Chicago Dan
06-05-2008, 02:10 AM
I was at the local Target this past weekend and found several items in the $1bins. Yeah I know, they are all cheapo made in China inferior quality items but I bought a few and while I would not bet my life on them there is a useful side to those cheapo products(at least to me). I have two youngins and now they have some gear just like daddy. Today we were practicing with the whistle and compass without any angst from me that they would destroy any of my "good" stuff. Afterward my one child even put the 5 in 1 whistle in her Sponge Bob backpack along with other essentials of her choosing(coloring book, crayons, juice boxes and snacks). Hey, that’s not too bad for a just turned 4 year old.
Anyhoo, here is a review of what I found:
1. 5 in 1 whistle: looks a whole lot like the link below.
http://www.campingsurvival.com/5in1suraid.html
This item has been discussed before but here is what I found: Cheap plastic, whistle has pea and not really too loud, match safe is OK, compass is liquid dampened but of the style w/o pointer(whole face rotates) but was fairly accurate(+/- 5*), Mirror is really most dubious as it is only 1 inch diameter and recessed making signaling anything outside about a 10* arch of the sun almost impossible, and finally a 1 inch flint striker, well it worked, kind of...lol. Anyway we got more than $2(for 2) value out of them already and they have not even broken yet...:D
2. Match safe w/4 boxes of matches(100 matches total):
http://www.survival-gear.com/watertight-match-box.htm
This item from what I see is identical to the one in the link(which I have).
The bonus is you get 100 little matches along with it for $1. The matches are the small wooden SOB type and I will use them around the house. My daughter having no use for matches, tinder, meds, etc has some candy stored in it...OK we all have different priorities...LOL
3.Emergency Survival Blanket(52" x 84")
Ok we all know what they are. Looks the same as those that sell for several times the price. I suspect that these are even thinner than usual though and if you have any experience with them you know the problems. This we have yet to get to but I suspect it will be destroyed in the demonstration/practice session and I'm OK with that.
There were a few other items:
Small SAK knockoff(looks dangerous to the user):(
First aid kit(usual):rolleyes:
Glow sticks(pair for $1)
I did not buy any of these final few, but if they still have them I may get the glow sticks(if I can’t find better at the local $1 store) as an addition the Sponge Bob pack. :D
In conclusion unless you have kids or want some things to demo with I would probably avoid the lot(except match safe).
Anyhoo, here is a review of what I found:
1. 5 in 1 whistle: looks a whole lot like the link below.
http://www.campingsurvival.com/5in1suraid.html
This item has been discussed before but here is what I found: Cheap plastic, whistle has pea and not really too loud, match safe is OK, compass is liquid dampened but of the style w/o pointer(whole face rotates) but was fairly accurate(+/- 5*), Mirror is really most dubious as it is only 1 inch diameter and recessed making signaling anything outside about a 10* arch of the sun almost impossible, and finally a 1 inch flint striker, well it worked, kind of...lol. Anyway we got more than $2(for 2) value out of them already and they have not even broken yet...:D
2. Match safe w/4 boxes of matches(100 matches total):
http://www.survival-gear.com/watertight-match-box.htm
This item from what I see is identical to the one in the link(which I have).
The bonus is you get 100 little matches along with it for $1. The matches are the small wooden SOB type and I will use them around the house. My daughter having no use for matches, tinder, meds, etc has some candy stored in it...OK we all have different priorities...LOL
3.Emergency Survival Blanket(52" x 84")
Ok we all know what they are. Looks the same as those that sell for several times the price. I suspect that these are even thinner than usual though and if you have any experience with them you know the problems. This we have yet to get to but I suspect it will be destroyed in the demonstration/practice session and I'm OK with that.
There were a few other items:
Small SAK knockoff(looks dangerous to the user):(
First aid kit(usual):rolleyes:
Glow sticks(pair for $1)
I did not buy any of these final few, but if they still have them I may get the glow sticks(if I can’t find better at the local $1 store) as an addition the Sponge Bob pack. :D
In conclusion unless you have kids or want some things to demo with I would probably avoid the lot(except match safe).