Note: No affiliate links below. It bothers me when people hide them.

Overview

Making things out of Altoids tins has been a fun hobby of mine ever since my college days with TwitterBear. It’s nice knowing that the Twitter account still exists after all this time. Back then I was using an Altoids tin exclusively to house a laser pointer, but these project boxes are a hobbyist’s dream. To give you an idea, just search for 3D-printed Altoids projects and you’ll see how creative people can get. There’s a kit for every hobby, and they’re trivial to stash in your bag or car.

An incredibly common one you’ll see on YouTube is the “Altoids Tin Emergency Survival Kit”. Everyone has their own opinion about what goes into one, and there’s no shortage of opinions. You can kit one out for camping, zombie survival, or just a box to keep charging cables for urban prep. I highly recommend The Urban Prepper if you want to really nerd out. He covers everything from bug-out bags to long-term food storage for when the shelves at your local store are empty because people saw snow in the forecast.

Today we’ll cover what’s in my Altoids tin and maybe you can walk away with a few ideas to make your own. You’re only limited to what fits inside.

The Kit

1. Alcohol prep pads
   • Commonly found in any first aid kit. Handy to have when you need to clean a wound.
2. Large Bandaids
   • Versatile and intentionally large-sized.
3. Altoids tin
   • This kit includes a personal information card with health information like blood type, known allergies, and emergency contact information. I don’t know anyone’s phone numbers and would be out of luck if my phone’s battery died. Also included is an emergency $20 bill.
4. Hydroseal Bandaids - link
   • Found these on Amazon a while ago. They’re really handy to seal up burns and cuts. The extra gel layer protects the injury from accidental bangs and also soothes burn spots. They’re small and fit perfectly in this small tin.
5. Antacid
   • Just in case. It sucks not having one if there’s an issue.
6. Cough drop
   • I can’t count how many times a cough drop was needed. One time when getting my haircut, my throat started to get itchy. It wouldn’t have been smart to move or cough while they were counting how many hairs remained on my head, so I sucked it up and was miserable. Having a cough drop would have saved the day.
7. Leatherman Squirt
   • My wife bought me this when we first started dating. It has a wire stripper, screwdrivers, and knife. Leatherman has since retired this beautiful pocket tool, so I suppose the closest alternative would be the Gerber Dime.
8. Wound Seal powder - link
   • A buddy of mine turned me on to this stuff a while back when his daughter had a serious wound. He sprinkled some of this powder on it and the blood turned into a thick gel, stopping the bleeding instantly. You would hope never to have to use this stuff, but it’s a great thing to have handy.
9. Kevlar string - link
   • A long length of cord is a great idea to have for many reasons, and this kevlar string complements #12 very well. It is fire-resistant and has a 1,500lb strength. Just cutting through it was a chore. It could be tied to the magnet to retrieve keys, or used as a clothesline to dry clothes when camping.
10. Gorilla Tape
    • This specific tape is incredibly versatile. In an emergency situation, it could seal a tube, a car’s leaking hose, or stick a mini-flashlight to the wall so you can work in the dark.
11. Compact, waterproof lighter - link
    • These are pretty cool. We’re already on #11 and there’s no way to create heat. This mini-lighter is refilled with typical lighter fluid and is waterproof. It’s like a tiny Zippo.
12. Incredibly strong magnet - link
    • As mentioned in #9, this is handy to have with you to attach or grab things. It’s small enough and doesn’t take up much space.
13. Gaffer’s tape
    • Sometimes you just need normal tape. This doesn’t leave a residue but is strong enough to get the job done.
14. Hydrocortisone
    • When there’s an injury, use the alcohol pads to clean the area, hydrocortisone to soothe and protect, then apply the bandage. Hydrocortisone is said to heal things faster, but I like it because the injury is more protected.
15. Whistle - link
    • This thing is loud. It’s small and handy if you can’t find your way or need to get someone’s attention.
16. Tweezers
    • Great for pulling out a splinter or yanking a nose hair. Tweezers are a perfect tool to have with you.
17. Pen - link
    • This one solves one of my biggest pet-peeves. When flying back internationally, they always have you fill out forms, but don’t provide a pen. I’d rather have one than not.
18. Chapped lip ointment
    • Flat and handy, especially when traveling to incredibly warm and sunny places like Palm Springs.
19. Q-tips
    • Hopefully I shouldn’t have to explain this one to you.
20. Hot glue
    • When heated up with #11, you can apply glue in an emergency situation. It’s normally solid and easy to pack away. This was a small piece cut down from a larger stick. Make sure you use the multitool to hold it while heating it up.
21. Rubber bands
    • Great for holding things together, like this fully packed Altoids tin.
22. Zip ties
    • Another handy thing for holding stuff together. I cut off the ends of these tiny ones to make them fit better.

Final Thoughts

This kit usually sits in my backpack and goes with me everywhere. If you’re getting on a plane, just make sure you pack the multitool in your checked bags and don’t put it in your carry-on. The TSA flags them if it has a knife. Oh, and don’t bother getting one of those “TSA friendly” multitools. Those things are completely useless.

My kit is always being adjusted for different purposes. Some people, like The Urban Prepper, carry multiple color-coded kits for various reasons. You could potentially deck one out with USB-C cables and adapters, one for pills and medicine, or another for fire and fishing equipment if you camp a lot. Let me know if you end up building one yourself.