What if Everything You Needed to Survive Came in a Flashlight?

VSSL Gear made some neat self-contained survival kits that got our attention.

I got a chance to test the VSSL Gear Kit and First Aid Kit. Here's what they're all about.

VSSL Gear has engineered survival kits unlike anything else. Using their VSSL Gear compact and weather resistant cases, they've packed ready-to-go kits for a variety of situations, from short-term camping to emergency escape.

First off, the cases that house the survival gear are made out of seamless extruded military specification anodized aluminum and are 9" long by 2" wide. On both models, the threaded head at one end is a very bright area flood LED light with three modes.

The first mode is high intensity: 200 lumens. The second mode is a more battery conservative lower lumens and the third mode is an S.O.S. beacon. Batteries are included in the kit. The other threaded end cap is an oil filled compass. Both ends guard against moisture by using o-rings. That alone is extremely handy, and we haven't even opened the tube yet.

I will start with a look at the VSSL Gear Survival Kit. When the user unscrews either end of the container they will find a six-hour pure Canadian beeswax candle, a handy instructional sheet and seven individual small metal containers. Each one is marked with the contents to avoid any confusion when moments might really matter in a survival situation.

The containers are:

• Wire Saw
• Trail Markers/Whistle
• First Aid Mini-Medical Kit
• Fire Starter/Mirror
• Can Opener/Water Purification
• Fishing Tackle
• Rope/Razor Blade

This type of packaging keeps everything in one place where you know where it is. Many other survival kits lump everything into one container where small items drop to the bottom or can easily be lost. Not with the VSSL Gear Survival Kit. All of these items are housed in essentially a tube the size of a medium Mag-Lite flashlight.

The VSSL First Aid Kit has the great LED flashlight and oil filled compass at each end of the tube. Inside though is a very well stocked first aid kit that is ready when an injury occurs. Contents are rolled into the tube and not housed in individual tins like the VSSL Gear Survival Kit. The first aid items enclosed are:

• 6 BZK-based antiseptic wipes
• 2 Isopropyl antiseptic wipes
• 1 Alcohol free cleansing wipe
• 1 Soap wipe
• 2 Cotton pads (2"x2")
• 4 Knuckle bandages
• 8 Butterfly bandages
• 8 Regular bandages
• 4 Ibuprofen tablets
• 4 Aspirin tablets
• 4 Safety pins (2 small, 2 large)
• 1 Antibiotic ointment
• 1 Tweezers
• 1 Single sided razor blade
• 1 Roll of medical tape
• 1 Roll of medical gauze
• 1 Pair medical gloves
• 1 Emergency whistle

Now, that is a ton of first aid supplies tucked in a very handy package.

Now that I have gone over what the VSSL First Aid and Gear Kits include here are my thoughts of what I think of them.

The packaging is nothing short of brilliant. Most of us outdoors travelers always have a good flashlight with us. This flashlight is very bright on the first mode and certainly lights everything up with a flood beam. The compass is large and easy to read. Oil does not freeze as in a water-filled compass, so we're great there.

The supplies in the kits cover really anything you could think of, and there's still a bit of room to add your prescription medicines or other small gear additions. Like the VSSL packaging boxes say, "Essential Gear For Short Term Excursions" is certainly the case. These kits make the supplies easy to bring along, as opposed to leaving them at home, at camp or back in the truck with all our other, less convenient survival kits. These kits are two of a few different options that are offered by VSSL: check out their website and Amazon listing to see all the kits they offer.

NEXT: NEED A WATERPROOF PACK? WE REVIEW THE ALL-NEW WATERSHED HIGHLAND RIFLE PACK