Review: Gear Pods,Gear Pods Shelter Kit and Gear Pods Survival Kit

Over the past year or so I have placed more importance on having gear that will stand my family in good stead should anything happen. I have been looking for the right kit to put in the family B,O,B as well as the grab/ G,B,H bags. I have been tinkering around with what I will put in so that I have a good balance of kit.

 

When doing a bit of research on survival kits I came across the GearPods that I liked the idea of. After having a look at the site and speaking to James Davies who come up with the idea of the GearPods I got some of the items to try out. I have been testing them over the past 2 weeks and here are my findings:

 

 The Pods

The pods themselves are made from an FDA certified food grade plastic (Polypropylene and Polycarbonate Polymers) and come in 4 sizes:

                Height

XL:              6”

Large:         4.5”

Medium:     3 “

Small:        1.5”

They feel strong and robust but light in weight at the se time and for each of the sizes you can cram quite a lot of things into them.  

They were designed so you can use them as modules that can connect together whatever the size of the pod.

(Terminators and Connectors)

The end caps (called Terminators) have a large thread and ridge which make a friction seal. This eliminates the need for an o-ring.

I experimented with them before I went out to see how water tight they were, with the idea that if they can keep water out they should be able to keep it in thus making a usable container to hold/sterilize water in or store food. The first thing I noted was the pods float.

A weight was put on top and there was no bubbles escaping so it was left under the water for a couple of hours.

 

 

 

 

When opened up the wad of tissue was as dry as when I put it in. I then tested the pod with the water on the inside and the only time I noticed any leaks was when I shook it violently and then it was only a couple of drops.

 

Both the Terminators and the Connectors have large ridges on the outside which really helped when opening and closing especially when it was cold and my hands were numb.

Along with the end caps you can get the Connectors that allow you to join the pods. There are 2 types, the connectors that have the same thread as the end caps on either side with a solid middle and the open connectors that have the thread either side but with an open middle which allows you to combine adjacent pods for larger items.

Both were tested for their water tightness and I had identical results as with the end caps.

The different components certainly give plenty of scope to take what you want when you want it.

 

Gear-Pods Stove System Kit

 

The stove kit comes in one of the 6” pods and has 5 parts to it:

1. Cook mug:

Weight:      3.2 oz

Height:       4”

Diameter:  2.75”

 It can hold up to 9.5 fl oz and is made from hard anodized aluminium. There is a 1” band of flame retardant Silica around the top.

2. Lid:

Weight:     0.24 oz

Diameter: 2.9”

 

The lid is a snap on design with 2 holes in the top. It is made from a Santoprene -Polypropylene co-polymer.

3. Stove:

Weight:     1 oz

Height:      1.75”

Diameter: 2.75”

The stove is also made from anodized aluminium

 

4. Burner:

Again the burner is made from hard anodized aluminium. It weighs 0.5 oz and is 2.75” in diameter and 1.1” high.

 

5. Windshield:

Weight: 0.7 oz

Height:  3.62”

Length: 13”

 

The wind shield is made from Aluminium; it has pre-cut slots and venting holes

 

The cook mug has a very solid feel to it and the shape of the bottom means that it will fit onto the stove securely. I had no trouble with the mug rocking or tipping when it was on the base. The fire retardant band is a great idea as the mug gets very hot.  I would personally have liked it to be about half a centimetre wider so I could hold it with 2 fingers instead of 1 but it does its job very well.

The lid snaps on securely allowing you to contain the heat and it prevents you burning your lips on the rim of the mug (also it keeps bits out of your drink). As is stated on the Gear-Pods website the lid was not designed to be used when boiling water as it can eventually warp the lid making it looser.

 

The micro stove and burner are great little things to use and are surprisingly efficient for such a small size. Both the parts are solidly made and even after 2 weeks of good use I haven’t seen any signs of warping. You can use with fuel tablets, meth’s (with the burner)  and even use wood .The stove has a nice little feature which is 3 extendable feet that are attached by rivets and swing out to provide a more stable base. It has an opening that gives enough room to place the burner /fuel tab on to the plate.

The Burner allows you to convert the stove from fuel tabs to meths. It comes in 2 parts the base and the lid which has a primer well in its centre; it fits the base well but is not tight. Very easy to use and 1 fill of meth’s gives a good burn time.

With a full fill of meth’s and the windshield the boiling times for a full cup were approx. 8-10 min. With wood as the fuel it took approx. 10 -15 min

 

The wind shield does exactly what it says on the tin. It is very light and it fits together with the pre-cut slots. Once together it pops over the stove with room to spare. The pre-cut holes at the bottom help regulate the draught. When I was using the stove I noticed a significant reduction in boiling time when the shield was used. It also allowed me to see how the flame was doing by the reflection off of the inside which meant I didn’t have to take the shield off. The only thing against the windshield is you can easily bend it out of shape. It can be bent back and as long as you’re careful enough you shouldn’t have any problems. I suppose if it were made any thicker you would lose the flexibility and increase the weight. A great bit of kit that is an excellent back-up stove and can even be used as a main user if you are by yourself.

 

The Gear-Pods Survival kit:

(Mora clipper for scale purposes)

 

The survival kit comes in a large pod with all of the contents in a ripstop nylon drawstring stuff sack. The contents have been made up to cover a broad spectrum of needs and all of the kit in my opinion is of a good quality and practical.

The Contents:

Instructions:

The survival instructions are packed with snippets of very useful life saving information, covering a wide range of topic including fire, first aid to food procurement and plant toxicity testing. A great addition to have in the kit.

 

Fire,

Spark-Lite: 

A one handed sparker that is 2 ¼” long and looks a bit like a clipper flint only a bit bigger. The spark it gives off isn’t as large or as intense as what you would get from a flint+ steel but more than what a lighter sparker would give you. Though it gives of a decent spark it can be fiddly if your hands are a bit numb or if you are wearing gloves.

 

Nato-Storm Matches x 10:

These are the water/wind proof matches that come in a vacuum sealed bag with a striker. You get a good burn time from them. I made sure I was facing into the wind when lighting the fire and they withstood it no problems. I also dropped one in water then lit it easily.

 

Tinder Quik:

The tinder Quik is weather/waterproof tinder that looks like little bits of rope. You can fluff it up to give a larger area and a whole one should give a burn time of up to 2 minutes. I don’t use them whole but cut off as much as I need to catch a spark and light a wad of dried grass etc. I was impressed at how quickly it turned to flame from when it caught the spark.

 

Fresnel lens (redundant fire starter):

The lens is made from flexible PVC that measures 2”x 3” and it weighs 0.1 oz. As a fire starter you use it by directing the sun’s rays onto your tinder. After days of rain and drizzle the sun finally came out and got a chance to use it.

First I put 2 forked twigs into the ground so it would hold the lens with the sun behind it and eliminate the need for my shaky hand; I then put some char cloth onto a rock and held it down with twigs. I moved the rock not the lens into position allowing me to get a good hit from the suns rays through the lens. The quickest I have managed to get the char cloth ignited was 26 seconds.

Although not the most reliable way to light a fire (as you need some sun) I feel that it is a good backup as it will never run out, takes very little space and is simple to use.

 

Food and Water:

Snare wire (8ft):

The wire provided in the kit is made from 0.02” stainless steel and is non magnetic. I managed to get 3 good snares (rabbit size) but you can make 4 short ones at a push. Also great for traps, ties, bird hooks etc and I will certainly be adding more to the kit myself. One problem I did encounter was how to cut the wire. I didn’t have any wire clippers with me, the wire was too small to use the folding saw and there was no way I was going to blunt a blade.

I wrapped the wire around 2 thick sticks making sure the point where I want it to break was in the middle, with a bit of effort it should snap cleanly.

 

Katadyn Micropur MP-1 Water Tablets x6:

For me a good way to purify water is an essential in a survival kit and tablets are easy to use and don’t take up much room. Katadyn tabs are very effective against a lot of nasties such as, viruses, bacteria, cryptosporidium and Giorda. One tablet will treat one litre of water in 4 hours.

 

Whirl-Pak water bag:

The sterile water bag is self standing and closes with ties. It holds up to 36 fl oz and takes up little space when folded down. Handy to use with sterilizing tabs.

I was expecting it to be a bit flimsy but the plastic is quite thick and up to date the seams haven’t leaked. It has a sealed top that you tear open to use. Good for storing and transporting water.

 

Fishing kit:

The fishing kit comes in a plastic capsule and contains 4x hooks, 2x split shots and a snap swivel. This will give you a very basic tackle when combined with the thread which can be used in an emergency or the nylon cord (Good for a night line). The hooks are fairly small so will allow you to catch small to big fish or can be used to catch birds. As there is plenty of room in the capsule I will certainly be adding more hooks shot etc and with some line it will make a good emergency kit.

Tools:

Liquid filled compass: A 20mm button compass that is surprisingly accurate. It will make a good backup and it weighs hardly anything.

 

Needle, thread and pins:

A basic sewing kit that contains a heavy duty 2” needle, 2 safety pins (that can double as improvised hooks) and 50ft of heavy duty thread that has a BS of 10 lb. This is a good strong thread that will cope with most emergency repairs and a needle that will push through thicker materials. I have tried out on a webbing shoulder strap that had torn free and tried a little bit on some leather. Both are holding up fine.

 

Folding Knife:

(Made by Derma-Safe)

The folding knife is made from stainless steel with a tough plastic handle. It measures 2.75” when folded and 4 ½” extended and weighs 0.27 oz.  It is recommended for light – medium use which I would agree with. I was able to skin a bunny, make a few feather sticks and cut ropes etc. I would not risk trying it for heavier tasks myself and avoid greenwood as it will dull the blade quick. It would also be good to put into a FAK as a scalpel or in a wash kit to shave with.

Folding Saw:

(Made by Derma-Safe)

The folding saw has the same plastic handle as the knife with a Swiss made blade that has 18 TPI. It is also intended for light – medium use. I used this for cutting notches in wood, cutting up a can to make a penny stove which it did with no problems. I found that will work best on denser materials like bone, plastic etc but wouldn’t recommend it for thicker metal though.

 

Cord + Tape:

The cord is nylon and comes in a 25ft length. It has a BS of 70 lbs and is great for tying up gear, lashing branches together, general use and is good for a night line or for catching birds on branch snares.  Also it was used for tying off points on the tarp.

 

Duct Tape:

This is 2” x 30” roll of tape that has so many uses and is always a must with me when putting together a kit. On my outing it was used to make a secure tie off point on a piece of thin plastic so that I could pass a piece of cord through it without any rips developing.

 

Fresnel lens (magnifier):

The lens has a 3 x magnification and is great for helping you see to get splinters out and Identifying small plants, bugs etc. My only problem was I managed to crack one of the edges slightly when I was putting it away so I would advise care when packing.

 

Communication:

 

Rescue Flash Signal Mirror:

(Made by Adventure Medical Kits)

The signal mirror is made from Lexan Polycarbonate it measures 3” x 2” and weighs 0.32 oz.

It has a lanyard hole in one of the corners which means you can have it to hand all the time. There are very clear easy to follow instructions printed on the back making it easy to use and the aid allows you to pinpoint your target precisely. The Lexan makes it very tough, durable and hard to break. It has been tested and found to have a visibility of over 20 miles. I haven’t had the chance to use this myself but I have seen video clips of it in action and was very impressed. I was surprised at how big the flash was over such a distance. For me this is a great signalling tool to have in my kit.

 

Fox40 Micro Safety Whistle:

This whistle is small and has a great shape to it. It measures 2 ¼” x 1 ¼” and weighs 0.2 oz. It is a 3 chamber pea less design and can produce 110dB. There is also a lanyard hole in it. A great signalling tool that is very loud and can carry the sound over a good distance.

 

Mini-LED Flashlight:

The flashlight weighs 0.3oz and measures 1”x 0.75”. This is a compact light that gives off a good beam. It has a 100,000 hour rating and is powered by a 3v lithium coin cell.

There is a split ring attached to it which I found very handy as I was able to clip it to the tarp ridgeline and leave it there in reach. I think its best feature is the switch. As well as a dedicated on/off switch it also has a panel that allows you to signal with it like Morse code. For me this wouldn’t be a main user but for a backup, signalling light it is great and it is excellent for lighting under your tarp.

(“Bronnie”  keeping watch lit by the led light)

 

Waterproof Stationary:

(Produced by Rite in the Rain  )

The stationary includes a sheet of paper that has 4 different designs on it, blank, lined, graph and box. Each design can be easily torn off by the perforations. The full sheet measures 4”x6”. The pencil is a #2 and has a cap to stop the point snapping. Great for leaving behind messages, keeping tallies, map drawing etc.

Living in Scotland has given me plenty of opportunity to try it out and the water was rolling off the paper. After 5 days left out in the weather it still didn’t get soggy.

 

 

 

GearPods Shelter Kit:

(Mora for scale)

 

The shelter kit comes in the large Pod and contains, a tarp, cord and line tensioners that come in a drawstring bag and an emergency blanket.

It was designed to be used as a tough durable shelter but with weight kept to a minimum. The instructions included show you how to set up the tarp, use the tensioners and how to tie a bowline knot.

 

The Adventure Tarp:

The Hi-Viz tarp is made from ultralight 1.47oz double silicon coated ripstop nylon (30 Denier). Its dimensions are 4.5ft x 6.5ft and it weighs only 5.3oz including the stuff sack.

It has 9 fabric tie off points and the centre loop has a reinforced patch. It is quite versatile and you can set it up in a few different ways. The size is deceptive, I haven’t slept under a tarp this small before and when I first pitched it I was a bit doubtful. Well I was glad to be proven wrong.

 

The first few nights I slept under a lean to config with a 2 season sleeping bag, a waterproof fleece lined cloak and a dog next to me. Underneath was a good thick layer of leaves and fir branches. The tarp was pitched quite low and I had no trouble fitting in underneath. I woke up once on the first night as the wind was whipping around to where my head was. I used my rucksack to block off the head end and it was fine after that.

If you use an a-frame setup you do have to crawl in and out of it. The other set up I tried was to hang it from its centre point then peg out the sides. You wouldn’t be able to sleep under this but you can sit comfortably.

 

There are a couple of things I would change. First I would make the tie loops a bit bigger as it was a bit of a pain trying to put the cord through first off. I have now got the cord attached permanently. Secondly I would make the centre re-enforcement patch larger as it would be more secure against the strain from that point.

 

I think this is a great bit of kit that you can use for more than just emergencies. Its lightness and its ability to pack down small means you can fit it into your pocket.  I would suggest practising folding it away before you use it as it can be irksome when the wind is blowing and the tarp refuses to fold up. Once you have cracked that setup and take down time is very quick.

 

Cord, tensioners and blanket:

He kit comes with 25ft of the 70lb BS cord and is used to make the ridge lines and for anchoring the ties. I would personally add more cord to give more leeway in the set up.

The Line-Lok tensioners (x6) are a great addition as they make setting up/ packing away so much quicker. They are very simple to use and keep the tension on the lines extremely well.

I only had to adjust them when the wind picked up. I have kept 2 on the ridge line permanently so all I have to do is put the ends around a tree and clip in the knot.

 

The thermal blanket included will reflect 80% of your body heat back. I haven’t used it with this tarp but have in the past used one similar with a hammock and the difference is a lot. For emergencies though it could be a life saver.

 

Conclusion:

After 2 weeks of use I am still very impressed with the GearPods. They have been well thought out and are compact, versatile, robust, practical and of a high quality.  I will certainly be adding them to the bags.

There are a few different kits and accessories you can get and you can even buy the pods and the individual components separately to make your own up.

 

More info:

 

www.gearpods.com

 

UK : wilderness1-2-1

www.wilderness121.co.uk