Dare to Prepare

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Product Review — Big Blok™


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In May 2014, I attended a Preparedness Expo in Prosser, Washington. One of the vendors was selling a series of sturdy plastic containers called Big Bloks™ (www.bigbloks.com). I'd never seen such a gizmo before and frankly, from a preparedness standpoint, I was captivated.

Big Bloks™ are described as "multi-purpose containers built with functionality and flexibility in mind."

The units come in single, double, and triple sizes (10 gallons, 23 gallons, and 42 gallons, respectively) in order to maximize the adaptability. They are stand-alone or stackable. They can create towers or walls. The large openings mean they are easy to fill with bulky items. They can be used for anything from landscaping to agricultural uses to hazardous cleanup to barriers to construction. They are also foodsafe and can store potable water. They are water-proof and vermin-proof. Colors range from bright to subdued.

I was particularly taken with the demo that showed how these units can be used as retaining walls with a preparedness adaptation. I thought it was a marvelous idea that they could be filled with survival gear, food, medical supplies, and other preparedness items, then stacked to form a barrier wall or retaining wall. The wall could then be covered with dirt and planted over.

Impressed, I obtained two of the single units and took them home to see what they could do. The first thing that struck me was how capacious they are. Each unit has a 10-inch opening and a 10-gallon capacity. The wide opening is what makes these units so useful. We were able to fit some bulky items inside.

My husband and I decided to use the two single units as caches for survival gear. We started filling them with necessary items and couldn't believe all the items that fit inside. It became a challenge to see how much we could stuff in there. This is what we ended up with packed into one unit for our family of four:

Lifestraw and water purification tablets
Toilet paper, feminine hygiene products
Soap (liquid)
Bagged tinder (dryer lint, crumpled newspapers, thin sticks), box of strike-anywhere matches
First-aid kit, OTC medicines
Emergency Mylar blankets (4), rain-proof ponchos (4), mosquito netting (1)
High-lumen flashlights (3) and batteries
Socks (4 prs), gloves (4 prs), bandanas (8)
Jar of peanut butter, box of granola bars, jar of hot chocolate mix
Camp mess kit, plastic cutlery, paper cups
Pairs of eyeglasses (one prescription, one reading), 4 small Bibles
500 feet of paracord, box of safety pins, roll of duct tape, sturdy knife
And keep in mind this was just one unit. We have a second unit as well.

As my husband pointed out, the true value of these units as caches is the potential for specialization. A unit can contain ammo, food, water, medical supplies, camping supplies, or it can contain a little of everything. And don't forget that after emptying your cache, you have a versatile and rugged container available for reuse.

The manufacturers have constructed these blocks to be as useful as possible. They can be used as construction blocks for either linear or curved structures. Think of them as oversized Legos and you'll get the idea ... but they're Legos that can be filled.

The blocks can be purchased with a variety of adaptations, including a custom-fitted toilet seat. Other options include threaded inserts at top, bottom, and sides (for coupling and attachments); clips, straps, and thumbscrews for coupling; hand-operated transfer pump; and lift straps for handling with a shoulder pole, hook, or forklift.

From my standpoint, the one concern is price. Single units are $66; double units are $95; and triple units are $140 (volume discounts are available). But considering the degree of rugged sturdiness and variety of ways it can be used, I find the prices fair and understandable.

I can highly recommend adding at least a few of these units to the repertoire of all preppers. The scope of possibilities for their use makes Big Bloks™ hard to beat.