Product Review: First Aid Survival Kit with N 95 Mask

It’s always fun and intriguing to review a quality survival product.

Recently we were asked to review the First Aid Survival Kit with N 95 Mask from firstaidkitsurvival.com. When the well packaged box arrived at our door, inside it was a beautiful red, durable..and I mean well-made nylon compact survival kit that held no less than 200 pieces inside.

First Aid Survival Kit with N 95 Mask from firstaidkitsurvival.com

The company specifically designed to address a variety of injuries. We love how organized the accessories were laid out which even included a easy to understand and informative first aid brochure.

Also included, was a multitude of well thought out various bandages of sizes shapes and purposes, gloves, tweezers, safety pins,  a carabiner, a eye pad bandage and even a emergency whistle. Besides the N 95 mask, somehow they even managed to fit an instant cold compress and emergency whistle inside this nice kit.

First Aid Survival Kit with N 95 Mask from firstaidkitsurvival.com

The First Aid Survival Kit was a impressive, really nice product to review. It honestly is very reflective of the company’s  motto “Our products are designed to protect and save lives”….

OmegaMan for yearzerosurvival.com

Sounds Fishy: An Often Overlooked Bug-Out Bag Item That I Always Add

I’m always intrigued by what people argue about when trying to decide what to put in their bug out bag or survival kit. You know…. fire starters, water filters, food rations, I need not say more. We all picture survival scenarios that we try to be prepared for. Maybe one of those is being stranded in the woods or lost near a stream or lake.

Freshly caught trout cooking in a skillet over an open flame

So here is a question…..Do you have any actual fishing lures and line in your kit? I’m not talking about a bit of string, a few hooks and a sinker. I’m talking about maybe a small 150 yd spool of super high tech fishing line. Maybe you have paracord in your kit but think you have nothing but time to strip one of the 8 strands out of it and use it for lashing or fishing line. Why waste your time and precious resources? The latest technology can give you the diameter of old 4 lb test with the strength of 40 lb test using super braids made out of exotic fabric like trademarked “Spectra” lines. Snares, bed and shelter lashing, trip lines, temporary sutures, and yes fishing, the possibilities are endless and ready to use.

So you have some compact line, what kind of lures could you carry for let’s say a salt, fresh or fly fishing situation? Opinions are close but vary on the top 10 lures in the world for these types of fishing. Most would agree on our sample of a short list of some of the best lures ever invented because all and many more are time tested and proven fish catchers. Do your own research if you wish but consider the possibility of including one or two lures from each category to your well thought out survival kit.

add-lures-to-bugout-bag

Here’s a list of just a few lures to save you some time…..

Fresh water:

Heddon Torpedo, Red Devil or Daredevil Spoon, Rapala Floating Minnow, Panther Martin, Hula Popper, Mepps Aglia Spinner, and of course the famous versions of the rubber worm!

Salt Water:

Diamond Jig, Gold spoon, artificial shrimp or DOA shrimp, Mirrolure twitch baits, Bucktail jigs and Johnsons Silver Minnow

Fly fishing manufactured lures:

Hares Ear Nymph, Adams Dry Fly- which some consider the most effective, Woolly Bugger, and one of the new modern favorites…The green “mop fly” (That’s’ right, a fantastic lure made from the tiny microfiber fingers in a floor mop. Talk about survival…make your own!  It resembles the parachute inch worm which fall from trees and the trout and other fish go nuts.)

We hope this article gets you thinking of the few extra inches of space you could add to your survival kit and of course many arguments can be made of all the amazing lures we haven’t even begun to mention. That is the real point of the article…just to get you thinking and preparing!

 

REVIEW: Survival Hax Fire Starter Flint w/Waterproof Tinder Holder

Here’s the recent review on the Survival Hax fire starter flint w/waterproof tinder holder by our guest blogger OmegaMan:

We recently got to try the new survival hacks firestarter flint and waterproof tinder holder kit. It doesn’t yet have a fancy name but that’s what it’s called.

Survival Hax

It came in I slim 1″x 1″box that is 6 inches long. Inside it contained a 6 inch long/quarter inch thick spark stick rated for 20,000 strikes!

It comes with a beautiful durable para cord wrist strap. We wish it would’ve said how long the para cord is if you unwind it.

Attached on the wrist strap is a handheld stryker tool with a concave edge to easily slide down the rod without slipping off. Also on the striker tool is a built-in can opener stamped with a small ruler. Because the striker rod comes with a beautiful black coating on it we found it took a few strikes to wear off but finally produced some amazing sparks by holding the concave edge of the striker tool and running it down the side of the rod. We also sometimes achieved  better sparks by just using the flat edge of the tool against the striker rod.

We got a kick out of the bright orange whistle, which lets out an ear piercing shrill when we tried it.

A bonus surprise was a little black tinderbox keychain about the size of a pill holder. Inside it was filled with a little supply of tinder. We’re not sure what type of tinder but possibly a waxy substance.

As with most of the products we tried from Survival Hax, once again this is a nice little durable survival tool. We do wish there was maybe a few more instructions that explained everything a little better besides just a few comments on the outside of the box.

This tool speaks for itself and could definitely save a life out in the wilderness.

Here’s a link to check it out with a nice discount code if you’d like to further enhance your survival kit:

Survival Hax Fire Starter Flint w/Waterproof Tinder Holder

use discount code SH50FIRE at checkout

OmegaMan Tested: EDC Survival Keychain by Survivalhax

EDC Survival Keychain

Field tested by our guest blogger, OmegaMan quoted: “A great little paracord keychain with a ear piercing whistle attached to a durable aluminum case filled with survival essentials!”

EDC Survival Keychain

“This is a great addition to any preppers’ everyday carry (EDC) or bugout bag. Here’s what you will be shocked to find inside the survival case: Fire striker bar & tinder, fishing swivels, fishing float & weights, fishing line & hook, 2 safety pins, a wire saw, and a knife!”

DETAILS:

It’s a key chain, a survival kit, and a waterproof pill container all in 1.

The 10 in 1 Paracord EDC Keychain is a waterproof aluminum EDC (everyday carry) pill bottle.

A durable carabiner and 550 paracord are used so you can take this mini survival kit anywhere.

If you carry your car keys everywhere, you’ll have a much better chance of surviving the apocalypse.

No need for a bug out bag, this is small enough to fit in your pocket.

What’s Inside?

There are technically 11 separate pieces inside the canister. 

  • Fishing line
  • Hooks
  • Weights
  • Floaters
  • Sinkers
  • Swivels
  • Eye knife
  • Cotton tinder
  • Fire starter rod
  • Safety pins
  • Wire saw

The paracord is over 4 feet long when unraveled and has an emergency whistle attached to it.

Our goal was to make a reusable PSK (Personal Survival Kit) that gives you the ability to catch a fish, gut it, and cook it.  Sure there are easier ways to do this, but none that fit on your keychain.

What Can This Mini Survival Kit Do?

From nothing, you can make a Fishing Pole 

  1. Can you find a branch in the woods?  Great you’ve got a fishing pole.
  2. Open your EDC bottle and pull out the fishing line.
  3. Tie the line to one end of your branch or stick.
  4. Attach your hooks to your fishing line.
  5. Add your sinkers and floaters.
  6. Find a bug or worm for bait.
  7. You are now fishing, bushcraft style.

No survival kit would be complete without a way to start a fire.  And in order to start a fire, you need wood. The finger chainsaw can slice through branches with enough elbow grease. Slide two sticks in the finger holes for extra torque.

Contents:

  • 1 x Waterproof EDC container
  • 1 x Paracord
  • 1 x Fishing line
  • 2 x Hooks
  • 2 x Weights
  • 2 x Floaters
  • 2 x Sinkers
  • 2 x Swivels
  • 1 x Knife
  • 1 x Tinder cotton
  • 1 x Fire starter
  • 1 x Saftey Pins
  • 1 x Finger saw
  • 1 x Whistle
  • 1 x Carabiner

Specs:

  • Total length: 9.2 inches
  • Bottle length: 3.3 inches
  • Bottle width: .9 inches
  • EDC bottle material: Aluminum Alloy
  • Paracord length: 3 inches
  • Untied Paracord length: 4 feet
  • Weight: 0.14 pounds

ORDER NOW

Product Review: The NITE IZE 3 in 1 LED Flashlight

We really enjoyed reviewing this flashlight. At first we thought, just another flashlight. But you know what, surprisingly more than that.

NITE IZE 3 in 1 LED Flashlight

This 250 lumen flashlight carries quite a bit of power for its size with a range of 200 meters.  It also has a respectable run time of over 3 hrs on high and  almost 19 hrs on low (brightness is similar to a conventional flashlight on low) with its 3 AA batteries. It is a nice aluminum bodied 9 inch flashlight and on of the lightest flashlights we have ever held for its size. Very comfortable size to hold and with batteries about the weight of my cell phone. Besides a high and low setting, if you tug on the bezel a stand on end lantern is exposed for hands free illumination. A very nice feature!

Broken down or stranded, a red safety light secondary button activates a red light on the end of the hand grip turning the light into a safety wand. Push the button again and now you have a steday red flasher. Press the button a third time for a definitive SOS red signal.

NITE IZE 3 in 1 LED Flashlight

The feature that surprised us the most was the loading of the batteries.  Considering it is a nearly 1.5 inch diameter light, the 3AA batteries did not have to go into a  frustrating battery holder device like many AA battery lights. This flashlight was engineered to take the batteries end to end which only took seconds to load. So simple and well thought out.

The NITE IZE 3 in one LED flashlight has been tested and its ratings are to FL 1 ANSI standards. Water resistant and 3 meter drop tested we find this light a great valve for its features. And yes, it does include the batteries and a lanyard attachment!

Apocalyptic Dish Washing

by Guest Blogger OmegaMan

If you’ve prepared, you’ll hopefully have enough long term food and water supplies in an apocalyptic scenario. Ever wondered how you are going to clean your dishes after you eat with out wasting water?

Gross-Pile-of-dishes

In all the survival training manuals I have ever read, I have never seen this issue addressed. I know a perfect solution that will not waste your precious water supply but yet effectively clean your utensils and most anything else for that matter. Have you ever heard of Ammonium Chloride?

Probably not by that name. Or, you may have put it in your swimming pool as an algae control. But, most likely you know it by the popular brand name Lysol.

Ammonium chlorides in fact are so effective at sanitation that they are even used by the CDC in their employee wash down stations.

Also, did you know many bars use ammonium chloride compounds to sanitize bar glasses? Have you ever seen the dip and rinse techniques used by bartenders?

I often wondered what they were using, then asked. Much to my surprise one of the most common brands used is: Steramine.

Steramine

Wow, talk about effective! – 150 tablets for roughly a $10 investment.

Each tablet sanitizes a gallon of wash water. What a great and inexpensive way to protect your family without the huge expense of spray cleaners, soaps and save on storage. All it takes is one minute to effectively destroy most pathogens. Just one minute that will save your precious water supply and may save your life.

I hope you enjoyed my little survival tip, be sure to check back often more more insightful posts. Stay Prepared…OmegaMan

Repurposed Tic-Tac Boxes For Travel Spices

I’ve been using old prescription bottles, and plastic gum containers as travel and camping spice containers for years.

spices-tictac-bugout

But I never thought of this. It’s a great idea. These would be small enough to take in your bug-out bag, instead of big bottles of spices. Takes up way less space. Great for hikers, campers, and RVs too.

 

A Day At Smokey Mountain Knife Works

Our guest blogger OmegaMan recently visited the Smokey Mountain Knife Works, here is his re-cap of his great day at their facility.

A-Day-At-Smokey-Mountain-Kn

Located in Sieverville, Tennessee, Smokey Mountain Knife Works falls into the greater Gatelinberg, Pigeon Forge area.

They advertise themselves as a knife store “If It Cuts, We Carry It”  but you will not believe what is waiting inside for you..so much more than you ever imagined!

Upon first entering the large retail center you will be taken back by an amazing collection of Civil War rifles that are actually for sale. Dozens upon dozens of these ancient beauties line the walls and can be had for $500 to thousands depending on condition.

A-Day-At-Smokey-Mountain-7

The greater retail space is broken into smaller sub sections mostly by manufacturer. Boasting over 2,000,000 knives….every knife you can think of is here from pocket knives to tomahawks. This is a multi-level store with the upstairs housing an amazing historic collection in their History of Knifes Museum. You could spend an easy hour alone tracing back the history and interesting evolution of blades.

A-Day-At-Smokey-Mountain-3

One section houses Camo gear, tactical vests, holsters, patches and related military garb. Need some MRE’s…there over there!

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Another is dedicated to Swiss Army knives. What an amazing assortment!

A-Day-At-Smokey-Mountain-4

Need an air raid siren…they have those too, although the clerk is only able to demonstrate it on a limited basis, (very loud in the building lol).

SOG Knives, United Cutlery, Case, etc, Mykel Hawke, “Gunny”, Gerber, Buck frost Cutlery, Gransfors Bruks…you name it… showcase upon showcase…over 157 brand names….unbelievable!!!

Downstairs was amazing too. An incredible assortment of collectibles. I mean fossils (trilobites and everything), Civil War relics , World War II items including helmets, uniforms, letters and photos. I could have spent all day in this area going through thousands of rare items. So, so cool. Beyond description!

A-Day-At-Smokey-Mountain-6

Country cooking and southern retail items took up a major part of the bottom floor as you walked by streams, and waterfalls meandering through water wheels and old mill machinery. Oh..look….”there’s a gattlin’ gun over there”…

A-Day-At-Smokey-Mountain-2

Most people only see the outside front of the beautifully massive 100,000 sf Smokey Mountain Knife Works outlet. Little do they know the company has another massive building in the rear. Employing over 250 people at any time, all were very courteous and knowledgeable.

Head on up to the greater Gatinberg, TN area, you will not be disappointed. There is so much to do from Dollywood, to the miles upon miles of tourist attractions in the greater tri-city area.

But definitely check out Smokey Mountain Knife Works. Every member of my family had so much fun and all took home something to remember!

 

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