There are a lot of useful items in everyday life that you probably don’t think about that would be excellent additions to your survival gear. These things you use probably on a daily basis that can be added to your kit to help out in an emergency situation.

1. Feminine pads. If you are a woman or going to have a female with you, their use is pretty obvious. If you don’t think so, ask your wife. What a lot of people don’t think of when thinking of something like a maxi-pad is first aid. Maxipads are designed to absorb blood. They are effectively a HUGE trauma bandage. They are overkill for small cuts and that is probably more of a waste than anything else. But for a large wound that is doing a fair amount of bleeding, these sanitary pads can be invaluable as as a blood stoppage device. Tampons as well, though due to their their shape are more useful for ‘hole’ type wounds, such as a bullet wound or puncture from a stick. Keep them in their packages to keep them clean and sanitary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Condoms (non-lubricated). The average condom expands out to hold about 1 liter of water. They are effectively a collapsible canteen in a pinch. If you have a bit of tubing and a catheter, they can also be used as a fluid IV bag in an emergency. Heat the water up before filling it and it becomes a fairly decent ‘heating pad’ for sore muscles, though obviously don’t lay on it as it will likely pop from the weight, but lay it on top of the sore area. Water cover for rifle barrel, can be used as a latex glove or a small solar still

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Cigarette lighter. I would think this sort of goes without saying, but many people overlook a couple cheap lighters as fires tarters. Yeah, your super duper fire stick for $30 is great and all, but a handful of $1.50 lighters from the gas station work pretty well too.

 

 

 

 

 

5. Leaf/Yard bags. Black, waterproof, easily cut up for a poncho, relatively low-key color. Trash bags can be used over and over and can be folded down to take up virtually no space and weigh close to nothing. Practically a must have  for a bug out bag
- Use them as “water-proof” boots/gaiters.
- Shelter; as a tarp or, using 2 of them & duct tape make a “tube-tent”.
- Bandages.
- Water Container
- Fresh water still.
- Lashing material.
- Sleeping bag
- Stuff it with leaves and use it as a blanket or mattress.
- Gear bag; good for “wet or soiled” clothing.
- Orange bag good for a signaling panel.
- Transpiration still.
- Kite.
- Floating device.
- Sail Sled.
- Expedient weapon.
- used as a poncho
- to carry fresh water,
- snare,
- limb lines for set hooks.
- for sewing thread for shoes, coats, or tents; or stitches for you in case you get a deep cut. (You cut 1″ wide strips of trash bag. Stretch it and then spin it…repeat until it is a thin string.)
- rain cover for bag pack
- rain cover for fire wood
- moisture barrier for bedroll
- bear bag for food
- temporary patch w/duct tape for large holes or rips.
- winter coat (stuff with natural materials).
- Temporary dry bag for canoe (not totally dry)
- Can be melted and used as a temporary adhesive
- Camp shower
- Temporary cover to keep injury dry. (It can even be used to cover sucking chest wounds)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Pen/writing instrument and a small pad. Leaving notes, making note of certain structures/locations is very useful. A tactical pen can also double as a weapon/tool

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. Sugar. Sugar is obviously a great sweetener, but sugar can also be used as a clotting agent for small cuts and wounds. Honey can also be used as an anti-bacterial. Honey is probably the better choice because of its antibacterial choices and you would much rather have liquid honey on a bandaged wound than granular sugar when moving around

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Flexible cable ties. The uses for these are endless. They can be used to hold things together temporarily, larger ones can be used to secure doors/windows in a pinch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9. Bandana. Banadanas make great tourniquet, bandage, signaling device, water collector, sun protection, face mask for smoke/cold weather, ear muff, can be a sling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10. 35mm cans. holds medicine, matches, fishing gear, keeps med/id info dry (roll it up)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11. Ziplock Freezer bags. Stronger than sandwich bag. Will work as a float in water, water proofer, carries water, first aid kit. Can be fashioned into a solar still for water and sleeping with your head on an air filled ziplock beats the hell out of a rock or mound of dirt any day of the week

 

12 Dental Floss. Keeping your teeth clean is more important than you think. A toothache with no dentist or medicine sucks, but more importantly your mouth is the entrance to your body. If you get an infection in your mouth, its only really got one place to go. Dental floss has many other uses though. Sewing clothing, stiching wounds, fishing line, bundle a bunch together for a shoelaces, snares, can be used as a firestarter or if you wear glasses and lose a screw can be used as sort of a ‘lashing’ for your glasses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14 Safety pins. Small and easy to pack a handful. Excellent for fish hook, pick out foreign bodies in skin like thorns or a splinter. Pops blisters, will be useful in draining blood under the skin, can hook together ends of broken rope/550 cord.