If there's one thing I've learned, it's that survival tools come in all shapes and sizes, and just because a survival tool is popular doesn't mean it's good.
When I was around 16, my friends and I all got this wild idea that we would go out to a junk yard and use these little plastic “emergency hammers” to bust the windows out of some old broken down cars.
Why? I don't think I'll ever fully be able to fully answer that question; we were just a bunch of silly kids looking to have a cheap laugh.
We learned very quickly that these hammers are not all they are cracked up to be and that a cars windows are a lot tougher than your ordinary window.
Emergency hammers are mainly intended to be used when there is opposing pressure on the opposite side of the glass, for example if the car ran off the road and became submerged in water.
Years later and these hammers are still a major component in most vehicle emergency kits, right next to the can of fix-a-flat and jumper cables.
Contrary to popular belief, a window isn't going to shatter at the smallest touch of one of these hammers. In fact without pressure on the opposite side… you would have better luck with a brick. Also think about how much elbow room you need to get a good swing at the window, and then think about just how much room you have in the drivers seat.
The more I think about it the worse these tools seem to be.
The Evac 3: A Tactical Survival Tool
Last week I ran across a neat little bobble called the Evac3 and after a bit of tinkering, I definitely think these are worth looking into.
Click here to get one for FREE!
Features
- Spring-loaded head effortlessly smashes the vehicle's side windows with only 12 lbs of force
- Razor sharp blade slices through jammed seat belts and is safely surrounded by the plastic casing
- The included clip allows the Evac3 to hang from a keychain or other accessible area
- Weighs in at just over .5 oz and is small enough to be carried just about anywhere
Bottom line: This thing is literally a lifesaving survival tool worth having. It only takes 12lbs of force to activate the spring loaded spike; so if you can hold a small bowling ball you can use this survival tool. And the fact that it's free makes it even better!
The razor sharp blade slices through a seat belt like butter, as long as you follow the instructions! Make sure you cut at a 45 degree angle from the top to the bottom.
This tool will shatter a window regardless of if your car is submerged or not, and you don't have to worry about getting a good swing to break the window, if you can reach the glass you can break it.
As a tip, if you ever have to use this survival tool, put the spike in a lower corner of the window to reduce the possibility of an explosive shatter.
The Evac3 should replace any old emergency hammer that you already have.
Want to see this survival tool in action?
Click here to check out this short video and pick up yours today for free!
What do you think about this tool??
Check out these related articles:
- Compass: A Must-Have Survival Tool
- Duct Tape: Ultimate Survival Tool?
- Is a Shotgun the best Survival Tool?
For awesome survival gear you can’t make at home, check out the Survival Life Store!
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Tumblr!
**Disclaimer: All content on this site is for informational purposes only. Please read our full disclaimer .**
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on February 10, 2018, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
Hi 🙂 I am trying to watch the video, but it says video unavailable
Hi Christina,
sorry about that, it should be fixed now!
I bought one of those a while back and keep it hanging from the garage door opener on the visor. I wondered if it worked and thought about going to a junk yard to find out. Thanks for the review and video.
Awesome! I have had one of these things for years on my keychain and wondered exactly how it would work (but didn’t want to test it on my own car for obvious reasons). Thanks for letting me see it in action. I’m glad I have it.
I bought a pair of these (one for me and one for my wife) about 3 years ago. I thought they were a great deal and pretty cheap “insurance”.
If you would’ve told me when I got older I’d have to hide my guns I would of told you are crazy.now after all stupidity I see others doing on the tv.& in real life. I see probly what u see coming down the road.I know my grandfather & my uncle’s would’ve said ur nuts.but if I learned anything in life is live & learn. so yes I want to be prepared for anything life throws @ me.thankyou Dave
Hey terry, it is spring loaded and reset’s itself after every strike, so there are thousands of strikes in these tools!
We always carried a small spring-loaded center punch as Paramedics and First Responders to break a car side window. They are effortless, cheap, and dependable. We carried it right on our beltpack. We still haven’t figured out why the kids never picked up on this.
I have been involved in the volunteer fire department in my area and have been through auto entry training courses. Included in that training is how to get into an automobile when the doors are locked or jammed and the windows are up. To fracture a side window, I always carried a spring-loaded center punch. If you strike the driver’s or passenger’s window with the punch in one of the lower corners, the glass will break and generally will fall down INTO the door (out of the way so that a rescuer will not be as likely to get cut by broken glass). This tool may be nice, but a spring-loaded center punch costs about $3 at most hardware stores and it worked every time I used it, whether in training or on the street.
enjoy your articles very much. Received my free “survival life everstrykes & have given them out to my Sons & Grandsons. Thank you
very much.
jerry
The seat belt cutter is nice but in a pinch you can use a spring loaded nail set, Harbor Freight under $4.00, I have one by each windows in each vehicle.
I have the same tool. A few actually. I keep one in my car and one attached to my bug out bag. Love them
i am always trying to help people i was a fire chief for years
Hey Linda, If your on an android device try using the standard internet browser. For some reason Chrome does not work with our order forms. (we have a ticket in with them and hope to have a resolution soon!) but it should work if you use any other browser.
Thanks for reaching out hope that helps!
Joe
Tride the one I got at my fire department training night it worked once and didn’t reset kind of sad about it
I would have ordered and happily paid the shipping. But you did not offer the paypal option and I do not use my credit card in random places.