Wazoo Survival Gear

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Overview

Wazoo Survival Gear designs wearable survival gear and everyday carry items incorporating paracord and multi-functional tools like fire starters, sharpening devices, and pendants for outdoor and emergency use. The company targets self-reliant individuals, adventurers, and search and rescue contexts, with products featured in publications such as NPR, Maxim, and Outside Magazine, and endorsed by Tim Ferriss. It differentiates through patented designs like the Firestorm Buckle and supports search and rescue organizations via profit donations.¹²⁴⁵

History

Wazoo Survival Gear was founded in 2013 by Nick Blackman, a NASA engineer, and Dustin Hogard, an outdoor guide and search and rescue participant, initially meeting in 2012 near Houston, Texas. They introduced the Adventure Bracelet with the patented Firestorm Buckle, compass, fishing kit, and signal features, pioneering wrist-borne wearable survival kits and influencing the survival bracelet market. The company crowdfunded $479,885 from 6,552 backers and relocated headquarters to Mead, Colorado. It holds multiple patents and serves customers in over 130 countries.¹⁴⁷

Product Lines

Product Line	Positioning	Price Range
Paracord Bracelets (wearable survival kits)	multi-tool outdoor accessories	$50 - $150
Necklaces (fire starting pendants)	concealed emergency tools	$30 - $80
Keychains (compact survival gear)	everyday carry essentials	$20 - $60
Hats (Cap with Hidden Pockets)	functional apparel storage	$40 - $70
Sharpening Tools (ferro rods and files)	field maintenance gear	$25 - $50

Manufacturing

Products are designed in the United States with a focus on engineering and outdoor testing, but specific manufacturing locations are not detailed in available sources. The company emphasizes patented, field-tested designs produced for lightweight and compact use.¹²⁴

Notable Products

Adventure Bracelet™ - Wrist-worn kit with Firestorm Buckle™, compass, fishing/repair kit, surgical tubing, and signal surfaces.
Fire Starting Necklace - Pendant concealing ferro rod and striker for emergency fire ignition.
Cap with Hidden Pockets - Hat featuring concealed storage for small survival tools.
Paracord Survival Keychain - Multi-functional keychain with cord, tools, and utility components.
Sharpening Pendant - Wearable tool for maintaining blades in the field.

Reputation

Wazoo Survival Gear receives recognition from outdoor enthusiasts and publications like NPR, Esquire, and Gear Junkie for innovative, multi-functional designs that enhance self-reliance. Professionals in search and rescue value its practical tools stemming from real-world experience, with endorsements from figures like Tim Ferriss. It lacks BBB accreditation and has no prominent customer reviews in sources, suggesting limited scale visibility.¹²³⁴

Sources (8)