Stocking up on supplies for a potential apocalypse future (or just a run of the mill catastrophe) is always a good idea. If you’re going to throw in some emergency lamps in there, then you have to make sure it’s one that’s going to light up when you actually need it. That’s the preparedness the Blackout Buddy H20 is designed to provide.
Unlike conventional emergency lamps and flashlights, it doesn’t use batteries that, due to their limited shelf life, can die off well before you use them. There’s nothing more disheartening, after all, than to experience an alien invasion, run straight into your bomb shelter, and find out that all batteries you have on stock expired over two years ago.
Created by Etón Corporation and the American Red Cross, the Blackout Buddy H20 is a water-powered emergency lamp. Rather than traditional batteries, it uses a magnesium-oxide power source that only activates when exposed to water. To use, simply dip it into a cup of water or pour the liquid directly onto the designated compartment. Once water is inside, the three integrated LEDs will immediately light up, illuminating the cobweb-covered bunker you will use as headquarters while waiting out the typhoon, alien invasion, or zombie apocalypse on hand.
Each lamp can keep running for up to 72 hours, with the water compartment needing to be filled up just once every 24 hours (as soon as the light begins to dim, just add more water to bring the brightness back up). Unlike battery-powered flashlights, it has a shelf life equivalent to an entire decade, so you can store it for a long time and have it ready to use when the need comes up.
The Blackout Buddy H20 is available from Eton, priced at $9.99.