It’s a curated selection of urban survival gear, clothing, EDC, tech and kits. SHTF events, operative missions, TEOTWAWKI, prepping, professional work, SERE and last but not least for every day civilian life.
Urban survival is not isolated to life-or-death situations or chaotic events. It also has to do with thriving in the concrete jungle, or at least increasing efficiency and effectiveness in the metropolitan lifestyle.
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If you’re in the market for a mini bug out bag with gear already included, there are plenty to choose from. Fully stocked 72-hour kits have become a popular item in recent years, but I’ve always shied away from them due to gear quality concerns. But when I found out that a brand I trust was making a survival kit bag – and was allowed a sneak peek – I had to check it out. Here are my findings on the SOL Urban Survivor Kit from Adventure Medical Kits.
The SOL (Survive Outdoors Longer) line of adventure medical kits gear has been around for many years. I’ve always been eager to check out their new products, and I had high hopes for this kit. It’s marketed as an “urban survival” 72-hour kit in their new Smart Prepper series, but of course most survival gear can work in a variety of situations – not just an urban disaster setting.
Straight out of the box, I loved the look of the bag. It had a top handle and comfortable shoulder straps for two ways of carrying. It also had high visibility with Day Glow Orange side panels and double zip pulls for the main compartment and outer pocket. An outer pocket includes a small headlamp, a pocket medical guide, a disaster handbook, AMK’s Ultralight/Watertight Medical Kit 3, eight wet wipes, a heatsheet space blanket, a lightweight clear plastic poncho, and a travel size had a toothbrush and toothpaste. Of these items, my only wishes were for a big and thick poncho, and a headlamp that runs on AA or AAA batteries. A thin poncho won’t hold up to shelter construction tasks, and finding a small disc battery replacement for lighting can be a real challenge in a crisis. Some kits don’t even have these items, so I was happy to see them.
Reaching the main compartment, I found even more survival gear, yet still enough room to add a set of clothes. In the bag, I found an N95 mask, a pair of cloth gloves with textured grips, 10 pouches of water (4.227 oz, each, with a 5-year shelf life), four New Millennium Energy bars (400 each). calories, with a five-year shelf life), a small roll of duct tape, a SOL slim rescue hauler whistle, a SOL spark fire starter, and four pieces of cotton tinder.
In this gear section, I wish there were two more water pouches and several more food bars, as 42 ounces of water and 1600 calories doesn’t provide much nutrition in a 72-hour window. But overall, it’s a solid grouping of gear choices. Some of the items are also AMK gear, that I’m familiar with. The whistle is very loud, and the fire starter works quite well (although you should add a backup, like a butane lighter).
. Hear It? This is the sound of me doing two things – annoying everyone within earshot, and thoroughly enjoying my new pen. This is a review of the TiScribe Bolt, the aptly named bolt action pen from Urban Survival Gear. It’s an incredibly interesting design, assuming you’re into that sort of thing. And if you’re not, well… click. suddenly.
If my introduction and questionable photography have you already typing “TiScribe” into the Amazon search bar, you’re out of luck. Urban Survival Gear debuted on Kickstarter, and they still produce pens in batches. The most recent run is over, but pre-orders are open for the next one. See any of the links below for purchase information.
Instantly, Urban Survival Gear also offers lead-powered versions of these writing instruments. If you’re in the market for a mechanical pencil, I’d give these a look. Anyway, here we go.
The TiScribe Bolt comes in three flavors: titanium ($80), bronze ($70), or brass ($60). Although the bronze model really caught my eye, I ended up ordering the brass one. Yes, I know – I’m a cheapskate.
Whatever your taste in materials, each Bolt comes with a 5.58-inch stonewashed barrel. The diameter of the pen is a comfortable 0.375 inches, which fits my medium/large hands perfectly. My brass tester features a healthy 1.25-ounce weight. Nick Shabazz’s titanium model tips the scale at 0.8 ounces, and the bronze model tips the scales at 1.3.
Each TiScribe bolt features a titanium pocket clip, attractively emblazoned with the Urban Survival Gear logo. Grip is excellent, thanks to five well-machined grooves just behind the tip. This is where you access the internals of the pen. A few turns of the cap reveal a captive spring and refill cartridge. It’s a simple setup, with a rubber o-ring helping to seal the chassis. You’ll find another screw-off cap on the back of the pen that I think serves as an assembly port.
In essence, the bolt is little more than a stylized metal tube with an interesting deployment mechanism. But its machining quality and attention to detail make it one of the best pieces of EDC gear I’ve ever purchased. However, there is one thing I would like to see. Take a look at the image above, showing the bolt channel. The tip of the curved part is actually very sharp. I had to take a sharp stick to it to knock the edge off. It’s still a little pokey, but better than it came.
But really, that’s my only problem with TiScribe. It will patina, sure, and your hand will smell like a roll of coins after long use, but that’s the nature of brass and bronze pens. There is a wonderful sense of craftsmanship here, which gives the Bolt a unique personality.4.5 out of 5 stars.
Function
So, now you have an idea how TiScribe handles. But how does it work on the page? In a word: beautifully.
Well, let’s give it some more words. Smooth – yes, it’s a good one. It describes the experience of deploying, riding and writing the Bolt. The included Pilot G2 refill was nice, but the Mont Blanc I swapped it for is positively silky. (FYI – you’ll have to trim about 1/16″ from these cartridges to make them fit.) While maybe not as convenient as a fountain pen, it beats the paint from the Fisher and Parker refills I use. I have been
However, I’m going to knock it off half a point for one weakness. Due to the open nature of the bolt channel, the TiScribe is somewhat susceptible to dust. For 99% of people, this won’t be a problem. But I currently work in the middle of the desert at an Eisenhower-era coal-fired power plant. Ash, dust and dirt are facts of everyday life. This caused stiffness after extensive field use, although I was able to partially disassemble things and clean them with a can of compressed air. As I said, people with better working conditions shouldn’t face this problem.
Here’s another word for the bolt – balanced. This pen has an amazing weight. So much so, in fact, that a colleague did a double take when I let him use it. “Damn” he said looking down at the pen and waving it in the air. “very well.”
If I had to pick one ultimate word to sum up TiScribe, it would be satisfaction (with a capital S). This was apparent from the first time I deployed the tip. Although I had sharp nitpicks early on, the spring and snap of the Bolt’s hardware proved instantly addictive. Just ask my wife, who shot the living room minutes after owning it. Sorry, dear. I will keep my clicking to a minimum. In all seriousness, this is something I have to watch during meetings. Left to my own devices, I’d be long with the Bolt for minutes. The action is superbly worn, with no apparent weakness.
bottom line:
It’s a nice kit, and I expected no less from AMK. It can be a lifesaver when used as a vehicle survival kit, or as a gift for your friends and family who refuse to take prepping seriously. The kit will be available to the public in late spring.
Details:
- -It weighs 5 pounds, 9 ounces packed.
- Stitching and construction are of good quality.
- Its contents deal with the problems of shelter, water, fire, food, signalling, first aid and hygiene.
- MSRP $80
Urban Survival Gear Review: Pros and Cons of Urban Survival Gear
Urban Survival Gear (urbansurvivalgear.net) is a popular uniform and tactical gear store that competes with other uniform and tactical gear stores such as FIGS, Dickies, GovX, Uniform Advantage and Jano. Based on our in-depth Urban Survival Gear review, when compared to its competitors, Urban Survival Gear is a mid-performing brand in its category. Read the full Urbansurvivalgear.net review below for more details.
shopper community have reviewed Urban Survival Gear and compared it to 0 top brands, Urban Survival Gear Reviews on product and store features such as ethics. sourced products, and . Knoji reviews and rates Urbansurvivalgear.net and other uniforms and tactical gear stores based on how many features each offers and on a 5-star rating scale. Based on these factors and 5 Urban Survival Gear reviews, Urban Survival Gear earns an overall score of 3.6 out of 5.0 points. Urban Survival Gear offers 0 total features like, and. Urban Survival Gear’s review score also accounts for its popularity, which is in the mid-range compared to the competition.
The new Tiscribe Bolt V3 arrived in the mail yesterday, so I thought I’d do a review with some comparison photos. Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with USG. Just a fan who jumped at the chance to get a new pen.The most immediately obvious difference in the V3 is that it is shorter and thicker than the V2. I actually like how long the V2 is, so I regret cutting the length a bit, but the thickness is a huge plus when writing. It feels much more comfortable in my hand, and much more balanced. I’m using a Pilot V7 refill, which still works fine in the small pen.
The V3 has a much darker stonewash than the V2, which makes the grip rings really pop. Additionally, you can’t really see it from the photos, but the rings on my V2 had inconsistent thickness and depth around the pen. V3 has fixed this.
USG claims the V3 has less tip wiggle. I don’t really notice a difference myself, but I’ve never had a problem with the V2. It might be the refill I’m using, but I can’t be sure. Overall though, the V3 feels more solid and well built.
Clip
The clip is where the V3 really shines the most. It no longer has screws on its face, making it less difficult to take apart and put back together. This along with the fact that it is beveled all around and no longer has a logo on it makes it look more polished and professional. The biggest upgrade, though, is the top chamfer and jumping that makes it more comfortable when engaging the bolt with my thumb.
Bolt
They have moved from U-shaped bolts to J-shaped bolts. Apparently people like it, but I’m very indifferent. If anything, I used to pull the bolt straight down and release it, which you can’t do now. Not a huge loss in my opinion, but not a huge upgrade in my opinion either.
The best thing about the new bolt is that it completely closes the opening in the pen when it’s on. That was my biggest complaint about the V2, and it’s fixed in the V3. Unfortunately this means the pen sits high in the pocket, which I don’t like, but it’s worth the trade-off.
Small bits
USG seems to be really proud of the blunt start threads in the V3. After playing around with it a bit, I realized that they are nice, but I don’t really care much for it. The threads on the V2 can sometimes be a pain to engage, but it never bothered me. Perhaps more importantly, the threads themselves were truly out of the box. I spent a few hours (during zoom meetings) just fiddling with it, screwing and unscrewing the threads, which helped a lot to smooth them out. I had the exact same problem with the V2, so it seems.The top of the pen also now has a beveled edge all around, which is quite nice.
Spring is thin for a reason. Not sure if it’s because of this, but about 1 out of every 4 or 5 times I try to push the bottom in, the spring folds and binds. You can see in the pictures that the spring is already bent at one end. It might be because of the refill I’m using, but it’s pretty annoying. I can replace the spring with the V2.
Vinjatek Urban Survival Site Logo Mobile
- Urban Survival EDC
- LEATHERMAN CHARGE TTI MULTI TOOL /// URBAN SURVIVAL GEAR + KIT
- LEATHERMAN CHARGE TTI
- Leatherman’s flagship multi-tool and one of the best money can buy. Built with titanium handles that come with 19 tools and replaceable parts. This is a premium survival workhorse.
- Buy on Amazon.
- Light Right Slice Tactical EDC /// 511 Rapid L1 Flashlight /// Vinjatech
Rapid L1 flashlight
- 511 makes a lot of great tactical flashlights for the money. It’s compact yet powerful, fast and even with self-defense capabilities. With a maximum lumens of 290 arguably the most efficient tail switch button
- Buy on Amazon.
- Tough Writer Operator Pen /// Dark Urban Essentials EDC Kit
Tactical pen
- This flagship writing instrument is the gold standard for tactical pens, but it doesn’t look the same, which is good. Writes like any other premium pen but with CQC defensive capabilities.
- Buy on Amazon.
- DAKA Essential Wallet /// Urban Survival Gear
Dacca Magpul Essential Wallet
- The most minimalist yet rugged wallet ever made by Magpul. Designed as a sleeve to hold only a couple of cards and maybe a bill or two. Despite its ultra-slim and low profile, it gets the job done and will last for years.
- Buy on Amazon.
Zero Tolerance 0350 Knife /// Urban Survival Gear
- ZT 0350 Knife
- Premium zero-tolerance tactical tool widely considered the ultimate EDC knife. Overbuilt and strong with an amazing S30V blade, yet it’s low profile and conceals easily. Made in America.
- Buy on Amazon.
Gear Shop /// Suunto Clipper Compass
- Clipper Compass
- Made by Suunto, the world’s largest compass manufacturer. They are designed for maximum mobility and wearability as they can literally be worn over any article of clothing, on a bag or seamlessly on a wrist watch band. Is.
- Buy on Amazon.
Urban survival clothing
- Lalo Tactical Shadow Amphibious Boots /// Vinjatech
- Shadow amphibian boots
- Advanced Amphibious Special Forces Boots by LALO. Awarded with superior shoe features and materials. An incredible tactical boot suitable for any jungle – urban and wilderness, wet and dry.
- Buy now
Gorak Simple Windbreaker: Review /// Vinjatek
- Gorak Simple Windbreaker
- A dead simple yet deadly tough jacket from Gorak. Packable, quick dry, rugged and ultralight. Works well for the streets, office or wilderness for survival, athletics or just living and working.
- Buy now
Wallyback 100 Year Pants /// The Gear List
- Wally-back 100-year-old pants
- Manufactured by the leading edge technical apparel manufacturer, Volleyback, they have created the ultimate survival pant. Designed to last literally 100 years. Fireproof, windproof and rugged as hell but comfortable as heaven.
- Buy now
ExOfficio Give-N-Go Underwear /// Urban Survival Gear
- Give-N-Go Underwear
- Specifically designed for high activity and travel, ExOfficio created the perfect underwear for urban survival. Odor resistant, quick drying, long lasting and easy cleaning in an exceptionally comfortable package.
- Buy on Amazon.
HWI Leather Kevlar Duty Gloves /// Vinjatech
- HWI Kevlar Duty Gloves
- Tough leather gloves for tactical or survival scenarios made from premium goatskin and fully lined with Kevlar for excellent cut protection from sharp objects and abrasion resistant covers from rough handling. Made in America.
- Buy on Amazon.
Urban Survival Tech
NOCO Boost Jump Starter /// Urban Survival Gear
- Boost Jump Starter
- The NOCO Boost series of tools are modern day urban survival gear tech kits. This part is a car battery jumper, USB backup battery and has a built-in LED flashlight. in a portable package in various strengths and sizes.
- Buy on Amazon.
Goal Zero Flashlight 250 Flashlight /// Urban Survival Gear
- Round Zero Torch 250
- Possibly the best survival flashlight ever. With multiple lighting modes, this Goal Zero device charges other USB devices. Power up via wall outlet, built-in solar panels or hand crank.Buy on Amazon.
Yamaha EF2000iSv2 Inverter Generator /// Urban Survival Gear
- Yamaha inverter
- Highly portable, powerful and whisper-quiet, this high-end Yamaha inverter generator produces 2000 watts of power for 10 hours of operation. Good on the go or bunker up. Made in Japan.Buy on Amazon.
- NordVPN /// Urban Survival Tech
- NordVPN
- Of all the virtual private network (VPN) companies out there, NordVPN is possibly the most secure, fastest.
Hidden camera detector
As the name suggests, this urban survival gear detects hidden cameras that can spy on you at close range (hotel rooms, unprotected areas). Easy operation using manual detection with integrated infrared viewfinder.
Buy on Amazon.
Faraday Shielding Fabric /// Urban Survival Security Gear
Faraday shielding fabric
Can be used in almost any way with ordinary fabric, this Faraday shielding material can create literal Faraday cages as small as a pocket pouch to the size of an entire room. Completely blocks RF/EMI/EMF/LF signals.
Buy on Amazon.
Portable Door Lock /// Urban Survival Security
Portable door lock
A clever, simple yet highly effective tool that temporarily puts a working lock on most doors in a pinch. Applies easily with little effort and quickly. The compact design is ideal for travel loadouts and survival kits.
Buy on Amazon.
PRIMER TRIP LINE ALARM DEVICE /// URBAN SURVIVAL SECURITY
Primer trip line alarm device
Modern tripline proximity alert device with old school methods. A high explosive is activated by a physical line to trigger the primer. Fully self-powered, no batteries or electricity required. Made in America.
Buy on Amazon.
Civil Survival First Aid
SGE 400/3 Infinity Gas Mask System /// Urban Survival Gear
Full face respirator
The 3M Gas Mask System is premium, high-end professional-level gear approved for military and civil defense for its extensive official use. CBRN type protection with bulletproof capabilities.
Buy on Amazon.
ZipStitch Laceration Kit /// Urban Survival Gear
Zip stitch
A more advanced type of bandage designed to be used as sutures for minor to minor wounds. Applied without pain, complex or invasive nature of needles and threads. As easy and quick as Band-Aids.
Buy on Amazon.
Seven Kit Packet /// Urban Survival First Aids
Seam Kit Packet
These disposable suture kit packets are individually packed with thread and needle in completely flat and highly storable packets that are small enough for a purse everyday carry or any survival/first aid kit.
Buy on Amazon.
LiquidSkin Pro /// Urban Survival First Aid
Liquid Skin Pro
It’s literally a Band-Aid in liquid form in a bottle. Applying it to a minor cut or scrape will create a sort of second skin, preventing further damage while promoting healing, just like a true Band-Aid.
Buy on Amazon.
While common survival is associated with the wilderness (bushcraft), urban survival tactics and gear are used within relatively densely populated areas or in the vicinity of what used to be. The “urban jungle” consists of roads, buildings, civil structures, vehicles and underworlds.
Also suburbs or any human footprint or occupied space. *While not all of the urban survival gear and clothing on this list is part of my loadout or everyday carry, everything is highly recommended.
- Free shipping on orders over $99
- 25 year shelf life
- A rated BBB-approved business
- 100% Money Back Guarantee
- 24/7 online support
- Made in America
- Blackhawk Urban Survival
- Consumer Voice Score: 8.6/10
- ConsumerVoice Rating: 3.9/5
Being prepared for emergency survival is important, and if you’re reading this, you probably already know that. But what you may not know is where to go for high-quality survival gear and products that are affordable and actually designed to keep you alive. Known to be one of the best in the business, Back Hawk Survival carries an impressive list of survival products that are perfect for disasters, camping, off-grid living and more.
Blackhawk Survival has everything you need to stay tip-top in any disaster and their website offers tons of information and products so you can get exactly what you need. Natural or man-made, there is no question that in this day and age we all need to know how to stay safe in a disaster, because life has never been more uncertain. Employing the services offered by Blackhawk Survival means giving yourself the best chance to stay safe and even thrive in any situation.Blackhawk Urban Survival
- 3,997 reviews
- Keep reading this Blackhawk Survival review to find out how they’re sweeping the industry with affordable emergency preparedness systems that actually work.
CONS
- Cost effective survival solutions
- Shipping charge for orders under $100
- Offers multi-purpose equipment.
- Family pack available.
- Accessories can be purchased separately.
- Offers QuadPay for added affordability.
- Approved by FEMA
- Customer reviews
What do they offer?
short answer? Everything you need to survive the apocalypse and then some. Blackhawk Survival is dedicated to keeping you alive no matter what, and in essence, when everything is going down, they’ll keep you from going down with it. Approved by FEMA, Blackhawk Survival is the real deal and they follow all the guidelines provided by the government to ensure that everything they sell is designed to keep you safe. Before buying a product online, you may be worried about their reputation or the quality of the product because you are not able to check it in person? Thankfully, their quality and legitimacy is something you can feel confident about as they are accredited by the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and offer a 100% money back guarantee on any purchase. Do something that you are not completely satisfied with.
From top to bottom, they’ve got you and your loved ones covered. Their survival kits are designed to cover every possible scenario: from group-sized prep units to compact packs for pets, making Blackhawk Survival a one-stop shop for everyone in your family. Makes a shop.
Speaking of which, let’s check out the wide variety they offer you!
Pen Pit Stop: TiScribe Brass / Copper
Welcome to Pen Pit Stop. Here you will find reviews of pens that already have some mileage on them. More specifically, these reviews are for pens that are in my personal collection, and that have been in use for at least a year. I thought it would be fun to do it this way – no new and shiny pens here, but damaged vehicles that have been working for at least a year. Let us know how they have withstood the ravages of time.
The fountain pen that’s hitting the Pit Stop today is actually a pair: TiScribe brass and copper. These are mechanical pens created as a Kickstarter project by Calvin Verrett of Urban Survival Gear. It was purely by chance that I came across this project, and I immediately loved the simple and industrial look of the pen. So I subscribed to the project in the summer of 2015, and found these beauties. I got the pens in early 2016, and have been in regular use ever since.
Let’s take a closer look at them.TiScribe is a machine tool pen, with an industrial look and feel.
Throughout the campaign, Calvin showed videos depicting the actual production process – quite interesting! The TiScribe is meant to be a sturdy EDC pen, pocket-sized (4.5 inches long) and with a solid build. Being a metal pen, it can take a beating, and is meant to show scratches and patina after some use. The pen has a threaded cap, and cannot be posted. This is a cartridge converter pen, which takes small standard international cartridges. The nibs used are the Bock Triple 060 model. I ordered my pen with an M-nib.
The images above illustrate the size of the TiScribe pen compared to the standard Lamy AL-star. As you can see, the TiScribe is a small pen. It’s still comfortable to write with, but only for quick notes. The pen is small enough to be comfortable for long writing sessions.
Features of the pen
Quality Construction: The pen is very well made, and will easily last a lifetime. As an EDC pen, it’s meant to show a “weathered look,” getting scratches and developing a nice patina after a few uses. I love the rugged look and feel.
Weight and dimensions: For such a small pen, there is still some weight to it – to be expected since the pen is made entirely of metal. Weight is distributed evenly along the barrel. When writing, the TiScribe feels well balanced, and fits comfortably in my hand.
Filling System: This is a cartridge converter pen, which uses small standard international cartridges.
Nib and performance: Calvin used a standard Bock nib for his pen. I ordered my copper and brass pair with the M-nib. The nibs wrote perfectly out of the box without the need for tuning, and are relatively wet writers.
Price: I paid 130 USD for the brass and copper pair. This includes shipping and handling. That’s a pretty reasonable price for these rugged metal-based writers.
Emergency food supply
Having the best gear is important, but unless you’re an avid hunter, you’ll also need food to actually survive. Humans can’t last long, and certainly don’t perform at their peak on an empty stomach, which is why Blackhawk Survival has a delicious array of food options for you.
As mentioned, we’re not in the Dark Ages anymore, and emergency food doesn’t have to taste terrible. Long gone are the days of mystery meat MREs and questionable packets, as Blackhawk Survival offers meal kits, bulk ingredients, snacks and more that are appetizing and nutritious. The best part? It is all shelf stable. Even better? They also offer allergen-sensitive kits. So, even if you’re gluten-free or eat only organic, you can be sure you won’t starve. They cover, quite literally, every dietary concern you might have so it’s worth exploring their massive selection online.
- 3,997 reviews
- Let’s take a look at some of the different options they have, and why we think they’re a great choice for any adventurer looking to prepare.
- Gluten Free Emergency Food Supply. This hearty supply of ready-to-eat meals contains everything you need for at least 84 days. Of course, it’s also gluten-free. Even if you have special dietary needs, you will find what you need. Let’s break down what’s going on inside this bad boy:
- 3 pouches of teriyaki and rice (12 servings)
- 4 pouches of Filled Baked Potato Casserole (16 servings)
- 4 pouches of tomato basil soup (16 servings)
- 3 pouches (12 servings) Potato and Chicken Flavored Pot Pies
- 7 Pouches (28 Servings) of Creamy Yogurt Style Dessert
- It packs in 13,320 calories, each designed to last you the long haul. Heavy, filling foods, such as carbohydrates and fats, are the focal point of their menu. This means you’re going to stay fuller for longer.
Result
The TiScribe from Urban Survival Gear is a great EDC pen, that can take a beating. I love the industrial look of this pen, and the fact that it’s meant to show the “life it’s lived”. My pens have received numerous scratches and developed a fine patina, and this adds to their rugged appearance.
The big question is, would I buy this pen again? My answer to that is: Yes. Buying this pen was a leap of faith that really paid off. The TiScribe fits my taste perfectly, and I really like the cracked look it develops as it ages. A worthy EDC pen!
