Urban Survival Tin

[CynicalSurvival]

I hadn't given the idea of an urban survival tin much thought but it's a good idea, especially as I am much more often in an urban environment than in the wilderness (and when I am out camping etc, I have generally prepared a lot of kit). Plus when commuting to work I want to keep it as light as possible.

This site gives a pretty good suggestion: http://urbansurvivalguy.com/urban-survival-tin/
In short:
Rubber bands
Cotton balls
Skeletonized knife
Wrapped toothpicks
Sewing set in Mini tin
Small Bic lighter
Ear plugs
Duck tape
Mini tin for holding pills
Leatherman Micra
Assortment of bandages
SD card
Public transport card

...though he doesn't explain what all the stuff is for. Any idea why you'd want to carry around cotton wool, toothpicks, rubber bands etc...? The rest is pretty obvious I guess.

Anything you'd add or change compared to that list?

[EddieEnzyme]

Ooh, elastic bands have endless uses, one of those things you only miss when you don't have one! Not sure about the cotton wool balls. Cleaning up minor wounds? Not firelighting, I wouldn't have thought.
I actually have something similar, without the knife as I carry a small folder, but I include a couple of Immodium and a couple of antihistamines along with the painkillers.
There's no light in the tin, something like a Photon mini light or sonething would be a handy thing to have.

[CynicalSurvival]

Ok sure. Very good idea about the extra pills.

Yep, the guy says somewhere on the site that he doesn't prep tinder in an urban area as it's easy to find paper, card etc - so perhaps for wounds.

In terms of a torch, I was thinking of adding something like this to my keyring that covers knife/torch and is very portable:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001 ... UTF8&psc=1

[Decaff]

Shudder at rubber bands!!! I have an irrational, intense dislike for them, can't touch them, won't touch them, our postie kept giving our post banded together for a while which was a nightmare for me to deal with . Same with balloons!!

[Trawlerman]

This is gonna be my next project. Putting together an Urban Survival Tin.

I carry some of this stuff already but it will be interesting to see what ideas come up from others.
You may want to have a look over at http://www.edcforums.com/forum/ for some more ideas. It's a great place to be for this sort of stuff.

[ukpreppergrrl]

I pretty much carry all that in my handbag, including the knife! I also carry:
Alcohol gel
Alcohol wipes
Tissues
Soap leafs (very thin slices of soap, you use one to wash your hands assuming you have access to water)
Toilet roll (Andrex used to sell a small travel roll minus the cardboard tube, but I've not seen it for a couple of years)
Folding FFP3 mask
LED button torch

I once also had a cordless drill and a lamb bone (long story) in there! I did wonder what would happen if I got stopped and searched...

For an Urban Tin I'd suggest at least some alcohol wipes - I have the sort that are used for sterilising your arm pre jab - so they're small but big enough for wiping your fingers/hands or a wound. If you can fit it in, the folding FFP3 mask. Definitely a tiny LED torch. And depending on what the cotton wool is for, I'd suspect that a couple of Tampax would contain more wool, absorb more, pack up smaller, and come in sterile plastic wrap - if you're man enough to carry them!

[CynicalSurvival]

Thanks - I'd forgotten about soap leaves - very neat. One of my kids used to take those to school because she hates liquid soap.

Those LED button torches are good and they are cheap, much cheaper than the knife/torch combo I linked to. I generally carry a folding knife so probably will go with the button torch and not bother including another knife.
(ADDED: Leatherman micro has a blade anyway, if I include one of those.)

Btw looking at the guy's site some more, he says he generally uses a bigger rucksack for EDC but the tin comes in handy for situations where he can't easily carry that with him, as it can go in a coat pocket.

ty for the link, Trawlerman

ADDED: My plan atm is to include the tin inside my EDC shoulder bag, but can easily take out just the tin and put it in a pocket if I'm not taking a bag with me.
I need a bigger tin though. Leatherman micro is v nice but at £30 it's not top priority atm

[o0Pleomax0o]

Good find, don't think i would be happy with a Ritter RSK Mk5 in the tin. Just incase I get stopped by the police, especially in an Urban environment. Don't fancy being charged with carrying an offensive weapon. Thoughts?

o0Pleomax0o

[DKR]

I carry an older Basset 'nail tool" even with a 'blade' I've never had a problem, even on US aircraft.

I guess it's all what you think you would use the knife for in the kit.

I carry a packet of Aspirin, a triple antibiotic packet and a couple of Band-aids (plasters)



A Mag-lite Solitaire fits in a tin with no problem. My Infinity Task Light is a bit too fat to fit in a tin.

You can fit a lot of things in a tin. I now use a 'cigarette case' to carry the little bits of every day kit.

[Deeps]

I carry a Swiss army knife (spartan) with a small maglite (1 AAA battery) attached and I've also started carrying one of these on my keyring

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00I ... ge_o03_s00

I've taken out the wee fishing stuff and wire and squeezed in a couple more mini fishing light sticks. In my wallet I keep a spare battery for my phone (Galaxy s5) and one of these wee multi tools (that cost buttons).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B006 ... ge_o08_s00

If I'm wearing a coat I usually have a packet of tissues in the pocket and if I know I'm going out for the day I might have another spare phone battery or 2 in a wee pouch.

I've got a couple of the smally pill holders on order from Amazon as well (both big and small) that will probably be added to my keyring too but which one (if any) will be figured out when they arrive.

If I'm taking a rucksack I've got a collapsible cup, a couple of sporks (in a hard plastic holder) and a wee seasoning holder along with elastic bands, spare batteries and a couple of torches, insulating tape etc. My missus thinks I'm daft but if she needs any 'bits and bobs' she knows where to come.