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 Excellent addition to anyone's survival and preparedness library Jul 03, 2010
"Build the Perfect Survival Kit: Custom Kits For Adventure, Sport, and Travel" by John D. McCann is a very good addition to anyone's survival library. Note that I say good addition. I say this because it is not the only survival resource you'll need. In fact, the author is very clear that this is not a survival instruction manual. This book teaches the fundamentals of making a survival kit that will benefit you in a survival situation. You will need to learn and practice the various aspects of survival and the use of the components selected for a kit through alternate resources and training.
I like that the author stresses that you need to select the right components for YOUR needs and how to package them for YOUR purposes, not his. He also provides a brief explanation as to why you need a personal survival kit and the basics of personal survival kits. He then discusses the components of kits in chapters divided into these categories: Fire & Light, Signaling, Navigation, Water & Food, Shelter & Protection, Knives & Tools, Medical, Multi-Purpose Components, and Miscellaneous Components.
I liked the chapters on components. He provides ample photographs of the items he discusses, and there are numerous side bars that provide facts and tips. I also liked that he reminds readers that he's never had a map or compass stop working because of dead batteries. I agree with him that a GPS can be a great tool for navigation, but recommend you don't make it your "only" tool.
After addressing the various components, there is a part on selecting containers for survival kits and putting kits together. There is a chapter describing mini and small kits, another on medium and large kits, and finally a chapter on making vehicle kits. (Auto, truck, boat, aircraft, snowmobile, and ATV)
There is a short conclusion and then some recommended survival kits of all the different size and types he discussed previously in the text. The second appendix provides suppliers for survival kit components and the third appendix lists various survival training schools and survival reading.
When something goes wrong, a survival kit provides the basic to survive. Being prepared with the right kit might make all the difference in an emergency situation. The author, John McCann, believes you should carry a survival kit at all times. It's insurance. This text provides the information you need to build your own kit and be prepared. I think it is an excellent addition to anyone's survival and preparedness library. But more than that, learn some skills and build a kit with McCann's help. If an emergency does arise, you'll be glad you did.
Reviewed by Alain Burrese, J.D., author of Hard-Won Wisdom From the School of Hard Knocks and the dvds: Hapkido Hoshinsul, Streetfighting Essentials, Hapkido Cane, the Lock On Joint Locking Essentials series and articles including a regular column on negotiation for The Montana Lawyer. Alain Also wrote a series of articles called Lessons From The Apprentice.
Fantastic resource May 28, 2010
As the name makes clear, this is not a survival guide, of which there are plenty of godd ones available already. This book will help you supplement your skills with the proper equipment.
The guiding principle of survival is `Be prepared'.
`Build the perfect Survival Kit' supplements this with its own: `Make it easy'.
Make it easy to be prepared. What good is it when you know how to make a fire when you have no fire-making equipment with you because you just stepped out of your car to take in the scenery, and, due to some freak accident, suddenly find yourself 15 miles downriver, wet and shivering?
The author emphasizes that he never leaves house without at least some rudimentary kit and explains in great detail how you could, too.
For this John D. McCann groups the necessary survival equipment into seven groups:
1. Fire & Light
2. Signalling
3. Navigation
4. Water & Food
5. Shelter & Protection
6. Knives & Tools
7. Medical
To these he adds two groups, multi-purpose and miscellaneous components.
McCann then describes the various alternatives in each group. Nearly every object is represented by a (b&w) photograph, often with a scale to get an idea of its size. Since the author is an accomplished outdoorsman with experiences of both the civilian and the military side, he has a wealth of experience and it shows.
Many of the items are used by him but this is not a list of personal favourites. He appears to have played with a great amount of gear and therefore for each group and for each size within the specific group you get several recommendations.
You are also given the supplier of the item in question and there is an appendix where you will find a comprehensive list of those. I understand that John McCann now also has his own website ([...]) where you can also order many of the tools described in the book. It should be mentioned that the equipment is geared towards the North-American market but since the author is so meticulous there should be no problem in other regions (like Europe) so select a fitting replacement if the original is not available.
Some items, like knives, are highly subjective and people will have very strong opinions about them. The author never comes across as pushing his point of view but rather as evaluating alternatives and giving you his reasons for his decisions.
After the in-depth discussion of equipment the author puts it all together and assembles a vast array of kits, from extremely tiny to full-blown, from personal-carry to something to take with you in your car or your boat.
Here again everything is documented with photographs, and again for each size-category there are several alternatives. From the Altoids-box filled with goodies (or the even tinier kit assembled in an ID-card holder) to kits in a bag or a backpack. In a further appendix every kits described is represented with its corresponding checklist.
After reading this, should you find yourself in the situation mentioned at the start of this review, you have only yourself to blame.
It should be noted that this book assumes that you find yourself somewhere in the wilderness. City-survival raised some different questions (you likely will not need a fish-hook, but perhaps some other items).
Overall, this is a fantastic resource and highly recommended.
Great for those starting out. May 14, 2010
Very informative book for those just starting out on building survival kits for emergancy situations,i.e.- getting lost in the woods, your car breaking down in the middle of nowhere, etc. It also gives you the basics on where to start building your own kit to suit your needs. Stay safe and enjoy.
Good Information- Just in Case Mar 14, 2010
I have read alot about "bug out bags" "day kits" and all sorts of emergency bags, and have even bought an emergency kit or two, but most have not been what I want in an emergency kit. I don't forsee being trapped in a heavily forested area, or in a situation where i would need two weeks of emergency supplies. I have enough food and water at home to survive if our power went out for a few days- to a week or two, so I just wanted an emergency kit to have in my car just in case. This book gives lots of examples for various situations, and has good information that will allow you to make your own kit to fit your needs. Everyone has differing needs, whether it be to survive without food and shelter for days, survive a power outage for a few days to a week, or an accident in an automobile. Build the Perfect Survival Kit will help in building whatever kit you may need. In fact, I have built three different kits based on scenarios, one for at home, one for the car, and an extra I can grab on the way out the door if something happens suddenly to my home.
All in all this is a nice reference that can help in many different emergencies.
Superb book! Feb 26, 2010
This fun to read book gives the reader a detailed overview of a very important, and potentially life saving subject. The author dissects each of the primary aspects of survival and lists sources for the various components that should be a part of your survival kit. This book will serve as a guide to creating a mini survival kit, (something you should always carry with you), and a larger kit that you can store in your car, home, or both. Every topic of survival is thoroughly covered, i.e., shelter, fire making, signaling, water gathering and purification, navigation, medical considerations, knives and more.
The author, John McCann, is an experienced woodsman who has tested various methods and techniques of survival, and he can save you a lot of time and money with this valuable book. While you can purchase a ready made survival kit, he suggests building it yourself and personalizing it to fit your particular needs and lifestyle. Get this book!
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