Occasionally, I get sent products to try out – and let you guys know about. INGEAR just sent me a flashlight/emergency tool to have a look at.
It’s about eight inches long, sturdily built and has a powerful three-mode LED flashlight (high and low beam, plus flasher) on one end and a pointed glass-breaking tool on the other end, designed to shatter automotive glass. Which, by the way, isn’t like ordinary window glass that breaks into razor sharp pieces that can cut you to ribbons; automotive glass is laminated safety glass that shatters into small, blunt pieces that won’t cut you.
If you unscrew the cap (glass breaking end) you’ll find a seat belt cutter.
New cars probably ought to come standard with a tool like this – because most (almost all) new cars comes standard with power windows. These tend not to work when the car is immersed in water, as in a flash flood – or if you happen to run off the road into a pond. And if the car is partially or fully submerged, opening the doors is much harder because of the weight of the water pushing against the doors from the outside, trying to get in while you are trying to get out.
With a tool like this, you can quickly shatter the door glass and exit the car. The seat belt cutter might save a life, too – by saving time. Instead of fumbling in the dark – in a sinking car – for the seat belt release, just cut the thing and get out.
I’m a flashlight geek, so a good-quality flashlight appeals to me. This one costs more than the ones you see on the racks at Home Depot and Lowes, but its beam is more focused and powerful and the case seems to me to be sturdier and made of higher quality stuff. I’ve found that the $20 flashlights work ok – until you drop them. And then they often don’t.
The glass breaker could also be used as a defensive tool – though INGEAR doesn’t tout this. If you’re a woman, having this in your purse or coat pocket could be reassuring. And no worries about permission slips/laws regarding concealed weapons (such as guns and knives) because hey, it’s just a flashlight.
Here’s the link to the INGEAR site. I give this flashlight a thumbs up!
I’m a huge fan of Fenix lights, they have durable and good quality lights. That’s why I only trust and purchase from Fenix store, it’s true that Fenix never disappoints me.
Great to see such a useful gadget review. Spices the site up a little.
Thanks, to5!
I’d really like to do performance mods, upgrades and swaps – projects like the ones we’ve talked about here, such as seeing what the mileage of a current-era economy car would be if it were 800 pounds lighter (remove the Uncle-mandated deadweight) … stuff like that.
Nice gadge.
Got a girl from the south side, got braids in her hair
First time I seen her walk by, man I ’bout fell off my chair
Had to get her number, it took me like six weeks
Now me and her go way back like Cadillac seats
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-n91YMbtMg
Famous last words “This damn seat belt is gonna get me killed “.
So with the Northern Pacific bearing down on me at 60 mph I couldn’t get the latch to let go as usual. I coulda cut it with my knife but I was sitting on it. I finally got loose and could hear the train hit the tractor that made me move faster. I only used the seat belt after getting a ticket for not wearing it.
Not a happy camper that day.