by Tim Jones
Emergency camping kit items make great holiday stocking stuffers.
Some, like waterproof/windproof a waterproof match safe with "strike anywhere"
kitchen matches, a butane lighter, and fire starters only cost a buck or two.
Couglan's (coghlans.com) matches, match safes, fire starters, and spark kits are
available everywhere and work about as well as any if you know how to use them.
An emergency kit should always contain a sharp pocket knife. I have two
personal favorites. One is a Wenger ( www.wengerna.com ) Swiss Army knife with a
locking blade that's apparently no longer made, but the new EVO S 10 looks like
it's in the same league. The other is a slightly larger Victorinox (
www.swissarmy.com
) "Rucksack" with longer locking knife blade and a very useful saw.
An emergency kit should also include a spare compass. It can be something
light and simple like the "Starter" from Silva (
www.silvacompass.com ). Just make
sure you know how to use it before you need it.
Tim Jones is founder and executive editor of EasternSlopes.com. He writes about outdoor sports and travel.
You can reach him at timjones@easternslopes.com
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Gear and Toys
