Ultimate Survival Technologies B.A.S.E. Kit 2.0 Intermediate

[Chako]

For some unknown reason, I like survival kits. I think it plays along with the multi-tool capabilities. I guess I am a sucker for something that is multifunctional. I took a visit to a store I rare go to because it is located downtown. Little parking, and what there is, you have to pay to park. These little mom and pop establishments have a hard time competing with big box stores where parking is plentiful, and its free.

I spotted a new survival kit that I didn't have...and I figured to self...self...you need to get that to keep the other kits company. I always listen to self. 

This kit is called a B.A.S.E kit 2.0 by  Ultimate Survival Technologies. The acronym stands for Basic Adventure Survival Essentials. The 2.0 means it is the intermediate kit. From the packaging, this kit comes in a 1.0 Standard, and a 3.0 Advanced.

This kit came with a "Bonus" aLOKSAK storage bag. Personally, this kit would have been lame without some sort of water proof case...so I don't view it as a bonus at all. The bag is just big enough to carry the kit plus some room for some very small additions. For example, I added some duct tape for now.



The kit comes with a fire starter called a "Sparkie". It is a neat if bulky design in that you squeeze the tool and push downwards on the metal foot. The squeezing bring the fire steel in contact with the scraper. Pushing downwards will grind the two together and produce a nice spark. Very easy to use. The whistle included is a neat design that is pea-less, so no worries about freezing, etc. The whistle is rated for 120 decibels, and it sounds like it when I tried it. The kit comes with 2 "WetFire" tinder cubes that are odorless and smokeless and guaranteed to work in water if need be. Also included is a "StarFlash" floating signal mirror with instructions imprinted on the back of the mirror. The small button style liquid compass is the let down in this kit. At first, I couldn't get it to work...that is until I shook the heck out of it for a few minutes. Now it works smoothly and accurate. I just wouldn't put much faith in this if I was in a life or death situation knowing that the compass jams easily. Rounding out the kit are two water purification tablets, and of course the um...er....bonus carry bag. I also added some duct tape to the kit, which wasn't part of this originally.



Overall, not a bad starter kit. Missing are a few essentials, mostly some sort of knife. There is just enough room in here to add that, a few plasters, and a few smaller items. The mirror and whistle float...making this a possible candidate for a boat.

[Millhouse]

I have a couple of items from UST. I have the Jetscream whistle and their Strikeforce fire steel.

[comis]

I too do own the Sparkie and WetFire, and UST products are genuinely decent.

The good thing about Wetfire is not only it lit up in water, a person could crush the cube and save some for later use.

A minor drawback to Sparkie is I will need a solid floor/platform for it to work as intended, and I am not too sure whether the mechanism will work well in a long run(vs plain old ferro rod)

[ironraven]

I have a Sparkie that I've been playing with since last fall. I think I like my normal ferro rods better becuase there is nothing to break, but I have put it into PFD becuase I can operate it one handed.

I've been impressed by UST's products before- not the greatest, but still usually very good and the prices are right. I am tempted to try their 5-in-1 match case, simply becuase I've never seen that idea executed without sucking, and the flat hatchet is.... interesting. But most of their products I have no doubts about, own a fair amount of it actually.

As for this kit, I'd like to see more duct tape, their packing method would allow it and they have space. Wetfires work VERY well. The compass is what it is, and button compasses should always be checked against a full sized one before going out.

[Nhoj]

I also have the sparkie and I'm not a big fan. It doesn't work as well as normal flint and steel. I guess if you were a one armed person it would work better though. But I don't really plan on losing an arm...