GEAR PACK INCLUDES SOME EXCELLENT KNIVES IN ITS MONTHLY MYSTERY BOXES

It’s a lot of fun to open a surprise package. It’s even more fun when you anticipate there will be one or more new knives in that package.

“Much of the attraction of Gear Pack is the excitement of discovery…”

This assortment of knives came over several months from Gear Pack. Usually, a couple of cutting tools are included in each monthly Ultimate box.

This assortment of knives came over several months from Gear Pack. Usually, a couple of cutting tools are included in each monthly Ultimate box.

Whenever the delivery driver drops a Gear Pack box on my doorstep, it’s like Christmas, my birthday, and Father’s Day rolled into one. I never know what to expect, but I know whatever is inside will be something I’m going to like.

MYSTERY BOXES

So, what exactly is Gear Pack? It’s a subscription service that sends a mystery box of goodies to you each month. Each month’s box has a theme, such as Bushcraft, Medical, Fire, or Urban EDC.

Although knives are among what the author anticipates the most, Gear Pack boxes consistently contain lots of other great gear. Shown are the contents of Gear Pack Box 57—Bushcraft.

Although knives are among what the author anticipates the most, Gear Pack boxes consistently contain lots of other great gear. Shown are the contents of Gear Pack Box 57—Bushcraft.

You can subscribe to any one of four levels: Basic ($24.99), Basic Plus ($49.99), Advanced ($99.99), and Ultimate ($149.99). The total value of the items included in each box are guaranteed to exceed what you pay. A small shipping fee is added to those monthly rates.

Over time, a Gear Pack subscriber can acquire lots of useful gear by receiving a box once a month. The contents of Box 56—Medical contains many useful first-aid products.

Over time, a Gear Pack subscriber can acquire lots of useful gear by receiving a box once a month. The contents of Box 56—Medical contains many useful first-aid products.

You don’t have to sign any contracts with Gear Pack, and you can move up or down levels or cancel at any time. Gear Pack announces what the themes will be for future boxes. So, if some of the upcoming box themes don’t interest you, you can suspend your subscription too and pick up where you left off later.

Also, you can change the frequency of the boxes from monthly to every other month or every third month. Depending on where you live, you can be billed in either U.S. or Canadian dollars.

Fire-starting products are usually very popular with Gear Pack subscribers.

Fire-starting products are usually very popular with Gear Pack subscribers.

Much of the attraction of Gear Pack is the excitement of discovery. I try to keep tabs on a wide range of available outdoor gear. But every time I open a Gear Pack mystery box, I find several great products that are completely unfamiliar to me.

There are brands and products included that give me a chance to handle new equipment, things I never knew existed. And because of my varied interests, I find most all of it to be useful. The gear inside these boxes fuels my enthusiasm for getting outdoors to give the new gear a try.

GREAT KNIVES

In the boxes at the Ultimate subscription level, there are usually a couple of cutting tools included, mostly knives, but sometimes a hatchet or saw. Who can’t use more knives?  Here are some of the more notable knives included in recent Gear Pack boxes:

Sniper Bladeworks Dashi

This pointy fixed blade features a sharp, chisel grind to its 1095 steel blade with PVD finish. While it does come with an integral bottle opener on the spine, it is otherwise a minimalist knife with no handle scales over the tang, although it would be a great candidate for a paracord wrap. The overall length is 7.52 inches, making it a pleasure to carry in its Kydex sheath.

The Dashi from Sniper Bladeworks is a pointy, minimalist fixed blade with a chisel grind.

The Dashi from Sniper Bladeworks is a pointy, minimalist fixed blade with a chisel grind.

Spyderco Bow River

This is an excellent fixed-blade hunting knife with a 4.36-inch trailing point blade of 8Cr13MoV steel with a flat grind. It’s a thin blade at 0.108-inch, helping to make it good for slicing and boning meat. This Phil Wilson design features a black and white G10 handle that really helps the knife to stand out if you set it down in the autumn leaves. A leather belt sheath is included.

The Spyderco Bow River is a hunting knife with a thin, trailing-point blade and is one of the author’s favorites.

The Spyderco Bow River is a hunting knife with a thin, trailing-point blade and is one of the author’s favorites.

Brous Division

This is one awesome-looking knife. It’s 3.875-inch blade of D2 steel features a drop-point configuration and a high hollow grind. That blade comes to a very distinct point, so it should be an excellent penetrator. The polymer handle is big enough for even the largest hands. This knife has a prominent, curved flipper used to open the blade along a ball-bearing pivot.

The Brous Division is a linerlock knife with a large, curved flipper for one-handed opening. It was included in Gear Pack Box 56—Medical.

The Brous Division is a linerlock knife with a large, curved flipper for one-handed opening. It was included in Gear Pack Box 56—Medical.

QSP Neckmuk

What do you get when you take a Nessmuk-inspired blade and scale it down to the size of a neck knife? The result is the QSP Neckmuk, designed by Arthur Brehm. The Neckmuk has a leaf-shaped blade, 2.875 inches long, with a flat grind to the D2 steel. The Micarta handle scales cover the full tang with a grip design that wraps around your pinky finger for a secure hold. A metal chain comes with the Kydex sheath.

The QSP Neckmuk is a neck knife that came in Gear Pack Box 55—Fire. It’s a handy, take-anywhere small fixed blade.

The QSP Neckmuk is a neck knife that came in Gear Pack Box 55—Fire. It’s a handy, take-anywhere small fixed blade.

Real Steel E802 Horus

I really love this knife. The Real Steel E802 Horus features a 3.7-inch drop-point blade of Sandvik 14C28N steel. The model I received has thumb studs, but another version is available with a nail nick if necessary to keep you legal.

The pivot features smooth, ball-bearing action. A liner lock is primary, but there’s a secondary lock switch atop the handle for added security when the blade is open. The knife features G10 handle scales.

The Real Steel E802 Horus knife was included in Gear Pack Box 58—Urban EDC. It’s an excellent blade for everyday carry.

The Real Steel E802 Horus knife was included in Gear Pack Box 58—Urban EDC. It’s an excellent blade for everyday carry.

Buck N Bear Piranha

Bucks and bears are both beasts and so is the Piranha Tactical Knife. This fixed blade features a beefy 3.6-inch drop-point blade of D2 steel with a recurve edge and lots of belly. With its contoured G10 handle scales covering the tang, the overall length of Piranha measures 8.5 inches. It comes with a very nice Kydex sheath.

The Buck N Bear Piranha, included in Gear Pack Box 57—Bushcraft, is a sturdy blade that will stand up to lots of hard use.

The Buck N Bear Piranha, included in Gear Pack Box 57—Bushcraft, is a sturdy blade that will stand up to lots of hard use.

Other knives that have been included in Gear Pack boxes include a nice, compact CRKT Black Powder Hatchet, Lansky Evader knife with sharpening rod, Ontario RAT 1 linerlock, Browning linerlock, and Kershaw Wire linerlock with SpeedSafe assisted opening.

“In the boxes at the Ultimate subscription level, there are usually a couple of cutting tools included…”

The Grim Worksharp Axe Card Tool came in one of the boxes and it’s interesting, although I haven’t had a chance to try it yet. It’s a bit larger than a credit card and can be used as-is, or you can lash it to a wooden handle that you fashion to make a mini axe. Another cool item was the Marshall Outdoors Lightweight Aluminum Takedown Saw that came apart and fit into a small-diameter, tube-like canvas carrying case.

OTHER TOP GEAR

Of course, Gear Pack boxes contain much more than knives. How about a Burr Paw Stick Remover to remove burrs after a long day on the trail? Need to start a fire? How about some UCO Behemoth Stormproof Sweetfire? These are tinder sticks that you can strike like a match, and they burn for 15 minutes. Or maybe you’d prefer an Exotac nanoSPARK, a wheel sparker with waterproof tinder compartment.

Not all the tools included in Gear Pack boxes are knives.

Not all the tools included in Gear Pack boxes are knives.

Occasionally, there’s an informative book included in a Gear Pack box.

Occasionally, there’s an informative book included in a Gear Pack box.

You’ll find an occasional book in a Gear Pack box too, such as the SAS Urban Survival Handbook or the Pocket First-Aid Field Guide. Speaking of first-aid, the box with Medical as its theme included, besides the book, a tourniquet, a splint, EMT shears, a hemostatic dressing, a Platoon MOLLE medical kit, small flashlight, and more.

Some of the other knives that have been included in Gear Pack boxes (from left) include: The Lansky Evader, Ontario RAT 1 Folder, a Browning linerlock, and Kershaw Wire.

Some of the other knives that have been included in Gear Pack boxes (from left) include: The Lansky Evader, Ontario RAT 1 Folder, a Browning linerlock, and Kershaw Wire.

The Urban box included a nice Gear Pack Urban Day backpack, Combat Ready tactical pen, and Tactica Hex Drive Tool Kit among other things.

FOR YOU OR WHO?

No, there’s nothing wrong with ordering a Gear Pack subscription for yourself. Happy birthday. But this would make a great gift for any outdoorsy person you know. It’s convenient too, especially if the recipient lives somewhere far from you because Gear Pack will take care of seeing that the boxes are delivered right to that person’s door. My birthday? It’s not for a while yet, but please keep me in mind.

MORE ABOUT GEAR PACK

Jared Green founded Gear Pack in 2016. Gear Pack grew quickly and is now shipping thousands of boxes all across the U.S. and Canada. It’s still a family-run company.

“I remember seeing my wife and her sisters getting these monthly mystery boxes that came with all kinds of makeup samples, perfumes, and frilly stuff. They loved them,” Green said. “It was something to look forward to every month. I thought, ‘Wow, that’s pretty cool actually, I wonder if there was something like that for me?’

“Also, I am an avid outdoorsman,” he continued. “I love to hunt, fish, camp, hike, and just be outdoors. Also, I love learning new survival skills for both the wilderness everyday situations. I looked around and didn’t see anything great in the way of a box that delivers top quality survival, tactical, and outdoor gear, so, I figured why not try and start my own?”

Gear Pack Theme

Fire is one theme that seems to be especially popular with Gear Pack subscribers, and there’s lots of interesting fire-starting gear on the market. Sometimes the company decides on a theme and finds the products to fit that theme. Other times, if a company is looking to have its product included, Gear Pack might create a theme around that product.

SOURCE

Gear Pack USA
Gear Pack
365 H Street
#10642
Blaine, WA 98230
GearPack.net

Gear Pack Canada
Gear Pack
Box 36098
Hillcrest Village PO
Surrey, BC  V3S 7Y0
GearPack.CA

Editor’s note: A version of this article first appeared in the November 2021 print issue of Knives Illustrated.