Skytech Laser

I got a Skytech Laser, a high powered blue laser pointer, to play with recently. Which almost didn’t happen. Recently I began checking my spam filter daily because I have it set pretty strict. While going through It one email caught my eye. It was a Skytech rep offering a laser for review. I absolutely want a laser to play with. To be honest I was pretty upset with the spam filter.

Skytech lasers thought, correctly, that lasers can have a few uses for survival. They also mentioned that some lasers can start fires. My mind jumped to pyromaniac dreams and I quickly replied. This laser sadly does not burn stuff. I tried really hard too. Even on the highest setting and using a fresnel lense.

No burning but there are still many uses to be had with this laser pointer. I have had fun testing this. So has Bjorn the Cat. He loves it. His resume now includes catching the blue dot.

Lets get into some survival uses for lasers.

Getting Help

One of the best uses for lasers in a survival situation is to signal for help. Using a laser, especially at night, is smarter than screaming. Paired with a whistle and your chances of being seen and rescued is much higher. I have tested the Skytech laser at night on trees in the distance. It isn’t a tightly focused laser and spreads out into a large circle. This is both good and bad.

The good being that a bigger blue light is more easily seen. At those far off distances the weaker laser shouldn’t blind your would be rescuers.

As you know a laser can seriously damage a persons eyes. I would never point a laser directly in anyone’s eyes. Especially when not in a survival situation. At distances to get the attention of help though It should be fine.

The bad part being that the distance is reduced by not being tightly focused. So long range signaling is not really possible. I tried to find out how far you could expect a laser pointer to reach out. Like many things in life it depends. It depends on atmospheric conditions. It depends on the batteries. It just depends.

One guy in Tokyo got a laser to go 12 miles. Others have got cheap ones to go a kilometer. It you point it through you can get it to go further. Still better than a flashlight at night for signiling.

Finding your Way back

The SkyTech laser didnt come with instructions so I didn’t know it had three modes. They have an instruction video on YouTube. There is a low, High and strobe modes. At night time if you have to leave camp you can set the laser to strobe from your camp to where you are going. With the spread it should be pretty visible. I definitely like backups to things. So If you set up both a laser and a flashlight in beacon mode you will certainly see one. Two is one one is none.

I still want a laser to make fires. That would be another tool in your survival belt. Though this Skytech laser is a $20 laser and the burning ones are a few hundred. So not really practical to recommend a $200 fire starter. A $20 signaling device to compliment a mirror though I can recommend. A mirror for day time rescue attempts and lasers for night time. Or If you like to spoil your cat.

Once again I did an unboxing video. Check it out.