Just picked it up from REI after ordering it and having it shipped to the store.

Once I got home, I realized that AMK substituted some stuff in the kit. I didn't get the fishing stuff, needle or safety pins. In their place was a pair of the tweezers from one of their first aid kits, the tweezers like the Sliver Grippers.

I really don't miss the fishing gun but the needle and safety pins I was looking forward to. I'll pull out the tweezers and get the other stuff for the kit.

While me and the wife were at REI, I did get to pick up a Victorinox knife and space pen set for $8! Once we got through the check out line, a huge storm hit and you could barely see the parking lot. The power flipped off a few times then went out for about 20 minutes. Figure if you have to be stuck somewhere, REI probably isn't a bad place. The employees put on the display headlamps (got to see some in action for a future purchase) and took care of the situation with a smile.

I added the small knife that came with the space pen and I'll add a Photon from the collection here at the house (the switch blocked somehow) and a lighter I guess.

Of course now the wife wants one too. I'll be broke soon but we'll both be outfitted.

laters

They substituted items?!?!?!

Hey Doug, what's up with the substitutions?
I guess that I will hold off ordering mine through REI.

Doug's in the process of moving homes. This is interesting news.

It did say on the package liner that items can be substituted or changed without notice.

sorry to start anything...

The issue with using a Photon in the kit isn't the switch latching on (that's very unlikely) but rather, the light getting squeezed under the weight of something, and draining its batteries that way. The light you want is the Countycomm $1 light which has a slide switch and NO squeeze-momentary function. Unfortunately, the white-led version is out of stock for now (expected back in October) but the blue and red versions are available. You can always swap the LED for another color (easy to do). lsdiodes.com is a good source of LED's with low shipping charges.

I know someone else had posted about duct taping a quarter over the button to keep it from being pressed. I've got a ton of Photon lights around the house and work so I figured use what I already have.

I can even machine something cool to keep it from being pressed.

thanks for the headups!

I keep a small Princeton Tec photon style light in my kit. I just slid a thin piece of lightweight card stock between the contacts and the batteries which prevents it from turning on...then when I need it I can just can just pull the the card stock out and its ready to go...I have had no problems with this method...

Whew!

When I called CountyComm a couple weeks ago they said they had no idea, and that they wouldn't get any until a corporate contact did. Glad to see that there's an ETA now.

Brad,

I believe someone once posted about glueing an "O" ring around the button to keep it from being pressed.

It is a quick cheap solution.

Bountyhunter