UK-based survivalist AlfieAesthetics is one of our favorite YouTubers because of the way he integrates humor into his teaching. Let’s face it — it’s a lot less appealing to watch a dry, boring, technical presentation on any subject than one that’s fun. And if you’re setting aside free time to learn survival skills, you might as well have a good time while you’re doing it. Alfie’s uploads are infrequent at best, but we can appreciate his quality-over-quantity approach.
In his latest video, Alfie explains the rationale behind each component in his pocket survival kit. We’ve seen these built into various plastic cases and metal Altoids tins, but he chose a cylindrical capsule that can fit snugly into a pocket (or some other place where the sun don’t shine). Its contents cover the most important bases and also include some secondary resources — a cutting tool, fire-starters, water purification, navigation, cordage, tools for fishing or snaring small game, and even antiseptic.
Above: A baggie of chlorine dioxide tablets is “a very suspicious looking set of gear overall, but a real A-class solution to the issue of dehydration.”
Several of the tips he mentions are surprisingly insightful, like adhering a backup striker surface for the stormproof matches on the inside of the capsule, or finding a spool that fits the exact diameter of the capsule and also holds the knife tang in place. True to form, Alfie intersperses dry humor to make the survival skills more entertaining and memorable.
Check out the video below. Warning: there’s some not-safe-for-work language in this one.
Hopefully this provides some food for thought for your own miniature survival kit, whether it’s stowed in your pocket, pack, or prison wallet.
