Reddit reviews ER Emergency Ready 3AQK-4PK Thermal Mylar Blankets, Pack of 4

Emergency blankets are not the fun, comfy kind of blankets ('cept for using to make an awesome cape), but they can be had for cheap pretty much anywhere that sells them.

Here's a few I snagged from my recently ordered list.

Secure USB Drive - For storing scans of important documents.

Mylar Blankets - Ridiculously thin. Good to keep in the car or every day carry bag for a variety of situations.

Camp Suds - Or alternately hand sanitizer. Both useful to stay healthy in Flu season or another outbreak that spreads via contact.

Emergency Whistle - Small enough to keep on a keychain. Loud enough to get attention when it's needed.

Mylar Bags + Oxygen Absorbers - If you're prepping, putting a hundred pounds or so of white rice in 5 gallon buckets is a great way to get started on a long term food supply without breaking the bank. Put it in these and it will stay fresher longer.

Water BOB - Great little device for if/when you know the water supply may be at risk. It's a cheap way to be able to store 100 gallons in preparation for an emergency.

Pepper Spray - The security product you can take most places.

Starter First Aid Kit - Gotta get that going some how. This one has a hard shell which is nice for tossing it in a pack. You'll have to fill it out with what you're likely to need.

Mainstay 2400 Calorie Bars - They stay good through some pretty extreme highs and lows which makes them ideal for tossing in a car. They last about 5 years or so and don't require any water to make them. They're very handy as they're a purchase and forget about them item (for a few years anyway) that lets you have some immediate food for however long you have them stocked for.

Life Straw - A personal filter for waterborne bacteria. Most water purification methods have some significant cost to them, but this one is a great inexpensive item to get started with.

There's a ton of little things on Amazon that are kind of cool to have on hand, but I'd recommend snagging whatever is most likely to help you in whatever your situation is likely to be. If you live in a wildfire prone area... the usb drive would be a wise start. Earthquakes? The emergency whistle. Bad neighborhood, pepper spray. You get the idea. Good luck!

I never give money, because I don't trust that it won't go to drugs or alcohol, and because come on, I don't carry cash anymore. It's 2014 for fuck sake. I just keep walking. People who get in my face get ignored, hard.

But in the winter months, I see a lot of people sleeping outside. It breaks my heart. My city (Boston and Cambridge, MA) has some homeless shelters but they are crowded, somewhat dangerous, and also sex-segregated. People in committed relationships often prefer to brave the cold rather than become separated in the shelters. Some people also prefer to stay in smaller groups of people they trust than in the common dorms. For this reason I always keep a supply of mylar emergency blankets and chemical hand warmers ($1 in the checkout isle at CVS) in my every-day-carry bag.

People are always appreciative of these. I used to worry that I was encouraging people to make the risky choice to stay outside, but in most cases the decision has been made.

Alright here we go...now what I got, I tried to price compare and review compare. Some stuff may be better elsewhere but it's what I went with regardless.

There are some products that I already have from camping so I didn't feel the need to double up. I also plan on supplementing the packs with more food and obviously water as well as medicine, change of clothes and a few other things. I also plan on adding a few things to the medkit, more aspirin, some more realistic materials as well. So all in all I felt this was a pretty solid starter survival kit for most situations. Just something to grab for a few days if shit hits the fan. It's going in my truck where some other camping gear already is (Axe, shovel, wd-40, lighters, mace, knives)

Only product I would buy differently would be the backpack. I didn't realize it ships from China, I'd only buy somewhere else due to the 1 month shipping time. (I didn't catch that initially) there's some decent similarly priced backpacks available elsewhere that will be at your door within a few days.


$13 - S.O.S. Rations Emergency 3600 Calorie Food Bar - 2 Pack - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AFOF2DG/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$3 SE 6-in-1 Survival Whistle http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001C31AGC/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$6 ER Emergency Ready Thermal Mylar Blankets, Pack of 4 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008DEYGJQ/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$40 Ambient Weather Emergency Solar Hand Crank AM/FM/NOAA Digital Radio, Flashlight, Cell Phone Charger http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B9HRJI4/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$8 Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001949TKS/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$9 8' X 10' Blue Multi-Purpose 6-mil Waterproof Poly Tarp Cover 8x10 Tent Shelter Camping Tarpaulin by Grizzly Tarps http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0053QUAAG/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$6 Survivor HK-106320 Outdoor Fixed Blade Knife 7 Overall WITH FIRE STARTER http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00178CS4K/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i03?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$9 5038-3 PK Fix-It DUCTape 1.87-Inches x 60-Yards, 7-Mil, 3-Pack http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KQ6682/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i04?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$40 Outt(TM) Sport Outdoor Military Rucksacks Compact Assault Pack Camping Hiking Trekking Bag http://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Military-Rucksacks-Compact-Trekking/dp/B00HWR37KE/ref=sr_1_4?m=A15PKGU8PFZ6QO&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1396882222&sr=1-4&keywords=Sport+Outdoor+Military+Rucksacks+Compact+Assault+Pack+Camping+Hiking+Trekking+Bag

$32 Fully Stocked MOLLE Tactical Trauma Kit First Aid Pouch http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TL2NX4/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$5 550lbs. Military Paracord Type III Rope 100' Foliage Green http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001B6LFWE/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Total price for everything: $171 Probably spend another 30 or less on food/water/extras