It does take a bit of practice and in tests Lifesystems have taught people how to light an effective fire easily within 5 minutes from first picking up the device. A regular user would be able to start a fire within 30 secs.

Follow these instructions:

1. Flip out the rods and remove the integrated striker.
2. Rest the tinder rod against a hard surface.
3. Shave ribbon-like shavings into a pile using the striker.
4. Place the shavings at the base of the fire, near dry fibrous material.
5. To ignite the fire, flip out the rods and remove the integrated striker.
6. Scrape the spark rod with the striker at 45°, apply slight pressure.

Follow these instructions:

1. Flip out the rod(s) and remove the integrated striker.
2. Strike the spark rod over the stove and move away immediately.

The Thermal Bag is made from metalised polyester and is intended for use in emergency situations as a survival aid. Once used it is almost impossible to get back in the packet, the material used is noisy so will help keep you alive but don't expect to get much sleep. The polyester is very tough but once it starts to rip it can tear quite easily.

The survival Bivi is designed to be used in the same situations as the Thermal Bag with the added benefits of being lighter in weight, smaller in pack size, tougher rip resistant, quiet LDPE and can also be repacked and reused. The quietness of the material means it can also be used as a waterproof sleeping bag cover when a night out is not planned but quite probable.

It is recommended that you avoid fire with any of your Lifesystems products, including your Thermal Blanket. In the event of the Thermal Blanket catching fire it will smoulder and burn rather than catch alight.

Luminous flux (lumen) is the most important term for characterising the performance of a torch. It refers to the amount of light or light energy that is actually radiated from a light source. It can be easily used to compare torches, with higher values being representative of a brighter light.

LED technology offers excellent levels of brightness and an LED bulb will never need replacing, unlike an incandescent bulb. LEDs are extremely energy efficient, meaning the battery life of LED light sources can be up to 4x that of a conventional torch.

Our range of torches and head torches feature multiple lighting modes. All models feature either a quick-flashing or SOS-flashing mode in addition to high and low output level modes, making them extremely versatile.

Iodine is not approved by the European Government as an appropriate water purifier and it was removed from sale on the 25th October 2009. Many other countries still use iodine and it is still considered safe to use if used correctly, however, we can no longer sell it.

Chlorine is often in tap water and is safe to drink for all members of the family. However, we would always recommend that you seek medical assistance to this question and consult your GP.