I put together this small survival kit that I keep in the dry storage compartment on my kayak. It's a basic last ditch kit meant to aid in the essentials of short term survival in emergencies.

It doesn't include any food or water since I always take a small cooler with food, snacks and water. I also keep a first aid and boo boo kit separately as well as a second dry box for my phone, charger, pocket weather radio, flashlight and spare batteries.

In addition, I always have my Glock, spare mag, Benchmade, and light on my person. For longer trips I sometimes also keep a Rossi Tuffy compact .410 single shot shotgun with a variety of birdshot, buck and slugs.

All of it fits in a small water tight box I picked up at Walmart that's around 5x7x4 inches.



Included inside are the following:

1x 5 mil heavy duty contractor bag
2 sq ft heavy duty aluminum foil
25' 550 cord
33' steel wire
10' duct tape
6x 2" nails
1x chem light
1x flare
Mini Bic lighter
Lifeboat matches in waterproof container
4x tinder tabs
Fox 40 whistle
Small signaling mirror
Leatherman Kick multi tool
ESEE Izula
Fishing kit (sinkers, hooks, jigs, bobbers, artificial lures, 60' 7lb test line)



This kit is packed pretty tight as is but I'm always looking for  ways to upgrade or improve. Suggestions are welcome.

Looks good.
Attach the other gear you mentioned to this box.  Perhaps all in a big mesh bag.

Maybe add some water treatment pills, Gatorade packets and attach a water bottle to the outside.  Or maybe a roll up water bottle.  A cook cup and at least one emergency ration.  Could also be attached to the out side.

Attach a nalgene to the drybox. It'll give extra flotation in case you dump. May also throw some water treatment drops (in the container ) in the nalgene so that you always have a way to have a clean water source.

Another trick, even though you have fire covered, put a zip tie around the top of the Bic lighter and under the tab of the thumb button. It keeps it from being depressed and all the butane leaking out.

That's a good batch of gear,
however I might recommend that you put the signal mirrior, whistle, a means of staring fire, one of the blades and a space blanket in a ziplock and into a compass pouch or something attached to directly your vest.

Right now, if you and the boat get separated, ie: you get capsized and the boat runs downstream / out to sea, you've got nothing.
And that's one of the more likely situations that might actually cause you to need all of that stuff.

I've actually got a 24 oz Nalgene with water tabs, coffee filters and a spork inside that I used to keep in a pack. I should attach that to the case. Thanks!

Assuming you make it to shore you should be able to deal with hypothermia and being found.  A lanyard with a whistle, lighter, fire steel and water tight capsule with tinder and small light.  Next A compass and knowledge of the area and major landmarks and terrain.  Next is some layers of gear attached to your PFD.  Look into aloksaks although I think now they are just called Loksak.  Very tough version of ziplocks.  If you go over you should be trying to grab the PFD if you didn't put it on before hand in rapids.  If mine is off it is near me but not attached to the kayak.  I want it to go with me or float free of the boat.  It's very hard to catch back up with or stay with the boat unless you grab it right away.  If you end up with your boat that's gravy.  So you have to decide if knives, guns and space blankets are attached to you, your PFD, a grab pack or the kayak.  I live on a river in a wilderness area and I rarely even walk down the road without a gun because of the wolves.  After fishing all day the last thing I want to do is be laid up on the shore smelling like fish waiting until sunrise for someone to find me without a gun.

A very versatile item for maps or other items like that is the map cases made by Sealine.

I am not a big fan of the brand box you are using but it's not bad.  I use the small Pelican cases for items that need that level of protection.


Vac pack space blankets into small squares and heavy duty trash bags too.  Platypus bottles are a great space saver for a water kit.  I prefer them anyway so I use them instead of Nalgene bottles.

If you gotta walk, strip the bungee cords off the yak and take them with you.  The boat itself can make a good shelter.

High Deet concentration bug dope.

If you do pull out, don't hide your shit.  People on the river looking for you need some indication of where to start their search.

I was thinking of suggesting maybe attach a smaller essentials kit on person and then a second line "supplement" kit to the kayak.

I used to do a lot of ocean kayaking when I was younger.  I had something similar but in a large Tupperwear box.
Ditch the fishing gear and wire as you won't be out long enough to use it.  I used to carry 4 chem light instead of just one and I had a flare gun with 5 spare flares.  It was one of those plastic boat flare kit.  I would add a mylar survival blanket.  Back then I also kept 4 quarters but today I would add a emergency cellular phone charger.