Votagoo Mini Survival Kit Review

majorhavoc · August 12, 2023, 02:50:41 PM

When I came across this on Amazon it caught my eye because it bears more than a passing resemblance to one of my early survival prepping purchases, the S.O.L. Origin Survival kit, itself an interesting commercial/retail interpretation of the proverbial DIY Altoids tin survival kits that are so popular on Youtube, Instagram, TikTok, etc. Like most of the Altoids tin survival kits, I think the Votagoo and the S.O.L. Origin are intended as something you carry with you on a hike or other outdoor outing. It supposedly provides you with the bare minimum, last-ditch capability to survive in the wild.

The S.O.L. Origin has long been relegated to my leftover/outdated gear closet. It's been replaced by more capable, serious gear. So why on earth after all these years did I buy the Votagoo - at best a copy of something I already have and have no longer even use?

Three reasons:
One, I was ~~bored~~ curious - how/why did this obvious copy suddenly appear, years after the S.O.L. Origin went out of production?

Two, I have a weakness for over-engineered, too-clever-by-a-half gadgets. Call it my prepping kryptonite. The Votagoo, like the S.O.L. years before, scratches that itch.
Three, it reminded me of what it felt like to just start out in prepping. To have the interest but not a lot of knowledge about how to equip one's self for emergency situations. We have new members and lurkers who may be in that boat. Here's a close look at a product that's targeted for people like you. Spoiler alert: you can do a lot better. But I'm going to show you some ways to enhance beginner kits like this, and also suggest a use case where the Votagoo actually makes some sense.

If nothing else, it's a pretty box.

You can't deny the presentation is top notch, something I don't remember the S.O.L. being nearly so good at.

And the big reveal. Right off the bat, I have questions. Like, what's with the button batteries and the mini-screwdriver?

And the kit contents.

Finally, what makes the Votagoo so special: the survival tools that slot into the bottom. A ferrocerium spark wheel (basically a Bic lighter without the fuel), a button compass, and a combination folding knife, LED flashlight and emergency whistle. The compass and spark wheel are friction fit, but the knife/flashlight/whistle locks into place with a spring-loaded catch.

Next, let's see how it compares to the S.O.L. Origin.

majorhavoc · August 12, 2023, 03:27:38 PM

OK, see what I mean? There's no question about the lineage here. But is it a straight one-for-one copy? Is this even legal? A licensing agreement maybe?

The top looks a little different, but not by much. I neglected to take a picture, but that orange top panel on the S.O.L. is a signal mirror with a sighting hole. Printed on the plastic beneath the hinged mirror are written and visual instructions on how to use it. No such feature on the Votagoo. Turn the two units over however and it's like you're seeing double.

Aside from the branding, those components slotted into the bottom look identical. Right down to the retention catch for the knife/flashlight/whistle. There are subtle differences though. Once removed, it's not immediately obvious which way to re-insert the knife/flashlight/whistle into it's slot on the Votagoo. The S.O.L. helpfully provides pictograms to guide you.

Functionally, there isn't much difference between the two sets of tools. Again forgot to take a picture, but the spark wheel on the Votagoo had no trouble lighting up a Vaseline-impregnated cotton ball. Both whistles are nice and loud, and would definitely help you conserve energy if you're lost in the woods and hoping a rescue party will hear you. The compasses both point more or less in the same direction, which is magnetic north according to my orienteering compass.

Terrible picture, but the blade on the Votagoo is ever so slightly thinner than the S.O.L. But both lock up tight with little to no lateral play. The S.O.L. is labeled AUS8, no such indication on the Votagoo. The Votagoo feels a little sharper, but that may be entirely due me futzing around with the S.O.L. knife when I first got it over 10 years ago. You won't be hacking down saplings with either of these knives. They'll cut cordage though. And with some patience will produce stakes, feather sticks, etc.

The Votagoo fully deployed, proudly showing it's massive, highly intimidating 1 3/4" blade. No point in showing you the S.O.L. - except for branding and the aforementioned slight difference in blade thickness, they're visually identical. Note the LED emitter near the base of the blade, and the whistle at the other end. Sadly, the flashlight doesn't seem to be working. Hmm ... perhaps something to do with those two button cells and the mini screwdriver?

Dimensions of the cases are identical except for the thickness. The Votagoo is slightly taller, with a corresponding increase in the interior compartment. I guess it has something to do with the signal mirror on the S.O.L. But if anything, that should make the S.O.L. thicker, rather than the other way around.

So basically, the outside tools are functionally the same, assuming we can get that flashlight working on the Votagoo. The S.O.L.'s flashlight works just fine, even on its original, 10+ year old batteries.

Next let's look at what's inside the kit.

majorhavoc · August 12, 2023, 04:50:20 PM

All the goodies found inside the Votagoo. A fishing kit consisting of some very light line, two small hooks, a lure and a few little balls that look like they might be some kind of bait? Plus a couple of band aids, something Votagoo calls "fire rope", which I assume is for tinder. I did not try to see how it works. Finally, a wire saw and - somewhat surprisingly, a ferrocerium rod and striker.

But check this out. Another terrible picture I know, but can you see that? The fish hooks in the Votagoo have no eyelets! The ends are just flattened disks. I'm kind of amazed I managed to spot that. Can you imagine how many Votagoo buyers would never, ever notice that? Until they actually need to fish for survival food that is. Major demerit, Votagoo.

For comparison, the inside contents of S.O.L. kit. Another fishing kit including sinkers and swivels, but with no lures/bait. It should come as no surprise that the fish hooks in the S.O.L. Origin come standard with actual eyelets. Again two bandaids, but the S.O.L. also includes some cordage, 3 safety pins, tinder tabs, a sewing needle, snare wire and - critically - a Buck Tilden-licensed mini survival guide. Plus some aluminum foil tucked in behind it. The survival guide is very basic and any good prepper will tell you an emergency situation is not the time to read up on survival skills. But I'm of the mind that any amount of information is potentially useful in a stressful situation. And you can't be sure that it might not be someone else who will need to use the tools in this kit. So it's a real shame that the Votagoo doesn't have something similar.

Overall, I'd say the Votagoo is lacking some critical items found in the S.O.L. Especially the signal mirror, the tinder tabs and a fishing kit that actually has a chance of working. Plus the S.O.L. goes the extra mile by providing information that makes the kit easier to use effectively, ranging from pictogram directions on stowing the tools, instructions on using the signal mirror and the printed survival guide.

Now, I'm beating up a bit on the Votagoo compared to the S.O.L. But reality check here: neither kit is anywhere near reasonable assurance you'll survive if you're lost in the wilderness. Regardless of which of these two kits you have on you, your chances are far more likely to be determined by plain common sense. If you're lost or seriously injured: find shelter, stay put and conserve energy. Unless you're a skilled orienteer, trying to find your way out on your own is more likely to use up valuable survival energy, get yourself injured even more and make it that much harder for rescuers to find you.

But that doesn't mean the Votagoo is worthless. Especially if we can enhance it's capabilities. Which is something you should think about with any store-bought kit. How can we make it better?

How about this?

Obviously it's not all going to fit inside the kit. But fortunately, I found a mini pouch on Amazon that's almost a perfect color match for the Votagoo's "Rescue Me!" orange. It even comes with a survival-enhancing, attitude-affirming morale patch to remind you when your spirits are at their lowest that, gosh darn it, you're special! Between the Votagoo's inner compartment and the orange, UFoZS-endorsed Mama Say's I'm Special Survival Gear Enhancement Pouch^TM we're able to include the following:

7 feet duct tape
30 feet high visibility 32-lb test nano cord
Whirlpack stand up 1 liter water bag
10 Aquatab water purification tables
Keychain backup flashlight
3 safety pins
2 insect repellant towelettes
1 Splinter out lancet
2 more Bandaids (why not?)
1 sachet of antibiotic ointment
1 mini signal mirror with sighting hole
1 Fresnel magnifying lens
5 Vaseline-impregnated cotton balls
Book of matches in ziploc plastic bag
2 feet of aluminum foil
2 alcohol prep pads
1 3"x3" gauze pad (used with the duct tape to treat larger wounds)
ETA: I replaced the 2 defective fish hooks with 3 functional ones and added a few tin sinkers to the fishing kit

See, it all fits in the Votagoo and the enhancement pouch. Others will disagree, but I decided to omit the wire saw and (controversially, I know) the ferrocerium fire steel and striker. I just ran out of room. Yes, redundancy is a tenant of prepping. But we're talking about a minimalist survival kit here and we already have three other ways to start a fire.

And finally, about those two button cells and the mini screw driver. The Votagoo did come with batteries installed and no, there weren't any removable battery contact tabs. The provided batteries were simply dead/defective and Votagoo didn't discover that until they were installed. My guess is that rather than opening all the packages and installing fresh batteries, Votagoo just tossed fresh ones and the screwdriver into every kit and have left it up to the consumer to figure it out. Once I installed the batteries, the flashlight function worked fine. I tested both the Votagoo and the S.O.L. in a darkened room and the Votagoo was noticeably brighter. But that's hardly fair - the S.O.L. was still on its original, 10+ year old batteries. I've ordered replacements and if I happen to think of it, I'll update this review to see how the S.O.L. compares to the Votagoo in a fair fight.

Which brings me to how this kit may have come to be, and a use case (even without the enhancement pouch) that makes sense.

S.O.L. stopped making the Origin mini survival kit some time ago. You can still find them on Amazon, but that's apparently old stock and their scarcity has caused their price to jump to a ridiculous $80, far more than it originally retailed for and certainly more than it's worth. My theory is the Chinese subcontractor that made them for S.O.L. obtained a license to revive the product and sell it under a private label. Part of the licensing agreement may have required the omission of some key features (like the signal mirror) which, along with the removal of all S.O.L. branding, ensures consumers won't mistake this for an official S.O.L. product. And I suspect S.O.L's license to use the Buck Tilden survival guide wasn't transferrable, and that's why it's not present in the Votagoo.

At a third of the price the S.O.L. Origin is currently selling for, the Votagoo is a relative bargain. It also occasionally goes on sale - I bought mine for $16. (Tip: see something you like on Amazon but don't need it right away? Drop it in your cart and check regularly. Sooner or later it'll come down in price. Also, camelcamelcamel.com is your friend for placing the current price in historical context.) That makes it, if nothing else, an affordable curiosity. But it is a cleverly designed product. And the very high quality presentation of the packaging makes it an attractive gift idea for a scout, a child/grandchild or niece/nephew who is into the outdoors. Or anyone, really, who just likes gadget-y type things and the idea of being prepared.

And like any inexpensive, basic survival kit, it can serve as a foundation to build something much more capable. That's a worthwhile exercise for any store-bought survival kit, and a real opportunity to educate yourself about useful, versus frivolous, survival gear.

12_Gauge_Chimp · August 12, 2023, 05:45:30 PM

I tend to view these types of kits as ones you're meant to add things to.

They're not really designed to be the end-all, be-all kits that a lot of us already have. They're also not really marketed towards avid preppers like us anyway.

They're moreso marketed towards newbies who want to have a 'survival kit', but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars building their own. Kind of like how those backpack kits Walmart sells around the holidays exist.

majorhavoc · August 12, 2023, 06:18:44 PM

Quote from: 12_Gauge_Chimp on August 12, 2023, 05:45:30 PMI tend to view these types of kits as ones you're meant to add things to.

They're not really designed to be the end-all, be-all kits that a lot of us already have. They're also not really marketed towards avid preppers like us anyway.

They're moreso marketed towards newbies who want to have a 'survival kit', but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars building their own. Kind of like how those backpack kits Walmart sells around the holidays exist.

Exactly. And while the Votagoo is not exactly the best example, I do think there's something to be said for a premade kit offering some level of capability in the here and now. At least until you develop the knowledge and expertise to recognize you can do a better spec'ing out a kit on your own. I don't know about you, but that's how my prepping journey progressed.

Buy once, cry once is all well and good, but emergencies won't necessarily wait for everyone to skill up. I'd rather my neighbor across the street have one of those Walmart kits than nothing at all if something befalls my area like it did for Lahaina, HI.

And speaking of those holiday "backpack kits", expect another commercial emergency kit review (+ user enhancements) sometime soon. Wow, maybe I'll become the Ebuff75 (aka "Mr. Portable Power Station") of emergency kit reviews!

12_Gauge_Chimp · August 12, 2023, 06:46:52 PM

Quote from: majorhavoc on August 12, 2023, 06:18:44 PM
Quote from: 12_Gauge_Chimp on August 12, 2023, 05:45:30 PMI tend to view these types of kits as ones you're meant to add things to.

They're not really designed to be the end-all, be-all kits that a lot of us already have. They're also not really marketed towards avid preppers like us anyway.

They're moreso marketed towards newbies who want to have a 'survival kit', but don't want to spend hundreds of dollars building their own. Kind of like how those backpack kits Walmart sells around the holidays exist.
Exactly. And while the Votagoo is not exactly the best example, I do think there's something to be said for a premade kit offering some level of capability in the here and now. At least until you develop the knowledge and expertise to recognize you can do a better spec'ing out a kit on your own. I don't know about you, but that's how my prepping journey progressed.

Buy once, cry once is all well and good, but emergencies won't necessarily wait for everyone to skill up. I'd rather my neighbor across the street have one of those Walmart kits than nothing at all if something befalls my area like it did for Lahaina, HI.

And speaking of those holiday "backpack kits", expect another commercial emergency kit review (+ user enhancements) sometime soon. Wow, maybe I'll become the Ebuff75 (aka "Mr. Portable Power Station") of emergency kit reviews!

That's pretty much how I started out prepping. I bought one of those cheapo kits and added to it as I went on.

Speaking of which, I really need to build up a more substantial kit again.

As for the resident emergency kit reviewer, maybe we'll have to change your member title at some point when that happens.