Boswa Survival Kit

[marthinus]

Hi everyone.
I have been looking for a local (South African) survival school and supplier for some time. There are a few people doing these courses. One is a distributor for ESEE knives and other really great gear. However we rarely have a place that train in our Highveld/Savannah areas and have products to buy.

Recently I found Boswa Survival that does training in our Highveld/Savannah as well as supplying some gear. I look forward to doing a course at them but for the time being I did purchase the Boswa Survival Kit.

From their website:
This complete survival kit has been developed by our instructors and can be used in the field as an essential survival kit.

When the package arrived:

Included was a hammock, 10m brown cordage and 5m brown cordage, button compass button thermometer and the survival kit. The 10m cordage and survival fit was mine the other few things were some friends that we ordered together (btw, the hammock is worth it IMO, really strong, lightweight)

Initial impressions:
A few items were missing that put a damper on my day. So I emailed Boswa and they immediately rectified the issue I had and apologised for the inconvenience (thumbs up for customer service).

Other then that I love the size! It can fit into a cargo pants pocket, on a belt or on backpacks shoulder straps. The material used for the kit is really durable and double stitching. Everything that should not get wet is wrapped in individual sealable packaging.
So after carrying the kit for some time with me I decided to ad a few things…….

I added 2m (5mm) thick cordage and a karabiner (spelling?) on the exterior loops and the Izula with Molle Locks and some extra cordage just to make it extra secure.

Size comparison: One can see it really is not a big kit.

Opening her up: The stainless whistle of Boswa, I added the content of the Izula kit as well. First up is the ESEE whistle on orange paracord wrapped around a signal mirror and duck tape.

 

[marthinus]

Folding the flap out

Contents of flap from left to right

1.Tin foil/ESEE card and ESEE split rings
2.Steel wool
3.Fire Starter/small saw/button compass
4.Cotton pads
5.Matches (I still want to boil them in candle wax to make them waterproof although they are in two waterproof plastic bags)
6.Steel fishing wire with normal line, sinker and hooks
7.Water purification tablets

Then in the other side of the kit left to right:

From left to right: Space blanket, candle, transpiration bag and 5m of cordage with paper illustrating different knots.

The knife that came with the kit.

So after carrying the kit for some time, no real time to have practiced with it so far here are my thoughts.
It is a great kit to have when hiking or backpacking as part of a Bug Out Bag. Everything is has its place and is easily accessible. I don’t care for the knife (since I am a knife nut) but other then that everything works well.

To do the basic principles of shelter, water and food it covers the bases. The fire starter works really well. Cordage for snares and to build shelter. Water purification tablets.

So far I have been really pleased with the kit. The only real issue I see is that my Izula ends up in my EDC pocket, so I will have to get another one for the kit. For the time being I have a home made friction folder of 1055 carbon in the kit when the Izula goes for EDC. Our Savannahs rarely calls for wood chopping or such, small branches can catch fire easily and then just pile on the bigger logs, so the Izula would be fine in a survival situation for the most part.

Hope you enjoyed the review of my first survival kit I bought. It forms part of a BOB containing warm clothes, First Aid, Pancho, Mora Clipper and a waterproof container with some extra tinder, other methods of lighting, line, sinker and hooks. The BOB is however an ongoing process.

 

[Grunt167]

That looks like a pretty sweet kit... I really like the pouch...