OUT & ABOUT

Using a word like “beautiful” to describe our newly arrived First Aid Kits seems wrong. But it’s right. They’re beautiful, and useful. Come in (2) sizes, with a sturdy, lightweight red nylon case that proclaims them “Paramedic Approved.”

You pick: the Small kit, which measures 6” x 8” x 3”, with (19) different items and (53) pieces total;

the Medium kit, 7-1/2” x 9” x 3”, including (28) items and (103) pieces total.

All contain the requisite First Aid booklet, bandages, cotton, antiseptic wipe, tape, shears, tweezers, gloves, saline, splinter probes and an emergency blanket (among other essentials), but the Medium kit containS more specialized items, such as burn gel and fever scan strips. Any size is great to have at home, and anywhere you’re on

This rounded 2” karambit-style blade, called the Hideaway Knife, comes in a quick-release, hard shell sheath that’s olive tan to match the hand grip. Blade looks like the talon of an eagle, and you can hang it (in the sheath), around your neck (black beaded necklace included), or stuff it into your boot or pocket.

Newly manufactured P-38 Can Opener from the same folks who supply them to Uncle. It folds! into 1-1/2" x 5/8" flat piece which is easily carried and lost. Reportedly works much better than the Asian knockoffs for those who really want to gain entry to the Spam!

Before fishing got all modern with high-tech reels and rods, and lines and hooks, our ancestors caught seafood dinners with pointy things. Return to those simpler days with this 9” Fishing Spear Head from Crate Club by Martin Brothers. Technically it’s a tactical survival tool, but that just means it’s super-high quality and durable. Made of 3/16” thick stainless steel, you can use it as a (2)- or (4)-point spear. Assembles easily and folds flat for storage. All you supply is the stick that the spear attaches to, and the hunting spirit. The fish will respect you more with a spear—trust us.

Nobody would dare vote you off the island if you have this stainless steel survival tool. Smaller than a credit card at 2-3/4" x 1-3/4", it has (11) functions: can opener, knife edge, flathead screwdriver, small ruler, bottle opener, 4-position wrench, saw blade, 2-position wrench and a couple more. Slip it into your wallet or hang it on your keychain, then go get lost.

Call this one the “Glam Bottle,” a 17-oz stainless steel vacuum-insulated tumbler with a gold flake ice-design exterior. Measures 10” tall with a 3” dia base, tapered shoulders and a silver cap. Keeps beverage cold for 24 hours and hot for 12 hours. Keeps you looking cool for as long as you’re holding it.

Us, too. We’re using this flameless, rechargeable USB-powered, electric lighter from Pilot™. In understated matte black, with a solid metal body and a classic flip top, this 3-1/4” x 1-1/4” x 1/2" lighter will give you (100) lights on a single charge. Super-hot coil activates when you press a button on side opposite the hinge and is protected in a 1/4" deep x 1/3" dia. well. Won’t turn on when the lid is closed and auto-shuts off in 15 seconds for pocket/bag safety. USB charger slides out when you need more juice, turning on LED in power button, and back in when you’re charged up.

Hey, nothing wrong with a big ol’ flashlight, but sometimes you need one that you can easily carry in your pocket or slip into a bag and still have room for a bunch of other stuff. This mini LED flashlight is approx 4” long, with an on-off push button on the end, and a knurled metal handle. Comes in silver for the most part, but a small amount of our stock is actually blue. You’ll get the one that comes out when we reach into the box, and it won’t matter because you’ll be using it in the dark anyway. Takes (3) “AAA” batteries, included.

Or would have, had you hung one of these yellow glow sticks around your neck. You’ll get a dozen of them at 6” long with both a small hole and a carabiner-ish slotted opening for hanging. Includes a 24” plastic cord to hang them from. Surplus factor: packaging shows rainbow colors, but all are, in fact, yellow, which is fine because who wants to glow green or blue? Bend or shake to activate. (Duh.)

This COB LED headlamp has (7) modes, (3) colors (white, red and green) and (2) top-mounted multi-stage switches.Comfortable, too, with an inch-wide, adjustable 20” elastic headband and a 40-degree tilting head. Packing a 5W, 350 lumen lattice white light that has high, medium, low and strobe modes and a multi-color 3W 180 lumen COB LED that cycles through red, green and white light. All this fits in a housing that measures 2-1/2” x 1-3/4” x approx 1-1/4” and has a range of 300ft. Hike late into the night, keep your hands free during a power outage, use the red light option for telescope viewing or the green light better contrast and vision at night. Requires (3) AAA batteries, not included.

Daytime, too, or whenever you need to start a fire, especially outdoors. These pressed resinous-pine tinder sticks measure 4" long x 1/2" square, and our each is a box of a dozen. Marked as being from the “Survivor Series,” they’re water-resistant and slow burning, lasting approx five minutes each. 

It's a 10-tool Swissesque military survival knife, but without those red plastic handles to break and fall off. Includes stainless steel 2-1/2" knife blade, flathead driver/bottle opener, saw blade, scissors, can opener, fish scaler/nail set, corkscrew, Phillips driver, awl, nail file and the needle-like thing for making buckskin clothes in case you're lost for years. Has a split ring to hang your keys from.

"Laser" safety lights each with super bright LEDs run by (2) "AA" batteries that you supply. It's square and has a flashing or steady LED lamp visible up to 2500 feet (distance may be exaggerated). A 2" x 2-1/2" red plastic reflecting lens covers (3) lamps. Hook it on your belt or pack with the belt clip, use the included elastic strap for arm or leg mounting, or the included aluminum flange to attach it to your bike. It's great for general use as a warning device or as an emergency signal for roadside breakdowns.

This isn't a book, but it's definitely book-ish. Looks like a leather-bound volume from the Bodleian but it's just a little wooden box, approx 8-1/2" x 5" x 2" (7" x 3-7/8" x 1-5/8" inside) that's perfect for stashing the jewels, cash, or whatever you need to stash in plain sight on the shelves.

Or just stop worrying about the line breaking. Battlecord is skinny but megatough stuff. And this one is a 50-foot length of black cord rated for 2,650 lb test. Measures 1/4” dia with a 7-strand core and is rot, mildew and UV resistant. Made in the USA for Atwood Rope.

Worst part of working out? No personal fans. Not the cheering kind—the cooling kind. This wearable neck fan is great for sports, outdoor activities, the office and traveling. Just set the 7" wide x 5" long horseshoe shaped unit on the back of your neck, the way you’d hang a towel after a workout, and point the adjustable dual fans up at your face or wherever. Has 3" flex arms between the body and 2-29/32" fan housings, (3) speeds with switch button on body and a Micro USB cable for recharging. Actually, the quiet fan whoosh almost sounds like distant cheering. You might get black, white, blue, coral or green.

You will survive with this Survival Candle, a 3-wick burner made of soy and palm wax in a 3-1/8" dia 2-3/8" tin can with a lid. Rated to last up to 36 hours.

They have the look of something designed for the space program. They're mylar, a paper-thin shiny metallic sheet, that comes in handy when your car breaks down in winter, or when you're separated from your climbing group on the slopes of Denali. Barring that, they're also a perfect material for a do-it-yourself cold-climate Halloween costume-near impossible to rip by hand, but cut easily with scissors. There's no padding, so they wouldn't be too comfy on your bed, but they sure are warm. They both come folded about the size of a wallet. The Blanket is 52" x 82", the Sleeping Bag is 34" x 84".