the NRA's online store has a great deal going on a prepackaged survival kit. Take a look:
NRA Survival Kit


Just passing on a hopefully helpful link.

Sam

That thing is a deal, if you look at the components.
If that is a Pelican case (hard to tell from the pic), that is almost worth the $10 by itself, not to mention the Blastmatch, Jetscream, mirror, etc.
Thanks for the heads up!

yeah thats a good deal thanks.

plannin on gettin one soon i hope.

What a deal! 10 bux + shippng its a steel.

Lee <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

More infomation on the kit can be found here. It's not a Pelican brand case. A quick Froogle search shows that the Blastmatch itself retails for about $16.

/Neal

It looks like Ultimate Survival also offers the case separately. It retails for $13.99 on the Ultimate Survival web site . The specifications for the case appear to be:
* Weight: 3.2 oz. (90g)
* Dimensions: 4 3/8" x 2 7/8" x 1 3/8"
* Plastic: Fiberglass reinforced ABS
* Hinge and Latch Pins: Stainless steel
* Foam: Thermoformable poly-urethane

It looked like a pretty good deal to me. I ordered two.

Dennis

DennistheMenace:

If you can get the NRA kit on sale for $10.00 complete, why would you order just the case from someone else for $13.99 each?

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

the same reason if a rodent has a skinny tail its a rat but if its got a fluffy tail its a squirrel....sometimes people just dont make sense.

My take was that he is stressing the deal at $10, if the case alone costs $14 separately.
My 2 cents. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

After re-reading my previous post about the cost of the case I realize it doesn't quite convey the message I intended. Ooops!

JoeBob, you are correct. What I intended to point out was that Ultimate Survival lists the price of the empty case at $13.99 without any additional tools It makes the $10 price for the kit at the NRA store look that much better.

What I should have written is: I ordered two...... $10 survival kits from the NRA store.

By the way, I took another look at the NRAand Ultimate Survival web sites. It looks like Ultimate Survival sells the same basic kit (without NRA labeling) for $49.99 ($69.99 with the Sabercut chain saw which is not included in the NRA kit). I think an 80% discount is a fairly good deal.

Dennis

Glad I interpreted your meaning correctly.
I just ordered one myself, couldn't pass on that bargain.

NYRat:

I'm not big on making cents, but the dollars are really getting hard to come by.

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I got a box from the NRA store today. Unfortunately, it included everythng I ordered except the sruvival kits. They were listed as being 'out of stock'. Since they were being discounted so heavily to begin with I don't know if there is much chance they will get any more. I wish their web site had live inventory capability. I hate ordering things when the company doesn't have them to sell.

Dennis

Folks got mine today cool! top notch kit nice box
get one while they are on sale.
Lee <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I think we're going to look seriously into this.

VERY seriously.

Psst...Sarah honey? APPROVED.

Panz
<img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Panzerboy:
A bit of advice from a long-married outdoor gadget addict:
(Don't tell Sarah), but you do not have to get such things pre-approved if you gift wrap them. My wife has a garage full of "little presents" I've bought her because I care about her safety,, etc. etc. etc. She lets me use them.

Panzerboy:
A bit of advice from a long-married outdoor gadget addict:
(Don't tell Sarah), but you do not have to get such things pre-approved if you gift wrap them. My wife has a garage full of "little presents" I've bought her because I care about her safety,, etc. etc. etc. She lets me use them.
(Sarah.. the Gift-Amnesty rule works both ways!!)

I have learned to buy two, and sometimes three, of each thing. If I get myself a goodie, then he wants one. If I get him one, then I want one too. And then there's my son's kit. Heh.

Giftwrap won't work - he'd just give it to me and say, "Honey, can you giftwrap this for me?" To which I naturally reply "What is it and who's it for?" His answer? "It's for you. just pretend you don't know about it. I'd wrap it but I have no clue where you keep the giftwrap."

So it's just easier to buy stuff in multiples.

~Sarah

TO ALL:

JUST CALLED THE NRA STORE TODAY AT 12:50 p.m.

CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, AUGUST 9, 2004, AND WAS TOLD

THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE OUT OF STOCK, IF YOU

ORDER NOW!, THEY WILL SELL THEM TO YOU AT SALE PRICE

AND SHIP THEM WHEN THEY ARE RESTOCKED.


REMEMBER; THEY SAID NOW!, SO IF YOU WAIT EVEN ONE

DAY, THAT MAY CHANGE.



EVEN IF YOU ONLY THINK YOU WANT ONE OR MORE KITS,

ORDER THEM NOW!



GOOD LUCK!

Bountyhunter

Just checked out the NRA site.

The survival kits are no longer on sale and they are back to their old price of $19.95.

I hope everyone that wanted one managed to get them at the sale price.

Bountyhunter

NO, I missed them ; I guess one day too late ......... <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Just waiting for the mailman at this point, hope the backorders get filled fairly soon.

They must have resupplied. I got my 2 yesterday. They are a bargin. They need a little help for a "real" PSK!!! But, I'll add to what they sent and make it much better. Get em while they last!!!

Well...I ordered mine on august 5th, still have not received them. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Customer service says they shipped out on the 13th.

How long did shipping take for you guys?

Did they really ship it plain old USPS?

<img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Well, I got my two NRA survival kits last night. Well worth the $9.95 even with the problem I'm about to relate.
Never having seen or handled a Blastmatch before, I eagerly popped open the case and began playing with the Blastmatch trying to create a shower of sparks the likes of which have never been seen before. I IMMEDIATELY (within 10 seconds) snapped off the striker.
Now admittedly I am a ham-handed fool. But this is supposed to be a SURVIVAL tool. Maybe I got a defective one and the other one is more sturdy--I don't know because that one is earmarked for my brother-in-law the elk hunter, and now I'm afraid to test it and even more afraid to give it to him. Suppose he needs to start a fire one-handed (and with numb hands at that) in a Utah blizzard: can the Blastmatch pass muster?
I reiterate: I am ham-handed as heck; but I was also sitting comfortably in my kitchen reading the directions as opposed to squatting out on the mountain in a 40 mph sleetstorm trying to light a fire. I have much more confidence in my sparklite. Will/Can someone set my mind at ease and tell me this is an aberration?
By the way, the rest of the kit is absolutely first-rate as far as I can see.

Regards, Vince

Norad45:

Raise hell with the makers of blast match first, and write the NRA a nice letter explaining the problem.

Could be why they were on sale and a new version may have come out and you know the squeaky wheel gets the grease.

You may end up with another blast match from the manufacturer, and one from the NRA and that would be a real blast with no match. <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

ah! man !
I wish I could write some puns like that !!!!!! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Frenchy:

Someone I spoke with recently said pun spelled backward is "nup", and then she said; "That's a nup out of you".

bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

ahhhhh .... that one, I don't get it ..... <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Me neither - and I'm a native English speaker.

"a nup"="enough"

"That's enough out of you"

At least that's how I understand it.

Robert

I've heard that others have had that problem with the Blastmatch, but I've used mine quite a lot and had no problems with it.

It the metal striker does break off, then the BM can still be used as a 2-handed striker with any metal scraper, and IMO will outperform the Sparklite. (It took several strikes with the Sparklite to ignite a single-ply piece of toilet paper, and I was completely unable to get it to ignite a dab of Purell Hand-Sanitizer - both of which will usually catch fire with one application of the BM.) I wouldn't give a tinker's damn for my ability to start a fire with a Sparklite if I were shivering with hypothermia, or if my hands were numb with cold. But I'm fairly certain I could get a fire going one-handed with a BM, even if the striker had broken off, by bracing it with my foot or knee and using the back of my knife (or even the blade, if necessary - I'd worry about the corrosion issues and the dulling of the blade after I was toasty and warm) <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

The biggest problem with the BM is that it's very bulky. What you gain on the swings, you lose on the roundabouts. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Frenchy:

When you talk in puns, you have to mentallys skew what is said as it was designed to imply.

"That's a nup out of you" was understood by me to mean "That's enough out of you", which is what she meant in a pun speaking way.

Bountyhunter

Rbruce:

You got it right.

People I throw puns at and with try to keep the translation reasonable although not exact.

Sometimes it is a stretch like the multiplying of 2 bi 4 = GAYt in the Osama's Revenge thread, but still reasonable.

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

It took me a little while to get your 2 bi 4 = GAYt joke. I do also like hearing puns very much. Of course we can run into problems on an international forum such as this. Different people might read or pronounce the same thing differently and not understand something the way it was meant. Even in this country there are many ways to speak the same language. Of course this is what makes this forum so great. There are people here from all over the world with an infinite number of upbringings and backgrounds.

Robert

OK
I didn't make the link/jump (?) from "a nup" to "enough".
<img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Good point about numb hands and the sparklite. My favorite one-handed firestarter is the zippo. Bulk aside, I just thought the Blastmatch would be the perfect backup. Oh well, the kits are still worth way more than $9.95.
Regards, Vince

Considering that I paid over $60.00 for mine, I would say that you got a good deal! (Even though mine does have the saw in it.)

I seem to remember that the striker problem WAS a problem with the first Blast Matches... They have fixed them since. Check with them for a replacement.

There was another problem with the early units also. See http://www.equipped.org/firestrt.htm for more info.

I just REALLY wish that they would stop calling things like this a survival kit...In NO WAY is it a survival kit....It is a VERY NICE PART of a survival kit, but not one in itself.

Jamesraykenny
Quote
"I just REALLY wish that they would stop calling things like this a survival kit...In NO WAY is it a survival kit....It is a VERY NICE PART of a survival kit, but not one in itself."

I couldn't agree more.

has anyone else had a lot of problems with this item?

first when i ordered there was a problem, so i had to re-order (only paid once so its ok).

then i FINALLY get the kit today, and there is NO blastmatch!

i got 1 mirror, 1 whistle, 2 packs of wet tinder cubes and the pamphlet/instructions.

so im more then a little annoyed at this so far, anyone else?

I can chalk up mine breaking to my own clumsiness and ignorance of the product. But if mine arrived missing the Blastmatch that would certaintly prompt a call to NRA customer service.

Regards, Vince

Mine came yesterday, was impressed at how many sparks the Blastmatch creates. It is kind of a flimsy attachment, as others noted. My Strikeforce is much sturdier, but requires two hands.
NY RAT, I would get on the horn to NRA store and give them some grief.
Overall impression, it was worth the $10, but needs some work to be called a survival kit.

called today, they apologized etc and are sending a blastmatch right away.

as far as customer support goes, they were very efficent and helpful.

NY RAT,

At least you got yours. I ordered two kits on the 6th, they shipped on the 13th and I'm still waiting for them.

Cust. service told me yesterday that the kits are in Edison, NJ???!!!

[color:"green"] By the way, NRA sells them as SURVIVAL TOOL KITS, not Plain SK's. And yes, I know that's still pushing it; ie. missing knife, fishing kit, etc. [/color]

Me too, in fact I joined the forum to ask the same question.

First kit, no Blastmatch.
Second kit damaged Blastmatch.
Awaiting third kit.
Customer service was good but now I'm thinking it's because there are more than a few complaints.

Another post commented that the blast match seemed a bit flimsy. Does anyone know if that's also true for the non-NRA logoed version?

that sucks OJ, but since it was their fault what did they say they will do to take care of the mistake?

like resend to you using express over night for free?

Ordered mine 8/4 got them 8/18. Both complete & undamaged.
gino <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Ordered 8/6...

still...

waiting... <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Edited to add: NY RAT, they asked me to wait 'till today (the 27th), and give them a call back. I could not check the mail, so I will do so tommorrow morning and call if it has not shown up. Customer service seemed decent enough, I'll let you know how this ends up.

Hi.

i got 2 delivered to the UK no problems. I am now looking to adapt them to make them into a more complete survival kit.

Any ideas????

Wayne

when you reported the broken blastmatch to the blastmatch company, do they make you return the pieces?

if not im wondering if you could affix it to something as a back up striker?

And finally...

Customer service reports they will re-send shipment today, this time UPS Second Day Air.

I hope this one arrives. At least, I should be able to track it!

Mine didn't arrive broken. I broke it myself so I didn't make a claim. I'll find other uses for it.

Regards, Vince

Wayne:

I can't believe the UK allows packages from the National Rifle Association of America to enter England!

Next thing you know, they will quit arresting people for wearing gun lapel pins.

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Looks like someone is trying to make a profit from these on Ebay. $25.00

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...29&rd=1

you beat me to it pete, i saw those a few days ago but for some reason couldnt post here (pos computer).

btw when i called the NRA store to complain about the missing blastmatch from my kit i only expected a new blastmatch, they actually sent me a whole new kit.

now thats a nice bonus.

ok but even if you did break it yourself, doesnt the blastmatch come with some kind of warranty on it incase of breaking?

it would make sense since it may be used in a "survival situation" people might not be using it as gently as they should because of panic and what not.

That's scant comfort if you're stranded and you just broke your last method of making a fire.

yes but it may be more comforting to someone whos trying to get one replaced in a non-emergency situation, which was the point of bringing it up here.

I bought a kit very much like this one - it was from the Ultimate Survival line, but included a really nice Saber Cut Saw. It cost me $50 a year and a half ago. I modified the contents: if you take out the foam you can fit all kinds of additional stuff in the case. I fit a Potable Aqua bottle, fishing kit, survival instructions, beta light, sewing kit, matches, and more.

It is a bit heavy for a girl like me, but fairly complete, so I gave it to my fiance. Hopefully he'll use it like I did!

In fairness, it would be almost impossible to break a Blastmatch to the extent that you couldn't use it to start a fire. You might need to use two hands, but this is true of most methods of starting a fire anyway (from the bowdrill to the mag-flint). And in an emergency, I'll bet I could use it one-handed even if the striker piece had broken off.

I agree that, for a piece of survival gear, the option to return it to the store for a replacement is not as attractive as it would be for a piece of stereo equipment; but it's important to remember that "broken" does not necessarily equate to "useless" <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

...and then grandma got pregnant!

It had to happen, the kits finally arrived. The FIRST ones sent out. So I should be receiving another two kits tommorrow. I advised the friendly customer service reps about this, they said to just, not accept the UPS package that I should get tommorrow morning.

Well it's a <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> ending.

Called the NRA looking for a replacement blastmatch which I was willing to pay for. They offered to send a replacement kit at no charge--actually, they offered to send two. I accepted one gratefully. I like it when companies make things right.

Regards, Vince

Norad45: <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

I seem to recall someone saying that kind of response from the NRA would be "A blast with no match". <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Now who could that masked man be? <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />