One of the "Ten Essentials" I've always struggled with was sunglasses. They're bulky and tough to carry in each survival kit. Well today I went to the eye doctor for a checkup and they were giving out these cool roll-up sunglasses to wear after they put the dilating drops in your eyes.

They are in a package 1-7/8" high by 1-3/8" round and weigh 0.14 oz (shades + cardboard).
They're extremely fashionable.


NOT!
and provide great side shading as well. I thought of the applications for the survival kits right away. I plan to keep one in my carry kit. I could see punching a small hole in the side tabs and lacing paracord strands through to keep them on. They fit under eyeglasses. The curve in the plastic keep them on fairly well.

Just one of the benfits of fading eyesight, I guess!
Anyway, I was pretty thrilled to find these and add them to my kit.

I love those, and refer to them as "chick magnets"!

I love those, and refer to them as "chick magnets"! You'll be irresistable to women, I guarantee it!

Thanks for sharing your find. Make sure the contract with your agent is up to date so he won't get too big a cut out of the drove of modeling gigs and endorsements that are bound to be generated by those great demo pics.

Great idea!

Very awesome! Birth Control Sunglasses!

I would not mind getting a few pairs for my emergency kits. I think I would punch a couple of holes and put some elastic on the to keep them on my head. I know they will lose a little of their cool factor but they would stay on in a windstorm...

Just tie them to the deely bobbers.

Sue

Heh heh, I love the Birth Control Sunglasses comment! I'll let you all know when the modeling offers come in.

good find..there are lots of odd items out there that no one of us could come up with alone but turn up here to be shared.

Given where I'm at and the conditions I'm likely to come up against I usually don't think of sunglasses as survival items. But there certainly are times when they could become essential. Pretty much everyone knows about snow blindness and high altitude, sunshine and snow can combine to temporarily blind a person. But down here we don't get much snow. But we do have a lot of coast and a climate that makes work and play on the water a year-round affair. And if you spend enough time out on the water your going to hurt your eyes if you don't protect them. Stuffing a few roll-up sunglasses into the first-aid kit and bail-out bag could make a big difference in comfort, safety and your ability to survive if your boat goes down.

They aren't going to help your lady killer reputation but at least you will be able to see the ladies.

This item has been around for years under the name "Rollens". As I recall, they are just a little too tall to fit into a 35mm film case.

These prices are per bags of 100: http://www.sigmapharmaceuticals.com/Prod...CFQgtawodaVcTLw

I EDC polarized shaded sunglasses all year long. These would make a decent back up I suppose. I really don't think they'll help my looks much, though. What could you do to make Cousin Eddy look better?

I've been trying to find something like that for my urban kit, but with clear plastic, not tinted. If I'm ever in any kind of collapse and lose my glasses, something like that could come in handy to keep debris out of my eyes, especially if I end up underground. I've looked at goggles (limited vision and bulky) and assorted other things, but to no avail.

You mean like this ?

Yes, T_Co, but foldable. That one is rigid. I've experimented with plastic wrap--something to tie around the eyes. Kirkland brand is pretty clear--other brands aren't.

Or these and use an elastic band instead of the frames.

T-Co--I'll have to "see" (hmmm) how that 2-piece works. I carry a big rubber band in my kit that fits around my head. Can use it as a headband to attach a Photon clip, stick the cellophane under it for glasses, hold down emergency poncho hood. I'm always amazed at how useful these inexpensive, genius-inspired items (rubber bands, paper clips, safety pins, etc) are.

I think I'll try to cut a clear plastic table cloth or some other plastic--something I can roll up and fit in my EDC.

The link below are to some fold-flat sunglasses that I picked up once at a MOMA store for $12.

http://www.flatspecs.com/Sunglasses.aspx

They are a bit costlier but they fold totally flat and come in a rigid case. I keep them as back up shades in my Jeep's emergency kit.

The drawback to them is because they fold flat, they don't bend around your face and leave large un-protected gaps on the sides.

Those are nice. They would be good to keep in the car--I'm always forgetting my sunglasses.