M40 Wilderness Survival Kit

I've had many requests over the years to sell my unique survival kits. I'm finally going to give it a shot. This site has always been a project funded out of my pocket and done in my spare time. However, due to a recent job loss, I'm going to try making it more than just a hobby. I'm now offering the BEST, MOST COMPREHENSIVE WILDERNESS SURVIVAL KIT ON THE MARKET.

See below for individual item specifications and descriptions. Questions? Email: m4040@m4040.com

1		Cordura MOLLE Belt Pouch (Qty.1) – High quality, heavy cordura nylon, double belt pouch. One pouch holds the kit and the other holds the water bottle. Stores and protects the kit and water bottle (and any other items you may want to add). Dual closure with both Velcro and cinch straps so your gear stays put no matter what. Stretch loops on top and sides allow stowing of extra gear on the outside of the pouches, and provide compression fit to the pouches. MOLLE compatible... attachment system will attach to belt, pack, or pretty much anywhere.
2		Heavy Duty Aluminum Water Bottle with Carabiner clip - (Qty.1) – Metal bottle can be used to boil water for purification. Makes a handy canteen for short hikes. M40 Logo and site motto "Opto Optimus... Para Pessimus" (Hope for the Best... Prepare for the Worst). Note: NOT a steel climbing carabiner, but makes a handy gear clip!
3		Non-Stick Cook Pot (Qty.1) – Quality, rigid steel construction with non-stick coating. Stores the kit contents and protects them from damage. Unlike other kits, you don't have to worry about crushing if you fall or sit on it. Used to quickly boil and purify drinking water and for general camp cooking tasks.
4		TARP – ULTRA THIN – 9’ x 6’ (Qty.1) – Large enough to cover and waterproof a shelter for several people, yet I fold these into a packet smaller than a deck of playing cards. This fits well in the kit, or in your pocket. Awesome kit item… you won’t find anything like this in other survival kits. US Quarter shown for scale.
5		Survival Blanket – Silver Mylar - 84" x 52” (Qty.1) – These are thinner and pack smaller than other survival blankets you may have seen. I sourced these specially for this purpose. Reflects body heat inwards to help keep you warm. Use as a signaling device, or to reflect fire heat towards you. Can also be used as a poncho, wind break or ground cloth. US Quarter shown for scale.
6		Slingshot Bands (Qty.1 set) - These make it VERY easy to quickly construct a slingshot using a forked stick. Wrap the ends about 180 degrees around a forked stick and cord wrap tightly... presto... slingshot for small game hunting! Also used as a tourniquet or to propel a fishing spear. NOTE: Having supplier issues on these, so appearance may vary from what is pictured here!
7		Multi Tool (qty.1) – Stainless steel knife/tool set provides blade, pliers, wood saw, can & bottle opener, file, screwdrivers, scissors, awl magnifying glass and more. I sourced these specifically for the saw and pliers. The pliers are invaluable for moving cook pots in and out of the fire. The saw is aggressive and makes short work of saplings and small limbs.
8		Ferro Rod and Striker (qty.1) – about 3/8” diameter by 3” long striking surface. Has a molded handle with cord loop. Striker is hardened steel, and sharpened along one edge. Unit has a varnish coating to protect from oxidation. Shave this coating off one side of the rod before using. Metallurgy designed with extra magnesium so you can shave it for tinder as well as sparks. Make a small pile of shavings, then flip a spark into it to make a white hot flame.
9		Compass (qty.1) – A large compass compared to the button compasses you get in most survival kits. This is about 2” diameter and over ¼” thick. It's filled with mineral oil for movement dampening, and is freeze-proof. Degree markings. A decent quality compass, and big enough for easy navigation. US Quarter shown for scale.
10		Ultra Bright Micro Light (qty.2) – These white LED mini lights last a surprisingly long time, and put out a LOT of light for their size. I provide two of these in the kit. One of the best features on these is that they have both a squeeze activation and also an on/off switch for constant, hands-free light. When camping, I wear two of these on a cord around my neck. A quick squeeze if I need to momentarily check something. I switch one on to light the area right in front of me. I turn both on for maximum lighting when I'm walking into the woods to get firewood. In my testing these last about 24 hours each (16 hours bright, then slowly dimming for the remainder). Averaging a few hours use per night, and you'll have a couple weeks of light.
11		Strobe Light (qty.1) – This unit is the same size and brightness as the Micro Lights, but it's a strobe light for signaling. It can be seen from a long distance at night. In my testing, these last up to 60 hours (40 hours bright, then waning in brightness). That's a couple weeks signaling for 4 hours a night
12		Micro ‘Trench’ Lighter – Flint/fuel based refillable aluminum lighter has a screw top with a watertight airtight gasket. These will run on pretty much any flammable liquid (gas, kerosene, Zippo fluid, Coleman fuel, lamp oil, alcohol, etc). These use standard Zippo style flints and wicks, so they might just last you a lifetime.
13		Watertight Aluminum Match/Tinder Case (qty.1) – Same size as the Micro Lighter. Store tinder, matches, medications, etc… you decide. These are great little containers for those items that absolutely MUST stay dry.
14		Emergency Signal Whistle (qty.1) – A LOUD whistle for signaling to rescuers or trail companions should you become separated. Much more effective than yelling. Has a belt clip and a lanyard hole.
15		Water Purification Kit with Dosage Instructions - Holds enough to purify more than 50 gallons of water. Fill canteen or bottle from streams, ponds, puddles or swamps. Following the printed instructions, add drops and wait 15-20 minutes and water is safe to drink. You can refill this dropper as needed... full instructions provided.
16		Braided SPECTRA Line 100Lb test - 50 Foot Spool - Stronger than Kevlar or steel, Spectra fiber is used in the latest bulletproof vests. In stores and online, you'll pay anywhere from 6 to 10 cents a foot. It's normally only available in big spools costing from $50 up to $200 or more. Use it as primary cordage for shelters, bow strings, lashing, fishing, or anywhere else you need extremely tough cord. Spooled on a 10D nail.
17		Steel Snare/trip Wire – (approx 15’) Annealed steel wire at the perfect hardness for making small game snares. Also use for trip lines, repairing/making gear, etc. Approximately 15’ spooled around a 10D nail. The nail is also useful for shelters, spear tips, etc.
18		Petroleum Jelly Fire Starters (10) – These light very well with a spark from the Ferrocerium rod, and each will burn for several minutes allowing you to easily start a fire, even in somewhat poor conditions. They come tightly packed in a small resealable zip bag. The petroleum jelly is also useful for treating chapped lips, dry skin and small wounds.
19		Recipro Saw Blade, 6" (Qty.1) – These make for handy saws for shelter construction. Simply find a suitable stick for a handle, saw a notch into the end, insert the blade and tightly wire wrap it using a couple feet of snare wire.
20		Signal Mirror, 3" x 4", Acrylic - Large acrylic signal mirror with sighting hole for aiming. Use the sun to signal faraway search and rescue personnel and aircraft.
20		Fresnel Lens Magnifier - Credit card size. Used to start fires or close up inspection. A solar powered lighter that NEVER runs out.
21		Duct Tape, Hi-Vis (5Ft) – This is quality 3M/Scotch brand duct tape in Hi-visibility yellow. Ultra sticky, perfect for repairs, signaling and for marking trail. Spooled on a 10D nail.
22		Waterproof Manual/Basic Survival Guide and Note Pad – 24 pages printed on waterproof paper. Basic survival guide tailored for use with the kit. 18 pages of info and 6 pages for your notes. Use to take notes, leave directions for rescue, use as tinder, etc.
23		Ultra-reflective ‘Cat-eye’ Trail Marker, Adhesive, 3"x2" Piece - This is the same glass bead impregnated material used in street signs and other 'retro-reflective' safety gear. When cut into quarter inch squares, this yields 96 stick-on trail markers. Using the mini lights, these can be seen from 50 yards. The brighter the light, the greater the distance and visibility. Placing these at 50 yard intervals, you can mark about 3 miles of trail. If you decide to leave camp, you can leave a trail for search and rescue. Use these to tape notes in conspicuous places for rescuers. Makes your notes visible from a LONG way off.
24		PARA CORD - 550Lb Test - 25' Hanked (braided) - Mil spec para cord is so named because it is used as the standard shroud lines for parachutes. It has a braided outer sheath and 7 inner strands (outer sheath is @200Lb test, and each inner strand is @50Lb test). Paracord is unique in that its components can be pulled apart and used separately for additional line. If you pulled out all the inner strands, and tied them together, you'd have 175 feet of 50 pound test line, while still having the outer sheathing as an additional 25 foot line. Like duct tape, para cord has about a million uses in the wild.
25		Spool, Heavy duty 25 Lb test Nylon Line – approx. 50 feet - Used for fishing, sewing, shelter bindings, etc.
26		Scalpel Blades (qty.2) – Sharp, sharp, sharp! These can be lashed to a small twig for use in skinning, gutting, cleaning, etc, and they also serve as formidable arrow/spear tips.
27		Safety Pins, XLG, (Qty.3) - these are large (2 inch) nickel plated safety pins. Great for fast emergency repair of tears to jackets, clothing and other gear.
28		Needles, XLG, (Qty.2) - These are large, thick needles with big eyes. You wouldn't want to attempt fine embroidery with these, but I spec'd them big enough to be threaded and used with cold hands.
29		Fish Hook Assortment – Qty 10 - Various Sizes – Can be used individually, but I recommend using most or all of these at once along a single line (see Absentee Fishing).
-	30, 31, 32	ITEMS NOT INDIVIDUALLY SHOWN BUT INCLUDED - Pencil, Zipper Lock bag (1Qt), bandages (2)

RETURN TO M40 SURVIVAL STORE

- "Just wanted to let you know I got the kit on Tuesday, and it is awesome! I was really surprised at the high quality of each component. It sure beats anything else I've seen on the market. Highly recommended! Thanks!"

- "Umm, do you actually make any money on these kits, or are the other (much simpler) kits that one can find in stores just ridiculously over-priced? You don’t have to answer that question... it’s a back-handed way of saying “Thanks for a great deal!”

Remember the Rule of 3's...

- You can die in as little as 3 hours from exposure.
- You can die in as little as 3 days of thirst.
- It takes at least 3 weeks to die from hunger.

All of the commercial 'survival' kits I've seen on the market FAIL to take these hard facts into account. They give you a little pocket tin with some fish hooks, low quality line, candy and a few band-aids. They have NO TARP, NO BLANKET, and no real means to make a shelter. My kit has a ready made shelter (cord and a 9' x 9' tarp). It has a survival blanket to retain body heat or reflect a fire's heat toward you. They give you a few waterproof matches... and no other means to make fire. Good luck if it's cold, wet and windy... you could quickly find yourself out of matches and out of time. My kit has a waterproof LIGHTER (equivalent to hundreds of matches). It also has a Ferro Rod (equivalent to thousands of matches). Finally, my kit has a Fresnel lens, which can light an UNLIMITED number of fires.

They give you a condom and a few water purification tablets... and no other means to make potable water. My kit has a water bottle and a quart size Ziploc bag to store water. It has a water purification kit with instructions (will purify approximately 60 gallons). And it has a cook pot to boil the water (for UNLIMITED water purification). If you've taken care of your shelter, fire and water needs, THEN you may want to scavenge up some food. My kit has the items you'll need to make snares, traps, unattended fishing trawls, and even a slingshot. I've also provided a high quality belt pouch with plenty of extra room for 'comfort items'. Throw in some instant coffee, cocoa, bouillon cubes, energy bars etc.

Finally, they give you a razor blade or maybe a tiny utility blade... my kit has a Multi-Tool with more than a dozen handy tools.

All of this has been designed to be comprehensive, yet extremely compact. The kit's dual belt pouch is only 7 by 8 inches. If you want to leave the belt pouch and water bottle and just take the kit packed in the cook pot, it's about 3 by 6 inches. It will fit in a jacket pocket. Drop one in your day pack or keep it in the glove box of your car.

NOTE: A few of the items arrive in a variety of colors (whistle, match case, etc), so the color may vary from what is pictured. I will make every effort to keep the kit as close to what is pictured as I can. I'm still working through some supplier issues. If I am forced to substitute an item (usually with something of equal/greater value), I'll clear it with you first, and I'll try to throw in a few extra goodies to make up for it.

THINGS YOU’LL WANT TO ADD: These are items that I didn’t include because they might incur hazmat shipping charges.

- Fuel for the Lighter – Would incur $25 hazmat shipping if I pre-filled these! Please remember to gas it up... runs on pretty much ANY flammable fluid!

- Fill the Dropper Bottle – Would also incur hazmat shipping. The Water Purification kit bottle should be filled with unscented Clorox bleach or equivalent.

- Med Kit - Aspirin, advil, cold meds, any medications you need, etc. – Having these kinds of common meds from your bathroom cabinet could save your life. I’m not a doctor, nor do I want the kind of legal exposure I’d incur if I included these items. Use your own judgment. NOTE: The Watertight Aluminum Container I’ve included in the kit is ideal for meds.

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