If you are thinking of buying a dependable device for your camping or emergency kit, then an emergency crank radio will fit the bill. Whether at home or outdoors you have to stay informed in today's world. Weather and other situations have become quite unpredictable and radio is a device which will give you a fair warning in most cases. An emergency crank radio is needed as in most extreme weather conditions there will be power outage lasting for a long period. If you are on a trip away from civilization you might not be able to get batteries and many not be able to run your radio. The emergency crank radio has a handle which can be turned to generate power required for the radio. This simple dynamo principle is used in the radio and you can practically never run out of power.

Among the different models of emergency crank radios is the Kaito KA500 with many features. This radio is ideal for your camping trip or survival kit. This radio has a wide receptivity spanning 11 bands. You will be able to hear AM, FM, shortwave 1, shortwave 2 and all 7 weather bands. You can also get NOAA all-hazard weather alerts. The radio supports a feature where an emergency alert signal is received during local extreme weather conditions and disasters. With this radio you can never be out of touch and will get all the updates and warnings in time. People who have used the radio have found the reception to be quite clear without any disturbances of channels overlapping and also the sound quality of the speaker is quite good.

The Kaito KA500 emergency crank radio has multiple powering options apart from the cranking mechanism. You can run the radio on three standard AA batteries or recharge the built-in Ni-MH rechargeable batteries through an AC adapter. There is also a solar panel which is adjustable so that you can catch the natural light for charging the radio. The multiple power sources makes this emergency crank radio more dependable and one can always fall back on the cranking mechanism if all other sources of power fail.

The Kaito KA500 emergency crank radio is versatile as it includes a powerful flashlight and a charger which can be used to power devices like cell phones, iphone, ipods and so on. The flashlight is made of 5 LED lights which can be adjusted to white or red light. This option makes the flashlight also work as an emergency signaling device in the night. The flashlight is positioned in such a way that you can also use it as a reading lamp and the lamp brightly lights up a small working area. The USB jack on the radio along with an adapter enables you to connect many different models of cell phones and other devices. The flashlight and the charger can be powered by the cranking mechanism and solar power, and so you do not have to depend on batteries for them as well.