When I moved to Utah as a student a decade ago, I was alarmed to be handed a survival pack upon reaching my dorm. These were supplies to help me, should ‘The Big One’ strike. This cataclysmic confluence of earthquakes and tsunamis across the San Andreas fault was, I was told, long overdue, and could plunge half of the country into a Fallout-like situationship for a little while.
Well, now I’m back living in the UK, and apparently the apocalypse is coming for us here too: the government in Blighty has told us to stock up on tinned beans and survival supplies, and has even put out an emergency checklist of kit we should have prepared.
Among the obvious items on the list (tinned food to last three days; three liters of bottled water per person for each day we’re stuck; blankets), the government advises you to own an FM radio, ideally a battery-powered or wind-up (see also: hand-crank) one. And retailers are reporting that many such models are selling out.
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For people confused about this: an FM radio is an old gadget from before Spotify and podcasts existed, which lets you tune into broadcasts put out by various companies (you could choose between dry BBC talk shows or countless playlists of awful music, punctuated by the most annoying ads).
I guess the government thinks people will start listening to the radio again if a 28 Days Later situation does arise; maybe they’ll give you important broadcasts on the news, a droll hour-long report on a book from 50 years ago, or the same three pop songs on repeat.
Either way, you’re going to need a wind-up radio so you’re not dependent on mains power, so here are three options worth going for.
Philips TAR1609/00
The web is full of cheap Amazon wind-up radios that look like they’d break after three uses, so I’ve tried to keep it to known companies on this list. Case in point: Philips has its own model, and at £29.99 it’s pretty cheap too. You can find it on Argos’ website here.
The catchily-named Philips TAR1609/00 has 32 hours of listening, and charges via a USB-C port, a solar panel or, of course, a hand crank. It functions as a power bank, with a USB-A plug to connect devices (a capacity isn’t stated though), and also has a giant built-in torch and SOS alarm system.
To me, it looks like a giant camcorder. But if the future presents challenging times, a retro aesthetic might be of some comfort…
Mesqool DAB+/DAB/FM Wind Up Radio with 12000mAh Rechargeable Battery
Immediately after saying I’m not going to recommend some cheap option from a random brand, I’m doing just that… sort of. The Mesqool radio (which you can find on Amazon here) may not be from a known brand, but it’s not cheap either (the MSRP is $59 / £56, but it’s about 10% off at the time of writing).
I’m picking this one because it’s a contrast to the other options in that it’s big. This isn’t as much a hand-held option as the others, but something a bit chunkier.
This is useful: it means its hand crank is bigger, its solar panel is bigger and its battery capacity is larger (12,000mAh, as much as a mid-sized power bank). It even has space for a little screen.
It has Bluetooth, as well as both a torch and a smaller reading light. As well as solar or kinetic energy, it can be plugged in to power or uses AAA batteries. It’s more of an industrial-sized option for if you’ve got a larger family sheltering from the storm together.
Midland ER100 (or slightly pricier ER310)
For my third suggestion, I did some research via online prepper communities and stores: the Midland ER100 was recommended quite frequently. It’s looking a little bit hard to buy, likely because of the current rush on demand, but its UK Amazon listing is here for when stock returns. It seems to sell generally for £50, so ignore the current third-party stores on Amazon pushing it for £100.
In the US? The Midland ER40 is available, for $59.
Like the other options mentioned on this list, the Midland has a hand-crank as well as a small solar strip, and you can charge up your own device with it too. Of course it plays radio, with some simple buttons making it easier to manage than the other options.
The appeal of the Midland ER100 seems to be the brand: it’s a known name in the survival equipment field, so you can rely on the Midland better than any old gadget made by a cheapie manufacturer.
I’ll also add a link to the slightly larger and more feature-packed ER310 — again, slightly bigger and powerful, but also a little pricier. Now, stay safe out there!
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tom.bedford@hotmail.co.uk (Tom Bedford)
