The Safety Gear I Owned Was Sitting In The Wrong Place
There are over 5.4 million car crashes every year in the USA. I have always filed that under things that happen to other people.
Car safety experts have argued for years that drivers should carry a window smasher and a seat belt cutter, and that those tools should be easy to reach in a wreck. I actually owned both. They lived in my glovebox.
That is the part nobody says out loud. A safety device that is buried in your glovebox or trunk is dangerously far away during the exact ten seconds you would need it.
A tool you cannot reach is not a safety tool, it is a souvenir. That was the thought that finally pushed me to look for something better.
So What Is React Powered By ChargeHub?
React is a 7-in-1 car charger that plugs straight into your cigarette lighter port, the standard 12V socket. It stays there, in place, in the open, which is the whole point.
It is made by ChargeHub, a company known for portable charging technology, and it is built from high quality materials. I did not expect much from something this small, and I want to be honest about that up front.
Here is everything packed into one hand held device:
- Razor sharp seat belt cutter
- Steel tip window breaker
- Lightning fast USB car charger
- Long lasting 2200mAh power bank
- Ultra bright 140 lumen LED flashlight
- Strobing red SOS beacon
- Long range safety siren
Seven separate tools, one socket, zero digging around.
The Escape Tools: Window Breaker And Seat Belt Cutter
These are the two features I hope I never use, and the two that made me buy it.
The seat belt cutter is sharp enough to slice through a belt, but it is designed so you are not going to accidentally cut the person you are pulling out. The window breaker uses a solid steel spring loaded tip, and that spring is the secret to cleanly breaking almost any car window.
What sold me is that neither one asks anything of you. You do not need to be strong or experienced, both are designed to work on the first try. That matters if you are ever trapped in a car that is on fire, sinking, or upside down.
The Rescue Tools: SOS Beacon And Safety Siren
Cars never break down at a convenient time. Being stranded on the shoulder of a highway after dark is genuinely dangerous, and it happens more easily than people think.
The SOS beacon is a red strobing light that can be seen for hundreds of yards. If you are changing a flat or standing around waiting for a tow truck, that light is what keeps a distracted driver from drifting into you.
The safety siren surprised me. It is very loud for the size of the speaker, and it carries. It is there for warding off someone you do not want near your car, or for getting attention from a distance.
Both of them fire up with a single button press, which is the only thing you can realistically manage when your hands are shaking.
The Everyday Tools: Charger, Power Bank And Flashlight
This is the part I use constantly, and it is why React does not feel like emergency gear gathering dust.
The USB car charger uses patented SmartSpeed Technology and charges a phone in minutes. It is hands down the fastest charger I have owned. The 2200mAh power bank is not just for that one desperate call when you are stranded with a dead phone, we use it for ordinary on the go charging.
React will charge your phone up to 100 percent on one stored charge, with no power source needed.
The LED flashlight runs up to 4 hours, so I have never had it die on me. I have used it for a blown tire at night, for looking under the hood, for digging through the trunk, and for finding whatever my daughter dropped under the seat.
Who It Is For, And What It Costs
If you own a car, the case is pretty simple. Beyond that, it makes a lot of sense for seniors, for young drivers, and for anyone hauling kids around.
My wife and daughter each carry one in their purse, mostly for the siren. They have told me it makes the walk back to the car at night feel different, and I will take that.
React is listed at $49.99. Deals and bundles change, so check the official site for the current price and whether it is in stock before you order.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does it stay within reach? It plugs into your 12V cigarette lighter port and stays there, so it is easy to grab instead of buried in a glovebox.
Do I need to be strong to break a window with it? No. The window breaker uses a spring loaded steel tip, and both escape tools are designed to work on the first try without strength or experience.
Is the seat belt cutter dangerous to keep in the car? It is sharp enough to cut through a seat belt, but it is designed to avoid accidentally cutting anyone.
Will it charge my phone if my car has no power? Yes. The 2200mAh power bank will charge your phone up to 100 percent on one stored charge with no power source needed.
How long does the flashlight last? Up to 4 hours on the built in power, at 140 lumens.
Who actually makes it? ChargeHub, a company that specializes in portable charging technology.
My Verdict
React is one of those things I did not know I needed until it was sitting in my car, and now I would not drive without it.
One honest limitation: the power bank holds a single stored charge. If you drain it topping off phones on a road trip, you need to remember to refill it, or the emergency call you were saving it for is not there. I check mine when I fill the tank.
I have not had to use the escape tools, and I hope that stays true. But the flashlight, the charger and the power bank have earned their spot on their own, and the rest is insurance I am glad to carry.
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