The Calamity Kit from C. Crane

Even though that Y2K never happened, and there was that minor wave of post-9/11 worry that kept us a little scared, hopefully it has taught us that we need to be prepared for emergencies.

We really should have learned from that blackout in New York a few years ago that one of the most sudden and debilitating emergencies is a power outage. In order to be better prepared for a blackout, C. Crane has created the appropriately named Calamity Kit.

This Kit comes in three Freeplay devices: the Sherpa LED Flashlight, the Indigo Lantern, and the EyeMax Weather Radio. All three of them are completely wind-up powered with the option of connecting an AC cord, so they will be completely functional if there is no power.

The Freeplay Sherpa LED Flashlight has a 5mm ultra-bright white LED cluster. A fully charged battery can go for 20 hours on a normal high beam, or 3 hours and 20 minutes on a high beam. A 30 second wind can last about 10 minutes of normal beam.

Of course, there are times when you need more than just a bright light shining in a certain area. What you are going to need is something that really lights up a room. This is why the Indigo Lamp comes in handy. Not only will it spread the light all around, but it has an additional single LED for some spot lighting action.

A fully charged battery will go for 70 hours on a night light setting, while a max-bright setting will shine for 2 hours and 45 minutes. A 60-second wind can last 3 hours in night light setting, or 6 minutes in maximum brightness.

Another handy item is the Freeplay EyeMax Wind-Up Weather Radio. This is good for situations when the power is out for an extended period of time, and you really need some updates. Not only does this radio carry AM and FM radio frequencies, but it the all-hazards Weather Band for crucial NOAA updates.

The EyeMax has a fully charged battery for up to 25 hours on normal volume. A 30-second wind can last 35 minutes on normal volume, or 25 minutes on high volume. The radio also has a tiny light that can sine for one hour on a 30 second wind.

The Calamity Kit is definitely something that is worthwhile to have in an emergency. You don’t want to be the guy who is stumbling in the dark, looking for batteries for flashlight or radio.

The Calamity Kit is available at the C. Crane website for about $119.95.