Not sure if your friends and family can hack it in a survival situation? Maybe they need a “cheat sheet” to walk them down the path to survival. I’ve seen a lot of booklets and survival cards over the years in my on-going search for concise, high-quality survival literature. What I’ve never seen before, though, is a set of waterproof, tear-proof survival cards that give you the tools to light a fire, too. That is, until I came across the new K12 Pocket Survival Cards.

What immediately caught my eye upon opening the envelope was the fuzzy jute cordage and ferrocerium toggle that bind these 3x5-inch cards together. I had never seen ferro in that form before, but I knew exactly what it was for—making fire in all conditions. The 8 inches of jute cord was a nice touch, too; it could be shredded into tinder, in case your fire materials are in short supply.

Next, I started flipping through the cards. These pocket-size cards are printed on durable, tear-proof, weather-proof plastic, which is a solid upgrade from the paper cards that many of us have seen before. They’re loaded with detailed info on shelter building, signaling for help, trap and snare construction, fire building tips, land navigation skills, and many field-learned survival tips. It’s clear that the author did his homework, and has the field experience to back it up. I think we’ve all come across “arm chair” survival experts, who simply rewrite ideas that others have put forth. These cards hold the knowledge of someone who has been there and done it for themselves.

So who put these cards together, anyway? They are the product of the K12 Survival Solutions survival school, located in Washington State. The mysterious Rob K. (also known by his military nickname “K12″) wrote and designed these cards. K12 gained his woods wisdom through 20 years of service in the U.S. Marine Corps, travelling and training all over the world.

These cards weigh just over 1 ounce, retail for $19.95, and would make a great addition to a vehicle emergency kit, a bug-out bag, or a loved one’s Christmas stocking. If you’d like to learn more about these cards, and support a veteran-owned business, check them out here .