I got some goodies in the mail from The Ready Store last week, so I’ll have some reviews coming up of some fun products as I get them tested out. I’ve got their ad on the left sidebar–check them out when you get a minute. But first, I’d like to share the love a little after a quick review of one of the items: the ReadyBottle Emergency Kit.
This kit contains basic emergency preparedness gear all neatly packaged in a 32 oz polycarbonate water bottle. It is really a cute packaging idea and a fun gift or stocking stuffer for someone wanting to get started on an emergency kit or who could always use a few extra parts and pieces to add to what they have. When we first saw these bottled type kits a few years ago, always practical sweet husband said, “That doesn’t work. You won’t have water in the bottle when you need it if you keep all the stuff in the bottle, and what are you supposed to do with all the stuff when you put water in the bottle?” True. So what I’d do with a kit like this is empty the bottle out and put all the stuff in a bag, backpack, emergency kit, or car kit, then use the bottle for water. I also would not bet my life on an emergency kit that can fit in a 32 oz bottle. Really. Add to what is in the bottle or use it to supplement a kit you are already putting together and you’ll be better off.
Here is what is included: 32 oz water bottle with little carabiner, 5 function whistle/compass/matchbox, waterproof matches, emergency blanket, emergency poncho, random bandaids/antiseptic wipes/pain pills (first aid), light stick, mini LED light with batteries, 2 handwarmers, 12 function swiss style knife. No, it’s not a Victorinox Swiss Army knife, just a knockoff and I haven’t used it, but looking at it would guess it’s functional without being a really good knife. Same for the rain poncho, flashlight, and the water bottle itself. They will work and do the job for you, but not the highest quality. Seriously though, the whole kit couldn’t be $26.75 if it had really expensive high end components. So still a really good deal.
Yes, all the stuff did fit back in the bottle when I was done with the picture. Now for the giveaway. One of my amazing readers can win this bottle of fun for themselves or to give to a loved one. I’m going to run this one a little different than I have in the past. I still love you forever if you share a link to this giveaway on your blog or facebook or twitter or whatever and really you know you want to read whatever fascinating bit of blog post I happen to write so following the blog or subscribing is always a good thing. But for this giveaway, I just want a comment. And not just any comment, but I want to know something you’d like to do or learn to be better prepared and more self reliant. Or something you’re planning on learning or doing. Or something you planned to do but haven’t gotten around to yet. You could also tell me something you’ve done that you’re proud of. And maybe we’ll get some fun ideas of projects to try around here as well (not that I’m really lacking in preparedness project ideas of my own, but I want to know yours). That’s it.
Oh yeah, we’ll run this giveaway for a week, ending next Wednesday night, April 14th at midnight MDT, and I’ll ship it anywhere USPS ships, but we’ll have to check shipping restrictions if it’s shipping to another country and those out of the United States may be asked to help offset the extra shipping costs depending on where you live. Got all that? Good luck! :)
Keep preparing! Angela
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Collins Family says
I actually have two things I want to do.
First is to get over my fear of using the pressure canner and can chicken. I took a class and have a friend willing to help, I just have not done it.
The other thing is to learn more about storing water and/or filter water for drinking.
I love your blog. Thank you!
T says
I would love to learn more about canning. I have never done it and would love to try!
T
allisonj_2004 says
I got back packs for all my kids for Christmas and my goal is to add one thing each month. Now if I just do it.
stacy says
My plan is to become more organized and efficient with my food storage.
Anonymous says
Wow, that kit is a little pricey. I've seen them for much less at other places. Besides that, great giveaway. Thanks.
StrivingSimply says
There are SO many things I want to do. I want to take an EMT/First Responder's course. I want to make my own soap. I want to make my own candles. I want to have a successful garden (half way there!)
jimmycrackedcorn says
If you fold up a gallon size zipper bag, rubber band it, and include it in that bottle, you'll have a waterproof place to keep all that stuff in the emergency when you want to drink water from that bottle.
Something I want to do to be more prepared, in my urban Illinois climate, is to have a year-round wood pile and an indoor wood stove to heat my house when needed. I could survive TEOTWAIKI shivering in a tent in my living room all night every winter, but a wood stove would be pretty nice.
mama4x says
Hi! Thanks for the giveaway! I would like to learn how to collect the seeds from all the heirloom veggies I planted this spring. I also want to learn how to make more wheat-based foods, like tortillas and crackers, so I can do more than just bread with all this wheat.
Chef Tess says
I put away Easter candy in my YS so that when the holiday comes even if it's during hard times…we will have jelly beans! Yes! Love your blog!!
Cecily says
I want to figure out generators. What size do I need? What fuel source is best (gas, propane, solar)? How to store the fuel, if relevant. Where to buy . . . And then to figure out if what I want is even legal in CA, thanks to all the additional clean-air restrictions. Can you help a girl out?
viggie says
Oh I have a whole list of things I want to do lol…but I can summarize it with learning homesteading skills. I'm in the middle of turning over the entire back yard to begin practicing on my little urban homestead now.
Deb says
I want to know the storage life of dehydrated food in vacuum sealed jars vs foodsaver bags. Can't seem to find this info anywhere.
TM Frugal Gourmet says
I would like to learn how to garden. I mean really garden. I can grow chives, zucchini and carrots. But I want to learn how to make the soil want to grow food better, and learn when to plant and what to plant in my area. I live in a valley and for some reason, it isn't as warm here as in town or where everyone else has a garden overtaking their yards.
So that is what I am hoping to work on this spring and summer, maybe fall I have no idea!
Dunappy says
I'm still trying to improve my canning skills. I did manage to can 5 jars of zuchinni marmalade last fall, but I need to learn how to can better. I have increased the size of my garden this year so I hope to have many more things to practice canning. I also have no clue how to use a pressure canner/cooker. Have one, but haven't tried it yet.
Jason Welin says
Well I wan to learn about canning and gardening, as I've done neither. I really wish I would have learned that from my grandmother.
Renman says
I'd like to learn how to make soap.
Pamela Laurie says
I want to work on getting a pump or something to get water out of our well if we lose electricity. We do have a small spring that we can use but for drinking I want to use the well. Love your site, thanks!
OzPrepared says
I would like to be able to fill our emergency kits with a weeks worth of food that does not need to be cooked and can be eaten cold. You may find yourself in an emergency situation where you are unable to cook anything.
The Razors Edge says
what a great idea to help people start preparing for a disater then with these water bottle kits. I wonder if I can find those here in Canada
marci357 says
A friend taught me to can meat last summer… Now I want to get to a point where I could get rid of my freezer and just rely on the bottom freezer in my frig – and I could if I would can more meats, and all the garden surplus instead of freezing them. Altho I will keep dehydrating some veggies.
We lose electric here so often that relying on the freezer is always a gamble – and I want to be able to get by without electric for extended periods if need be. The woodstove handles heat, light, and hot water, as well as cooking.
E. says
I'm proud that I took a first responder course and got my ham radio license.
I need to get more systematic about my food storage. I've got a collection of canned goods and some bottled water in my closet, but I don't have a plan for adding to it or rotating it.
liz says
I'd like to be as self sufficient as possible. One step I'd like to take towards that end is growing and preserving all our food- particularly with methods like fermentation, root cellar-ing and growing a four season garden including feed for our animals. I'd also like to keep bees but that will have to wait till i'm not surrounded by toddlers :)
Tawna says
I want to learn more about gardening and pressure cooking. I can, but have not ever pressure cooked.
Heidi says
How fun–thanks for the giveaway!
This year, I'd like to:
–have my first truly successful vegetable garden
–build a solar food dryer
–dry the vegetables and fruit we grow this year in that dryer
Wendi says
I have learned so much from your blog and others about preparedness that I want to get started and do some things. It will make me feel so much better when I do. It is on my list for when I get my taxes done. I need to do it for my family. Thanks for all of your inspiration, you are awesome!!!
Adri says
I need to make a 3 month food storage plan/menu so that I know I actually can make meals my family will eat out of what I have in the pantry (mudroom). I have intended to do this for sometime, but find the whole thing kind of overwhelming.
leslie says
I found your blog last night as my husband and I were discussing adding emergency food bars to our kits. We made your recipe today, but we added raisens and nut mix. It was pretty tasty. Just by adding those 2 things, bumped the calorie count up. So our loaf of emergency bread is 4000 CALs! Thanks so much for your blog
Leslie
leslie says
And we decided that these will make better snacks for our kids!
Matheson Family says
What a great idea to get kids involved in prepardness! Just finished reading "Hatchet" with my boys. Great book about a 13-year-old who survives in the wilderness. He would've been delighted with the meager contents of that bottle. I'll have my boys make their own kits, thinking about the story and the things they would need in a similar situation. Thanks for the idea!
Baba says
At the moment I'm trying to learn about solar and wind energy on the cheap–diy. So that's a priority for me. I also want to learn about canning meats. I've done all types of canning – just not meats. It's a little scary for me.
Thanks for the giveaway.
Shae Ko says
I would still like to learn some good recipes to use my canned macaroni. My family just doesn't eat a lot of noodles, so I want to find a good recipe to incorporate now. Oh yes, and my husband is allergic to milk!
Christi Williams says
I think these are a great idea. I can also see your husband's point of view :-) I like getting everything together is half the battle. Thank you
talktome says
I live in a very small space, so I need to know how to be prepared for things without cramping me anymore. I'm already using a bookcase for food instead of books!
Schmidty says
I live in hurricane country. AFter all these years I've figured out the best prep for a hurricane is a week's supply of food and water — and toilet paper, radio, supplies. More often than not one can live comfortably w/o elec or drinkable water with a little beforehand prep.
Baubles-n-Bits says
As a large family group, we have decided moms house will be THE place for all of us to go..and so we buy things for food and water storage every paycheck and we are working on getting them a generator and propane tank. It has been nice to do this as a family, and each month, we get closer and closer. We now are starting to look at thermal cookers and making them for each other and using them. We plan on testing alot of new gadgets this summer! I love your blog!