#109383 - 10/21/07 02:14 PM
Re: New PSK from AMK
[Re: JIM]
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Geezer
Registered: 06/02/06
Posts: 5357
Loc: SOCAL
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But on a list like that, we should be correct and not polite for sake of the internet.
Edited by RAS (10/21/07 10:45 PM) Edit Reason: issue resolved :)
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Better is the Enemy of Good Enough. Okay, what’s your point??
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#109384 - 10/21/07 02:32 PM
Re: New PSK from AMK
[Re: Russ]
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Member
Registered: 11/26/06
Posts: 112
Loc: Pacific North West
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Here's my $0.02 the SOL looks like a pretty good edc supliment and I like the idea of the dry bag. If I bought one I'd swap out the fox40 and matches for a mini bic, water purification tabs, baby bottle liners, and a tube of super glue. Between this modified SOL and my normal EDC (compas on watch, BM 551, Fox40 on keycahin, paracord on wrist, and bandana) I think the SOL would be a good compromise between function and size.
shelter (heat sheet, to supplement improvised shelter built with knife and maybe paracord) water purification and transportation (purification tabs and baby bottle liners) signalling (fox40 and mirror) 2x compasses fishing gear duct tape First aid (super glue and a bandanna)
Rio
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#109438 - 10/22/07 01:48 AM
Re: New PSK from AMK
[Re: JIM]
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Cranky Geek
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 09/08/05
Posts: 4642
Loc: Vermont
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Thanks for finding that Jim. I've spoken with a friend who is with TenderCorp, AMK's parent company and based the next town east of my folks. From the internal buzz, it was designed to be so KISS you'd have to be really dense to not figure it out, and so that you'd have shelter. And the fishing kit was there for the marketing reasons I theorized.
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-IronRaven
When a man dare not speak without malice for fear of giving insult, that is when truth starts to die. Truth is the truest freedom.
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#109472 - 10/22/07 02:01 PM
Re: New PSK from AMK
[Re: Russ]
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Member
Registered: 10/11/05
Posts: 105
Loc: Afghanistan
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Personally, I like this kit a lot. While it is not perfect, no kit is. I see it as serving as the nucleus/layer of a more comprehensive kit. If, as suggested the strike anywhere matches were replaced with a Spark Lite you’d be able to have this kit in carry of luggage for air travel. Also, the fishing kit could be replaced with something more useful, depending on your actual situation. I plan on getting four to put in my, my wife’s and my children’s kit / daypacks.
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#109657 - 10/23/07 12:33 PM
Re: New PSK from AMK
[Re: JIM]
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Old Hand
Registered: 04/16/03
Posts: 1076
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I once again will post the current ETS-acronyms list. Any additions or modifications are (as usually) appreciated... Jim, you forgot "TLA" = three letter acronym...
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#109693 - 10/23/07 03:40 PM
Re: New PSK from AMK
[Re: WILD_WEASEL]
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Old Hand
Registered: 08/22/01
Posts: 924
Loc: St. John's, Newfoundland
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I'm curious - why would you choose this kit over the AMK PSP?
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#109779 - 10/24/07 03:00 AM
Re: New PSK from AMK
[Re: aardwolfe]
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Cranky Geek
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 09/08/05
Posts: 4642
Loc: Vermont
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Because it has no learning curve.
To rehash something I already posted:
Matches- everyone knows how to use them. The Sparklite requires thinking.
Duct tape- it has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together.
Compass- points north
Mirror- flashy-shiney
Whistle- noisy
Fishing stuff- without, a lot of people don't think it is a survival kit. I don't care how good your gear is, if the user doesn't have confidence in it, it doesn't matter.
Heatsheet- superhigh tech garbage bag, if you crawl in it you'll be warmer.
This is super KISS. And honestly, the signals and the Heatsheet are the important parts. Shelter to keep you warm and scare away the boogie man (the fire does this even better); something obnoxious and unnatural to help you get found. A lot of people die because they panic and make bad decisions, or they feel overwhelmed and give up. That is magnified if you don't know how to use your kit. Everything here is practically instinctive to anyone who owns a television.
The lack of shelter in the PSP has always been a downside for the less experinced user. That is why I haven't been as comfortable with it as AMK's only kit. Yes, there are directions- and most things ship with a manual, but having worked call desk help support, I can tell you that people don't use them. This has a shelter, which covers most things that a casual outdoors person is likely to encounter.
Neither kit is perfect, but for the user with a complete lack of skill, I'd point them to the SOL. The PSP is designed for a more experienced user. We sometimes miss that becuase most of us have our core skills and many of our more advanced skills down. We've forgotten what is like to be without a clue, and while my (I won't speak for anyone else) knee jerk reaction is to say "if you don't have the chops, get out of my woods" while chasing them in a ghille suit doing my best swamp thing impersonation, it also isn't realistic. So people should have at least a cellphone/GPS combo, or better a PLB.
If I was selling PLBs, I'd have an SOL in every box.
_________________________
-IronRaven
When a man dare not speak without malice for fear of giving insult, that is when truth starts to die. Truth is the truest freedom.
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#109996 - 10/25/07 02:44 PM
Re: New PSK from AMK
[Re: Russ]
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Journeyman
Registered: 05/09/06
Posts: 80
Loc: Nashville,TN USA
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It's in stock now. AMK S.O.L. Kit
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Mike LifeView Outdoors
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#110107 - 10/26/07 05:05 AM
Re: New PSK from AMK
[Re: lifeview]
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Stranger
Registered: 10/26/07
Posts: 1
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I can add a couple of things since I do have an SOL kit here now.
The emergency blanket is the Heatsheets 2 person version that has the instructions written on it. There are no other instructions so the blanket is it.
The whistle is a rescue howler but it is a Slim version. Works great, but it is different than the stock picture with the normal Rescue Howler shown in the bag.
There are 7 matches included, not 8. Not a big deal, but most places I've seen state there are 8 matches.
Fishing Kit comes with 4 safety pins, 1 needle, 4 hooks, 1 swivel, 2 sinkers, and fishing line. I haven't unraveled it to see exactly how long it is, but it looks like there's enough to get a line or two in the water.
The mini signal mirror is mini. About 1 1/2" x 2" compared to 2" x 3" for the normal sized version. The packaging specifies that it is visible over ten miles where the normal sized Rescue Flash Signal Mirror is 20 miles. I came here specifically to see if anyone had any thoughts on this much smaller signal mirror (apparently no one has one yet though). Any concerns or thoughts on a smaller sized signal mirror? Would you switch it out for the larger model?
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#110144 - 10/26/07 02:15 PM
Re: New PSK from AMK
[Re: SteveT]
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Addict
Registered: 12/01/05
Posts: 616
Loc: Oakland, California
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The mini signal mirror is mini. About 1 1/2" x 2" compared to 2" x 3" for the normal sized version. The packaging specifies that it is visible over ten miles where the normal sized Rescue Flash Signal Mirror is 20 miles. I came here specifically to see if anyone had any thoughts on this much smaller signal mirror (apparently no one has one yet though). Any concerns or thoughts on a smaller sized signal mirror? Would you switch it out for the larger model?
Ideally you want the largest mirror possible the more surface the bigger and stronger the flash. That said if it gives off a reasonable flash the mini would be better than no mirror. Recently someone signaled help with reflections off their cell phone screen. Bill
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