Competitor Survival Kits
To begin with please note that I am not going to be so rude as to name any company, whether they be a manufacturer or retailer, in this post. However, I did want to take the time to at least express why I got involved with the Dan’s Depot survival kit. Upon founding Nature Reliance School, I had set as one of the goals to start selling a good survival kit. The MAIN thing I wanted this kit to be able to do was to contain gear that you could re-use. The facts are this, if you do not have kit items that you can train and practice with, YOU WILL NOT HAVE THE SKILLS WHEN THE TIME COMES TO NEED THEM. I cannot say that with more emphasis or enough. I started looking for a kit that was already made so that I did not have to go through the hassles of ordering, purchasing, etc. etc. of putting together my own kit.
I researched, and studied, and ordered a kit or two to try out and found them terribly lacking. The kit in this video is an example of the basic kit that is “out there” that you can go and buy. I believe this kit was purchased for about $120.00.
You can see that I am not too impressed with the contents. It is certainly not ethical to sell such a kit and tell people that it will last them more than a day, it simply will not.
It is for these reasons, and quite a bit of good fortune that the guys at Dan’s Depot and got connected. While they determine the contents of the kit, I do all that I can as a consultant to provide them with as much information as I can to go about getting those items. I am incredibly pleased with their kit, and you will be too real soon, because they are adding alot more to it.
I want to re-iterate as I did in the video that the contents in the kit, along with some ingenuity, could provide alot of opportunites for survival practices. However, most people unless they practice these skills regularly, will not have the ability to do such things under stress. That is why the Dan’s Depot kit is made so that the materials in it are durable, and can be re-used. We would love to have you join us for one of our outdoor training events so that we you can put this kit to use and try it out. Obviously, you can try it out on your own as well. Either way, please get prepared by getting one, and then practicing with it.
Until next time, I hope to see you on, or off the trail!
Will you do a video with the kit that is sold by Dan’s Depot? I would like to see it in action and get your comments on it, especially after seeing your critique of the other kit.
Great info Craig… I would like to see you try to survive a night in that tube tent with the reflective blanket. Doesn’t even have to be middle of the winter! =P
Thanks, Craig. That kit doesn’t really seem to cut it.
Awesome stuff here Craig! I look forward to seeing more competitor kits vs the Dan’s Depot kit articles/videos like this.
Mr. Jones thanks for you comment and question. I am in the middle of doing the different parts of the kit at Dan’s. You can check out the Dan’s Depot channel at the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/user/DansDepot?feature=mhee
I have done several items including the pack itself. I am actually getting ready to put up a video and blog on the sleeping bag
Thanks for the warning. I have been shopping and wondering about the differences. Looking forward to the video on Dan’s kit you mentioned earlier. Other than the tube tent, got any ideas for emergency shelter?
Thanks, Craig. Looks like a good kit for my six-year-old to play in the backyard with….. but that’s all! Looking forward to the Dan’s Depot kit video.