Do It Yourself
How To Build The Perfect Pocket-Sized Survival Kit
You can never be too prepared when it comes to wilderness safety, but that doesn’t mean your survival kit should weigh you down. Check out this tutorial to make the perfect pocket-sized survival kit.
You can never be too prepared when it comes to wilderness safety, but that doesn’t mean your survival kit should weigh you down. Check out this tutorial to make the perfect pocket-sized survival kit.
Turn An Altoids Tin Into A Pocket-Sized Survival Kit
Gone are the days of lugging around an oversized utility bag filled with complicated tools, heavy gear, and unnecessary supplies. This pocket sized kit is one heck of a backup to your go bag! They're quick, simple, and easy to make.
Check out the video below and keep a few on hand at all times – one in your gear, one at home, and one in your glove box! Follow these steps to create your own wilderness survival kit that keeps things simple – without sacrificing safety.
What you’ll need for your pocket-sized survival kit:
- Empty Altoids tin
- 2 rubber bands
- Small ball of dryer lint
- Plastic bottle cap
- Piece of tape
- 7-10 water purification tablets
- Mini keychain lighter
- Mini compass
- Whistle
- Mini Swiss Army knife
- Mini can opener
- Signaling mirror
How to make your pocket-sized survival kit:
Step 1: Start with an empty Altoids tin and two rubber bands to hold the tin shut.
Step 2: Add a small ball of dryer lint to your kit.
As we mentioned in a previous article, dryer lint is extremely flammable and makes an excellent fire starter. Keep a ball of it in your survival kit for an instant fire. (Pro tip: dipping your dryer lint in Vaseline will make it burn longer.)
Step 3: Grab a plastic bottle cap and fill it with water purification tablets.
These tablets are an excellent alternative to carrying around heavy water bottles – each tablet instantly disinfects about one liter of water, ensuring that your water is safe for consumption.
Step 4: Use a piece of tape to seal the cap.
Step 5: Next, add a small fire starter to your kit.
We recommend a mini keychain lighter, as they are compact, durable, and easy to light in a time-sensitive situation.
Step 6: Add a mini compass, a whistle, a mini Swiss Army knife and a mini can opener.
These tried and true tools are reliable and uncomplicated – and they’re also incredibly versatile.
Step 7: Add a signaling mirror.
The signaling mirror is a must-have for any wilderness survival kit –, especially for the solo traveler.
(Another pro tip: mirrors made with military glass are more reflective than mirrors made with plastic.)
Add this pocket-sized mirror to your kit, and you’ll be more than prepared when disaster strikes.
For awesome survival gear, you can't make at home, check out the Survival Life Store!
Do you have a pocket survival kit of your own? We'd love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and tell us about your survival must-haves!
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Fizzlecat
September 7, 2016 at 2:53 PM
In lieu of fishing line, how about using dental floss instead? It is incredibly strong, and does very well in emergency sewing repairs if you pack a needle in your kit also. I use it in taxidermy. It’s amazing. Include hooks and sinkers too. You can get red floss instead of white. Break apart the dispenser box and pop the remaining spool of floss into your tin to save a lot of space!
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Kim Toy
January 15, 2017 at 9:22 AM
nice kit! i love that you include the importance of a signalling mirror, few mini-kits I’ve seen do. I repurpose dead bic lighters, turning them into handy paracord-wrapped survival kits that include fishing wire, hooks, blades, a signalling mirror, and a length if at least 10′ of 550 paracord. Many of them have glowing or reflective paracord, some are quick release, and all end in a caribeener for easy storage and access. Always good to be prepared, eh? https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6ba9f11d5988683be8d207261acca375cc2fecf0756ccaf4abd64067bfc4851a.jpg
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Chas Dart
March 6, 2017 at 3:18 PM
Hi, I liked your pocket-sized survival kit, I have been carrying similar for years.
The reason for my comment, and a particular gripe of mine, is that you have to include both a Swiss Army knife, and a can-opener!
Not your fault, but theirs. I have NEVER been at a loss as to how to open a bottle-cap, with, or without a tool. Tins can(?) be a bit more tricky, and yet every knife seems to have a bottle-opener. Yes they sell their tools by being multi-function, but when some are endorsed by “survival experts”, it makes me wonder who’s interests they are looking after.
Why don’t knife makers include a can-opener rather than a (redundant) cap-flipper? Incidentally, Victorinox make a very effective can-&-bottle opener combination, that they include on random knives. (Never, it would seem, the one you want!).
Keep up the good work.
Best regards,
Chas.
Castle
July 17, 2018 at 1:46 PM
Button compass. These are included in many survival kits yet they have very little use. They usually have air bubbles and the slightest defect makes them even more inaccurate. Taking a bearing is virtually impossible. It is much better to learn a level of natural navigation. Even the most basic methods will give you better direction than the button compass. Use the space in tour tin for something practical and fill your brain with knowledge that will save your life.
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Nick
November 13, 2021 at 5:41 PM
Use ranger bands in place of regular rubber bands
And get a US Military P38 can opener.
Just a thought Great way to have a edc using altoids tin