FWIW, I purchased the Basic Kit at Dicks Sporting Goods. After employee discount and score points, I got it for a few bucks, (retail is $19.99). I'll do a more detailed review with pics when I get into high-speed internet territory, but for now here's my advice: Save your money. For a few dollars more, you can put together a kit that is light-years better. Here's why:
The kit, while conveniently sized, has little in the way of useful items inside, (in a quality sense). The Mini ParaFrame knife is perhaps the worst knife Gerber has ever made in my opinion - probably why they're dumping them into the kits. Still, it's a blade and I suppose it's better than nothing - which basically sums up the rest of the items. The cotton ball is just that - a cotton ball shoved into the kit. May be nice on a dry day with dry tinder, but try it in the rain/damp. Good luck. The fire starter, is an homage to the excellent LightMyFire, but that's where it ends. Getting a spark off this thing was extremely difficult and on try number 5, I got spark, but the rod separated from the handle and fell off. The thread-thin copper snare wire is great if you're into catching field mice and if you have the patience to unwrap the 8" spool, which I think the Chinese wrapped that way to piss us off. The emergency cord - all 6-feet of it, is glorified white shoelace and the fishing line is waxed kite string. The emergency whistle is a flat piece of red plastic and blowing into it with full lungs, just barely got my dogs attention in the other room. The eight waterproof matches in the non-re-sealable bag work, but took a lot on the cardboard striker pad to get going. Again, in a light rain - good luck. Lastly, the Bear Grylls Priorities of Survival Guide included in the kit, is perfect for the stupid. The outer nylon bag is not indeed waterproof - it has a waterproof zipper. The bag itself leaks and the contents are only saved by the best part of the kit: an inner thick waterproof ziploc-type bag. That's a keeper...
Dicks Sporting Goods is contracted with Gerber to stock the Bear Grylls merchandise. I have to say, that Gen-2 of his fixed blade knife is pretty nice - though ditch the fire starter if it's the same as the one in the kit. The machete looks pretty interesting, but the rest of the wares offered thus far are simply re-badged Gerber products - some better than others, but all available at a lower price-point without the Bear Grylls blaze orange and black handles...I may pick up the machete when I get more ScorePoints, ($39.99 retail), but the rest of it so far is poo...I guess it could go under the cliche: "Something is better than nothing", but this stuff just barely makes that category...