A durable and reliable lighter is a major boon to any survival or outdoors kit, and Prometheus Design Werx’s Ti-FS Mk2 Survival Lighter is designed to handily fulfill that role. The Mk2 features an 6AL-4V titanium chassis, with a stonewashed tumble and bead peened finish, and a plated brass lighter core.
The exterior is clearly modeled after the WWII-era Mk 2 ‘pineapple’ grenade – which also lends towards the lighter’s name – which provides a better grip surface for cold/wet conditions. The lighter is weather-resistant, with an o-ring seal to keep moisture out of the interior.
The Mk2 comes packaged in a reusable survival tin with extra flints, a spare wick, and two extra o-rings.
Pyro Putty is an all-weather emergency fire-starting material. Each can contains 2 oz of pliable material that’s designed to be lit easily with a lighter, matches, a ferro rod, ect. A piece the size of a nickel can burn for 8-10 minutes, and each can is good for roughly 30 fires.
Additionally, the material is UV reactive, so it can be used for trail marking. It also can impart a waterproof coating on materials such as those on tents and shoes.
Available in three varieties:
DMOS Collective has one goal in mind: to create the greatest, most advanced shovels on the market. And after their highly-successful Alpha Snow Shovel line, they’re looking to expand into the off-road and survival field with the Delta Shovel.
An evolution of the time-tested military E-Tool, the DMOS Delta is a three-in-one tool made of high-quality materials, and is designed with both form and function in mind. It features a 3mm thick blade with an extra wide 2″ foot pad, made of either aluminum or steel (dependent on model); a 2mm thick walled aluminum telescopic shaft with 3″ overlap segments; and a nylon Zytel t-grip handle. 12 oversized flush rivets secure the shaft to the blade, which can readily be adjusted between shovel, hoe, and stow modes.
Currently available for pre-order direct from DMOS Collective. Check out the link below for more details:
VSSL is back with another Kickstarter campaign, this time for a Camp Supplies package. The VSSL Camp Supplies consists of a waterproof aluminum tube, stocked with “over 70 pices of essential outdoor gear”. The VSSL comes with a 4-mode (Bright, Dim, Red, SOS Flash) 200 lumen LED light, with a long press activation and wateproof body; it features a maximum run time of 40 hours (20 hrs on max brightness). Also included is an oil-filled precision compass, with an operating temperature of 14 – 122 degrees F. Kit-wise, the VSSL’s contents are split between minature tins which contain components to fulfill various roles:
– Mini first aid kit
– Bamboo cloth
– Fishing Kit
– Rope and razor blade
– Firestarter kit
– Water purification kit
– Wire saw
– Misc gear kit
– Adventure tape
The project has already met its funding goals, but if you still want to contribute, check out the link below:
Black Rifle Coffee Company is now offering their own take on the beloved military-issue pancho liner, AKA the Woobie. Sized 80″ x 56″, the Logo Woobie features the BRCC ‘SBR’ logo, printed center on both sides, which are camouflage and black.
MRF Multitools’ Adventur 3.0 is a credit card-sized survival multitool designed for portability, as it can easily be stowed in a wallet, yet is feature rich, with over 40 listed functions. The base Adventur 3.0 is made of stainless steel (titanium will also be made available), and features a prominent blade edge, which allows the tool to be used as a stand-alone blade, or readily converted to an axe by lashing it to a stick or branch. Additional tools include:
– Can Opener
– Cord Cutter
– O2 Wrench
– Screwdriver
– Hex Bit Driver
– Sundial
– Ruler
and more.
For more info on the Adventur 3.0, and to fund the project, check out the link below:
GrimWorkshop on Etsy makes a variety of credit card-sized survival kits. This one, their Survival Spear, is exactly what it sounds like. The card consists of three individual pieces, that can be combined into a full sized broadhead spear tip; just add handle and lashing and you’re ready to go. The pieces are made of stainless steel, and can even be put back into the storage card thanks to a patent pending tool retention system developed by GrimWorkshop.
Survival Shoe Laces are laces made of 550 FireCord, a material which features one red fire-starting strand, along with 7 additional paracord strands for survival usage. The Survival Shoe Laces are sized at 72″ long, and RE Factor included a hidden handcuff key for escaping illegal restraint.
First off, I want to start off with this: ‘Trucker’s Friend’ is a great name for a survival tool. Since that’s now out of the way, here’s the details: the Trucker’s Friend is a multi-purpose survial tool which combines an axe with a good number of additional tools, including but not limited to a hammer; pry bar; wire twist; and grapple hook in a 19.25″ long package, complete with “shock-absorbing PowerGrip” and fiberglass handle. Plus, it’s made in the USA (the city of Industry, CA, to be exact), which I always like to see.
(MANSFIELD, TEXAS) – Whether you are on a weekend camping trip with family, nestled into a backcountry paradise or simply trying to survive long enough for help to arrive, the 12 Survivors Off-Grid Survival Stove makes even the worst situations a bit more appetizing. This ultra-compact, lightweight, flat-folding camp stove adds a trace amount of luxury to any situation, including backpacking, hunting or fishing, without bulking up your gear.
Small enough to fit flatly in your backpack but big enough to cook up a mighty tasty off-the-grid meal, this innovative stainless steel stove burns wood and other organic materials and features hinged panels for quick setup and takedown. The included grill grate provides the perfect surface for direct cooking or supporting containers while an ash pan keeps the ground cleaner.
Set up, this stove measures 5.75”W x 5.75”L x 6”L. When the meal is over, the camp stove conveniently folds down to just 5.75”W x .6”L x .45”H and stores in an included nylon pouch. Total weight is 13.5 oz.
The Timahawk is a 27″ long survival tool which consists of a 6″ axe blade, 2″ pry-bar, and 2″ ADZE hammer head. The tool is constructed of 4130 pre-hardened steel, with recycled hard custom plastic handles. It comes complete with a 900D polyester sling back carrying case, with PALS-compatible webbing and additional storage compartments.
Superesse Paracord is a Veteran Owned/Operated store on Etsy, which, as you may have guessed from the name, makes and sells a variety of crafted-to-order paracord-based products. The Bug Out Bracelet is Superesse’s most comprehensive offering, consisting of a fully-loaded paracord bracelet, which is essentially a wearable bug-out bag with 30+ items, allowing you to “start a fire, build shelter, purify water, signal for help, waterproof a poncho, replace a shoelace, fish, carve an arrow/fashions bow, set a snare trap, tighten a lose screw, boil/cook, open a can of food, skin an animal, white a note, signal, suture a wound, etc.”
You can check out Superesse’s full offerings at the link below:
Massdrop currently has a drop on a combo pack for two Derlin capsules manufactured by CountyComm. Derlin is a low-friction thermoplastic, and the capsules also feature a waterproof O-ring seal. The capsules come in two sizes; the larger capsule is sized for objects like spare ammo, paper, and emergency bandages; the smaller capsule can hold items like water tablets, or extra cord.
Just at the close of 2015, I was “voluntold” to try out Soylent, the meal replacement beverage. That’s a pretty common occurrence around SSD. Anything that is faddish or sketch; I’m the Guinea pig. Soylent is a powder that is mixed in water, which is formulated to be nutritionally complete; a single bag provides 2000 calories for a full day’s use. It also shares a name with the subject of that classic 1970s dystopian flic. While its referred to as a “wonder food” the taste was anything but wonderful.
My first taste was like eating liquidized paper, as in, it tasted like printer paper smells, with a creamy consistency. As I kept trying it, I kind of… ‘got used to it’, but there was never a point where I found it completely palatable. For me, the taste shifted from “liquidized paper” to “liquid bread” as I kept drinking it, which was better, but also still pretty disconcerting. I realize there are people who have transitioned completely to Soylent for their day-to-day nutrition, but for me, it’s a last resort option.
The clip below summarizes my feelings about Soylent completely:
Gearward’s A-K Band or Anti-Kidnapping Band is a tube that is designed to fit onto any standard watch strap, which contains the tools necessary to escape from rope, duct tape, zip ties, and handcuffs. The band contains a ceramic razor blade, polymer handcuff key, and a 4′ Kevlar friction saw. The A-K Band is designed for use by Military personnel, foreign aid workers, journalists in conflict zones, or even travelers in countries with a high risk for kidnapping.
Manufactured by nendo for SUGITA ACE, the MINIM+AID honestly reminds me of an extremely upsized VSSL. Roughly sized the same as a standard umbrella, the MINIM+AID is an emergency preparedness kit that “includes the bare minimum necessary for a city-dweller to make it to a place of refuge during an earthquake or other disaster.”
Included within the MINIM+AID is a whistle, handcrank radio/charger, raincoat, lantern, drinking water, and a general purpose plastic case. This is all contained within a 5cm wide tube that is waterproof and buoyant.
The MINIM+AID is, according to the manufacturer, slimmer and more compact that conventional emergency kits, and comes with an included strap to wear over the shoulder. The tube is available in Black, Silver, or White, and each tool is available in three different colors.
Sparky is a project on Kickstarter for a battery-powered fire starter. Sparky is powered by two AAA batteries, and has a solid copper conductor tip which will ignite steel wool upon contact.
The Z.A.P.S. Gear Survival Grenade was developed by a former Marine Scout Sniper, and contains 28 individual components designed for use in a survival scenario. The components include:
– 45′ of 550 cord
– Compass
– Duct tape
– Ferrocerium firestarter
– 3 fish hooks
– 3 weatherproof matches w/striker
– 6 water purification tablets
– And more…
You can check out a breakdown video of the Survival Grenade below:
Yeah, I know, zombies. To be fair, though these do look like a pretty good bit of tinder to bring with you on any outdoor excursions or for an emergency kit:
– Waterproof
– Non-toxic
– All weather fire
– Never expires
– 1600 ºF burn temperature
Plus, they look like eyeballs, and they’re made by hand in the USA.
The Mykel Hawke Arrowhead Set is composed of five unique hunting tool accessories inspired by the cultures Mykel Hawke encountered during his service with the Armed Forces. The tools are made of black oxide coated stainless steel, featuring hollow ground edges for sustained sharpness, and can be used for numerous hunting techniques including spear hunting, trapping, and fishing. Additionally, the set comes with a small storage pouch.
SURVCO is a disabled Veteran owned and operated business based out of Fort Mitchell, Alabama. The products developed by SURVCO are survival-inclined, such as the Tactical Credit Card AX. Made of 12 Gague 304 stainless steel, the Credit Card AX is a credit card-sized survival tool which comfortably stores inside a wallet. The head features 21 individual functions, including being lashed to a handle to function as a tomahawk, ax, knife, scraper, skinner, or shovel, depending on use.
Last August, I wrote about the VSSL (pronounced like the word vessel), a hollow Aluminum tube for storing survival and outdoor items in, with an LED flashlight at the end; a bit like one of those old school large-sized Maglights, but with a hollow handle for storing items instead of batteries.
Since then, VSSL has planed an expansion to their line of hollow body flashlights with the Flask Light. Made of food-grade stainless steel rather than the aluminum of the original VSSL flashlight, the Flask Light is a multi-compartment system which consists of a compass end cap, a 10 oz. liquid container, a hidden compartment with two collapsible shot glasses and a bottle opener, and of course the dual mode LED flashlight.
The finalized VSSL Flash Light will be available with either a matte green or polished steel exterior.
