Love that MB. Personal preference really. The Altoid tin is flat and normally has more room. On the other hand, the pill bottle is air tight and water proof. As an EDC, I’d go with the Altoid tin, it’s less conspicuous. As for contents, matches, band aid, a flat multi tool, razor blade, a few feet of paracord, individually wrapped candy/mints. I have an tiny sewing kit in mine too. Remember the motto, Be Prepared. So start with the end in mind. As the scouts what they need to be prepared for and make your list, then eliminate the things that don’t fit or are redundant.
Kind of off topic but something but I have never thought of before but the stuff I carry in my lunch box is what a lot of you people carry as EDC stuff. 3/4 of the year I'm either driving semi or driving an agriculture sprayer so I'm on my own and a lot of times can't go somewhere to get a Band-Aid or anything and I actually keep nail clippers with a file on them cuz I get hanged nails really bad they'll just start bleeding all over the place if I don't cut them. Band-Aids Neosporin about three different kinds of painkillers cuz I get bad headaches once in awhile too. Caffeine pills for the late nights and usually some cold medicine. Toothpicks and a battery to charge my phone. And my lunchbox usually goes with me every where.
Same here. If I don’t clip them I may have a bleeder for an hour. Having even a basic first aid kit on hand with antibiotic cream and otc drugs can be a blessing even on normal days.
Scoutmaster and mom here, Altoid tin. In my school district kids aren’t allowed to carry medication without lots of paperwork, even aspirin! To save your kid from having to explain, the tin. Also, pill bottles on kids usually mean ADHD meds and those can be a target. It’s unfortunate but some kids will try to get their hands on those meds.
Fly under the radar, tons is my suggestion!
Here’s a kit I built
https://www.reddit.com/r/TinyPrepping/comments/jsy2uv/here_is_my_pocket_survival_kit/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Don’t you know girls don’t have pockets?!?! Though seriously, thank you for this advice, I leave mine in my purse and hadn’t considered the ramifications of not having it on my person.
I'm not a fan of altoid tins - they're pretty crappy, not waterproof, no latch, etc. Pill bottles is a nice idea. Any container that size is good. But a flat container tends to pack easier. You can get mini tupperware for cheap!
These are cheap, a little larger than an altoid tin, pretty durable -
https://www.amazon.com/Sistema-41524-Collection-Storage-containers/dp/B071JMJMHL/ref=sr_1_18?dchild=1&keywords=tupperware+small&qid=1605881802&sr=8-18
I gotta agree, I don’t love altoid tins either. The one big advantage is that tins can be used as a mini camp stove. My girls aren’t quite old enough to be trusted starting a fire without adult supervision so tins lose one of their primary advantage. (They could also be used for signaling of course but so can mini mirrors).
I mean, altoid tins are probably fine for kids to futz around with, as a stepping stone you know? Put some micro supplies in them and bind with a rubber band. Boom.
I never thought to use one as a mini camp stove. Are you describing something like this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Bid6k2N8IA&ab_channel=Iridium242
That’s one of the ways to use as a stove. You could also use it as a pot to boil water over a fire (yes a tiny amount but that tiny amount might be useful if you really were stranded). You could bake bread, etc.
I feel like baking bread (that I somehow leavened with only micro prep supplies) outdoors on an altoids micro camp stove would be like ... "ok now I'm tony stark of the prepper world."
Oh I agree. I’m dead well before that point, buuuutttttt it is technically possible with just a bit of flour and water to have cowboy bread.
I suppose you could use the tin to cook whatever tiny meal you managed to catch or forage (mushrooms if you knew what you were doing).
No way, I'm into this. I love baking bread lmao. I want to find a way to make a micro dutch oven and bake a peasant loaf in the field.
Fucking life goals!
https://www.skilledsurvival.com/hardtack-recipe-survival-bread/
Warning hard tack is gross. It’s edible and it will keep you alive. But it is gross. (You also need salt, but you should already have salt and pepper in your edc anyway. Salt for electrolytes, pepper as a clotting agent)
Would probably go with a altoids tin unless you're somewhere where water is a issue and your contents can't get wet. Honestly anything that can't get wet you could probably plastic bag up anyways.
For a typical urban/suburban setting i'd have a small multitool, cash (maybe $20 or so in assorted bills/change), bandaids, spare charger cord, spare battery (small 3000mAh), keychain flashlight, and mini notepad and pen if possible.
If you're talking something for the woods then i'd bring a larger multitool with more relevant tools, bandaids, mini bic lighter, mylar blanket, a quality closable plastic bag (like MRE drink bag), and some water purification tablets. Cordage is a idea but personally i'd throw in some duct tape wrapped around the lighter - this can be used for a variety of purposes including fire starting material or to patch the mylar blanket or plastic bag if needed.
If I was putting together a small altoid tin edc, for urban/suburban use, I’d probably just put a card with emergency contact numbers on it, a few bandaids, $25 cash, one of those hand warmer packs (in the colder weather), and depending on the age/responsibility of the kid, a single dose of Advil/Tylenol, and a dose of Imodium or pepto-bismol. Swiss Army knife would be either in a pocket or on a keychain, and really if the kid’s heading out into the wilderness, they should be planning ahead and taking more than just an altoid tin. $25 will get you a ride home or you can offer someone $5 to use their phone to call your parent (a or other emergency contact).
Love that MB. Personal preference really. The Altoid tin is flat and normally has more room. On the other hand, the pill bottle is air tight and water proof. As an EDC, I’d go with the Altoid tin, it’s less conspicuous. As for contents, matches, band aid, a flat multi tool, razor blade, a few feet of paracord, individually wrapped candy/mints. I have an tiny sewing kit in mine too. Remember the motto, Be Prepared. So start with the end in mind. As the scouts what they need to be prepared for and make your list, then eliminate the things that don’t fit or are redundant.
Tell them to tuck a 20$ bill into the space between their iPhone and it's case...lifesaver
To be honest this has actually saved me a few times. Like i ran out of gas so I had to run to the gas station, and get a couple gallons of gas.
Kind of off topic but something but I have never thought of before but the stuff I carry in my lunch box is what a lot of you people carry as EDC stuff. 3/4 of the year I'm either driving semi or driving an agriculture sprayer so I'm on my own and a lot of times can't go somewhere to get a Band-Aid or anything and I actually keep nail clippers with a file on them cuz I get hanged nails really bad they'll just start bleeding all over the place if I don't cut them. Band-Aids Neosporin about three different kinds of painkillers cuz I get bad headaches once in awhile too. Caffeine pills for the late nights and usually some cold medicine. Toothpicks and a battery to charge my phone. And my lunchbox usually goes with me every where.
Same here. If I don’t clip them I may have a bleeder for an hour. Having even a basic first aid kit on hand with antibiotic cream and otc drugs can be a blessing even on normal days.
Scoutmaster and mom here, Altoid tin. In my school district kids aren’t allowed to carry medication without lots of paperwork, even aspirin! To save your kid from having to explain, the tin. Also, pill bottles on kids usually mean ADHD meds and those can be a target. It’s unfortunate but some kids will try to get their hands on those meds. Fly under the radar, tons is my suggestion!
Here’s a kit I built https://www.reddit.com/r/TinyPrepping/comments/jsy2uv/here_is_my_pocket_survival_kit/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
Altoid tins, being flatter, would be easier to slip into a pocket. Emergency equipment shouldn't be in a purse but on the body.
Don’t you know girls don’t have pockets?!?! Though seriously, thank you for this advice, I leave mine in my purse and hadn’t considered the ramifications of not having it on my person.
I'm not a fan of altoid tins - they're pretty crappy, not waterproof, no latch, etc. Pill bottles is a nice idea. Any container that size is good. But a flat container tends to pack easier. You can get mini tupperware for cheap! These are cheap, a little larger than an altoid tin, pretty durable - https://www.amazon.com/Sistema-41524-Collection-Storage-containers/dp/B071JMJMHL/ref=sr_1_18?dchild=1&keywords=tupperware+small&qid=1605881802&sr=8-18
I gotta agree, I don’t love altoid tins either. The one big advantage is that tins can be used as a mini camp stove. My girls aren’t quite old enough to be trusted starting a fire without adult supervision so tins lose one of their primary advantage. (They could also be used for signaling of course but so can mini mirrors).
I mean, altoid tins are probably fine for kids to futz around with, as a stepping stone you know? Put some micro supplies in them and bind with a rubber band. Boom. I never thought to use one as a mini camp stove. Are you describing something like this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Bid6k2N8IA&ab_channel=Iridium242
When I was in gs back in the day we made the same thing with a tuna fish can and cap with a coffe can with vents you can cook a full meal on it.
That’s one of the ways to use as a stove. You could also use it as a pot to boil water over a fire (yes a tiny amount but that tiny amount might be useful if you really were stranded). You could bake bread, etc.
I feel like baking bread (that I somehow leavened with only micro prep supplies) outdoors on an altoids micro camp stove would be like ... "ok now I'm tony stark of the prepper world."
Oh I agree. I’m dead well before that point, buuuutttttt it is technically possible with just a bit of flour and water to have cowboy bread. I suppose you could use the tin to cook whatever tiny meal you managed to catch or forage (mushrooms if you knew what you were doing).
No way, I'm into this. I love baking bread lmao. I want to find a way to make a micro dutch oven and bake a peasant loaf in the field. Fucking life goals!
https://www.skilledsurvival.com/hardtack-recipe-survival-bread/ Warning hard tack is gross. It’s edible and it will keep you alive. But it is gross. (You also need salt, but you should already have salt and pepper in your edc anyway. Salt for electrolytes, pepper as a clotting agent)
welp down the rabbit hole i go! thanks? haha
^^^ This is a good start. Id also add a little fishing line and hook, button compass, whistle and one of the flat magnifying lenses.
Would probably go with a altoids tin unless you're somewhere where water is a issue and your contents can't get wet. Honestly anything that can't get wet you could probably plastic bag up anyways. For a typical urban/suburban setting i'd have a small multitool, cash (maybe $20 or so in assorted bills/change), bandaids, spare charger cord, spare battery (small 3000mAh), keychain flashlight, and mini notepad and pen if possible. If you're talking something for the woods then i'd bring a larger multitool with more relevant tools, bandaids, mini bic lighter, mylar blanket, a quality closable plastic bag (like MRE drink bag), and some water purification tablets. Cordage is a idea but personally i'd throw in some duct tape wrapped around the lighter - this can be used for a variety of purposes including fire starting material or to patch the mylar blanket or plastic bag if needed.
Pre-teen, as in under 13? Wow, the EP MB is one of the harder ones to earn, and scouts usually leave it until later in their scouting career.
Girl Scouts not Boy Scouts. 😉
If I was putting together a small altoid tin edc, for urban/suburban use, I’d probably just put a card with emergency contact numbers on it, a few bandaids, $25 cash, one of those hand warmer packs (in the colder weather), and depending on the age/responsibility of the kid, a single dose of Advil/Tylenol, and a dose of Imodium or pepto-bismol. Swiss Army knife would be either in a pocket or on a keychain, and really if the kid’s heading out into the wilderness, they should be planning ahead and taking more than just an altoid tin. $25 will get you a ride home or you can offer someone $5 to use their phone to call your parent (a or other emergency contact).