Polymath ProductsPremium Survival Kit – A fully-loaded kit of practical emergency survival items in a sturdy 'mess tin' container. UK-made.

With 22 years in the forces and over 50 years of outdoor leisure activities, packing stuff and cooking in a mess tin is rather familiar for me but this clip top mess tin is solid good quality and will serve well for any of the uses listed in the instructions. The flat-packed folding stove provided is a fine choice and works well for emergency use. My experience of using gel fuel is always that it tends to spread while burning and is relatively slow in heating water, but it usually lights easily from a flame, serves well as tinder to get wood burning and the acceptability of it for air travel is a welcome feature if you are taking this kit overseas.After scraping them to form a fluff, the waxed jute sticks light instantly by sparks from the ferro rod and are a great feature of Polymath kits. They are so good that you will probably be able to save the alcohol wipes for first aid use but they too are there as tinder if you need them. The ferro rod/whistle is a compact, convenient and effective choice to pack in the mess tin, though I’ll add a disposable lighter as a backup.Another thing I will add is a couple of conical paper coffee filters, for straining any particles out of water before adding purification tablets. Polymath suggest filtering through clothing and that can work but unless you have clean spare clothing available it can also add extra contamination, though the puritabs should deal with most of those if what you are wearing is all you have. The zip-lock pouch is very good for water storage so I have added the open-top poly bag in which the kit arrived to use for other purposes and it easily fit in the tin with all the standard items.Kendal Mint Cake, hot chocolate and a stock cube are sensible energy sources for emergencies. In cold conditions, I often make a hot drink with mint cake and have used it successfully with someone in hypothermia because it was easily taken and absorbed. The wooden spatula works fine for stirring any of the drinks until properly dissolved.I’ve used several examples of all Polymath’s light sources and types of compass and all have worked well. The necklace compass that came with my kit is spot on for accuracy and the little flashlight is superbly bright for its size. I haven’t yet tried the glowstick but it is big enough to serve as an effective position marker or light source and with the candle as an alternative in sheltered conditions it is a welcome feature. If, however, you were in a potentially lethal situation without sheltered conditions, the most urgent life saving item could well be the foil survival bag. This one is big enough and tough enough to actually do the job of protecting you until help arrived or conditions eased and you could get yourself out. The First Aid and other pieces of equipment are equally serviceable and well chosen.For legal reasons re the sale of edged items, this kit does not contain any cutting tools but anyone who has the sense to carry gear like this will undoubtedly also have a UK legal multi-blade pocket knife or multi-tool available.Over all, this is an extremely well thought out and chosen kit for bag or pack or car or workplace locker storage, for use in a wide variety of common emergencies.Another classic from Polymath.

Not bad great container but not the best contents

This is a great kit. Compact and has all the things you might need stored in a useful mess tin.

quality equipment in a usable container.the independant cost of the items is a lot more than you pay for.

Really well thought out. Everything works. Button light very bright. Fire steel proper army version. Add your own pocket knife (or victorinox hiker swiss army knife, with saw), small sweets, disposal face mask & gloves and small usb power bank to make it perfect for urban too.

Good

Great value for money comes with a range of items the cake tastes great as well as the coffee, however thickness can be a bit of a problem at times could be thinner and longer to sort thickness problem. Would definitely buy again

A compact box with everything you need for emergencies. Not the lightest item to carry around but well worth having for peace if mind.