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 for the Pro Plus box ($149.99 a month).
The Subscription Box: BattlBox
The Cost: $24.99 plus shipping for Basic, $49.99 plus shipping for Advanced, $99.99 plus shipping for Pro, and $149.99 plus shipping for Pro Plus.
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 28" is Urban Survival, which is something Battlbox fans have been clamoring for!
Here are the items included in the Basic level ($24.99 cost / $94.89 value):
Kershaw Shuffle Folding Knife - Value $13.29
First up this month we’ve got this nice little folder from Kershaw. This smaller knife is perfect for EDC—it’s light, it’s small, and it’s got some extra bells and whistles. Mine was a little tough to open at first, but I put a little oil in the hinge and it was fine. Something rubbed against it inside and left a small scratch mark on the very end of the blade, but it wasn’t a big deal for me. The combo flathead blade/lanyard hook at the end is a good size for larger screws at ¼”, and the bottle opener has a wide mouth and hook, giving you a little more oomph than some keychain bottle openers out there. The handle is glass-filled nylon with a Kershaw-logo imprinted grip pattern, and the pocket clip can be moved to either side. I don’t think I’ll be dropping my copper Brous from Mission 26 as my EDC anytime soon, but I think this is a worthy contender if I ever decide to!
4-Way Silcock Wrench Key - Value $8.14
Up next we have a 4-way silcock wrench. The info card this month reminds us that sometimes the only thing standing between you and fresh water in a survival situation is the right tool, and this might come in super handy. This 4-way key fits 1/4", 9/32", 5/16" and 11/32" stems where you would normally attach a silcock-style handle. In an urban survival situation, this tool could be invaluable. In a day-to-day situation, you could keep this in your plumbing toolkit or glovebox. You never know when it might come in handy!
Timberline EDC 5-in-1 Pocket Tool - Value $7.99
Ok, this box is really full of handy little items so far. This EDC tool from Timberline is a no-brainer for your keychain. The tool itself is only 2 ¾” long, and in its sheath it tops out at 3 ⅜”. It’s got several built-in features: a pre-sharpened blade edge (you’ll probably want to sharpen this on your own when you get it), a concave blade for cord cutting, bottle opener, flathead screwdriver blade, and oxygen tank/fire extinguisher opener. The sheath feels a little cheap, but the tool snaps into place inside it. I don’t know if I’d trust it not to come lose on a keychain that is bouncing around a lot, but in a pocket or a kit, this would stay fast. It might be a little tough to use the bottle opener if the blade is fully sharpened. You may want to stick with the opener from the Kershaw blade in that case.
ReadyMan LockBlocker Access Denial Tool - Value $13
This next item was a puzzler for me at first, but after checking out the video on the above link, I can totally see why this would be an important item to have—not only in an urban survival situation, but even in some tough daily life situations. This card from ReadyMan features 8 LockBlockers and removal tools. To use these, you would pull the two pieces apart, and put the piece that has the key printing on it into the lock you want to block. This could be a padlock, door lock, anything that takes a key and uses pins to unlock. Once it’s inserted, it is held in place by the pins in the lock and can’t be removed, and you can’t insert a key into the lock. To remove it, you’ll take the other half with the honeycomb pattern, insert it, and then lift up to remove both pieces. This second half also doubles as a handcuff shim, should you find yourself in some sort of hostage situation. The entire kit weighs next to nothing and could easily fit in a large wallet. This is a great addition to any bugout bag or survival kit.
Manual Fuel Oil Hand Pump - Value $16.99
If we’re talking urban survival, siphoning gas is inevitably going to come up. Battlbox has you covered once again. This siphoning kit comes complete with a hand pump to save you from getting gas in your mouth, two 50” dipstick tubes to reach into semi-deep wells, adapters, nozzles, and more. You could use this in survival situations to pump gas out of abandoned cars, fresh water from hidden wells, and more. In every day situations, this pump could come in handy with oil changes, and can even be used to blow up beach balls/sports balls/pool floaties etc. I’ve never had occasion to use one of these and haven’t personally tested this particular pump, but from many of the Amazon reviews it seems this is a durable and useful item.
Folding Shovel Entrenching Tool (E-tool) with pouch - Value $24.60
Next up we have this foldable shovel and entrenching tool that comes with it’s own pouch. This is a pretty heavy duty item, but at just under 1 ½ pounds it is easy to toss in your bag and go. You can use it as a pick or a shovel or both, depending on your needs. There’s a compass in the bottom of the handle, a bottle opener on the edge of the shovel blade, and on the opposite side of that blade is a saw. The saw teeth aren’t sharpened, so I wouldn’t count on this to cut any serious wood, but you probably already have a pocket chainsaw or something else in your bag… right? The pouch has a belt strap on the back and a tie down loop on one end so it can be fixed to the exterior of your pack if needed. It’s solidly constructed and I feel like it would hold up for a long time.
Readyman Basic Membership – Value $10.00
Included for free is a renewal for the basic membership to ReadyMan, a community founded by US Special Operation Forces veterans and skilled outdoorsmen. With the basic membership, you get the following:
ReadyMan GreyMan Pack - Value $40.00
I was excited to see a lightweight pack at the bottom of the box this month! This GreyMan pack from ReadyMan is perfect for a quick day trip or supply run but is probably a little too small for an overnight setup. Its gray color and tight-to-the-body shape keep it low profile on purpose, and you can cram a good bit into its 18 liters of storage space. The bag has a double set of zippers that allow it to be opened completely and laid flat if necessary. It features a laptop/hydration bladder pocket inside, and plenty of drawstring on the outside to lash down a rain layer or other lightweight items. The large bit of velcro was a surprise. If this is to be used in an urban survival situation where keeping quiet may be paramount, pulling open a giant piece of velcro is going to give you away immediately. BUT it’s definitely going to keep your bag secure, otherwise it takes a lot to pull that apart. The straps have a little bit of padding in them, and there is a layer of padding up and down the entire back of the bag. That padding also hides a pocket that would sit just under your shoulder blades if you were wearing the pack. There’s no hip belt, but you probably wouldn’t be carrying enough in 18L to make it necessary.
Ontario Knife Co. Para-Pry with Paracord (1st Release!) - Value $24.95
Next up we have this EXCLUSIVE Ontario Knife Co. Para-Pry mini pry bar! This is a heavy little chunk of 1074 steel that can help you pop the top off supply crates or cans, scraping, chiseling, and much more. It’s built to be wrapped with paracord, a hank of which is included for free this month! I wrapped mine for comfort and grip but there wasn’t enough left for me to make a proper hanging loop. Honestly, I don’t know what I’ll use this for in normal daily life besides the occasional chisel needs, but it does seem like an important tool in a survival situation.
Ontario Knife Co. QAB-1 with Micarta Scales (1st Release!) - Value $99.95
BOOM we got another chisel! Well, not really. This Quick-Access-Breecher tool has a skinnier edge for getting a little more leverage in tight situations, it’s an inch longer in the blade and handle than the Para-Pry, and it’s got a glass breaking striker tip on the handle end. The info card says this could come in useful for lifting manhole covers and getting through all sorts of barrier entry. The handles have a tough micarta wrap and are super grippy too. Again, day-to-day, this might be useful in a few limited applications, but in an urban survival scenario, this could be your best friend.
Readyman Premium Membership – Value $20.00
Pro and ProPlus Battlbox subscribers automatically get renewed access to the Premium side of ReadyMan.
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 / $359.78 value)
Off Grid Tools Survival Axe Elite - Value $89.99
Ok, they really did it here. We’ve got a 30-in-1 survival tool here folks. Off Grid tools went above and beyond packing features into this survival axe! We’ve got a heat-treated hatchet blade, hex sockets, nail puller, pry bar, box cutter, can opener, hammer head and claw, spanner wrench, valve wrench, bottle opener, belt cutter, glass breaker, hidden locking 6” reciprocating saw blade holder, and more. It really seems like this thing can do it all! I think I would have liked to see a micarta handle here rather than the glass-filled nylon if I’m being totally honest, but the nylon still feels good in your hand. It weighs in at just over 1 ½ pounds, so it’s not terribly heavy, and really feels like it could tackle anything that comes your way. One thing that’s missing for me though - no blade cover for the hatchet! Be sure to be careful when opening as it comes pre-sharpened. I plan on keeping mine with a piece of cardboard wrapped across the blade for the time being. When all is said and done though, this is a truly impressive tool and a must for any survival situation.
Verdict: Perfect curation this month from Battlbox. Each item screams the Urban Survival theme! You’d be on your way to a well-prepared bugout bag with all the items here. I put this month’s value at $368.90, which is, as usual, well over the $149.99 asking price. There are a few items here that I don’t think I’ll get much use of in daily life, but I feel like a lot of the items will be invaluable in an urban survival situation.
What do you think about this month’s BattlBox?
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