Photo Survival Kit

Ran into this Sanity-Saving Altoids Survival Kit as Link-of-the-day over at User-Friendly and started wondering what should go into our Photographer's Survival Kit. The ground rules are that it needs to fit into the Altoids box of the example or other similarly-sized container, and that it can be ignored until needed (which, unfortunately, pretty much rules out batteries). Think about what you'd want to leave in your car, or each of your camera bags, or ?, just in case. And be sure to say why you'd include it. While it may be obvious to you, some of us may not think the same way.

I'd start with

• Spare memory card. My 1 GB cards are migrating down to the bottom of the stack, so I've got several of them around for this.
  
• Microfiber cloth. There are some out there that are 18% grey - that's great as it's a twofer.
  
• This is almost a cheat - paint/tape inch or cm. markings on the outside so you can include the box in a photo to give scale.
  
• String - all sorts of uses from holding branches and grasses out of the picture to securing a broken strap/fastener.
  
• Jeweler's screwdriver for those loose screws that crop up from time to time.
  
• Sheet of white paper; note-taking, or you can use it as a diffuser, reflector, or shade as needed.
  
• Space Pen Bullet model for note-taking.
  
• Wrap 5-6 inches of tape around the pen. Gaffer's tape, Magic tape, adhesive tape; whatever works for you. Holds the reflector paper in place, or make emergency repairs, or . . .
  
• Paper clips - for use with string and/or paper for reflector or holding things out of the picture.

Actually, Jon, that's a really good list.

On the string front, I might substitute dental floss. You can fit a great deal more in a smaller area. The trade off is that it's unlikely to be quite as strong.

One thing I'd try to add is a hotel shower cap. Makes a great emergency rain cover for those of us in the non-weather sealed body crowd, and fits in a very small area. I've always got one of them in my bag, and am constantly raiding hotels during stays for spares.

I would add:
2- small binder clips
2- safety pins
Pocket dispenser of unwaxed dental floss
small eraser
ziplock bag
30 gallon plastic trash bag
E-A-R disposable hearing protection

In addition to teh jewelers screw driver, I need to have two Alan keys, (don't know the actual size #s.. ) The large one for the alan screws used by all the body and lens QR plates, and many other parts associated with tripods, and there's a smaller one that I seem to need for some tripod parts as well. These easily fit in an Altoids tin.

A Milita Coffee filter for WB

The only things I have ever needed and likely to need is a spare CF card in case I forget to put one in the camera and a charged battery spare. Oh, another thing, a couple of tissues in case a Gull or Pigeon cr*ps on me. I have those items in each of the two bags I use regularly. I personally can think of no uses whatever for that other stuff but appreciate it depends what you shoot.

Pencil stub
Small knife
Band-aid
2 aspirin
2 Motrin (for my back)
Tweezers
Sealed towlette pack
Hard candy