Eton FR1000 Radio

red dot: best of the best
red dot award: product design 2008

Well protected
In the polar region, where no expedition had gone before, there used to be only one connection to the outside world: the short wave radio. It still carries a whiff of adventure even today – it is indispensable at sea, in the desert and in Canada’s wide-open spaces. The Eton FR1000 radio is a self-powered short wave radio that enables users to listen to weather forecasts and emergency channels anywhere beyond the reach of the electric grid. Integrating two-way radio communication, it even serves as a walkie-talkie in order to call for help in case of emergency or to simply call one’s kids back to camp for dinner. This radio offers AM/FM reception, weather advisories, an integrated cell phone charger and a widely audible siren for emergencies. All these functions are easy to use via large slip-proof knobs that provide safe operation even in wet weather conditions or when wearing gloves. The Eton FR1000 does not rely on AC or disposable batteries; the ergonomic human-powered dynamo crank allows the radio to be operated independently from any external energy source. This radio combines these technical yet practical features with a highly interesting exterior casing design: The radio is enclosed by a rubberised roll cage that keeps the display, knobs, and crank protected from rain or harsh weather conditions, and which lends this radio a rugged yet also sporting appearance. This rubberised roll cage is available in black, white and orange and thus even allows users to customise the looks of this unusual radio according to their personal colour preferences – its design lends the genre of short wave radios an entirely new aesthetic.