Military Survival Tin

My Military Survival Tin, put together prior to attending the SERE (Survival Resistance, Evasion and Extraction) course, and carried during my service in the Pathfinders, including operations in Kosovo, Macedonia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

[@ianblair9752]

Another great video.. I wonder how many wives or girlfriends are missing suspender snaps now 🤣🤣

[@Maryland_Kulak]

I really like your content. As a retired US Army light, mechanized, and air assault infantry officer, I have always respected the British infantryman.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Thanks George, appreciate it 👍

[@phincampbell1886]

I'm glad you showed us the mini towel things, as I'd never seen or heard of them. Thanks

[@brianvannorman1465]

I really like your mini-glow sticks. Looks very handy.

[@jfilm7466]

I would add burn gel, tweezers, pen, paper. I once used a broken glow stick to drip and leave a Hansel and Gretel breadcrumbs trail to find my way back in the dark. I also poured some of the liquid high up on trees around 100m apart. Got me back in pitch black.

[@AppalachianAlex]

Why are you going for walks in the woods at night if the only way you can find your way back is with a glowing trail

[@bickie603]

I think everyone would like to hear more about the wire saw you have compared to other ones the same size and do not work as well. I do enjoy your videos

[@charlesmckinney]

That is one of the best most complete personal survival kits I believe I've ever seen

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Thanks mate 👍

[@kjonesphd]

As an old grunt, living and hiking in Alaska, your content is excellent. No amazon frills, just getting it done. Outstanding.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Thanks Ken, appreciate it 👍

[@simonassvedarauskas2813]

During the current situation regarding Ukraine Russo war, in Baltic states, - obvious next war area, this knownledge you transfer to us is extremely valueable

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Thanks mate, appreciate it 👍

[@ohiobrian8993]

Never has so much been contained in so small a container and so well thought out. Thank you. Very impressive. I will start following you. Cheers!

[@davehumpleby3440]

Blimey. That tin of yours holds more than the Tardis!

[@swiggy03]

Great vid ,no BS ! 👍🏻🍺

[@kurtbaier6122]

Best kit I’ve ever seen.

[@wtr7]

After watching more than 3.25 hours of psk KZbin vids, in my expert opinion lol, this vid is one of the best. Thank you.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Cheers mate 👍

[@markevans506]

Excellent idea for the suspender snaps. That’s why it’s always good to watch other videos and find that great idea.

[@Retired-Tom]

Some new things since the 70s and we used to fill any space with cotton wool. Polished inside the lid for signalling. Don't recall ever using anything out of it.

[@leerendell9403]

Picked a few tips up ta. Just realised I picked up my tin when I was 19 and I'm 50 in July!!!! So good service . Liking the videos keep them coming

[@user-gn7zy5rc4l]

Awesome video, excellent review of the kit,and contents!!!!!!!! Thank You for sharing this information with us!!!!!🤝🎯👍👍😎😉

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Cheers mate 👍

[@phincampbell1886]

Just how much you get in that tin, it's incredible!!

[@awildlife.1359]

Really nice kit! Well thought out and practical

[@jamesauld5145]

Superb mate, thank you very much.

[@Guide504]

May I suggest leaving a tag end free on your lighter security tape, dexterity is often compromised in a survival situation.

[@KiwiUKOutdoors]

Thank you for your take on the survival tin, it gave me great ideas

[@w3w3w3]

love your content bro 💪

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Cheers mate 👍

[@dennisleighton2812]

One of the best I have seen! Very comprehensive.

[@tjfm59]

reference your fred, have 20 yrs in the us army. back in 1978 i accured a good steel p-38. it rides on my house key ring. recently i got a p-51 to add to it. i also pack boullion cubes in mine. but i also carry chicken flavor as well as the beef. have taken to looking in some of the spainish sections for bouillon cubes as well. more flavors - tomatoe, shrimp & veggie. an i can see guts raiding there wives dressors for garter belts to cut the clips off. very good idea an i got a laugh out of it when i realized what they are. i am also the oxy-moron, army salior, transportation corp. think that pier at gaza. one of the first items i wanted a piece of kit. is a magsium firestart bar. i needed something that could get soaking wet & still work. shave the bar, crank some sparks into the shavings, i got a fire. picked it up in 1978 as well. have carried it every since. oh, check the ingredients of your first aid ontiments. a lot of them have vaseline as a main item. when i get a tube that goes past the expiration date. it goes in the fire kit.

[@gringo3009]

Impressive kit. Thanks for sharing.

[@jameshuffaker9369]

I'm old enough to know what those little clips are, they are called garter clips, to be used with a garter belt to hold up women's non elastic silk stockings.

[@robshirewood5060]

There are 4 white ones in the RAF Aircrew mk 4 survival kit same use. BCB used to make one.

[@itzybitzyspyder]

Every time I que up your videos I lead with a like so I don't forget. Your videos are consistently no-nonsense and informative. It's great to see other people's setups so I dont get complacent in my own confirmation bias.

[@phincampbell1886]

Thank you! I too often forget to do what I want to when the video I've watched is great quality or good entertainment, and that is like the thing. Gonna go do it now!

[@rob45x]

Excellent video. Cheers mate

[@chasepetty5659]

Great ideas thanks for sharing 👍

[@garyjohnson4608]

Wow, very interesting video. I have an appreciation for the expertise it takes to know just what you might need to pack in that tin just prior to each deployment.

[@glenn9892]

Thanks for the great video. You have a few other items in your kit that I didnt, so now I will re-adjust my kit. I keep one in my truck and bag.

[@neoaliphant]

Great video as always, reassuring to see that a lot of my kit overlaps, suspender belt clips is a new one on me definitely.

[@groenrizla2513]

Some interesting bits in there. What I used to keep on me were a strip of condoms. Very good for waterproofing things, when I did water rafting, always put my phone, key, lighter etc in condoms.

[@tubefreakmuva]

Wow, great insight!

[@dalerobertson45]

Great video, enjoyed very much

[@rwynne29]

Love the video! Always appreciate kits from people have actually had to use them in real situations. Thanks!

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Cheers mate 👍

[@titanpreparedness]

Neat video. Looks like a good amount of supplies as long as you have the right knowledge to go with it.

[@partlysunny7361]

Thanks for the interesting content.

[@GStone-jl1ov]

Brilliant thanks.

[@Olyphoto7]

Very nice kit, well thought out and presented. I made some notes for my next iteration of pocket kits.

[@arctodussimus6198]

Outstanding !

[@NNICKKK]

Really enjoying the channel. I am not a big bushcraft enthusiast personally, but love time out doors and solo camping etc- it’s always relevant seeing kit like this though, no matter where you are or what you know. Im always in awe of serving or ex service guys like yourself who are humble with the experience they have- you have lived a hundred lives with the time you served in terms of the experience many of us *think *we have. So much great practical advice coming out from you. You deserve all the subs coming your way I think!

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Thanks mate, appreciate it! 👍

[@KT_survival]

Great kit!

[@lukeskywalker6502]

Awesome stuff

[@GMU8]

Best video so far. Thanks

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Thanks John!

[@TheMilitaryBiker]

New to the channel mate, outstanding! Really enjoying your videos. 24 years Royal Armoured Corps myself. Keep up the great work mate. ✌️🇬🇧

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Cheers mate, appreciate it.

[@Joinordie718]

Excellent and innovative items and tools in this kit great reasoning behind the items too. Gives me some good ideas for a tin load out this size. Been waiting for a look inside and not disappointed at all. Another great video sir. Thank you for this valuable knowledge.👍👍

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Thanks Jeffrey 👍

[@davidg1811]

Fantastic information. Fantastic channel in general. Keep up the good work.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Thanks David! 👍

[@barrycartner3855]

First, thank you for your service in the armed forces. Very well thought out and organized kit. I thoroughly enjoy your manner of instruction.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Thanks Barry! 👍

[@captainscarlet6758]

Those freznel lenses work great in England. I found that they work best on dark materials like dry leave etc. Cotton wool is harder to get going I found. Great video. 👍

[@marksadventures3889]

Dip cotton balls in wax to make them take quicker. Use tampons that take up less space. "Not that sort of Tinder" class.

[@itzybitzyspyder]

Put a dark bit in the coton nest and focus on that.

[@nineat]

That's amazing kit! It will help in improve mine.

[@chrisgibson2328]

Very good. Well thought out. New Subscriber.

[@balexwilcox]

Really enjoyed and found this helpful. Huge contrast with all the urban EDC tins videos. Spent a good part of my life in the back country including wilderness, so a lot of the urban prepper stuff doesn't make sense to me. This survival kit does.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Cheers, appreciate it 👍

[@jimb3685]

Great stuff bud with a real life practical slant!

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Cheers Jim! 👍

[@sapperRE]

Excellent, thank you.

[@nellbrown770]

great bit of kit in there, nice one..

[@colinmcdonnell1868]

Very, very good. Love the idea of the Ranger bands holding the emergency blanket on the outside very practical even providing padding and noise dampening to the tin in a pocket. Your experience in SERE schools shows with the suspender clips which are in the RAF pilots kit as they say you can't buy experience so thanks for sharing yours! The choice of tin larger stronger and subdued colouring is great, personally I'm sticking with the tobacco tin because it is really pocket sized for say civilian clothing in particular. I can just imagine people watching this who did not pay attention trying to fit everything into a tobacco tin! Forgive me it does exactly what it says on the tin - Pathfinders do operate behind the lines and the tin does comprehensively gives you everything you would need to survive and evade if you had nothing but the tin to go on. Very well thought out like the strip plasters you may need to walk out (the US Air Warrior vest for helicopter crew has moleskins in it) look at that Owen Wilson movie based on real events though Scot O'Grady was USAF. Please keep up the good work.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Thanks Colin, appreciate it! 👍

[@Snakepliskin76]

I made a similar kit when I was in the 82nd Airborne (3/504th Parachute Infantry). Thankfully, I never had to use it, but was glad I had it. Brit Paras are top notch soldiers! Very professional and knowledgeable.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Cheers mate! My first ever trip to the USA was on an exchange with the 3/504th, how crazy is that? 1990, Fort Bragg.

[@Ralph105]

Nice job mate

[@jasemac5391]

What a bloody awesome tin you have put together there Brother 👍🏻🇦🇺

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Cheers mate 👍

[@kursantstrzelecki2958]

I think it would be interesting to hear what you carried in terms of survival items back then when you started and what circumstances effected the changes - especially in terms of various environments/climates you were deployed in. Just an idea, I know your time is limited. Thank you for great content!

[@martinoldentoft4297]

Thanks for sharing! There are a lot of videos out there on how to build a kit, but I've not seen any on actually using the different pieces of kit, especially the less obvious use cases. Would be neat to hear your thoughts!

[@robertwise3235]

good video

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Cheers Robert!

[@nosittapnomis7425]

'Bodging things' classic squaddie terminology 😉

[@hampshireoutdoorsandsurviv9340]

excellent video really informative subbed

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Cheers 👍

[@TheSaneHatter]

That is, far and away, the most generously-packed version of the UK survival tin that I've seen, with a lot of backups and some stuff (i.e the hacksaw, shims, and suspender tops) that I've never seen suggested before. On important question that I have, though, is regarding the much-discussed "fishing kit," which I scarcely know how to put together: what exactly goes IN it? What kind of hooks, sinkers, floats, line, etc. are standard for making this work? Maybe this deserves its own video, but I can't get a lot of specifics.

[@bob_the_bomb4508]

I remember also being issued a tin of chocolate which we weren’t allowed to open on pain of death…I’ve never been able to find one since.

[@HarryFenton6124]

I remember the Spike Milligan story: He was issued emergency chocolate, only to be eaten if surrounded by the enemy. Later that day, he sat in his barrack room bed, and, surrounded by the enemy, he scoffed it.

[@pepelemoko01]

The scalpel can be unwrapped and the foil fashioned as an impromptu handle to make it easier to use.

[@provvidenza7296]

A very well traveled kit, I hope you never had to use it for its intended purpose. Thanks for the valuable insight into the real thing and thank you for your service.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Thanks mate, appreciate it 👍

[@cardiacbob]

Like it. Good kit. I have all that stuff spread loaded throughout my ruck. I should put together a survival tin. I've put together survival kits in Nalgene bottles for my wife and sons, based on a career as a US Marine and a US Army Infantryman (Rappel Master and Sapper, Ret. SFC).

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Thanks Robert! 👍

[@justindawson3428]

This is the first video I have seen of yours and I really like the no frill and fan fare, just honest opinion. I seen your interview with Outdoor basics. I have subscribed and will now watch the rest of your video. As for your survival tin I really liked your thinking, some stuff I do not have in mine but as you said they are tallier to individual situations. I'm a Scout leader and I have always told my Scouts they should always carry a tampon for a number of reasons, I'm glad to see it in your kit. I'm also glad to see someone else carrying stock cubes. I like the little torch, where did you get it from?

[@Wanucho]

"Really good for tinder. Not that sought of tinder." I died.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

:)

[@richardlawson5565]

good info

[@theodorossarafis7370]

years ago i got the tin E&E and then as a green idiot i got a gerber one. i am still crying my money. so back to the tin. I use the BCB which is decent but i also but my own stuff like large needles, As for the fishing lines, since there rivers here do not have so much fish, i hardly have them in :) Something for the whistle. I had a case of an injured person that didn;t have the strength to shout in order to pin point his position. but he was able to whistle. so better to always have it handly i am also planning to buy a sawyer water filter for quicker water cleanning. With the medical i use also antibiotics and also compete for my feet. i really like the cubes for food. i having it also. very nutricious but it tastes like ....... Now let me share with you a funny moment when i started dating my current wife. I was organizing my stuff after an field excersice and she sees in my E& to have tampons and condoms. It took me a lifetime and to show her the SAS survival handbook to persuade her that i these are standart military SOPs and not for a "lover" or having orgies in the field excersice.

[@WilliamAshleyOnline]

chewing gum / dextrose candies, honey, instant cofee or other stimulant .. if you are on the run, coffee can be great to giving a little more intial boost and helps reduce fatigue... pure caffiene might be a substitutte 100% anhydrous. I would change out the emergency blanket with aponcho that can work as a tarp.. those emergency blankets tear and make so much noise. Something with a thermal relflective one side and atleast odgreen if not camo on the flip side. if in tropical sunscreen. I would switch out the bandaids for moleskin. A spork with one end a knife might be a substitute for the knife. You can get a kbar spork that has a whistle in it. These were plastic a metal variant of this would be good. IMO the whistle was way too big for its value. ccould have been combined with compass or some other implement. imo cremes /topicals are better than the bandaids little nonsensical if you have the tape anyway. I would change the whistle up for a lidocaine type spray. Some type of torch might be ok too, a torch that can create a spark gap would be idea for its use for firestarting. Miixing DEET etc. into the suncreen may be good again a warm weather thing.

[@thefusilier4702]

New Subscriber; wow, great minds think alike, my kit, is very similar, minus the suspenders buttons, & scalpal blades, & I'm on line looking for a "FRED" thats cleaver, I do have a razor blade, & my button compass, is dry jeweled bearing, no liquid, I do carry a clip on compass (edc) verry similar to yours, made by sunto... Back in my day w/ 9th ID, during operation reforger 1983 I traded for a British issue military survival tin, & I still have it today unopened, today I carry my version. So verry colse to yours. My locking picking set verry compact, includes tensioner, rake, & single pick. I would like more info. on your version... Thnx's for video, great content, I can wright a chapter on this subject alone....

[@slydevil2]

great video and great advice. i wasnt sure if you said how much it weighs in total?

[@Seanoduk]

That was excellent, really interesting to see a professionals approach. Would this find a place on your person/in your kit for the woods & hills nowadays or do you take a different approach? Thanks for the top content, without a shadow of a doubt one of the best channels on these topics!

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Thanks Sean, yes I do take it with me sometimes, if I'm in a remote area.

[@jamesf3683]

I just discovered your channel and I love your stuff. No nonsense, tried and tested. I think this is a great kit and it's obviously worked for you but I have a couple of ideas that I'd love to bounce of you to see what you think. I'm from Australia and it's much drier here so I personally think a survival bag is a good alternative to a mylar blanket. It's basically a man sized garbage bag that can be used as an emergency bivvy or more particularly as a transpiration bag in case you get stranded somewhere without water. I also keep a similar kit inside a 2L dry bag. It adds a layer of waterproofing and is another water container. I like the hacksaw blade and keep one in my kit but I don't know how useful it would be against a padlock, because most of them are hardened. Ebay sells heaps of cheap diamond files that are similar sized and will cut through anything. Carbide saw blades are also good. I'd love to hear your thoughts. You have way more experience than I do so maybe you can tell me why those ideas wouldn't work. Anyway, great channel and good luck building it up.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Hi James, yes those are all great ideas, as you mentioned, everyone's survival kit should be tailored to their environment, and also perceived threats and job role. I have a diamond file in my E and E kit amongst other kit.

[@itzybitzyspyder]

@@PreparedPathfinder yeah. I picked up one of those files and taped a ceramic razor in my kit. Got them from that UK company you had recommended.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

@@itzybitzyspyder nice one, they make some good kit.

[@jab4634]

I found grenade rings were quite good for the commando wire back in my time.

[@porkerthepig]

Though I have no doubt you know far more than me on this subject the one thing I would add is a small pair of tweezers and a couple of Andrex tissues

[@762M80]

I'm watching this and my 7yo daughter walks in and watches for a few minutes before we leave to drop her off at school, after a few minutes she says, "He's ruggedly handsome isn't he, and British, and a soldier...is he a knight?". I said, "Probably the closest thing to a Knight we'll see today, sweetie." Anyway, thought you might like to hear that story. Dig the videos, press on man.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Ha ha, brilliant! Cheers mate!

[@corporaterobotslave400]

I live in the Pacific Northwest American rain forest, weather here reminds me of the semester I spent in London. To combat dampness I also use those little dessicant packets you find in various commercial packaging: throw a couple of those in every dry bag and they help soak up the wetness inside / condensation. Cheers.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Great idea, thanks for sharing 👍

[@no_excuses]

Great video, if you're thinking of running any sere style courses I'd be up the challenge and supporting you.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Cheers, yes looking at doing some courses potentially, if there's enough interest.

[@ilonaanoli1593]

one of very few useful kits

[@taxlawsealsteuerberater7226]

Yeah mate, That’s it! Awesome pure authentic vid again! Once SF - ever SF! Your Channel is one of the best here! I gonna be a multipler for ya (Telling a lot of Friends about your Channel!) Go for it! Finally sayin‘ : i hatte the theoretisch Couch Sitting „survival experts“ (More Likely Couch Campers) Greetings from 🇩🇪

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Thanks mate, appreciate it! Glück Ab!

[@taxlawsealsteuerberater7226]

@@PreparedPathfinder aaaahhhhh Glück ab!

[@PreparedPathfinder]

@@taxlawsealsteuerberater7226 🪂🇩🇪🇬🇧👍

[@taxlawsealsteuerberater7226]

@@PreparedPathfinder I like UK ! Gonna wait for my new defender 90 V8….

[@PreparedPathfinder]

@@taxlawsealsteuerberater7226 very nice mate!

[@ronblackwell2238]

I remember being shown a servival tin when l was a young lad ( many many years ago ) can not remember the exact content but it was not as comprehensive as a lot the items you have shown were not available at the time. But what did stricke me at the time where the two Quail eggs it contained. Never seen them in a tin again, have heard any old timers mention this.?

[@richardgummere84]

Love the video and your explanation for the items you carry. What is the fabric that you were placing the items on? Is it a jungle blanket or a section of a parachute?

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Thankyou. It's a tarp mate.

[@richardgummere84]

@@PreparedPathfinder Ok, thanks!

[@jamesrichardwhitehouse5653]

Good stuff mate. We first used Old Holborn tobacco tins, then (and you won’t remember this) our large water purifying kits came in the same brown tins but consisted of two glass bottles of pills, white to purify and blue to take the taste away.) individual w/p kits came in inch square tins supposed to go in the 44 pattern water bottle carrier, but didn’t fit. Very, very, good presentation. Just like watching the combat survival instructor back in the day. The only thing we added when in-country was a couple of local currency notes, the higher denomination the better. Some blokes carried gold jewellery, just a ring or two taped to the I/d discs with the morphine, but you were likely to be stripped and clothes torn to ribbons looking for more if your captors suspected you had it. Jim W 348

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Thanks James, appreciate it!

[@neoaliphant]

You want to hear what the original SAS issued kit was like, ....answer, they werent issued much, they "requisitioned" from other units a lot, inc ping pong tables.

[@Retired-Tom]

I had one of those brown tins and tabs in bottles, also the canvas pouch with antibiotics in little metal tubes.

[@simonward4520]

Massive amount in there, really interesting video. Interested to know why the 3 different types of tinder, why not just take more of one type?

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Just different options really, they all have their pros and cons.

[@w3w3w3]

21:00 ah bear independant haha i watch him as well lol small world :P

[@TheRealHarrypm]

Great content, but youtube is just killing your quality with its re-compression on the video you should consider using higher bitrates or exporting videos with inflated rates and or even upscale to 4k this will allow for far better quality and detail which everyone loves on kit videos.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Roger, l have upgraded my camera since this video, which is to the standard you mentioned.

[@TheRealHarrypm]

@@PreparedPathfinder What have you upgraded to and or what are you uploading bitrate wise? KZbin needs video bitrate wise in real-world 100mbps AVC/H.264 (or 1Gb per min) to get over the compression artefact barrier blacks will still be crushed and have artefacts that are just the bias of the re-encoder even if you push broadcast standard ProRes for example but if your editing software is exporting more compressed bitrate then your footage is recorded at that's major quality loss same for resolution output. Bitrate is more key than a resolution but higher resolution means a higher tier of processing and streaming bitrate profiles but no matter what the compression has a black bias so darker scenes will always have blocky artefacts it just is slightly better with more data thrown at it. Framerate I’ll make a note on because your in the UK like me YT supports 25p and 50p PAL and 30p 60p NTSC for the 50/60hz power line flicker issues but the 60/50p rates are also a higher tier of bitrate support. Bit depth i.e 8bit video 10bit etc has no real effect on bitrate but it does look better and YT supports 10bit and HDR BT.2020 colour space formatting I dont give a shit about HDR most people don't either but 10bit 4:2:2 or better has been broadcast standard for 30 years but only in the last 3 years has consumer/entry prosumer stuff been going that way with the ‘’HDR’’ craze it's not true HDR unless its 10-12bit technical standards wise 8-bit looks look it up plenty of good info on this but basically better gradients of colour blues in the sky etc

[@PreparedPathfinder]

@@TheRealHarrypm GoPro 10, the missus does the editing.

[@TheRealHarrypm]

​@@PreparedPathfinder Yeah it's no production camera but yeah best to make use of it and make sure the final exports before upload are 4k 100mbps+ or the 5k its able to do then you will get the full benefits out of it quality-wise :)

[@bilbotification]

I’ve found adding a drill bit and a couple of masonry nails.

[@johnnobbs8999]

Very realistic

[@GSimon850]

Cheers buddy, worlds going to shit and I just want to be prepared, hope I never have to use it though. Thanks for your advise.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Cheers mate 👍

[@journeyman7189]

Good breakdown. Did you keep it in your pocket or was it on your rack or in your bergan? Nate

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Cheers, in a smock pocket.

[@El_Croc]

Now haunted by the image of hordes of cam'd up survivalists invading the local lingerie aisles and rummaging through the suspender belts.. Great idea though the law of unintended consequences applies! LOL. Wearing balaclavas to avoid being recognised too..

[@PreparedPathfinder]

Ha ha, roger! 😂

[@ShihabdeentheCyclist]

hi do you have any experience had to survive with kit in your military experience. please upload video about that