Ultimate Survival Technologies 5 in 1 Survival Tool + Survival Card.

[Chako]

I was over in Sault Michigan at the WalMart when I came across a few Ultimate Survival Technologies items that I haven't seen on the Canadian side. Both items were cheap, so I decided to pick them up.

UST 5 in 1 Survival Tool

The 5 in 1 Survival Tool by UST is interesting. It comes in bright orange, and has a built in lanyard so that you can carry it around your neck.



The Survival Tool has the following functions:

1. Signaling mirror inside cap
2. Compass
3. Waterproof match box
4. signaling whistle
5. fire starter flint

In the next photo, you can see the top of the lid which contains the compass, and also the fire starter flint which is glued to the side of the match box.



Turn the cap around and you will find a small mirror glued to the inside.



This could be the basis for a small survival kit. No reason why you would have to use this solely as a match box. The lanyard is ok, as is the match box itself. However, not all is good with this product. The whistle is of the pea design...and thus could freeze and make the whistle inoperable in cold weather. The fire flint glued to the match box is small and pitiful. Furthermore, there isn't much of it sticking out from the match box. I figure a few good swipes with a knife blade, and that flint will be flush with the case. The compass is not liquid filled, but does appear to function properly.

Pros:
- A good basis for a small survival kit.
- Compass is larger than some pill sized ones seen in a few survival kits.

Cons:
- Pea design of the whistle.
- fire flint is too small and doesn't stick out past the case enough.
- Compass is not liquid dampened.

UST Survival Card

Now I have a few of these of similar designs...but this one is eye catching due to the orange translucent design. eye catching it most definitely is.



Most of these card type survival tools are not that great, and this one is no exception. I suppose it is better than nothing, but just better than nothing. The card comes with a hard case that has a small non liquid dampened compass. At least this one also works, albeit you do have to shake the case a little to get it to function properly.

The card itself features a small removable Phillips and flat head driver which is perfect for eyeglass users. There is also a plastic magnifier which surprisingly, is usable and show little to no distortion in the image the lens produces. I was surprised at this as my expectations were low to begin with.



This Survival Card features:

1. Mini compass
2. Magnifying glass
3. 2" / 5 cm ruler
4. Mini Phillips/flat head driver
5. Large flat head driver
6. Position wrench (4 sizes)
7. Butterfly wrench
8. Bottle/can opener
9. sharp knife edge
10. File edge.
11. Lanyard ring
12. small 8 sided bolt head wrench

Pros:
- Better than nothing...but just.
- Functional compass...but just.
- Magnifying glass is surprisingly usable.

Cons:
- To thick to but in a wallet, or back pocket...not that you would want to do that in the first place.
- Overall cheapness is evident.
- Possibility of losing the hard protective case from the card.

[comis]

Chako, thanks for the pic and sharing your thoughts with us.  Is that little piece of black material Flint or ferro rod?  Regardless, I agree with you that's a pitiful design.  I wish everything is enlarged, especially the compartment, otherwise there isn't too much practical space to me.

[Chako]

I believe it is a ferro rod. A very poorly designed one at that.

[Millhouse]

Seems UST have expanded their range of goods.

Some of them though look like rebrands of generic tools.

[Chako]

There is Def's dump truck full of money theory in action.

[ironraven]

When I was saying a few weeks ago there was a lot of stuff that UST made that I really liked. This is was the lot of stuff I wasn't referring to.

I've seen the 5-in-1s many times, this idea has never been well executed. The UST is probably one of the better attemptes, but really, they make the Storm whistle and they put their name on this.... thing? If they were serious, redesign the concept and put their better ideas in it.

[Chako]

Like everything else. You make a good product with some innovations to it and make your name. Then you go to China or some other off shore manufacturer and start selling your good name by making cheap generic junk. I see it time and time again.