Gadget Fu: Gearward’s AK Anti-Kidnapping Band

Gearward is an LA based company that focusing on developing and marketing what they call “EDC, urban preparedness, and outdoor survival” gear. About a year back they released a little tool kit you can put on your watch or wristband. Reading some of the stuff from Ed's Manifesto reminded us of it so we thought we'd talk about again.  This is the AK Anti-Kidnapping Band. Essentially it's a watch kit designed to help you escape restraints.

Described as a “…wearable insurance policy for military personnel, foreign aid workers, and journalists in conflict zones, as well as for travelers in countries with a high risk of kidnapping for ransom”, the AK Band is intended to carry the tools necessary to escape cuffs, zip-ties, rope, duct tape or similar restraints in a way that's less obvious and less obtrusive than some of the paracord survival/restraint escape bracelets you see elsewhere on the market. It contains a ceramic razor blade, a polymer handcuff key and a 4 ft. Kevlar friction saw, all tucked away in a piece of inner tube you slide onto your watch band.

The AK Band is assembled in the USA out of US and Canadian parts.  The creator describes the genesis of the kit thusly:

“I wanted an escape kit that I could carry even when I'm not wearing any clothes – which pretty much necessitated some type of wearable kit.

The typical solution is found through a “survival bracelet” with a built in handcuff key and other do-dads. However, these type of bracelets are well known, and immediately ping off anyone whose dialed in. I wanted something with absolutely no profile.

Like many of my gear designs, this one came to me while cracked out on ice coffee at 5am. I was experimenting with ways to glue or sew a handcuff key into my watch, none of which worked to my satisfaction. Then, I noticed a spare bit of bike inner tube left over from making Ranger Bics. I slipped the section onto my watch band, and I instantly had a discreet little pouch. The A-K Band was born.”

This is a pretty nifty piece of gear, but we still think one of the better things Gearward has done yet is their Duct Tape Keychain.