About Survivalgearlab

Why This Site Exists

Ten years ago, I was leading a backcountry navigation course in the Cascade Range when one of my students pulled out a "survival kit" they'd bought online. It was a plastic box filled with cheap components that looked impressive on the product photo but fell apart the moment we actually needed them. A waterproof match container that leaked. A fire starter that wouldn't ignite in damp conditions. A water filter that clogged after two uses.

That moment stuck with me. I realized that most people buying survival gear have no way to separate marketing hype from actual performance. They're making decisions based on Amazon reviews written by people who've never taken the gear into the field. And the stakes are real—when you're actually in an emergency, your gear either works or it doesn't.

I started Survivalgearlab to solve that problem. This site exists because you deserve honest reviews from someone who's actually tested these products in conditions that matter. Not in a studio. Not for 30 minutes. In the real world, under pressure, where failure has consequences.

About Jake Merritt

I spent the first decade of my career split between two worlds that taught me everything about survival gear. For ten years, I worked as a wilderness survival instructor, leading courses across the Pacific Northwest, the Rocky Mountains, and the desert Southwest. I taught everything from basic fire-starting to advanced backcountry navigation, and I saw firsthand which tools and techniques actually worked when people needed them.

I also worked as an EMT during this period, responding to wilderness emergencies and search-and-rescue operations. That experience showed me the gap between theoretical preparedness and real-world readiness. I've treated injuries in remote locations where the right gear—or the wrong gear—made a measurable difference in outcomes. I've seen people make it through emergencies because their kit was reliable, and I've seen others struggle because they relied on equipment that sounded good on paper but failed when it mattered.

That combination of hands-on teaching, emergency response, and thousands of hours in extreme environments is what I bring to every review on this site. I don't just read spec sheets. I take gear into the field, break it, stress-test it, and evaluate it against real-world standards. My judgments are shaped by years of knowing what actually saves time, effort, and lives when things go wrong.

What We Cover

Survivalgearlab focuses on the gear that matters in survival and emergency preparedness situations. That includes:

This site is for people taking preparedness seriously—whether you're building your first bug out bag, upgrading your emergency supplies, or you're already deep into prepping and looking for the best available gear. You're here because you want honest information, not marketing, and that's what I deliver.

How We Test & Review

Every review on this site is based on field-testing and real-world evaluation. Here's my process: I source the product, I use it extensively in conditions it's designed for, and I measure it against clear criteria that matter for survival situations. That means durability under stress, reliability in adverse conditions, ease of use under pressure, and actual performance compared to marketing claims.

I spend weeks—sometimes months—with gear before writing about it. A water filter doesn't get reviewed after filtering two liters; I test it until it shows signs of degradation. A fire starter gets tested in wet conditions, high altitude, and wind. A backpack gets loaded, hiked in, and evaluated for comfort and durability over real distance.

I'm transparent about affiliate relationships on this site. Yes, I earn commissions if you buy through my links. But that relationship doesn't influence my scores or recommendations. I've given critical reviews to products from brands I have affiliate agreements with, and I've declined to promote products that don't meet my standards regardless of commission potential. My credibility is worth more than any individual sale, and I protect it by being honest about what works and what doesn't.

If you have questions about testing methodology, product recommendations, or anything else on the site, I want to hear from you.

Get In Touch

Have a question about a review, want to suggest a product for testing, or just want to share your own gear experience? I read every message. Contact me at info@survivalgearlab.com and I'll get back to you.

Questions? Reach us at info@survivalgearlab.com