>>Keep in mind that many New Yorkers still don't carry any
>>personal flashlight at all, even a Photon Microlight, after
>>the blackout two summers ago.

This kit weighs more than half a pound and is too bulky to fit in a pocket, so I'm inclined to doubt that many of those people will buy it for themselves. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

>>However, the kit's literature says, "Ideal for travel,
>>adventure and perfect for all outdoor sports."

And the website clearly indicates that it's intended for camping and trekking (I presume that's the British term for backpacking?).

At ?34.99 it's a little pricey for a first aid kit. (Mountain Equipment Co-op sells those "World Famous" whistles for $1 Can. btw)

>>That is misleading. But it is better than nothing.

Not necessarily - it might well give someone false confidence and lead them into worse trouble. Also, a book of paper matches is better than nothing, because it will save your life in some situations.

If you're going to carry something that costs ?34.99 and weighs more than half a pound, then you're not the type of person to waste your money on this kind of flim-flammery.

So it's a little hard for me to tell who the intended market is for this "Personal Emergency Pack".

The pouch does look kinda neat, but I can't tell from the picture how big it is. (I would estimate, based on the known size of the whistle, that it's a little bigger than 4 Altoids tins put together.) It appears to have a rather small reflective sticker affixed to it; I don't think the whole pack is reflective.

In their defense I suppose that backpacking in Europe is different from in North America; on the Haute Route between France and Switzerland, for example, camping is prohibited and you have to book hotel rooms at either end of your day hike well in advance. But people die every year in the Cairngorms in Scotland, and even people from the Appalachians would not consider the Cairngorms to be real mountains, I'm sure. <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

All in all, it looks to me like a company that has been selling camping equipment for years and is now trying to respond to a perceived demand for "survival" equipment without bothering to do any research on the subject.