Adventure Medical Kits Pocket Survival Pack

Far Cheaper (and More Convenient) Than Buying It Piecemeal. Great Kit! - T. Hassler on Sep 2, 2006 I Like

Doug Ritter and his foundation, Equipped to Survive, has come up with a very economic method to equip yourself and your family with an emergency kit. It is small enough to carry unnoticed in a pocket, yet fully functional.

Although you can control the amount of certain items if you put together your own kit (something of a rite of passage among the survivalists/emergency preparedness folk), I spent twice as much putting together a comparable kit. The military issue sparklite and tinder-quick, Fox-40 whistle, and Rescue Flash signal mirror alone could cover the cost of the kit and they are all top notch gear. This pack is extremely high quality through and through, from choice of equipment to packing and instructions. I recommend looking at the ETS website at the slideshow of how such a kit is put together and what Doug Ritter himself recommends that you add to the kit (the pouch can hold a few more small items such as water purification tabs).

The Pocket Survival Pack is an amazing value. I've purchased all of the items separately, and just the shipping or driving to pick up 3 or 4 of the items probably covers half the cost! If you are lucky enough to get everything at one store, you'd be hard pressed to get the entire kit as cheap as this. I know people who have purchased this kit to take the parts for their own self-built survival kits! That's how economical it is. Plus, if you buy this PSP, a portion of the proceeds goes to the ETS non-profit group which gives free survival consulting to deployed troops and is actively involved in improving survival equipment and standards. In fact, Doug Ritter is the only consumer advocate working with the governing body on personal locator beacons used in marine, aviation, and remote travel.

The kit itself comes in a waterproof container. I found it to be a bit tight when closing back up, but there is actually some room for more items. All components are of the highest quality. It's lightweight and I never notice it in a pocket. With the recommended ETS or similar keychain LED flashlight and a good pocket folding knife, you have a complete survival kit that rivals ones costing $100+. These are cheap enough to get one for each car and any camping/hiking/marine/aviation gear you might have. I highly recommend this PSP. I'm not affiliated with ETS, but I've come to appreciate their no-nonsense advice and forums. And if this was a bad kit, I'd still say so. I give it 5 stars, great value for the price and it really could save your life.

Incredible Value And Quality - AKT on Feb 26, 2007 I Like

I think this survival kit deserves another 5-star review. At 3.9 oz., this kit is small, and that's a good thing to me. It's amazing how much stuff is in this little bag. All of the items are of the best quality. The signal mirror is beautiful. The inclusion of a lens magnifier is something I haven't seen in almost any other kit (great backup for fire starting). I know the firestarter that comes with it is normally about $8 just by itself. I just tried out the Fox 40 Micro whistle, and it's so loud, my ears started ringing (be careful). For a complete personal kit, I would recommend adding a knife, light, survival blanket, water purification tablets, wire saw, and a water bag. For the price, you can't get a better survival kit than this. I am really impressed by the quality here. My only minor complaint is that I wish they made the bag that the items come in a little bigger. I have trouble fitting everything in there properly and keeping it closed after I've taken items out and tried to get everything back in. That's almost not even worth mentioning though because this kit is excellent. I've bought other kits before... the kinds that tell you they have a signal mirror until you find out they mean the inside of the tin can the items come in. Not cool. This AMK Pocket Survival Pack is the best.

Go Fishing After You're Rescued! - Cyclist01222 "Paul" on Mar 12, 2011 I Like

This is no doubt an excellent kit and I won't rehash what everyone else has said. But why the fishing gear??? Fishing gear in an emergency kit always makes me laugh. Your first priority is protection from hypothermia/exposure either by clothing, shelter or fire. Second is rescue, being found, extraction, etc. I don't think you'll do much fishing while trying to keep warm at night, and while extracting yourself or being found the next day, as is what happens in most all emergency survival situations. Fishing gear belongs in an extended stay kit or on a planned fishing trip. I know we all think about crash landing in a remote part of the world and needing to eat something after a few weeks so we better have a fish hook just in case we are near a great fishing lake and the fish are biting... not likely. I'll take a compass over a fish hook any day! Make a fish trap instead - fish swim in and they can't swim out. While the trap does its work you can prepare firewood or signal for help. Most people couldn't catch a fish with the best pole and gear anyway, never mind just a hook and some line. PLEASE Help Me Spread The Message... Shelter and Rescue first! The life you save may be your own. Okay, I've done my part. Good luck!

Probably The Best Pre-made Portable Survival Kit, But Add A Few Things ... - Alfred Clemens on Feb 8, 2010 I Like

I started putting together my own pocket survival kit before coming across this package, and purchased one to complete the items my own kit ... it was cheaper than buying the few items left individually! This is an incredible deal, and contains a great assortment of items while still keeping its weight and bulk very low. I wish I had found it sooner! There are, however, a few things I recommend adding:

1. The most essential item missing is a flashlight. I added a Photon pinch light, only 0.2 ounces and very bright. Red is the best color for survival for a couple reasons; it is visible from the farthest distance, and gets significantly better battery life (they claim 40 hours).

2. Iodine tablets such as Potable Aqua will ensure you don't ingest contaminated water while waiting to be rescued.

3. A bag to contain water for treatment and transporting. I tested and chose an oven bag from my kitchen drawer, and marked the 1 liter point so I use the right amount for treatment. Also add a straw -- drinking out of a bag is tricky and straws weigh next to nothing.

4. A space blanket, cheap and only 2.5 ounces, will make cold nights much more bearable.

[optional] Not essential, I added a small folding knife (Gerber LST Ultralight, 1.2 ounces) in the event that I become separated from my other knife. The small bulk and weight of redundancy is worth it to me for peace of mind.

[optional] Another optional addition is minimalist first aid. Not a whole kit, but a few basic items in case, let's say, your first aid kit is in your backpack and you become separated from your pack (I carry the survival kit in my pant pocket). Keep in mind that the clothes on your back can serve many first aid purposes.

It is false security to carry a survival kit without knowing what's in it. Inspect each item, and think about its purpose or even test it. Then add items to customize the kit for your activity, your location, and you as a person. If you are allergic to bees, for example, antihistamine capsules are an obvious addition. Perhaps the area you're traveling to won't have great fishing, but snare wire would prove invaluable in a survival situation. Learn the skills necessary to use everything in the kit, and know the steps to survive and be rescued.

Get This - D. Deitsch "CountyRa on Jan 17, 2012 I Like

I do not like pre-packaged survival kits or first aid kits. They always seem to include a bunch of junk that I do not need, and leave out important stuff that I do, so I make my own. This kit is an exception: it is the only pre-packaged kit that I have ever carried, and I and my son have one in our pockets anytime we are off the asphalt. The designer got it right, with tools that work and meet real needs. The tools are also high quality, which is not the case in a lot of kits. I still added a few items to the kit to make it more specific to my skills and emergency plans, but only a few, and I saved some money buying this kit and using it as a base rather than purchasing each component individually.

PS: All survival kits and tools are useless unless you learn how to use them in real-world circumstances. If you are not willing to take your gear out into the world and learn to use it (preferably in lousey weather and when you are hungry, cold, and tired) don't waste your money. When the stuff hits the fan, only what you have practiced in realistic circumstances will work for you.

Quality - A. Helfrich on Jan 7, 2012 I Like

I found this while browsing my payflex site. The mirror and whistle are top quality. I am not aware of the quality of the rest, but based on the whistle an mirror I am sure they are quality. Compass is a good backup. Add a knife.

Awesome Little Kit - Baa-Tampabay on Dec 16, 2011 I Like

Most "pocket survival kits" are either junk or too expensive for what you get. Most of the time, you can put together your own kit of a fraction of the cost of a pre-made kit. This survival kit is an exception to the rule. It is very well thought out. It puts the items you need in a waterproof package that really does fit in your pocket. It contains quality tools at a reasonable price. You would be hard pressed to put together a kit of this quality for the price ala carte. Anyone who spends any time outdoors and away from immediate help should carry this kit. In addition, there is a small amount of room left in the kit for you to add other items. I would suggest adding waterproof matches and water purification tablets to the kit. With this kit, a survival blanket, a good knife, and a water container, you will be pretty well prepared to survive with just tools on your body.

Great Little Kit - Chris Schnelle on Nov 25, 2011 I Like

nice size, nicely appointed, you can add a few things if you like. Great size for keeping in the car

Ladies Can Carry This Everywhere With No Noticeable Extra Weight In The Purse - K. Levin on May 20, 2011 I Like

I can't even pretend to be a serious survivalist type like some reviewers. I'm a suburban stay-at-home-mom with an interest in preparedness because it is part of my duty to care for my family.

I bought my Adventure Medical Kits Pocket Survival Pack in November 2009 and also gave them to several family members that holiday season. I've had mine in my purse at all times since, except when flying as I don't want to risk having it confiscated so I put in checked luggage or mail it ahead with my pocket knife. (I also carry a flashlight and first aid kit at all times.)

Last weekend, while on a hike and picnic for my son's class at a local conservation area, it was grey and rainy and colder than expected. We discovered a fire pit when we got to the picnic site, and everyone was saying how great it would be to light a fire if only we'd planned ahead and brought matches. Someone was talking about hiking back to the cars if anyone carried matches when I remembered my little survival pack. Lo and behold, we were able to get a fire started on a damp day using scavenged downfall wood with just one bundle of Tinder Quick Firestarter and the Spark-Lite Fire Starter.

Every item fits neatly in the kit and they will go back in if you unpack it to inspect the contents. I'm very pleased with the quality of the included items and the form factor is absolutely phenomenal. Seeing the kit proven useful in the field makes it even better.

Perfect A+ Kit, Read For Earplug/and Fishing Line Info - jkhg on Nov 12, 2010 I Like

It may not make for a whole lot but I throw in a pair of disposable earplugs. Say you had to blow that single whistle (all day ...--...), your ears would be ringing so bad it could hinder your rescue and possibly cause permanent hearing damage. Some may argue the other end of that logic, just my 2 cents tho. Also D.doctor "The white cord is supposedly for fishing" FYI, Doug states on his web site[...] , that the 50 ft. of #69 Black Nylon Thread / Fishing Line: This is heavy-duty nylon thread, not cheaper and weaker polyester. At a minimum of 10.5 lb. (4.8 kg) test, it is strong enough to double as fishing line. I've caught some nice sized fish using this line and the rest of the fishing gear in the kit.

Great Product In A Tiny Package - Bob on Apr 27, 2011 I Like

First, I haven't had to use the survival equipment, and hope I never do. That said, this product could easily save your life. The most important items in the kit are the whistle, fire starter and tinder, signal mirror and the survival brochure. These alone are worth more than the whole kit if bought separately. With this kit, a pocket knife, a flashlight, a first aid kit and an emergency blanket, you'll be ready for just about anything mother nature or circumstance can dish out on land (sorry, a life raft is not included).

The package is very small. I can easily fit it into the back pocket of my Levi's. It nearly fits into my shirt pocket. In a pack, you won't know it's even there. But the pouch is big enough that you won't have any problem removing the contents. Just the right size for a slightly expensive stocking stuffer.

When you send your kids off into the world, make sure they have one of these in their glove box. Yours too.

Happy trails!

For It's Size & Weight, The Best I've Seen - Robert C. Babcock on Mar 28, 2011 I Like

I have three or four of these little gems and recommend them highly! While any kit this small is going to be pretty bare-bones, when the chips are down better the basic kit in your pocket than the 30 pound Bug-Out Bag sitting back in your living room. And all the basics are represented by very high quality items; I'm actually very impressed. The Fox whistle is very, very loud, and the signal mirror is superb. Heck, both of them are fairly expensive on their own. The Spark-Lite firestarter, when used with the supplied tinder, is amazing. I've seldom failed to light the tinder on the first strike. Again, it's small enough that there are compromises. Water is very important but is hardly addressed. You are supposed to be able to make a cup from the foil but good luck with that. The kit is designed to be non-expiring, which is why water purification tabs arent' included. Fortunately there's just enough room in the kit for a few SMALL additions. I added a small aqua-pouch to mine.

I should also point out that this kit is a screaming bargain (at least when I bought mine- the price probably varies). The kit is actually a fair bit cheaper than you can buy the individual components on their own. When Amazon had a subscription for this item I stocked up. Then I parted a couple kits out to make slightly more elaborate kits.

All in all a very well thought out mini PSK. Anyone into camping, fishing, hiking or hunting would be well served to keep a PSK like this on their person whenever venturing into the wild. Hopefully supplemented with a few choice items (eg water, survival blanket) but just the contents of the PSK could keep you alive.

Amazing... - Chagrin on Oct 16, 2010 I Like

This kit creates a perfect base for a small survival kit. It already has most everything you would need- especially if you have a first-aid kit in a separate pack- then this will cover most of your needs. Although it's up to you on how much you want to carry- but if you buy this one- you'll be very pleased with it. It's great!

Can't Argue With This Kit... You Should Have It In Your Pack - DW on Mar 7, 2010 I Like

There's no reason NOT to carry this kit in your pack if you do any sort of outdoors activity. It contains a lot of things that could really save your butt one day, and it's cheap as dirt.

There's a bit of extra space in the bag. I added a few items to the kit... it's stuffed to the gills now. I added a CRKT P.E.C.K. knife, four waterproof strike-anywhere matches, and a paracord neck lanyard attached to the whistle. The lanyard is mainly to prevent me from panicking and forgetting about the whistle, which should be the first thing you go for in any emergency.

Highly Recommend For Any Camper - Just Trying to Help on Oct 2, 2008 I Like

This product is really great, I own three now - one for the backpack and 1 in each car. The quality of all the items is really excellent, and at $21.25 (for subscription customers) its a smokin' deal.

I would recommend this for anyone who wants to spend time in the woods, including boy scouts on "great adventures", kids who like to explore, and of course for more serious people like myself who like to get away from civilization on backpacking trips.

Buy this, and spend 15 minutes getting to know the parts and how to use them, and it could really save your life. Of course, you should add a small flashlight, small knife, and it would be useful if you were carrying a metal pot to boil water when you are out there in the woods...

But with this kit, you've solved 90% of your problems.

Excellent, Tiny, And Cheap Survival Kit - M. Ross "Bacchuskitt on Jan 7, 2011 I Like

This kit forms an outstanding foundation to your lightweight emergency survival pack. The contents are high quality and thoughtfully prepared, and the whole thing is silly-inexpensive for what you get. Indeed, anyone would be hard-pressed to assemble a comparable kit for the price. Given the cost, size, and quality of this mini-survival kit, there really isn't any reason you shouldn't have one of these on your person every time you lace up your hiking boots. You don't need to be a survivalist to recognize the value of preparedness, and this kit is a great way to start if you are even remotely likely to be stuck in the woods, lost on the trail, injured, or otherwise in need of a rescue in the backcountry.

The kit contains items that can provide for your rescue (signal mirror, whistle), food (through snares and/or fishing), heat, shelter, and more, and it all comes in a reasonably waterproof bag that will fit in your shirt pocket. Chances are, you will never need it. If you do, it is likely to make you much more comfortable at a minimum, and may very well save your life. Any student of outdoor survival or disaster preparedness should have one of these. I have two: One tucks nicely, along with waterproof matches, into the hollow stock of my Papoose, a small break-down .22 rifle; The other lives in the bottom of my 18 liter daypack, along with first aid kit and other items that flesh out my emergency gear.

As with anything of this kind, it is best to have as much familiarity with it as possible. If you really and truly need it, for example, you are stuck somewhere and possibly cold, or hungry, or scared, or all three... and in any case in a state of being fairly stressed out. In this situation it would be much better to have already experienced making a fire with a flint and tinder. You don't really want to be using these things for the first time when your life may depend on it, at least not if you can help it. Ideally, take the contents out - or better still, get an extra kit that you can use just for practice - and familiarize yourself with all the items and use them for their intended purpose if you can.

While an excellent foundation, this kit is not comprehensive and you should complement it with other essentials and personalize it to suit you. I've added a multi-tool Leatherman 830040 New Wave Multi-Tool with Nylon Sheath, water purifying tablets Polar Pure Water Disinfectant With Iodine Crystals, a knife Benchmade Mini Barrage Knife, first aid kit Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight & Watertight .9 (updated), an emergency shelter/bivy sack, and a compass Silva Polaris to the daypack I have with me whenever I go out for so much as a dayhike. I carry the Polaris compass with me as I prefer to have a known reliable compass for orienteering. Of course I also have water with me, food, etc.

For those introducing themselves to hiking, camping, or emergency preparedness, I would recommend a search online of the 'ten essentials' as a foundation on which to build an understanding of surviving outdoors when you don't intend to. It has happened many times before: people start out on a sunny, warm day on a dayhike with no gear whatsoever and in shirtsleeves, the weather turns nasty or snowy, and they become a topic of the evening news. Sometimes it works out with a rescue, sometimes not.

This little kit easily warrants five stars-plus. Highly recommended!

If You're Looking For A Starter Survival Kit, Look No Further - N. Hawkins "whereish on Mar 24, 2010 I Like

I was looking at a survival kit for hikes, mainly to appease paranoia about being lost in the woods and all that it entails. If you look up kits on the internet, there's literally a million ways and thoughts on how to approach it.

I have other items from Adventure Medical Kits, and found them to be top notch. The advantage is that with this Pocket Survival Kit, a lot of the effort for searching for the smaller pieces has been taken care of, but it doesn't include everything you might need. This kit is a good foundation to build on.

The problem is that in my zealousness, I opened the bag and took things out to inspect it, and have a difficult time putting it back in. If I wanted to add anything to the bag like a small knife or water purification tablets, I'm pretty much out of luck. You might want to consider getting a Aloksak Waterproof Bags to put things in once you've got your kit built.

It's a great kit, and I'm glad I bought it even if it just sits in my backpack, never to be used. But at the same time, what makes this truly valuable is that you know what each item does and how to use it properly in the event that your life depends on it.

A Pocket Full Of Miracles! - E. D. Humphries "Out on Apr 14, 2008 I Like

As a Volunteer Search And Rescue team leader and someone who has spent a lot of time of in the field, I recognize good gear when I see and handle it. The selection of items Doug Ritter personally picked (and in some cases worked with companies to have made) is incredibly well thought out and, almost more important, it is all of high quality. Perhaps the best thing about this kit is that you might actually have it with you when you need it - that part is up to you, but carrying this is no imposition. If you do need it, you can count on what is there to work.

You should consider also carrying a small first aid kit (into which you've put any personal meds). One of the Adventure Medical Pocket first aid kits will fill the bill for this purpose. With only minimal additional gear (knife, map, water, something to eat as a start) you'd be pretty well set for an active day hike - perhaps more.

But anyone can carry at least this small kit basically everywhere. Do your local SAR team a favor: don't get lost without these items! If you can be heard, stay warm, and attract attention you make it much more likely that you'll be found. This kit make all that -and more- possible!

Bag Didn't Reseal, Defective - Panagiotes Petrakis on Dec 5, 2011 I Like

I wonder how widespread this is since many people might not open this until they really need it? In my case I thought I was getting a steal since I was in the market for a new dry bag to augment an existing survival kit. The bag however was broken, there were no snaps on the other side of the bag for the zip lock style enclosure to lock together. The kit itself however is in good shape, all the components are quality. I'll probably end up using a waterproof cell phone case for my own "pocket survival pak".

Nice Personal Suvival Pack! - T. Lee "God has died on Aug 28, 2010 I Like

If you're the least-bit preparedness minded, this belongs in your back pocket or purse. Adventure Medical makes these and puts quality tools in them. Adding stuff is a dubious proposition, as the thing's pretty well full, but there's so much here already. I never leave the house without this and my Swiss Army Knife.

Everything In A Pocket - C. McKay "BigMac" on Feb 22, 2010 I Like

There is nothing more you could add to this survival kit to make it better. Everything you could possibly need if you were ever stranded or in an emergency situation is in this pouch. Lightweight, waterproof, and the perfect pocket size.

Great Emergency Preparedness Kit! - K. Miller on Feb 1, 2009 I Like

I've been buying and building and updating emergency preparedness kits for over fifteen years now and this is a great package. Doug Ritter's put together a real wealth of stuff in a small package and it's all top notch materials. Individually the parts cost more than this total kit.

This is a great EP kit for all experience levels. The novice user will find the tools easy to use and the instructions appropriately detailed. The seasoned outdoor traveler will find this a kit they go to for the odds and ends that it contains.

This isn't an all inclusive kit and could use a few additions if you have the room. A small lighter is easy to squeeze in the bag. The kit does not contain a knife (there is scalpel blade) and I think that a deck of cards belongs in everyone's EP kit.

And important note is that this kit is not approved for carry-on luggage due to the scalpel blade included...

Everything Is Useful - Michael Coluccio "Ki on Apr 1, 2010 I Like

Just got this today. As stated inside the packaging, a good knife, space blanket/emergency bivy/tube tent, and a method to PURIFY water are all necessary additions to this. This is very similar to the survival kits that I have made for myself. Not a be all end all but the price is right and this leads one down the correct path for serious survival. The packaging is nice and small and the bag is sturdy. I am curious to see how I can make a pot to boil water and cook out of the heavy duty foil, as I have not considered it in the kits I already use. 5 stars for me!

Compass Doesn't Work - D. Doctor on May 3, 2009 I Like

The compass does not seem to work. I didn't open the plastic case. I just turned the case in a few different directions and the compass would not point correctly.

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