Altoids Tin Inserts 2

Why I Like It

If you’ve been in the EDC or prepper community for more than five minutes, you already know the Altoids tin. It’s practically a rite of passage — small, sturdy, hinged, and just about the right size for a ridiculous number of micro-kit configurations. Fire kit, fishing kit, first aid kit, sewing kit, spare cash kit… the tin is the perfect shell. The problem has always been organization inside it. Without inserts, everything rattles around and you’re digging for the thing you need at the worst possible moment.

These inserts fix that. They’re designed to nest inside the tin and give each item a home — no more loose fishhooks hiding under folded bills. The fit is tight enough to prevent rattle but easy enough to swap configurations without tools. I’ve printed these in multiple layouts depending on what the tin is carrying that week.

PETG at 15% infill is plenty — these inserts don’t bear load, they just organize. Layer quality matters more than strength here, so slow your perimeter speed down for a clean fit. The tolerances on Altoids tins vary slightly batch to batch (yes, really), so if your first print is too snug, scale up 0.5% and reprint. Once it seats right, it stays right. A ridiculously satisfying small print.

What Filament Should You Use?

Here’s a quick breakdown of the three most common filaments for EDC gear so you can pick the right one for your setup:

TL;DR: Use PETG for most EDC prints — easy to work with and tough enough. Use ASA if the piece will live outdoors or in direct sunlight. Use ABS if you need maximum rigidity and heat resistance and have an enclosure on your printer.