by Paul Brook
I'm delighted to be reviewing this bushcraft Military Survival Kit. This 25-piece kit is going to keep you safe and sound and give you the best possible chance of survival if you ever find yourself in that situation. It's a NATO approved kit and it's also made in Britain. Let's hit the deck and take a look at this in more detail.
Everything is housed in a handy water resistant tin. And it's got some vinyl tape all the way around it to keep everything water tight. But it can also be used in various other situations that you might find yourself in, for example patching things up and potentially just for burning.
Inside the tin, first of all, we have some condoms. These are not for use sexually - these are for use as water carriers. And they can carry many times their size in water. There is also some cotton tinder and some waterproof matches and striker - you'll be grateful for these if you need to start a fire.
There are some adhesive plasters which always come in useful as do sterilization tablets, and there are 10 of those for purifying water.
A signal mirror is included - note that it has some protective film on. There are some hangers which, once you put the lid back on the tin, will enable you to hold the tin without touching it. This lets you to boil water or cook other things in the tin or just to handle the tin when it's not safe to do so.
There is a separate bag full of other essentials. First up is a micro, and quite bright, LED torch which could be vital if you're stranded in the dark. We have some white nylon cordage which is always good to have. There is a sewing kit which is always good to have to sew buttons back on.
The folding knife is quite small but a knife is pretty much a survival essential so it's good to have in there. There is also a wire saw so you can cut through things like small tree trunks to get wood.
A pencil so you can write down any vital information. Don't forget this can also be used for shavings to get a fire started. And also to help start a fire there is a striker with an inlaid compass - again navigation could be key in a survival situation.
The cable ties are always good to have in your kit to hold things down and connect them. And they're not just single use, you can always reuse them.
If you need to catch food, then the fishing kit will be very userful. Might need some patience but it's there if you need it.
Some safety pins which are useful to fasten things together - essential to keep warm if you have a broken button. There's a candle which can be used to extend a fire or transfer a fire safely. Or just for light if your torch runs out.
And we also have some silicon tubing. This could be used for filtration methods and for tying off an arm that might be bleeding too much. There are some single edge razors - these could be used for either cutting or preparing your food.
A whistle is an essential safety component and this one is bright orange so you won't lose it. And there is some snare wire. Again, enabling you to set a trap and not expend too much energy looking for food.
And finally we have some survival instructions. I've had a quick look through these and they're actually pretty good, covering such things as making a shelter and starting a fire. And there's an accident evaluation report so that you can mark and follow the process if someone is injured.
While you never want yourself to be in a survival situation you really do want to be prepared if you do find yourself in such a predicament. And by throwing one of these kits into your car, at the bottom of your rucksack or somewhere else that you go frequently, you can make sure that you have all the tools at your disposal if the unlikely should happen.
You can buy the Military Survival Kit directly from this site.
June 2019
