Wise Food Storage Bucket Review

Wise Food Storage 120 Serving Bucket

Earlier this year Wise Food Storage approached me to distribute their products here at H1KER.com. I had heard of their backpacking style outdoor meals before but was new to the survival buckets. Interested, I requested a sample and put it to the test.

While ultimately deciding to accept the distribution offer, this review is meant to be an unbiased look at how buckets perform in storing long term emergency food and applies to other brands such as the ones offered by Costco because they use the same square format with easy carry handle.

The first thing I noticed about the bucket storage option after unboxing it was the comfort swivel handle. Anyone who has tried to cary heavy buckets knows that handles make all the difference, actually handles are the second most important option after balancing load. To this end, I highly recommend carrying two buckets at a time vs. one as your shoulder and arm will get very tired otherwise!

These buckets aren’t meant to be carried around often but are perfect for if and when urgent relocation becomes an issue. Imagine being told to evacuate your city because Hurricane Katrina is on the way or an earthquake just hit and you’re expecting aftershocks. The same is true for rogue tidal waves like the one that hit Japan causing the Fukushima nuclear disaster. In the midwest, forest fires regularly burn through populated mountain areas, consuming houses along the way, and it’s this sort of situation that would really make you thankful to have an organized and portable food solution ready for action. Once you actually escape the danger these buckets become useful as chairs, step stools and even water storage tanks.

Having read The Last American Man by Elizabeth Gilbert, I vividly remember the main character Eustace Conway expressing his appreciation for plastic buckets for use in the outdoors as follows:

“I use chain saws all the time to take care of my land. I use telephones. And plastic buckets. My God, but plastic buckets are great! I’ve made plenty of my own baskets and containers out of tree bark and grasses-I mean, I know how to do it and I’ve used those primitive means of hauling water around lots of time-but I tell you, there’s nothing like a plastic bucket to get the job done faster. Wow! Plastic buckets! Glorious! I love ‘em!”

The size and shape of the buckets offered by Wise Foods is ideal for cabinet or pantry storage. Unlike circular buckets, these square ones optimize space usage and are more stable when stacked. Each bucket comes sealed with whatever options you ordered inside. It might contain breakfast or entree meals but regardless of the original contents, you’ll need water, utensils and heat to thoroughly enjoy them. This is one area where the resealable lids really come in handy, just toss in a water filter like the Katadyn Hiker I reviewed along with a mini camping stove or the WoodGas Stove I reviewed that doesn’t even require fuel to run.

Everything I’ve covered so far in this review is basic really; the buckets are strong and use space well, the lid is resealable, the handle is nice… In an effort to recreate the challenges and rigor one might face in a real emergency I decided to subject my sample bucket to some real world trauma. I used it as a floatation device in a lake near my house and I tossed large boulders onto it (simulating an earthquake) to see how easily it might crack. Check out the video review below, the bucket didn’t perform perfectly but it’s a lot better than a duffel bag and even when it fell short, the individually sealed Mylar food pouches inside came away unscathed every time.

If you’re a little unsettled with economic or natural conditions and are looking to protect yourself and your family by creating some food stores I would consider Wise Food Storage products. They are vegetarian, long lasting (25+ years) and durable. If you choose to buy them direct from my H1KER Web Store I’m happy to answer any questions.