have enough space in your container BCB and Proforce makes special long burning waterproof matches that comes in waterproof containers that’s very good. A lighter is also a very good tool to start a fire with; you can get a simple BIC lighter for a few dollars or a more expensive high quality storm lighter. The most compact type of lighters from BIC, the mini lighters take up very little space in a kit. A Fire Steel is another good item to start a fire with; however I suggest that you learn how to use it before you put it in your kit. One of the best fire steels you can get comes from Light My Fire, they sell replacement fire steels for their SL3 knife, this fire steel consists of on the steel itself, and it has no handle so it takes up very little space in a survival kit. ESEE also makes a very compact fire steel thats perfect for small kits. Ultimate Survival makes an excellent fire steel that’s called BlastMatch that can be operated with one hand. The only downside with this product is that it has a high price and takes up much space in a kit; it won’t fit in small tin. A Magnifying glass is another tool that can be used to start fire with. A piece of tinder like the Wetfire from UST can also be a good addition to start fire in an emergency.

A razor blade or small knife is an excellent item to carry in a pocket survival kit. If you’re going for a small folding knife examples of knives could be the Spyderco Lady Bug, Victorinox Classic SD, Fällkniven U-4 and TK-4 or the Gerber LST / Gerber Ultra LST. A P-38 Can Opener is a compact tool that can also be used for other tasks like a improvised screw driver, cut fishing line, gut fish or as a box cutter.

• Small LED lamps are also common items to carry in a survival kit, but they are also good items to carry on your keychain. The cheap models often work rather well, if you’re looking for a high quality model I suggest that you check out the models from Fenix and 4Sevens that uses AAA batteries. The small Petzl E+Lite are an excellent headlamp that small enough to fit in most survival kits if you only bring the lamp and not the plastic cover. Small Candles is often used in survival kits as a light and a tool to start fires. If you’re looking for a light source I recommend that you go with and LED lamp instead.

• Wire saws are a compact saw that uses a wire with small teeth that can be used to cut through wood or bone. They can be a good addition but remember that even the high quality models are not that strong and can easily be broken.

• Snare Wire is also a common item that can be used to make snares to catch small animals but can also be used for other tasks like improvised shoes laces or fishing line. Brass wire is most commonly used.

• Pen and Paper are also good items that can help you remember important events in case of an emergency. A simple small pen like the ones you can get for free at IKEA will be enough for most situations, if you’re looking for a more high quality model you can check out the pens from Fischer Space Pen like the compact model Bullet and the Stowaway Space Pen. Rite In The Rain makes some really good Notebooks, the papers from these Notebooks is excellent for a survival kit.

• Condoms can be used as improvised water containers, you can make it last better if your fill it with water and put inside a sock. Heavy duty food grade plastic bag is also a good alternative. The bags called aLOKSAK is extremely strong zip lock bags that I strongly recommend, especially for a survival kit.

• Whistles are excellent tools for signaling for help during an emergency. There are many model, the low cost models that comes with most preassembled kit are quite good. However there is even better whistles that can be bough such as the JetScream from Ultimate Survival Technologies and the Survival Whistle and Mountain Whistle from Lifesystem. Klättermusen uses small whistles that they attach to the zippers on their jackets that can be bought in some stores that sell outdoor equipment. These whistles take up very little space in a survival kit, however I recommend that you get one of these and attach it to the zipper on your jacket so that it’s always with you.

• Signal Mirrors are an excellent way to signal for help during an emergency. There are many models that can be bought, The Starflash from Ultimate Survival Technologies, the Mayday Signal Mirror from BCB and the Emergency Signal Mirror from ESEE are some examples.

• Sewing Kits can be used to repair cloths, tents, packs and other things if they brake. Bring some sewing needles, make sure to bring one or more or the larger variant with sharp edges that used to sew in heavy duty material such as leather. Bring strong thread, I recommend the extra strong thread from Gütterman. Dental floss is a very strong thread that can be used as an alternative to normal thread. A Suture set is an alternative or a good complement to normal sewing kit.

• Salt is an item that’s cheap and good to have in a survival kit. I suggest that you either take some salt and put it in a small zip lock bag or take one the small salt bags that you can find at takeout restaurants.

• A Button Compass is a good tool for navigation in a survival situation. The only downside is that most small compasses have a tendency to brake after a while, even the high quality models. There are models that can be attached to your watch band and carried with you at all times like The Suunto Clipper and the Silva Carabiner 40.

• A Fishing Kit consisting of some fishing line, hooks and weights is also a common item in a survival kit. I suggest that that you buy high quality monofilament fishing line and strap it around a small piece of plastic. If you’re going to bring a fishing kit learn how to make a fishing knot. A miniature wobbler / swimbait with a weigh can be used to catch fish in rivers. Fly’s thats used for fly fishing is also a good item for survival kits.

• Safety Pins can be used for many things, everything from keeping a broken jacket together, securing band aids or as fishing hook.

• Water Purification Tablets are a important items that allow you to disinfect water in order to prevent infections. Pain killers are good item to carry if you get wounded or get a fewer. Anti diarrhea tablets can help to prevent the loss of fluid and energy if you get sick. It’s best if you can store them in a waterproof tube or small zip lock bag.

• Small plasters is good for small cuts, Sutures can be used to close larger wounds. I suggest that you bring a couple in your survival kit. A disinfection wipe can be stored in the kit and used to sterilize a wound.

• 550 Paracord can be used to make straps to important items in your kit like fire steel, knife, compass or whistle. In an emergency it’s good if you can make a take a bit of paracord, attach the most important items and carry them east accessible around the neck. You can wrap paracord around your container but this will make it harder to reach items in case of an emergency. The Paracord normally have between seven and nine yarns inside the protective other shell that can be used for sewing, fishing line etc. Paracord is often used to make bracelets so that it can be carried along at all times.

• Duct Tape can be wrapped around an old credit card or a piece of cardboard and be used for emergency repair, to secure band aids and many other uses.

Preassembled Kits

There are many preassembled kits on the market that can be bought. BCB has a Pocket Survival Kit called the “Combat Survival Kit” that’s based on John Wisemans kit from the “SAS Survival Handbook”. This kit is rather cheap and the kit is a good start. However some of the items have a low quality. There is small knife in the kit that I suggest that you get rid of and replace with razor blade or a small high quality folding knife. BCB also have other models like the Ultimate Survival Kit. This kit is basically the same kit as the one mentioned above, only it comes in a larger container with a lid that can be better secured and some additional items. This kit is much more expensive than the standard kit, I suggest that you buy only the larger tin that can be bought separately and a standard kit and complement the rest of the items yourself if you’re considering this solution. Proforce also makes a similar kit to the Combat Survival Kit made by BCB. 

Victorinox has a special survival kit that holds some survival items and a Swiss Champ. This kit is made out of leather and can be carried at your belt. The kit contains some items like a small flashlight from Maglite, Sharpener, Compass, Matches, Fishing kit, Pen and paper to name a few. The kit has a high quality but also a high price and weight.

The Pro Survival Kit Company makes a number of high quality Survival Kits and Survival Tools. The company uses a large number of items from different companies. They also sell a belt that can be used to store items concealed.

TOP Knives makes a survival kit that comes in the shape of a neck wallet. The wallet contains a number of items like sharpener, P-38 can opener, screwdriver, whistle, signal mirror and razor blade. You can check out their kit on the company homepage.

Rat Cutlery / ESEE Knives makes a number of small survival kits, one of the kits comes in a small nylon bag that can be attached to your belt. Another kit from ESEE is the compact Wallet E&E Kit. They also make some other interesting items for kits like the Titanium Escape and Evasion Mini Blade, Survival Card and AH-1 Arrowhead.

Adventure Medical Kits make high quality survival kits and survival equipment. They have some kits that combine survival kits and first aid kits. Two of their kits are the Pocket Survival PAK Plus and the
S.O.L. Survival Pak.

Ultimate Survival Technologies (UST) makes some really outstanding survival equipment. The major problem with their equipment is that it’s expensive and often rather heavy. The sell the Deluxe Survival Kit that comes in heavy duty plastic container but it only contains fire steel, whistle, tinder and a saw. This Kit has very few items but the items all have an outstanding quality. They also sell a more comprehensive kit called the Soldiers Tactical Advantage Kit.

Gerber has also started to produce Survival Kits together with the survival expert Bear Grylls. They produce two kits: the “Ultimate Kit” and the "Basic Kit”.

Everyday Items For Preparedness
A good Folding Knife, Swiss Army Knife or Multi Tool makes an excellent complement to a Pocket Survival Kit. A waterproof watch is also a good complement that’s good for Every Day Carry. There are excellent credit card sized tools that you can carry in your wallet at all times, the tools in these cards are small but the offer the possibility to always have some essential tools with you. Tool Logic makes a number of different cards, some with compass, fire steel and a small knife, Victorinox makes a model called Swiss Card. A Cell phone is a good tool that allows you to contact other in case of an emergency; there are some models that also have other useful features like GPS, Compass, Flashlight and FM/AM radio.

Carrying a kit at all times gives you some options if you would encounter a survival or crisis situation but can also serve as tool kit to help you deal with everyday problems. The items are however of little use if you can’t use them. Training, Skills and Experience, Physical Fitness and Health is more important than the gear you carry.

Also see
Every Day Carry (EDC)
Get Home Bag (GHB)
Light Weight Bug Out Bag

Survival Knives

One of the most discussed topics when it comes to survival is what knife is the best tool for the job. There is an incredible amount of different brands of knives that range in price from a cost of a couple of dollars up to even 1000 dollars or more. All knives have their strength and weaknesses. There isn’t one knife that’s perfect for all jobs; all knives have their advantages and disadvantages. There are many knives that are specialized for different tasks like hunting, fishing, chopping, wood work, and knives with multiple tools like Multi Tool and Swiss Army Knife. What tasks that you need your knife for must govern what knives you get and what knives you carry. For the native people off Scandinavia, the Sami it’s not uncommon to see two, three or even more knives hanging from the belt.

Before you decide what knife to buy go to a store and check out the knife. How does the knife feel in your hands? The most important aspect is that the knife feels right for you. I personally prefer high quality knives, but in almost every situation a low price knife like a Mora will do the job just as good as a more expensive high quality knife. Your own budget must govern what kind of knife you will buy. It’s very common that people buy high quality knives and not use them at all or very little and later sell them on sites like E-bay. Sometimes you can also make good bargains at yard sales. In this post I will name a few brands and models, but there are literally thousands of different models on the market.

Fixed Blade Full Tang
A Fixed Blade Full Tang Knife is one of the best survival tools you can own. The Swedish company Fällkniven makes some of the best survival knives there is. The model F1 was originally made for the Swedish Air force as a survival knife. The F1 is quite compact with a relatively short blade, the model S1 is similar to the F1 but has slightly longer blade. The A1 is a bigger knife that also can be used for chopping down small trees. These are the three basic survival knives from Fällkniven and they are all very similar when it comes to design. Full tang, 4,5 mm thick blade made from VG-10 steel, simple, solid and functional design. These are the three basic knives that I would recommend that you check out first if you are looking for a high quality survival knife.

There are also other interesting fixed blade knives from Fällkniven like the new Police Rescue Knife (PRK) with a new kind of cobalt steel, tanto style blade and partial serration. The model H1 has a curved blade intended for hunting and the WM-1 is a small fixed blade excellent as a combination with a larger fixed blade knife or for Every Day Carry (EDC). I personally prefer smaller knives and an axe or folding saw as a combination instead of big knives, but it’s a matter of personal preferences. There are pros and cons to all knives and there are some tasks like splitting thick fire wood when large knives have a clear advantage over smaller knives.


The design of knives from Fällkniven is not unique. Many other brands have a similar design to their knives. One example is RAT Cuterly / ESEE Knives that makes excellent knives the RC-3 / ESEE- 3 and the RC-4 / ESEE-4 are two models. The RC-3 / ESEE-3 also come in a model with an orange handle that’s easier to find comapred too a model with a grey handle if you would lose it. The Sissipuukko M07 and Sissipuukko M.95 are also very good knives that’s similar to the Fällkniven F1 and S1. The Gerber LMF 2 is also a high quality fixed blade knife that has a sheath that can be attached to vests and bags of with Molle type attachments, the sheath also has an integrated sharpener. The American made Ka-Bar with a seven inch carbon steel blade used by the US Marines is often recommended. The fixed knives from TOPS Knives and Ontario also have a similar design solid design. The Norwegian Company Brusletto makes high quality hunting knives with wooden handles that are very good both for hunting and as a survival tool. They come in many sizes and have many forms on the wooden handles, make sure that you try the knife out before so that it feels good for your hand.

Mora makes low price knives that have a very good quality considering the cost of the knives. The main disadvantage it that the Mora knives have rather slim blades that can be broken if you’re not careful. There are new models of the Mora from Neverlost that have orange fluorescent handles. Personally I recommend the Mora 2000 as the best model of knives from Mora. There is also other knives like the Mora Bushcraft Forest and Mora Bushcraft Survival that has a similar blade design and a more ergonomic handle. It has a sharp thin blade that’s excellent for hunting, camping and fishing. The only down side is that the you have to consider the strength of the blade when you use it, but as long as you use it with care it will last for many years.

Double edged knives are generally knives that designed to be used as a weapon. A double edged tip makes a knife an effective stabbing weapon, but the tip is generally not as strong as the tip of a blade with a single edge. I do not recommend double edge blades as a survival knife. In my experience a blade with a single edge makes a much more effective tool for survival, hunting, fishing and camping.

Advantages
• Solid design with no moving parts that can break
• Stronger than a folding knife
• If the handle off a full tang fixed blade knife breaks a handle can be improvised from paracord or leather strips.

Disadvantages
• Not as compact as a Folding Knife, Swiss Army Knife or Multi Tool

Multi Tools
Multi Tools are tools that are built around a folding plier resembling a balisong. Multi Tools are generally much better than Swiss Army Knives when it comes to repairs and other mechanical work, but they have a higher cost and weight. Leatherman makes some of the best models, Charge TTi, Charge ALX and Wave is popular models. Leatherman has recreantly introduced a new multi-tool specially designed for military use with tools for maintaining handguns and assault rifles, the Leatherman MUT / MUT-EOD. Victorinox also makes multi tools; one of the models is Swiss Tool. Gerber and SOG also make high quality models. Multi tools often have knife blades, saw blade, scissors, can openers, screwdrivers, bottle opener, bits, and other tools.

Swiss Army Knives
Swiss Army Knives is folding knives with more tools than just a knife. Some examples of common tools are bottle openers, can openers, wine openers, scissors, saw blades and screwdrivers. If you decide to buy a Swiss Army Knife I suggest that you go with a model from either Victorinox or Wenger. In general there are three different sizes of different models. The smallest mini models have really small tools and can be carried on your key-chain without taking up much space. The medium size models are the most common ones; they have normal size tools and are in general just under 10cm in length. The come in many different variants with different tools, find a model with the tools you would use the most in your everyday life. In general the medium and small size models DO NOT HAVE A BLADELOCK. This means that you have to be careful when using the knife or it may close over your fingers; this also means that the blade is not suitable as a weapon. Swiss Army Knives are known by most people and seldom attract that much attention. There are also larger models of Swiss Army Knives that have larger blades and blade locks. These models are generally safer to use and have a thicker more robust blade. The new Soldiers Knife from Victorinox is one example that has green handle, a large locking blade, a saw, bottle opener, can opener and a screwdriver. Victorinox also have the model Rescue Tool that has a florescent handle, knife blade, window breaker, seatbelt cutter and disc saw especially designed for first responders. Wenger also have a number of different larger models. There are also specialized Swiss Army Knives like the Model Biker 37 from Wenger designed to repair bikes.

Folding Knives

Folding knives isn’t as strong as a fixed blade knife but they are more compact and easier to carry in your pocket or in small packs, this makes them good for Every Day Carry. There are many companies that make excellent folding knives; some examples are Fällkniven, Lone Wolf Knives, EKA, Emerson, Benchmade, Spyderco, SOG and Gerber. Light my Fire has a folding knife, the SL-3 that has a built in fire steel and an emergency whistle. There some small folding knives that are often referred to as pen knives. Some examples of pen knives are the models from Sheffield Knives like The British Army Clasp Knife and the Fällkniven U-4. The French Company Opinel makes quite cheap folding knives with wooden handles that’s good for every day carry. The knives from Opinel have a twisting blade lock at the top that secure the blade both when the blade is out or in the handle of the knife. The lock and design is not solid as many other brands but functions well. The knives also come in ten different sizes making it easy to find a blade that fits your hand perfectly.

Large Knives
Larger Fixed Blade Knives have the advantage that they can be used to chop down small trees and other heavy duty work like splitting thick pieces of fire wood. In short: Large Fixed Blade Knives are especially useful for field work, splitting fire wood and constructing shelter. The main disadvantage compared to smaller knives is that they are heavy and often very expensive. For the price of a large high quality knife you can often get a smaller high quality knife, a high quality axe and a folding saw.

Some examples of large high quality knives are the Fällkniven A2, RAT / EESE Knives RC-6 / ESEE-6,  ESEE Junglas, Ontario RTAK-II, Benchmade Chooper and the Cold Steel Trailmaster. Machetes are commonly used in Jungle terrain to chop down vegetation and smaller trees. Kukris are the famous slightly curved large knives often used by the famous Gurkha fighters from Nepal. High quality Kukris can be bought from Cold Steel.

In general I don’t recommend anyone to get knives made famous from movies like the “Rambo” Bowie knives or the Tom Brown Tracker from the movie “The Hunted”. These knives are mainly designed to have a good looking design; the practical function is not in focus and they are often very expensive. However they may be a nice addition to a collection.

Small Edged Tools
As an alternative to a knife small cutting tools can be used for Pocket Survival Kits or Every Day Carry (EDC). Possible alternatives are razor blades, scalpel blades, the ESEE Escape and Evasion Titanium Mini Blade, ESEE Ceramic Escape and Evasion Razor Blade, ESEE AH-1 Arrow Head or a P-38 Can Opener. There are also compact credit sizes tool kits from Tool Logic, SOG and Victorinox containing small blades that can be easily carried in your wallet at all times.

Axes
An axe is a very useful tool for wilderness survival. With an axe you can make shelter, slit fire wood and chop down trees with little effort. There are many specialized axes but for general use I would recommend an all-round sharpened axe like the Small Forrest Axe and the Scandinavian Forrest Axe from Gränsfors. An axe with a longer shaft is generally safer to use than an axe with a short shaft and it also gives you more momentum when you’re working with the axe. Gränsfors makes axes with hand-forged blades and wooden shafts that have a high quality and affordable price. Gerber and Fiskars also make high quality axes that have composite shafts. Composite handles are often stronger than wooden handles but can’t be replaced as easily as a wooden shaft if it would break.

Axes require different tools to be sharpened compared to a normal knife and I suggest that you get a special sharpening file and sharpening stone especially designed for axes.

Saws

There are a number of different Saws that can be very useful during survival situations in wilderness settings, while hiking, camping or for bush craft. There are a number of different models on the market; the Laplander from Bahco is one of the best folding saws that there is on the market but there are also a number of different models from other companies like the Gerber Exchange a Blade. These types of saws has a relatively low weight and works quite well for smaller trees, but they do not work very well for larger trees. If you want a saw that can take on more serious work there are more heavy duty models like the EKA Viking Combi Saw that has three different blade types; one for wood, one for gain and one for metal. One of the most effective saws that you can find on the market is the Trailblazer Take Down Bucksaw 18. The parts of saw can be taken apart and put into the handle of the saw when it’s not used making easy to bring along in your hiking bag, vehicle or Bug Out Bag. When its deployed it’s a solid bow saw excellent for taking down trees or cutting firewood with a minimum of effort.

Sharpeners
No matter how high quality a blade has it will always lose its sharp edge after extensive use. Sharpeners come in many shapes and forms; there are small sharpeners that can be worn on your key chain. There are also larger special sharpening systems that allow you to sharpen a knife in a specific angle; the Tri-Angle system from Spyderco and The Gerber DF-8 sharpener is two examples. There are good combination sharpeners that have a diamond sharpener on one side and a ceramic sharpener on the other side from Fällkniven. I suggest that you start practicing your sharpening skills on an inexpensive knife like a Mora.

The Legal Aspect
The legislation concerning knives is different from state to state and country to country. It’s important that you get a good understanding of where it’s allowed to carry a knife and where it’s illegal to carry a knife. Certain models of knives can be illegal such as ballisongs, knives with automatic or assisted opening, one hand opening, blade locks and knives with blades longer a certain size. No matter what the legal aspect states I recommend that you get a knife with a “Peaceful” look. Knives with black handles, double edged blades, black blades, serrated blades often attract a lot of attention if you have to use it in a public environment. The Swiss Army knives with red handles often attract much less attention.

Safety
A knife can be very dangerous both to you and to others, it’s a sharp potentially lethal tool that should be treated with respect. Keep your knife in its sheath if it’s a fixed blade knife or with the blade folded in to handle if it’s a folding knife when you are not using it. Never fool around with a knife, swing it or point against any person. Don’t throw you knife against trees or walls, you risk either losing or breaking it. NEVER draw you knife in tensed situation or if you’re in a hostile argument.

Anyone how ever used a knife for butchering an animal knows what kind of damage a sharp knife can do to living creatures. Always be careful when you’re using your knife, you can seriously wound yourself or others if you’re not careful. Keep your knife clean and dry, no matter the quality it will rust if you don’t take care of your blade. If you hiking make a habit of often checking your equipment and check that your knife haven’t dropped from its sheath. Keep knives in secure locations where they can’t be reached by children. If you use knives for butchering animals or taking care of fish there are chainmail gloves that offers very good protection form cuts. There are also gloves with protective liners that offer high resistance against cuts that’s used by police officers and security guards.

Improvised Knives
During a survival situation it’s possible to improvise a blade from a piece of metal by sharpening it against a hard surface like a stone or concrete and then making a handle from paracord or leather straps. Other materials for a blade could be bone, glas or stone, but such a knife is much harder to make and will not have the same strength as a metal blade.

Also see:
Bug Out Guide and Checklist
Get Home Bag
Every Day Carry