Nalgene Bottle Survival Kit

For those who have an interest in preparedness and survival kits, you have likely seen the infamous Nalgene Bottle Survival Kit – a survival kit where your survival items (knife, fire starting devices, signal mirror, compass, etc…) are contained within the Nalgene Bottle itself.

There are 3 factors which make this system appealing.

  1. You can easily transfer it from one pack to another.
  2. It’s small. It’s common for survival kits to be left behind or neglected because they are too bulky to pack quickly and easily.
  3. The bottle itself is very effective at protecting the survival contents from water and being crushed. The other benefit of housing your survival kit in a Nalgene bottle is that it will float if dropped in water. Tip: Buy a brightly coloured bottle so you can easily spot it if you lose it or if it goes overboard.
While these previous 3 points make for an easy-to-grab, fantastically portable, and robust survival kit, the majority of homemade Nalgene Survival kits lack two essential items.
The first item which is often lacking is that of a bag or pouch. If you are in a survival situation and need to use the Nalgene bottle to store water, what are you going to do with the survival contents inside it? Having a simple bag or pouch as part of the kit will enable you to quickly and effectively stow away your survival items.
Remember – these items are critical to your survival (that’s why you packed them in the first place) so it’s important to ensure you have a means of keeping them together when your bottle is in use.
The second item which is lacking, not only from this system, but from most survival kits (particularly survival kits purchased “off the shelf”) is something to boil water in.
When it comes to the Nalgene survival system, an effective solution to both problems is the Snowpeak Mini Solo Titanium cookset. It allows you to perfectly remedy the issues mentioned above (lack of a contents bag/pouch and a means of boiling water). The beauty of this combination is that it adds virtually no weight to the set up, nor does it add any additional bulk. In terms of dimensions, the whole system remains virtually unchanged – it’s essentially the same size as the Nalgene bottle itself.
The addition of SnowPeak’s titanium Mini Solo Combo makes for a superior survival system.
  • The bottle contains enough space in which to house all your essential survival gear.
  • The bottle provides effective protection for contents against crushing and is water tight – making it float too!
  • A brightly coloured cap makes it visible. In addition, choose a clear bottle so you can quickly see how much water you have left.
  • The size of the Nalgene Survival bottle is small enough to easily take with you without being a burden.
  • Using the bottle in conjunction with the Snowpeak Mini Solo Titanium Cookset gives you a two piece cookset which can be used to cook food, but more importantly, boil water.
  • The mesh bag that comes with the Snowpeak cookset gives you something to carry your survival contents in when your bottle is being used to carry water.

A perfect fit!

Note: The Nalgene Survival bottle system uses the 1 litre “Wide-Mouth” Nalgene bottle.

SnowPeak’s Mini Solo Combo Cookset Ti (Titanium)

Great piece of kit!

Finding a backcountry cooking system that is user friendly and doesn’t weigh you down is a search the avid outdoor enthusiast should take seriously.

The titanium SnowPeak Mini Solo Combo cook-set is ultra light, compact, and extremely durable – it’s pared down to the absolute basics and it’s all you really need.

Less is more and more is lazy.

– Jason McCarthy, Founder of Goruck 

The set is incredibly lightweight and fits together nicely into a mesh bag which is included. The orange cordage is great for visibility – see “The Colour of Survival.”

Not only is this a fantastic backcountry solo cooking system, it’s also a perfect addition (and arguably essential) to the infamous “Nalgene Survival Bottle.”

From the SnowPeak website:

SKU : SCS-004T

“This cook set comes with a titanium pot, cup, and lid, which stack and store inside the included mesh stuff sack. It features folding handles and graduated markings for easily measuring volume. Sets come in non- stick aluminum or titanium. Perfect for the solo camper or hiker that enjoys both hot drinks and hot food at the same time. As a plus, it is both easy to clean and carry.”

Material Titanium
Dimensions Pot: D 4″ H 5.1″
Cup: D 4.25″, H 2″
Includes Titanium Pot, Lid, & Cup
Capacity Pot: 28 fl oz, Cup: 10 fl oz
Size Stowed D 4.25″ H 5.2″
material Titanium
Made In JAPAN
Weight 5.5 oz
Additional Info  You can store 2 GigaPower Fuel 110g canisters upside down or 1 canister and the GigaPower stove w/o case.

Whether you’re considering this system for your backcountry cooking needs, or looking for a set to properly complete your Nalgene Survival Bottle, this kit from SnowPeak is worth every penny – an investment that will last a lifetime.

Cost: Around CDN $60

www.snowpeak.com

What Came First – the Spoon or Fork?

What came first – the chicken or the egg? Did the spoon come first or did the fork? While the first question may never be answered, who cares which utensil came first when you can buy a Spork! (Spoon + Fork =  Spork).

Whether in your lunch bag or part of your camping gear, a Spork is functional and fun to use.

In this article, two well known producers of Sporks face off in a duel of hi-tech metal vs. plastic.

In one corner, we have the Japanese company SnowPeak whose material of choice for cutlery and other backcountry cooking products is titanium. Super light, super strong, and hypoallergenic, titanium is an excellent choice for those looking for a Spork that will “last forever.”

In the other corner, we have the Swedish based Light My Fire (LMF) who make lightweight ultra funky outdoor & urban food gear out of super durable plastics – also likely to “last forever.”

After testing these two Sporks on a variety of foods…here are my findings:

Weight: The SnowPeak is slightly heavier but both are incredibly lightweight.

Length: Basically the same.

Colour: The SnowPeak has a matt finish which reduces glare while LMF’s Spork comes in a variety of funky colours.

Design: The SnowPeak is clean and straight forward while Light My Fire utilizes both ends for a unique look. In addition, LMF’s Spork’s fork has a serrated outer prong edge.

Durability: While both are dishwasher safe and very robust, the LMF may have a slight advantage in terms of resisting bending and bouncing back to its original shape (within reason). However, the SnowPeak can resist direct heat from flames, campfires etc.

LMF Spork

Ergonomics: Although both hold a variety of foods well, the SnowPeak is much easier to grasp and use. The LMF on the other hand is slightly awkward due to the curvature of the entire utensil…it’s just not as comfortable.

LMF Spork food

In my opinion – the SnowPeak comes first.

SnowPeak – Cost: Around CDN $10

LMF – Cost: Around CDN $3