Anybody have a chance to play with one of these? It looks to be a simple rocket stove with some sort of thermal generator to make electric power built in.

Is it useful, or just a gimmick?

Simple loo, from materias at your local home store

As we have discussed on this forum before, filtering water for biological is fairly easy with many products available. Chemical pollutants, however, is more difficult. I have found three of products:

Seychelle Water Filters

Renovo Water

H2O Survival Straw

Has anyone had any experience with them? Does anyone have any insight (yes I know there will be many comments)? I am looking for a way of testing them, and if successful, I will post on it.

British Actor Dies in Death Valley

I was recently in southern Nevada with some students, and I took them to Death Valley, a week after this actor's body was found. I saw the report the day before we went there, so it was interesting to see the reaction of my students to the article the day before we went to the same area.

He evidently had no water or other survival equipment, was alone, and nobody knew where he had gone. We went to this particular spot, and there is a great deal of traffic in the area, and visibility of the high ground from two different roads. A very little preparation could have saved his life. Water, signaling materials, another person accompanying him, or a plan left with a friend could each have made a difference.

While designing a kit to fit a BDU leg pocket I was struck by how much Fire making tools I had included on a paper. There was a lot, matches, mini bic, firesteel, sparklite and a lot more, including various tinder's. So, I thought I'd ask here, how much is too much? Obviously if it takes room away from other valuable items, but assuming you have the space.

Another question is, what can anyone tell me about fire cards? I have seen them mentioned, but have found virtually no information on the net. Can survival information be printed on them? Or written on them with no loss of performance. Any info at all will be appreciated.

Thanks