BattlBox is a subscription service delivering survival and tactical gear every month. Each month has a theme based on a different experience with a focus on preparedness and survival.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
This review is of the Pro Plus, $149.99 a month, box.
The Subscription Box: BattlBox
The Cost: $24.99 plus shipping for Basic, $49.99 plus shipping for Advanced, $99.99 for Pro, and $149.99 for Pro Plus. The Pro and Pro Plus options ship for free.
The Products: A variety of tactical, survival and EDC gear
Ships to: U.S.
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Each month’s box is themed as a Mission and includes a detailed list of products and their values in all the different level options. This month's mission is "Blade Care & Maintenence."
Here are the items included in the Basic level ($24.99 cost / $88.87 value):
Rusty’s Rags Knife Care Kit - Value $19.95
Starting off this box full of knife care goodies is this comprehensive knife care kit from Rusty’s Rags. There’s a piece of ultra soft sheepskin to apply the provided oil to your favorite blade, and a piece of flannel to buff it up to your preferred shine. These are high-quality materials and can do wonders even with old scuffed blades.
Sentry Solutions Marine Tuf-Cloth - Value $10.99
Next up we have this mineral-spirits-soaked rag from Sentry Solutions. When I say soaked, I mean soaked. It’s not dripping with liquid, but it’s not far off. I placed the rag on a plate just for easier cleanup.
This cloth is helpful to lubricate and displace moisture. It’s safe on wood and plastic too, so no worries if you go a little off the edge of your blade with this rag. It’s oil free, which will help if you’re looking for a quick cleanup on an oft-used blade.
Also, don’t throw out that packaging! It re-seals into a nice pouch for repeated usage.
Smith’s Pocket Pal Knife Sharpener - Value $9.99
I love all the Smith’s products that have been included in BattlBoxes thus far, and this is no exception. Good for sharpening serrated, straight-edge and gut-hook style knives, this little guy can do it all. Plus you can tuck it away anywhere! I have been using this on kitchen knives all week and I’m sure it will come in handy on future camping excursions.
Smith’s included a coupon for 15% off any purchase over $50.
Sentry Solutions TUF-Glide 1/4oz. Pen Applicator - Value $7.99
Next up we have this TUF-Glide Pen Applicator from the same folks who brought us the TUF-Cloth above. This is more of the liquid the cloth is soaked with, and with the needle-like pen applicator, you can really get into all the nooks and crannies of your knives. The oil-free mineral spirits are supposed to be great for gun care also.
The folks from Sentry Solutions include a coupon for 15% off and a fun list of where not to use their products.
The Survival Summit Blade Care DVD - Listed Value $29.95 (There is no direct link to this DVD, but the value is on par for the rest of their offerings)
All these knives, all these knife care tools.. But Battlbox, how do I even use this stuff? Why do I even need to care for a blade? Well, Battlbox has the answers you need in this DVD from Tops Knives that explains how and why to care for all your blades.
Readyman Basic Membership – Value $10.00
Included for free is a basic membership to ReadyMan, a community founded by U.S. Special Operation Forces veterans and skilled outdoorsmen. With the basic membership, you get the following:
In addition to the items included in the Basic box, here are the items included at the Advanced level: ($49.99 cost / $136.35 value)
Battlbox Blade Restore Leather Strop - Value $29.99
You have probably seen these strops on barber shop chairs. There’s a good reason for that! A strop can be a valuable tool for quickly sharpening and buffing the edge of a blade. The suede sign will “roll down” the edge of blades that have been pushed forward by repeated usage, and the leather side will buff out all the micro burrs. This strop features the Battlbox logo. It works great on knives and razors, and could extend the life of your razor blades considerably!
Knife Carrying Storage Case - Value $13.99
If you’ve been subscribed to Battlbox for a while, or if you’re just a collector, you’ve probably got more knives than you know what to do with. And they’re probably scattered in a dozen different places. BattlBox, as usual, has you covered. This knife storage case will hold up to 22 knives! It’s not enormous, 15x10x3, so it can be stowed virtually anywhere. It feels pretty heavy duty and there is lots of padding inside to keep your knives safe. I’d say this would probably work better for sheathed or folding knives, though, unless you have some protection for the blade while it’s in the individual sleeves.
Shown here is the CRKT knife from the ProPlus version of this month’s Battlbox (more on that guy later!)
Dan’s Whetstone Honing Oil (3 oz.) - Value $3.50
Honing oil is a vital and sometimes overlooked addition to any knife care kit. This oil will help protect the sharpening stones and surfaces you use from all the tiny (even microscopic) shavings that can get stuck and clog up the pores of the stone. It can also be used around the house to fix squeaky hinges.
In addition to the items included in the Basic and Advanced boxes, here are the items included at the Pro level: ($99.99 cost / $206.30 value)
WorkSharp Guided Sharpening System - Value $59.95
This is a really cool, comprehensive sharpening system for pretty much every knife out there. It’s got a pivot response option so you can easily sharpen curved blades, and the ends feature 20º or 17º angle guides that are held in place magnetically. Everything feels solidly built and I quickly tested it out with an older pocketknife just to see what it could do, and I was thoroughly impressed at how easy it was to get the curved tip as sharp as the rest of the blade.
Here’s a great video from Work Sharp describing all the ins and outs of this system.
There are 2 plates included to cover most of your sharpening needs.
Don’t throw out the box! The tray within is sturdy plastic and works great for long-term storage.
They also include a coupon for 25% off future orders.
Readyman Premium Membership – Value $20.00
Although the Premium membership's value is $20, it is valued as $10 for this box when combined with the Basic membership. Pro and ProPlus Battlbox subscribers automatically get access to the Premium side of ReadyMan, which includes the following:
In addition to the items included in the Basic, Advanced and Pro boxes, here are the items included at the ProPlus level: ($149.99 cost / $356.30 value)
CRKT Homefront with Field Strip Technology - Value $150.00
Wow. This is a really awesome knife. It was designed by Ken Onion, who is an award-winning custom knife maker. But wait, there’s more. This collapsible 8.3” stainless steel knife features field-strip technology, allowing you to take it apart in second with no extra tools. You can quickly clean out the dirt and grime from every piece of this blade without having to stop and fiddle with screws or bolts.
It’s super easy to get apart and I wasn’t worried at all about cutting myself thanks to its intuitive design.
CRKT also includes a coupon for 40% off! Huge discount!
Verdict: BattlBox crushes it again. It’s been years since my scouting days and I have pretty much forgotten all the things I know about knife care, so to just get a box full of everything I need and then some is great. The final value for this box comes in at $356.30. That’s more than double the $149.99 cost for 2 boxes in a row! Battlbox definitely takes the time to curate thoughtful boxes for their subscribers, and they have a very active community for those subscribers as well.
What do you think about this month’s BattlBox?
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