Small Personal Survival Kit

I've spent the last few months off and on puzzling over the ideal Personal Survival Kit. My goal was to make a small kit more substantial than my Mini Survival Kit and small enough to fit into a Nalgene bottle for easy transportability. I have yet to succeed, but the components will fit into a bottle + a purse/waist pack/or other option + on my key ring.

Here are six small Personal Survival Kits for your consideration.

(Prices were obtained from Amazon, Campmor, Nalgene, REI, Wal-Mart and other local stores.)

KIT #1
1. Adventure Medical Kits (AMK) Pocket Survival Pak (PSP) Plus ($60)
2. Nalgene 1 qt/L bottle ($11)
3. AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets blanket ($6)
4. Translucent lighter that adjusts up to a mini blow torch ($1)
5. 50 ft. 400# utility cord ($5).

Total cost is about $83.00. Although compact and providing the barest of essentials, the issues I have with this kit are: 1) I already have a PSP and would have to buy a PSP Plus and, 2) if the expiration date for the chlorine dioxide tablets aren't 4-5 years in the future, I'd have to return the entire kit and buy another just to get the maximum expiration date.

Thinking I could do better, I devised the following according to my 15 Essential Systems...

KIT #2 - the AMK PSP ($28) and...

1. NAVIGATION - in the PSP.

2. PERSONAL ATTIRE - whatever is worn or is at hand.

3. HYDRATION -
a. Nalgene 1 qt/L bottle ($11)
b. Bandanna ($2) - for prefiltering floaties and sediment out of water
c. (30) Katadyn Micropur water purification tablets ($13) - scissors or a knife is needed to open the foil; tearing the foil open is difficult due to the child safety precaution. The PSP includes a scalpel blade which is not TSA-compliant.

4. SHELTER - AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets blanket ($6).

5. COMMUNICATION - covered by the PSP.

6. FIRE - Adjustable lighter ($1).

7. ILLUMINATION - Key ring LED ($2).

8. NUTRITION - P-51 can opener ($1) - this is the larger version of the P-38 used by the U.S. military and is easier to use; authentic P-38 and P-51 can openers are made by and have "US Shelby" stamped on them.

9. FIRST AID KIT - whatever is in pockets, bag, or purse as EDC.

10. REPAIR AND TOOLS -
a. Swiss Army knife (SAK) Classic ($12)
b. Braided wire saw ($5) - a braided wire saw is stronger than a twisted or spiral wire saw
c. 50 ft. 400# utility cord ($5).

11. DOCUMENTATION - This list (also use as tinder).

12. FINANCES - whatever is in the wallet. I once went for six weeks in 1998 with only 11 cents plus a credit card. It saved me money because I didn't charge less than $10, but is definitely not advised for emergency situations. What if electricity had gone out and I couldn't use my credit card?

13. TRANSPORTATION -
a. Large utility carabiner – to clip bottle to belt or bag strap, not for climbing ($3)
b. Gallon freezer zip bag - to store contents while bottle is used for water ($0.25).

14. ENTERTAINMENT - whatever is on hand.

15. SECURITY - Fox 40 whistle.

Total cost is about $89.

But, what if the wire saw breaks and shouldn't every traveler carry along a corkscrew?

KIT #3 - the AMK PSP ($28) and...

1. NAVIGATION - in the PSP.

2. PERSONAL ATTIRE - whatever is worn or is at hand.

3. HYDRATION -
a. Nalgene 1 qt/L bottle ($11)
b. Bandanna ($2)
c. (30) Katadyn Micropur tablets ($13).

4. SHELTER - AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets blanket ($6).

5. COMMUNICATION - covered by the PSP.

6. FIRE - Adjustable lighter ($1).

7. ILLUMINATION - Key ring LED ($2).

8. NUTRITION - P-51 can opener ($1) - optional because the SAK Camper has one, but it's been on my key ring for a while and I prefer it to the SAK can opener.

9. FIRST AID KIT - whatever is in pockets, bag, or purse as EDC.

10. REPAIR AND TOOLS -
a. SAK Classic ($12) + Camper (instead of the corkscrew, the Hiker has a Phillips screwdriver) ($20) OR Huntsman (II) (instead of the corkscrew, the Fieldmaster has a Phillips screwdriver) ($25) - (I was given the Classic years ago which lives on my key ring, then bought the Camper, but sometimes think I'd like to carry just one SAK.)
b. SAK corkscrew mini screwdriver ($6) - optional, perfect for tightening the tiny screws in eye/sun glasses
c. Braided wire saw ($5) - because the SAK(s) are not TSA-compliant
d. 50 ft. 400# utility cord ($5).

11. DOCUMENTATION - This list (also use as tinder).

12. FINANCES - whatever is in the wallet.

13. TRANSPORTATION -
a. Large utility carabiner ($3)
b. Gallon freezer zip bag ($0.25).

14. ENTERTAINMENT - whatever is on hand.

15. SECURITY - Fox 40 whistle.

Total cost is about $104-115 depending on the SAK(s).

Hmm, what if I hadn't already bought the AMK PSP?...

KIT #4

1. NAVIGATION - Key ring compass (Brunton 9041 Glow Mate) ($10).

2. PERSONAL ATTIRE - whatever is worn or is at hand.

3. HYDRATION -
a. Nalgene 1 qt/L bottle ($11)
b. Bandanna ($2)
c. (30) Katadyn Micropur tablets ($13).

4. SHELTER - AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets blanket ($6).

5. COMMUNICATION -
a. Fox 40 Mini whistle ($7) - this is easier to blow than the Howler/Micro included in the PSP
b. Signal mirror ($8) - because I don't carry a mirrored compact.

6. FIRE -
a. Adjustable lighter ($1)
b. Magnesium bar ($5).

7. ILLUMINATION - Key ring LED ($2).

8. NUTRITION - P-51 can opener ($1).

9. FIRST AID KIT - whatever is in pockets, bag, or purse as EDC.

10. REPAIR AND TOOLS -
a. SAK Classic ($12) + Camper ($20) OR Huntsman (II) ($25)
b. SAK corkscrew mini screwdriver ($6) - optional
c. Braided wire saw ($5)
d. 50 ft. 400# utility cord ($5) OR 100 ft. 550# parachute cord ($8) which is better because the core is 7 strands of 2 twisted together that may be extracted for use, but it won't fit in the bottle
e. AMK roll of duct tape ($3) - listed for pricing purposes. I actually wrapped 5+ ft. of heavy-duty duct tape I already had around an old non-credit card.

11. DOCUMENTATION -
a. This list (also use as tinder)
b. Pro Knots cards ($5) - I know some knots, but in a time of stress such as a survival event, will I be able to remember them? The PSP comes with survival information including a few essential knots.

12. FINANCES - whatever is in the wallet.

13. TRANSPORTATION -
a. Large utility carabiner ($3)
b. Gallon freezer zip bag ($0.25).

14. ENTERTAINMENT - whatever is on hand.

15. SECURITY - Fox 40 whistle.

Total cost is about $120-133 depending on the cordage and SAK(s), so not only did the PSP save me money, it gave me more.

The next kit fills some gaps.

KIT #5

1. NAVIGATION - Key ring compass (Brunton 9041 Glow Mate) ($10).

2. PERSONAL ATTIRE - whatever is worn or is at hand.

3. HYDRATION - because water is crucial, I believe in at least two ways to purify water, chemical halogens and boiling.
a. Nalgene 1 qt/L bottle ($11)
b. 5’ aquarium airline tubing – for siphoning water from sources too narrow or too shallow to collect directly with the bottle ($0.60)
c. Bandanna ($2)
d. (30) Katadyn Micropur tablets ($13)
e. Foil loaf pan ($1) & quart zip bag ($0.10) - for boiling water and to keep soot off of other stuff after use
f. Large oven bag & tie ($0.55) - to hold more water & to collect water by transpiration.

4. SHELTER - AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets blanket ($6).

5. COMMUNICATION -
a. Fox 40 Mini whistle ($7)
b. Signal mirror ($8).

6. FIRE -
a. Adjustable lighter ($1)
b. Magnesium bar ($5).

7. ILLUMINATION - Key ring LED ($2).

8. NUTRITION - P-51 can opener ($1).

9. FIRST AID KIT - whatever is in pockets, bag, or purse as EDC.

10. REPAIR AND TOOLS -
a. SAK Classic ($12) + Camper ($20) OR Huntsman (II) ($25)
b. SAK corkscrew mini screwdriver ($6) - optional
c. Braided wire saw ($5)
d. 50 ft. 400# utility cord ($5)
e. AMK roll of duct tape ($3).

11. DOCUMENTATION -
a. This list (also use as tinder).
b. Pro Knots cards ($5).

12. FINANCES - whatever is in the wallet.

13. TRANSPORTATION -
a. Large utility carabiner ($3)
b. Gallon freezer zip bag ($0.25).

14. ENTERTAINMENT - whatever is on hand.

15. SECURITY - Fox 40 whistle.

Total cost is about $125-137 depending on the SAK(s).

The largest kit I can justify and still call a small survival kit contains something for each of my 15 Essential Systems...

KIT #6 - the AMK PSP ($28) and...

1. NAVIGATION - Key ring compass (Brunton 9041 Glow Mate) ($10) - because it's handier than hauling out the PSP to check the compass, plus this one is luminous.

2. PERSONAL ATTIRE - Emergency poncho ($1).

3. HYDRATION -
a. 1 qt./L Nalgene bottle ($11)
b. 5’ tubing ($0.60)
c. (2) orange bandannas ($4) - any bright color is good for signaling, orange is best; two bandannas are better than one
d. (30) Katadyn Micropur tablets ($13)
e. Foil loaf pan ($1) & qt zip bag for storage ($0.10) - redundant because the sheet of foil in the PSP is easy to tear
f. Large oven bag & tie ($0.55).

4. SHELTER -
a. AMK 1- or 2-persons Heatsheets survival blanket ($6)
b. 9' x 6' plastic sheet 0.7 mil ($5) - multiple uses such as a ground cover, collect rain water, build a solar still; I cut a 9' x 12' sheet in half. Some lists recommend (2) 30-33 gallon trash bags or 50-55 gallon barrel liners, but as an apartment-dweller, I don't need the extra bags that come in a box. Splitting a box with friends or neighbors would work except not everyone in close proximity is on the same page. So be it. I have to look out for #1.

5. COMMUNICATION - covered by the PSP. I added a Rite In The Rain pocket notepad ($5.30) and EDC a Space Pen Trekker. Please note that Parker pens accept a Fisher Space pen refill using the included adapter and Fisher makes other Space refills for other pen brands.

6. FIRE - because fire is crucial, I believe in three ways to start a fire; the PSP contains one of them.
a. Adjustable lighter ($1)
b. Magnesium bar ($5).

7. ILLUMINATION -
a. Key ring LED ($2)
b. LED headlamp or mini LED flashlight ($20) - added because the key ring LED's button has to be pressed constantly and it will be difficult to work with only one hand with such a small light.

8. NUTRITION - P-51 can opener ($1).

9. FIRST AID KIT - Johnson & Johnson On The Go FAK ($1) - transferred to a snack zip bag to save space & added more items I already had on hand.

10. REPAIR AND TOOLS -
a. 100’ 550# parachute cord ($8)
b. SAK Classic ($12) + Camper ($20) OR SAK Huntsman (II) ($25)
c. SAK corkscrew mini screwdriver ($6)
d. Braided wire saw ($5)
e. Utility gloves (women's Mechanix, $12.50) - because my bare hands are sure to get blistered in a survival situation putting me at risk for infection
f. Lansky Quick Fix pocket sharpener ($7) - the most important tool is a knife and a dull knife is dangerous
g. (12) safety pins (4 each size) sizes 1, 2, 3 ($1)
h. Quart freezer zip bag ($0.10)
i. ResQMe key ring car escape tool ($10)

11. DOCUMENTATION - covered by the PSP; add this list.

12. FINANCES - add cash and some coins for a pay phone.

13. TRANSPORTATION -
a. Hunter's waist pack, 410 cu. in./6.7 L (I don't know how they measured these things because the main compartment is more like 4.5 L and the smaller, flatter compartment isn't more than .5 L; $7 at Wal-Mart) - because I prefer to carry a smaller purse
b. Large utility carabiner ($3)
c. Gallon freezer zip bag ($0.25).

14. ENTERTAINMENT -
a. Mini deck of cards - to help pass the time while waiting for rescue ($3)
b. Key ring pocket kite - in case it's too windy to play cards as long as there are no kite-eating trees nearby; might also help with signaling (I bought this from a kite store in California several years ago and since forgot the price; figure on $6-10 each.).

15. SECURITY - Fox 40 whistle. Add bear spray if passing through bear country.

Total cost is <$198-211 depending on the SAK(s) plus emergency cash, plus kite, plus bear spray.

Except for the PSP and the key ring items which should be kept on you, and the water bottle and bear spray, everything in Kit #6 fits into half of a gallon zip bag making it easy to tuck into a bag, a waist pack, a desk drawer, or a vehicle.

Of course, emergency rations need to be added to any kit. Clif bars are good or any foods containing sugar, carbohydrates, protein, and fat.

Also add personal medications, lip balm, sun screen, insect repellent, hand sanitizer, and biodegradable soap.

The PSP was designed to be carried at all times in a pocket, purse, briefcase, or pack and is the basis for my Mini Kit. The other kit components detailed above could be the basis of an office, car survival, or travel kit and are good for just about any outdoor activity. Please note, however, that you should keep the water purification tablets with you during warm weather instead of leaving them in a hot vehicle.

I trust this post gives you ideas for assembling personal survival kits for yourself and your loved ones. The advantage of assembling your own kit is it is customized for you, you know exactly what is in it and the quality of and purpose for each item.

To spread out the expense, I suggest starting with Kit #1 or 2 to have the bare minimum then expand from there as you see fit. The key ring items could be Christmas stocking stuffers or "just thinking of you" impromptu gifts while a SAK could be a birthday, graduation, or holiday gift.

To see how I customized my PSP, please see my post, "Mini Survival Kit."

Review: PacSafe CitySafe 400 GII Hobo Bag

Stated specifications:

Dimensions: 14.6" W x 13" H x 6.7" D (37 x 33 x 17 cm)

Volume: 884.8 in3 (14.5 L)

Weight: 1 lb 4.5 oz (580 g)

Strap length max: 33.1 in (84 cm)

Strap length min: 19.7 in (50 cm)

This is my fifth security travel bag and third from PacSafe, the other two being the CitySafe 200 shoulder bag and the StashSafe 200 waist pack. I wanted a cross-body bag and for it to be cavernously large for carrying my usual assortment of travel items like my notepad, camera, mini tripod, monocular/binoculars, water bottle, folding umbrella, and pareo plus air travel comfort items such as lumbar and neck pillows in addition to my small travel survival kit that fits into a waist pack like the PacSafe StashSafe 200 or Mountainsmith Nitro waist pack or about half of a gallon zip bag with the top half folded down. Because some museums and stores require large bags to be checked, I also bought a Baggallini Everything Bagg to easily take my wallet items, camera, and cell phone with me. It all fits!

Designed to foil pickpockets, slash-and-run, and slash-to-dump thieves, PacSafe anti-theft travel bags feature security closures as well as cut-proof straps and panels.

This particular hobo bag, which I got with a standard water-repellent jet black exterior and celadon interior (it's supposed to be lemon yellow) that makes it easier to see items inside, has an outside back pocket with a zipper at the bottom edge to allow the extended handle of wheeled luggage to slip through; there is an interior band to stabilize the bag.

The generous pockets at either end of the bag have cord locks to make the openings smaller so contents won't slip out and are more than large enough for a 1 liter bottle. The pocket that would be out of sight at the rear when it's carried as a shoulder bag has a D-ring inside at the top and at the bottom to secure items using my own utility carabiners or other fasteners to thwart pickpockets.

The padded strap, that has wires inside to prevent slash-and-run theft, may be detached at one end to secure the bag temporarily to a fixed object to foil a bag snatcher. The snap hook has a locking collar as an additional deterrent. The other end has a snap hook to secure the zipper pull of the bag's main compartment to stop a pickpocket from opening it.

The strap may be snapped up to make it shorter to convert the bag into a shoulder bag or left long to use the bag as a hip-length cross-body bag.

Because I tend to heavily load my travel bag and because the wires of the unpadded CitySafe 200 strap dug into my shoulder painfully, I went ahead and attached a removable Timbuk2 Gripster strap pad over the CitySafe 400 GII's too thin-looking shoulder pad without even first trying it by itself. YMMV.

Inside the main compartment is a variety of pockets. Along the front wall, that is the inside wall of the front of the bag, there is a zippered pocket, 7" W x 14.5" L, with a press hook fastener to hold anything like a key ring.

Below the zipper of that pocket is a line of:

1. A split key ring to which I attached a mini key ring LED to help me see what's inside the bag.

2. A pocket, 4.5" W x 5.25" L.

3. A pocket, 3.25" W x 5.25" L.

4. A pocket, 4.25" W x 5.25" L, labeled "RFIDsafe" to hold passport and credit cards containing RFID chips to prevent identity theft.

5. A fat pen pocket, 0.75" W x 5.25" L.

6. A fatter pen pocket, 1.25" W x 5.25" L, that will hold a standard highlighter if inserted cap down.

Those preferring the pockets could be closed can put their own self-adhesive Velcro coins or strips available from stores selling sewing notions.

Along the interior rear wall, there is one large pocket, 10" W x 15" L, that the enclosed literature says will hold a 13" laptop and an iPad or similar tablet. I found it holds my 15" laptop snugly. There's a strap that snaps over the top of the opening to ensure it doesn't slip out.

The bag's front, back, side, and bottom panels are all lined with eXomesh to prevent thieves from slashing the bag to let the contents fall out. The included literature has a diagram of the eXomesh rising to just under the top edge of the side pockets. On the front and rear panels, I can feel the top edge of the eXomesh about five inches up from the bottom, about three inches lower than in the side panels. I appreciate this sensible weight-saving design since gravity prevents items from falling up.

Overall, I'm exceptionally pleased with this bag. Purchased in January for travel to cities known for pickpockets and purse snatchers and slashers such as Barcelona, I've expanded its use to ordinary weekend getaways and other domestic travel.

Highly recommended.

Purses & Kits

As forecast in my last post, I've been busy shopping for purses. I like the Baggallini line because they're lightweight and come in several attractive colors as well as the basic neutrals. Unfortunately, they tend to be smaller than the measurements stated on the website and hang tags.

For example, the Currency Organizer is .5" shorter making it difficult to impossible to store dollar bills flat in it depending on which pocket.

For that reason, the Triple Zip Bagg I first bought had to be set aside since it's too small to easily fit my Kindle Keyboard in it because the actual measurements are .75" shorter than the advertised measurements.

Settling on the Large Wallet Bagg for running errands, I chose the Hobo Tote for when I want to carry more such as a water bottle, camera, and monocular or binoculars. Since it's only a larger purse and not really a tote bag, I also bought an inexpensive, non-descript tote bag as well as a waistpack to complete my scheme of layering bags and kits.

So, this is how it stacks up:

My Large Wallet Bagg contains my micro survival kit.

My Hobo bag can hold my Large Wallet Bagg and my mini survival kit.

My tote bag can hold my Hobo bag and my small survival kit in its own waistpack with a belt pouch for my FAK and Clif bars.

When I go on a day hike, I'll use the small survival kit waistpack with a second belt pouch holding my GPSr, other incidentals, and my compass if it's not hanging from my neck.

My medium survival kit remains in the sustainment pouch ready to grab & go as my mobile survival kit whenever a friend invites me to go on a day or road trip.

I had to reorganize a bit to make each larger kit an expansion of the previous smaller kit to limit redundancy.

I love feeling organized!

Layering

Since my last post, a few things happened.

The first was I started wondering why I'm carrying a mini survival kit in my purse while running errands when I have a complete kit in my car. If I can't get back out to my car from a one- or two-story building, I'll be coping with worse problems than a mini kit would be able to help me with, considering I'll still have my micro kit on me.

The second thing was that the purse I was using, that contained my mini kit until I went back to a micro kit, broke. It didn't upset me as much as it could have since I didn't really like it because it forced me to wear the strap on my right shoulder when I'm more comfortable hanging a cross-body bag on my left shoulder, but I used it to run errands only about once a week for less than six months and think it should have lasted longer.

The third thing is that I popped the weight of my air travel survival kit up to three pounds by adding a first aid kit and some Clif bars. After all, if there's a forced landing or a crash, the likelihood of needing a FAK and something to eat will be greater. I'm not concerned with forced landings or crashes near airfields or populated areas because emergency response will be within minutes, but for those large expanses of wilderness or ocean that airplanes habitually fly over that may not receive aid for several hours or even days.

As a result, I really put my back into the thinking process and came up with a layering system of component bags.

The first is to replace my broken purse with another only large enough for my micro survival kit and my Kindle, cell phone, and wallet items. This mini purse will serve for running errands.

The mini purse for errands will tuck into a larger purse for day trips or road trips. In friends' vehicles, I'll have my mini kit in the larger purse with my mobile survival kit along as well.

For air travel, I plan to use a large tote as my personal bag. Inside the tote will be a waist pack containing a small survival kit and my day trip purse with my errands purse inside.

I think having a mini purse for errands that fits into a larger purse will make changing purses a lot easier since all I'll have to do will be to transfer the errands purse to whichever larger bag I'll need.

Also, for museums, galleries, and some stores that prohibit large purses, making you check them or leave them with the store's cashier, being able to pull out a smaller purse containing ID, cash, credit/debit cards, and other valuables such as a cell phone and Kindle would give me more peace of mind than leaving them with a stranger.

Besides, this way, I get to shop for two purses to replace the one that broke. With our being on the threshold of spring, it translates to my shopping for four purses: two sizes in a dark color for the rest of winter plus two sizes in a light color for summer.

Whee!

Work in Progress

I'm still working on my air travel survival kit having pared it down to the minimum essentials, which now weigh 1 lb. and fit in half of a gallon zip bag which fits in the bottom of my travel purse, to further reduce the bulk and weight of what I would carry on in my personal bag.

I'm considering putting them and my energy bars in a waist pack, so if things look dicey during a flight, such as a storm since lightning has knocked planes out of the sky, I could take the waist pack out of my travel purse and put it on, ready to evacuate should I survive the crash. If it's an unanticipated event, hopefully I can grab and strap it on before exiting the plane.

Either way, wearing a waist pack would leave my arms and hands free to help me work my way out and won't block other passengers like a purse or carry-on bag I probably won't be allowed to carry out with me, anyway. ID and In Case of Emergency cards should probably go in the waist pack, too, in case something happens to me outside. And cell phone since a text message may be able to get through when a voice call can't. I'm planning for the rest of my survival kit to go in my carry-on and checked bags while enroute.

Right now, while at my destination, I want to leave almost everything in my room while sightseeing or shopping taking along only a lighter, Swiss Army knife, key ring LED, and luminous key ring compass, but have to think about it more because I might not be able to get back to my room to get the rest of my survival kit if an unforeseen disaster or act of terrorism hits. It would be best to keep the minimal essentials in my travel purse like on the plane or to wear the waist pack since getting to them won't be like having them as close as the parking lot as when I'm on a road trip.

Shopping for an Air Travel Survival Kit

Motivated by a cousin's wife who wants to travel to foreign lands, I've been working on an air travel survival kit since I would like to go to Morocco and Europe at some point in the future.

Since she already has a car survival kit, she can draw from that while I can borrow items from my mobile survival kit. The challenges are to have what we'll need while not taking up more space than absolutely necessary or weighing ourselves down since we'll be schlepping our bags ourselves and to have quality gear inexpensive enough for affordable replacement should an item accidentally get left out after an inspection.

As a result, I've spent hours searching for and deciding on the best Swiss Army knives for us. Uncomfortable about not having a fixed blade knife, I also searched for a small, skeletal knife so the hinge on the SAK wouldn't get damaged by whatever rough use a survival situation may demand.

Since my travel purse is already full, a larger bag is also warranted.

Preparing to travel is half the fun.

My Key Rings

Speaking of key rings, I have two because a friend had to pay a couple of hundred dollars to have her ignition switch replaced. The mechanic said it broke due to the weight of all her keys hanging from it. We each immediately got a second key ring to hold our other keys.

On my car key ring, I have the car key, gas cap key, car top carrier key, store discount tags, Fox 40 Mini whistle, LED flashlight, and a luminous Suunto Clipper compass using the webbed nylon fob from an el cheapo compass that failed during my 2006 road trip and was replaced by the Clipper.

On my other key ring, I have my other keys, ResQMe, another LED flashlight, another Fox 40 Mini whistle, Swiss Army Classic knife, P-51 can opener, Ekco Pocket Boy folding can punch with bottle cap lifter and Chapstick in a Leashables holder.

For those times when I ride in somebody else's car and leave my own car keys at home, I moved the luminous Brunton 9041 key ring compass on my traveler's key ring to my second key ring to help keep me and whoever's driving headed in the right direction when I don't need my traveler's key ring.

Seriously, it's happened twice before. Once, a van-load of us were going to Dallas on a day trip when my internal sense of direction said we were going in the wrong direction. The driver and I proceeded to get into an argument which was settled by a sign that said, "Fort Worth," with an arrow pointing straight ahead.

The other time was at night. Again, my internal sense of direction said we'd gone off. It was a lot easier convincing that driver to pull over under the light of a convenience store and gas station where we checked the map...and turned around. At the time, not only did I not have a compass, I didn't even have a little flashlight.

Although neither situation was dangerous, both were a waste of time and gas, the first much more than the second. If anybody had a compass, the waste could have been avoided.

You live. Hopefully, you learn.

[Edited on 1/1/12 to add Pocket Boy and because I moved the Brunton Glow Mate to my second key ring.]

Why I Need a Mobile Survival Kit

I haven't given up on making a personal survival kit. It occurred to me that when I'm in somebody else's car for a day or road trip, I've got nothing to help me through a bad situation except for my water bottle, key ring LED flashlight, Fox 40 Mini whistle, Swiss Army Classic key ring knife, P-51, ResQMe, and the Spark-Lite I carry in the pen slot of my purse. It isn't a bad list but it isn't enough and I know better than to rely on somebody else having a Space Blanket on hand for me or even a first aid kit (FAK).

For example, in 2004 or so, there was a woman whose trunk I saw before we took off on a day trip and there was nothing in it. Completely bare. Absolutely naked. That was before I got serious about preparedness and it made me uneasy even then.

I've ridden with others on day trips to Wichita Falls and Dallas and overnighter or longer road trips to Houston, Albuquerque, and Milwaukee, but didn't know what they had for a car kit which was probably just as well.

Also, for hiking or backpacking, although I made a hiker's survival necklace consisting of my Suunto MC-2G compass, Fox 40 Mini whistle, Mini Swedish FireSteel, (4) Tinder-Quiks in a colored key ring pill fob I bought from CVS, a key ring LED flashlight, Pro Tick remover, and Swiss Army Classic knife; if I get separated from my pack, I won't have an emergency blanket or FAK. Definitely not good.

That made me think, if I have a bag I could convert from a waist pack to a cross-body shoulder bag, I could set up one small kit as a mobile personal survival kit for hiking and riding in other people's cars and put my exposure kit in it, too. If I remove the sharp things to make it TSA-compliant, it could also be my air travel survival kit.

The trick is to keep it small and lightweight enough for me to not mind taking it along every time.

[Edited on 1/1/12 to change the title.]

Leave No Trace

A couple of nights ago, I decided to burn one of the Warm Vanilla Crème tea light candles by Better Homes and Gardens in my UCO Mini Candle Lantern that I bought for travel preparedness.

Surprisingly, maybe because I don't usually burn tea light candles and this was the first one I've burned in what appears to be a plastic cup, the others being in aluminum cups, one side of the cup disappeared. I had set the lantern on top of the TV set and could see the flame from where I sat working, but couldn't see the candle itself until I went over to check on it a few hours after I lit it.

The flame was very low. All the wax was liquid and very low as well. Concerned that the liquefied wax had drained out the open side of the cup and had pooled below the holder, or worse, had leaked onto the TV, I blew out the flame.

After letting it cool, I examined it only to find... nothing! The remaining portion of the cup was still there along with the resolidified wax, of course. Other than that, there was no trace of what happened to the missing part of the cup or candle wax anywhere. It's as though however a dripless candle can burn and leave no trace was how the cup was made, too.

It elevates "Leave No Trace" to a whole new level.

Evaporated Milk +

The advantage of evaporated milk, whether powdered or canned, is it doesn't have to be refrigerated making it ideal for hikers, campers, boaters, travelers, and preparedness.

The disadvantage is it doesn't taste as good as fresh milk prompting me to buy expensive box milk that doesn't need refrigeration.

Trying out a tip I read in "Long-Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail" by Roland Mueser © 1998 Ragged Mountain Press, I added a couple of spoonfuls of non-dairy creamer to my cup of evaporated milk, stirred well, and gingerly tasted it.

It was great! Whoo-hoo!

[Updated 12/1/2011 - If I use non-fat, non-dairy creamer, it's even better to add a couple of spoonfuls of "Original" Carnation Malted Milk.]

DIY Poncho Improvement: Side Ties

What I used:

-- a Cascade II backpacker poncho,
-- (1) 36" shoelace,
-- (4) eyelets from a 5/16" (8mm) eyelet kit by Prym Creative, part #14015, US$2.97 at Wal-Mart,
-- a hammer,
-- a measuring tape,
-- the scissors on my SAK Classic,
-- disposable lighter.

Contemplating for what else I might use the eyelets mentioned in my last post, it suddenly dawned on me that they're perfect for keeping my poncho from flapping in the wind. As mentioned in a previous post reviewing the Cascade II poncho, I stitched a few heavy-duty Velcro coin sets in mine. Since then, high winds once separated them during a storm. Sure, it was such bad weather I wondered why I wasn't safely indoors, but considering I was already out, there was no reason for me to get wet if it could be avoided.

Following the rule of "measure twice, cut once," I put eyelets in my poncho near the knees, left and right sides, front and back. The cutting part of the eyelet tool didn't cut as well as the enclosed instructions portrayed or maybe I didn't hit as hard with my hammer as I should have. I used the wonderfully sharp scissors of my Swiss Army knife Classic model to complete the holes.

Finishing the rest of the eyelet installations was easy.

Next came deciding what to use as ties and what type of knots would be best.

Settling on a 36" shoelace leftover from a pair bought to make a fore-and-aft cord for a hat, I cut it into fourths and sealed the cut edges with a lighter to prevent fraying.

After tying a double overhand knot on one end, I threaded each piece of shoelace through an eyelet ensuring the knot stopped it from going all the way through.

After each quarter-shoelace was in an eyelet, I tied another double overhand knot in the opposite end to prevent it from slipping out of the eyelet.

Finally, I tied the pair of front and back quarter-shoelaces together on the left side using a slipped reef knot to make it easy to untie if necessary, then repeated with the pair on the right side.

If I didn't pull the poncho on over my head from the bottom like a T-shirt, if I ducked into it from an open side, for example, I'd have to leave the tie(s) undone until after I had the poncho on. Either way is possible since this modification provides the options of tying before it's put on, tying after it's put on, or leaving it untied altogether.

Grommets

I've been thinking about my soft-sided travel pack which has an easy-access zipper to the main compartment that can't be locked.

Since there might be times I need to check the bag during a domestic flight, foreign train stations usually won't allow baggage in their baggage-hold rooms if they can't be locked, and considering those Pacsafe wire nets are so darn heavy and might even lead a thief to believe there's something inside worth stealing, I've been thinking about putting grommets into my bag in a place convenient to insert a lock through them and the zipper pull.

Wal-Mart's sewing notions section has a Prym Creative eyelet kit for US$2.97 that should work, part #14015, the bar code on the back is #72879 25061. Maybe I'll put more in to lock the zippers on the outside pockets while I'm at it.

The discouraging thing is that suitcase locks are meant only to keep bags from opening accidentally during transit which could also be accomplished by safety pins or cable ties. While locks will also keep an honest person honest by discouraging crimes of opportunity, anyone determined to get into a bag won't be deterred.

Searching for a Headlamp

I'm in the process of searching for the perfect LED headlamp for me to have easy, hands-free portable light. A few years ago, I bought one by Energizer for about US$10 that has wonderful features. It's just too bad the headband is too tight and isn't replaceable.

After that, I bought a Nite Ize headband designed to adapt mini flashlights such as my Mini Maglite into headlamps. Unfortunately, I find it best used as a neckband to help support the flashlight on my shoulder and actually prefer to clip the flashlight onto a regular neck lanyard which gives me general lighting although I rather have lighting that's more specific to my task at hand.

Exit stage left, a Rayovac headlamp for less than $6 at Wal-Mart. The headband is very comfortable but the battery compartment is extremely difficult for me to press to open. Although the white light is okay, the single red LED has a large dark circle in the middle of its light.

Enter stage right, a Coleman Max headlamp for nearly $25 at Wal-Mart. This has high beam, low beam, lower beam, plus red and blue LEDs. The headband is adjustable and replaceable. The battery compartment is the easiest to open of the three I've tried, having its own tool as part of the headband adjustment. Very nice. However, I think its having so many sexy features made it too heavy for my delicate head.

Back to the store for another try.

Traveler's Key Ring

I've been fiddling with my traveler's key ring and decided I may as well post the list.

It originated many years ago when I got tired of digging out a coin every time I wanted to use my tripod. That was before getting a tripod with a quick-release mount. I put a coin-like screwdriver onto a split-ring and hung it on my waistband with a belt clip. Items gradually accumulated until last weekend when I decided to see how everything fit into my 15 Essential Systems.

1. Navigation - luminous compass, mini highlighter. I used to have a Suunto Clipper on a fob I liberated from a cheap no-name compass that developed a honking huge bubble during the first part of my road trip in 2006. Before getting the Suunto, I tried using one of those several-function compass-whistle contraptions, but the compass was too small, the luminous points too dim, and the whistle too soft.

I bought a Brunton 9041 last year so I wouldn't have to move the Clipper from my car key ring to my traveler's key ring and back again. Currently, the 9041 is kept on a small carabiner so it's easy to remove from the split-ring to avoid letting other metal objects influence the compass.

As for the highlighter, I plan my routes using a yellow highlighter and use a darker color to mark where I actually go since I travel with a "that looks interesting" attitude and often stray from my intended path whether driving or walking. It helps me get back on track and is a reminder of what I did and where I went after the trip is over and I'm back home. The mini highlighter, bought at Staples, is a Sharpie Accent with a metal loop on the cap to attach it to a key ring.

2. Personal Attire.

3. Hydration.

4. Shelter - mini umbrella. Since this goes on another belt clip on the other side of my waistband when it looks like it might rain, it really doesn't count although it could. That's why I am.

5. Communication - Fox 40 Micro whistle, Trekker Space Pen. Every woman needs a loud, dependable whistle at hand and I don't like digging around in my purse for a pen whenever I want to make a note, either.

Fisher Space pens and the pressurized Space refills made for other pens are great because they write on any paper, even that slick thermal stuff, under any temperature, at any angle including the gravity-defying position of upside-down.

6. Fire - Spark-Lite, invented by the owner of Four Seasons Survival and also distributed by Adventure Medical Kits, or a Mini Swedish FireSteel by Light My Fire. This is an offshoot from my hiker's survival necklace. Realizing I got carried away with this preparedness endeavor and having too many items on my traveler's key ring, I put the sparker on a second small carabiner to live in my travel purse until needed. Since the Spark-Lite doesn't come with a lanyard, I duct-taped the melted and knotted ends of 1/8" orange utility cord onto the stem of the Spark-Lite.

I occasionally swap the two sparkers because I can't decide which I prefer to have where. The Spark-Lite is operated with one hand so is probably better for hiking where the potential for getting injured is greater. However, a Swedish FireSteel is much easier for me to use.

7. Illumination - Garrity key ring LED. Acknowledging this is never used until it's too dark for me to see without it, I relegated it to live in my travel purse on my second carabiner with my sparker until needed.

8. Nutrition - P-51 can opener, bottle cap lifter-can punch. For those who don't know, the P-51 is the big brother of the P-38 military can opener. The other is an Ekco Pocket Boy I happened to see in a local grocery store. It folds in half making it a nice size for key rings. To reduce weight and the number of items on my traveler's key ring, I added these to my second carabiner as well.

9. FAK, Health - Chapstick in a Leashable, Pro Tick remover. The Leashable is a clip-on neoprene holder that came with a tube of different lip balm. I borrow the Pro Tick remover from my hiking survival necklace for areas where I might encounter ticks I'd want to remove as soon as possible. Maybe I should buy another tick remover to ensure I don't forget it.

10. Repair & Tools - Craftsman 9-4160 screwdriver, Swiss Army Knife Classic model, ResQMe. The Craftsman 4-in-1 screwdriver I bought at Sears is what got me started on creating my traveler's key ring. Even though my current Slik tripod has a quick-release mount, I still use it to change over to my mini tripod, and change batteries and memory cards.

The SAK is now on the second carabiner in my travel purse and will have to be left behind or put in checked luggage when I fly.

The ResQMe only goes on my traveler's key ring when I rent a car. Otherwise, it remains on my house key ring for when I ride with other people since my own car has a LifeHammer mounted on the center console.

11. Documentation - USB drive. It fits into a clip-on holder and contains a copy of my current computer files since my laptop and backup external hard drive were both stolen in 2007. Eventually, I'll get around to putting report-loss-to phone numbers and critical information on it, password-protected, of course, if not encrypted.

12. Finances - emergency cash in a fob. I saw what looked like spy capsules online, designed to hold one or two folded and rolled bills in a key ring fob. CVS and Wal-Mart have good-sized pill fobs that will hold more which I think is better since I prefer to have easier-to-spend ten and twenty dollar bills than fifties and hundreds.

I may be wrong, but when it comes to traveling, I think of emergency cash in terms of a few meals and maybe cab fare back to my lodging where I can use the phone to get stolen credit/debit cards replaced or to a bank to cash a check. Never one to carry much over $25, I once spent six weeks with nothing more than a dime and a penny in my wallet. Hey, if I don't have it on me, I can't spend it, right?

13. Transportation.

14. Entertainment - pocket kite. Yup, a mini kite on a key ring means I'm ready to fly a kite any time there's enough breeze and the room for it.

15. Security & Self-defense - the same Fox 40 whistle in 5. Communication and the same USB drive in 11. Documentation. Having the USB drive on me is more secure or makes me feel like it is because losing all the work I did over the 10 months to that point of my trip was terrible.

There it is. Twelve categories out of fifteen on a key ring! Admittedly, it's better to wear it under a blouse that isn't tucked in to avoid looking like a building superintendent, but it's a great convenience to have often-used items at my fingertips and a comfort knowing I can add the items of the second carabiner back to it at any time.

To recap, the 17 items are:

On my traveler's key ring clipped to my waistband - highlighter, kite*, lip balm, pen, pill fob, ResQMe*, screwdriver, tick remover*, USB drive, whistle, luminous compass on a small utility carabiner.

On my second carabiner - Ekco Pocket Boy, LED flashlight, P-51, sparker, SAK.

On another belt clip - umbrella*.

* when conditions warrant it.

Lists

This past week was spent trying to trim a packing list down to only what will fit in a carry-on bag. I've yet to succeed.

This is odd for me since I've traveled with only a carry-on before without any problems, but I didn't save any of those packing lists. Besides, this time, I'm organizing my packing list according to the 15 Essential Systems.

As a result, after I get this list done, I'm planning to use it as the basis for a master packing list that will have additional components for such things as kite-flying and motel camping during road trips.

That way, I'll already have my packing list and will only have to copy it to make a new file then delete whatever won't be needed for the current trip. I thought about simply printing it and crossing off what I won't need, but don't want to waste the paper and ink printing unneeded items and want to keep a record of what I packed for various trips. If I find something that consistently isn't being used, I can delete it from my master list unless it's a preparedness item such as my whistle or water purification tablets.

I don't think it's the preparedness items that are making me have too much for a carry-on. I think it's having clothing for temperatures ranging from 45° to 80° F. Theoretically, I should be able to layer a shirt over a top, adding thermal underwear, a beret or knit cap, convertible mittens, and a windbreaker if I get cold. Or, not wear either the overshirt or the top if I get too warm.

It isn't the quantity of clothing, either. Except for one or two sets of thermal underwear, I'm planning on three sets of underwear (one to wear, one to wash, and one for spare), two skirts, one pair of pants, two long-sleeved shirts, two short-sleeved tops, and one of my summer seersucker dresses to double as a nightgown to eliminate my needing a robe to go down the hall. That isn't much for a three-week trip. It isn't much for a one-week trip.

For footwear, I'm planning on one pair of shoes or boots that I'll wear plus flip-flops that I'll pack, so that's not the problem.

Thinking about it as I write this post, I think the problem is my tripod. Since 9-11, some airlines have been ignoring the Bern Convention that says camera equipment is exempt from carry-on limitations, so I'm planning to pack it into my carry-on instead of carrying it separately in its own case as I did prior to 9-11. However, doing so may mean I'll end up checking a bag. Damn terrorists!

I've also been considering different backpacks for my Grab & Go bag. I nearly decided on one before realizing it has about the same capacity as my travel pack which qualifies as a carry-on bag for air travel. That's too small since I want to be able to carry camping equipment as well in case I decide to get into backpacking which sounds really good to me right now.

Finally, thinking about cooking, eating, and sleeping outdoors whether I get a backpack or not, I started working on a camping list based on my 15 Essential Systems. I plan to create the list, then see what I actually have and which items I need to buy to fill in the holes. I think I already have everything and using the 15 Essential Systems to organize my list will ensure I do.

Review: Brita Bottle

The new Brita Bottle, available since mid-February, is an on-demand, aesthetic-filtering, environmentally-friendly, reusable water bottle made of durable, easy-to-squeeze, BPA-free, recycle code #4 LDPE plastic.

It is available in translucent blue or green for MSRP US$9.99 each, including one replaceable filter, or in a Twin Pack from $18.99. Replacement filters are MSRP $7.99 per pair.

The Bottle is 9.75" tall. The circumference varies from 7-5/8" at the waist to 9" at the largest point.

The literature inside says the filtering system was tested and certified in accordance with NSF/ANSI Standard 42 for aesthetics to reduce chlorine taste and odor by at least 50%. The Brita Bottle averaged 79% with the minimum at 58%.

The NSF requirement for the reduction of particulates is 85% to be a Class VI filter which is 50 to <80 microns. The Brita Bottle averaged more than 99.9% that was also the minimum.

Not finding the Brita Bottle at Wal-Mart and not wanting to drive out-of-town to Target or shop online, I located my blue Bottle at Walgreens. The enclosed directions say to first hand-wash it with mild soap, but knowing soap can leave a residue even when well-rinsed, I used regular liquid dishwashing detergent, instead. The directions also say that everything except the filter is top-rack dishwasher-safe.

After flushing out the loose carbon dust as directed by squeezing a full bottle of water through the filter, I was ready to begin my evaluation. Since I work at home, my interest in the Bottle is for when I'm out-and-about longer than water in another convenient-to-carry bottle filled from my Brita pitcher would last like for festivals, day trips, and travel to areas with safe water.

For road trips, the Bottle will save my having to pack my Brita Space Saver pitcher which is much too large for air travel. Although I haven't flown anywhere since I bought the Bottle, I expect it to be acceptable by the TSA just as my Brita Fill & Go filtering bottle was as long as it's empty when I go through inspection.

The capacity according to Brita is 20 oz. Filling the Bottle to the ledge below the screw thread for the cap, I measured the capacity as 21 oz.

The cap consists of several pieces. First, there is a base cap that screws onto the 49 mm opening large enough to add ice cubes and for easy washing. The filter slides into a hole in the center of the base cap and is held in place by a screw-on, push-pull sport cap. The sport cap is covered by a snap-on hygiene cap.

According to the label and enclosed literature, the filter, Model No. BB02 which also fits Brita's older Fill & Go bottle, needs to be replaced every 128 (20 oz.) servings/20 gallons/75 liters or every two months for proper performance.

Knowing that 128 (20 oz.) servings equals 20 gallons, I was curious how it correlated to two months and did some calculating. By using the Bottle for all of the standard hydration recommendation of 64 oz. per day, it would take only 40 days to consume 20 gallons.

However, after keeping track for a week and learning I average two fillings (42 oz.) per day, I calculated the filter would last 61 days (128 servings x 20 oz. per serving / 42 oz. per day = 60.95 days).

Of course, YMMV, but if you drink an average of two Bottles per day, getting the rest of your hydration needs from other beverages and food, marking your calendar to replace the filter in two months will be both close enough and a whole lot easier than counting refills or calculating the number of gallons consumed.

The Bottle is very comfortable to hold, but once leaked a drop or two because the push-pull sport cap wasn't closed all the way although it looked like it was.

It leaks a lot more if I don't put the large base cap on carefully. I discovered I have to press the carrying loop down while screwing on the cap or it won't go on level. With the loop removed, it still leaks a little unless I unscrew the cap until the threads click before screwing the cap on. It's best to set the Bottle on the counter or other support to avoid squeezing it as the cap is screwed on.

After figuring out these little tricks, the Bottle is dripless no matter how vigorously shaken.

The leaking isn't due to the cap because I can put it on my Fill & Go without having to be careful about it and it doesn't leak, so it must be something about the Bottle.

I suspect it's because the thread goes around only once plus about a third where the ends overlap while the thread on the Fill & Go goes around twice. Wrapping the Bottle's thread with plumber's tape might resolve this minor issue; I plan to buy some, try it, and report back, but it really would be better for Brita to fix this issue for us rather than our having to be so much more careful than with the Fill & Go or trying to fix it ourselves.

[Update 6/2/11 - Too lazy to buy plumber's tape, I tried different tape only to get a small flood when I squeezed to drink. Since I figured out the little tricks required to make my Bottle dripless (other people haven't had these issues, so it just depends on the Bottle or maybe I'm squeezing more vigorously than they are), and I'm very happy with it preferring the new Bottle over Brita's older Fill & Go bottle, I decided against trying the plumber's tape.]

Disliking the plastic taste of my first Bottle of water as sometimes happens with LDPE water bottles I've tried, I put in a couple of tablespoons of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), filled it with hot tap water, capped it without the filter, shook it, and let it sit overnight.

Since my second Bottle of water still tasted of plastic, I dumped in enough baking soda to cover the bottom over 1/4 inch, filled it with hot tap water, capped it without the filter, and let it sit over 24 hours, shaking it occasionally. That fixed it. Subsequent servings of water have all tasted absolutely great.

If I couldn't have gotten rid of the plastic flavor or should I ever want a bottle with a different capacity, I could substitute a recycle code #1 PET/PETE bottle with a 28 mm opening such as is found on standard .5 L, 1 L, and 2 L water and soft drink bottles, Coke products excluded, since the filter and push-pull sport cap fit without leakage on the bottles I tried. A 1-liter bottle would be especially good for foreign travel and preparedness because it's the capacity recommended for most chemical treatments for unsafe water. I'm thinking the Brita Bottle filter will remove any lingering chlorine odor and taste, but don't care to speculate about iodine treatments.

By aligning the filter's arrow-shaped openings with the Bottle's seams for easy tactile detection and keeping a seam underneath the Bottle as it gets empty, I can squeeze out all of the water but a tablespoon enabling me to get a maximum quantity before needing to refill it.

[Edited 6/2/11 - If the seam that is aligned with the top end of the screw thread is downward, the Bottle leaks a drop when I upend and squeeze to drink if I set it on the counter while screwing on the cap although it still doesn't leak when shaken while the sport top is closed. It leaks a lot if I grip it around its middle while screwing on the cap, but less if it's supported on my palm. As a result, I marked the opposite seam with a Sharpie to ensure I have it downwards when I drink so there is no leakage as I squeeze.]

Aligning the filter with the Brita logo on the cap is another option for a visual indicator. Aligning my collapsible koozie seams with the Bottle's seams provides both easy visual and tactile indicators.

The koozie also serves its original purpose as an insulator helping keep the water cool and as a sweat band to collect condensation when ice is added.

[Update 7/30/11 - The Outdoor Products insulated water bottle sleeve, reviewed here, is better than a collapsible can koozie.]

Not only does the Bottle fit into my collapsible koozie and car cup holder, it also fits into the water bottle pockets of my travel purse and other carriers such as my water bottle parka with shoulder strap.

Like other sport caps with snap-on dust covers, the Brita Bottle's hygiene cap is likely to be easily lost. Since this is an on-going problem of mine that isn't likely to change, I attached a 4" cable tie to the carrying loop and Krazy-glued the loose end to the hygiene cap to leash it to the Bottle. Unfortunately, the Krazy Glue did not hold, perhaps because the cable tie was too short and/or too stiff to withstand the stress of movement as I removed and replaced the hygiene cap.

Losing the hygiene cap is no big deal since I don't put the cap in my mouth and figure I can easily use the water's outward flow to rinse it off. Besides, I don't wash my hands every time before pulling the top open and only God knows what germs I pick up from the surfaces I touch between drinks.

However, since I do like having a cover to prevent a fly from landing on the center of the sport cap behind my back, I'm trying another way to make a leash and will post a report on it, later.

Overall, I'm very happy with the Brita Bottle and prefer it to the older Fill & Go except for needing to be careful about closing the cap to prevent leakage. It's easy to use, comfortable to hold, conveniently-sized, and produces great-tasting water.

[Update 9/19/2012 - In March, I bought a two-pack and have had no problems whatsoever. The new bottles are lavender and a pretty blue. The older bottle is a wussy-looking light blue. I don't know if the leakage was peculiar to the light blue bottles or if Brita changed something in the new bottles since they look the same to me. Either way, I'm totally thrilled with my newer bottles!]

I recommend it to everyone wanting an on-demand, aesthetic-filtering, environmentally-friendly, reusable water bottle that can be refilled from any source of potable water.

Brita Bottle

I was really glad to see a recent TV commercial for the Brita Bottle. I have the older Brita Fill & Go bottle, also BPA-free, from 10 years ago and, since it was discontinued due to a U.S. lawsuit for patent infringement by Innova Pure Water, I haven't been able to find replacement filters for it except on Amazon which doesn't always have them; the Innova website has had all its products on back order for years. I was thinking I'd have to do something drastic like go to Europe to stock up.

Evidently the patent infringement is no longer an issue since Brita has its own bottle back on the market, newly designed to fit car cup holders, in blue or green with a MSRP of US$9.99. The capacity is 20 ounces.

The replacement filters are good for 20 gallons, 128 refills, or about 2 months. The new filters have holes near the top rather than the bottom like the old bottle filters and carry the MSRP of $7.99 for a package of two filters.

The reason I like the Brita filtering bottle so much is because it's great for domestic travel providing consistently great-tasting water no matter where I am without the inconvenience and expense of buying bottled water. It's lightweight, easy to squeeze, and the push-pull sport top means I don't have to put my lips on it and ruin my lipstick.

Yes, I know. It's a girly-thing, but there it is.

In addition to my lipstick issue, I also prefer a sport top because not needing to touch it with my lips means there's no backflow to contaminate the water or the inside of the bottle.

With Brita being such a large brand name, the bottle filters will be easy to find at many stores across the country once again.

I also like the Brita filtering bottle because the Brita filter makes water taste good by removing chlorine and reducing heavy metals, if any. Also, because it filters on-demand, chlorine remains in the water, keeping the water safe for consumption, until right before I drink it.

I feel better about on-demand filtering when I'm out and about than filling a water bottle with pre-filtered water such as from a filtering pitcher because unless ice cubes are added to keep the water cold, the absence of chlorine allows the growth of organisms if the water is not consumed soon enough. This last isn't an issue with filtering pitchers kept in the refrigerator because the low temperature inhibits bacteria growth which is the main purpose for refrigerating food items.

Besides, with water pre-filtered at home or motel room, if I drink it all, there's no way for me to filter more water while I'm away making me subject to whatever bad-tasting water is available or buy a bottle of water which doesn't always taste good to me, either, depending on the brand name.

With on-demand filtering, I can refill my bottle from any tap, anytime I want.

Another advantage with the new Brita Bottle is that it comes with a removable carrying loop; the older Fill & Go bottle didn't. For that, I got a carrying strap holder that clipped onto my laptop briefcase. Since I had no problems with either the TSA or the airlines after 9-11, there's no reason to anticipate issues with the new Brita Bottle as long as it's empty for the TSA screening.

Based on my experience with my old Brita Fill & Go bottle, I think anyone wanting a filtering bottle should try the new Brita Bottle. Just remember that the filtering is for aesthetics only, to improve taste and remove odor, and is to be used solely with water that's already safe to drink. Because the filter is for particulates 50 to <80 microns, it will not make unsafe water potable.

To make water safe from protozoans such as cryptosporidium (protozoans being the largest of the three groups of nasties that make us sick followed by the smaller bacteria and viruses, the smallest), the CDC and EPA recommend an absolute pore size, not nominal pore size, of 1 micron or less.

I may buy a new Brita Bottle just to compare it to my old Fill & Go. If I do, I'll post a review after I use it awhile.

Mid-Year Check

Making the food list last year turned out well for me. All I had to do for the mid-year check this week was eye the list and add the items expiring before September to my shopping list. After shopping, it was easy to dig out the items to be replaced from the plastic bin because I put things in chronological order by expiration date so those items expiring sooner are on top. Then, I moved them to the space for current use and put the new purchases in the preparedness food bin after writing the expiration date on the front or top with a black Sharpie so it's easy to see.

Replacing the water was no big deal. All I did was buy more and move the jugs reserved for preparedness so they can be used for current needs which I pretty well do whenever I buy spring water by the gallon for my tea, anyway. The only difference this time was that I did it on purpose because it's the mid-year check, not because I needed to buy water which means I'll have more water than usual in my regular supply for a while. I'm unsure of the sense of doing things this way except it ensures my preparedness supply of water is fresh whether or not I use my regular supply.

What's new is that I started thinking about medications for a preparedness first aid kit (FAK) and bought an extra box of allergy pills, generic pain relief, and other basic first aid medications. I usually wait until I need these before buying them because I've stocked them in my home FAK before only to discard them after the expiration date without ever using any, but decided that a period of tumult is not the time to be needing a drug store that may not be open during a disaster.

The allergy pills won't be wasted because I can rotate them into current use and buy a new box for the preparedness kit when my daily supply needs to be replaced, and I should add a multi-vitamin and multi-mineral supplement to aid good health in whatever stressful situation this preparedness kit is to see me through, but I expect to take a hit on the cost of the rest since they are more likely to expire than be used.

Finally, I decided to store the FAK meds and my Katadyn Micropur water purification tablets in an insulated cooler bag designed to hold four cans. Since I don't know whether a preparedness situation might be too cold or too hot, either of which may degrade the chemicals, I figure it's better to play it safe by storing them in a cooler.

Besides, I wasn't using the bag for anything else. I originally bought it on sale for air travel because it folds flat for easy packing so I don't have to buy, then leave behind, a cheap Styrofoam cooler at every destination just to keep a few beverage cans cold. It'll do fine in my Grab & Go bag and for road trips, but I'll have to think about what to do for preparedness issues when I travel by air since it can't fold flat when full. It's easy enough when I travel by car, but air travel requires paring down to the bare minimum especially when trying to use only a carry-on bag.

I'm becoming increasingly aware that going on vacation doesn't exempt people from disastrous situations. Vacationers and business travelers should have basic preparedness kits with them in order to survive the unexpected just like anybody else, probably more so since they're away from their home turf in unfamiliar surroundings.

Visiting with a Friend

I had a funny experience on Facebook a few weeks ago when a friend now living in South Dakota was talking about her daughters' Girl Scout cookies.

Being facetious I asked, "Do you deliver?" and it turned out she was planning a trip close enough for me to drive over on a day trip to meet her. As it turned out, her husband came instead and we met for lunch last Thursday at the Red Lobster restaurant in one of the larger cities.

We talked about lots of stuff from the last time he ate at Red Lobster (when he proposed to his wife on her birthday) to driving in San Francisco (We agreed the thing to do is not drive - park your car and use the excellent public transportation to get around instead.) & L.A. to our beliefs and how some people like to ignore the scripture and make God out to be what they want Him to be, in effect, turning Him into a man-made god. Our backgrounds are different, but we're pretty close in many of our beliefs when we're not spot on. He gave me some things to look into the Bible about and I believe he got some from me, too.

Somehow, our conversation inspired some changes I've been wanting to do on my websites and I've been busy incorporating them. One has to do with the copyright notice. I had made one using JavaScript which makes it maintenance-free for me, but part of it won't show up if visitors don't have JavaScript enabled in their browsers.

Another modification is to change a drop-down menu into an include file so I won't have to upload all the other pages whenever I add a new page. By using an include file, all I have to do is upload the edited drop-down menu and the new webpage.

Suddenly, it dawned on me. Putting my copyright notice into an include file will solve the issue. I'll have to edit and upload only one little file one time each year I modify my websites and it won't matter if visitors have JavaScript enabled or not.

Whoo-hoo!

Cabin Fever

It's overcast and cold which is to be expected of February.

Imagining myself outside flying a kite under a warm, blue sky, I think of things I want to do, need to do, could and should do. They range from going through mail to shopping for new clothes to (re)learning French, German, and Spanish because I want to travel, to redesigning my websites. Yesterday, I tried a couple of color schemes.

Reconnecting with a past president of my former writers group whose memoir chapbook is scheduled to be published next year, reminded me that I need to learn how to use the aids I've acquired to market my own books which I have to actually finish writing first in order to get published.

The horse goes before the cart.

Honestly, I have so much to do, I don't see how I'll ever die.

If only life worked that way for everyone.

James 4:
13. Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
14. Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
15. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.