Vintage 'Eddie Bauer' Survival Kit - Unboxed

[@SammyDunster]

That has to be one of the best survival kits for its size that I've seen. Ever. My guess based on some of the propriety brand labels is that its from the 80s or early 90s , but could have even been late 70s. Needed a compass, but I wish I had that kit back in the day. I have some vintage EB an LL Bean gear from back then, but nothing as good as that kit.

[@williammansfield9711]

The outer container, pot/cup a long with the stove and spoon are great. Would be nice to find one just for those items alone. The rest can be tossed and updated. Great video, thanks

[@derekneumann]

I think that the pot-stand/windscreen of the stove was mean to be bent slightly more into a C shape and then inserted inside of the vertical tabs on the stove bottom, thereby locking it more into place and making a little bit smaller cooking surface that would better support the pot. Whatcha think?

[@puppiesarepower3682]

I'm impressed with how it was packed. Very efficient use of space!

[@bigtony4829]

very clever the way the spoon becomes a pot handle

[@stephengriffn9277]

In the U.S. as a young kid without a lot of money, I perused all the outdoor catalogs of the time, namely Eddie Bauer, C&H Surplus, Revel Surplus, Herters, and other backpacking catalogs including the ones that sold you kits to make your own gear like Holubar which were bought up by bigger outfits and killed off to eliminate competition. All the above named were going concerns from late 60s to about '80. The survival kit you demod was about mid 70s to early 80s. It looked a bit commercial but would have done in a pinch. The survival instructions look like the ones from Tacoma Mountain Rescue Service which had their own survival kit packaged in a tall flip top can with the same (it looks like) tube tent and whistle a large candle, the survival instructions and I don't remember what else. Both outfits were based in the pacific northwest. Enjoyed the video very much. Cheers.

[@colintaylor5804]

Nice vid Andy, Eddie Bauer was an outdoor survivalist, inventor and business entrepreneur born in 1899 he passed away in 1986. In 1983 he began a partnership/collaboration with Ford Motor Company using their 4x4 vehicles aimed at the outdoor adventure exploration camping community which continues to this day. I think this survival kit is from the early 1980's and would be something you kept in the glovebox for emergency's and easily carried if you have to abandon your vehicle in the wilderness, it may have been something dealerships gave away to purchasers of Ltd Edition Eddie Bauer vehicles.

[@MrTangent]

Fantastic!

[@DR-bp1yu]

I remember that, the father of a friend from school had it and he of course showed it off along with tall tells of big foot hunting, it was very impressive to young girls.

[@bmbpdk]

Hello Colin. Thank you for the information. Its always interesting to hear how products started, their reason and evolved. Take Care. Brian.

[@tomritter493]

Wow 70s survival kit that is mostly good very nice

[@michaelbingaman2434]

Eddie Bauer used to be a camping company like Recreation Equipment Inc. I still have a reflector oven that I bought in the downtown Seattle store

[@mrhalfstep]

Look at your instruction sheet and you will see how to prevent your saw from hanging up. It is a BOW saw blade. It has to be held in a straight line.

[@leighrate]

A lot of people belittle the tube tent, but it's actually a very versatile bit of kit. Shelter, rainwater catcher, signal panel to name but a few.

[@leighrate]

Those pills are iodine water purification tablets. They give off fumes as they age. Which is the cause of the corrosion on all the metals in the kit.

[@behindthespotlight7983]

My first pair of trekking poles were Eddie Bauer. For the median price they were a great piece of kit. Took me through 3-4 trips up some serious mountains before one snapped. Now I no longer use telescoping poles. They’re too much of an important piece of safety equipment to have one fail and send me ass over teacup plunging 700 feet to a cow pasture. Today I use solid walking sticks.

[@cynthiawigington1236]

I just love this. PLEASE don't throw away the good parts! I wish someone would copy these kits now. I love the way the shelter and the saw were built in, but the spoon, stove, pot, base and cup are truly great.

[@zandapp]

Probably one of the best thought out kits I have seen compared to todays kits.

[@coreyotto5174]

Pro trick: you can watch series on Flixzone. Me and my gf have been using it for watching a lot of movies lately.

[@abramharry721]

@Corey Otto definitely, been using flixzone for since december myself :D

[@edisonshepherd9734]

@Corey Otto Definitely, I've been using flixzone for months myself :D

[@leighrate]

Yes, I thought that. If you changed out a few components like the corroded split rings, food and puritans its still extremely usable.

[@cjyt6491]

Water and a pin... or in this case safety pin fashioned into a pin...

[@glen1arthur]

I enjoyed this walk down memory lane. thank you Wire saws really do need to be used with a green stick with lots of spring for the bow part of the saw. They work much better than without.

[@rquest3059]

The stove base has three tabs to hold the side by squeezing, then placing on the inside of the tabs. Keeps it from spreading open under the weight of pot and water.

[@tenchraven]

A long time ago, in an America far, far away, Eddie Bauer, Abercrombie and LL Bean all provided good outdoor gear rather than suburban clothing. This looks really good. From the Herb-Ox and Domino packaging, and fonts on the instructions, I'd say this is from 1980 +/- 5 years, maybe a little earlier. Surgical tubing would be for a bellows and for sucking water from a seep, along with being a TQ. This container is brilliant, as is the stove design. The lack of cordage with a tube tent is interesting, but you had the tubing and your boot laces- nothing says let your feet dry and air in the tent like stealing your laces. I'm impressed how it has stood up, and I would certainly keep and reuse the container/pot/stove components.

[@asmith7876]

I still lament the fact that 40 or more years ago LL Bean sold real outdoor GEAR, not fashion clothing. I have a folding canoe chair I still use from the 70's, had excellent wool clothing that I got too old and fat to wear years ago, but was unbeatable in quality. Same with Eddie Bauer. The man actually invented and used real outdoor gear! How novel these days! I like that kit, back in the day the quality was better than what is produced now I bet.

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

Surgical tubing can also be used to make a slingshot among other uses.

[@marjiecleveland]

Interesting! Quite a few items in a small container. Seems like most of the survival basics are covered. Most items are in pretty good condition. Cool!

[@garygoldstein327]

If you had some bar soap or parfin wax to run acrosss the wire saw it behaves like a lubricant and makes easy work when tugging wire saw in either direction. prevents becoming lodged in the groove and prevents wire saw from over heating which leads to undue stress and metal fitigue.

[@duvessa2003]

What a great tip!

[@keepthefaith35]

Believe that the cooked ring sits inside the range flanges on the base plate allowing you a more solid fitting and allowing the cup to sit more securely n the cooker plate. Atb Malcolm 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@OldNavajoTricks]

I was silently willing him to rotate it and seat the flanges in properly too.

[@richbuilds_com]

Surgical tubing could also be used for a slingshot or a water syphon. Cut bits off to add a float to a stick for fishing too. Would also make an OK fire starter for a ferro rod if you could cut it into tiny bits.

[@thenextarcher]

thanks for sharing. I love seeing old survival kits.

[@ruthscott5166]

Herb Ox still makes beef and chicken broth - one variety that is salt free - I use these for extra seasoning in homemade soups, etc. And keep some in my emergency food box

[@mannihh5274]

You are a hell of a guy trying that old beef broth !!! According to the wire saw - it's never a good idea to use them the way you do - you can't keep a straight line, so it binds badly. The closer you get to the end, the more you bend it too, so it's prone to snapping. Look up the instructions and you find (@10:23) that you should use a stick to make a bow saw, this way the wire keeps fairly straight and sawing gets easy. Seems to be one of the better thought out survival kits, not as crappy contents as usual. In mint condition it could be really helpful. Stay safe and keep on with your vids

[@behindthespotlight7983]

You’re supposed to break those hexamine tabs into 4 pieces 😂😂Thanks for your investment here. This was a unique kit to check out and I very much enjoyed it. Yet another example of why we shouldn’t carry consumables in small kits alongside tools and fire starters etc. These days with small boxes and canisters available cheaply on Amazon there’s no need to get bullion crusted Bics or sugar rusted saws. Just carry edibles (and med creams) separately

[@tlembro]

How interesting! A bit of history! Have quite a few of Eddie Bauer clothing items……was not aware that they once supplied the US military. Just got their new catalog in the mail. Thank you for showing us this bit of history!

[@DanSlotea]

The wire saw is supposed to be used as a bow saw, it was even shown in the instructions. Many people think a wire saw can be used as-is ( like the pocket chain saw) but it's a mistake, you can do that only for a short time before the wire snaps, faster if the log/stick is thinner.

[@oldaircraftguy8844]

Don't think i have ever seen a kit so well packed. Next trick, try to get it all back in the box!.

[@tahoemike5828]

Eddie Bauer was an expedition outfitter back in the early days, more like what the L.L.Bean co, and REI still are. I, very briefly worked in one of their stores in the early 90's. By then they had been bought by the company that used to be "Montgomery Ward" department stores, and were moving away from hard goods to being a clothing store.

[@derekpowrie8483]

Thanks Andy I really enjoyed that video. Reminds me of the survival kits we used to make as kids using my Dads old tobacco tins. Brought back some great memories. 👏🏻

[@OldNavajoTricks]

Team Old Holborn here, baccy tin and Loftys handbook...

[@spicychickadee]

If this kit is from the 80's I'm not too surprised there weren't any expiration dates on the broth packets. I remember broth, bouillon cubes, herbs, and spices that my Mom bought in the 80's not consistently having expiration dates and I believe that was because those were things no one was going to eat as is, so they wouldn't really go bad--just lose flavor over time.

[@garethjones7182]

Glad you survived the broth! Really enjoying your adventures.

[@wolfsmith2865]

I had one back in the 80s. It lived in my ruck during search and rescue missions. Very comprehensive kit for the era. I've been semi-obsessed with survival kits since then.

[@jeffhaddox2239]

This is more clever than most kits you see, with the addition of a decent knife this would be good 👍

[@billythepigeon7345]

Those wire saws always work better if you use a makeshift frame from a bent stick, it keeps the wire straight and stops it from binding up.

[@davidwevans4132]

Yes, that or just keep it tight! You let one end go loose and it starts sticking. Picked up one of these when I was in the Marines. Learned quickly to keep it tight! Lasted two weeks, then broke. Bought another, it lasted a month. But using it lasted two weeks of that month. Lasts longer if you cut green wood.

[@private15]

Good tip

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

@DiggersRest LOL, the only time Andy briefly looked at the instructions was to figure out the stove which he still assembled wrong, and also discovered that the black metal container resembling a cooking pot was indeed the cooking pot and not part of the stove!

[@carpenterbud1414]

Herb Ox is still active in the USA. The stuff will last forever, even the congealed ones. I am surprised that there is not a mon/yr date in the lower corner of the instructions for version. It does look very much like the type of kit we had in the seventies.

[@davidstopher3834]

That surgical tubing could also be used for sucking water out of crevices or the elastic for an effective catapult.

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

Think you mean slingshot as opposed to catapult.

[@jamespeters2859]

Amazing, ingenious.

[@tedalblas7517]

Those wire saws work best when you take a green branch and turn it into a bow saw

[@lesedwards936]

I find if you get a green branch and bend it like a bow and stretch the wire saw over both ends it works better like a bow saw

[@kath5201]

the cup/stove thing should be copied. And that spoon!! Genius! The Broth was rather safe to try. Bullion, such as Herb Ox is made with a LOT of Salt, which preserves it Till Doomsday.

[@enigmanoneya6418]

Thanks I love seeing these vintage survival kits. More please

[@claramullen]

That was certainly interesting. Andy my guess for a date would be late 60's early 70's due to type of contents.

[@Silverback_GMT410]

This is incredibly amazing! I love how well sorted and packaged it all is! Amazing!

[@catflap7859]

Amazing amount of kit an consider it from 70s to 80s held up well really. I'd make a kit based on those contents. Fun demo. Nice one bruv! I'm in Kent... do fancy a paddle with you n Simon.... lush watching your fort trip! Keep up the brill work dude.

[@phoenixasheslevelup]

I know I’m not the only one the whole video shouting “the wire saw is in the duct tape roll.”

[@martingreen2018]

That's good little kit, someone should bring it back. Thanks for the video.

[@robertfromtexas2480]

Eddie Bauer is a pretty popular company here in the US. In fact I'm wearing one of their shirts right now. They have their name on everything from Ford pickups to clothing. Good to see a video on one of their old survival kits

[@DougPalumbo]

Actually a well designed little kit.

[@duvessa2003]

What a thorough review! I loved seeing how the stove works and how quick the water boils. I wasn’t able to find this on eBay, just more modern water bottle kits. If I had to guess, I would say that that one is from the 1970s I’m just going by the look of some of the products inside. Cheers!

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

The surgical tube has many uses, including making a slingshot to hunt small game.

[@petergreenwald9639]

I got nearly 25yrs out of my Eddie Bauer two man backpacking tent, but I packed it damp once and you know the result. They are a shadow of their former brand. Still have their heavy, goose down jacket. 25yrs and counting. Still a wonderful coat. On the wire saw, don't pull toward you. Pull so the wire stays relatively straight. Slow going gets the job done. Wish I could explain it better.

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

Those saws are meant to be used as a bow saw by looping the ends of a bowed stick.

[@kungfumaster8171]

that was excellent survival kit. much better then 99% of the survival kits what you'll find today.

[@MOrkar-ir2tl]

That's a pretty good small survival kit! Nothing like that anymore right from the shelf to buy.

[@webbtrekker534]

Eddie Bauer had a sporting goods store and outfitters on 3rd Ave near Stewart St in Seattle when I was a kid in the 1950's and 60's. He was a well known businessman in Seattle and had a loyal clientele. They did focus more on clothing but you could outfit yourself for camping and hiking there as well.

[@puppiesarepower3682]

I'm rewatching some survival kit videos two years later... bro, I like your accent, it's very calming. You should do some ASMR videos.

[@MrTangent]

Looks like a great little setup (at one time; as far as compact survival kits go), but really surprised no button compass was included.

[@brocharlieb]

You can make a bow saw with that wire saw. Eddie Bauer sold his name for use on trucks boats and all sorts of outdoor equipment. Ford was still using it after his death.

[@depalebe]

Hello, I always thought these kits were well though out. I have two myself. One I left original the o the I went through an updated the perishable contents. This needed to be done considering they are over 30 years old.

[@diannemartino3464]

Is there a date on the instructions, like a “printed on xxxx” date. I researched and researched and the closest I can get is it was made some time prior to 1996. Eddie Bauer still sells a survival kit. You can get it on their website.

[@traveltectours6561]

I was thinking of how to avoid this *boring sunday evening* 🤧 but now i've got this gift from _Andy_ Thanks mate ! watching from *Sri Lanka 🇱🇰* _Cheers !!!_ 🤠👍

[@nomad211d]

That's great Andy and it shows us all to keep an eye on the contents of those bags and kits most of us make and throw everywhere. Thanks for sharing!!! I really enjoyed the video. Wish you the best!!!!

[@mikeb9303]

all that stuff is useful, Eddie knew about survival and created good stuff

[@DariusFLX]

The stove base feels to be upside down. You probably want that flat plate off the ground, hence the "feet" pressed out. Not sure about the windscreen/pot holder, but that may be upside down as well. May need to bend to fit.

[@stevepratley]

Next time Andy, squeeze the "windshield" to fit inside the tab's on the base to give a tighter fit and a slightly smaller diameter for the pot to sit on. Great vid mate, thank you.

[@kentsurvivalgearreview586]

the tabs dont line up, they are just for the pot stand, that was my frst thought too haha

[@stevepratley]

@@kentsurvivalgearreview586 sorry mate, to clarify squeeze the windshield as you had it just to reduce it's circumference and place inside the tabs on the base, that would still leave you with the tabs on the windshield facing upwards to use as a pot stand

[@stuartlockwood9645]

Hi Andy, that's a pretty good kit, unlike most it had a cook pot, apart from some spoilage from the broth most things were still usable. Thanks this has been very interesting, Atb mate, Stuart Uk.

[@GreyBeatle]

Alright... although I have owned a 89 Ford Aerostar Eddie Bauer edition... and I've used some of their camp gear over the years, this is obviously just a survival kit they introduced. In the 80's with heavy involvement of scouting... things like SURVIVAL KNIVES with movies like First Blood (Rambo) hitting the movies, of course everybody thought survival kits were a good idea, and they truly aren't a horrible thing...of course... In a pinch they do get your some decent survival items that help you along...but obviously for the long term it isn't the best stuff on the market... Eddie Bauer camping equipment was always quite decent truly. It wasn't TOP OF THE LINE, but it was MIDDLE OF THE ROAD equipment that often copied other more expensive equipment for designs but functioned very well. Unlike the VEHICLES, which of course were THE TOP OF THE FORD MOTOR LINE back in their day...if you had a vehicle with the Eddie Bauer tag on it, you were doing well in life, as they were EXPENSIVE vehicles. But, most of their camping equipment is still pretty decent for this day but admittedly a bit heavy usually.....Wire saws truly sucked and much of the standard equipment in these survival kits weren't always practical, but this one isn't so bad truly. It does have some functional items overall...As far as survival kits went, this one would have likely been a top of the line kit at the time.... Truly a fun little video, glad I watched it, it brought back some kit memories..... as most of us pulled them apart and would use them for hours of fun trying to fish with the line and making slingshots out of the tourniquet rubber. In a pinch you'd utilize many of these items and it WOULD help you to survive a while of course....and get you started down the right path. You could snare rabbits and squirrels... and likely survive quite a while with some of the items included...When things go wrong, a dry set of matches and a fire fuel cube will go a long way in getting some warm fluids with energy to boot into you, so you can get warm, dry and with the ground sheet you'll keep your bottom dry too. Eddie Bauer designs were innovative at times, and that spoon handle pot holder combination is evidence. Even their current camping gear gets some neat innovative features to it and their design team has something to be proud of, of course. If you check out their modern day camping equipment it ranges from mid range to high range equipment. Their sleeping bags are kept reasonably priced normally, for what you get.... Their warmth ratings are more meant for Northern Climates usually and it does do well in the north. They have medium to high end tents. My only complaint with their equipment is often the weights of it. It does get heavy unfortunately......I'm sure even this kit, weight wasn't in their design mindset at all. Which is their only downfall. Besides that it is NORMALLY very very solid equipment and is OFTEN overlooked by far too many outdoorsman as viable outdoors gear. Their clothing lines are pretty good too, admittedly. I've owned a few of their shirts that I'd consider top end gear.....

[@rialobran]

That little stove set up would be great for lightweight camping/hiking.

[@kylec166]

Thats a very well put together kit

[@simonh6371]

Great and thorough review of a nifty little kit, better than many around nowadays. The stove / cookset is pretty well thought out and versatile, you could also burn twigs in it. I don't rate any survival kit (unless it's tiny) that doesn't have some kind of metal container for boiling water.

[@markhowards420]

Great video Andy , thanks 👍 Interesting use of the razor blade to acquire an animal for food , apply salt or sweat and leave on animal trail , animal licks blade , cuts tongue and bleeds to an unalive state 😂

[@RobCanada]

That is an impressive amount of kit in a tiny pot. I'd be happy to have that if nothing else was available :)

[@ericdpeerik3928]

Honestly, I just want the pot. It's too small, but I like the design

[@larrywise8109]

Hey Andy, thanks thanks for the video! On a. Channel called ranger survival and field craft he does a lot of bushcraft stuff. One thing he Pointe out is that one reason those type saws work is incorrect usage. They are, according to him, best if used as a iw saw. He used a sapling or green branch batons the ends in aa bit ad and inserts the ends of the wire saw in the ends..that or just use cordage in the loops and just try to maintain it as straight as possible.

[@johncrouch8988]

Hi 👋🏻 Interesting seeing another kit and comparing it. I still think it’s best to build your own kit with items that suit you and your skill set and the area/situation you may find yourself facing as Lofty Wiseman suggested in his books. 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@DanTownsend-o7s]

I remember the beef broth brand & packets as a 70’s thing…SO salty. It always clumped up & hardened but you could use it anyway.

[@oxxnarrdflame8865]

Actually a great kit. That little knife looks great, I’d clean it up and use it in a kit.

[@jim-bob-outdoors]

I think that was quite a good little kit, it would do if you were stuck overnight. Lot better than some of the modern ones I have seen. Very interesting Andy.

[@timothyjones3410]

Seems OK for its time. I believe mosquito netting is far more important than people realize for mental health in an emergency situation.

[@stephenjohns3817]

60s/70s I reckon...broth was safe as water had a good boil on👍

[@gregtheredneck1715]

From the brand of the aspirin and its packaging, I'd say you're looking at late 80's to mid 90's as the date of manufacturing range.

[@darrellgoodman9585]

The Anacin tablets should have a manufacturing date on the packages.

[@duvessa2003]

By then I think would be expiration dates on the food. I’m guessing 70s, or, at the latest, early 80s.

[@jkline999]

Back in the day, Eddie Bauer was a sporting goods shop in Seattle. It was a real outdoor shop, catering to outdoorsmen, selling hunting and fishing gear. Today's EB is a pathetic stepchild of what the company used to be. The flat survival whistle was popular in the early to mid 70's. I haven't seen them in a very long time.

[@oxxnarrdflame8865]

Back in the day EB would outfit Everest and other big mountain expeditions. The name meant trusted quality. Sad.

[@glen1arthur]

@@oxxnarrdflame8865 I had one of their winter jackets it lasted for years ~20 lost it in a house fire. : (

[@duvessa2003]

I Just bought a Tops BOB (Brother of Bushcraft) knife and there was a flat survival whistle attached. Great knife if you’re in the market. Ferro/magnesium rod included. “Uh, Honey, I had to buy a new knife in order to get this flat survival whistle to fit in my compact kit...”😉

[@provvidenza7296]

Pretty cool kit, thanks for sharing!

[@richardsmith7783]

One thing you got a little wrong, When you set the metal ring on the metal plate. >>>> The metal ring needs to be ( inside the tabs ) not on the out side.

[@geek211]

The trick with those wire saws is they're so fragile put twigs through the split rings for better handles and keep the line straight don't wrap it around what you're trying to cut and go slow and steady and never force it. Edit just heard you mentioned twigs laughing out loud but yeah keep it straight don't wrap it around and go slow you'll get more use out of it than you'll think

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

It's meant to be used as a bow saw. Get a nice sized branch and loop ring on one end, be the branch and loop the other end. If you look at the instructions he posted it also instructs you to do this.

[@Eidolon1andOnly]

LOL, imagine needing to read the instructions to find out the the black metal container was a cooking pot.

[@robbabcock_]

Very cool!😁 It's always fun to peer into old PSKs!👏🙌

[@sheilaholland7465]

That saw works well when your wood holds still.

[@keithallan4956]

Inspired to knock up my own little kit now, cheers Andy.

[@simonh6371]

It's well worth watching survival kit reviews for guidelines, kitbashed survival channel in the US is one of many doing good reviews. If you have a lot of gear already you can knock one up easily and you'll find although it may not be cheaper than a ready made kit, it will most likely be better.

[@jamiesaunders188]

Great!! Been missing the ration pack unboxing.

[@woodsandcreeks]

The water bag cracked me up 🤣 when he said, "pretty much"!

[@stevemorris3710]

Water container, comedy hat.

[@barney992]

the aussie army once issued a small spoon / can opener similar to the one in the kit ,but smaller . was called a fred ... ( F#$@ing rediculous eating device )

[@jamesstuart3346]

Love it! Very well done and informative!

[@dicksonanthony1]

A really good kit. Wow.

[@stevevanderhorst5234]

I''m thinking 1975, and through the 80's perhaps? Hard to say

[@brianallen858]

Thanks for the video dude 👍👍

[@richbuilds_com]

I love the burner, pan & spoon combo - I wonder if that's still available?

[@MrTangent]

Not the same, but the way the spoon handle mated with the cup reminds me if the SVEA 123 cup/handle.

[@OldNavajoTricks]

Be a nice project to make one, buy the cup and some tin sheet...

[@joannedickinson8805]

So cool. I enjoyed this!

[@Phil-1969]

I did see them in pound land just before lockdown

[@Tom_Bee_]

Fun. If I come across anything like this in my travels, I'll scoop it up and ship it to you, Andy.

[@duvessa2003]

Hey! He already has one. I need someone to ship it to me. I went right on eBay looking for one because I just love that spoon-pot-stove set up. Didn’t find one. 😕

[@Tom_Bee_]

@@duvessa2003 it turned out to be a hollow threat. I never found anything like this in the year since I wrote that comment 🤣