An Apocalypse Survival Christmas! Part 3

In addition to all my survival gear I got a bunch of really great camping gear as well. All these things would also make a great addition to a survival kit. For about a year now I've wanted a pair of Vibram five fingers. I've held off getting them till this point because I was subtly informed that maybe I should wait till after Christmas. I am more than happy with them to say the least. If you haven't heard of them yet, the gist is minimalist. I got the KSO Treks, the slightly more rugged version, with treaded soles and kangaroo leather construction. There are a few other versions, made for running and daily use. They do take a little getting used to, but once you wear them for a day or so they feel like an extension of your foot. It is a strange sensation to have fabric between your toes, but after awhile it feels like wearing a very comfortable sock. I haven't gone for a hike just yet in them but daily use has been great, including skateboarding and Clutch shows. They are a bit cold this time of year so I would recommend getting a pair big enough to allow the use of socks if you plan on wearing them in winter. The Treks are on sale right now at Eastern Mountain Sports for about 90 dollars.

One thing I picked out for myself with Christmas money was a crash pad from EMS. I've wanted to get one for years, but haven't gotten around to it till now. I probably still won't bring it every time I go, it will depend on weather and how much weight I'm willing to carry. In cold weather a mattress is a must. You lose a whole lot more heat to the ground through induction than through the air. As far as comfort it is definitely worth its weight, and will make the trek home the next day considerably easier. At a price of just 59 dollars I am very happy with it, as I had originally planned on a Thermarest that would've been around 100. It measures 7 feet long, and 3 feet wide, and about an inch thick inflated. It's a "self inflating design", that's fine if you don't actually want it inflated at all. The first time I let it sit for 3 hours and nothing, it seems to do better now that's its been inflated a few times though. It's a minor complaint considering blowing it up only takes a minute or so, but it is the principle really. 

From my girlfriend's sister I got an L.L. Bean gift card, with this I got a really cool water bottle. I am really surprised nobody has come up with this design before. It's sort of like a Camelback bladder without the tube. Once I saw this I knew I would get a ton of use out of it. Normally I carry a messenger bag with a ceramic water bottle. Needless to say, that gets heavy and when its empty I have to continue to carry a bulky bottle around. This new bottle weighs nearly nothing and collapses down when empty. At 8 bucks I will definitely be purchasing a couple more of these down the road. They also make one with a sport top for about 12.