Escape and Evade is an interesting topic with lots of rabbit holes you can go down. Today’s rabbit hole is going to be a mini pocket-sized kit inspired by Greg Ellifritz of Active Response Training. Greg is a veteran law enforcement officer and tactical trainer who designed one of the core components of this kit, the KA-BAR LDK. He also designed his own mini escape and evade kit that inspired mine.
Why an Escape and Evade Mini Kit?
When you get snatched, the best time to get away is as soon as possible. Having an Escape and Evade kit on hand gives you an edge in planning your great escape.
Our mini kit is designed for deep concealment. It can be easily hidden and passed over during a cursory search. It can be utilized on the fly to get away from your abductors. The kit is designed to minimize size while maximizing efficiency.
The Components
KA-BAR LDK
Our mini escape and evade kit is built around the KA-BAR LDK. LDK stands for last-ditch knife and it’s the smallest little fighting knife I’ve ever handled. Similar to the KA-BAR TDI series, the LDK has a curved design. Little knives are tough to hold onto, but the curved design of the LDK allows it to be tightly gripped when in a fight. It’s less of a slasher and more of a stabber. The stabs are delivered via a punch style attack.
The blade of the LDK is super sharp and allows the knife to be used both as a weapon and a tool. The blade can cut through zip ties, duct tape, rope, and other binding agents without much of a fight. The LDK is quite well textured and provides a great grip for such a small tool. The LDK and its composite sheath act as the base for your other escape and evade components.
Handcuff Key
Handcuffs are about the only thing that the LDK can’t chop its way through. In the event of my hands being bound by the ole steel bracelets, the handcuff key will be quite handy. It’s attached to the front of the sheath using the sheath’s many lashing holes. The handcuff key is a metal S&W model, and it’s relatively simple and universal. When bound to the sheath, it can still be used to open cuffs without having to remove it. Handcuff keys are a must-have for any escape and evade kit.
CRKT K.E.R.T.
When you flip the sheath over, the CRKT K.E.R.T. becomes visible. K.E.R.T. stands for Keyring Emergency Rescue Tool. It is a mini multitool that packs together a flat head screwdriver, a seatbelt cutter, a bottle opener, and two small wrenches. For escape and evade reasons, the K.E.R.T.’s strap cutter is exceptionally useful. Like the LDK, you can cut through multiple materials, but you seemingly have less of a chance of cutting yourself.
You can also escape from seat belts, use the screwdriver and wrenches to help take a window or door apart. The K.E.R.T. attaches to the rear of the LDK sheath with ease.
Streamlight Nano
You have to be able to see what you’re doing, right? The Streamlight Nano is an adorable, ultra-small, keychain-sized flashlight. The Streamlight Nano isn’t super powerful at only 10 lumens. However, it’s bright enough to help work your way out of restraints or to see when trapped in a trunk or any other dark and scary environment.
It’s slightly bulbous but still small enough to attach to the LDK sheath for convenient carry.
Escape and Evade Kit Carried
A friend of mine is a Corrections Officer and he’s showed me a favorite way of convicts to carry shivs. Typically they tie the shiv to a small cord or rope and drop it down their pants. They can quickly retrieve the shiv and put it in play, but also conceal the blade against most quick searches.
Since convicts have more experience than me in hiding things, I adopted their technique. The LDK sheath has plenty of lashing points that make it easy to use some 550 cord to tie it to my belt loop and let it hang. The Escape and Evade kit can be carried tied to the front or rear of your pants.
Rear carry seems more prudent in the event your hands are bound. They will likely be behind your back so being able to access your goods with your hands behind your belt is a good idea. I also found I could fit this into a Magpul AR rifle stock to make it an AR15 kit.
Having a mini Escape and Evade kit is only handy if you carry it. For overseas excursions in less than hospitable places, having a gun is likely not an option. In those instances, you have to work around the local laws and equip yourself as necessary. This kit isn’t for everyone and every situation, but it delivers the bare minimum when all you can carry is just that.
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