BattlBox Subscription Box Review + Coupon – November 2017

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 theme is Self-Reliance, and features several items to help you provide fire, water, food and shelter for yourself and potentially those around you.

We get a discount offer for Lucky Tackle Box in this month’s box too.

Here are the items included in the Basic level ($24.99 cost / $55.56 retail value):

The Speedy Stitcher Sewing Awl Kit - Retail Value $20.61, Listed value $19.99 (found here for $19.58)

First up this month we get this sewing awl from Speedy Stitcher. This awl kit is super sharp and will easily pierce heavy materials like tarps and thick leather. It can sew a standard lock-stitch just like a sewing machine so you can rely on your handiwork. The needles and waxed string can be stored in the handle, so everything you need stays with the tool. You could use this to do quick repairs on boots, or fashion your own sheaths for EDC gear. This feels like a well-built tool that will last for years to come.

Opinel No. 6 Carbon Steel Pocketknife - Retail Value $13

Up next is this light and easily pocketable knife from Opinel! Opinel has been making blades since the 1800s and I can totally see why. This knife is light, fits well in my hand, and has a non-mechanical safety lock that gives it a unique bit of charm. The handle is a natural beech wood, while the blade is made from carbon steel. Carbon steel is likely to rust or corrode so I’ll be keeping this dry and clean after every use. This feels like a good whittling or light use kind of knife, certainly something you could carry regularly that would come in handy time and again.

Marbles Pocket Puck Knife Sharpening Stone - Retail Value $9

A perfect companion to the last item is this sharpening stone from Marbles. This is a dual grit sharpening stone - one side is coarse and the other is medium. You may have a fine grit stone laying around from previous Battlboxes if you want to get real serious about keeping your items super sharp! A medium grit stone will keep most blades more than sharp enough for regular use. Marbles says this is good for use on knives, machetes, axes, mower blades, and more. If you’re planning on keeping these items sharp on your own (as you should be!) this is going to be an invaluable tool for you.

Readyman Tinder Scraper - Retail Value $12.95

Up next is this tinder scraper from Readyman. It’s made from stainless steel, it’s very light, and it’ll easily tuck away in your wallet. In theory, this is a useful item.. Until I tried to use it. I was curious how easy it would be to hold and use since one side has a saw edge. It’s a little tough to actually use as there’s no great way to grip and get leverage on the wood. If you’re wearing gloves it’d be easy though! It’s always good to have a handy way to make tinder, so I understand why this is included. I don’t think I would pay $13 for this item though, the value seems pretty high.

In addition to the items included in the Basic box, here are the items included at the Advanced level: ($49.99 cost / $91.88 retail value)

Condor Kephart Blank Blade with Battlbox Exclusive Walnut Blocks and Pins - Retail Value $21.33

Up next is this Kephart project kit from Condor! We had a similar item in the December 2016 Battlbox, but I feel like this is a nicer little kit. It’s been a year and I still haven’t gotten around to making the last one, but I feel like I’m gonna force myself to work on this over the holidays! The Kephart blank has a 4.5” carbon steel blade with a 4.5” handle, overall a really nice size for a fixed blade. Battlbox included some exclusive walnut scales and pins to create your own personalized handle. I’m really hoping to find the time to make this soon, and with any luck, I’ll be able to use my Speedy Stitcher to create a sheath for it.

DF-4 Deadfall Trap - Retail Value $14.99

So normally when I think of a deadfall, I think of a DIY trap you can make in a survival setting. Battlbox acknowledges that obviously, you can make one of these really easily, but that this one is really lightweight and well engineered. The upside of carrying one of these is that you save the time of sharpening and assembling your own with sticks you find in the wilderness. This trap can also double as a snare and includes a length of wire if you plan on using it this way. There are instructions for how to set up both of these if you are unfamiliar, and also tips and tricks for using this in the wild. Self Reliance Outfitters claims a roughly 20% success rate for this particular trap though they also acknowledge there are many factors at play when using this type of trap so that figure isn’t necessarily guaranteed. I think the time you’d save in setting up your own is an easy trade-off for the weight and space you’re giving up in your pack.

In addition to the items included in the Basic and Advanced boxes, here are the items included at the Pro level: ($99.99 cost / $141.83 retail value)

Zombie Tinder Buschrafter Firestarting Kit - Retail Value $49.95 (Listed value $59.95)

This little kit from Zombie Tinder is chock full of useful fire-starting knick-knacks. You’ll get a Ferrostrike Super Socket, a Ferrostrike Magnesium wearable, a dry climate tinder “smash and strike” ball, a bag of jellied ginned cotton, a bag of charred cotton, a Scottish blue flint, some ranger bands, a length of 550 paracord, and a length of jute tinder in a small tin, all weighing in at 9 ounces! This is pretty much everything you need, save for the actual firewood, to get a fire going in nearly any situation. The two Zombie Tinder Ferrostrike items make up most of the value in this kit, but they’re also the two items you can use over and over again. The remaining supplies might not last you a long while, but they are easily replenishable and you’ll have a nice tin to keep everything in.

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 / $246.83 retail value)

Condor Primitive Bush Knife - Retail Value $105

Finally this month, we get this impressive fixed blade knife that would make Crocodile Dundee proud. The Condor Primitive Bush Knife is a beautiful, heavy knife made from 420HC steel, which is known to hold up under heavy use. This thing feels just shy of a machete but not by much. I could see it as a handy brush clearer for small areas, but you could even use this thing to split smaller logs or create tinder from split wood. It feels great in my hand - very solid. The sheath is gorgeous too. I love the inlay art and the stitching is really well done. This model was specifically developed by Matt Graham, a known survivalist who spends most of his time living off the land in a remote area in Utah. I think this is a fantastic all-around blade that could be used for a myriad of things if you found yourself in a situation where you had to be fully self-reliant.

Verdict: As usual, BattlBox has put together a solid collection of items focused on a solid central theme. You have a great start here in getting yourself set up to be fully self-reliant and covering the 4 major needs: food, fire, shelter, and water. The November box tops out at $246.83 (listed as $261.56) in value, well over the $149.99 investment.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? You won’t get this box as a subscriber if you sign up today, but you can buy past boxes in the BattlBox store.

Coupon – Use coupon code MYSUBTEN to save 10% off your first box!

Value Breakdown: At $149.99 for the ProPlus box, here’s what you are paying approximately per item:

• The Speedy Stitcher Sewing Awl Kit: $12.52
• Opinel No. 6 Carbon Steel Pocketknife: $7.90
• Marbles Pocket Puck Knife Sharpening Stone: $5.47
• Readyman Tinder Scraper: $7.87
• Condor Kephart Blank Blade: $12.96
• DF-4 Deadfall Trap: $9.11
• Zombie Tinder Buschrafter Firestarting Kit: $30.35
• Condor Primitive Bush Knife: $63.80

What do you think about this month’s BattlBox?