They don’t want you to know this. But I’m going to tell you anyway.
I need you to listen carefully. And I need you to check that nobody is behind you before you read this. I’m serious. Just — just have a quick look. Okay. Good. Because what I’m about to tell you is information that certain parties have gone to considerable lengths to keep off sites like this one, and I think you deserve to know it.
I found prepping about four years ago, after an incident I won’t describe here — not in writing, not without a secure channel — that made me realise the sky is not as stable as they are telling us. I don’t mean that metaphorically. I mean it literally. I have the data. It’s on the cork board. The red string connects everything.
My approach to gear is thorough. Every item I acquire is checked for tracking devices before it goes anywhere near the bug-out kit. I have a protocol. It involves a signal detector, a Faraday pouch, and a second opinion from DarkOwl47, who I’ve never met in person but who has sources I am not at liberty to discuss. The checking process takes time. Some items have taken three days. That’s not inefficiency. That’s due diligence.
The hat is my own design. I won’t explain the specifics because honestly at this point the information is better protected if fewer people know the exact configuration. What I can say is that it works. I would know if it wasn’t working.
I review products from a genuine preparedness standpoint. Clean gear only. I test everything before it goes in the kit. If it passes, I’ll tell you. If it doesn’t — and some things don’t, and that’s all I’ll say about that — I’ll tell you that too.
The sky is falling. This is not a metaphor.
Told you the sky was falling. Didn’t tell you about the t-shirt though. Fixed that. Merch store.
Chicken Licken
Independent Preparedness Reviewer, UK Prepper Hub
[LOCATION WITHHELD — for obvious reasons]
Reviews I’ve Submitted
All products below have been assessed, tested, and cleared. The process takes as long as it takes.
Energizer Vision HD+ Head Torch — Read the full review →
All different lighting functions work as described. Doesn’t appear to be any hidden functions built in they don’t want you to know about. It also doesn’t have a tracker in it. Passed all tests. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
INIU 20,000mAh Power Bank — Read the full review →
Three ports. I know what three means. I’ve done my research. No GPS chip that I could find, though I note the digital display can theoretically be used to signal in morse code, which raises questions. The 3-year warranty paperwork does not require you to register online if you pay cash. Four stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Portwest C474 Hi-Vis Vest — Read the full review →
According to a 2019 Department for Transport study I read at 2am, pedestrians in dark clothing on unlit roads are involved in a disproportionate number of serious incidents. I have ordered one for every member of my household. Hoping they also reflect wifi signals as well as light. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
XtraLite NiteSafe – Read the full review →
It activates automatically when the power goes out. I want you to think about that. Something in your house knows the moment the power fails. How does it know? I’m not saying it knows too much. I’m just saying I’ve covered the sensor with tape when it’s not needed. Four stars — the torch itself is clean. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Hi-Spec 24pc Tool Kit — Read the full review →
The voltage test pen passed all tests. No tracking devices detected. I note that yellow is a high-visibility colour which may compromise operational security in a grid-down scenario. I have painted mine. The tools work fine. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
FireShield Home Fire Safety Pack Review — Read the full review →
Did you know that UK fire services attend around 37,000 accidental dwelling fires every year? That’s roughly one every fourteen minutes. I’ve been saying for years that most households have a smoke alarm and nothing else. I have been saying this since 2019. Nobody listened until now. I’m not smug about it. I’m a bit smug about it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Best Energy Bars for Your UK Emergency Kit: Five Honest Recommendations — Read the full review →
I have read the full ingredient list of all five brands. Twice. At 2am. Tribe is the only option. Vegan, no palm oil, no animal derivatives. I am not willing to risk it. According to a 2021 food safety report I found, the others are statistically fine. I am still going with Tribe. Five stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Manthorpe Airbrick Flood Defence Review — Read the full review →
Did you know most UK homes flood through the airbricks before a single drop comes in under the door? I’ve been saying this for years. Nobody fitted covers. Now there’s a product and suddenly everyone’s interested. I’m delighted. I’m not at all bitter. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
British Army 24-Hour Ration Packs: The Honest UK Emergency Food Review — Read the full review →
DarkOwl47 has been tracking the supply chain on these since last March. I checked every pouch for tracking devices before opening — took a while. The hot chocolate sachets are still under active investigation on the forum. The main meal itself seems fine. Probably fine. I’m monitoring the tea bags. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
OCOOPA USB Rechargeable Desk Fan Review — Read the full review →
No trackers. Checked twice. Battery-powered operation means it doesn’t interface with the home grid and limits its broadcast profile considerably. I’ve run mine for two weeks alongside my signal detector — nothing unusual. Four stars — would be five if it came with a Faraday sleeve. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pecute Dog Cooling Mat Review: No Freezer, No Plug, No Problem — Read the full review →
No electricity. No wifi. No cloud connection transmitting your dog’s temperature data to a server somewhere. The gel is confirmed non-toxic — I tested this independently, not just because the listing says so. No tracker found. The fact that it resets on its own without any input is either reassuring or suspicious. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
SOL Collapsible Dog Bowl Review: £4.99 for Two, Clips to Your Bag, Job Done — Read the full review →
BPA-free confirmed. Food grade confirmed. The carabiner clip could theoretically be used to signal in morse code if separated from your group, which is worth knowing. No tracker found. The orange variant is considerably more visible from a distance, which cuts both ways. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
SnuggleSafe Microwave Heat Pad Review: No Electricity, 10 Hours of Warmth — Read the full review →
Your microwave wattage matters significantly more than the instructions acknowledge. A 1000W microwave on full power will overheat the disc in the standard stated time — I know this because I tested it and had to wait twenty-five minutes for it to cool. Start at eighty percent of the stated time and work up. The disc is fine. The one-size-fits-all heating guidance is optimistic. I have been saying this about microwave instructions in general for years. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The government already has every document in this box. I have been saying this for years. However — and this is a separate matter — the house fire does not care about government surveillance. The UL rating is genuine. The fire is real. The box works. I gave it four stars because I checked it for tracking devices and found none, which I found suspicious. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
FRIO Insulin Cooling Wallet Review — Read the full review →
Everyone thinks insulin just needs to stay cold — but it actually degrades if it gets too cold as well. The FRIO works differently from a freezer pack: it keeps medication between 18°C and 26°C using evaporation. Safer than a cool bag and a lot better than nothing. I’ve been saying it for years: thermal management works in both directions. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Riemann P20 Sensitive SPF50+ Review: One Application, All Day — Read the full review →
The UVA protection is what people miss. P20 Sensitive provides more than double the EU minimum requirement. I’ve been saying UVA matters for years. The product agrees with me. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lifesystems Sun Cream Sachets Review: SPF50 for Your Kit, Not Your Bathroom — Read the full review →
The format is the reason people don’t use kit sunscreen — crusty cap, unknown fill level, expired label, too much faff. A sealed sachet removes every single one of those barriers. SPF50, 5-star UVA, no excuses left. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Craghoppers Kiwi II Review: Sun and Insect Protection in One Shirt — Read the full review →
UPF 50+ blocks over 98% of UV radiation. I have been saying this matters since 2019. Nobody listened. UV penetrates cloud cover. It penetrates car windows. It accumulates over a lifetime. The Kiwi II blocks it at the fabric level. The insect resistance is a physical barrier — mosquitoes cannot pass through. Five stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
UV damage accumulates at the cellular level. Sunburn is not a temporary inconvenience — it is cumulative damage with long-term consequences. Aloe vera contains compounds that actively support skin repair. I have been applying it since 2018. The fact that this information is not on the front of every sunscreen bottle tells you everything you need to know about who funds the research. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
They don’t want you to know this, but I spent four days running the Navar through a full protocol — signal detection, Faraday isolation, DarkOwl47 consultation. No embedded tracking. I also checked whether the tinted lenses were concealing subliminal messaging in the UV spectrum. They are not — the lenses block UV, so even if the messaging was there, it couldn’t reach you. This is the one benefit of proper UV400 certification nobody mentions. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sunday Afternoons Ultra Adventure Hat Review: Wide-Brim Done Right — Read the full review →
They don’t want you to know this, but a wide-brim hat is one of the most effective countermeasures against facial recognition from overhead surveillance. I checked the full hat construction for tracking devices — clean. The neck cape also provides some coverage from rear-facing cameras, which I had not considered before but am now very grateful for. Six sizes suggests they have head measurement data. I have noted this. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Braun PRT2000 Age Precision Digital Thermometer Review — Read the full review →
They don’t want you to know this, but I spent three days checking the PRT2000 for secondary sensors. DarkOwl47 swept the model number. Clean. Readings confirmed accurate against three independent sources. The Bluetooth version is a different matter — I’d approach that one with caution. For now. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I ran extensive tests to determine whether the magnetic field from the tips interferes with the data on the device. After three weeks of testing, data appears intact. I have, however, noticed that my phone battery drains slightly faster since fitting the tip. I’m not saying it’s a tracker. I’m just saying I can’t rule it out. The cable itself charges fine. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sukeen Cooling Towel Review — Read the full review →
UK summers are getting hotter. I’ve been saying this since before it became mainstream to say it, for reasons I can’t discuss here, but the point is the preparation is the same regardless of the cause. The Sukeen towel requires only water to function. Water is the one resource even they can’t remove entirely. Five stars. Buy several. Store them near your water supply. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
One Step Pet First Aid Kit Review — Read the full review →
Everyone thinks Lyme disease is a summer thing. It is not. UK ticks are active from March to November and some survive winter. They don’t want you worrying about this year-round but I’ve been saying it since 2019. The tick remover is the correct hook type. This is one of the few things I can recommend without caveats. [LOCATION WITHHELD] ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I spent 94 hours testing each item for tracking devices and RFID chips. The thermometer required three additional sweeps. Everything passed. I have a concern about the foil emergency blanket, which may function as a signal reflector. DarkOwl47 is looking into it. The bandages are clean. The kit is otherwise sound. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Faithfull Jerry Can Review — Read the full review →
I’d been saying for months we needed fuel reserves and nobody listened. Then the Middle East news ramped up again and suddenly everyone was paying attention. I’d already had this can for six months by that point. I’ve been saying this for years — when the supply chains wobble, petrol is always one of the first things to disappear from the pumps. At least this time I was actually prepared rather than just panicking. The UN certification marking on the side is weirdly reassuring. It means someone official actually tested it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Motorola T42 Review: Talkabout Walkie Talkies on Batteries — Read the full review →
Did you know every PMR446 radio in the UK is held to the same legal power limit? I’ve been saying this for years. That means the £200 radio and the T42 reach the same distance, and the only thing the expensive one gets you further is into your overdraft. The radio is fine. The marketing departments are the ones to keep an eye on. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
BAOFENG UV-5RM Plus Review: The UV-5R, Upgraded — Read the full review →
I have been saying for years that the only radio that cannot be triangulated, jammed, or remotely deactivated is one you built yourself from components outside the supply chain. The UV-5RM Plus is not that radio. It is, however, a very good radio. I use one. It is clean. For now. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
THUNDERPOLE T-800 Review: The Starting Point for CB Radio in the UK — Read the full review →
CB radio was designed before everything was cloud-dependent, subscription-gated, and logged by infrastructure you do not control. The T-800 is analogue, licence-free, and does not require an account, a SIM, or a terms-of-service agreement to operate. This is not a coincidence. This is a feature. I use one. Highly recommended. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The display screen shows your exact watt usage in real time. Real time. I have confirmed this is not being transmitted to a government server but I have still covered the display with black electrical tape during sensitive conversations. You cannot be too careful. The unit itself is excellent. Four stars — one star deducted for the app requiring Bluetooth. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
EcoFlow Delta 2 Review: The Expandable Home Backup Power Station — Read the full review →
EcoFlow is a Chinese technology company. I am not making any accusations. I’m just noting that. I have disabled the Wi-Fi, the Bluetooth, the app, and the smart grid feature. I use it entirely manually with a timer plug on the mains input. All core functions continue to work. The unit itself is outstanding. I would give it five stars if it wasn’t connected to the internet. It is connected to the internet. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
EcoFlow Delta 3 Max Portable Power Station Review — Read the full review →
I’ve been saying for years that 30ms switchover times crash home servers. Nobody listened. This does it in under 10ms. Your NAS drive won’t corrupt itself mid-write. That’s what I’ve been banging on about. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Renogy 100W Portable Solar Panel Review — Read the full review →
Did you know most people buy way more panel than their power station can use? This one’s actually sized right. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Renogy 400W Lightweight Portable Solar Suitcase Review — Read the full review →
Did you know most single panels undersize a 400W-rated station? This one actually hits the number. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Renogy 220W Lightweight Portable Solar Suitcase Review — Read the full review →
Did you know EcoFlow’s own manual recommends exactly this pairing? Told you so. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Renogy N-Type 320W Monocrystalline Solar Panel 2-Pack Review — Read the full review →
Did you know panels rated above your input cap don’t overload anything? The unit just caps what it takes. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sawyer Picaridin Insect Repellent Review — Read the full review →
Everyone thinks ticks are a “deep countryside” problem. They’re not. Found one on my own patio in Kettering last July. It’s not coming for the wilderness anymore, it’s coming for your garden — this stays by the back door now. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tick Twister Tick Remover Review — Read the full review →
People still tell you to burn a tick off with a match. That’s not an old wives’ tale, that’s actively dangerous advice — it makes the tick regurgitate into the bite before it lets go. Tick Twister exists because someone finally worked out the physics instead of repeating folklore. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lifesystems Tick Tweezers Review — Read the full review →
Everyone assumes any tweezers will do in a pinch. They won’t — blunt tips are how you end up squeezing the tick instead of gripping it. Lifesystems Tick Tweezers exist because “any tweezers” is genuinely bad advice. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Smidge Tick Removing Card — Read the full review →
Everyone panics about the tick itself — nobody thinks about the sting or the splinter that gets you the same afternoon. I’ve been saying for years the same bit of kit should cover more than one job. This does three. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
FRONTLINE Spot On for Cats — Read the full review →
Everyone thinks fleas vanish in winter. They don’t — they’re living it up in your centrally heated carpet the whole time, and a cat that goes outside brings the risk back in on its own coat. I’ve been saying this for years and nobody listens until they’ve got fleas in January. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
FRONTLINE Spot On for Dogs — Read the full review →
Everyone thinks fleas vanish in winter. They don’t — they’re living it up in your centrally heated carpet the whole time. I’ve been saying for years the seasons don’t matter half as much as people think once you’ve got central heating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lepro Torch Review: The Battery Torch That Lives By Your Front Door — Read the full review →
Did you know a rechargeable torch’s built-in battery slowly loses capacity whether you use it or not? A pack of AAA batteries in a drawer just sits there waiting. I’ve been saying this for years: when the grid goes down, the boring battery beats the clever gadget every time. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A device that accesses your car’s electrical system is exactly the kind of thing they would embed a tracker in. I checked it for five days. Clean — though I’ve wrapped the clamps in signal-blocking tape as a precaution. The jump start function works extremely well. I used it in November and it started the car on the first attempt. DarkOwl47 on the forum has a theory about the LED strobe function which I’m not going to repeat here. Four stars — passed all tests but I’ve got my eye on it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thetford Porta Potti 365 Review: The Emergency Toilet That Needs No Mains — Read the full review →
Everyone will tell you to keep the toilet connected to the municipal system. I prefer a unit that works entirely without it. The Thetford Porta Potti 365 is sealed, needs no power and contains everything until I choose to deal with it. The level indicator is probably just a level indicator. Probably. I have removed the label. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Silentnight Heat Genie Review: Warmth With No Plug Needed — Read the full review →
The foil layer is clearly government-adjacent technology and I have questions about where the heat actually goes. That said, it passed my standard sweep: no transmitters detected, no tracking chips, no unusual frequencies. I have given it conditional clearance. I am keeping it away from the router just in case. [LOCATION WITHHELD] ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
EcoAir DD1 Simple Review — Read the full review →
Did you know most dehumidifiers sold in this country barely work in a cold British bedroom? I’ve been saying this for years. They sell you the one that works in a warm showroom. Nobody lives in a showroom. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Cyalume SnapLight Review — Read the full review →
Did you know a red glow stick doesn’t ruin your night vision, but a torch does? I’ve been saying this for years. Everyone shines a torch in their own eyes at 3am and then wonders why they walked into the wardrobe. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
HotHands Hand Warmers Review — Read the full review →
Did you know these are basically just rust happening very fast in a bag? I’ve been saying for years that rust is underrated. Nobody listened. I also checked all ten pairs for tracking devices before storing them. Found nothing. Yet. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Three thousand cycles. Did you know the cheap batteries in a lot of budget units are rated for a fraction of that? I’ve been saying this for years: get the chemistry right first time and you buy once, not three times. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Drench Body Wipes Review: Staying Clean When the Water’s Off — Read the full review →
Did you know a burst water main is one of the most common reasons UK homes lose their water? Not a disaster, not a war. A pipe. I’ve been saying this for years. Food and a torch, everyone remembers. Washing, nobody does. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
AA Emergency Winter Car Kit Review: Should You Buy One? — Read the full review →
Did you know most one-size hi-vis vests are cut for a man in a T-shirt, not a man in a winter coat? I’ve been saying this for years. Nobody listens. I also checked the canvas bag for tracking devices. Nothing obvious. Which is exactly what they’d want me to think. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Adeste FFP2 Masks Review: For Viruses, Dust and Your Grab Bag — Read the full review →
Did you know the D on an FFP2 NR D mask means it passed a dust-clogging test? Nobody ever reads the code. I’ve been saying this for years: the letters tell you everything, if you bother to look. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lepro 2000lm Rechargeable Camping Lantern Review — Read the full review →
Rechargeable only? What happens on day three when there’s nothing left to charge it from? I’ve been saying this for years. Always have a second power source. AA batteries. Every shop sells them. Think about it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
FireAngel SCB10-R Review — Read the full review →
I have been saying for years that half the alarms in this country rely on a backup battery nobody has looked at since the London Olympics. Years. This one doesn’t rely on anything. I checked it for listening devices. Clean. Not smug. Slightly smug. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
BEEWAY Outdoor Tap Cover Review — Read the full review →
Every winter the water companies tell us to protect our outside taps, and every winter half the street ignores them. I’ve been saying it for years. Years. Cover the tap, isolate the supply, drain it. Nobody listens. My tap has never frozen. Not smug. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Unibos Universal Stopcock Key Review — Read the full review →
Ask ten people where their outside stopcock is and nine of them will point vaguely at the drive. I’ve been saying for years that nobody knows where theirs is. Years. I know where mine is. I also know where three of my neighbours’ are. They don’t know that I know. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Portable Gas Stove Review: Hot Food and a Brew When the Power Goes — Read the full review →
I’ve been saying for years that the government’s own kit list doesn’t let you boil water. Read it. No stove. No fuel. Food that needs no cooking. I bought two of these and a lot of cartridges, and I’m the only person on my street who had a hot dinner during the last outage. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ration-X Self Heating Meals Review — Read the full review →
Did you know you can make heat with no flame and no electricity at all? I’ve been saying for years they don’t want you to know that. I tested mine at the bottom of the garden, well away from the smart meter, with a notebook. The chilli was very good. The notebook is now classified. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
MEIJIA Waterproof Case Review — Read the full review →
Everyone says put it all in the cloud. And where does cloud come from? Rain. I’ll keep my birth certificate in a sealed box with a padlock on it, thank you very much. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Gritin Book Light Review — Read the full review →
Did you know a harsh blue-white light at night tells your brain it’s still daytime? I’ve been saying this for years. Warm amber at 2200K is far kinder when you’re trying to wind down in a blackout. Big Torch doesn’t want you to know that. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Floodshield Flood Sock Review — Read the full review →
Did you know salt water won’t make it swell? You have to wet it with fresh water first. I’ve been saying for years you should keep a jug of tap water by the door. Now I keep two. And a third one for the jugs. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
LifeStraw Go Review — Read the full review →
Did you know plenty of bottles sold as filter bottles are mainly about taste? The membrane is the part that deals with bacteria and parasites, and almost nobody checks for it before they buy. Read the filter, not the bottle. I’ve been saying this for years. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
C1 Paraffin Review — Read the full review →
Did you know the paraffin sold as heating oil isn’t meant for indoor heaters at all? It’s C2, for boilers with a flue. I’ve been saying this for years. People grab the cheapest can on the shelf, then wonder why the room stinks. Check for C1. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Paraffin Heater Review — Read the full review →
Did you know your gas boiler stops working in a power cut? It needs electricity for the pump and the controls. I’ve been saying this for years. Everyone nods, then they’re sat in their coats with a full gas supply and a cold radiator. This doesn’t need a plug. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Manhattan Gas Heater Review — Read the full review →
Did you know most gas boilers stop working in a power cut? I’ve been saying it for years. Everyone thinks they’re fine because they’re on gas, then the lights go out and so does the boiler. The Manhattan gas heater lights with a single AA battery. One. I’ve checked. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Forest Fundamentals Millbank Bag Review — Read the full review →
Did you know cloudy water can upset your stomach even when there’s nothing living in it? It’s the silt. I’ve been saying for years that the dirt is half the problem, and now there’s a canvas bag that proves it. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Core Medical 70% Isopropyl Alcohol Swabs Review — Read the full review →
I checked every foil sachet for tracking devices. Clean. The 70% isopropyl alcohol does exactly what it says. The remaining 30% is water. I am monitoring the water. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Self Amalgamating Tape Review — Read the full review →
Did you know self amalgamating tape has no glue on it at all? The layers fuse to each other, not to the pipe. I’ve been telling people this for years and they still reach for the parcel tape. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Aquatabs Review — Read the full review →
Did you know one small tablet can treat a whole litre of water? I’ve been telling people for years that a pouch of these takes up less room than a bag of crisps. They still buy the crisps. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Heavy Duty Ground Anchors Review — Read the full review →
Every storm there’s a photo of a trampoline somewhere a trampoline should never be. I’ve been saying for years the next one would come from our street. Not any more. Ours is going nowhere. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐