Here’s the latest on the Skyblazer XLT Flares (the original blog entry can be found by clicking here):

Since our last notification, we have conducted exhaustive testing of the Skyblazer both in terms of measuring the dimensions of the plastic parts as well as live firing. The dimensional testing did not reveal a change. More importantly, however, when the Skyblazers were fired holding the launch tube properly, we observed no injuries. Specifically, we hand-launched 500 signals from our current inventory with the following results:

1 All 500 signals launched properly, achieving desired height, candela and burn time

2 No injuries were reported during the launch process – 100% effective

3 The recoil from the launch caused the bottom of the launch tube to contact the lower hand (the hand pulling the ignition chain) in one instance but without the severity to cause injury (bruising or otherwise) – 99.8% effective

4 In 6 instances the launch tube body and sleeve separated in the upper hand but without effect – 98.8% effective

We also asked a USCG approved independent third party testing facility to hand launch signals they had warehoused from a variety of other lots to verify that the signals function properly and as expected if held properly and in accordance with use instructions. Of the signals fired, no injuries occurred, the launch tube did not recoil onto the top of the lower hand and no separation was observed as between the safety sleeve and the launch tube.

Based upon the foregoing, we do not believe anything has changed relative to the functionality of the Skyblazer signal when held properly. While this signal has a long and successful history with the current use instructions, we do believe the use instructions can and should be clarified to make it abundantly clear as to how the signal should be held during launch. To that end, we have developed new use instructions which will be incorporated into all new labels and packaging.

Based on the above information we are:

1. Working with the Coast Guard to reverse the current “Do Not Use” notification.

2. We will cause all product at retail locations to be stickered with a sticker notifying them of the revised Use Instruction.

3. We will update our website to reflect the new use instructions

4. We will notify the USCG Auxiliary, and Boat US, and work with them to get our new use instructions posted on their website.

5. For customers that are adamant that they do not want us stickering their current inventory, we will lift such stock and replace with new product once our testing is complete but we hope this is minimal since the product in the field is safe and fully functional when used as per the instructions currently on the package (and further clarified by the new use instructions).

In hindsight it may be that we acted precipitously in issuing the original Safety Notice and Product Quarantine however we wanted the time to fully investigate the matter and determine whether there was in fact a safety risk for the product end users. When held properly, we are fully confident the Skyblazer will function as intended and that the quarantine is no longer necessary.

To further augment the protections we are putting in place, we have instituted a mold change to create a more positive “lock” as between the safety sleeve and the launch tube. We are taking this action as a fail safe in the event users do not hold the signal properly despite the improved use instructions. We will be loading and launching parts from the new mold on Thursday (10/9) and hope to get to the USCG with third-party lab data within the next week.

As the plan develops to lift product, which we hope will be minimal, we will be issuing further updates. Any new orders for products containing XLT’s will be inputted to our system and put on hold. If you, or your customers have any questions, do not hesitate to contact your sales manager. We fully expect to have situation remedied prior to the 2009 season.

More information and current status can be found on the Orion Safety Products web site.

CLICK HERE FOR LATEST UPDATE

It isn’t a recall just yet, but in the meantime, Orion Safety Products has issued a safety notice and has requested that dealers quarentine all Skyblazer XLT aerial flares. To quote from their Safety Notice:

Orion Safety Products, manufacturer of the Skyblazer hand-launched red aerial flare (“Skyblazer”), has received a report indicating the safety sleeve on the Skyblazer may become detached from the launch tube body during ignition (see diagram below for visual depiction of parts). A report from the field indicates that upon this occurrence, users experienced bruised knuckles, a punctured finger nail and a lacerated finger in at least one instance.

Orion is currently focusing on Skyblazer production occurring since April 2008 and is working closely with its injection molder for the Skyblazer plastic parts to determine what the cause of the problem may be and when it first appeared. The detachment of the safety sleeve from the launch tube body does not affect flare performance (i.e., altitude, candela, burn time). This problem is specific to the Skyblazer signal and does not affect any other Orion products.

To the extent much remains unknown at present, Orion is recommending that all retailers, distributors and dealers of the Skyblazer product remove such product from their shelves and discontinue the sale of this product to the marketplace at this time. Orion will notify all such parties as to the proper disposition of this product once the investigation has sufficiently progressed.

Orion has not instituted a recall of the Skyblazer product at this time. For product users that are in emergency situations, Orion suggests that the Skyblazer signal only be used if alternative emergency distress signals are unavailable. For added protection, if Skyblazer signals must be used, Orion suggests:

• The user hold the signal body (not the sleeve) tightly in the upper hand during launch
• Gloves be worn to protect the lower hand (the hand pulling the ignition chain) from being jammed
against the launch tube body and ignition chain following ignition

Orion is critically concerned about the safety of our customers. We are notifying the U.S. Coast Guard of this problem and will be posting updates and consumer information on the Orion website at www.orionsignals.com. We want to make certain more Skyblazers are not sold until the cause of the current problem is known and remedied. We want to make certain that current product users relying on the Skyblazer product are not put at unnecessary risk. We thank you for your patience and understanding while we continue our investigation of this matter.

CLICK HERE FOR LATEST UPDATE
More information and current status can be found on the Orion Safety Products web site.

I just received my October issue of Backpacker Magazine, their “Survival” issue. I opened the magazine at random and found myself reading page 43 where it has a brief article, “How To Use A Signal Mirror.” The instructions themselves are not exactly clear, for example finding the “fireball” isn’t so easy unless you are told to look for it in the mirror’s reflection. But, that slip pales in comparison to the errors in the illustrations which are totally misleading.

The illustrations (reproduced at right) are out of scale to begin with. The grid will always cover much more, or in some cases, all of the aimer, with only a small hole in the center. Then they show the fireball visible in the open hole, not in the retro-reflective grid or the aimer. That’s impossible. Then it shows the fireball and the target merged in the same hole. Again, impossible. The fireball is only visible because of the retro-reflective material, either within the grid of a traditional style aimer, or on the edge of the retro-reflective cloth material in the unique Ultimate Survival’s star shaped StarFlash aimer.

For an illustration of how the aimer really works, these images are from my directions on how to use the Rescue Flash signal mirror where you will find a much more complete, and accurate, set of instructions on using a signal mirror.

I’ll get around to reading the rest of the magazine on my flight tomorrow; hopefully without finding any other such gross errors.

DISCLAIMER: I helped design the Rescue Flash signal mirror and wrote the instructions on the mirror. The Rescue Flash is included in the Adventure Medical Kits Pocket Survival Pak I designed, the sales of which help support the Equipped To Survive Foundation and for which I also receive a royalty as the kit designer.

I’m not sure whether to be cheered that we have a National Preparedness Month, or depressed. Monday is the start of National Preparedness Month, as decreed by the Department of Homeland Security . On the one hand, it depresses me a bit that it seems necessary to make such a big deal out of what ought to be simple, commonsense efforts I’d like to believe everyone would take to be ready for whatever comes our way.

Okay, I admit that this isn’t a very realistic expectation. More like wishful thinking, considering human nature. So, on balance, I guess it’s a good thing that preparedness has now become a national level campaign, even if it isn’t yet part of the national consciousness. It’s somewhat ironic that it comes as a major hurricane is once again bearing down on New Orleans, three years after Katrina taught many that depending on government to take care of you might be foolish, or perhaps stupid is a better description.

The sad part is so relatively few that weren’t directly impacted learned that lesson. And, even many in New Orleans still haven’t, but their government at least seems to be reacting more responsibly and they may comply with evacuation orders this time. The vast majority living in the U.S. are still unprepared and still expect the government to come riding to their rescue. Does that make them foolish, stupid, or just lazy? Regardless of the cause, it irks me all the same. Certainly, there will always be a portion of our society that simply cannot prepare themselves for whatever comes their way, whether due to physical, mental or financial issues. However, those are just as certainly the minority of the U.S. population. The rest have no good excuse.

Basic preparedness is not something that requires a lot of money or any extraordinary effort. The basic 72 Hour Emergency Preparedness Kit, as outlined in this article here on Equipped to Survive, is not difficult or expensive to assemble. Those too lazy to assemble one themselves can find lots of vendors selling what I refer to as ”better than nothing” kits at modest prices (just do an Internet search on “72 hour kit”). While I may not think those kits are great, they really are a major improvement over doing nothing. And, some of these kits are actually not too bad at all, though very few include adequate amounts of water or quality tools such as flashlights or knives. But, those failings are easy enough to remedy.

So, why don’t they do it? No doubt some are just plain stupid. There’s plenty of evidence that a significant portion of the population can be described as dumb, stupid or ignorant. That’s just the way it is. But, anyone reading this is unlikely to be labeled as such, except perhaps by those of the opposite political persuasion. I suspect that for the rest of you it’s got a lot more to do with laziness and ingrained habit.

As a nation, we are lazy. One only has to look at the growing girth of society to find evidence that this is a problem. Too many don’t want to make the effort simply because it does take some effort, even if only minimal. Watching TV is easier. Have I ticked you off yet? If so, perhaps you need to do something about it.

Ingrained habit is another way to describe the 9*1*1 effect, and I suspect the primary reason. We have gotten into the habit of calling 9*1*1 when something goes wrong. As a society, we have developed the expectation that someone else is going to take care of the problem, we don’t have to. People who live in rural settings are generally much more self-reliant because they have to be. Help is not just five minutes away. The majority do not live in rural American anymore. These folks have become almost totally reliant on others to solve their emergencies, whether it is emergency services or just calling a plumber or electrician instead of doing it themselves. As a society, we no longer expect to do almost anything ourselves. We expect others to do it and it’s become the only way we know to approach problems.

Even with the lessons of Katrina and other natural disasters, we still don’t want to face reality. You cannot depend upon others in a crisis. Even the government has admitted that, to one degree or another, evidence being this self-declared National Preparedness Month. The more of the population they can convince to be prepared, the more likely they can help the rest with whatever inadequate resources they can bring to bear on the problems created by an emergency. However improved the response might be as the result of lessons learned from Katrina and elsewhere, it will never be fully adequate.

I suppose that National Preparedness Month is a good thing to maybe convince some small portion of the majority of the population that they need to take on a little personal responsibility. Maybe over time, it will help make a dent. For those who have not yet done so, get off your duff and get to it. It can be a liberating experience and it could save your life or that of loved ones, or at the least, make a very difficult and unpleasant experience a whole lot less difficult and much more pleasant.

My report on Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008 continues (click here for the previous installment):

Leatherman Puts Folders on Diet

Leatherman’s line of folders, introduced in 2005 and expanded in 2006, offered a number of unique features including exchangeable bits in some models, and were generally well received. If there was one common complaint about them it was that they were quite bulky in the pocket. Version 2 of the folders, so to speak, have been launched and the knives have been put on a diet to produce a slimmer and trimmer line-up.

The new Crater and Expanse lines also bring a more consistent look to the line, they are all obviously siblings, something that wasn’t the case with the original line-up. There are 10 new models in each line. (Crater c33T (top) and Expanse e55B (bottom) pictured here) Rather than bore and confuse you trying to describe all the permutations, click on the links below for the Leatherman feature sheets (in PDF format) that include a full feature matrix:

• Leatherman Crater Knives
• Leatherman Expanse Knives

Outwardly, the obvious difference is that the Crater knives have black glass reinforced nylon handles, the higher end Expanse knives have stainless steel added to the GRN. Both series offer either 2.6-inch or 3.1-inch blades. The Crater blade steel is 420HC, the Expanse is 154CM. Each model in each line also offers either a plain edge or partially serrated edge.

As with the original lineup, the smaller blades are liner locks with an improved smoother operating version of Leatherman’s Blade Launcher for opening. The larger blades are lockbacks with right-handed thumb stud opening. Various combinations of features include a screwdriver, a bit driver (using Leatherman’s proprietary bits) with imptoved and more compact bit storage in the handle and a carabiner/bottle cap lifter that folds into the handle. Each has a removable non-reversible pocket clip.

The 30% thinner and lighter knives feel much better in the hand and pocket. They look better as well, at least to my eye.

Pricing (MSRP) ranges from $24 - $70 for the Crater line and $44 - $87 for the Expanse. Expect initial deliveries in the Fall.

One-Breath Inflater Pump

If you’ve ever had “fun” blowing up an air mattress, toy or other piece of inflatable equipment, or using a foot pump to accomplish the same, you must have wished there was an easier way. Sure, you can use an electric inflater, but that requires a source of power. You can hand the job off to a convenient kid, if there’s one available, but they have their own issues, of course. Finally, someone has the answer and it’s another one of those forehead slapping why-didn’t-I-think-of-that moments.

The Millair Company’s patent-pending “Instaflator” is so stone simple it is almost ludicrous. Attach the nozzle to whatever needs to be pumped up, unfold the plastic tube, blow lightly into the end of it, then roll the tube up, which transfers that air into the inflatable. The video below shows how simple it is. No huffing, puffing or near hyperventilation.

You can watch a more comprehensive demo on their Web site. It comes with three different nozzles designed to fit most inflatables. MSRP is $3.50 and they estimate that one Instaflator is good for 30-40 inflations.

NOTE: One of our readers noted that a raft manufacturer has been using a similar concept for some time, so how patentable this is may be an issue. Regardless, that does nothing to detract from how great the idea the idea is and how inexpensively they have implemented it.

Check Back Soon for More New Gear

In an effort to speed up the process, I’m going to publish this review of new products from Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008 in stages over the next few days. Check back for more new gear, hopefully tomorrow.

My report on Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008 continues (click here for the previous installment):

Wine to Go…or to Hold

Nobody at Cascade Designs was telling whether the genesis of the idea was to make it easier to take along some wine on the trail while preserving its flavor, or to find a way to preserve leftover wine, but the good news for wine-lovers is that the new PlatyPreserve does both.

The PlatyPreserve is a based on the Platy bottle we are all familiar with. Mind you, it’s not like many haven’t decanted a bottle into a Platy before. Many a fine vino, and not so fine, truth be told, has been transported into the wilds that way. However, the standard clear Platy Bottle isn’t an ideal wine container. Light is an enemy of wine, particularly reds. The concept has been modified slightly by altering the laminated plastic material to make it impervious to damaging light. Wine’s other enemy is oxygen, which is easily dealt with by simply squeezing the flexible bottle until all the air is out before capping the PlatyPreserve.

No light and no oxygen mean the wine should be good for up to six months, according to the designers. We sampled some wine that we were told had been in the PlatyPreserve for over a month and compared it to the same wine poured straight from a fresh bottle. There was very little noticeable difference in taste; the month-old wine was perfectly drinkable. I’ve seen wine go far worse over a long evening. We took home a sample, we’ve done the deed, and I guess I’ll report back in a few months. But, the concept seems sound and I’ve really no reason to believe it won’t work as promised. I can’t see a company like Cascade Designs having invested all that’s involved to develop and launch this product if it didn’t work. It’s not like they could hide a problem for long, the proof will be readily apparent in the drinking.

Each PlatyPreserve holds 800 ML, a standard wine bottle’s worth. It will be available in September for $12.95 individually or in a four-pack for $44.95 (MSRP).

MSR Expands Emergency Shelter Offerings

MSR was showing off a number of new tents, two of which are expressly designed to compliment their E-Wing emergency tarp shelter introduced last year. The E-House and E-Bivy are both ultra-lightweight shelters that are compressed into a very small stuff sack about the size of a soda can and as hard as a rock. Both feature yellow Sil Nylon fabric and taped seams and come with a larger stuff stack because there’s not a chance you’ll ever get them back into the original one. .

The E-House can be set up with a pair of trekking poles, some sticks or a line stretched between trees. They claim it will provide “complete coverage for two and emergency shelter for four.” The floor area is given at 19 sq. ft. (1.76 sq. m) and the peak height is 45 inches (114 cm). “Cozy” comes to mind as an apt description for two and it will definitely be an emergency to get four to huddle inside. But those four will be most thankful for the shelter.

A single zippered door is found in one end and there’s also a vent in one side. No floor, but it does have a skirted base to help keep the weather outside. Weight is 20 oz (0.56 Kg). MSRP is $129.95

The E-Bivy is a typical minimalist bivy sack. It will help keep the bag and you dry and add warmth and that’s a pretty good bet for only 9 oz (225g). MSRP is $79.95.

Both are expected to be available in the first quarter of 2009.

See more gear in the next installment

My report on Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008 continues (click here for the previous installment):

Spotlight on the Spotlight

The “Spotlight,” distributed in the U.S. by Essential Gear, is a rechargeable LED flashlight with a unique charging mode. It is designed to recharge by slipping into the 12-volt power outlet/cigarette lighter receptacle in your vehicle. The trick is that internal regulation ensures that the nickel-metal hydride battery doesn’t overcharge from being left in the power source. That’s death for Ni-MH batteries and a potential Achilles heel for any such concept. Building the regulation circuitry into the flashlight was the key innovation.

Having a fully-charged flashlight always available and conveniently at hand in the vehicle addresses the flashlight-as-storage-for-dead-batteries syndrome that’s common for the typical flashlight in the glove box.

Inserted into the outlet, only the head is visible. It glows dimly red while charging. You can simply leave it there until needed. The anodized 6061 aluminum body, available in 10 colors, is 2 inches long by 0.875 inch diameter at the head, 0.81 inch body diameter. Weight is 1.6 oz.

The switch is a rotary head switch with a very noticeable detent for Off and On. The 0.5-watt 5mm LED produces a tightly focus beam claimed to shine 90 feet and is protected by a toughened glass lens and the light is submersible to IPX7 standards, 1 meter for 30 minutes. Run time is given as 120 minutes with charging time from a totally drained batter of 7 hours. MSRP is $19.95

Various accessories will be available including a neck lanyard, “Super Socket” adapter to allow continued access to the power outlet while charging the Spotlight, a “Fender Friend” with a flexible neck and magnetic base for roadside repairs and a 120V wall-outlet adapter

Leatherman’s Getting Serious About Lights

Leatherman had previously dipped it’s proverbial toe into the LED flashlight waters with combo packs of some of their tools and a pretty generic key-chain light and then a branded 3 x AAA-cell LED light exclusively for Costco (the Monarch 500), but at OR they debuted their new Serac line of pocket-sized LED flashlights, a far more serious and much better effort.

While these are again made overseas, they represent Leatherman originated design and engineering concepts and a higher build quality of the sort that we expect from a Leatherman product. Their stated aim was to provide a higher value for the consumer in each size and illumination power.

Common to all three lights are Type III hard anodized 6061 T6 aluminum bodies, tail-switches, gold-plated contacts, single battery regulated power and a 10-year limited warranty. The switches require a noticeable amount of pressure to get them to “click” and there is no momentary ON, reducing the potential for inadvertent activation and battery depletion. Flats are machined around the bodies for a better grip. All the lights are rated as waterproof to 3.28 ft (1 m), though the literature did not give a time period.

The Serac S1 and S2 are both single AAA-cell lights with a common body and non-recessed tail switch. The S1 has a Nichia 5mm GS-K1 LED recessed into a conical aluminum bezel “reflector” opening and providing 6 lumens output. Battery life is listed at 11 hours with the provided alkaline battery.

The S2 features a 3-watt Cree XR-E LED with two illumination levels, 4 and 35 lumens. It is seated into a stippled reflector inside a stainless bezel. A toughened and double anti-reflective coated lens protects the LED. Once switched ON, the S2 alternates between the low and high settings by tapping the tailcap switch lightly. When initially turned on, it will provide the alternative illumination level to what was last used. So, if you were using low, it turns on next at the high level, which I found disconcerting. I’d prefer to see it always turn on at the low level since it’s so quick and easy to switch to high. You often don’t need the high level of illumination and there are many times when it can be counterproductive, even if on just briefly. It’s not a terribly serious issue, but I did find it annoying.

Battery life is rated at 10.5 hours on low and 45 minutes on high. The latter isn’t too surprising given the minimal capacity of the alkaline AAA-cell. They don’t provide any specs for a lithium AAA-cell. That would provide more power density and better cold-weather performance, as well as saving 3.9 grams (0.14 oz).

The S1 and S2 are 3.23 inches (8.2 cm) and 3.48 inches (8.84 cm) long, respectively, and 0.56 (1.42 cm) in diameter. They weigh in at 1 and 1.1 oz. (28.3 and 31.2 g), respectively. A stainless, reversible split arrow clip and a removable split ring (for keychain carry) provide lots of carry options. MSRP is $25 and $50, respectively.

The S3 is powered by a 123A 3-volt lithium cell. The 3-watt Cree XR-E LED provides three illumination levels, 7, 43 and 100 lumens, which are accessed the same as in the S2, by tapping the tailcap switch in sequence. Like the S2, the S3 turns ON at the next level of brightness in the sequence. If you were at low, you get medium, at medium you get high and at high you get low. The recessed tailcap switch, which I prefer, adds to the protection against inadvertent activation. Not quite as good as a lock-out tail cap, but a big improvement.

I liked the reversible wire clip which is held securely in a groove machined into the body, one at each end. As with the S2, the S3 has a stainless steel bezel, stippled reflector and toughened and double anti-reflective coated lens.

Length of the S3 is 3.2 inches (8.13 cm) with a diameter of 0.9 inch (2.29 cm). Weight is 2.6 oz. (73.7 g). Battery life is rated at 36 hours (low), 4 hours (medium) and 1 hour (high). MSRP is $70.

All in all, an impressive first effort by Leatherman as they make a serious push into the LED flashlight market.

Cord Lock Light

A new company, Black Crater, introduced their unique Cord Lock Light. That’s pretty much as accurate a description as you could come up with. They have integrated a white 3mm LED into a cord lock. Their tag line, “where you need it, when you need it,” succinctly makes their point. Cord locks are pretty much ubiquitous on all sorts of outdoor gear and outerwear. Power is provided by a pair of CR1220 lithium coin cells.

A rubberized switch is recessed into the side of the plastic body. Two levels of illumination are provided, plus a flashing mode. It is claimed to be “water-resistant.” All in all, a nice enough package. Though they necessarily have to add in some bulk compared to a simple cord lock, it’s still small enough and light enough that this doesn’t appear like it will be a problem in most cases.

With a $10 MSRP, the Cord Lock Light will likely be a big hit, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see it installed in a number of OEM applications on packs and sleeping bags and the like. However, the more I thought about it, I have to admit, the less generally useful I found the concept, even if it was a great concept.

Not that having a light always handy on your equipment is ever a bad thing; that’s why many of us have compact keychain-sized lights clipped all over our gear, on zipper pulls and the like. However, generally you need to be able to take the flashlight and move it to where you need light. That’s going to be hard to do when it’s tied to the cords of wherever you have installed it. You can’t so easily unclip it, as you can with typical a small flashlight.

It may be all well and good to have it installed on a sleeping bag hood, as an example they illustrate, and it may allow you to light up the shelter a bit to find and grab something or other inside, but it can’t easily and quickly go out with you to water the forest like a dedicated flashlight or headlamp can. One of their illustrations shows it being used to read a map, but tellingly, it’s not connected to any cords.

So, my conclusion is that it’s still a great idea and appears to be a good implementation for a start, but I don’t think in its current iteration that it’ll replace anyone’s flashlights.

See more gear in the next installment

My report on Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008 continues (click here for the previous installment):

A New Saint of Light

Surefire’s long-awaited and much anticipated headlamp has arrived. Surefire showed off prototypes of the new “Saint” model that are very close to the final specification, particularly with regards to the critical elements. Some of the machined parts in the prototypes will be done in high-tech engineered reinforced plastic for production, but the light housing itself will be aluminum in the same manner as traditional Surefire flashlights with Type III mil-spec hard anodizing.

Like some other recently introduced headlamps, Surefire has gone the tubular light housing route. However, the similarity ends there. The housing itself rotates completely around, using a knob on the left side (as worn), so that the lens can be protected when not in use if required. There is a rotary switch on the right end (as worn). The switch has a slight detent at 10 lumens, but the power adjusts smoothly from zero to 100 lumens. The switch and the housing rotation knobs look like they would be easy enough to operate with typical operator’s gloves, part of the design brief. A Cree 3-watt XRE LED is used.

The lens itself is aspheric in shape with apparently some manner of Fresnel type rings evident looking into it. Surefire calls it a “refractive optic.” The end result appears to be an extremely smooth flood of light that ramps up smoothly. I did not see any evidence of hot spots, rings or noticeable graduations in the beam.

The battery box, which will be engineered plastic in production, is attached at the rear and holds three 123A 3-volt lithium cells as the primary power source. The Saint will run on one or two 123A’s if desired, and in a pinch, two AA-cells, alkaline or lithium, can be used, but with reportedly much reduced output and life, especially if alkalines are selected. Surefire calls this “Dual-Fuel capable,” but it seems to me to be mostly designed as a means to allow for redundancy and back-up under less than ideal field conditions, not for regular use. In any case, having options is a good thing.

Instead of the typical closed-cell neoprene pad on the battery box and headlamp, Surefire has used “Breath-O-Prene” pads that are designed to wick away moisture. That could certainly add to the comfort in many situations. There is also a recess in the battery pack, behind the pad, to accommodate the occipital protuberance that moist of us have at the base of the skull. The pads are washable and are installed with Velcro and easily removed and replaced. Replacement pad sets will be available.

The robust elastic headband is adjustable, as one would expect, but also offers a few advanced features. On the left side (as worn), the power cable has a loop that is retained in a fabric three-snap closure. The extra cable provides for adjustment and strain relief as well as allowing sufficient length to allow the Saint to be easily mounted on a helmet. The top strap is removable, snapping easily in or out as needed.

Click here for higher resolution and more detailed images of the Saint prototype.

Colored filters will be available to snap into place over the lens. MSRP will be $185 with first deliveries expected later this Fall. The Saint is expected to be just the first of a range of headlamps from Surefire, so stay tuned
.

Floating Glass Signal Mirror?

A floating glass signal mirror seems like something of an oxymoron, but Coghlan’s new “Sight-Grid Signal Mirror” does just that. This signal mirror is an attempt to provide some of the desirable attributes of some plastic signal mirrors with the generally higher reflectivity you get from a glass mirror. How well they succeeded remains to be seen.

Nominally a 2 x 3 inch mirror, the actual reflective portion measured 1.78 x 2.81 inches on my scale, with one corner removed for the lanyard hole. Total reflective area is probably more or less the same as their traditional laminated glass mirror which is 2 x 3 inches, but has four radiused corners, plus a riveted lanyard hole. The glass mirror is surrounded on four sides and the back by an acrylic plastic enclosure, very reminiscent of the original plastic Star Flash mirror from Ultimate Survival Technologies.

Instead of two laminated pieces of glass, the Sight-Grid mirror has a single piece of glass along with a piece of foam backing and the instructions on the back, encased in the acrylic surround. It ends up about 0.03 inch thicker than their laminated mirror. Weight is 1 oz versus 1.8 ounces for the laminated mirror. I can confirm that it floats.

It has the same excellent retro-reflective sighting grid as their laminated mirror, except there’s no cut-out in the center, as is traditionally provided. I don’t expect that to be a problem; it’s easy enough to see through the grid, which you have to do anyway to merge the aiming “hot spot” and the target. For that matter, it surely simplifies production if they don’t have to try and get that hole centered in the aimer, an eternal problem with signal mirror production. Like its laminated sibling, this mirror is made in Japan.

(Image right: Coghlan’s Sight-Grid Signal Mirror (left) and laminated mirror (right))

The instructions on the back are clear and easy to read, white text on a black background, especially easy compared to the barely readable low-contrast red text on black background found on their laminated mirror (copied from traditional subdued mil-spec glass mirror designs).

As far as robustness, it’s unlikely to be shatter proof; it is glass after all. How much the acrylic surround helps and how it compares to a traditional laminated glass mirror remains to be seen. When we have a bunch of samples we’ll start dropping them.

In a quick and dirty check reflecting a spot on a wall 50 feet away at noon, our sample didn’t seem to have quite as powerful a reflective spot as their laminated glass mirror which is right up there with the best in terms of reflectivity. It did provide a concentric and bright spot, a good start. However, we’ll wait to test a number of production samples in the new signal mirror test rig we are building before we make a final judgment as to its comparative performance. For the moment, we’d not rush out to buy one until we can conduct a full evaluation, but it holds a good deal of promise as a compromise between a heavy laminated glass mirror and the best plastic mirrors.

The Sight-Grid Signal Mirror should be in stores shortly with an MSRP of $12.99.

(DISCLOSURE: I helped develop the Adventure Medical Kits “Rescue Flash” plastic laminated signal mirror which is included in the AMK Pocket Survival Pak, sales of which provide royalties to myself and the ETS Foundation. The Rescue Flash is also sold separately.)

Check Back Soon for More New Gear

In an effort to speed up the process, I’m going to publish this review of new products from Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008 in stages over the next few days. Check back for more new gear, hopefully tomorrow.

I tend to focus on the gear and technological aspects of survival, but occasionally we touch on the all-important mental considerations. I was reminded this week that sometimes survival planning also involves making sure you’ve adequately prepared for even the most unsatisfactory circumstances, not surviving.

My wife’s step-dad was in the hospital again last week and Sue had gone down to help her mom while I was away testing life rafts and attending Outdoor Retailer. Monday evening as I was flying home the decision was made to disconnect life support on Tuesday and I drove down to Tucson early on Tuesday to be with her and my mother-in-law to provide whatever support I could. He passed away early in the afternoon. The point of all this is not to elicit sympathy, but to make a point that will hopefully ease your own pain and trials if such a situation arises. This wasn’t the first time we’ve been in such a situation, but it was much easier for having been properly prepared.

Frank had a living will and he had provided both his wife and his daughter with medical power of attorney. There were very clear instructions as to what to do under such circumstances as he was in. He had discussed it at length with everyone involved. I cannot possibly over-emphasize how much this helped. For those most closely involved, it took a huge weight off their shoulders for what can often be an extremely difficult and trying decision. All those most closely involved were at peace with the situation and decision, knowing it was what Frank wanted.

I want to encourage you to discuss this sort of thing with your loved ones. While Frank had a history of medical issues, the fact is that it can happen to anyone in the blink of an eye. Failing to prepare for this eventuality can leave loved ones in dire straights and a difficult situation and in mental anguish both during and afterwards. What to do is up to you, but whatever you decide is right for you, it’s so easy to take care of ahead of time, and can be so damn difficult if you do not. Make sure all involved also have authorized copies and they should be part of any collection of important documents in any preparedness kit. A word to the wise…

Outdoor Retailer Summer Market was held in Salt Lake City this past weekend and it was a pretty good show in most respects. Unfortunately for some exhibitors, OR has outgrown Salt Lake City’s Salt Palace and a bunch of new exhibitors were exiled to the Energy Solutions Arena (the old Delta Center) where the majority of attendees never ventured. It’s bad enough when you have to search nooks and crannies of the Salt Palace to find stuff, but having to walk a block or two out of the back of the building and then down and back up a steep and long flight of stairs to get to the show floor is just asking too much for most. Having gotten that off my chest, so to speak, let’s start on the gear that attracted my attention.

I’ll start off with my favorite find. It was in one of those nooks and crannies, a second floor meeting room, where I found what in my opinion was the coolest new product in the show. There’s no high tech involved, no novel and unique technology, nor a sharp edge to be found. As is often the case, it’s an elegant and deceptively simple solution to an age old problem that captured my attention.

Unexciting Name, Coolest New Product

I imagine most of those reading this have had the inopportune experience of blowing out or damaging a zipper or the zipper slider, or having it get permanently stuck. Usually it happens when Murphy is already working overtime on your case. Sometimes it is just mildly inconvenient, most times it’s very inconvenient and there are times when it can be life threatening. The available field repair solutions are at best inadequate and often simply don’t work, especially with a damaged zipper. Duct tape is often the only solution and often not a very good one. Beyond that, it can also be expensive and time-consuming to get fixed properly.

Inventor Chris Felix, along with co-inventor Jim Williams, came up with the concept and has patented an ingenious fix for blown and broken zippers and sliders, the new “Flip-N-Zip.” Yes, I know, the name is less than exciting, but the product is unbelievably cool.

Felix showed up at OR thinking he might talk zipper manufacturers into using his more easily replaced zipper slider as an OEM component, saving them money on warranty and such. He quickly learned that the OEM zipper manufacturers simply don’t care about this aspect, it’s the manufacturer of the end product’s problem, not theirs. On the other hand, for every consumer who’s been there and done that, who surely number in the millions, a zipper field repair component that’s easy, reliable and affordable would be a godsend. Given the right marketing and distribution, the Flip-N-Zip is a sure winner, in my opinion.

Here’s how it works. The zipper slider is in two pieces with a spring loaded screw joining them. You spread the slider top and bottom apart and slip the zipper teeth into the slots, then tighten up the screw to clamp the two halves together, that’s it! (see the video here) The zipper works. Have some damaged teeth? Zip up one section, move past the damage, install the Flip-N-Zip and finish zipping it up. The two sizes of prototypes that Felix had cover zippers from size 5 through 10. That covers the vast majority of zippers used in outdoor gear and clothing, luggage and handbags. I watched Felix and his associate work their magic on every sort of zipper imaginable; metal, plastic, self healing, coil, you name it. They had a whole pile of equipment and clothing in the booth to demo the Flip-N-Zip.

They are now working to get the Flip-N-Zip manufactured. His selected manufacturer is refining the design to make it a bit less bulky and improve manufacturability. I sure hope they get it right, get it done soon, and are successful in getting the marketing and distribution they need to be successful. I pray this isn’t one of those great products that fails for lack of marketing and sales acumen (coming up with a better name might be a place to start). Regardless, without a doubt, the Flip-N-Zip is the coolest new product I saw at OR this summer. I really, really want to be able to carry a set of these in my bags when I travel or go into the field.

Visit the CTF Ent. web site (which includes their more detailed video) at www.flipanzip.com

Ultimate Survival Downsizes Firestarter

I like one-hand operable firestarters and for a long time there have been just two commercially available, the Spark-Lite and the BlastMatch. The Spark-Lite is compact and lightweight (and comes in a package with its own excellent tinder). The BlastMatch makes lots more and hotter sparks, but it’s big and heavy and many chose not to carry it for those reasons. It’s just too bulky and especially too heavy for comfortable pocket carry or to fit in a truly compact personal survival kit (read our One-Handed Fire Starter Face-off, one of the earliest comparative reviews to appear on ETS way back in the dark ages of the Internet). What a lot of folks wished for was a BlastMatch that was smaller and a whole lot lighter, but which still generated all those sparks.

Ultimate Survival Technologies finally gave life to those wishes with the introduction of their new “Sparkie.” They had a handful of prototypes at OR to demo, making sure we understood that these were the first working pre-production prototypes and they were looking for input as they moved towards production. So, what is described here may see some detail changes before you can actually buy one, but by and large they seem to have struck a workable compromise between performance, size and weight.

Closed, it is 2.3 inches (5.73 cm) long by 1.2 inches (2.95 cm) wide and 0.7 inch (1.74 cm) thick. Releasing the spring-loaded sparking bar by pressing the thumb button, it extends 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) out of the handle. Weight is only 0.85 oz (24 g). This compares to 4 inches (10.2 cm) and 2.7 oz (76.6g) for the BlastMatch. Retraction is as easy as sliding the bar back into the handle and allowing the thumb button to retain it in place.

The video below provides a good indication of how well it works; creating lots of hot sparks for fire starting. The rectangular-ish cross-section sparking bar is held in a carrier for support against the pressure of the internal striker tab in use. Otherwise the bar would break. Recall that these artificial ferrocerium flints create sparks when the striker peels off the material from the bar, friction thereby causing those peeled-off bits to get red hot, creating the “sparks.”

UST claims that it will be good for at least 100 sparkings. This is well below the number you might get from the full-sized BlastMatch, but certainly adequate in an emergency and a reasonable compromise for normal use given the size and weight savings.

It operates on the same principle as the BlastMatch; press down on the striker tab and either push the handle down the rod against a hard surface or use a finger to pull the rod into the handle. The compact size makes it easier than the BlastMatch to use it in the air with a finger. We offered a few critiques and suggestions, which I won’t share here as these were just prototypes, and I am looking forward to testing production versions.

The rubberized handle will come in tan and orange with an MSRP of $14.95 and should be available later this Fall.

Compared to the Spark-Lite, it’s still quite a bit bigger, but has the advantage of more and hotter sparks which will generally work better with natural tinder sources. Assuming they get it right as they move into production, this could be a good compromise in size and especially weight for those seeking an alternative to the larger BlastMatch.

(In an effort to speed up the process, I’m going to publish this review of new products from Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008 in stages over the next few days.)

Click here for More New Gear from Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2008