Recon 6 Utility Watch
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- Multi-Purpose 5-in-One Survival Shovel - $21.87
- M48 Ranger Hawk Axe with Compass - $43.09
- Inflatable Solar Camping Light - $12.99
The Recon 6 may be the only useful thing ever to come out of watching reality TV. Tim Ralston created his utility watch following a conversation he had with friends about being stranded on a remote island. A conversation spawned by the Discovery Channel's Naked and Afraid. Dropped and left alone for 21 days in some of the world's most cantankerous climates and conditions, the cast of the reality show must fend entirely for themselves, using skill and savvy to acquire even the most basic necessities of life. Food, water, clothing, shelter. They are allowed to bring a single personal item along for the ride.
With this level of survival enthusiast and outdoor adventurer in mind, Ralston created the Recon 6, a wearable multi-tool with a dozen different bug out implements condensed into and around a 44mm wide timepiece. It's kind of like the Anti-Kidnapping Watch Band, but for people who are more likely to be eaten by a bear or starve to death than held hostage by Venezuelans. After considering all of the most crucial tools for solo survival amidst the wiles of Mother Nature, Ralston, a seasoned maker of multi-tools such as the Crovel Shovel and X Caliber Shotgun Adapter System, designed the Recon 6 to incorporate all of them. It would serve as his one personal item if he ever found himself Naked and Afraid. The watch includes:
- An Analog Clock
- A Compass
- A Signal Mirror
- A Can Opener
- A Bottle Opener
- A Cutting Tool
- A Fire Starter
- A Whistle
- A Fishing Line and Hooks
- A Snare
- A Flash Light
- A Magnifying Glass
According Ralston, a Recon 6 working prototype is in place and the watch is ready for production, pending an initial order of at least 300 units. That's why he's running the project as a Kickstarter campaign, as well as offering the watch to backers at up to $220 off anticipated retail price (for the Early Birds). If you want one for your own outdoor pursuits, pledge by July 24, 2014.