New survival item that every serious person needs.

Link

List of things it can do:
1: USB cell phone charger, hand cranked
2: LED flashlight
3: AM/FM radio
4: Hazard siren
5: Compass

It is lightweight, 126 grams, and small enough to fit in any BOB. I think i'll get one for the wife when they hit the market.

Cammo - yes.
Special Forces Black - yes.
Rescue orange - may be.
Little girl pink?
No.



I have spoken.

And these are the kinds of items that prompted the invention of Krylon Fusion spraypaint.

Hey -- the kids will carry it...

Girls maybe. Even little boys hate this color.
IMHO, pink = Warning! It's a toy! By the way no mention of this gadget on the manufacturer site. Probably, all of the above is not true in Japan (different culture). Wait for a yellow color model on the USA market.

As sick and twisted as having a pink lozenge in your pocket is, the thing does sound pretty useful. I won't be getting one anytime soon, still, pretty useful.

Echo that. Drunk tank pink- sure, it's calm and soothing. For about 10 hours, then people start getting crazy.

I'd rather invest in several things than in a single multifunctional one of this kind. Here is why (IMHO).

1. In many cases the manufacturer have to sacrifice quality and effectiveness of each component in some or another way just to fit them all together and cut on cost of a single item. (e.g. simplistic radio, less space to fit a good wind-up generator, and/or better battery, lighter and thinner plastics, weaker speaker, also by removing some useful functions, or by adding some imperfections like that 9V battery port protruding from the side, e.t.c).

2. The manufacturer have their own view of purpose (and aesthetics too ) so it's hard to find exactly what you want in a multifunction device. Something will be wrong - for sure

3. With the single function things you can always chose them so they works at the same voltage, or/and same batteries. So their power supplies are interchangeable. Or/And a single one will power them all (like a 12V car battery, or widely available 5V USB chargers).

4. If that thing fell and broke, got wet, or lost, - with a multifunction one you've lost everything. Otherwise you've lost just a single function...

5. Again you can chose the devices which will perfectly fit your BOB bag compartments, cargo vest, jacket pockets, or whatever other storage/carry system you have. And will be easily reconfigurable to fit another one as necessary (personally, I prefer everything flat and thin).

6. It's easier to upgrade. Not by an entire multifunction device, but by the function which needs to be improved in some way to suit any emerging needs.

I think ideally though it would be best to have both one multi function and several discreet items with redundant features.

I've been toting around a pair of these hand cranked handheld 3 LED flashlight/AM-FM receiver/multi charge port contraptions for a few years now, and I think they are an excellent ETS item for the money. I also have tend to keep a separate flashlight with me on my keychain, my mp3 player also does AM-FM, and I have two wall chargers for my cell phone; one stays in my shoulder bag, the other plugged into my wall at home.

I guess it is up to the consumer to determine the usefulness/reliability of such devices, but the ones I have I use regularly and have yet to fail. Yes, each function is a bit of a compromise, but then again the flashlight in my pocket ain't the brightest thing I could tote with me either. Either one will get the job done so long as I don't have unrealistic expectations of them.

What's nice is that I have a choice. I can choose to fully equip with all the items I think I might need and in sufficient and sensible redundancy that I am not overly encumbered yet effectively prepared, or I can pare the componentry down to suit a particular scenario, the least being having just the multi function items with me. The light on my keychain isn't much of a burden, but sometimes I can't have my keychain with me, so my point is multi-function items have their place and keep me flexibly adaptive. Of course I have to keep a perspective about implementation, which is why there is no one simple answer for gearing up these days.

I'd rather invest in as much as I can afford, and if I had to limit myself, the first thing I would likely grab would be something that does more than one thing, especially if it is economically competitive. Caveat Emptor always prevails. A junk flashlight is junk whether it is just a flashlight or supposed to be something more.

For the record, knowing that there are similar functioning items out there, I would never buy this pink thing. It just sends the wrong message.

That thing would be perfect for my niece, or any other little girl, who loves Hello Kitty. If they marketed it with any of the male Sanrio characters, little boys would like it, too.

I think this would be a decent starter kit for a young kid who doesn't yet fully understand the need for preparedness, is too young for sharps or Scouts, and will also placate the parents who would think you were crazy for giving their child a SAK. My own interest in preparedness started as a little girl when I carried around a flashlight because I thought it was pretty.