Gear Review: SOL Urban Survival Kit

SOL makes tons of outdoors and survival gear – heck, that’s what SOL stands for: Survive Outdoors Longer. Their product line will make you feel like you are in luck, and not SOL like the other colorful turn of phrase. Up for review is the Urban Survival Kit.

The SOL Adventure Medical Emergency Preparedness Basic Kit comes fully contained in a box, with a backpack prepacked with the essentials you would need in an urban setting. We’ll start the review from the outside in. The backpack itself, which is a bright orange and black color is serviceable, but not exceptionally well made.

This is to be expected as it’s not a rugged hiking pack, but off the bat I would recommend using a sturdier pack—like the TRUSPEC or Condor Outdoor packs we’ve reviewed here at SGPT.

That being said, this great to put in your trunk, or your loved ones trunk, and know they have the bare necessities to hoof it out of an urban area should a natural disaster or civil unrest occur (for the latter, I’d recommend augmenting the pack with a knife, compass, cordage, and pistol – you can check out a full checklist here.)

Aside from the pack, the internal goodies are aplenty, and a great step towards general preparedness. The full contents manifest is shown below:

Literature

1 – Wilderness & Travel Medicine: A comprehensive Guide – by Eric A Weiss, M.D.
1 – Guide to Natural Disasters
1 – Survival Instructions

Survival Tools

1 – Emergency Rain Poncho
1 – Headlamp, 2 watt LED w/ headband
1 – Tinder-Quik™ Firestarter (4 pack)
1 – Fire Lite™ Fire Starter
1 – Survive Outdoors Longer™ Emergency Blanket, 56″ x 84″
1 – Slim Rescue Howler™ Whistle
1 – Duct Tape, 2″ x 26″
1 – Pair of Work Gloves
1 – Adventure® Medical Kits Ultra Light Watertight .3 Medical Kit
1 – Surgical Mask

Hygiene

1 – Adventure® Bath Wipes
1 – Toothbrush
1 – Toothpaste, Tube

Nutrition

4 – 400 Calorie Energy Food Bar
10 – 4.44oz Water, US Coast Guard Approved

It comes with plenty of essentials for cleanliness and nutritional needs, as well as a handbook for field medicine, and a small first aid kit. In addition, the mini-pocket inside comes with field and signaling essentials – like a whistle, tinder sticks which can be lit even when wet, a fire starter, and a small headlamp, in addition to duct tape.

The headlamp will work, but I personally would opt for another light like a SOG Dark Energy or tactical light, since odds are if there is a natural disaster, the grid is down’ a 2 watt LED will not light much up.

The contents of the front pouch are complete with a poncho, toothbrush, toothpaste, and face mask.It also contains an ultralight med-kit, work gloves, and Mylar emergency blanket.The back pouch has a dozen water pouches, as well as 4 400 calorie energy bars, in addition to bath wipes.

Overall the pack is a good start, and definitely better than nothing when the SHTF, bu it needs some augmenting. I’d recommend a knife, better light, compass, and pistol if possible. Civil unrest would leave citizens desperate, and you need to protect yourself, especially if you’re hauling around a backpack full of goodies when people may have to resort to looting to feed themselves.

PROS: Great literature for reference, decent medical kit, as well as the basics for survival like firestarters, emergency blankets, food, signal whistle and water. It also has hygiene items. It’s a good start, but not as complete as I’d like it.