I designed the 24HSD because I wanted a durable, compact way to signal for help that would work day or night. The 24HSD combines a mini signal mirror for daytime use, and a glow-in-the-dark tag for night use, in a package small enough to be carried at all times. The chrome tag works like the classic signal mirror, which is issued in military survival kits the world over. The way it works is that the mirror bounces the sunlight toward to person or aircraft being signaled, and since the sun is extremely bright, even a small mirror flash can be seen for miles. Signal mirrors are old school, but very effective, and people are rescued every year by using them to signal for help. Here is the most up to date list I've been able to find on the subject, many of the survival stories are quite impressive. Despite it's small size, the chrome tag produces a large flash: While signal mirrors have proven themselves to be very effective, they are only useful during the day. The 24HSD solves this issue with the Glow Tag. The GT is made out of a special glow in the dark acrylic called "Moon Glow," which is endlessly rechargeable and has an 6+ hour runtime. It is very different than the GITD toys we grew up with - when fully charged, the Glow Tag is bright enough to read a book with. Here it is after 5 minutes in the sun. My Iphone does not do this justice - in real life it looks like a cartoon version of Plutonium. To use the 24HSD for night time signaling, the tag is spun on the supplied cord in what is known as the "buzzsaw technique." This creates a 3' wide glowing O that is visible from all directions, and is very attention getting. Here's a nice shot (courtesy of google images) of a soldier using the buzzsaw technique to signal a passing aircraft with a glowstick. The 24HSD provides the capabilities of both a signal mirror and a glow stick, in a durable package that is small enough to fit in an Altoids Survival Tin: It can also be worn around your neck using the included Technora cord, or kept on your keys as part of a complete EDC kit: The 24HSD is made in the USA, in extremely limited quantities.
