Survival Kits - Reader Question on Personal Survival Kits

UrbanSurvivalSkills.com received this question on Survival Kits,....What do you consider are the necessities of personal survival gear items, and I'm talking about pocket sized kits in case you lose everything else? John L.

UrbanMan replies: I would consider the words "redundancy" and "a layered approach" when it comes to outfitting you and/or your survival group in all manner of kit. I am assuming that you are asking about wilderness survival items,....and I am assuming that you are talking about the minimum items you would carry on your person as opposed to what is in a Bug Out Bag or on your vest, harness or web gear. So here are my comments:

Even though my Bug Out Bags are well equipped, there are some redundant items I will carry in my pockets or otherwise on my body. In my opinion, the most essential items of personal survival kit are a lighter and a knife. An example of redundancy is that I carry a small sealed packet with a butane lighter, storm matches and fire starting material as well as always having a small fixed blade knife..and this is on my body not on my assault vest or anything else I would or could normally take off in the field. So I guess if you are asking for a minimum requirement, this is it for me.

But your question is a good one as I am know re-visiting the idea of also adding a small vacuum packed bag with a couple adhesive bandages, larger one time anti-biotic ointment, and military battlefield dressing.

Survival is also heavily influenced by being prepared, so my Bug Out Bags also have several fire making items as well as a (backup) folding tactical knife, which the most prolific model I own is the CKRT M16 folder.

If you are fully dressed, but absent any external kit, when you find yourself in a pure wilderness survival situation, then you may also have several items of survival kit already in your possession: shoelaces, socks, t-shirts, buttons, belt, thread from unraveled clothing,....

However, the idea is not to find yourself separated from your larger items of kit such as your Bug Out Bag, Assault Vest and weapons. I received another question about having members within a group carry different items so the group would be better prepared,...but what if you find yourself alone? Everyone must be able to stand alone.

Now as afar as those belt survival kits,...if you are always going to carry it, then fine, but anything the size that would make it worthwhile will probably get in the way of wearing an assault vest or even simple tasks like driving,....but it doesn't keep this kit whore from having several different survival kit which I'll never use.

The latest manufactured kit I have is in a small nylon camera case with the following items: water purification pills; water purification drinking straw; small butane lighter; strike all storm matches; tinder kit; Silva compass; small button compass; two small Photon lights - one red and one white; two one quart 3 mil zip lock bags; survival blanket; mini multi-plier tool, mini V cutter; razor blades; 50 yards of mono-filament line; 20 feet of 550 cord; 25 feet of snare wire; small magnifying glass; small signal mirror;.....hell I'm probably missing something......so if you are going to always carry a small external kit, these items may be considered. Hope I answered your question well enough. Prepare well, Urban Man.

Urban Survival Preparation - The State of the Economy, Spring 2011

Yesterday, the U.S. Government just hit the debt ceiling and now the Government is "borrowing" pension funds to keep the government afloat. This summer Home Foreclosures are projected to increase exponentially. The U.S. economy even with a sound dollar and low fuel prices would certainly feel this blow,...however add in the factors of commodities price inflation, devaluation of the dollar, high fuel prices and turmoil with oil suppliers,..and we have the recipe for a collapse.

It is interesting to unemotionally consider the causes, indicators and the effects of the collapse. Will there is a significant event to act as a catalyst? Will there just be an ever so gradual slide into a Greater Depression? At what point will the diminishing food supply and the increasing hungry masses be a factor? Will this result in sporadic or wide spread food riots? Will the Government use the Insurrection Act to deploy active duty military? Will AD military use lethal force on U.S. citizens?

We are about to reap what we have sown for so long. After all we have created an entitlement society where maybe 15% of the population expect someone, usually the Government, to provide for them. There are even polls out where a significant percentage of the people think the Government should provide housing, food and medical care.

The nation's debt is simply too big. It is unrecoverable. The U.S. Government has been spending like a drunken lottery winner for two decades. Going to the Chinese, the Japanese and other countries to borrow money to spend where the National Debt is over $14 trillion,....This year, the government is projected to spend $3.8 trillion with revenues at $2.2 trillion,......due the math - about 40% of this spending is from borrowed money and another $1.4 trillion added to the debt,...hence the requirement to increase the Nation's debt limit. And make NO mistake about it , this Government will due just that.

Social Security and Medicare, equal about 40% all Government spending.

The Military accounts for almost 20 percent.

Medicaid, which is actually some sort of necessity as it keeps poor people from becoming even poorer equals about 8 percent.

Interest (minimum) on the National debt, meaning payment sto China and others, is almost 6%. And it is not so simple as the U.S. defaulting on loan payments, like your neighbor did on his new vehicle. If the U.S. defaults an incredibly round of global economic repercussions will be felt.

So far, we have 74% of the Federal Budget. ....

Add in normal Government functions,.....well, okay, it is hard to call them normal when we have seen massive growth of the Federal Government,...people, powers and appetite wise. Anyway, this accounts for the rest of the budget,..around 26%.

Some of that can surely be cut without ruining this Country and cuasing wide spread rioting and even Anarchy. BUT 40%!!!

The Government has not choice but to raise taxes. This will of course de-stimulate the economy. Prices for fuel and food will continue to rise,....more people will be poor and hungry,.....all this will be the catalyst for the collapse, the only question is will be through significant steps or just a gradual decline in the abyss.

Does this change your survival preparations? Are you heading for your Bug Out location now? I think the answer is no to both. In fact, it should stimulate your preps. Factor in that most of us are dependent upon our jobs; our daily normal lives also impact quite a bit on our preps. I think the idea is to keep moving forward; better your Survival Preps each week, if not each day. Plan and prepare well and be safe,
Urban Man

Survival Firearms - Cross Bow versus Supressors

UrbanSurvivalSkills.com I received another comment on the Cross bow article: Anonymous said,…..I find the crossbow interesting - as in that zombie show the walking dead they put the crossbow to good use - but I agree that you better have a pistol or rifle on you as well if that need of a fast follow up shot is needed. But that then also mandates the need to plan ahead "if" that first crossbow shot does not do the task - to have a proper escape plan etc if you do then start with a loud weapon such as a rifle or handgun. I'm inclined to go ahead and get a silencer for a .22 and have that for any needed stealth situations - $200 for the tax stamp is not too big of a price - still far less then a decent crossbow even after you add in the actual cost of the silencer and the tax stamp itself.”,

UrbanMan replies:: Still cannot wrap my head around on the need for a crossbow. But Suppressors! Now that’s a good tool suitable for many applications. In fact, the current trend for military and law enforcement high end units is to use suppressors for about every mission set. And speaking of .22 LR Suppressors, I recently shot a Walther P-22 with a Gem-Tech Suppressor. This was a sweat set up. I have had previous experience with Gemtech with their excellent suppressors for the 5.7mm P-90, but we use Surefire QD cans for our M-4’s.

This is what Gemtech has to say about their .22 LR suppresors:

The Gemtech ALPINE is a user-servicable rimfire suppressor that is lightweight and requires no special tools to disassemble. Easy to take down and clean, it features high decible reduction, unique-to-Gemtech "Caged-K" baffles, which provide the strength needed for disassembly.

This allows the ALPINE to still offer the outstanding performance of the K-type baffles but without the weakness of an unprotected K as seen in fragile competing designs. Made of tough 7075 aerograde aluminum with non-galling titanium thread area, the ALPINE also features the distinctive and functional Gemtech grip surface on the rear which adds a distinctive, elegant touch to this premium suppressor.

At an overall length of 5.6 inches, weighing 3.7 ounces and finished in black matte hardcoat anodizing this is a robust little unit at $425.

Another Gemtech option is the OUTBACK-IID. This is a highly advanced thread mounting .22LR caliber suppressor adaptable to almost all .22LR rifles and pistols. For its tiny size, the OUTBACK-IID has premium level sound reduction dry with some of the lowest first round in the industry, outperforming many significantly larger units. While a true bargain, Gemtech doesn't skimp on quality: 7075 high tensile strength aluminum is used (not cheaper, weaker grades), a non-galling titanium thread mount area instead of cheap steels, and a stainless steel blast baffle is incorporated into the lightweight stack. It is finished in an attractive and durable matte hardcoat finish in black anodizing. Everything that makes up this silencer is premium, except the price.

It mates well with virtually any .22LR firearm which can have the barrel externally threaded. It is usable on pistols as well as a wide variety of .22 rimfire rifles. Since mounting to the firearm is accomplished by attachment to muzzle threads, the suppressor can be quickly removed for cleaning, compact carry, or storage.

IN SHORT: the best .22LR suppressor at the best price; a true "Sweet Spot" between sonic performance, price, size, and weight. The Outback-II is America 's most popular suppressor for many good reasons, all backed by Gemtech's proven decades of the best customer service in the business!

At an overall length of the OUTBACK-IID is 5.0 inches, weighing 2.5 ounces and finished in black matte. The cost is $325.

Gemtech products or contact with Gemtech, an Idaho based company, can be made through their website: http://www.gem-tech.com/store/pc/home.asp

And/or through their blogsite: http://www.gem-tech.com/blog/

Urban Survival comments on Rawles' American Redoubt article

Someone sent me a link to James Wesley Rawles' Survivalblog and asked me to comment on his article of 28 March entitled “Move to the Mountain States – The American Redoubt”

Read the article here: www.survivalblog.com


Rawles, author of “Patriots”, writes: “I'm now urging that folks Get Out Of Dodge for political reasons--not just for the family preparedness issues that I've previously outlined. There comes a time, after a chain of abuses when good men must take action. We've reached that point, folks!”

Rawles makes sense in his article. Urging people to re-locate to a safe area, and in this case he suggests Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, eastern Oregon, and eastern Washington. He further suggests that Utah, Nevada, North and South Dakota wouldn’t make the criteria and explains why.

Additionally, Rawles provides a combined before and after move checklist, which much of it is great advice even if you are planning to Bug In at your present day site or homestead even if it outside the “American Redoubt”.

The person who asked me to comment on this article did not provide any other guidance on what he expected out of my comments, so my first comments are focused on the fact that moving to this geographical area is not possible for the vast majority of the population. Call it the reality of life. Unless you are well off, most of us need our current jobs and very little room to maneuver when selecting job sites or duty locations. The current housing crunch makes it damn near impossible to sell our homes. Other reason to make a move impractical are: family and friends that we need to stay geographically close to, that either rely on us, or we on them; and, what if the collapse just does not happen? Although I am convinced that life as we know is going to change,…what remains to be seen is just how bad it is going to be.

I am going to comment on some of the bullet’s Rawles wrote under the header “Your Checklist”:

If you buy an existing house, get one with an extra bedroom or two. Some relatives may be joining you, unexpectedly. The larger issue is planning how you are going to house, feed and integrate any newcomers to your survival group be they relatives, friends, people who skills and temperament are needed and would likely fit in,…..and even people you may have to detain. I have four military cots, two fold up commercial cots and two air mattresses, not to mention a spare bed room and four couches suitable for sleeping on. If you work in shifts, the need for sleeping platforms decreasing as you can ”hot bunk” at least for awhile.

Develop a home-based business. Lighten the load. Keep the practical items but sell your junk and impractical items at a garage sale. Sell your jewelry and fancy wristwatch. What this means to me is to become more secure financially. Eliminating debt is a good place to start. Although the question begs to be answered,…”If the collapse hits who is going to be collecting debt?....especially in worthless fiat currency?” You can raise cash for Silver purchases or for any survival equipment or material by selling things you don’t need. Be careful not to replace it with stuff you don’t need. A home based business can bring in an extra stream of income, especially ifi you choose the right business: Make sure the company is respected and has a high level of support; make sure the products or services are top quality; and, make sure the compensation plan is fair.

Sell your sports car and buy a reliable crew cab pickup. Absolutely, you need to have a suitable Survival – Bug Out vehicle. Crew Cab pickups are better than SUV’s as they can generally carry much more; can serve as personal carriers and are very well suited foraging expeditions. Four wheel drive is a plus. A winch is a great idea. For urban dwellers, SUV’s fit in. A good place to start looking is the Toyota FJ series vehicle.

I do not suggest selling your television set. With continued service, contact with the outside world is a possibility to learn what is happening or to even analyze government BS when they start to spin it. Sure, a radio is a necessity, but a television backs that up, plus you can play DVD’s through a cheap player on a television to provide some much needed entertainment, or even educational material, from time to time,..especially for children.

Anyway, advice everyone to read Rawles article and keep his site bookmarked so you can get to it a few times a week to see what is new. Be safe, prepare well, Urban Man.