Personal pocket kit - PPK

[Lanceman]

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Hi guys,
Here are two pictures of my personal pocket kit, PPK. Most forums refer to this as a PSK personal survival kit, but that's a bit too dramatic for me. Been carrying this kit in my pocket for all my fresh air activities in and around Mumbai and forests elsewhere.
I try and keep a few essentials (and some not so essential but dramatic) stuff in this tiny 10x6.5 cm peppermint box. On this box I have used ranger bands to fix a Boker Gnome.
Contents:
Small SAK
Micro torch
Fire starter flint and Vaseline soaked cotton (dramatic stuff!)
Plastic tube containing
-needle with dental floss threaded, this is a very versatile combo, repairs just about anything as it is very strong.
-a few fishing hooks and line (more dramatic stuff!)
-small safety pins
Medical
-tabs for loose motion, body ache and disprin. Small tube of antiseptic cream and loads of Bandaids. We are playing with sharp edged weapons aren't we?
About 6 feet of very strong and light cord
Large safety pin

All this is packed very compact and in my pocket always when out birding or trekking. Any suggestions?
I have a larger pack which I carry in my backpack, this has more stuff, will post in the future.

Does anyone else carry something like this? If so let's see your kit.

[brihacharan]

Hi Lanceman,
> Looking at the pics & list of items put me on a quick rewind to the good old days when hunting was permitted....used to carry most of the listed items...
> These days roaming the concrete jungles all I carry is a Mini LED Torch, A Swiss Knife with minimal attachments, A compass, A cigarette lighter (I don't smoke), A couple of strips of Band-Aid, Crocin, DiGene....
Briha

[TC]

Hi Lanceman,
That's a near package, including the dramatic stuff ... I am especially curious to know the roles played by the needle with threaded dental floss.
Also, would be obliged if you could let me know the source of the digital camo. Cant seem to get this material here... Want to get a jacket made for myself.
Personally I carry a small Samsonite messenger bag all the time for years and in it I stuff everything that I need everyday and everywhere... including a powerful Sony digital sound recorder that can record bird calls with astounding clarity.

So, here's a list of things I don't carry :
a) compass
b) para-chord
c) fishing hooks/ line
d) fire starter.... ( I smoke and carry two to three lighters one of which is invariably out of fuel or flint stone )

Incidentally, besides some medicines, Ialways carry a syringe and an ampule of an emergency medicine that I needed a couple of times.... Yes I can administer an injection on myself (and others )

Nice thread... Thanks

TC

[Lanceman]

Thanks Brihacharan-sir, and TC,
TC, to answer your queries... The camp material is a carry bag which was dished out at a def expo in London a few years back by a camo cloth mfr co. I use it as a lunch bag now, so that the enemy can't grab my lunch.
In india you only get the jungle camo, but in some large cantts, like Amabala, (outside your fort maybe) you just might come across some digital camo.
Needle threaded with dental floss.....vast uses and I have used this almost all my life in the military and here. From sewing on a button, clothes, backpack, shoe sole that has come off, to sewing human skin in an emergency bad cut (dental floss is sterilised), and anything in between. The floss is much much tougher than thread.
I agree about para cord, but recently along with some friends I got lost in a bird sanctuary while walking cross country and found a compass invaluable.

[brihacharan]

Thanks Brihacharan-sir, and TC,
TC, to answer your queries... The camp material is a carry bag which was dished out at a def expo in London a few years back by a camo cloth mfr co. I use it as a lunch bag now, so that the enemy can't grab my lunch.
In india you only get the jungle camo, but in some large cantts, like Amabala, (outside your fort maybe) you just might come across some digital camo.
Needle threaded with dental floss.....vast uses and I have used this almost all my life in the military and here. From sewing on a button, clothes, backpack, shoe sole that has come off, to sewing human skin in an emergency bad cut (dental floss is sterilised), and anything in between. The floss is much much tougher than thread.
I agree about para cord, but recently along with some friends I got lost in a bird sanctuary while walking cross country and found a compass invaluable.

Hi Lanceman,
> This bit is very valuable - Thanks for sharing
Needle threaded with dental floss.....vast uses and I have used this almost all my life in the military and here. From sewing on a button, clothes, backpack, shoe sole that has come off, to sewing human skin in an emergency bad cut (dental floss is sterilised), and anything in between. The floss is much much tougher than thread.
Briha

[essdee1972]

Lanceman.... sir, this is a nice thread you started....

I carry a nut case. (opinion may differ, people think I AM one ). This was a tin which carried cashew nuts which I purchased on an Indigo flight. It boldly says "nut case" on the lid (and at the back, "over 85 million passengers are nuts about Indigo", and no, I don't have shares )!!

Size: 10 cm X 12 cm X 2.5 cm.

Contents: (brand names, when mentioned, are what I carry now)

(the non-dramatic stuff)

• Medicines for: general aches and pains (Disprin), loose motions (Lomofen), stomach ache / cramps (Spasmonil), bad pain (Brufen), fever (Crocin), allergies (Allegra - I am allergic to certain pollens). 2-4 of each, depending on size.
• Salt (flicked from an airline meal) and sugar (likewise from a coffee shop) sachets in lieu of electrolyte solution.
• One sealed gauze bandage.
• One sealed sanitizing hand wipe (Godrej brand - they sell single sealed packs).
• Band aids (that is a brand name itself!). The cloth ones, I find the waterproof ones useless.
• Small tube of antiseptic cream (Wokadine).
• Needle & thread.
• Dental floss (same use as yours - I once stitched back a ripped strap on a friend's backpack). Wrapped around a toothpick.
• 4-5 small safety pins, one large one (the diaper pins leftover from my son's infancy!!)
• Couple of toothpicks & earbuds.
• Tiny tweezer (was part of son's toy, Science Experiments or some such).
• Jute twine (about 6 feet).
• Duct tape wrapped around a credit card (expired, of course!!), 6 feet.
• Stub of a pencil (generated by Junior, @ about one per week!), with electrical tape, copper wire (stripped wire from a defunct electrical heater), and fishing line wrapped around it.
• Whistle
• Tiny torch (Streamlight Nano)
• Superglue (the Fevi-kwik 5 buck tube).

(the dramatic stuff)

• 4 feet paracord
• Button compass (although I can't read a map, this seemed kinda cool!).
• Gerber knife. I always EDC a SAK Hunter, unless I am flying, of course.
• DIY waterproof matches (take match, dip in better half's clear nailpolish, let dry, defend yourself against said better half's missiles, verbal or otherwise!!). This is packed in a tiny pouch I made out of duct tape, which has got the cut-off striker of the match box stuck inside.
• Vaseline soaked cotton, packed inside a drinking straw from McDonalds. Said straw melted and stuck at both ends.
• Ranger bands (went to repair kid's bicycle, picked up old inner tube) to hold all the stuff in the dabba.

This stays in lappie bag unless using air transport, when it gets transferred to checked-in luggage. When in nature, it is in a pocket of cargo vest. And there's a larger backup.

I normally carry a Zippo to light the cigarettes, and a SAK.

[TC]

Hi Lanceman,
> This bit is very valuable - Thanks for sharing
Needle threaded with dental floss.....vast uses and I have used this almost all my life in the military and here. From sewing on a button, clothes, backpack, shoe sole that has come off, to sewing human skin in an emergency bad cut (dental floss is sterilised), and anything in between. The floss is much much tougher than thread.
Briha

Completely agree..

Thanks Lanceman. Got a few school friends in the forces who pass through Ambala at times. Have to do some pleading the next time we meet over drinks !!

Essdee,
Man, that "nut case" of yours could put my junior school science teacher and NCC instructor both into a tizzy
But I am floored by the DIY waterproof matches and the vaseline soaked cotton stuffed inside Mcdonald straws
You have given me some brilliant ideas

I normally carry a Zippo to light the cigarettes, and a SAK.

Now don't tell me you too collect Zippos




TC

[Lanceman]

Essdee, consider threading the floss through a needle before hand. When you are cold and wet and adrenaline (no I am not misspelling my name) pumped, very difficult to thread a needle. Otherwise, great gear, the straw has given me ideas too, saw it some where earlier but forgot.

[Lanceman]

Essdee where do you get duct tape?

[Lanceman]

TC, you could try Gopinath Bazar in Delhi Cantt for digital camo

[brihacharan]

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Briha

[TC]

TC, you could try Gopinath Bazar in Delhi Cantt for digital camo

Thanks Lanceman, brother lives in Delhi, Will cal him right away

TC

[fantumfan2003]

Interesting topic.

Here is a website I follow that has a go bag (geek name for PPK) for every ocassion.

http://www.lifehacker.co.in/topic/Go-Bag

M.

[TC]

Nice links....

Thanks Brihaji and fantumfan... I am sure these will generate more ideas for those who love to make their own PPKs

TC

[fantumfan2003]

This is what I carry, when I can.



May replace this with a Leatherman Surge or Wave.

M.

Does anyone else carry something like this? If so let's see your kit.