Edible Survival Book

From Y&R Dubai website (blog):

http://www.yr-dxb.com/yr-blog/

Quite stoked last week when we saw our industry peers tweeting and posting our latest direct mail for Land Rover. Big thanks to everyone for sharing our work to the world.

In Case of Emergency: Eat this Book.

While Land Rover vehicles can take on any obstacles in the desert, it cannot be said the same of their owners. Scorching temperatures, deadly animals and sinkholes are just a few things they might encounter. And when they venture deep into it, even the most experienced drivers can quickly succumb to the harshness of the desert. We wanted to create something that would cut through the clutter and that these people would like to keep. So we created a survival guide, which explained the basics for staying alive in the Arabian Desert, and packaged it in a way that would spur the attention of our target audience.

We researched every indigenous animal and plant, people could encounter in the Arabian Desert and how they could be used to survive. We studied the topography of the region to guide people to safety. We used a reflective packaging similar to army rations, which could be used to signal for help, and bound the book with a metal spiral, which could be used for cooking. Finally, we even took an extra step so that in case of emergency, people could always EAT the book. It was made out of edible ink and paper, and it had a nutritional value close to that of a cheeseburger.

We sent the book to 5,000 existing customers, gave it away as a supplement to the cars’ manual and made it freely available in sports shops.

The initial response was very positive. And the client was so happy with the concept that they asked us to include the book as an insert in the next edition of a car magazine, with a 70,000 circulation.

Gransfors Bruks Sharpening Puck

If you carry an axe or hatchet into the bush, consider investing in a quality sharpening puck. These little stones are ideal for sharpening axes and hatchets as they offer you the ability to grasp the entire stone in a way that is much more ergonomic than sharpening an axe or hatchet on a bench stone.

The Gransfors Bruks sharpening puck is an excellent piece of kit.

The stone is a 50/50 combination of coarse (180 grit) and fine (600 grit). It’s housed in a rubberized case which makes it impact resistant and easy to transport.

www.gransfors.com

Cost: Around CDN $45

Esbit® Pocket Stove

  • Lightweight
  • Simple
  • Sturdy
  • Small and very portable
  • Super easy to use
  • Cost effective
Comes with six 14g solid fuel bricks.

Six 14g solid fuel bricks can be transported neatly within the stove itself to save space.

The Esbit Pocket Stove can be adjusted to two configurations to accommodate different cookware.

To boil approximately 3/4 litres of cold water, you’ll require basically the entire life of a 14g Esbit fuel brick and a lid to help with the boiling process.

As a test, I tried boiling roughly 3/4 litres of cold tap water with no lid on a very hot day (33°Celsius) with a 14g Esbit fuel brick (0.5 oz). The water came close to boiling but didn’t… After about 15 minutes the fuel was fully consumed (the fuel doesn’t leave much residue which is nice).

Using a lid on the second attempt obviously made a world of difference. If you have limited fuel, try heating up your water with a bit of kindling first.

Great as an emergency stove or for the ultralight/minimalist.

www.esbit.net

Made in Germany

Cost: Around CDN $15

 

 

 

 

Suunto Comet Compass/Thermometer

Looking for a small, reliable compass for your survival kits or EDC…?

Suunto Comet

From the Suunto website:

  • Available for northern hemisphere only
  • Thermometer
  • Jewel bearing
  • Wind chill chart
  • Key ring
  • Size: 26 x 78 mm / 1″ x 3.1″
  • Weight: 10 g

Suunto Micro Compasses

The Suunto Micro Compass series comprises two models, Clipper and Comet, which feature a liquid filled capsule and rotating dial. An invaluable navigational tool in town or country, the compass can be clipped to a watch band or bag strap, or used as a key ring to ensure that the compass is always with you when you need it.

Cost: Around CDN $14

***Unfortunately, this product has been DISCONTINUED***

www.suunto.com

Coghlan’s Magnesium Fire Starter

Although the ubiquitous Magnesium Fire Starter has its share of drawbacks, for the price and convenience of having both a firesteel and reliable supply of tinder in a single “waterproof” package, you really can’t complain.

The idea that the magnesium doesn’t ignite in its block form, but only when shaved into fine pieces is absolutely brilliant (the magnesium shavings provide a flame source of 2,982°C). Having a readily available source of dry tinder in a survival situation can be a lifesaver. The entire device is unaffected by water and/or moisture, making it even more valuable when you need to start a fire in wet conditions.

The advantage this type of device has over traditional standalone firesteels is that it has a source of tinder attached to it. However, the drawback is that the firesteel rod on these blocks don’t stick out very far – it’s like having only a 1/4 of the rod available to you – the rest of it is buried inside the block itself. The other irritant of this otherwise fantastic device is the necessity of a sharp blade or some type of robust scraper to shave the magnesium block (the block of magnesium is quite hard). Scraping magnesium shavings off the main block can be time consuming and frustrating if you don’t have the right technique.

Cost: Around CDN $7