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Reviews > Health & Safety > Emergency and Survival Gear > GearPods Backcountry > Owner Review by Erin Marie Hedden

GEARPODS BACKCOUNRTY
BY ERIN M. HEDDEN
OWNER REVIEW
June 06, 2011

TESTER INFORMATION

NAME: Erin M. Hedden
EMAIL: tookieblueeyes@live.com
AGE: 32
LOCATION: Southeastern Colorado U.S.A.
GENDER: F
HEIGHT: 5' 9" (1.75 m)
WEIGHT: 153 lb (69.40 kg)

Backpacking Background: I have been backpacking since 4 years of age, taking long trips into the mountains with my family. I hike various terrains from mountains and plateaus to grasslands and prairies. My excursions can be a day hike with a light-weight waist pack, a loop trail taking up to 5 days on which I keep my pack as light-weight as possible, or an in-and-out trip for a night or two where my pack can be heavy. Slow and steady is my pace and I use a tent or a hammock depending on weather and terrain.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

IMAGE 1Manufacturer: GearPods Corporation
Year of Manufacture: 2010
Manufacturer's Website: www.GearPods.com
MSRP: US $109.95
Listed Weight: 1.25 lbs (20 oz
Measured Weight: 1.20 lbs (0.54 kg)
Main Container Listed Dimensions: 3.3" x 9.2" (8.4 cm x 23.4 cm)
Main Container Measured Dimensions: 3.3" x 9.2" (8.4 cm x 23.4 cm)
GearPods medium container listed height: 3" (7.62 cm)
GearPods medium container measured height: 3" (7.62 cm)
GearPods XL container listed height: 6" (15 cm)
6" (15 cm)
Available Colors: Blue, Orange, Black, Yellow, Olive Drab and Coyote Tan
Color: Orange
IMAGE 2
Items Included:
GearPods Health System contains Ibuprofen (2), Aspirin (2), Burn Cream (1), Cleansing Wipes (2), Insect Repellent (1), Sunscreen (1), Insect Sting Relief (1), Poison Oak Treatment (1), Lip Ointment (1), Hydrocortisone (1), Iodine Wipes (2), Triple Antibiotic Ointment (2), Moleskin (2), Cotton Swabs (5), Medical Tape (1), Tweezers (1), Alcohol Prep Pads (2), Butterfly Closures (3), Knuckle Bandages (2), Small Bandages (5), Large Bandages (5), Gauze Pads (2).
IMAGE 3GearPods Survival Pro: Rescue Flash signal mirror (2" x 3" or 5.08 cm x 7.62 cm) with retro-reflective targeting, Fox40 Micro Safety emergency whistle, Spark-Lite fire starter, Tinder-Quick waterproof tinder (4), 20 mm liquid-filled Button Compass, Mini-LED Flashlight, Folding Saw, Folding Knife, Matches - vacuum sealed NATO matches and striker (10), Katadyn Micropur MP1 Water Tablets - effective against viruses, bacteria, guardia and cryptosporidium (6), Nasco Whirl-Pak - 36 oz (1 liter) self-standing sterile water bag, Heavy Duty Needle, Thread (50 ft or 1524 cm), Safety Pins - 2" (2), Wire (8 ft, 0.02" or 244 cm, 0.05 cm stainless steel wire), Braided Nylon Cord (25 ft, 70 lbs or 762 cm, 32 kg break strength, Fishing Kit (4 hooks, 2 sinkers and 1 snap swivel), Duct Tape (2" x 30" 9mm or 5.08 cm x 76 cm 9mm), Weatherproof Stationary (4), Pencil, Fresnel Lens 3x (2" x 3" or 5.08 cm x 7.62 cm), and Waterproof Instructions.
GearPods Stove which burns solid fuel tablets, Gearpods Windshield which increases stove efficiency, GearPods CookMug which is a combined cooking pot and mug with lid, Solid Fuel Tablets (2) and instructions.
Product Description: The GearPods Backcountry is a comprehensive survival kit that includes many of the necessary equipment and extras that would be necessary for someone to start a fire, signal for help, obtain and treat water for drinking and for treating some of the minor ailments that may occur out in the field and stop them from getting infected, which would make a small problem a big problem in a big hurry. This survival kit is also constructed so that it can be added to with other kits that are also available for purchase depending on what I would feel to be necessary for my survivability out in the bush.

FIELD USE

I have carried the GearPods Backcountry at the bottom of my day pack numerous times in Picketwire Canyon in Southeastern Colorado on 12.6 mile (20 km) hikes as have I packed it in on an overnight hunting trip into the same Canyon. During the hunting trip I rode a mountain bike in 7.4 miles (12 km) to the campsite, another 3.2 miles (5 km) further into the canyon the next day, and a total of 10.6 miles (18 km) back out of the canyon later in the afternoon with the temperature at 87 F (31 C). There was also a steep climb out carrying the pack and the bike up through the boulders to reach the Land Rover.

During several of these outings I have had chance to use materials contained within the Health Pod. I have also used a few of the items in the Survival Pro pod as have I used the stove with the GearPods CookMug.

I found that the GearPod CookMug boils with use of the stove at 7 minutes 38 seconds a total of 9 fl oz (266 ml) on a cold night in Picketwire Canyon. It was 27 F (-2 C) with no breeze.

SUMMARY

IMAGE 4
GearPods Health
The GearPods Backcountry has 3 different comprehensive kits integrated into its design, and it can be changed around and added to with other compact kits which are also available for individual sale from the manufacturer. As it stands it includes something in the way of first aid, a survival kit and a cooking kit all packed up tight in a relatively light, and watertight system.

GearPods Health is sufficient for treating the most common outdoor injuries or ailments. Dealing with anything from removing simple enough cactus spines in the palm of my hand using the included Fresnel lens to see small splinters and thorns with and tweezers for removing them, down to using the moleskin patches to remedy the blisters from long, hard trails is easy enough to accomplish using this comprehensive little pod.

The Fresnel lens can also be utilized as a fire-starting method as well. It can be used to start a fire by simply utilizing the rays of direct sunlight by focusing it through the lens into one beam of light that is concentrated enough to get a smoldering ember started in a birds nest (tinder bundle of dried grasses and other combustible materials).

A range of survival tools that help with building necessary fire, procuring and treating water for hydration, fishing, repairing minor mishaps with gear and signal for help should it come or navigate out of a situation are all included in the GearPods Survival Pro pod.

IMAGE 5An integrated stove system that goes along with solid fuel and the GearPods CookMug, with its snap-in lid, was an ingenious idea to have accompany everything else that was included in the Backcountry. It compliments the other contents and makes it that much easier to boil water in a tight spot.

THINGS I LIKE

1. I like that it is compact and easy to pack and carry.
2. I like the stove and combined cook pot/mug with the windshield which works perfectly with the fuel tablets.
3. I like that it includes a small fishing kit.
4. I like the inclusion of a signal mirror.
5. I like the inclusion of a fresnel lens which can also be used to start a fire in an emergency situation as well as be used as a magnifying glass to see small splinters and thorns that may be picked up along the trails.
6. I like the GearPods Health system which includes everything someone may need in case a minor cut or wound happens.
7. I like that GearPods Health includes insect repellent as well as something to ease the itching and burning in case I do get bitten.
8. I like that it included with it waterproof stationery as well as a pencil which most survival kits fail to include.
9. I like that it is designed to add or subtract pods which can be purchased separately as well.
IMAGE 6
What is inside the CookMug

THINGS I DON'T LIKE

There isn't anything that I don't like about the GearPods Backcountry.

This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1. Copyright 2011. All rights reserved.

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Reviews > Health & Safety > Emergency and Survival Gear > GearPods Backcountry > Owner Review by Erin Marie Hedden



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