Multipurpose Supplies

One must believe "six impossible things before breakfast" - White
Queen from Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass.

Since space in most survival kits is limited, the best supplies are those that can serve many functions. In the book discussed yesterday, for "Build the Perfect Survival Kit", an entire chapter is devoted to multi-purpose components. The author, John D. McCann suggests the following...

• Aluminum Foil - use it for cooking, to make a drinking cup, as a pot for boiling water, as a reflector in a solar oven, a signaling mirror and more. Foil can be folded to a very small size.
• Snare Wire - useful for fishing, traps, repairs, to lash items together. Can be wound very tightly round a sewing bobbin.
• Duct tape - a million uses to fix rips and tears, patch boots and flesh, cover blister, etc. Can be folded or rolled in a small shape.
• Large Garbage bags - can be an emergency rain poncho, a water bag, a waste sanitation bag, a mattress, a blanket and more.
• Bandannas - useful as a hat, a mask against dirt/bugs, a filter and as a sling
• Zip lock bags - water protect your kit contents and useful as mini bags when gathering tinder and kindling for fires. Wear on your feet when wading thru water.
• Dental floss - a strong string that take up little space
• Needles - magnetize them so you can sew and use them as a compass
• Safety pins - can be used as pins and fishhooks.

Bottom Line

To repeat a point made before - preparedness is not about what you have but how clever you are at making the best use of what you've got. By stocking up on multi-purpose items you've greatly increased how flexible and creative you can be.