Survival Gear

Featured review by Brian Sells

This emergency blanket/tarp is the best bang for your buck, hands down. Tough and durable at a price that anyone can afford.

The UST Survival Blanket is one piece of equipment that is a must have for anyone. I have purchased several of these to keep in the emergency kits in our vehicles, a BOB at home, and I have two of them in my pack when I am out in the woods. I am not a typical backpacker, making long treks cross country. I typically go in and set up a base camp and then spend the next few days hunting and fishing for my food. These UST blankets have been a part of my gear for a couple of years now. First of all, the price is unmatched.

Read more: UST Survival Blanket 2.0 reviews (3)

Reviewed by LoneStranger

Small enough to tuck away in your pack relatively unnoticed, but oh so nice to have when you need them. These rapid oxidation warmers can be used as labeled to warm your hands or just about any other parts you want to warm up. Pack them as survival gear if you want, but I carry them to be used for the happiness a little warmth can bring on winter trips.

Yaktrax is well known for their traction devices, so when I came across their hand warmers at my local Renys (A Maine adventure!) last fall I grabbed a stack for the coming cold weather camping season. Little did I know at the time, but there wouldn't be much winter camping this year due to lack of winter weather. That made me appreciate these warmers all the more on a couple of trips since I didn't have enough time in the cold to acclimate much. Ease of Use: The warmers are very simple to use, which is important if you are in an actual survival situation and pretty nice even when you aren't.

Read more: Yaktrax Hand Warmers review (1)

Featured review by Kevin David

The UCO Stormproof Matches are great for all types of weather. No matter the conditions, you can count on getting a fire started with these matches.

These matches are amazing. They are definitely stormproof. I’ve taken these matches with me in all seasons in all sorts of weather conditions. They haven’t failed me once. I live in Washington where it’s wet and cold seven months out of the year. I’ve started a fire with these in the rain and snow as well as in the humid summer air. These matches have a long burn time too, so if something doesn’t catch right away, that’s okay! You have some time to adjust some things before the match burns up.

Read more: UCO Stormproof Matches reviews (2)

Featured review by Arthur Cropper

Turns a light summer bag into an impromptu "colder weather" bag. Very compact, lightweight, and easy to use. Durable, and it's NOT a mummy style for us larger guys/gals.

On a recent summer outing with my son, I made an egregious rookie mistake when packing and did not account for a "cold snap" that was moving through the area. While low temps had been in the low/mid 60's F for awhile, on our trip they dipped down into the high 30's and low 40's for several nights. I had only brought my Coleman light summer bag (generously rated at 50 degrees), no jacket, and no other blankets. Mistake...huge mistake. After getting virtually no sleep the first night (low 40's), grumpy and cold I remembered that I had an SOL Thermal Bivvy in my trunk (bought in 2016) for emergencies and my demeanor improved greatly.

Read more: SOL Thermal Bivvy reviews (5)

Reviewed by Sheila Bergin Goss

Okay, hopefully my final review of matches! These matches are amazing, and are now kept in our emergency kits, should we ever need to start a fire in extreme conditions. The matches are heavy duty, definitely waterproof, and the case and extra strikers make this a solid, though not expensive, addition to any emergency outdoor gear kit.

We purchased this set of 25 matches,as part of the UCO set which includes a waterproof case, 25 matches, and 2 extra striker strips. These guys are heavy duty! Strong wooden sticks, with a treated end which will stay lit for 15 seconds. They will even stay lit after being immersed in water (see video below).We did learn early on, though, that you cannot blow out these matches...we found that out when lighting a camp stove, and then found us with a burning match that we could not extinguish...thankfully, we were near the campfire, so tossed the match in there.

Read more: UCO Stormproof Match Kit review (1)

Reviewed by David Drake

Simple, effective, super lightweight and powerfully necessary, the Vargo Titanium Emergency Whistle is a tremendous asset and needs to be a supplement in every outdoor enthusiast's pocket.

Simple, effective, super lightweight and powerfully necessary, the Vargo Titanium Emergency Whistle is a tremendous asset and needs to be a supplement in every outdoor enthusiast's pocket. There comes a time when we all must realize that we are smaller than the sum of all things. Take, for example, the very unfortunate accident that could have ended dishearteningly worse to Aron Ralston and the basis for the movie, "127 Hours". I can't even imagine how brave this young man must have been. With that said, there are a number of mindful measures we must do to make the best of any situation and avoid dispiriting tragedy… Whether it's in your clothes pocket, a stuff sack, long-corded around your neck, emergency bag, ditty bag, pack pocket, etc.,...

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Reviewed by PhilNC

The Vargo Ultimate Fire Starter is a good idea and handy gadget that functions as a spark lighter with ferrocerium (ferro) rod and bellows. I would recommend it to folks who like wood stoves and building fires, but there are better options if all you need is a spark lighter to light a stove, as the dual function and convenience result in a couple of areas that could improve.

Vargo subtitles this device with “Just add fuel”, and that is fitting.  The Ultimate Fire Starter (hereafter called UFS for convenience) is a neat product that provides a spark light off a ferro rod in wind and rain, while nesting in an extendable bellows. I considered the bellows function a luxury on first use, but now would really miss it for starting or adjusting wood stoves and fires. The UFS comes in a pleasingly simple package—a small plastic bag (now being used to hold some odds and ends in my equipment box) and a recyclable cardboard backing.

Read more: Vargo Ultimate Fire Starter review (1)

Reviewed by Bentbrook

Excellent, effective, and affordable fire starter tinder that light easily with match or lighter as well as with a ferrocerium rod. Perfect for inclement weather or for those occasions when you don't want to wrestle with seeking dry natural tinder. Great for backpackers, car campers, hunters, and more.

Those who frequent backcountry areas with established campsites and fire rings often enjoy the classic thrill of being warmed by or even cooking over an evening camp fire, but adverse weather conditions, fatigue, or impatience may make it desirable to have a fire starter in one's pack. This product, Coghlan's Waterproof Fire Sticks, is just the sort of thing for these occasions. I received these after my mom picked them up for me on a whim while traveling. I've seen them listed at any price between $1.59 and $4.99—in other words, if you're interested after this review, shop around.

Read more: Coghlan's Waterproof Fire Sticks review (1)

Reviewed by G00se

The MSR Strike Igniter is a reliable fire starter that is not affected by wet conditions or high altitudes. Although it requires two hands to operate and weighs an ounce more than a Bic lighter, there are enough strikes in this unit to light a thru-hiker's stove and campfire as he/she conquers all three of the U.S. long trails. With this in your pack, you'll never fear of lighter failure.

When Trailspace assigned me the MSR Strike Igniter for Review Corps testing, they requested that I use it multiple time in a variety of settings, including cold and wet weather. In the month that I've had it, there has been nothing but cold, wet weather to test it in! I have used this in the flatlands of Illinois a few times, and I played around with it at 9,600' while snowshoeing in the Rocky Mountains (though I did not attempt an actual fire). In each and every attempt, the unit has functioned as it was designed to.

Read more: MSR Strike Igniter review (1)

Reviewed by Denis Evans

Tiny 118gm, 94x34x15mm, electric plasma (spark), fire starter. No messy chemical fuel, just a micro USB charged lithium-ion battery.

For years I have had to carry backup lighters for my gas camping stoves. I have tried to use piezo igniters from reputable brands but these have always failed—sometimes quickly. These failures required backup chemical (BBQ) lighters. My present best stove is a Soto Windmaster, which has its own, so far very reliable, piezo starter. However from past experiences I think it is possible that it will eventually fail? So I recently switched from my BIC BBQ liquid fuelled backup starter to this: the Lifesystems Plasma Lighter.

Read more: Lifesystems Plasma Lighter review (1)