My all time favorite dollar store survival item is one of those bubble wrap style, reflective car window shades. They provide a little bit of cushion and reflect body heat back at you. They can block wind, rain and sun and they weigh next to nothing.
Eric, you sort of giggled and poo-pooed your shelter item, but what most folks don't realize, because it's frequently glossed over in "survival" videos, is how much leaves and sticks and bark and other such stuff is required to make a debris shelter that is even marginally rain "resistant", even if it is the very small, one man, wickiup style. That sheet of .7 mil plastic is just the thing to lay over a stick framework before piling on the debris for insulation or camouflage and be guaranteed that the structure will repel water and not require all the work of gathering up to 2 feet of debris. I think that this is the best extended use for pocket sized Mylar "blankets" (nobody demonstrates this on the channels I follow), but the 108 square feet of that sheet makes it even better than Mylar, as far as coverage goes. It doesn't matter that it is thin or fairly fragile after it has been covered with the debris. It will be protected at that point. I didn't know that plastic sheeting that large could be bought in that lightweight version and I will be looking for those drop cloths to add to my kits. The plastic sheet, the paring knife, the dog collar light, combo manicure/sewing kit (maybe even add some fishing items from Walmart) were all items I'll look for. Did the bottles that you put the coffee in come from the Dollar Store? Very helpful video, good work!
I think these video clips are brilliant as people can get started on a budget then slowly replace items for better quality pieces if they wish to. We have discount stores & the famous Reject Shop here in Australia. During flooding I made a couple of kits to give as Xmas gifts & on 1 trip away my colleague was stranded in her car with her hubby but had these kits to get through the long delay.
This kit is a good idea for having "spare" kits for family members. You can put them together fairly inexpensively and maybe upgrade items as you can afford it or as family members gain an interest in preparedness. It covers the basics for a short amount of time and can be supplemented with a vehicle kit if need be. I typically call my preparedness gear "camping gear" since most of my family has little interest. Last couple years they have been showing a little more interest though.
Another thing you can do when you go to the Dollar tree is run through that crafting aisle. So many things there Hot glue sticks, unvarnished wood dowels or sticks for tinder, sometimes they have stainless steel travel tumblers there with lids for five bucks. Yes it's five bucks. But it's a nice option and especially if it's single wall because you can pull the lid off and boil your water in that. Also they usually have metal pet food bowls, and those could come in handy too.
To help with the bag situation, since you purchased a sewing kit, you can reinforce the places on the bag that are apt to rip or fail ahead of time. And you're not spending any extra dollars because you used your dollar store items. *on* the dollar store item, if that makes sense.
yeah, you can use all the paracord and the sewing kit to weave application and reenforcements for the crappy back. After a few hours you will get a full tactical molle bag with extra pouches.
Unscented bleach would be another water purification option that one should be able to source from a dollar store. On a morale/caffeine front, they often have those little MiO-style bottles where they have flavor concentrate + caffeine available at dollar stores as well. Some of those little bottles can be taken apart and put back together to be reusable in some way, though I haven't yet figured out what a good use for them would be, but I think there is at least some promise there. I'm feeling pretty vindicated seeing that you also noticed the promise of that little LED dog light, too. I was tickled pink the first time I noticed one of them and its possibilities. The suture needle from the hair weave kit was a pretty sharp move, too.
At 6:05 that “stretch tape” is called Coban. It was borrowed from horse medicine. As a side note it is sold in multiple camo patterns on Amazon & provides for clean, zero- adhesive camouflaging of gear from stainless water bottles to rifles. As always great effort, Eric 👍🏼
For a while there, we bought the version of it marketed for pets because it was so much cheaper than the stuff marketed as for humans, and better quality, too.
Great job Eric! Just a few suggestions swap out the plastic cup for a can of soup, the plastic cup will most likely crack and form leaks when hot water is poured in. Some dollar stores carry the reflective windshield inserts for blocking the Sun in the summer, they make a nice sleeping pad. Also for ground cover a table cloth would give you a dry spot. I agree with you about adding water filtration to the kit and since it’s winter adding a blanket from Goodwill (keeping with the affordable concept) the blanket could be used with the para cord to bundle up your gear. Last but certainly not least, Happy New Year! I’m looking forward to another year of great content, the last few years have been fun and informative.
My dollar store has aluminium cups with carabiners for handles. It's super lightweight and you can clip it to your back pack so it saves space inside. It think those kind of cups would be fairly easy to find elsewhere too.
I will say that I am surprised that you didn’t get an emergency blanket or 2 and an emergency poncho. These items are available at the dollar tree that I go to along with a plastic coffee mug or tumbler
Great job! I would add for water purification: small/travel size dropper bottle, bleach, latex balloons to stretch over top of bottle to prevent leaks.
I’d love if you hit up several stores, maybe still at budget. And maybe weird stores like Home Depot or lowes, or target/Walmart or grocery store, also like to see you use them on your camping trips, not necessarily as survival challenge or anything but take bag with you and film some situations and that bag.
Some thoughts: -stuff as many Cliff Bars & trail mix bags into every vacant space possible -salt -can opener (scavenging) -a lot of dollar stores sell a decent 10-12” crowbar -add a jacket that “you’re already wearing” along with thermal hat and a strong EDC & I do believe you’ll make it to your retreat 👍🏼
Also eye drops or saline solution in case of emergency. I understand this is for emergencies and to do it cheap but also don't forget to have travel sizes of any prescriptions you may require. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if they have sample sizes of your regular medication. Still overall a very good video. I'm writing down the items you suggested as we speak. Oh! And those portable ice packs. The ones you crack to activate. Heat packs for hands and feet can also be used for muscle strain etc.
BTW .. Walmart now sells a Sawyer water bottle 32 oz with a sawyer filter inside..19.99..!! I have a regular Sawyer filter in my vehicle get home bag.. but I wanted the water bottle in filter for when I travel out of the country
I would definitely get the basics like the small first aid stuff and some of the toiletries from there (loved the water expanding cloth idea!). But I would definitely get a better bag, more medical supplies, water filter a d also purification tablets, and maybe some better organizers. Also a portable emergency tent and thermal blanket, plus a good multi tool. You'll be happy you spent more on better quality items if your life depends on it.
@@KitbashedSurvival Yeah. Unless I cannot afford doing a better setup, Id feel much safer having stuff I can rely on. My fear would be when I need the kit the most, the bag falls apart and becomes unusable. Or say the thin plastic fails to provide strong enough shelter in a storm. Also that pairing knife looks like it'd become dull fast and not be of much use after. You don't have to spend much more to get a pretty big step up in quality.
This will depend on your local store of course but if you go in the spring and summer they may have camping gear and fishing supplies. The stores in my city certainly do. ps. including emergency tents and blankets .
You have got a point, but are making it in the wrong context. This video's goal was a dollar store bag and that it did well. You are proposing another type of kit.
Definitely like what did here. Now me for a non dollar tree item I add. Is simply a Fiskars folding saw or cheap but good hatchet. Course like you said a better backpack and a water filter straw . Now for dollar store item I would add can opener and some diamond stick matches and fork and spoon.
Great job putting this kit together. It turns out you don’t need to spend a bunch of $$ for a simple kit. You’re not going to survive for many days on this kit, but it’s great to keep in the back of the car for those unexpected emergencies. Keep up the great content!
Great video! Some commented on adding those sun windshield reflectors to sleep on,and may I suggest to add a clear or whatever color shower curtain rather than the table cloths, which are very thin and tend to tear easily. Use the shower curtain as a lean-to shelter and the clear drop cloth as a super shelter to retain some heat. Just a thought…………😊
Comprehensive kit, and it will do for most people. Only thing I’d add is redundant ignition sources, matches, more lighters, etc. My dollar store has started carrying canned heat, very handy for quick heat…
Dude! I filmed a dollar tree camping trip for my channel last summer but haven't released it yet because I'm a slacker. It's already edited. I just need to upload it. We bought a couple of the same things. But mine isn't a Dollar Tree + so it only has the $1.25 items. I'll try to remember to upload it tonight after work and snap together a quick thumbnail. I'll send over a link incase you got 10 minutes of extra time to see how some of the gear worked. Cool video, I really liked this.
Better backpacks can be found during sales through out the year; just inspect the seams and handles. Many decades ago my child wanted to get some name brand items for school, I explained my budget and we then went to the Old Navy store as demanded. One look at the prices and I was being dragged out the door (chuckles). We then went to a discount store and after inspecting the seams and zippers we got new shoes and 6 outfits; later for the holidays I bought three additional shirts, a pair of jeans, socks and new shoes with my quarterly bonus. Several of the other kids asked where we got two of the favorite tee shirts, so my kid became a trend setter of a sort.
What?! No sugar for that instant coffee?! I just can't drink the coffee black. I do have "super buds" so it's really awful and strong when not sweetened. FYI, "super buds" is when you have the taste buds that you can taste things much more strongly than other people. So for example, I could taste a tiny speck of mildew in a pizza, when other people don't notice a thing. I also have heightened hearing and sense of smell. _It's a gift... and a curse._ Love that line in the old TV series Monk!
Good kit. Needs to have at least 2 of those drop cloths plus more cordage; add a blanket/equivalent (heavy bedsheet, "fleece throw," etc) and a poncho. If the bag will hold it, add a sweater/hoodie (warm and dry matter; a change of sox is good, so are gloves. Add some moleskin to your first-aid supplies, and some alcohol pads, and a travel-size bar of soap just for safety's sake). One more boil-in-able container would be good, too. You did well on the knife choices!
I am not in the US anymore since I'm in the UK for school, but one thing that is so good at dollar tree is a pair of small scissors in the craft aisle. They are sharp and small. I got a ton of them for my kits back home. I have yet to figure out how prepping works here since laws are different and I'm unsure about the knife laws and such. But yes, try them out. They are in the craft aisle and have a pink handle. The blade is a little less than two inches I believe? I was able to get them through tsa perfectly fine.
For nice bags and backpacks really cheap, check Walmart and other stores a couple weeks after school starts. They mark down $20 & $30 Nike, Adidas, other brand bags to $5, $3, and even $1.
Nice little kit. I would add a multi tool, and exchange the plastic cup for a tin cup. It needs a poncho, also. I’d advise a bigger, stronger backpack, though,so you would have room for a second bottle of water or two, a change of clothes, and a shower curtain for a ground cover. I know it’s not sticking strictly to Dollar Tree, but some needed things just can’t be found there.
I bought a bag of those expanding hand sheets. But I got mine from Amazon. They look like white coins before you expand them with water. Then they unfold into pretty big size sheets. It came with a plastic tube. I think it holds 12. It's good for keeping them dry on a hike or camp trip. I'll look next time at my dollar store to see if they sell those kids ones, but I'm fairly sure they don't. We'll see.
Tip for instant coffee: purchase a vial of coffee or espresso extract. It's the oils from the coffee that are lost during the freeze drying process. Just add a couple of drops to each cup of coffee and it's good as new! Make sure you get extract used for cooking and not essential oils, which are used for cosmetics and scents.
Another thing you missed at the dollar store is a plastic PONCHO or raincoat. Stuck on the freeway for hours a OPAQUE poncho will let you relieve yourself WITHOUT SHOWING THE WORLD YOUR NETHER PARTS. They KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING BUT THEY CANT SEE YOU DO IT!
Budget upgrade, emergency poncho. I think I paid 99 cents for one at Walmart last year. Knife, in my opinion is the tool worth investing in. Tons of affordable, quality options. And I may have missed it but, cordage. I remember seeing small sections of jute twine, it wouldn't be very expensive to throw a whole roll in there. Great for fire starting and sufficient for making a lot of different shelters. Excellent video.
A cheap upgrade for the bag is pick one up after back to school. Also, if you plan to make several, say one for each family member, bulk on Amazon may be cheaper.
i like this idea! the best part is, that most of the survival bags ppl buy or put together are sitting for years in some closet or trunk. why putting a big amount of cash just away without use? Ok the bagback is pretty useless, but the rule was that it must be from the dollarstore.
Thank you! I put together a bug out bag but some items you mentioned were just common sense items that I failed to add to my bag. Thank you for great information 💚
Hello eric ive been watching you for a while now although i have my bug out bag and other stuff prepped i love watching your videos i wasnt into prepping before i discovered your channel and i genuinely love your videos since they always give me positive vibes and you are too wholesome Keep up the good work sir !
Love the video...keep it up! It would be interesting to see the items that you bought but didn't make it into the bag. What are your thoughts on using a vacuum sealer on several of the items to keep them dry and to save space?
You have to balance budget friendly versus dependable when making a survival bag. Start with a dependable bag, a multitool or leatherman knife, water filtration, fire starting item, water boiling pot/container and a strong tarp/tent for shelter. Then fill with budget items to fill out your needs. jmo
divide your fire kit into two zip locks then put them in a third if the bag gets wet you have two chances on having something dry to start your fire with.
I forgot my ground tarp for a hiking trip and the only thing I could get locally was one of those plastic drop cloths, it drove me round the twist and was only useful one night. Even a really cheap tarp or cheap shower curtain is better than this. I got some garbage bags which I used after that and were better. Maybe having a look at what you have at home already should be option one if you're broke. Make-up remover pads and duck tape make improvised bandages and the gas station knife with the skulls on the handle you bought because it made you laugh is still better than dollar store knives. You probably throw out lots of useful containers everyday. If the rucksack really was your only option doing some additional stitching and adding some additional patches of material to a few places would give you a few more miles out of it. I've tried to make a few silk purses out of pigs ears over the years with some success but they always drop to pieces in the end.
Someone may have already mentioned this, but in case not, a small tube or vial that can be sealed could be used to hold some bleach. Not sure the measurements, but I do think it was four drops per gallon to purify water. And many gallons could be purified that way once they’ve been filtered.
Actually good to have on hand during hurricanes. A quick grab and go if need be. I am well prepared but a great bag to have on hand in my vehicle too...AWESOME video.
I would have designed the survival bag based upon the following priorities: foot health (because if you cannot walk, you will not get very far), basic hygiene and minor first aid, staying dry when it is rainy/muddy, staying warm when it is cold and/or windy, staying hydrated and having enough energy for walking 2-3 days. I would want to keep the bag and its contents as light as possible because drinking water is always heavy to carry. I would assume I could use the Kershaw folding knife I always carry with me. I would also assume I was appropriately dressed for the climate and was wearing sensible footwear. For foot health I would want a change of socks, a pair of cushion insoles, some moleskin, a small tube of petroleum jelly and one ace bandage. For basic hygiene I would want a small bar of soap, a large bandana or cotton scarf, a small underarm deodorant, a toothbrush and a small hair comb. Would also want a few adhesive strip bandages and a tube of triple antibiotic ointment for scratches. A woman would probably want to carry a small amount of feminine hygiene supplies too. For staying dry I would want a couple a lawn trash bags to make into ponchos, a folding rain hat, some kind of plastic sheeting material for making into a pup tent and ground cloth (maybe plastic shower curtains or plastic tablecloths) and about 10 - 12 feet of nylon cordage or paracord. For warmth, I would want to be able to cut some dry firewood and build a lean-to, so a folding pruning saw would be very good to have as well as a couple of mini butane lighters. For staying hydrated, I would start with a large bottle of Gatorade or similar product and just keep refilling it with clean water from outdoor faucets when possible. But I would also want a metal cup for boiling water and a metal mesh grid such as a cake rack to set onto rocks so the cup would be over a small campfire for boiling water. The bandana could filter debris from ditch water before boiling the water one cup at a time. For food, I would be looking for a lot of carbs, fat, and salt that could pack into a small space and not need cooking. That means little packets of dried fruit, shelled nuts, chocolate bars, packets of Lance's peanut butter and crackers, caramel candies... It would not be a "healthy" or balanced diet but would provide adequate calories for three days of walking. Based upon an average caloric need of 2000 calories per day for your typical middle-aged, under active, couch potato, I would want to have about 3000 calories of food with the expectation of also burning some body fat during each day's walk. It would be nice to have a head lamp and clear goggles for safe walking at night. It would also be very nice to have a few N-95 face masks to avoid breathing dust, smoke particles and asbestos particles that are likely to be in the air post-earthquake, wildfire, etc. But the bandana would have to do if N-95 masks were not available. It is also nice to have a small role of Gorilla Tape or duck/duct tape to make minor repairs such as holding in place the flapping sole of an athletic shoe when the shoe glue fails. And, of course, it is very nice to have $500-$1000 cash to buy transportation, lodging, and other nice things if they are available because taking the bus beats walking and staying in a motel with a hot shower and flushing toilet beats camping in the woods. Instead of buying a cheap quality children's book bag or flimsy backpack that will not hold up to a three-day hike, I would look for two sturdy cloth tote bags, connect them with bungie cording and hang each bag from a shoulder. It would be kind of like saddle bags and could distribute the weight evenly along each side of the body if packed carefully.
I agree... upgrade the backpack and get a water filter. I also like a better knife. As Morakniv Companion is not really too expensive (at least not here), I definitely will stick to that over a dollar store knife. It's worth it!
I'd like to see a video about a lunch/backpack with urban survival stuff. I drive and deliver rental cars between about 70 locations in my metro area. I'm in the Northwest so I'd like to some basic emergency supplies and equipment in case I get stranded. Any ideas!
I feel like the best items for this bag are the sewing kit and duct tape. If the bag rips, which it will, the tape and sewing kit will keep it serviceable for a bit.
I love all these ideas especially since we all have different budgets and can upgrade certain items like you said the knife or whatever else. Very thorough thanks for sharing! Make sure the portable charger is charged on occasion I can see that being needed a lot. I think I’ll do a mini version with just basics for my car like the first aid stuff and extra warm clothing like socks, good snacks too. Mints are good for upset yummy issues so I think I’ll add they snack too.
Welcome back! I missed you. You did an excellent job. On the plastic pencil sharpener... the first time you stick a twig in there you'll break it. you need a metal sharpener to get the shavings... I made that mistake a couple of times...
Hi Eric, I was hoping that you would do a video like this. I've seen this done on a few other channels but yours is the best effort I've yet seen. You really but an a great deal of effort into this. Love the destruction of the fake SAK. Here in the UK, we have Poundland stores but I am not sure we could source all the items there? We do have some stores called Decathlon and you can purchase many sports/outdoor items at low cost. I purchased a 20L backpack there for the equivalent of $12 and have found it to be useful and robust.
Poundland sounds like the equivalent store. The idea is to go in there with an idea of what needs must be met and solve those needs with creativity. And there is a bit of luck involved.
I like the pencil & sharper. Instead of a cup, get a collapsible small dog bowl. Great bag. After seeing the devastation with the snowstorm in NY, I'm putting one of these in my car along with emergency sleeping bag, which, is half the size of your drop cloth.
Excellent video, and an excellent concept. One item that I would definitely upgrade is the knife, which can also easily be done on a budget - you can get a basic Morakniv work-knife for 10$. Having at least one reliable tool just makes everything easier.
You need to make one of these using Temu. You would have a much larger variety of goods to choose from. Cheap knifes, space blankets, cheap emergency shelters, fire rods, etc.
I appreciate your efforts and showing that it’s better to have something than nothing in case of an emergency; However, I wonder if it’s better to save up and buy better quality items a piece at a time than just have a crappy bag full of crappy things. You can’t buy everything all at once; but I wouldn’t want to rely on half of that stuff if my life depended on things if they are going to fail. But I’m sure you can use some items from the dollar store for things that aren’t critical. I do like your videos. Thanks for sharing this. This is just my input. 😊 Have a blessed day. Keep prepping .
I would always start with a list of what you believe you need and go on a hunt around the house or garage, you will be surprised at what you already have in a draw somewhere that you forgot about.
I love them neck tube things. I have only been using it on my neck for warmth or to cover my mouth/nose (mask) if there's smoke going in my face. Plenty of uses for them, but that's all I used them for.
They’re called neck gaiters-when it’s hot and you are overheating, put it on wet; it will help cool you down. Great for lawn mowing on really hot days!
Helpful video 😃. I would suggest using packing tape to secure the batteries so they don’t accidentally cause a fire or discharge themselves. Bundle the batteries and wrap them both ways and make a little tab on the end to easily find it when the time comes to use them. I also think a pair of scissors and a small sharpening tool for the knife would be useful.
My all time favorite dollar store survival item is one of those bubble wrap style, reflective car window shades. They provide a little bit of cushion and reflect body heat back at you. They can block wind, rain and sun and they weigh next to nothing.
Well now I thought I was the only one. I have two in my bag . So light and one is none and two is one😉
🤔🙏🙏🙏
@@tectardedprepper8954 great minds think alike.
Excellent idea. Thank you.
Use it underneath a sleeping bag, I use one of those shades in my hammock and i always swear I have a heated mat underneath me! Works wonders.
I used one of those while hammock camping under my hammock & one above me in 20 degree weather. It worked great!!
Eric, you sort of giggled and poo-pooed your shelter item, but what most folks don't realize, because it's frequently glossed over in "survival" videos, is how much leaves and sticks and bark and other such stuff is required to make a debris shelter that is even marginally rain "resistant", even if it is the very small, one man, wickiup style. That sheet of .7 mil plastic is just the thing to lay over a stick framework before piling on the debris for insulation or camouflage and be guaranteed that the structure will repel water and not require all the work of gathering up to 2 feet of debris. I think that this is the best extended use for pocket sized Mylar "blankets" (nobody demonstrates this on the channels I follow), but the 108 square feet of that sheet makes it even better than Mylar, as far as coverage goes. It doesn't matter that it is thin or fairly fragile after it has been covered with the debris. It will be protected at that point. I didn't know that plastic sheeting that large could be bought in that lightweight version and I will be looking for those drop cloths to add to my kits. The plastic sheet, the paring knife, the dog collar light, combo manicure/sewing kit (maybe even add some fishing items from Walmart) were all items I'll look for. Did the bottles that you put the coffee in come from the Dollar Store? Very helpful video, good work!
Always good to have Disney themed expanding towels when you're bugging out. 😉😁
But if they work, they work! Why not?
Gotta rep your brand
Easily the best Dollar Store Survival bag I've ever seen ! 👍
Thanks!
I think these video clips are brilliant as people can get started on a budget then slowly replace items for better quality pieces if they wish to. We have discount stores & the famous Reject Shop here in Australia. During flooding I made a couple of kits to give as Xmas gifts & on 1 trip away my colleague was stranded in her car with her hubby but had these kits to get through the long delay.
This kit is a good idea for having "spare" kits for family members. You can put them together fairly inexpensively and maybe upgrade items as you can afford it or as family members gain an interest in preparedness. It covers the basics for a short amount of time and can be supplemented with a vehicle kit if need be.
I typically call my preparedness gear "camping gear" since most of my family has little interest. Last couple years they have been showing a little more interest though.
Another thing you can do when you go to the Dollar tree is run through that crafting aisle. So many things there Hot glue sticks, unvarnished wood dowels or sticks for tinder, sometimes they have stainless steel travel tumblers there with lids for five bucks. Yes it's five bucks. But it's a nice option and especially if it's single wall because you can pull the lid off and boil your water in that. Also they usually have metal pet food bowls, and those could come in handy too.
To help with the bag situation, since you purchased a sewing kit, you can reinforce the places on the bag that are apt to rip or fail ahead of time. And you're not spending any extra dollars because you used your dollar store items. *on* the dollar store item, if that makes sense.
yeah, you can use all the paracord and the sewing kit to weave application and reenforcements for the crappy back. After a few hours you will get a full tactical molle bag with extra pouches.
and you can use the heavy-duty sewing thread, or better yet, the dental floss.
Unscented bleach would be another water purification option that one should be able to source from a dollar store. On a morale/caffeine front, they often have those little MiO-style bottles where they have flavor concentrate + caffeine available at dollar stores as well. Some of those little bottles can be taken apart and put back together to be reusable in some way, though I haven't yet figured out what a good use for them would be, but I think there is at least some promise there.
I'm feeling pretty vindicated seeing that you also noticed the promise of that little LED dog light, too. I was tickled pink the first time I noticed one of them and its possibilities.
The suture needle from the hair weave kit was a pretty sharp move, too.
At 6:05 that “stretch tape” is called Coban. It was borrowed from horse medicine. As a side note it is sold in multiple camo patterns on Amazon & provides for clean, zero- adhesive camouflaging of gear from stainless water bottles to rifles. As always great effort, Eric 👍🏼
Thanks for this tip. 🙏👍🏻
Lolol horse medicine again
For a while there, we bought the version of it marketed for pets because it was so much cheaper than the stuff marketed as for humans, and better quality, too.
Great job Eric! Just a few suggestions swap out the plastic cup for a can of soup, the plastic cup will most likely crack and form leaks when hot water is poured in. Some dollar stores carry the reflective windshield inserts for blocking the Sun in the summer, they make a nice sleeping pad. Also for ground cover a table cloth would give you a dry spot. I agree with you about adding water filtration to the kit and since it’s winter adding a blanket from Goodwill (keeping with the affordable concept) the blanket could be used with the para cord to bundle up your gear.
Last but certainly not least, Happy New Year! I’m looking forward to another year of great content, the last few years have been fun and informative.
his whole mindset is foolish
@@sbprime2483 Why? You never know when you may find yourself stranded somewhere. I keep a bag of stuff similar to this in my car.
@@kina18 i agree with you that a bug out bag is good, however this guy has plastic junk, when he should have as much steel as he can get
@@sbprime2483 Anything is often better than nothing.
My dollar store has aluminium cups with carabiners for handles. It's super lightweight and you can clip it to your back pack so it saves space inside. It think those kind of cups would be fairly easy to find elsewhere too.
I will say that I am surprised that you didn’t get an emergency blanket or 2 and an emergency poncho. These items are available at the dollar tree that I go to along with a plastic coffee mug or tumbler
That's a great idea! I've noticed that the dollar store where I live is always out of those unfortunately.
hes got his poncho its the big black refuse bag
Great job! I would add for water purification: small/travel size dropper bottle, bleach, latex balloons to stretch over top of bottle to prevent leaks.
I’d love if you hit up several stores, maybe still at budget. And maybe weird stores like Home Depot or lowes, or target/Walmart or grocery store, also like to see you use them on your camping trips, not necessarily as survival challenge or anything but take bag with you and film some situations and that bag.
Some thoughts:
-stuff as many Cliff Bars & trail mix bags into every vacant space possible
-salt
-can opener (scavenging)
-a lot of dollar stores sell a decent 10-12” crowbar
-add a jacket that “you’re already wearing” along with thermal hat and a strong EDC & I do believe you’ll make it to your retreat 👍🏼
Also eye drops or saline solution in case of emergency. I understand this is for emergencies and to do it cheap but also don't forget to have travel sizes of any prescriptions you may require. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if they have sample sizes of your regular medication. Still overall a very good video. I'm writing down the items you suggested as we speak. Oh! And those portable ice packs. The ones you crack to activate. Heat packs for hands and feet can also be used for muscle strain etc.
BTW .. Walmart now sells a Sawyer water bottle 32 oz with a sawyer filter inside..19.99..!! I have a regular Sawyer filter in my vehicle get home bag.. but I wanted the water bottle in filter for when I travel out of the country
I would definitely get the basics like the small first aid stuff and some of the toiletries from there (loved the water expanding cloth idea!). But I would definitely get a better bag, more medical supplies, water filter a d also purification tablets, and maybe some better organizers. Also a portable emergency tent and thermal blanket, plus a good multi tool. You'll be happy you spent more on better quality items if your life depends on it.
So basically not a dollar store survival bag lol
@@KitbashedSurvival Yeah. Unless I cannot afford doing a better setup, Id feel much safer having stuff I can rely on. My fear would be when I need the kit the most, the bag falls apart and becomes unusable. Or say the thin plastic fails to provide strong enough shelter in a storm. Also that pairing knife looks like it'd become dull fast and not be of much use after.
You don't have to spend much more to get a pretty big step up in quality.
This will depend on your local store of course but if you go in the spring and summer they may have camping gear and fishing supplies. The stores in my city certainly do.
ps. including emergency tents and blankets .
You have got a point, but are making it in the wrong context. This video's goal was a dollar store bag and that it did well. You are proposing another type of kit.
@@izaicslinux6961 I have some of those paring knives, and they are not bad.
Definitely like what did here. Now me for a non dollar tree item I add. Is simply a Fiskars folding saw or cheap but good hatchet. Course like you said a better backpack and a water filter straw . Now for dollar store item I would add can opener and some diamond stick matches and fork and spoon.
Great job putting this kit together. It turns out you don’t need to spend a bunch of $$ for a simple kit. You’re not going to survive for many days on this kit, but it’s great to keep in the back of the car for those unexpected emergencies. Keep up the great content!
This kit might be ok for a couple of days . . if your camping in the backyard .
Great video! Some commented on adding those sun windshield reflectors to sleep on,and may I suggest to add a clear or whatever color shower curtain rather than the table cloths, which are very thin and tend to tear easily. Use the shower curtain as a lean-to shelter and the clear drop cloth as a super shelter to retain some heat. Just a thought…………😊
Great job Eric that's quite a comprehensive kit for something made from just dollar store purchases 👍👍
Thanks 👍
Yes. Well done.
Comprehensive kit, and it will do for most people. Only thing I’d add is redundant ignition sources, matches, more lighters, etc. My dollar store has started carrying canned heat, very handy for quick heat…
Good band
@@tweezerjam took me a second
Dude! I filmed a dollar tree camping trip for my channel last summer but haven't released it yet because I'm a slacker. It's already edited. I just need to upload it.
We bought a couple of the same things. But mine isn't a Dollar Tree + so it only has the $1.25 items.
I'll try to remember to upload it tonight after work and snap together a quick thumbnail. I'll send over a link incase you got 10 minutes of extra time to see how some of the gear worked.
Cool video, I really liked this.
Thanks for the video I improvise often and buy several great items from yard sales and thrift shops
Better backpacks can be found during sales through out the year; just inspect the seams and handles. Many decades ago my child wanted to get some name brand items for school, I explained my budget and we then went to the Old Navy store as demanded. One look at the prices and I was being dragged out the door (chuckles). We then went to a discount store and after inspecting the seams and zippers we got new shoes and 6 outfits; later for the holidays I bought three additional shirts, a pair of jeans, socks and new shoes with my quarterly bonus. Several of the other kids asked where we got two of the favorite tee shirts, so my kid became a trend setter of a sort.
What?! No sugar for that instant coffee?! I just can't drink the coffee black. I do have "super buds" so it's really awful and strong when not sweetened. FYI, "super buds" is when you have the taste buds that you can taste things much more strongly than other people. So for example, I could taste a tiny speck of mildew in a pizza, when other people don't notice a thing. I also have heightened hearing and sense of smell. _It's a gift... and a curse._ Love that line in the old TV series Monk!
So cute hearing the meow meows in the background
yeah they love to hang out while I'm filming
I had to laugh, I looked at my cat, thinking the little turd wanted more treats. She looked at me like what... lol
Bro, that fake multitool was stronger than box cutter and paring knife. I edc that for two years and it's value for money.
And the legend posts again! Great work!
Good kit. Needs to have at least 2 of those drop cloths plus more cordage; add a blanket/equivalent (heavy bedsheet, "fleece throw," etc) and a poncho. If the bag will hold it, add a sweater/hoodie (warm and dry matter; a change of sox is good, so are gloves. Add some moleskin to your first-aid supplies, and some alcohol pads, and a travel-size bar of soap just for safety's sake). One more boil-in-able container would be good, too. You did well on the knife choices!
I find a lot of those survival bags at Goodwill or lot of other thrift shops
I am not in the US anymore since I'm in the UK for school, but one thing that is so good at dollar tree is a pair of small scissors in the craft aisle. They are sharp and small. I got a ton of them for my kits back home. I have yet to figure out how prepping works here since laws are different and I'm unsure about the knife laws and such. But yes, try them out. They are in the craft aisle and have a pink handle. The blade is a little less than two inches I believe? I was able to get them through tsa perfectly fine.
Roll of TP is mostly air, vacuum seal it while pressing it flat. Great video!
Product of Denmark , imported fancy stuff, great video. Be safe !
For nice bags and backpacks really cheap, check Walmart and other stores a couple weeks after school starts. They mark down $20 & $30 Nike, Adidas, other brand bags to $5, $3, and even $1.
Nice little kit. I would add a multi tool, and exchange the plastic cup for a tin cup. It needs a poncho, also.
I’d advise a bigger, stronger backpack, though,so you would have room for a second bottle of water or two, a change of clothes, and a shower curtain for a ground cover. I know it’s not sticking strictly to Dollar Tree, but some needed things just can’t be found there.
Sanitary pads are great 2st aid for deeper cuts.
I bought a bag of those expanding hand sheets. But I got mine from Amazon. They look like white coins before you expand them with water. Then they unfold into pretty big size sheets. It came with a plastic tube. I think it holds 12. It's good for keeping them dry on a hike or camp trip. I'll look next time at my dollar store to see if they sell those kids ones, but I'm fairly sure they don't. We'll see.
Those mirrors are really well worth buying. They're sized so perfectly.
One item missing is a shower curtain/liner.
didn't see any shower curtains as the store.
The 'little medal thing' in the manicure set is a cuticle pusher. It also works to dig the grime out from under your nails.
This is a brilliant kit. Kudos.
Tip for instant coffee: purchase a vial of coffee or espresso extract. It's the oils from the coffee that are lost during the freeze drying process. Just add a couple of drops to each cup of coffee and it's good as new! Make sure you get extract used for cooking and not essential oils, which are used for cosmetics and scents.
Another thing you missed at the dollar store is a plastic PONCHO or raincoat. Stuck on the freeway for hours a OPAQUE poncho will let you relieve yourself WITHOUT SHOWING THE WORLD YOUR NETHER PARTS. They KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING BUT THEY CANT SEE YOU DO IT!
They didn’t have ponchos on my dollar store, but the black garbage backs can function as one.
Great Idea 👍
Great Kit👍
Great Video 👍
Budget upgrade, emergency poncho. I think I paid 99 cents for one at Walmart last year.
Knife, in my opinion is the tool worth investing in. Tons of affordable, quality options.
And I may have missed it but, cordage. I remember seeing small sections of jute twine, it wouldn't be very expensive to throw a whole roll in there. Great for fire starting and sufficient for making a lot of different shelters.
Excellent video.
A cheap upgrade for the bag is pick one up after back to school. Also, if you plan to make several, say one for each family member, bulk on Amazon may be cheaper.
Thanks for the tip on those cell phone mirrors, just picked up a few for my bags.
Enjoyed the vid, it was very well thought out IMHO. This bag can in a pinch, definitely get you through an emergency. Without a doubt 😉👍
i like this idea! the best part is, that most of the survival bags ppl buy or put together are sitting for years in some closet or trunk. why putting a big amount of cash just away without use? Ok the bagback is pretty useless, but the rule was that it must be from the dollarstore.
Thank you! I put together a bug out bag but some items you mentioned were just common sense items that I failed to add to my bag. Thank you for great information 💚
Nice video Eric! Would love to see a Walmart bug out bag done by you.
If I remember correctly. He does have a Walmart bag video.
This is one of the better kits I've seen you do. Bravo!
Great video. I would definitely exchange the knife for a mora it's a small but infinitely better choice.
Swap coffee filters with bandanas. And leave out the water magic rags. Bandanas are multi purpose.
Hello eric ive been watching you for a while now although i have my bug out bag and other stuff prepped i love watching your videos i wasnt into prepping before i discovered your channel and i genuinely love your videos since they always give me positive vibes and you are too wholesome Keep up the good work sir !
Good evening from Syracuse NY brother and thank you for sharing your thoughts and adventures
I like the concept very much actually considering my unfortunate low budget for gear and such ... definitely a good idea
Some dollar stores haves shower curtains that would make a more durable shelter.
Love the video...keep it up! It would be interesting to see the items that you bought but didn't make it into the bag. What are your thoughts on using a vacuum sealer on several of the items to keep them dry and to save space?
You have to balance budget friendly versus dependable when making a survival bag. Start with a dependable bag, a multitool or leatherman knife, water filtration, fire starting item, water boiling pot/container and a strong tarp/tent for shelter. Then fill with budget items to fill out your needs. jmo
I like watching your channel.I think it is great.You do all kinds of survival kits.I hope you keep on doing it
divide your fire kit into two zip locks then put them in a third if the bag gets wet you have two chances on having something dry to start your fire with.
I forgot my ground tarp for a hiking trip and the only thing I could get locally was one of those plastic drop cloths, it drove me round the twist and was only useful one night. Even a really cheap tarp or cheap shower curtain is better than this. I got some garbage bags which I used after that and were better. Maybe having a look at what you have at home already should be option one if you're broke. Make-up remover pads and duck tape make improvised bandages and the gas station knife with the skulls on the handle you bought because it made you laugh is still better than dollar store knives. You probably throw out lots of useful containers everyday. If the rucksack really was your only option doing some additional stitching and adding some additional patches of material to a few places would give you a few more miles out of it. I've tried to make a few silk purses out of pigs ears over the years with some success but they always drop to pieces in the end.
Whats this about pig ears? 😂
When I was making my Vaseline and cotton ball fire starters. I bought the cotton balls and the Vaseline at a dollar store.
should also add a deck off playing cards and a puzzle book for entertainment
great video, no frills straight to the point and engaging the whole time... good pacing
and informative most importantly
Someone may have already mentioned this, but in case not, a small tube or vial that can be sealed could be used to hold some bleach. Not sure the measurements, but I do think it was four drops per gallon to purify water. And many gallons could be purified that way once they’ve been filtered.
Also don’t forget that every dollar tree has different items. I would say to find one of the bigger ones for more items
Using a pencil sharpener to sharpen a stick for wood shavings is a fantastic idea that I never would have thought of.
Actually good to have on hand during hurricanes. A quick grab and go if need be. I am well prepared but a great bag to have on hand in my vehicle too...AWESOME video.
Honestly, some really good choices ... especially if your only option/budget is the dollar store. Good job!
Move the tape measure to the fire bag, a bit of kindling
I would have designed the survival bag based upon the following priorities: foot health (because if you cannot walk, you will not get very far), basic hygiene and minor first aid, staying dry when it is rainy/muddy, staying warm when it is cold and/or windy, staying hydrated and having enough energy for walking 2-3 days. I would want to keep the bag and its contents as light as possible because drinking water is always heavy to carry. I would assume I could use the Kershaw folding knife I always carry with me. I would also assume I was appropriately dressed for the climate and was wearing sensible footwear.
For foot health I would want a change of socks, a pair of cushion insoles, some moleskin, a small tube of petroleum jelly and one ace bandage. For basic hygiene I would want a small bar of soap, a large bandana or cotton scarf, a small underarm deodorant, a toothbrush and a small hair comb. Would also want a few adhesive strip bandages and a tube of triple antibiotic ointment for scratches. A woman would probably want to carry a small amount of feminine hygiene supplies too. For staying dry I would want a couple a lawn trash bags to make into ponchos, a folding rain hat, some kind of plastic sheeting material for making into a pup tent and ground cloth (maybe plastic shower curtains or plastic tablecloths) and about 10 - 12 feet of nylon cordage or paracord. For warmth, I would want to be able to cut some dry firewood and build a lean-to, so a folding pruning saw would be very good to have as well as a couple of mini butane lighters. For staying hydrated, I would start with a large bottle of Gatorade or similar product and just keep refilling it with clean water from outdoor faucets when possible. But I would also want a metal cup for boiling water and a metal mesh grid such as a cake rack to set onto rocks so the cup would be over a small campfire for boiling water. The bandana could filter debris from ditch water before boiling the water one cup at a time. For food, I would be looking for a lot of carbs, fat, and salt that could pack into a small space and not need cooking. That means little packets of dried fruit, shelled nuts, chocolate bars, packets of Lance's peanut butter and crackers, caramel candies... It would not be a "healthy" or balanced diet but would provide adequate calories for three days of walking. Based upon an average caloric need of 2000 calories per day for your typical middle-aged, under active, couch potato, I would want to have about 3000 calories of food with the expectation of also burning some body fat during each day's walk.
It would be nice to have a head lamp and clear goggles for safe walking at night. It would also be very nice to have a few N-95 face masks to avoid breathing dust, smoke particles and asbestos particles that are likely to be in the air post-earthquake, wildfire, etc. But the bandana would have to do if N-95 masks were not available. It is also nice to have a small role of Gorilla Tape or duck/duct tape to make minor repairs such as holding in place the flapping sole of an athletic shoe when the shoe glue fails. And, of course, it is very nice to have $500-$1000 cash to buy transportation, lodging, and other nice things if they are available because taking the bus beats walking and staying in a motel with a hot shower and flushing toilet beats camping in the woods.
Instead of buying a cheap quality children's book bag or flimsy backpack that will not hold up to a three-day hike, I would look for two sturdy cloth tote bags, connect them with bungie cording and hang each bag from a shoulder. It would be kind of like saddle bags and could distribute the weight evenly along each side of the body if packed carefully.
I agree... upgrade the backpack and get a water filter. I also like a better knife. As Morakniv Companion is not really too expensive (at least not here), I definitely will stick to that over a dollar store knife. It's worth it!
I need to make myself a bugout bag. It’s on my to do list. Thank😮 u for this video! Very helpful!! 👍
TYFS this inspired a lot of great ideas!! Need a bag for all my daughters trunk & a home stash too!! Great ideas !!
I'd like to see a video about a lunch/backpack with urban survival stuff. I drive and deliver rental cars between about 70 locations in my metro area. I'm in the Northwest so I'd like to some basic emergency supplies and equipment in case I get stranded. Any ideas!
I feel like the best items for this bag are the sewing kit and duct tape. If the bag rips, which it will, the tape and sewing kit will keep it serviceable for a bit.
I love all these ideas especially since we all have different budgets and can upgrade certain items like you said the knife or whatever else. Very thorough thanks for sharing! Make sure the portable charger is charged on occasion I can see that being needed a lot. I think I’ll do a mini version with just basics for my car like the first aid stuff and extra warm clothing like socks, good snacks too. Mints are good for upset yummy issues so I think I’ll add they snack too.
Welcome back! I missed you. You did an excellent job. On the plastic pencil sharpener... the first time you stick a twig in there you'll break it. you need a metal sharpener to get the shavings... I made that mistake a couple of times...
Hi Eric, I was hoping that you would do a video like this. I've seen this done on a few other channels but yours is the best effort I've yet seen. You really but an a great deal of effort into this. Love the destruction of the fake SAK. Here in the UK, we have Poundland stores but I am not sure we could source all the items there? We do have some stores called Decathlon and you can purchase many sports/outdoor items at low cost. I purchased a 20L backpack there for the equivalent of $12 and have found it to be useful and robust.
Poundland sounds like the equivalent store. The idea is to go in there with an idea of what needs must be met and solve those needs with creativity. And there is a bit of luck involved.
I like the pencil & sharper. Instead of a cup, get a collapsible small dog bowl. Great bag. After seeing the devastation with the snowstorm in NY, I'm putting one of these in my car along with emergency sleeping bag, which, is half the size of your drop cloth.
I used some of these items in a couple of bags kits I made for myself and others.
Chapstick and Super Glue in the same pouch...🤣 man is gonna be in the wilderness living out a sitcom comedy sketch
Hi Eric! Glad to see you back! Another awesome idea and video! Keep them coming Eric! Thanks and well done!
Excellent video, and an excellent concept. One item that I would definitely upgrade is the knife, which can also easily be done on a budget - you can get a basic Morakniv work-knife for 10$. Having at least one reliable tool just makes everything easier.
You need to make one of these using Temu. You would have a much larger variety of goods to choose from. Cheap knifes, space blankets, cheap emergency shelters, fire rods, etc.
Some great ideas I didn't think about. Thanks for sharing
I appreciate your efforts and showing that it’s better to have something than nothing in case of an emergency; However, I wonder if it’s better to save up and buy better quality items a piece at a time than just have a crappy bag full of crappy things. You can’t buy everything all at once; but I wouldn’t want to rely on half of that stuff if my life depended on things if they are going to fail. But I’m sure you can use some items from the dollar store for things that aren’t critical. I do like your videos. Thanks for sharing this. This is just my input. 😊 Have a blessed day. Keep prepping .
Those expanding rags are awesome. We have several in service at my home and they do great. Indistinguishable from normal wash rags.
❤❤❤ thats a really good idea for beginners 👍👍
How about some trick candles? And maybe a travel size thing of baby wipes
I would always start with a list of what you believe you need and go on a hunt around the house or garage, you will be surprised at what you already have in a draw somewhere that you forgot about.
I love them neck tube things. I have only been using it on my neck for warmth or to cover my mouth/nose (mask) if there's smoke going in my face. Plenty of uses for them, but that's all I used them for.
They’re called neck gaiters-when it’s hot and you are overheating, put it on wet; it will help cool you down. Great for lawn mowing on really hot days!
Thank you. We love the content. Keep up the products recommendation videos. 💯🔥👍🙏🙌
Helpful video 😃. I would suggest using packing tape to secure the batteries so they don’t accidentally cause a fire or discharge themselves. Bundle the batteries and wrap them both ways and make a little tab on the end to easily find it when the time comes to use them. I also think a pair of scissors and a small sharpening tool for the knife would be useful.
Good kit. Covers the basics. You knew what to include.
Last Summer our dollar store actually sold the LifeStraw, so I got that. Plus I already had a Katadyn hand pump water filter.
Love it KBash!