Products that can help you survive but are not necessary

Self Powered Fan

When you want to move the hot air from the wood stove around the house, what better way than to use a Stirling Engine powered by the heat from the stove? This little engine really moves, and moves 300 cubic feet of air per minute. It is quite robust, made of heavy gauge welded steel, aluminum and brass, and stands up to abuse, although it doesn't get much abuse sitting on top of the wood stove.

We don't let our wood stove get above about 500 degrees Fahrenheit, for safety reasons, but this little gadget can easily take twice that. We have played with it on a gas range that gets much hotter than the wood stove, and besides the steel getting a nice blue color, no damage was incurred. And since it moves the air around near the stove, it helps to keep the stove cooler and the room warmer at the same time.

Batteryless Flashlight

The batteryless flashlight is the most practical ingenius invention ever!

* 30 Seconds of Shaking Produces 5 minutes worth of light!
* Waterproof - it even works UNDERWATER!
* Floats by itself in water!
* Completely sealed reed switch

Got any more unnecessary but extremely useful devices you'd like to have in a pinch?

[edit on 14-12-2006 by sardion2000]

batterie less flash light i would of thought would be a sure fire winner for most peoples BOB.

Me its the swedish fire steel and magnesium blocks... a few shavings from that, smash out a spark from the fire steel and your fires alight in seconds..

The other one that i feel may not be essential, but sure makes life easier is a tub of fire gel impregnated cotton wool balls. These light even in the rain. Awesome stuff, but you can live with out them...i suppose... ; )