Pocket Survival Kits: Small Mini Survival Kits and Get Home Kits

Even though they are small, pocket survival kits provide enough tools to survive a temporary emergency until you get help or if necessary to get home from work or school. This is especially true if you designed the kit yourself geared specifically for the environment to which you will be. Commercial kits on the other hand are designed with general emergencies in mind and not all kits include the same tools in them.

Photo courtesy of mikepetrucci

You have many options when it comes to small survival kits that can fit in your pocket, the key is understanding the tools in those kits and whether the tools in them will function when you need it most.

Instructions

Whether you are designing or buying pocket "survival" kits, you have to know how to use each component of the kit before you have an emergency. Learning to use a survival kit when you are in an emergency situation is not an effective way of maximizing the full capability of the tools in your kit.

When you get your kit, empty the contents and go through the check list of all the items. If it is a quality kit you will find a waterproof instruction page on how to use everything in the kit. Go over the instruction for each tool and learn how to use it with confidence so you will be able to do it under the stressful conditions of an emergency.

Making Your Own Pocket Survival Kits

Making your own pocket survival kits will ensure you will have all the tools you need in the kit. Designing your own kit will give the opportunity to use quality materials instead of commercial units that use the most cost effective tools in the kit. Doing it this way might be more expensive but your life may depend on this kit and putting high quality tools in there will guarantee they will work when you need them most. A list of the tools you should have in a small portable survival kit includes:

• A waterproof container with multiple uses
• Duct tape
• Pencil and waterproof paper
• First aid and survival instructions
• Sewing needle and nylon thread
• Aluminum foil
• Button liquid filled compass
• Signal mirror
• Fresnel magnifying lens
• Disposable sterile scalpel
• Nylon cord
• Stainless steel safety wire
• Wire saw
• Fishing kit in a tube
• Rescue whistle
• Spark-lite fire starter with Tinder quick or weather proof matches

Remember to put very high quality pieces in your kit no matter how trivial it might seem to you at the time. The quantity for the fish hooks, nylon cord and duct tape depends on the size of your portable container and how much of it you think you will need. Remember to study your environment. If your area does not have a river or lake anywhere near you, you might want to remove the fishing kit but make deliberate decisions based on facts about the tools you select.

Commercial Kits

Commercial pocket survival kits are available from many different companies and as with anything you purchase it is buyer beware. Most kits have the tools listed on the make your own kit list with additions and subtractions based on the size of the kit and the price you are charged. You can get very good pocket kits from reputable companies. Some companies have novelty pocket kits with questionable items in them and while they are not what you want in a serious emergency it is always good to have something instead of nothing.

Being Prepared

Being prepared takes experience and the more you practice, the better you will be at using the tools you will need for an emergency. Carrying a kit is being prepared but you should supplement it with:

• A very high quality knife
• Portable survival blanket and a poncho
• Flash light
• First aid
• Water purification tablets
• Multipurpose tool such as a Leatherman

Whether you have pocket survival kits or kits big enough for your backpack, they are designed to give you the basic tools needed to survive an emergency.

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