This is a small, very light and very portable survival kit. It is definitely a good value for the price, but it's mainly just a good start on well-stocked survival kit. All of the items come out of the container very easily and it is easy to replace them all.
I'll get right down to reviewing each item in this kit:
Waterproof Carry Case - This is the plastic bag that the entire kit comes in. It is composed of thick clear plastic and it should be fairly durable in most situations. It will most likely keep your kit dry during the heaviest of rains but I'm not sure if it would stand up well if completely submerged in water.
Waterproof Matches - These matches come in a small box with a striker pad on each side. The matches are fairly easy to light, even with the waterproof coating. The problem is that the matches aren't completely coated. Only the phosphorous tips are waterproof, so if your matches are soaked and you can get one to light, it's going to go out as soon as the phosphorous burns away. I would say that these matches should just be called water-resistant instead of waterproof, but I will just replace them with better ones.
Aluminum Foil - A fairly large piece of foil which comes tightly folded in the kit. What else can I say? It's just aluminum foil and it can be very useful in some situations.
Emergency Blanket - This is a silver Mylar blanket that is about 4'x 6'. If you don't know about Mylar, it is a great insulator. They use it for spacecraft and Astronaut suits to help protect them from radiation and freezing cold. This is useful to have for emergency situations where staying warm is a priority.
50' Fishing Line, 4 Hooks and 4 Sinkers - All of these come packaged together in a small bag. The back of the box says that there is 50 feet of fishing line, but I'm not going to unravel it to make sure. The sinkers are very basic, and they don't have lips on the backs of them so they will be difficult to remove from a line once they are attached. The hooks seem good but they are small, so you will be lucky to catch a big fish with them.
8' Snare Wire - This is just basic steel wire which can be useful in very many situations. It can also be used to catch small game if you need to. As with the fishing line the box says 8 feet, but it would be a pain to unravel it just to find out exactly how much there is.
Map Compass - A simple compass for use with maps. It seems to work, but I've had several compasses that were better than this one.
Emergency Whistle - A plastic whistle that comes with a nylon braided cord so you can wear it around your neck. I haven't really tested it yet, but it's a just a plastic whistle so I bet it works fine.
10' Emergency Cord - Braided white nylon cord that can be useful in many situations, any type of cord like this is a must in any survival kit.
36" Duct Tape - First off, this isn't Duck brand Duct Tape. This is off-brand tape and is certainly somewhat lacking in quality, but it is still Duct Tape and it is still extremely useful for very many reasons. Duct Tape is great to have in any survival kit.
Survival Guide - Not much of a guide, really. It is a single piece of paper with printed instructions on both sides, but it does offer some sound advice for survival situations. It would be good to have if you have nothing else.
Reusable Zipper-Lock Bag - This is just a plastic bag. A fairly large one, sure, but still just a standard plastic bag.
Surgical Blade - A single stainless steel blade which comes sterilized in an aluminum foul package. Recommended for one-time use only, but you should clean it and keep it with you if you have used it already.
Wound Closure Strips - Sterilized strips for closing certain wounds. Latex free and useful for deep cuts.
Safety Pins - Three Safety Pins. Useful and good to have when you need them, but most people have some anyway.
Also, there is a small piece of paper in the kit with safety information on it. Not useful for anything except possibly starting fires so at least you'll have something to burn in a pinch.
Other reviewers have done a great job in providing detailed reviews of all the contents so I won't bother. The bottom line is this is the best kit you can buy for the price point. If you are a survivalist, prepper or spend a lot of time in the bush you probably have all this stuff in your home, at higher quailty so don't bother. If you're an average person who would like to have some peace of mind and wants something small you can carry with you, this is the kit. It's affordable enough that you can buy several to spread around the family.
You could look around the house and put some things together like foil, safety pins, fishing line, and duck tape but you'd probably have a hard time putting all the contents together to make a kit this small. I tried putting a similar one together here on Amazon, and the bag, whistle, and compass were over $15. I have even checked out the dollar store, but could only find some of the items, you'd still need to go somewhere else to get it all. Amazon delivers right to your door:)
I haven't used everything, but I did take it all out and was able to get it all back in with no issue.
I used a few of the items, they worked ok, but I upgraded when I replaced them-duck tape with gorrilla tape wrapped around a golf pencil, added 550 cord inner string, put in new heavy duty foil, and 50lb fishing line since I already had these at home. For the additions: diaper sized safety pins, 4 water purification tabs and a mini bic lighter. I have travelled internationally with the kit in my carry on bag with no issues.
If someone has been able to buy a kit as good and small as this, for a cheaper price, please share.
Overall, this kit seems pretty comprehensive and is of pretty good quality for the price. The compass is made of a durable plastic and points north consistently. It makes for a good core for an emergency preparedness kit, since it includes necessities like matches,an emergency blanket, a whistle, duct tape/rope (though not very much of it). as well as means for catching food like the fishing supplies and snare wire (though I have not tested them, so I can't speak to their quality. The aluminum foil is a thoughtful--though easily replicated--addition to the kit since you can use it for signaling as well as to help purify water via sunlight (unless the water is contaminated by chemicals, in which case it wouldn't work). Some things to take note:
The case - The plastic is thick and feels durable, but I'm worried about the sides; they could probably be split open with enough force, so I'd be careful not to stuff it with too many things if you plan on adding extra items. Also, the opening isn't the best--you just roll it down and then hold it down with velcro. BE CAREFUL when opening the velcro; after opening the case few times, the plastic split along its seam so I had to use duct tape to seal the hole. I duct taped my second one behind the velcro to ensure this doesn't happen if I ever needed it.
The matches - they come in a paper box that is not waterproof; the tip of each one is covered with a red wax that'll keep it light-able even after being soaked in water, but it only covers the tip. I wanted to test the waterproof matches, so I soaked two in a cup of water for about 30 seconds, dried them off with a towel, and then tried lighting them. Unfortunately, if the uncovered wood part (which is about 90% of the match stick) absorbs water, then your match won't last very long--probably not more than several seconds. But hey, if your tinder is dry that might be all you need. The plus side is that the plastic case the kit comes in will help keep the matches dry in a rain (but probably not if it got submerged). I'd keep at least 2 other means of making a fire in my emergency kit just in case.
I was pleasantly surprised when I got this kit. The bag is much bigger than the one in the pics and the bag appears to be of better quality (see my customer pics) than the kit in the photos. This product appears to be an updated version. Note that I ordered my kit from West Coast Mall (came in two days, even with regular shipping!!). This kit now comes with a sparker, not waterproof matches.
BAG: The bag is of decent quality and has a bit of room for expansion. It is much sturdier quality than a ziplock bag or one of those heavy plastic bags with the zipper. This bag rolls shut with a nylon strap and has a clip, which is awesome - it can be attached to a carabiner or clipped to a bag or belt.
CONTENTS: The label contents show the same contents as the Amazon add. But, it states that it only has one (1) fishing sinker. (see pic) I was pleasantly surprised again when I found that the little fishing kit has 4 hooks and 4 sinkers. Compass points magnetic north and seems to be of durable quality. Whistle comes with additional cord. "Snare" wire is actually piano wire, but it appears to be of decent quality. This kit no longer comes with a box of waterproof matches, which is replaced with a sparker. This should make the kit more airplane-friendly.
The sparker is basically a lighter sparker - not a firesteel. I doubt it would help a ton in starting a fire unless you had very dry, very fine kindling. You should definitely find a video on starting a fire with a sparker. Dryer lint seems to be the most accessible kindling. I will put some lint in the kit in a little baggie to keep water out. Or replace the sparker with a mini bic lighter, which is almost the same size.
1 star off for being made in China - the fishing kit is of very cheap quality as is the duct tape. It will do in a pinch, however and can be replaced cheaply.
Planning to survive on the absolute bare necessities? This is the kit for you. It contains the kind of stuff that MacGyver could not only survive on for a year, but could also trap the bad guys with. For us mere mortals ... well, I hope I never need to depend on this as my lifeline!
In all seriousness, these are the kind of essentials that survival programs will equip you with to survive for several days in the wilderness. Or that military personnel might carry in case of an emergency. You can either throw it in your home/auto emergency kit or into your backpack - in case of emergency. Or, if your an extreme survivalist, you may want to venture out with nothing but this to test your mettle.
One suggestion: make it a hobby to learn to use each element of the kit. Even if you're not using it to stay alive, try it out in your backyard just to understand the function of each piece. You may also find that you want to upgrade a few of the pieces to higher quality options.
Feature Product
- 26 Piece
- Weather-Resistant Roll-Up Bag
- Only 5.5oz
Description
29 Piece Kit Includes: Weatherproof Carry Case, Survival Guide, 10' Emergency Cord, Map Compass, Emergency Whistle, Survival Blanket, 3 Safety Pins, 36" Roll Duct Tape, 18"x12" Sheet Aluminum Foil, 8' Snare Wire, Box Waterproof Matches, 4 Fishing Hooks, 4 Fishing Sinker Weights, 50' 10lb Fishing Line, Surgical Blade, Reusable Zipper-Lock Bag, 5 Wound Closure Strips,
The best survival gear is the kind you never have to use.
It's hard to argue against spending the small amount of money on this, if for nothing else, just to have it. It's the perfect size where you can keep it on you at basically all times when camping (or even just in your car) and have it not be an annoying burden.
I haven't used it, thankfully, but I feel confident enough that if I was put into a situation where I needed it I would probably not die for a few more hours than I would without it.
I don't have a particularly high confidence rating in my general survival skills, but having this definitely helps a bit.
This little kit lives in my tiny Camelback hike pack that I don't leave home on a hike without. I like to be the prepared one while hiking, and luckily I haven't yet had to use any of it, but upon careful inspection I can rest assured that I'll have what I need in case of emergency on a hike.
It's packaging is tiny and I don't even notice it in my pack. You should never hike without at least the 10 essentials, and this is a great start. PS, don't forget water ;)
I got this kit to go hiking with my friends. I got it due to the price and compared it with other kits. I liked this item better the the S.O.L scout that was TWICE the price and did not come with that much high-quality items as the Life Line kit did. The Compass is one of the best I have seen in a survival kit, even better it is ACCURATE!!!! Something that you don't get in other kits, and that it is not a button compass. The only things that I would add to the kit is a way to cook, and water purification tablets.
Got this kit for the following reasons:
1) small, packed tightly in a tough plastic bag
2) good, quality components
3) has a tiny bit of room for extra items
4) decent, affordable price
The #3 point listed above was one of the strongest selling points for me. I added a VERY small S.O.G. knife, a lighter, a micro fishing kit, and a small firesteel to this package. A tight fit, for sure, but perfect for me in my car wrapped side-by-side with a good first aid kit. I am not disappointed at all with this little kit, and I don't think you'll be either.
Being an avid survivalist, I had very low expectations here.. However I was very pleasantly surprised with this kit.
Yes the compass is cheap and the kit isn't going to save you from big disasters. But for the money I challenge you to find a better mini kit than this. It has some really nice items and is small enough to shove into any pocket or void. The compass works like it should and everything seems like it's decent quality.
The shipping was very fast and the price was very cheap. I'm more than happy with this purchase and would recommend it to anyone that has survival in mind. I keep one of these in my backpack and one in the glovebox of my rig.
