My friend gave me two small keyring lights, they are similar to these ones, http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=PHBB, but one is infra-red and the other is double bulbed to give more light.
Do you think they are a good enough to replace Mini-Maglite which I carry in my "just in case" bag (things I need sometimes when I am in cities/travelling, but it has some "survival" staff as well)? I guess these lights are Chinese-made, so I plan to carry both of them in case one fails.
Thanks,

At that price, try them out, but before you do, check out the 1.00 lights at countycomm.com, I'm on my second bag of twenty(they're cheap enough that I can give 'em away} and I think they're great!

Troy

Well, at least parts of it are made in China. There are a lot of LED items made in the US, but not a single LED itself, and Nachia is the only LED maker left in Japan AFAIK. Ever thing else is made in the PRC.

The IR one, IMO, is wothless unless you own nightvision yourself. But the double bulb one might not be bad.

Those lights are nice and I like them better than the Countycomm lights. See the Inova thread for some overseas sources. Lighthound.com sells them here for $1.00 each. Emilion Workshop (China) sells them for 38 cents in qty 100. Knifecenter is making a bundle selling them for $5.

May I ask what's in your "just in case" bag, and what kind of bag you use? I'm always trying to improve and downsize my own EDC, which is not at all easy.

-- Craig

I am affraid I will disappoint you because this is my own terminology. I call it "just is case" because it contains just in case things I need. I put them all together because I found out that, when I transfered things from one bag to another, I would usually forget some things anyway. So I decided to keep them all in one place.
When I have to travel - does not matter, abroad or to the town centre - I move my "just in case" bag from my briefcase to my rucksack, or another bag I decide to carry, and I know that I am quite well covered for most problems. If I forget something, it usually only causes inconvenience, not live or death situation, but it is still annoying. This is the purpose of the bag - minimise this annoyance, partically in urban areas.
This is what I keep in my "just in case" bag: ballpoint pen, notes, mobile phone battery charger, microphone to record telephone conversations (I do need it), transparent adhesive tape, some medicine (heartburn, cold, throat pain, pro-plus), compact deodorant, lighter, shoe cleaning cloths, adhesive bandage for wounds, chewing gum, these small keyring lights (replaced Mini-Maglite), moisturising lipstick, soft wire (I was locked outside my office a few times and did not know the code for the door, so I opened the door using this wire), Swedish firesteel and cotton in plastic box from photo-film (I do not know where to keep these things at home without losiing, but will definitely move them out of my bag), shopcards, credit cards, passport size photos, stamps, haircomb, staples, tissues and SAK SwissChamp. Wow, I did not know I have to many things there!
It is a normal stationery bag for pupils at school. I would not say it is "survival bag", but it lets me get through small problems with less hassle. Even if I am at home and need a medicine, I will take it from "just in case bag" because I know where to find it. So, I replace the stock quite regularly.
Regards,

I have one of these:

Streamlight Key Mate

...and have been very pleased with it.

Harley

Streamlight Key Mate

What does it use as a power source?

Never mind, I found the spec tag.

4 Alkaline Button Cells (either LR44, AG13, LR1154, or A76)

Thanks, TR

I'm not disappointed at all. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> Thank you.

-- Craig