ResQMe Car Escape Tool Review

 Key Info
- Glass breaker and seatbelt cutter. 
- Small and lightweight. 
- Breaks auto glass with ease. 

Overview
The ResQMe Car Escape Tool is a keychain-sized emergency tool with a spring-loaded glass breaker and seatbelt cutter, designed for quickly escaping a sinking/burning vehicle. It has a built in quick release clip so can be pulled and removed from whatever it is attached to (e.g. car keys) when needed. The tool comprises of a spring-loaded glass breaker, which is similar to an automatic centre-punch, and "fires" a small point (which I believe is tungsten carbide, though I can't be 100% sure) into the glass when pressed fully down, and a seatbelt cutter, which is just a razor blade mounted at an angle. The blade is protected by the plastic housing, so should remain sharp and not cut up things in your pocket! Obviously, this tool can be used to remove someone else from a car if necessary, not just yourself, so could prove useful in both situations. 

You may be thinking "why cant I just hit the window with something heavy if I need to break it". The answer to that is that it wouldn't break! Toughened glass is very resistant to impact by blunt objects, and can be hit very hard with a hammer and not shatter. However, if hit with a hard, sharp object, such as this glass breaker, it will shatter into little cubes. 

Usage
It is worth noting that the ResQMe is designed for use on standard toughened auto safety glass - the side windows - not the windscreen. The windscreen is laminated glass and will crack but remain intact due to its plastic layer. Some newer cars have laminated glass side windows too, so if your car has these, this tool will be of little use, and you may want to consider something like the Victorinox Rescue Tool, which has a disc saw for laminated glass. One other limitation is that the ResQMe will not work on plate glass - the non-toughened variety - so is of little use for escaping from a building in a fire - a hammer may be better suited to this task! It will just chip the surface of plate glass without shattering it, as it relies on the internal stresses within safety glass to shatter it. 

The seatbelt cutter is pretty self explanatory, and can be used on any seatbelt. 

Also, the ResQMe will also work underwater, just in case you crash into a river, lake or the sea! 

Quality
The ResQMe is of good quality. It is made of plastic, but it would be pretty heavy in metal anyway, so that's fine! It is not brittle plastic either, and is quite "soft" and tough. It is made in the USA by the makers of the original "LifeHammer", so the manufacturers have a good reputation. Despite this, it's probably still a good idea to test the glass-breaker on a pad of paper, just in case! 

Conclusion
The ResQMe is an excellent bit of kit. It takes up no space in a pocket and at such low cost, it is something that everybody should have on their keys, when you consider how valuable it could be. 

The ResQMe is available from Amazon.com