Lofty Wiseman SAS Survival Pouch 

I must admit as an American, Out of all the options available I find the SAS belt kit with brew kits is the most efficient for my needs for both the American forests in the North East , and the desert south west.

In my Falklands War experience we were overloaded with extra ammunition and 24 Hour ration packs in belt kit. Ration packs we split and distributed essentials in pockets making room for more ammunition. The most useful items were the ration pack toilet paper, spare pair of socks, pair of pants and face flannel.

Wiseman's manual was the first one of it's subject matter that I bought just when I entered the U.S. military 1990, and it's still my #1 "survival Bible".

P-38 tiny collapsible can opener. Peanut butter has fat, protein, salt, sugar. Wallet sized flat plastic magnifier. Razor blade. Safety pins. Floss (Doubles as thread with carpet needle). Lip balm (Also burns well). Quality duct tape strips on flat items as backup. ✅ Just things things that I've used easily. *Great vid!*

Only thing that I would add is a SAK farmer knife. A reamer, a can opener, a bottle opener/ screw driver, but most importantly a blade and saw.

Great video I would take one of the match striking surfaces off gently with a knife and stick it on the inside of the lid on the bcb matches so you will always have a dry striking surface 😉 a little trick with the hexamin blocks is to light some at home in a ventilated area till the go a brownish colour extinguish and wrap in tinfoil makes them easier to light again I would add some cord and a few reusable cable ties to the kit.

love the cooker, have 3 around the house. my oldest is around 5 decades old. recently accured the british mess tin set. wanted a pop cover for both. so i went to my local grocier. raided the cooking pan section for a couple of the heavy duty foil pans & cut out lids, about 6 mm larger than the each pan. they ride inside folded in half.

Excellent video breakdown of Loftys kit. He really gets it to the basics. You asked what we might add? I think a razor blade would be a nice addition and actually would fit being slim and thin. Great videos keep them coming

I bought Lofty's book too back in the 80's, I worked with one of his colleagues. I solo hillwalking in the West Brecon Beacons where the special forces do their selection and the terrain is rough and isolated. I carry an EDC kit similar to Lofty's and with modern technology I also carry an EPIRB (Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon). It's smaller than a mobile and 'talks' to satellites. As long as you can see the sky you are in business anywhere in the world, great if you don't have a mobile signal. EPIRBs are registered with HM Coastguard so they know who you are, type of boat if applicable. Not much for escape and evasion but if you are training a great aid to safety.

Lofty’s advice if you and your mate encounter a group of thugs - Tell your mate to face them and stand absolutely still (while you leg it) If you encounter a pack of dangerous dogs - tell your mate to shout and run as fast as he can (while you stand stock still) 😅 I think I got this right.

Thanks for sharing, I met Lofty during a scouting event and he was the most down to earth humble man I ever met…. He and his books made a great impact on my childhood whilst growing up and being involved with scouting and I still have my Survival books.

A candle, some 14 gauge wire, a couple of 3” nails, length of cord, 9v battery, wire wool, a gas lighter, couple of Swann Morton surgical blades and a plastic handle, needles, three grades of thread. A few plasters. The last five items should be in a ziplock bag inside another ziplock bag. Edit: Fishing line and hooks. Very few containers are truly waterproof. One of the best is a 35mm film canister - until they get squashed. They were scrapped in the millions before digital cameras came along. Now they are rare. Finally, two box cutter blades each stored individually between two strips of duct tape, with one longer and wider than the other. This should be stuck to the shiny side of a full width piece of duct tape. This is to allow the blade to be stuck somewhere on your body in case you get captured. None of these take up much space and all together weigh very little, but they can make a huge difference in really serious situations, and even save lives. Peace

Great Vid! Took me right back, Lofty's book inspired me to join up at 18yrs old in '82, served in the mechanized infantry in Australia for 7 years(5/7 RAR), had a month to go before my Cardre Course for SASR, till an accident took me out of the game. Such is life. Great memories seeing all this stuff again, just wanted to say thanks and also thank you for your service brother. Cheers from down under mate!

thanks! needed this video to visualise how it's all put together ever since I got a copy of the book years ago.

I made my own based on Lofty's.... Mostly the same, except I included a flat-format first aid kit and swapped hex blocks for gel, which squashes down pretty flat.... I also wrapped the mess tin handle, matchbox and pencil in Kevlar thread for some extra cordage 😁....

On my list: #1 My buddy from the buddy system (combat pairs called buddy system). While I have been out all alone under the sky in the wild and dont mind my own company, having a buddy or even the team, is a game changer. You can get better decisions, take turns on watch and tend each other injuries, them being physical or not. Brain is the #1 survival tool and two brains can be better than one at times, especially so if one of them has some kind of negative dip and the other has not. Pepping the other and getting pep talk in return when needed helps a lot. Also, if is a safety thing, like if you fall, the other can drag you to safety. Having ones strong arm ... broken, well it is another thing to have your buddy. Also, being alone can get into your soul sooner or later. It feels terrible when it hits. One can be very well trained and get very messed up in the head being alone out in the wild, Seen sturdy guys getting into problems way before they started starving for real. As for gear, it is highly situational. In Swedish winter time, a proper sleeping bag is the single most important item aside from my clothing. In the summer time, water purification tablets can help a lot and if forced to sweat a lot, so called water replacement. Gloves and extra head gear in a pocket at all times, summer or winter.

Great video with a few points. Minor point, but does apply to bush/hunting survival as well, Ghee is clarified butter that has the protein removed in a similar fashion to rendering lard or tallow. In the same way if everything went well and truly pear shaped, you could if you absolutely had to render animal fat in the mess tin in a similar fashion and that will last without refrigeration basically forever. Everything else I would add is completely redundant but here it is if it hasn't been added. Back up compass with Fresnel lens. Already in the tin. Some form of cutting tool. Already in the tin and everywhere else. More para cord somehow. Already everywhere. Tweezers. You can dig them out with something else, but splinters out bush aren't always that much fun and it's amazing how often the tweezers are missing from the first aid kit. Great video, looking forwards to more!

Lofty is a great guy. I spent some time with him.. And having a brew his commonsense and simply ways of explaining to people is amazing. I feel honoured to be on course and share time with him. Thank you lofty.

I have a dream - to see how people from military service, rescue forces, survival instructors, bushcrafters, hunters from different countries get together around fire in the woods and share few tricks with each other, cool stories, habits that helped them in certain moments.

Great to see those drawings in Lofty's book come alive. Cracking job 👍

I've found the Helikon-Tex E&E Pouch (which is based on the original SAS Pouch in your video) to be a really high quality, well thought out piece of kit. Likewise, pouches from Maxpedition are excellent for using with kits of this type! What a really nice change to see the choice of an appropriate sized pouch as the basis for one's personal survival/emergency kit! A serious kit would use a day/night visible Laser Rescue Flare and a Garmin InReach Mini 2 Satellite Communicator & PLB, and have a powerbank and solar panel to recharge one's torches (flashlights), Garmin InReach Mini 2 and Laser Rescue Flare (and powerbank). A SOL Survival Poncho, SOL Heatsheets 1/2 Person Space Blanket, or equivalent, together with a 10 hour candle makes a Palmer Furnace, a proven life saving combination, which would also be good to include! (Spare candles, too!). Carrying one's survival kit in body worn configuration is essential, don't keep it in your pack, keep it on your person! The inclusion of Lofty's Handbook in its compact form would be very useful reading in one's bivouac. Subscribed.

Great vid. Nice to see actual items as Lofty described as apposed to the modern versions of those things in the pouch. Keep up the great content.

I have had this book for over 30years ...and still learn something new everytime i open it...good vid

The funny thing is that when I was in Rhodesia, we hardly carried any of this stuff. How did we survive? Two water bottles, combat knife, poncho… The rest was FN or Uzi, Browning, mags, ammo, maps and chest rig pouches. Someone bought me Lofty’s book as a birthday present. By that time I was working in London wearing a Savile Row suit. I don’t remember ever opening it. But I recall drawings rather than photos, so maybe I did.

Definitely one of my favourite books and often the first one I reach for as a reference.

I’ve just been making a few pouches etc on a Singer Industrial 16K 115 which was made in the first 6 months of 1916 for specialist military work. It’s an absolute dream to operate and will deal with the heaviest webbing and leather - I’ll be making a few of these now I’ve watched this 👍

I'd also add a couple of sheets of clear plastic. Can be used to collect water or an emergency shelter/ground sheet. Folded up they don't take much room. Water is vital.

I like the survival guides. Even if I knew everything in my pocket guide, I would still take it with me. Never underestimate the power of reading material in a survival situation! The psychology of survival is the most important part! Guys who are walking encyclopedias of bush knowledge have become so mentally distraught in survival situations that they just gave up. A waterproof notebook and pen or pencil set are a good idea too!

I've met Lofty Wiseman. Great bloke.

Thanks for the info, per Lofty's directions . It's good to see what an author is wanting to get across to the reader. His 'old school' techniques are timeless, and useable anywhere. I've been reworking my kit bag. This video is a gem and perfectly timed. Stay safe and prepaired!

Your improvisation is remarkable and you have demonstrated this so well.

Awesome smart kit. Lofty Wiseman I have his books as well I served in the Field Artillery and we were spoiled I guess we rode in vehicles almost every where we had to set up and shoot the howitzers far from light fighters but I truly enjoy your videos. I served in Iraq and Afghanistan and always enjoyed talking with Soldier’s from the UK 🇬🇧

Fold aluminum foil around your paper. A few pieces. They can be made into a cup/cooking device when needed. Takes up NO space, protects your paper, has a use, weighs nothing, can be used to signal to the Air. Nice Video. God Bless u and Yours.

ENJOY YOUR VIDEOS.GOT MY SAS HANDBOOK IN JAMAICA MANY MOONS AGO

Great video. I too got the sas survival handbook in '86 ground breaking at the time. One thing i noticed , the ends of your spare batteries were exposed. I think it would be a good idea to put a wrap of tape end for end to prevent the possibillity of discharging them. 👍

I was born 86. That book is the only religion I believe in 👍 read it all my life. Now I do bushcraft and survival sessions. Thanks lofty 👍

Received a copy of Lofty's book and an aluminum two piece mess kit for Christmas. Looking forward to learning with both.

Great kit there, the basic needs of humans really doesn't change and it can be so tempting to keep adding more stuff in. From when I heard Lofty Wiseman speak a few years ago the name of the game was saving weight even taking the handle off a toothbrush as it wasn't needed. I'm glad to say I got my bigger copy of the book signed too :)

Good vid mate. Dad was taught by the man himself out in Borneo in the 60s when he went into ptl coy.🆎

Great stuff! Big respect to Lofty.

excellent kit! thanks for sharing.

Fantastic demonstration of an iconic piece of kit, thank you.

Straightforward, no nonsense. And affordable. EXCELLENT.

I’m a long time fan of the SAS survival handbook this is awesome see the actual equipment contained in the mess tin.

44 webbing and 55 webbing gear was what we had on our belt kits. Ex sas in borneo would live from belt kits after ditching big ruck sacks. Alot of regiment guys give back Alot to charity s.

His sense of humour is what you need lol

KFS, would be good. Have had Lofty's book in the large and small hard back, the and small paper back, for many years. It is and was my bible while in the military and civi trekking. Now with a search and rescue team, it still comes in handy...

The only thing that I would add is a candle. It gives light as well as heat. You can drape the SOL over your shoulders while sitting on a stump or log, place the lit candle between your legs on the ground and under the SOL, leaving a small opening between the ground and the bottom hem of the SOL so that the candle won't become oxygen starved. Use your feet to pin the SOL to the ground in windy conditions. The heat from the candle will keep you warm under the SOL even in bad rainy/snowy weather.....Also the candle can be used to lubricate zippers by rubbing the wax on the teeth making for easier operation , say for a jacket , coat or boots. You can easily obtain survival candles that have a 20/30 hr burn rate and are about 6 to 7 inches in length and about 2 inches in diameter. Good kit then and compact as well.

Great video and a very well put together kit.

Very good list of items. I would have an esbit solid fuel cooker - smaller. Pencil sharpened both ends. Bic lighter in cling film. Waterproof paper, available. Torch that flashes SOS - they are available, and at least one coffee satchet for cold mornings. I am subscribed now and will be watching more. Thanks

He also published 'The urban survival guide'. PS. Those spent miniflare casings can be reloaded exclusively with 6mm starting pistol blanks and nothing else, gives a satisfying pop. I have seen a civilian version of this which came from a boat jumble which takes the same mini flares (M10 x 1.0 thread size), it's owner demonstrated firing it with 6mm starting pistol blanks. PS, It's worth considering putting a bottle/tin opener in there as apart from opening bottles 🍼, it can punch 🤛 holes into used tins thereby enabling a hobo stove's construction.

An amazing video, and great precis of the SAS Escape and Ration Pouch.

Great video mate. Just a we add on and thing that I thought up for my survival pouch. An empty tic tac box fits 3 AAA batteries and keeps them waterproof as spare bats I rap them in cleanfilm as-well for a bit of added protection. Just a wee survival suggestion hope it helps

Outstanding mate excellent video showing some of the legendary info from lofty wiseman is still useful today 🤙

Loved it, I think you could find a small mirror that would fit in your match bottle Thanks for sharing

John Lofty Wiseman I keep his advice.

For a modern replacement the upright pouch is big enough for the Mess tin and even has a little more room. It has molle loops so you can wear it on a regular belt or a molle system military belt.

Recently subscribed to your channel. Really enjoy the straightforward way share information and your experience. Looking forward to your next video

Outstanding video mate

The British can't survive without that tea. Ha-ha. BTW. it's worth mentioning that Lofty Wiseman assumes that you have your knife/machete with you, that's why there's no cutting tool included in that pouch. It would be interesting what would Lofty Wiseman include in that pouch now that so many years have passed and so many new advances are available even at consumer level - mylar blankets, dyneema etc. I'm surprised that there's no tape included (sniper tape or gorilla tape). Thanks for putting this video together. It's nice to see what that pouch would've looked like beyond the diagram.

Just rewatching and had an idea, how about pouring Pot perm into the match container as well as the cotton? It'll quiet them down and obviously is there for its other uses too and is protected from moisture. 🤘

I first saw Lofty on 'Duncan's Dares', a spin off of Blue Peter TV show where he too Peter Duncan on a survival course through the woods. I had the big version of the book as a kid in the 80s too.

Good stuff - love the biltong; jerky sucks - add a plastic straw

Another good video .People could consider using the old PLCE trauma pouch with the fold down front pockets as a possible replacement to the original SAS one. The idea being that one of the outer pockets can contain the perishables, making it easier to keep its contents in date. Cheers Stu

As food I carry several small plastic bags of nuts&raisins - they give you all you need, taste good and can be eaten cold. In addition to the tea, I also carry boullion-cubes.

Legend, great video Tom 👊

Hi, taking into account all the places I have served in Africa, Middle East and Far East, I would put at the top of my needs would be the old aluminium water bottle and mug, purification tablets, butane lighters, sunscreen cream, surgical needles and silk, (superglues is good) dressing and bandages and swiss army knife. Foodwise, stick what is available in area you work in as foreign food shit smells different to the trackers. Hunting and fishing for food is a fantasy as both take up too much time even for an experienced hunter. Set traps if you can. I carried rice, dried onions and curry powder. Ghee, or clarified butter as the English call it is available from any Indian food store ( your best idea!) inmost countries I have mentioned. Small tins of beef, chicken or fish are good if you cant get dehydrated stuff. The little mirror is excellent if you can find them. I survived on biltong for days in Northern East Africa. Just make sure of your source, carry shit tablets and don’t leave litter. I would not carry all this kit in one pouch, but would keep it in little pockets all over my kit, usually in my smock. Once you have done your “Escape & Evasion course” you learn about all your mistakes! The best teachers I had were Sarawak Rangers, the real “orang asli”. Always learn from the locals. Cheers mate. Harera

I was very surprised to see no cutting tool in this kit . Great video ,thanks .

Great intel 🤘 Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Gee is available in Asian supermarkets. It is actually butter that has been cooked so that it does not "go off" in places without refrigeration.

They sell Gee in most places such as Tesco. Ghee if stored airtight should not break down as it has already been refined. Puritabs and salt were some of the other things we used to put in the pouch, plus we tended to use freeze dried meat as you could get more in there as the lack of moisture equated to more dry product you could carrry.

Nice bit of kit.

Terrific video! Thanks! If you don't mind I'll include a link in a future video I'm planning. As others have said, great to see the original make-up of Lofty's kit. I also bought the original version of his book when it first came out and put together kits as he described. Good to look back and reflect on what the common threads are with what others recommend and what lessons might have been forgotten?

Unless you have a first aid kit as well, and since they're quite small, I would add a few medications like anti-diarrheals, asprin, advil, and a small tube of polysporin. You can get them in their own individual packets and are extremely valuable when needed.

My personal kit has a few items I would put in there. 1 some plain birthday candles - saves your hexy blocks when fire starting. Also looks like you could fit about 20 or 30 feet of no36 bank line in there. The credit card sized signalling mirrors are a good addition too. My full "go bag" has way more than that but it's a 15 litre day pack. Not really comparing like for like.

Great video. I love the old school (PS: the SOL bivys are the only way to go for the size)

Great video . A tea light or any small candle. It gives you a bunch more chances to get a fire. Hand sanitizer is like napalm. I also like cotton balls soaked in vaseline. I carry them with me every time I hunt. And at least one bic brand lighter. I also carry an orange toque in my hunting bag. The new bcb fire dragon cooker is awesome, and stupid cheap.

Tom, Loved this video and all of your other videos. I have one question; what is your favorite belt kit out of all three and why? Also, could you do a video on general food selection when you go for a trip in the woods or bush crafting for the weekend. I think food as well as the brew kit is a great moral booster and everybody has their own preference but what do people need to consider for packing and how long? Lastly, how about a quick video of strength conditioning before going out into the bush or woods. Again what to do and prepare yourself if you haven't been very active or you don't go as often as you like and how to condition for different seasons. Don't stop now you're on a roll mate!

Ferro rod, fishing line and fish hooks would be some items I would add (and have). Fishing line in particular has an incredible amount of uses, including as trip wire as it is basically invisible in the right conditions.

Very nice. Ghee butter is available in supermarkets, including sainsburys and is in a big tin for £5. It's in the curry section.

Awesome vid another good video on the subject is from Ranger survival and field craft I think it's amazing the things people can do with human ingenuity

Great video, though I'd swap out the ghee for coconut oil (can be used for cooking, sharpening, lip balm/hand cream and for fire lighting at a pinch) a small emergency whistle and a signal-mirror 👍

Nicely done Tom. Only additional would be a mess tin lid,or industrial tin foil or an esbit hexi cooker..

Very good video. The difference between ghee and butter is that ghee is butter with the water content greatly reduced. As more of the content is fat it stores longer too.

Compass is a must have. Fire is a must have multi use tool. Good for purifying water, warmth, drying cloths, cooking, discouraging predatures and signaling (smoke in daytime). Tarp for shelter, warm clothing, pot for boiling water, sturdy knife and portable saw. You can go weeks without food but peanut butter and raisins or dates have the best weight to calorie ratio.

Great tips.

I carry two small torches, aaa size, Maratac brand. These are good ones, but quite small. Also 2 batts per light extra. (always), cause Dark Sucks). And a Victorinox Swiss Army Knife. Stuff in my pockets also helps, always have another light, knife, phone, personal protective device!

I really like the belt pouch

You can get ghee in tins from Tesco and Asda , cheaper than Holland and Barrett stuff 😉

I go with a pocket tarp instead of the bivy bag. I have a Klymit ROAMER tarp that takes up the same space as the SOL but i feel it is a bit more versatile used as a tarp or blanket or gear cover or improvised hobo bag etc. also i would throw in a SAK (swiss army knife) for good measure.

We had Hexamine stoves tad smaller in the Australian Army too. I bought a Esbit one. Bit smaller smaller tabs. But I found half a tab boils a brew. Fits in a compass pouch, or IFAK pouch as the yanks use them for. Alice era gear. I prefered that kept the odour away from foid IN a backpack just an extra compass pouch and stove is like a third smaller. TBH I never ran out of esbit hexi it seemed to burn hotter boil quicker

Excellent!

Thanks. This is cool to see.

Hi PP, Just sub to your channel. great version of LW, the man's a Legend. Nowadays everything is upgraded & different but the principles id still the same. Thank you for sharing & thank you for your service. Greetings from Australia.

Another top vid big fella. Looking like a youtube veteran too now! Any merch yet? Just an aside, if you haven't read Lofty's 'Who Dares Grins', do!! His typical balls out wit is terrific! Look forward to the next one....

Nice compact kit, i was thinking where was the shelter, and then you produced it. So many of these show 5 knives and saws and a 9mm with additional magazines. Thanks for leaving these out. Great job.

Fun video. I would probably include a mora, a compass and some cordage.

Love this project. I prefer small, compact, and light "survival kits". Speed of movement is high on my priority list.

Love it.

Brilliant share thank you