Serious UK Emergency/Survival Kit?

[Martyn]

Danny, you tried the handwarmers yet?

[Basemetal]

Danny, you tried the handwarmers yet?

Not yet (office work ) Maybe next week tho )

[Basemetal]

The PB207

Cheap and nasty, but work well.

If uyou dont smoke (read: if the lighter is likely to remain full of gas), then a windmill may be a better bet for an outdoor lighter due to it's stormproof qualities. I have the model with the 1g tank.

I think the flame of the PB207 is much more usable though. It's certainly much hotter.

I got a hold of a PB207 (surprisingly hard to track down I thought) -for about £30 delivered.

I think I'll be sending it back though
It has a good flame and lights easily. It came full of gas (didn't think that was allowed?) and has a capacity just under 4g. The problem is -although it has a protective cap, the cap doesn't cover the gas release button which has a very light release indeed. If I pocketed this I'd be faintly inflammable all day, or it would empty in my rucsac unless I keep it in a tin.
It has a lock -but only to lock the gas ON, not OFF...

Am I missing a trick?

[MattW]

I'm not that clued up on lighters (never smoked), but I got hold of a Silva Helios a few weeks ago. It cost about £15 from a shop (in Tobermory of all places) and it seems pretty good - lights easily (and stays alight in the wind), has a good lockable cover with an o-ring seal (which covers the gas release button) and a clear window so you can see how much fuel is remaining (sort of - it's a very small window, but better than nothing).

best
Matt

[Martyn]

I got a hold of a PB207 (surprisingly hard to track down I thought) -for about £30 delivered.

I think I'll be sending it back though
It has a good flame and lights easily. It came full of gas (didn't think that was allowed?) and has a capacity just under 4g. The problem is -although it has a protective cap, the cap doesn't cover the gas release button which has a very light release indeed. If I pocketed this I'd be faintly inflammable all day, or it would empty in my rucsac unless I keep it in a tin.
It has a lock -but only to lock the gas ON, not OFF...

Am I missing a trick?

No, they're not particularly brilliantly made, but the flame is significantly more usable, longer and much hotter than the windmills (that said, I dont recall mine being all that light on the gas release - maybe yours is faulty?). I'm surprised you paid that much for it though. I got mine from a local tobacconists for a tenner (perhaps it was a copy, I dunno). The cap on mine was also rubbish, ill fitting and it kept falling off. I just took it off in the end.

[MotorbikeMan]

I got one of these about a year ago. It's been in my pocket ever since and all that has happened is that the paint has come off. The flame is long enough to light a gas stove with out singing your hands. It has a good sprung loaded lid and although it doesn't have a lock, either on or off, the gas release is strong enough that I've never had any problems with it emptying in my pocket and I'd be worried about dropping it if it was locked on It's seen some serious use both outdoors and indoors as well lighting charcoal blocks in the shop. Lots and lots of charcoal blocks

[ElThomsono]

Is that the treble flame one Jon?
If so I have the same model, it's great

The best thing with jet flame lighters is that they burn upside down, great for lighting trangias. Well, that and the intense heat

[MotorbikeMan]

Is that the treble flame one Jon?
If so I have the same model, it's great

The best thing with jet flame lighters is that they burn upside down, great for lighting trangias. Well, that and the intense heat

Nah, mine's the double flame job, but it still does all the same stuff as the triple, with longer burn time

[ElThomsono]

Nah, mine's the double flame job, but it still does all the same stuff as the triple, with longer burn time

But not as hot, right

[MotorbikeMan]

But not as hot, right

I dunno, it's hot enough to soften a hardened tang on a knife blade

[ElThomsono]

I dunno, it's hot enough to soften a hardened tang on a knife blade

[Basemetal]

But not as hot, right

One flame will be as hot as three...but not so much heat, eh?

[Basemetal]

I got one of these about a year ago.

Wait a minute...that's the same model I bought last year that just won't work...
Apparently I'm not "lucky with lighters"

Ho hum.

[Bogflogger]

I think its more a case of variable quality control/rip-off copys. My lighter still works fine, but other people I know have had all the problems mentioned here.

[Ropeman]

Has anyone mentioned high visibilty panels? I just ordered a couple of These VS17 Panels from the US, I'll let you know what they are like when they arrive.