View Full Version : Trade in your Altoids tins,for carrying your mini-kit
BIG-TARGET
25-02-2005, 13:55
I stumbled across something a little better. A Whitman's Chocolate "cloisonne" tin.
It is about a half an inch longer than an altoids tin,and about a hair short of an inch deeper than an altoids tin. Even though I have diabetes, i gave the chocolate to Susan(she's happy now )
This is the best tin,so far, for a few extra goodies in your mini-kit!!!!
PS>>>>>The colorful european baroque design on the tin adds a some class to the mini-kit too. :pack:
So many tins, so little time to fill 'em... :(
http://www4.gvsu.edu/triert/images9/tins1b.jpg
you can get tonnes of these kind of tins on ebay for a few quid!
Yes, but if you buy them at the local stores around here, they still have the candy in them. :rolmao:
im sure your right.. its going to cost me a bit to get to your local store though hahaha :wave:
Bagheera
25-02-2005, 15:27
Hoodoo,
What DON'T you have a collection off :o):
You must have tons of knives, pens, tins, tarps, outdoor stuff etc. and the pictures you make of them are so nice.
Perhaps time to create a DVD full with them, dual layer DVD that is :Crazy_071
Cheers,
Bagheera :pack:
Bagheera, now you know I don't have a Lochsa... :lol:
alternatively....
there's a new zealand company that makes a very small (one and a half altoids tin) plastic tupperware style container, with a rubber seal and dual locking latches.
they'll withstand a 180lb hamfisted git(me) hopping up and down on one. i've sent them down with sport divers to about 20metres underwaterand the contents stayed perfectly dry. the box was easily opened afterwards.
and they cost about a quid fifty, better than paying a tenner for a tiny peli-case i think you'd agree!
cheers, and.
got any links or pics sargey?
Cheers
JFW
ColdCanuck
25-02-2005, 20:14
I've used the Pelican 1010 and 1030 and they are SOLID. If you ever break one, they replace it. They are waterproof and they float.
You can look at the full case lineup here :
http://www.pelican.com/products.html
Just click on the specification table link.
no doubt the pelican cases are bomb proof, i keep my gps in one. but a quick google for english retailers throws up a price for a black 1010 case of 19 quid, about 45 bucks canadian! :shock: these klipit cases cost £1:45 from waitrose, got the missus to pick up a newun after work :o):
sorry for the crappy pics,
http://img1.yoxio.com/img/142158.jpg
http://img1.yoxio.com/img/142164.jpg
http://img1.yoxio.com/img/142163.jpg
but there's horses for courses, if you washed up on an ice berg with two hexy tabs and an altoids tin, you'd be glad you had something to brew up in :chill: the real advantage with the tins as opposed to the plastic boxes is maximum space for minimum bulk. i prefer my last ditch kit to be well protected, and waterproof.
or there's this place
http://www.automata.co.nz/~nick/Photos/Geocaching/Paint/ (http://)
cheers, and.
Nice assortment of tins and cases there sargey. I see you have the Ritter mini kit. I kinda like those. I need to get a couple more to stash here and there. :-)
i like 'em alot. i'l get round to doing a review on it eventually, arguably the best commercial psk available, great value for money too!
the only failings are the compass, just 'cause it feels a bit cheap, and the hard shell container. the case isn't water proof, and the ostensibly waterproof flexible plastic pouch doesn't fit in it. i have found that the sealing on the pouch is not 100% reliable.
those tins that BT highlights are a great pocketable size, squarer and deeper than the classic altoids tin. IIRC, i got mine from hoodoo :o):
i'm still working on the kit in the big otter box, i'm thinking about doing another course this year, and i'll be living out of that box for a week!
cheers, and.
BIG-TARGET
25-02-2005, 22:39
The one thing about altoids/whitmans tins, the DO NOT draw attention :wink:
alternatively....
there's a new zealand company that makes a very small (one and a half altoids tin) plastic tupperware style container, with a rubber seal and dual locking latches.
you can get these in Millets Dublin for €2.50.
Exploriment
25-02-2005, 23:02
"The one thing about altoids/whitmans tins, they DO NOT draw attention"
I wouldn't go so far as to say that. Several people I know use Altoids tins as their uhm, how to put this, uhm, their stash tin.
I came home once at three in the morning and found someone's backpack lying on my front lawn. Odd. Took it inside, to see if there was an address or some identifying mark. Found some school books, some CDs, a pay stub from a local record store, and an Altoids tin. Altoids my butt I thought. Opened it up, and there was something inside. Something that uhm, rhymes with reed.
I dropped the backpack off at the record store the next day. I did take a wee bit of a finders fee though. :rolmao:
BIG-TARGET
25-02-2005, 23:13
Well, here in NJ, pick pockets steal wallets, not altoids tins! :biggthump
the only failings are the compass, just 'cause it feels a bit cheap, and the hard shell container. the case isn't water proof, and the ostensibly waterproof flexible plastic pouch doesn't fit in it. i have found that the sealing on the pouch is not 100% reliable.
Well, I took a pretty hard look at that compass when I reviewed that kit for TK. Doug and I shared a bunch of emails. When I said I had concerns, he sent me a big pile of them to test. They all tested true north although they are a bit tempermental. Ya just gotta hold them dead level. Yup, he coulda stashed a true nord in there but the price would have gone up a good bit on the kit. He worked hard to build a quality, reliable kit at an affordable price.
those tins that BT highlights are a great pocketable size, squarer and deeper than the classic altoids tin. IIRC, i got mine from hoodoo :o):
You did??? :shock: That must have been quite a long time ago eh? :?:
ColdCanuck
25-02-2005, 23:49
$45 CND!!!!!! Yikes! I think I bought my 1010 for $12 CDN and my 1030 fo $18 CDN.
I think I've seen containers similar to the Sistema Klip-IT at Walmart. I'll have to have a closer look next time. I have a dozen or so tins from a variety of candy/cold makers, my wife thinks I'm nuts.
my wife thinks I'm nuts.
Yeah, but that pretty much stands on its own, doesn't it? :lol: Darn near every OMG I know sez that.
...old married guy :lol:
ColdCanuck
26-02-2005, 00:29
Darn near every OMG I know sez that.
Scarry, but true :lol: :roll:
Great Pebble
26-02-2005, 13:25
I'm still using a baccy tin....
Big-Target,
You know you're a true bushcraft junkie when you buy something you don't want, dump it out and you're still happy with the packaging. I do have my limits though. I once spotted a great little tupperware type thing in a store. Wow, what a great container for a mini-kit! OK, it's filled with tampons, I'll pass... Mac
BIG-TARGET
27-02-2005, 03:02
Big-Target,
You know you're a true bushcraft junkie when you buy something you don't want, dump it out and you're still happy with the packaging. I do have my limits though. I once spotted a great little tupperware type thing in a store. Wow, what a great container for a mini-kit! OK, it's filled with tampons, I'll pass... Mac
It's not that I don't like chocolate, I love Chocolate. But I cannot have any due to diabetes!!!! :cry:
You did??? :shock: That must have been quite a long time ago eh? :?:
yeah, it was a few, years? back. :?:
baccy tins are a real classic too.
i often keep mini kits in the string bags that come with washing tablets, gives you something to put the excess in after you unpack the kit for something and you can't remember how to get it all back together :yikes: :o):
cheers, and.
innocent bystander
27-02-2005, 13:06
Big-Target,
You know you're a true bushcraft junkie when you buy something you don't want, dump it out and you're still happy with the packaging. I do have my limits though. I once spotted a great little tupperware type thing in a store. Wow, what a great container for a mini-kit! OK, it's filled with tampons, I'll pass... Mac
But it's full of tinder !!
:-)
sargey, the reason I know it was a long while back is that I have not been able to find those tins for quite some time now. The place where I always got them now sells the same size tin but the top has a wrinkled finish. I wonder if these aren't the cloisonne tins Big Target is referring to. BT, do you have a pic? I really prefer the tins with the smooth top. Wish I could find some more. Maybe I need to do an online search.
the same size tin but the top has a wrinkled finish. I wonder if these aren't the cloisonne tins Big Target is referring to. BT, do you have a pic? I really prefer the tins with the smooth top. Wish I could find some more. Maybe I need to do an online search.
uh?
i thought we were all talking about the same thing!
talking of dumping contents out of boxes... the best box i got was the NRA badeged ulitmate survival, kit. i chucked most of the kit in the carrier bag of survival kit spares and only kept the box in use! :o):
cheers, and.
:lol:
I know what you mean about those NRA kits. Good price though when they are on sale. The mirror is good as is the tinder. The blastmatch is a bit of an overkill though for the pack. I put these kits in the trunk or back of the truck. Nice presents too. But definitely a sturdy box!
I think the cloisonne tin BT is referring to is this one or something similar.
http://www.stutt.com/tins/images/3677.jpg
The ones I see now in the stores around here look like this and I can no longer find the smooth ones.
http://www.stutt.com/tins/images/1934.jpg
Those NRA kits are a great buy. The box alone is worth what you pay for them.
I think the blastmatch is a bit of overkill as well. I use mine for testing all sorts of natural and man-made tinder to save on my other ferro rods. The signal mirror rides in my BK-7 kit, the whistle on my NRGS neck knife.
I haven't made up a kit in the box yet, but it is a great box. Mac
cheers for the photos sargey, thats the box I thought you were talking about. I use these type of boxes quite alot and as you say they are cheap, waterproof and they float.
Cheers
JFW
BIG-TARGET
28-02-2005, 03:49
:lol:
I know what you mean about those NRA kits. Good price though when they are on sale. The mirror is good as is the tinder. The blastmatch is a bit of an overkill though for the pack. I put these kits in the trunk or back of the truck. Nice presents too. But definitely a sturdy box!
I think the cloisonne tin BT is referring to is this one or something similar.
http://www.stutt.com/tins/images/3677.jpg
The ones I see now in the stores around here look like this and I can no longer find the smooth ones.
http://www.stutt.com/tins/images/1934.jpg
Yes it is!!!!!!! :biggthump
ChrisKavanaugh
28-02-2005, 06:54
The hard plastic case was an early, limited promotional item anyway. Aside from Doug's excellent instructions, the sleepers in the kit are the Sparklite system and mirror. You can barely purchase these these two items for the kit price alone. Personally I use the splendid BCB tins with gasket. My final assembly is almost an embarressment of supplies. The Altoids tin should be almost mandatory for a first PSK. The small size makes you truly appreciate the precious contents. To much kit always has the danger of instilling arrogance based on gear instead of common sense.
I normally carry two kits. I have a belt pouch the size of a small shaving kit that is more like a possibles pouch. I fully expect to tear into this kit on evey trip. My PSK is sealed with tape and stays on my body or inthe pouch of my knife sheath.
I view the PSK as redundant to the normal gear I carry in the pouch kit. I just got tired of tearing my kit apart to get at something I needed under normal, foreseeable circumstances.
I think too much kit in a kit defeats the purpose of always having it on your person. I try to keep my PSK basic: Fire, Water, Shelter, Navigation, Light, Signal, Minor Meds, Food Gathering. My belt pouch kit has more conventional size items and things like bug repellent, sunscreen etc. Mac