For day and bright moonlit night signaling, we provide a signal mirror. The Doug Ritter Ultimate Aviator Survival Pak™ includes a 3 x 5 inch Rescue Reflectors™ Type 1 Polycarbonate Signal Mirror, the very best, highest performance plastic mirror available today with performance approaching that of a glass signal mirror, the gold standard (but heavy and breakable). Each is hand assembled and individually focused by noted signal mirror authority, patent holder and designer Malcolm Murray.

These are true signal mirrors with military specification style retro-reflective aimers that allow them to be used one-handed and to be accurately aimed. None of the misrepresentation, from my point of view, of calling a mirror without an integral retro-reflective aimer a signal mirror. Yes, any mirror can be used for signaling, using the two-handed aiming method, but so can anything reflective; they are a signal mirror in name only. The traditional style retor-reflective mesh aimer is easier to use and aim, based on my testing, than the Ultimate Survival StarFlash or its military specification equivilent.

While glass mirrors remain the very best performers, they are heavy and fragile. Even when carefully packed and padded they have been known to break under the forces of an aircraft crash. The polycarbonate signal mirrors we use are the next best thing, the best in their class, and provide truly superior performance at much lower weight and are virtually unbreakable. These signal mirrors are up to twice as reflective as the next best 3 x 5 military specification plastic signal mirror.

Two very loud Storm™ Safety Whistles are included in the Doug Ritter Ultimate Aviator Survival Pak™.  Why two, you might ask?  So each survivor has one. If they get separated in the deep wilderness while working to survive they can find each other using the whistles. It's happened, occasionally with tragic results.

The Doug Ritter Ultimate Aviator Survival Pak™ also includes a Greatland Laser Rescue Laser™ Light (with spare lithium battery). The Rescue Laser™ is the most effective nighttime and adverse weather visual signaling device. It is conspicuous and abnormal enough that it will be reported by passing aircraft, unlike a strobe in most cases. Compared to the best strobe lights (and few kits include the best due to their cost), the Rescue Laser™ has 10 times the range and effectiveness ($85 retail). The only drawback is that the laser flare must be operated manually, while a strobe can be left unattended.

Optionally available is the mil-spec Green Rescue Laser™ Flare currently being issued to U.S. Special Forces in combat areas and which is easier to aim and visible a minimum of 50% further. This is the most effective nighttime signaling device available. It adds a bit over an ounce and $160 in cost.

Since most people are not familiar with this new technology, a waterproof tag is attached with illustrated instructions on how to use the laser to signal. And, just to assure you, it is perfectly legal to use a laser flare to signal for help to aircraft.

Bear in mind that very little air search is done at nighttime except over flat terrain and over the water. Nighttime SAR is almost never done in mountainous terrain. So, unless the nighttime signal is likely to be noticed as something unusual by passing aircraft, such as with the Rescue Laser™, most nighttime signaling devices are of little practical use. Strobes are rarely considered a distress signal by passing aircraft except by SAR doing an actual search or a pilot with SAR or military experience.

The only advantage a strobe offers is that it can be turned on and left unattended. It is unlikely to be noticed or identified as a distress signal unless Search and Rescue is actively searching. Even the very best strobe is visible only for a couple miles unless SAR is using night vision equipment, which is admittedly becoming more widespread. The U.S. Coast Guard uses NVGs for nighttime SAR. If you are doing overwater flying, a strobe on your person makes a lot of sense.

I do not recommend pyrotechnics / flares for aviation survival kits except when required by regulation, so we do not include pyrotechnics (flares). Only one type of aerial flare is approved for "wilderness" use over land, all others are designed for marine use. These marine flares are not designed to extinguish before they fall back to earth and have been known to start forest/brush fires. The Wilderness XLT aerial flare by Skyblazer (now a division of Orion) has a poor reputation for reliability. Some reports have shown a 50% failure rate for brand new XLT flares. The also have a short storage life of three years and disposal of expired flares is a difficult problem for civilians. Aerial flares are also dangerous and must be treated as a loaded firearm. Because they only burn for a few seconds and are only visible if the searchers are actually looking at where the flare is burning, you have to carry a lot of flares to be much good. Typical recommendation is to shoot off three flares at a time for best results, so even a dozen flares, a lot of expense and weight, would be barely adequate.

Handheld flares and smoke flares are bulky, heavy, burn for only a short time, are dangerous to use and are not very effective unless you have a large store of them.  Smoke flares disperse very quickly and are not very visible even at their best from very far away. Inclusion of flares also makes the survival kit HAZMAT and shipping becomes much more expensive and problematic.

We don’t include flagging tape, included in some kits, because in our experience it doesn’t work as a signal. In air to ground testing with the Civil Air Patrol we have found it virtually invisible at any significant distance, even when using up an entire roll. Traditional signal flags are typically too small to help much either. The Rescue Streamer and Aerotape devices are effective, but the brightly colored tarp, garbage bags, and emergency ponchos we provide are plenty large enough to be used as effective ground signals and at no additional increase in weight or cost.

This is an area where most survival kits come up short. A knife is generally considered your most important survival tool after your brain, yet because a good knife is can cost a significant amount, most kits make do with junk, or at least not a very good choice.

Most common are cheap, low quality knock-offs of Swiss Army Knives, low quality plastic hollow handled so-called “survival knives,” which are junk, or similar poor quality or inappropriate knives that you don’t want to bet your life on. A folding knife, like a Swiss Army Knife, is inappropriate for a primary survival kit, even if it was a real SAK, let alone a low quality knock-off. A folder is fine and appropriate to carry on your person, provided it is good quality and has a locking blade. Most of us simply are not going to be comfortable walking around the airport with a large fixed blade knife on our belt. However, a folder is not the first choice as your primary survival kit knife, which should be a fixed blade for the added strength and capability it provides. You want a 4- to 6-inch fixed blade you can depend upon as your primary survival knife.

At least one commercial kit I am aware of includes a "U.S. Air Force Pilot Survival Knife," which unfortunately has some notable drawbacks for many conventional civilian survival uses, though it’s better than the aforementioned junk. Its skinny deep clip point, designed for stabbing (the enemy), is notorious for snapping off. The full guard, appropriate for a fighting knife, just gets in the way for many survival uses. The so-called "saw back" on the spine of the blade is not only totally useless for sawing wood (a job for which is was not designed), but chews up an improvised wood baton so quickly that it’s very difficult to use the knife and a baton to split wood, sometimes an essential survival task to find dry wood for a fire. While the guard includes lashing points, it is generally now considered a very poor idea to lash your knife to a limb for use as a spear as it is too easily lost and losing your knife would be a very bad thing for a survivor.

The modest quality carbon steel blade rusts fairly easily, even where parkerized, doesn’t hold an edge very well and has been known to snap in half under only modest abuse as might easily occur in a survival situation. The included sharpening stone is adequate for a rough sharpening, but requires that the user knows how to use one. In my experience, very few persons these days are able to sharpen a knife with a flat stone, let along a small pocket stone.  So unless the survivor has this specific skill, the stone will be of little practical use. That’s particularly a problem given how poorly the blade holds an edge. For the experienced woodsman who can quickly touch up an edge, the need to often sharpen a blade isn’t a major drawback, but for most people these days, it is a major drawback.  This stone is also quite fragile and will break if your fall against a hard surface while wearing the knife.  The U.S. military has moved on to the new Aircrew Survival and Evasion Knife (ASEK), which is a somewhat higher quality and, in some respects, better designed knife, though still not a particularly good choice for civilian survival use.

For the Doug Ritter Ultimate Aviator Survival Pak™, the choice of a knife was easy. I designed the new Doug Ritter RSK Mk3™ fixed blade knife expressly as a survival/utility knife, incorporating all the features I believe necessary in a knife you can bet your life on™. The full-tang 4.5-inch wide-chord drop point blade is made of CPM S30V high carbon stainless steel. It has a high grind for excellent slicing while the full-thickness spine provides the strength needed in such a knife. The textured G-10 aviation grade composite ergonomic handles along with a half guard and thumb ramp ensure a secure grip no matter how bad the conditions. The exposed tang allows you to hammer on the butt without harming the handles. The knife is retained in a ballistic nylon sheath with molded insert. Normal retail for this extraordinary knife is $165.

We add a Parachute Cord Wrist Lanyard to the knife so it can be secured when used where it might be lost. The wrist lanyard has a Cord Lock since without that, it really isn't all that secure. With the cord lock, you can cinch it up tight around your wrist so you will be sure not to lose it.

While we encourage every pilot to fly with a good multi-purpose tool on their belt, we still believe the survival kit needs one as we cannot be sure the pilot will do so, nor that the passengers will have one, if for some reason the pilot is unavailable to assist. For our basic multi-purpose tool we chose the Leatherman® Blast®. This is a sturdy tool that includes needle-nose pliers with hard and soft wire cutters, a 420HC knife blade (we consider this for backup use only), very efficient wood saw, scissors, a file and metal saw blade, can/bottle opener, and various screwdriver blades, all of which lock into place for safety. We settled on Leatherman® because in my experience they make a high quality and reliable multi-tool with the best combination of features and quality.

Even the best knife blade may need sharpening, or at least touching up, during a survival situation and as noted earlier, sharpening skills are not common these days. The sharpener included in the Doug Ritter Ultimate Aviator Survival Pak™ requires virtually no skill on the part of the user, just the ability to pull the blade through the sharpener. While this pull-through sharpener doesn't create the very finest edge possible, the results are perfectly acceptable for the intended emergency survival use of the knife. Waterproof instructions for sharpening by Doug Ritter are included.

You’ll find no axe or hatchet in these kits. Besides their heavy weight, in my experience, these tools are serious injuries waiting to happen, even in the hands of experienced outdoors persons, let alone a novice who is not operating at 100%. A survival situation is not the time to get a bloody gash down to the bone--or worse.

For cutting wood we include a lock-blade wood saw, the Gerber Exchange-A-Blade® Saw. It has very aggressive cutting teeth that make quick work of any modestly-sized tree or limbs. Anything that is too large for these saws to cut is likely more than you need to cut in a survival situation. You’re not making a log cabin, just an expedient shelter, small to modestly sized fire, or removing branches to access someone who is trapped. These saws will do this quickly and safely. 

A waterproof tag is attached with instructions on how to unlock and open the saw blade. While it might seem simple and obvious, sometimes under stress things aren't quite so obvious.

While much lighter in weight and much less bulky, wire saws, often referred to as "commando" or "SAS" saws, are poor tools that are only better than nothing at all. Fine if you want to include them in a pocket kit, but aside from that, a poor idea. They require more energy to use since they cut so inefficiently and are difficult to use, especially so with cold hands or with heavy gloves. Larger "survival" chain style saws work well on larger logs, but are useless on smaller limbs and quite heavy. Again, you need to focus on what's most useful for the survivor to be cutting, you don't need to build a log cabin. Buck-style saws are very robust for heavier sawing, but are impossible to use in tight quarters and must be assembled, as opposed to simply opened.

The ultralight patented Snow Claw® is included to easily allow a survivor to construct a snow shelter. Snow shelters make excellent expedient survival shelters in areas with deep snow, but they can be difficult and tiring to construct without a decent snow shovel. Even collapsing lightweight snow shovels are relatively heavy and very bulky. The Snow Claw® has proven to be very efficient for constructing snow shelters and is both compact and extremely light, only a faction of a traditional lightweight snow shovel. It substantially improves a survivor's ability to construct snow shelters in comparison to sue improvised means and at much less cost in effort and energy. It also works very well in sand, for constructing desert shelters. The Snow Claw® can also be used as an improvised splint. Waterproof instructions for use written by Doug Ritter are attached.

The ability to start a fire is essential and is often the first critical thing that needs doing in some survival situations.

We provide multiple means to do so, from stone simple to a bit more sophisticated. These fire-starting components are in an Immediate Action Fire STarting Kit easily accessible at the top of the pack so they are readily available.

An Essential Gear Windmill Stormproof Lighter (replaces the disposible BIC lighter in the photo) is included because it is so easy to use, is operable one-handed, and will do the job in 95% of survival situations. Its drawbacks are that the fuel can leak out (so it should be checked regularly), it won’t work in seriously cold temperatures unless it is kept warm (placing it in your armpit or crotch or in a shirt pocket under a coat is enough to allow it to be used down to -40 F) and it is not reliable above 9,000 ft. MSL, though it has been used as high as 14,000 ft. MSL with the flame height adjusted down to compensate for lower oxygen at that altitude.

The case is high impact resistant polycarbonate. The lighter has been tested to withstand 70-80 mile-per-hour winds. Windmill's platinum catalyzer coil provides continuous ignition of the gas vapors creating a clean, hot flame nearly invisible in outdoor bright light. The piezo-electronic ignition system eliminates the need for batteries or flints which fail when wet. There are five rubber O-ring seals including one for the cap to ensure water resistance when the lighter cap is closed. Burn time is approximately 15 to 30 minutes on a full fuel load.

Redundancy is provided by two components. Premium quality REI Stormproof Matches are windproof and waterproof and have twice the incendiary material of the more common NATO Lifeboat Matches, or any other such match on the market. These are simply the best available. The lightweight Spark-Lite™ flint style fire starter is extremely reliable, waterproof and one-hand operable.

REI Stormproof Matches are stored inside a bright orange waterproof G.I. style Match Safe. Like all such matches, these are safety matches and require a complimentary striking surface to be lit. On the NATO Lifeboat and other such matches the striker is on the outside of the container where it can get wet (unless the matches and their container are protected inside some other waterproof container) and often will not work in such condition. That pretty much defeats the whole purpose of the waterproof match to begin with. We place an oversized striker strip inside the waterproof Match Safe where it will be dry and ready to use in an emergency.  Also included is our own Instructions For Use by Doug Ritter on waterproof paper with hard-won tips for the best means to light and use these matches. And addtional quantity of matches, for 24 total, and spare striker strips are stored with the rest of the survival gear.

The orange Spark-Lite™ is a current U.S. military issue fire starter. It is packed in a bright orange plastic matchbox-size container with instructions and 8 pieces of Tinder-Quik™ tinder. We selected the orange version, so it is less likely to be lost if dropped.

This is an artificial (ferrocium) flint and steel fire starter and is completely waterproof. If it gets wet, just shake off the water and it's good to go.

One of the Spark-Lite's™ big advantages is that it can be used one-handed, unlike most other flint and steel fire starters (the Ultimate Survival Blast Match being the exception, but it is far larger and heavier, not a good option for aviation where weight matters).  Just rotate the sparking wheel of the Spark-Lite™ in the direction of the arrows and get a shower of sparks. It's not unlike using a traditional lighter; the steel wheel and a flint rod under spring pressure do the job, but it generates a lot more sparks. It is rated for hundreds of sparkings and some random samples have been tested to over 1000.

In the September 2003 issue of Backpacker Magazine, John Kemple's review of fire starters rated the Spark-Lite™ as "Best Buy," mirroring the high ratings I've always given it on Equipped to Survive®.

Since tinder is critical to getting a fire started, no matter how you go about lighting it, and natural tinder is not always readily available and requires some knowledge and skill to use, the Pak includes 10 extra Spark-Lite Tinder-Quik™ waterproof tinders, besides those included with the Spark-Lite.

This tinder is quick and easy to use, just pull it apart to expose the finer cotton fibers and it's ready to accept the spark. No need to waste time and effort shaving magnesium with your knife, nor do you then have to collect the small shavings, especially difficult if it's windy. It has an unlimited storage life and doesn't need to be kept in sealed airtight packaging, unlike Ultimate Survival's WetFire brand tinder (and similar fire starter cubes) used in some kits and which also has a limited storage life, typically just a couple years. Each piece of Tinder-Quik™ will burn for two to three minutes.

Tinder that cannot be easily started by use of a spark is not a good idea. The common compressed wood style tinder found in many kits is very difficult to impossible to start with a spark unless shaved or scraped very, very fine, which becomes problematic itself.

The flashlights and headlamps included are all lithium battery powered LED lights for the highest reliability. You'll never have to worry about a bulb burning out or breaking if the flashlight is dropped. With a 10-year storage life for the lithium batteries, the lights will be ready when you need them and lithium batteries work much better at frigid temperatures where alkaline or carbon zinc batteries lose power or quit working altogether. These lights will also produce useable light for much longer than a larger, heaver and more fragile traditional flashlight. A spare set of batteries for every flashlight is included, just in case. Total weight of all the spare batteries is less than five tenths of an ounce. The flashlights are highly water-resistant, though not submersible. If you get them wet in the rain or drop them in a puddle they will continue to work just fine.

Attached to the exterior of the Doug Ritter Aviator Survival Paks™s is a Doug Ritter Special Edition MkII Photon Freedom Micro-Light®. This light ensures survivor(s) will have plenty of light to both finish the evacuation of the aircraft and to unpack the survival kit. In the Pak is the special Photon Clip that allows the Photon to be used as a clip-light, attached to the bill of a cap or to a shirt, leaving both hands free.

Included in the Doug Ritter Aviator Survival Paks™ are two Essential Gear™ ultralight Doug Ritter Special Editon eQ Hands-Free Multi-Light White LED Headlamp/Flashlights. This versatile light comes set up as a headlamp for easy hands-free use. The elastic headband can be removed and it can also be used with its integral clip or it can be hand held as a conventional flashlight. The focused beam is bright and adequate for any nighttime survival chores. The rotary switch is secure and unlikely to be inadvertently switched on in storage. These lights are stored at the top of the pack so they are easy to find as they will be most helpful to have immediately in a nighttime survival situation.

I believe that these latest technology single LED lights are quite adequate for survival purposes. Multiple LED headlamps or flashlights that provide more light at a higher weight and which are generally quite a bit more expensive are available as options. 

I do not provide incandescent bulb flashlights under any circumstances as I believe they are too fragile and unreliable for survival use.

I also believe that only Lithium batteries are appropriate for survival use due to their long storage life, improved service life and improved cold weather performance. Contrary to expectations, a flashlight need not be a storage container for dead batteries. 

I do not include chemical light sticks (Cyalume or Snap-Light) as we believe they have too many drawbacks for survival use. They are bulky and heavy. Their performance and working life are both seriously adversely affected by even modestly cold temperatures and they are virtually worthless at sub-freezing temperatures. They have a short storage life, 6- to 48-months depending upon the product. Their performance goes quickly downhill after passing the expiration date and within a few months they are dead. After exposure to air they have only a few days' storage life and after that they will not work at all. All are packed in airtight foil packaging for protection and if it is punctured, they won't work when needed. If crushed, they leak and will stain and make a mess of everything in which they come in contact (though they are not toxic). Finally, they are impractical for task lighting. Unless you also carry a special holder, more weight and bulk, the light shines in your eyes when you are trying to illuminate something, making it difficult to use. They can only illuminate a small area and cannot be directed at a task. All in all, less than useful or practical for most survival purposes and a poor choice.

In almost all cases, the survivor(s) should stay with the aircraft. It is rarely a good idea to try and "walk out." Especially with the advent of PLBs, help should arrive fairly quickly. Still, stuff happens and if you need to travel, a compass is indispensable. A compass is reliable and needs no batteries. There are differences in quality among compasses and features vary widely. The Doug Ritter Ultimate Aviator Survival Pak™ comes with renowned Finnish compass manufacturer Suunto's M-3G Professional Grade baseplate compass with a Global Needle that is equally usable in all latitudes of both northern and southern hemispheres. It is equipped with an easy to use declination adjustment scale and a neck lanyard.

A Global Needle compass is not cheap, but it means we don't have to offer separate compasses to worldwide customers and you don't have to remember to change out the compass should your flying take you to more exotic locales outside North America. This includes flights into Mexico and many islands of the Carribean where a standard compass may not function properly. To learn more about the Suunto's patented Global Needle, see our "What is a Global Needle?" page.

While the greatest benefit of the Global Needle is the capability of it's worldwide use, as a result of the design there is a secondary benefit that's not insignificant. The way the Global Needle is capable of handling worldwide magnetic zones is with it's ability to handle needle tilts of up to 20 degrees. This characteristic is great for pathfinding because it means as you bounce along the trail, you don't need to have the compass perfectly level to get an accurate reading, making it much easier to get readings while you are walking.

It seems that virtually every survival kit must have a fishing kit, or the "entertainment kit" as I refer to it. One could easily argue that it is relatively unimportant in the grand scheme of things for a kit designed primarily to help support someone for a brief survival experience where food isn't much of an issue. In part, inclusion is a marketing decision based on the fact that, as noted, survival kits are expected to include some fishing gear.

There is also another aspect to this; the "entertainment" part. Having taken care of the basics such as medical issues, fire, shelter and signaling, a survivor is often faced with a potentially demoralizing psychological crisis--boredom. Fishing or snaring birds, or at least making an effort to, is one way to combat boredom, and again, it costs little to provide this therapeutic "escape." Much of this fishing gear can also be used for small game and bird snares.

Having decided to include some fishing gear, we decided to incorporate more than the minimal some kits provide, but far less than the mil-spec or mil-spec style fishing kits.  These really provide more than could possibly be useful and a lot of other stuff, like safety pins and sewing needles, for example, that we already provide anyway.

The Doug Ritter Ultimate Aviator Survival Pak™includes a Doug Ritter designed and assembled Fishing Kit with a full compliment of fishing gear including line, leader, an assortment of hooks, weights, a float, lures and artificial bait.

Also included is a high melting temperature 9-hour Survival Candle that can be used to heat up a confined-space shelter, such as a snow cave or quinzee. These special candles will not melt like less expensive "pink lady," common "emergency" candles, or tea candles when stored in the kit during the summer heat in the desert. It's common to unpack a typical survival kit that's been stored in the aircraft in hot climates and find candle wax melted over everything. These candles burn very cleanly with minimum dripping.

The Nuwick and similar 36 and 48 hour survival candles in a can work very well, but are heavy and bulky for aviation survival use. We recommend them only for arctic and extreme cold weather survival use.

A proper tarp with grommets or tie outs is much more versatile. It’s as easy or easier to set up as a tube tent in that "pup tent" style configuration. It is much quicker to set up as a lean-to or other shelter type when appropriate and without the inherent drawbacks of the tube tent.

The Doug Ritter Ultimate Aviator Survival Pak™ includes an brightly colored ultralight Silicone Impregnated Rip-stop Nylon Tarp with edge and center tie-outs. Sil-nylon is the latest ultralight high strength material used by the high tech backpacking crowd, only 1.1 ounces/yard and incredibly strong. Spinnaker material, another high-tech alternative, is a wee bit lighter, but too fragile for survival use.

Many kits include either one or two reflective Mylar® sheet blankets or bags, commonly referred to as an “Emergency Space Blanket” or “Emergency Space Bag.” These are better than nothing, but have notable drawbacks. Most critically, they tear or puncture very easily. Once they have the slightest rip or puncture, there’s nothing to stop it from spreading and the blanket or bag is very quickly shredded. If not tightly secured around you in windy weather, they will quickly self-destruct. They do not make good improvised tarps. The typical emergency space blanket is too small to easily wrap around yourself. They are also extremely noisy, which means it is very difficult to get any sleep while wrapped up in one and rest can be critical in a survival situation. About all they have going for them is that they are inexpensive, lightweight and wind and waterproof if not damaged.

Instead, we provide two Adventure® Medical Kit Ultralight Bivy Sacks. These have independently been rated highly by many outdoors publications. The reflective composite Thermo-Lite® fabric material is strong and doesn’t easily rip, is quiet and comfortable, reflects heat back to your body and is windproof and waterproof. A foot and side vent is provided for moisture and temperature control. These have been referred to by some as the ultimate lightweight sleeping bag and some ultralight through-hikers rely upon them as their sole sleeping bag. An ultralight sil-nylon stuff sack is provided.

A pair of brightly colored vinyl Emergency Rain Ponchos are included. While you could use a garbage bag or bags with appropriate holes poked in it, we think this is far better and more practical solution for mere tenths of ounces additional weight. Staying drier in inclement weather will go a long way towards improving your survival odds and they can also serve to protect you from wind chill and to help retain body heat in colder weather. The brightly colored ponchos also make excellent ground signals when not needed for inclement weather protection.

While gloves would seem to be an obvious aid in cold weather, they are essential for most survivors in any weather. Very few of us have calluses on our hands, unless they are on our finger tips from typing on a computer keyboard. The simple fact is that most of us don't do manual labor on a regular basis, we don't use out hands for handling rough objects or stressful manual labor, we simply are not well equipped to deal with the physical effort and abuse often required in a survival situation. Gloves are essential to protect a survivor's hands from damage.

You need your hands to help you survive. They are not a luxury. Blisters or cuts and scrapes that make it more difficult to use your hands can diminish your survival chances, potentially significantly. Any survival kit that doesn't include some robust and tough gloves is missing a critical and essential tool.

Fabric alone is not enough. We include two pair of high quality, sturdy, Top Grain Leather (not cheaper suede) Work Gloves with Adjustable Tape and Ball Wrist Cinch Straps for security, one for each person; not just a single pair of gloves as some kits do. Is one person supposed to sit around and watch the other do all the work? Large is the size we include by default, since almost everyone can use them, even if a bit loose (and the cinch strap helps in this regard), but we provide the option of adding your particular size if desired. 

While many of us fly in a ball-style cap, it's easy for it to get lost or damaged in a crash and many passengers will not be wearing one. It also doesn't provide protection from the sun to the neck and ears (though you can utilize a bandanna or other cloth to improvise such protection). Whether to keep your head warm in the cold or shade you in the sun, a full brimmed hat is indispensable for your protection. We include a pair of unique ultralight and compact "Twist Hats". They include an under-chin strap with a cord lock to hold them on in windy conditions. These have an ample brim for sun protection.

SUNSCREEN

Sunburn can occur even in cold weather and particularly with snow on the ground adding intense reflections. A sunburn increases dehydration, is painful and debilitating, and can adversely affect a survivor's chances. Besides the hats above, for overall sun protection we have selected a premium quality very high SPF sunscreen, Himaya Sport Sunscreen SPF 45 or 60 (depending upon availability). This sunscreen is not greasy, can be applied when your skin is wet from sweat (most sunscreens will not work well in that situation), is highly water resistant and doesn't quickly wash off from heavy sweating or swimming, has no alcohol, and that also is not uncomfortable in cold weather like many other sunscreens (click for the Himaya Web site and more information - opens a new browser window).

Himaya SPF 35 Lip Formula is also provided to both pretect lips from the sun and to help retain moisture in the lips, an important component to relieving discomfort and thirst. Your lips are very fragile. Dry, chapped or cracked lips can be both physically painful and psychologically demoralizing when water is in short supply.

High SPF is essential. The common heard clinical recommendations for SPF 15 are only appropriate for someone who is going to spend a limited time in the sun and is aiming to slowly develop a "tan" to protect themselves from sunburn. Many fair complexioned people will burn in 10-15 minutes of exposure, so 15 times that, 2:30-3:45, is hardly enough to see you through a day of intense sun exposure. Add in possible high elevation where sunburn can occur in half the time and safety margins are further reduced. For someone in a survival situation, you want the highest possible protection to prevent any sunburn whatsoever. It is also critical that the sunscreen be highly water resistant as in many such situation the survivors will be sweating profusely and most sunscreens will not last long under those conditions.

SUNGLASSES

Eyes need protection as well, from both bright sun and reflected sun off snow or water. Snow blindness is a greater threat than most realize and is much more common that direct damage to eyesight from bright sun. Conventional sun glasses are bulky and heavy, especially ones that will fit over prescription glasses. We include two pair of ultralight Roll-up Sunglasses. These are made of scratch-resistant polycarbonate in neutral gray color. They provide 100% UVA and UVB protection, wrap around to provide exemplary wind and dust protection as well as peripheral light protection, one size fits all, even children, the adjustable strap adds security in high winds or extreme activity, they will fit over most prescription glasses, the sweat resistant foam padding helps keep sweat out of your eyes and the flexible nose bridge is comfortable. They also float. These sun glasses roll up to fit in a small case not much bigger than a 35mm film canister and weigh just 0.6 ounces with the case.

In some areas, mosquitoes and other bugs can make you so miserable you may wish you just died in the crash. The Ultrathon® Insect Repellant we provide has been highly rated for both effectiveness and longevity, doesn't wash off with sweat or when wet, and is current issue to U.S. military (in an Olive Drab colored tube, of course). This repellant has a moderate level of DEET with the same or better performance as repellants with much higher levels of DEET up to "100% " concentrations. Many medical authorities believe that DEET is potentially toxic and that lower DEET concentrations are much safer, particularly for children. We do know that this formulation in Ultrathon does not destroy plastics and similar materials like regular high concentration DEET repellants do. If those do come in contact with plastic, they will melt the plastic and often make the item unserviceable, which can be a real problem, especially when there is no possibility of replacement.

We also include a pair of premium Mosquito Head Nets since you must avoid using insect repellant around your eyes and scalp. These incorporate a pair of hoops to keep the net off your face and a drawstring to close it around you shirt collar/neck. Cheaper, lower quality head nest have no hoops and are uncomfortable to wear and many are made of lesser quality netting that won't stand up to abuse or have larger holes that won't keep out no-see-ums, another very difficult insect for a survivor to deal with.

A pair of bright Orange Oversize Bandannas are included, which have multiple uses. These 100% cotton bandannas are 27 x 27 inches. Most bandannas are 18 or 22 inches square. The extra fabric makes these much more versatile, though that advantage comes at a price. We also take the extra step of washing the bandannas through two heavyd duty cycles before we pack them. This softens them up some and ensures the sizing is washed out of the fabric so that they will readily absorb moisture. Otherwise, they will be stiff and uncomfortable and won't work nearly as well.

(NOT SHOWN) Two pair of Premium Chemical Hand Warmer Packets help warm cold hands. It can be difficult to do simple taks with cold hands, these will warm them up to allow survivors to complete essential tasks. Each lasts 8 hours. Small enough to fit inside gloves and not so hot that they will burn.

The medical component for the Doug Ritter Aviator Survival Paks™is an Adventure® Medical Kit’s ".9 Ultralight" Medical Kit, designed for use by adventure race teams which need a well-stocked, but very lightweight medical kit. The components are stored inside mil-spec waterproof Aloksak bags inside a sil-nylon pouch.

In addition, we add the internationally acclaimed SAM® Splint and two vacuum packaged Cinch Tight® bandages. The SAM® Splint is a multi-purpose malleable aluminum and foam splint and it can also be used to improvise many other survival necessities. The Cinch Tight® bandages are the civilian (white, as opposed to Olive Drab) version of the latest military multi-purpose trauma bandage proven in use in Afghanistan and Iraq. One of the unique features of this bandage is that is can be used and applied with one hand, a potentially very important feature. This bandage is a huge improvement over simple trauma pads, little more than an oversize "gauze pad," or previous multi-purpose trauma bandages, and are well worth the premium price.

Effective March 15, I have added a packet of Celox™ to the Medical Kit (not shown in photo). Celox is the first hemostatic agent that I (and my consulting docs) feel comfortable allowing it to be used by untrained individuals. Field reports back up test results and have been very positive with no adverse affects. For trauma wounds with high bleeding rates it is quick and often more effective for the untrained person to use than traditional pressure techniques and will generally result in less blood loss, a real issue when you can't dial 911 and get the EMTs there in a matter of minutes. It's the perfect compliment to the advanced multi-purpose Cinch-Tight trauma bandages we already include.

Taking care of injuries is typically your first priority after a crash. The Medical Kit is stored at the top of the survival kit for easy access. Its location is identified on the outside so it is easy to find. ZPacking it on top also makes it easy to get at without disturbing the rest of the survival kit in case of a medical emergency that doesn’t require any other gear. The waterproof Aloksak bags ensure all the components stay dry, regardless of the weather or circumstances, even though it isn't vacuum packed.

For water treatment/sanitizing we rely upon Katadyn’s® Micropur® MP1. This advanced chlorine dioxide treatment (not to be confused with old style chlorine treatments which are not very effective) is safer and more effective than traditional iodine treatments such as Potable Aqua, which have been found to be ineffective against Cryptosporidium. Even better, there’s no bad taste, not of iodine, nor of chlorine. Many find the taste of iodine treated water so bad that they are reticent to drink it, not a situation you want in a survival circumstance.

Please note that the product instructions printed on the Micropur® MP1 packaging have an EPA mandated 4-hour contact time, which is based in the worst case scenario, very dirty and very cold water.  In many instances (clear stream or lake water, for example) you can use the shorter contact times (15 or 30 minutes) in the special Directions For Use that we have provided (printed on waterproof paper).  These shorter times are taken directly from the official EPA registration test results.

We also include six funnel style Coffee Filters, a low tech, but very effective and lightweight way to filter out organic material so that the natural water you gather will be relatively clean before you go to treat it. Removing organic material allows for shorter treatment times and it both looks and tastes much better. Water purifiers and filters work well, but are heavy and bulky. Our low-tech solution and MP1 tablets are a perfectly effective and lightweight soltuion.

Food is not nearly as critical as water and is way down the list of essential supplies, but it can also make a big difference in morale. In cold weather the energy it provides can be a big help, as long as you have plenty of water.  It takes water to digest food. No water, or not enough water, and you should avoid eating.

Each kit includes three 2400 Kcal S.O.S. Food Lab U.S. Coast Guard Approved Survival Rations (7200 Kcal total) in a vacuum sealed package of six individually wrapped portions (cakes or cookies). These rations are specially balanced and primarily composed of complex carbohydrates for low water requirements for digestion and are minimally thirst provoking. A list of ingredients is available for those concerned about food allergies; they contain no peanuts and satisfy Halal and vegetarian requirements. Storage life is five years. These rations provide the most complex carb calories per volume and weight of any commercial survival rations, and they don't taste half bad, especially when you're famished.

Energy bars, granola bars, protein bars and the like are not good substitutes for well designed survival rations. Typically, the ratio of complex carbs is too low or they have too much protein or simple sugars. They also tend to have a much shorter storage life and many do not do well in very hot or cold conditions. The packaging is also not as robust which can sometimes mean the bars are not in very good shape when needed.

Some survival rations, such as Mainstay, do not package the portions individually, so they are more difficult to use and to protect unused portions in the field. The individual portion packaging of the S.O.S. Food Lab rations is a notable advantage.

In addition, we include four Instant Coffee Packets, four Tea Bags in foil packets, three each Chicken and Beef Bouillon Packets and eight packets of Honey Crystals (more stable than sugar). These are mostly there for the morale boost they offer, though the caffeine boost from the coffee and tea may also be useful at times. Vegetarian Bouillon is available as an alternative.

Some kits include tea bags, but if they aren’t foil packed they will lose much of their taste and potency in short order. Yes, ours cost more, but what's the sense of putting something in the Pak if it's not going to be of much use when it's needed?

Two packs of individually packaged Hard Sugar Candy are provided for a quick energy boost when needed. The individually sealed packaging, not simple wrapping, provides superior long term protection and stability.

The Doug Ritter Ultralight Aviator Survival Pak™ includes Titanium Sierra Cups. These can be used to heat water for drinks and can also be used as improvised trowels for digging scat holes or similar light duty digging. A Titanium Cook Set is also included to boil water or other cooking chores. This also serves to store and protect some of the small gear and supplies in the kit. A mesh bag is provided to store these items when the cook set is used.

In some situations, fuel to make a fire for warmth or cooking may be unavailable or unreachable. We include an ultralight Titanium Esbit® solid fuel Wing Stove and sufficient Esbit® Fuel to boil a few small pots or cups of water. There’s no need to carry a heavier or more sophisticated stove for this simple purpose (for travel in arctic regions where the circumstances are different, a liquid fuel stove capable of burning aviation fuels is desirable). The Esbit® fuel is non-toxic, unlike most other sold fuel bars and tablets. While gelled alcohol fuels burn cleaner, the cans of fuel are heavy and the heat output is relatively low for the volume and weight.

The 100 ft. of orange Mil-spec Parachute Cord can be used as is or disassembled into its components for various purposes. Because we also include 30 ft. of 165 lb test Braided Orange Nylon Mason’s Line, odds are a survivor with this kit won't need to take the time and energy to do so. The Mason's Line, which weighs only a couple tenths of an ounce, will serve instead of the inner strands of the Parachute Cord for lighter duty jobs.

Mil-spec Parachute Cord, 550 lbs. test, is far stronger than the less expensive imitations (typically about 300 – 350 lb. test) that are more readily available, as well as offering the multiple component option if necessary. We sought out the bright orange and red color instead of standard O.D., black or white since anyway you look at it, highly visible is better than not, both for safety around the survival camp and generally. We selected braided nylon Mason's Line because it is stronger and it will not unravel when cut like cheaper twisted line will. The nylon is also considerably stronger than cheaper poly line. 

100 ft. of 22 ga. Galvanized Utility Wire can be used for making snares, but is more likely to be used around camp for securing gear and materials, making shelter, repairs to gear and tools and around the fire. In many instances, the wire is a better choice than Parachute Cord or the Mason's Line.

All this Parachute Cord, Mason's Line and Utility Wire is great to have, but technology now provides a quicker way to secure some limbs and such together to quickly create an expedient shelter using the tarp. The 24-inch, 14 inch and 11 inch Plastic Cable Ties (also called zip ties and wire ties) included in the Doug Ritter Ultimate Aviator Survival Pak™ can secure in seconds what it can take an inexperienced person considerable time to accomplish the old fashioned way using cord and knots.  They are very secure and they weigh only a few ounces. The biggest drawbacks, aside from cost, are that they aren't reusable or repositionable and the lengths available limit the size of what you can secure (doubling up ties doubles the length, but it also reduces the quantity available), so we cannot completely replace the conventional gear for these uses. Our premium quality Cable Ties are UV stabilized and remain flexible in sub-zero temperatures.

It's been said that if it cannot be fixed with Duct Tape, it probably isn't really broken, Certainly it is one of the more useful inventions ever made. The Doug Ritter Ultimate Aviator Survival Pak™ includes 30 ft. of Professional Grade Duct Tape.

It is sometimes amazing just what you can fix or assemble with just a few drops of super glue (cyanoacrylate adhesive). The Loctite Super Glue comes in a compact applicator tube that is sealed in foil packaging for long term storage life.

Clothing and equipment can take a beating in a crash or during a wilderness survival experience. The Adventure® Medical Kits Backpacker Sewing Kit and an assortment of Safety Pins and larger Blanket Pins allow for repairs of both clothing and equipment.

Heavy Duty Aluminum Foil, two sheets 1.5 x 6 sq. ft. - 18 sq. ft. total, has lots of uses, from cooking to use as a fire reflector or signaling. We use only Heavy Duty gauge because it is much more robust and more tolerant of abuse.

A neck lanyard makes a very secure and easy way to carry some of your survival gear, such as signal mirror or whistle, so it's readily available if needed. The problem is that neck lanyards without a safety release are potentially dangerous. So, while you can just improvise one with a length of the Parachute Cord, we decided to include a pair of EK® Safety Lanyards. We think that for the extra ounce, they are a far safer and very practical solution.

Anyone who has had to answer the call of nature while in the wilds knows that Toilet Paper is no luxury, it's a necessity. We understand. You are well supplied. Some kits provide facial tissue (Kleenex) instead of toilet paper. It's less expensive, but in testing we found it to be not nearly as good as Toilet Paper for these purposes. Certainly, far better than nothing at all, but...

The ability to make notes to oneself so you don't forget something critical or leaving notes for searchers if you decide to walk out is critical. Moreover, many survivors find that keeping a log of their experience both helps pass the time and is a big morale boost—as well as providing fodder for that best selling book or online forum post you'll write afterwards. It does no good if wet weather turns those scribblings to mush. The waterproof Rite-In-The-Rain Memo Book ensures that won't happen. A Pencil is provided since it is more reliable than even the best pens.

An assortment of heavy duty Zipper Lock Quart and Gallon Plastic Bags have multiple uses, including holding gear unpacked from the kit and keeping it dry, additional water gathered from local sources, food storage and the like. Two bright orange extra large Garbage Bags also have many uses and are large enough to be used as effective ground signals as well.

When the pack is outfitted with the standard components, there is some extra room to add personal gear. The unused space is filled with ultralight 3/8-inch Closed Cell Insulating Foam that a survivor can use to insulate themselves from the cold ground; no sense wasting space. The pair of 24-inch long cinch straps that secure this foam roll can be used for shelter building or other survival purposes. The foam can be cut shorter with a utility knife or household scissors to fit a smaller space if the customer adds personal gear.

A Waterproof Survival/First Aid Manual is provided, along with the Waterproof Survival Instructions from the AMK Pocket Survival Pak authored by Doug Ritter. The point of including a manual is to provide simple, easily understood instructions in basic survival techniques and skills. We don't include a more comprehensive instruction book because we feel it is counterproductive for field use. More critical is that all the basics are covered in a manner that a novice can make use of and that it is waterproof so it remains useable no matter the weather. Few things are more useless than a survival manual that has turned to mush from inclement weather, when you need it the most.

My well-known STOP Mnemonic (not original with me, but I popularized it in my seminars and on the ETS site over the past decade or so) is reproduced on waterproof paper and sits at the top of the Pak where it should be the first thing you see when you open the Pak in an emergency. It's a memory aid for what's important as you deal with your emergency and your immediate priorities: STOP – THINK – OBSERVE – PLAN.

The Contents List, Survival Instructions and Survival Manual are in a slot pocket on the front of the pack where they are easily accessible without breaking a seal to open the kit. The Contents List not only tells what is included in your Doug Ritter Aviator Survival Pak™, but also the expiration dates where appropriate.  A Fresnel Lens Magnifier is included to make the small font size of the Survival Instructions and Manual easier to read.

Each Doug Ritter Aviator Survival Pak™ comes with a fully Illustrated Instruction Manual which identifies all the items included with color photos and includes useful information that will help you make the best use of the survival gear and supplies in your Pak.

The zippers of the Doug Ritter Aviator Survival Paks™ and included Medical Kit are closed with Tamper-evident Seals so the owner knows if the kit has been accessed. These are hand openable, jerk or twist off, and don't require any tool to open.

Spare seals are provided so that if the owner opens the kit to get at the medical/first aid supplies or to add some personal gear, such as spare prescription glasses, clothing or medications, they can re-seal the kit.