Peter Kummerfeldt: Emergency Blankets and Vests That Work!

The Blizzard vests work well!

Blizzard Products – vests, blankets and sleeping bags. I had actually come across these products several years ago but didn’t pay them much attention to them because of my bias against anything made from “space blanket” material.

I was very skeptical that the Refelexcell material would stand up to the rigors of a night or two sleeping in an emergency shelter.

I was proven wrong! Not only did they remain largely intact but they also offered considerable protection! 

To read Peter's review, click here.

Carry Survival Gear In Your Pockets For Added Safety

These survival items can be carried at all times.

You could get dumped out of a canoe, thrown off a horse that runs away or be in a shopping mall or hotel when there is a power failure. In these cases, all you’ll have to work with is a survival mindset and the tools in your pockets or on your person.
But a little planning can help a lot if you make some basic survival tools part of your wardrobe. This is what I carry on a daily basis, and you can easily assemble your own kit, using my recommendations as a place to start.
Just remember: What works for me may not work for you and vice versa. Practice with your survival tools, become familiar how they work  and then, if you ever need to use them, it won't a big deal!

Make an Altoids Tin Survival Kit

Learn how to make a pocket survival kit.

The Altoids tin survival kit is a small piece of a larger survival project, and it is by no means all you should carry for survival!!! But you need to have something in your pockets, in the event you are separated from your gear. (See related story.)
In January, 2007, I asked the late Dr. Jim Grenfell of Bend to help develop a survival kit that would fit into a standard Altoids mint tin. This pocket kit would be limited in size to an Altoids tin, and weigh about five ounces. (That’s about what an iPod weighs, or my wallet, depending on which side of payday we’re on!)
An incessant tinker, Grenfell, was also an Air Force combat veteran and graduate of three Air Force wilderness survival schools. I made an Altoid kit, too, and for the next several months, we added and subtracted gear, and tested, researched and refined the final kits.
The result is here.