Posts Tagged survival tool
Cheap Survival Insurance: $15 Adventure Medical Kit
With this kit, you can prepare for unexpected problems without carrying a lot of extra weight and bulk.
If you’ve ever been on a guided tour or hiking trip, you’ve probably noticed that whenever something goes wrong or someone gets hurt, the guide has a Hermione-like magic bag filled with all the right bandages and first-aid supplies. You almost never see a professional guide without some kind of daypack because they need to be prepared for whatever nature can throw at them.
How prepared are you when you go hiking, kayaking, biking, or rural road-tripping on your own? Are you prepared for getting stuck somewhere for the night—with no heat?
It’s hard to justify a big and bulky kit that covers every possible bad situation. But I’m digging this little 4-ounce, $15 Survival Medic packet from Adventure Medical Kits. It’s got some first aid supplies in it, like antibiotic cream, an antiseptic towelette, and bandages. The real high-value items though are things you would probably spend much more than $15 on if you were to buy them individually and pack them up yourself. (And they wouldn’t fit so well together.)
This kit has their cool little firestarter that makes sparks, tinder to light up from those sparks, and an emergency blanket to retain your body heat while all that gets going. There’s a compass to keep you from wandering in circles and a signal whistle to alert anyone around that you need help. You also get 26 inches of duct tape and some very useful survival instructions in a small booklet.
All this packs into a waterproof plastic bag that’s about the size of one hand. It takes up about as much room as a solar charger, so it’s not going to be a packing burden or weigh you down.
You wouldn’t know it from watching 24-hour news channels, but I read that more tourists died in U.S. national parks last year than died in all of Mexico. But people don’t usually warn you to be careful when you say you’re going to go hiking in Yellowstone. Pack one of these—it’s cheap insurance. Order it direct or get it from Amazon here. It should also start showing up at stores shortly.
If you go backcountry hiking on a regular basis, check out this heftier kit I reviewed earlier from the same company: Origin SOL Survival Kit.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on January 19th, 2012
A Compact, Lightweight Kit to Save Your Life
Usually when we try out travel gear products on here we try hard to put them through their paces in the real world. With this little Origin SOL Survival Kit, I have to take their word for it on some of the functions. I’m not so dedicated that I’m going to get lost in the woods for days to test out all the components.
One thing is clear though: this is one cool survival kit. It’s newly released from Adventure Medical Kits, a company that’s already the leading player in this product space. The SOL part is for “survive outdoors longer” (not that you use it when you think you might be “S.O.L.” yourself.)
The real key to why this thing is such a leap forward is the careful design. The waterproof case fits in the palm of your hand and only weighs 6.25 ounces. So there’s no excuse for not packing this if you’re headed into the backcountry. In this tiny box they’ve jammed an incredible amount of life-saving components, however. Compass? Check. Knife? Check. Items to start a fire? Check. Whistle, signal mirror, fishing hooks, twine, and sewing needle? Check.
There’s more, and these aren’t just random items jammed into a small space. There’s a flint striker that actually works, along with little “Tinder Quick” fire starters that will get a fire going easily. It’s all integrated and space-saving, everything large locking into place. In the spirit of double-duty gear, the whistle, knife, and LED flashlight are one finger-sized unit and you can use the flashlight without taking that part out.
What I could test, I did, and everything worked as needed, like the light, compass, knife, and fire starter kit. I didn’t string up a tarp with the twine, purify water with the aluminum foil, or go fishing with the line and hooks, but I trust them. If I felt useless when lost, there’s help on that front too: an included illustrated booklet has 62 life saving tools and techniques from survival expert Buck Tilton.
The SOL Origin survival kit lists for $60. Is your life worth that much? I hope so.
This kit is just now getting out there at retail, so follow this Bizrate link to see options on where you can order it.
Related reviews: Adventure Medical Kits for travelers and Women’s Edition Travel Medical Kit
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, Travel Light on April 13th, 2011
Review: AltusLumen Lightgear Gre Light
A battery-operated light is an essential tool for every traveler. And AltusLumen’s Lightgear Gre 18-in-1 LED Flashlight, which also includes a handy survival tool, could easily be crowned the Swiss Army Knife of lights.
LEDs are making a huge difference in lighting. They’re compact and bright, plus the bulbs remain cool and save energy. The Lightgear Gre shows what can be done with a creative design useful for all types of travelers, from business road warriors to camping families to mountaineers. It’s also handy to have around the house when storms knock out electricity, which happened to me just a few days ago.
First, the Lightgear Gre doesn’t look like a conventional flashlight. Folded in a hard plastic and recycled aluminum case, it’s made to slip into a pocket or backpack for easy carrying. A patented swivel cover works as a stand for the light and allows it to be used, hands-free, six different ways—shining up, down or sideways, or even hanging from a tree as an area light.
The four LEDs are surprisingly bright. In fact, the user guide warns against looking directly at the light.
The light is powered by four AAA batteries. The manufacturer says one set of batteries will last six hours. My testing showed slightly more than six hours of continuous operation was no problem. A warning light near the on-off switch flashes when the batteries are getting low.
The light throws a broad beam, very different from a flashlight. There are dozens of possible uses and I could even see some applications for making videos.
The Lightgear Gre is weatherproof for use even in the rain. A carrying case is included.
But there’s more. Also tucked into the light case are an aluminum whistle and a 10-in-1 stainless steel survival tool. The survival tool includes a can opener, knife, screwdriver, ruler, cap opener, wrenches, saw and a direction indicator.
My colleague, Tim, reviewed a slight different version of this light and questioned its eco-friendly claims in our recent end-of-the-year roundup. If I could change one thing—and this is a minor point—it would be the battery cover. I’d prefer a snap-on cover instead of one requiring a screwdriver to open. But if you don’t have a screwdriver handy when the batteries need replacing, you can always use the survival tool.
The Lightgear Gre sells for $29.90 on AltusLumen’s website. It’s available in three colors—green, yellow and semi-transparent—and is covered by a one-year limited warranty.
If the company’s environmental claims are important in your purchasing decision, weigh them carefully. But from a performance standpoint, this light could be useful to many travelers.
Other lights reviewed on Practical Travel Gear:
Posted by JohnG in Adventure Gear, Business Gear, Travel Light on February 16th, 2010
