EEVblog #1251 - LifeSaber Kickstarter - A Master of None FAIL

The LifeSaber Kickstarter outdoor survival tool is a classic example of a Jack of all trades, master of none product design.
A master class in how not to design a practical product.

Yet another wind-up/crank USB charger tool with everything but the kitchen sink. It even has ALIENS!

Compare Dave's survival kit with the LifeSaber and there is absolutely no contest, this boondoggle of a product has nothing to offer.

Dave's Kit:

#Kickstarter #FAIL #review

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[swolebro]

First thing I did before watching Dave's bit, I looked at the original Kickstarter video. It seemed... odd. It didn't flow very well, given the level of production quality. I come back to Dave's video... and then he gets to the part with *aliens!* Wait, what? I didn't see any aliens!

*THEY EDITED OUT THE ALIEN PART!* Hahahah! Less than a day after EEVBlog covers it, and they just can't take the embarrassment!

[HashanGayasri]

Now they can add "As seen on EEVblog" to the list.

[Sharklops]

The absolute last thing you want in a survival situation is a single point of failure.

[dlabs]

"The personal emergency generator"? I have plenty of personal emergencies -- so I definitely dont need to generate more of those :)

[Petertronic]

If they had only thought of adding a cassette player, I'd have been sold.

[TheInCaver]

btw: Jack of all trades.. german equivalent: Eierlegende Wollmilchsau (Egg laying wool milk pig) :D

[zeitgeist]

If I went camping and my buddy pulled one of these out, I'd be super jealous. It probably isn't THAT practical but I'd still be looking over at him and feeling a bit envious when he starts the fire with natures 4th state of matter!

[modraccin]

LOL. Two years and a half years later, they are still working on it. You just need a little bit more patience!

Update from March 1st 2022: "Dear patient supporters:

As you can see from the attached image, our contract manufacturer in Shenzen has sourced (or made by hand) all of the parts for the LifeSaber. These include the crucial custom motor/generator. The PCB boards are also complete, though not shown.

The next step is to assemble multiple units to be used for comprehensive testing both in China and back here in Philadelphia."

[donpalmera]

"built out of modules from adafruit and ebay" might as well be photoshopped prototype. It's the reason they think they can keep adding shit to it. They got the battery charger bit working and are just bolting on anything they can find. Chances are they'll go through a ton of pcb designs trying to actually make a product out of it and if they do end up with something that works it'll just be the battery charger.

[Noneofyourbusiness]

We've actually shortened the jack of all trades saying, and ironically have completely changed its meaning. Here is the original:

“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one."

[sevret]

Add in a phone and you've the newest XKCD comic.

[alexstone]

i like that they are at least not lying in the kickstarter, and the video is funny so they get kudos from me

[petesmith]

watch out Dave, they'll have a last minute update "as seen on eevblog"

[joedarkness]

To be sold in skymall and sharper image soon

[MollyWi]

It reminds me of a video I watched some time ago about starting a fire with a flashlight... Incidentally, it was the refector element of the flashlight which is used like a focusing lens to ignite the fire, however ever since then I was wondering why someone hasn't made a flashlight that had a built in firelighter, USB charger, hand warmer, a taser, an alarm, a water purifier, an AM/FM radio, a bluetooth speaker, air pump, cooling fan, electronic egg beater, a range finder, a direction sound amplifier, satellite messenger, vape, universal remote control and night vision goggles/vr headset built in...

[ctyragdoll]

AS a fairly regular wilderness backpacker, I can tell you that everything you've chosen as replacements for the LifeSaber are what I use as well. 13200mAh battery pack, Sawyer filter, Anker Solar panel, separate flashlight, ferrocerium rod - and all have a separate backup; 18650 battery with a tiny solar panel, a lifestraw, keychain light, matches, etc. I agree that's it's just craxzy to try to put everything into one -and the question of water resistance is a big one. It's pretty rare for me to be gone for a week and not get wet, or at least gear get wet.

[goodcitizen]

Did you just mention Zero Point Module? ZPM. Go Stargate!

[WacKEDmaN]

leave the jack of all trades tools to the swiss army!

[rwbishop]

As my dad used to say... the more 'things' something does, the fewer 'things' it does well. (One classic example; the Swiss Army knife.) In any case, at minimum, this thing would need both sphygmomanometer AND 'secret agent decoder' before being considered here. :)

[HazeAnderson]

I was all like "Why is there an alien in the thumbnail for this video ....
OH!! .... oh that's why!" 👽✌😂📷