The Seventy2 Survival Pack: Real World Experience

All you have to do is watch the news for a few minutes to be reminded that disaster and chaos can happen anywhere and at anytime. Most experts say that the first 72 hours after the event are the most critical, where food, water and shelter will be in high demand and short supply. The team at The Uncharted Supply Company took this to heart when they designed their Seventy2 Survival System Backpack. This 48-liter pack holds all a person needs to survive the 72 hours.

The fact I’m writing this just 24 hours after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked my home here in Alaska, I put the Seventy2 pack to use immediately let me know very quickly that this pack is no joke when it comes to a 72-hour essentials pack. We always get to test the gear we get but it’s not usually during what would become a federally declared natural disaster.

What the Pack is and What it Isn’t 

Defining emergency packs can be a tricky business, and a lot of that comes with expectation management. So we thought the best thing would be to start out with trying to define what this pack is intended for and what it is not intended for. This pack is not  a pack that you would use for 72 hours in a combat zone or a World War Z style pandemic. It’s not meant to be a molle filled ramboesque pack for sentry duty or defense contractors. This pack is almost ideally suited to be kept in your office or in your car as a part of a get home bag.

The team at Uncharted Supply Company really looked into building this pack and wanted to make sure it was full of gear that would work and for the most part they really got it right. Let’s take a closer look at what they did right and what I think they can put a little more work into.

Good Points: 

• The 48-liter shell is waterproof and blends well into urban settings.
• Seams glued and won’t leak anytime in the near future
• Supply insert containing eight pouches worth of gear works very well
• Instructions and tips are color coded and broke into four easy to comprehend areas: Shelter, Medical, Food, and Other Useful Info
• Everything fits easily into well-labeled pouches
• Gear that actually works in the real world. The gloves, hat, water filtration by Sawyer and weather radio are all excellent quality
• Simple Design

Points for Improvement:

• Straps on 48L shell good use some beefing up
• Entrenching tool isn’t up to moderate use. This is the only piece of the kit that I thought should be replaced.

Detailed List of Contents of The Uncharted Supply Company Seventy 2:

Electronics:

• Weather Radio
• LED Flashlight

Air & Vision:

• Safety Goggles
• RZ M5 Filtration Mask

Food & Water: 

• Datrex Rations
• Sawyer Water Filter with 2 Liter Pouch
• 44 oz Nalgene Water Bottle

Illumination:

• LED Flashlight
• Waterproof Matches
• Glowsticks
• Magnesium Fire Starter

First Aid: 

• First Aid Kit
• Splint
• Sunscreen
• Anti bacterial Wipes

Tools: 

• Multitool
• Duct Tape
• Paracord -100 Ft
• Entrenching Tool
• Fixed Blade Knife

Warmth: 

• Lined Latex Gloves (Hi Viz Yellow)
• Knit Hat
• Hand Warmers
• Mylar Space Blanket
• Mylar Survival Tent

Real World Performance 30 November 2018 

8:29 AM Alaska Time I found myself being thrown around my garage and my house by a solid 7.2 magnitude earthquake with a series of 5.0-5.9 aftershocks in the first hour I was awake. One of the first things I grabbed after my latern and a rifle was this pack. I dropped it on the kitchen table and told my wife to crack it open and see what was in it. That was my baptism of fire with The Uncharted Supply Company and their products. So how did it work?

The pack works very well for the right user group, a group I would say that has little to no experience with preparedness in general terms. The few shortcomings that I listed above would not stop me from recommending a person who is just looking for a grab and go survival bag. A person who wants a level of preparedness but is unwilling or incapable of wanting to put much time into the process.

This bag has a little bit of everything in it and the components, for the most part, are high quality and will satisfy most users needs. I would recommend replacing the entrenching tool and replacing it with a better model or perhaps leave it out and add another piece of gear. Not everyone will need to dig a defensive fighting position or a cat hole so the E-Tool isn’t a necessity for most users. A flashlight upgrade might also be something to consider, I prefer a little larger flashlight than what comes with the Seventy 2 kit.

The Seventy2 Survival Kit is currently on sale for $275.00 on The Unchartered Supply Company website. This price has recently been marked down from the regular retail price of $349.99. The company’s website also includes a listing to replacement components and other gear that the company offers allowing you to customize your own pack if you get the urge. Check out this video to get a better idea of what the Seventy 2 can do for your preparedness needs.