TAD Life Capsule Delta-worth it?

Has anyone checked out the TAD Life Capsule Delta ?

I think it looks like a nice piece of kit and has a lot more features than previous models, but do you think it's worth almost $150?

Sure is pretty.

To me, "worth it" and "works" are different. I'm sure this thing would be useful for some purpose. "Worth it"... I dunno. It's an expensive whatever it is, certainly.

But hey... I'm sitting here with a $200 flashlight (HDS U60), when a $1.00 LED light would work just as well for most situations. "Worth it" is DEFINITELY a personal decision. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

no weight is given on the site, guessing it is aluminum though. personally I think it's not worth the $150, the "impact cap" I see no real need for since if this is all I got, I have bigger problem than smashing someone in the face with it.

the warp core, well, I can't reall tell how big the comparments are, but they look damn small in the photos. the (what I assume) tritium looks cool, but is rather pointless in something that is geared toward minimal weight.

could use some brighter color anodizing since if you drop it somewhere, it's mighty hard to find with the tactical black color. although i don't know if HA3 comes in anycolor other than black and natural gray.

all in all, I feel it's more geared toward the "commando" mentality. I liked the previous version a little better, this is a tactical version of it, not really an improvement as such.

having said that, if it's 1/3 of the price, you bet I'll be picking up a few, as it stands now, that money I can better spend elsewhere.

In my opinion this is not worth it. A button compass, a few matches and a glow tube.....

For a similar capsule kit I would use my matchcase and still have $130 left over.

This is obviously nicely machined but I see this more as fluff than function.

Yes I believe it is "worth it". The frabication cost's must be extemely high for this piece. I do kind of like it, anything modular makes me want it even more.

HOWEVER, I could never justify spending the money on it.

Adam

Thier "warp core" probably holds a Glo-Toob or Glo-Toob FX.

If you need a kubaton that can hold a fractional survival kit, and an area light, sure, it is worth it. Odds are it is excuisitly machined, and it a hand made, limited production item. As a result, not only is it a viable urban and wilderness survial item, it is also an art object- "guy jewlery". "Survivor bling", if you will.

All that said, I think it is over priced. If they got someone to make the origional Life Capsule on a regular, mass production basis, I don't think they'd loose anything in quality, and the price would go down. I could see spending up to about 30 bucks on a no-frills version, but I could never justify this much money.

when the second version came out at $99, I thought that was too much, and now with version 3 at $150, I can see a lot of gear for that money and you don't get much with this. I wouldn't spend the money. I have more gear on my keychain than you can get in that nice tube.

Holy Cow! I don't own a single piece of gear that cost this much. Let alone a little match holder...my advice, spend your money more wisely.

Threaded PVC with end caps could make something similar for a fraction of the cost...oh but you won't have the Holywood cool factor..but you'll still have 150 bucks in your pocket. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Its a TAD too expensive for my liking.

<bone2pick>
I'm gonna chime in here. TAD gear makes some interesting stuff. Unfortunately, I must say my last (most recent) interaction with TAD left much to be desired. <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> In all fairness, this is the first problem I have had with them. And I do really like their "Alpha Pack", I can only hope this was a one time thing. </bone2pick>

Cleansing breath.... <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

With regard to the "life capsule" I think it is a really creative idea. I am not going to venture to say whether it is worth it. (I would just be guessing). But I do applaud them for trying to create some new products and be creative. I don't think there is enough of that.


Marc

WAY too expensive.

I'm no survival expert, and I've never met one of these in the flesh, but if I'm paying that much for a nicely machined, anodized aluminium tube, I expect it to be a decent tactical light :-)

eeph

Have bought several items from TAD; all first-class quality. Likewise, the life capsule is aesthetically pleasing (it is a pretty-looking thing), and looks to be well-made. But, for me, it?s a big price to pay for modest functionality: limited storage capacity; Glo-Toob compartment provides little more than find-in-the-dark capability; Brunton compass is OK, but is still a button compass.

Strikes me as something for the ?gentleman preparedness geek? ? more form than function ? or as Ironraven put it, ?survivor bling.? A K&M matchcase and a Photon will provide greater capability, and leave you with $120 to spend on a nice knife, or whatever. OTOH, the life capsule will certainly get admiring glances from friends and family (and gulps when you tell them the price tag).

Groo said, ?I?m sitting here with a $200 flashlight (HDS U60).? And I?ve got a $40 ARC AAA on my keychain. Relatively expensive for flashlights, BUT in return, they?re among the very best of their kind ? and highly functional.

One test: By carrying this piece of gear, would I modify/reduce my existing EDC, and/or will it provide useful redundancy?

Then there?s the ultimate test: Have you run this by ?Mrs. Ors,? and what does she say?? <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I would bet if you spend a third of that price, go to just about any machine shop, you could convince them to make a sleeve type of thingy to fit over a mini-mag light WITH a compass (jack-in-the box popcorn quality). And if you make it long enough, you could use it as a walking stick. Seriously...

I don't think that it is worth more then $10. to me. But that is just MHO.... Epi

Kinda cool looking, but WAY too expensive, unless you are absurdly rich, in which case you'll already have a survival bunker, on your heavily fortified private survival island.

I would rather have a cheesy orange whistle/compass/firestarter/match holder thing from the local store and keep the other $140.00 something dollars.

It is a very desirable piece of kit, but I made somwthing very similar (and much more visible!) from a plastic "pritt-stick" childrens glue stick.
The Brand name, product info etc is on a cellophane sleve that comes off easily, I waterproofed the opening at the bottom with a liberal application of epoxy, stuck match-striker onto inside of screw-on lid & stuff the capsule with matches, button compass, flint rod, scalpel, vial of fishing gear, vaseline/cotton balls, puritabs, "magic" birthday candle & miniature chem-lightstick. I carry it on a beaded-chain attached to the loops of a plastic-sleeved SAS wire-saw (idea plagiarised from Ranger Rick), & find it works pretty well.

I´ve followed the same way on my own several times before, but I own lathe, mill and so on in my home work shop and I´m a skilled labor since my youth, today out of that business for a different job.

I really like the concept and from the point of run size, techical standards and such it´s a adequate prize but for common consumers like we´re all I think it´s too much.

For the most I think StuToffee´s idea with the glue stick is great alternative.

Molf

Thanks, Molf.
Its surprising how much kit you can fit inside the glue-stick, and as its made of lightweight plastic, I think it would be more comfortable to wear for extended periods than the TAD item.

Look in the campfire section at the thread titled "cheap match cases from Countycomm". They are about the same size as a glue stick but much tougher, waterproof, etc. There is also a thread about the much nicer (but more expensive) K&M match cases.