On several Overland trips, I’ve come across locations where the fire danger is so high, that campfires are banned. I’ve also pulled into campsites during a cold downpour where making a campfire seemed impossible. And on some cold mornings, I’ve crawled out of the RoofNest to make coffee desperately wishing there was a campfire to […]
outdoor adventure
TM9K TAC from Nitecore | Blinding Light on Demand
Flashlights are tools that sometimes people can overlook as a part of their EDC or kit. However, having a good flashlight on hand helps while looking for dropped items in the dark while walking around a campsite. In addition to looking for dropped items, a flashlight is useful for temporarily blinding an adversary in a […]
Mountain Evo Jacket | Sitka’s New High Adventure Addition
Having a lightweight wind-stopper jacket in your lineup of outdoor gear is an asset that no one should overlook before going hunting or on other mountain endeavors. When Sitka asked us to review their newly released Mountain Evo Jacket, I jumped at the opportunity to review it. The Mountain Evo is also the evolution of […]
Preparing for a pandemic with the ReadyWise Emergency Food Supply
April 2020, COVID-19 pandemic kicks off. We all saw it, empty shelves at the grocery stores. People were panicking and stocking up on essentials. Food staples like water, milk, eggs, meat, flour etc. And apparently toilet paper? The toilet paper shortage was a whole different story but you know what I’m talking about. The time […]
ORCA Walker Tote | An affordable soft cooler option
ORCA Coolers has an extensive line-up of premium coolers with a variety of sizes to choose from. The Walker Tote Cooler competes with the Yeti Hopper coolers for the top spot in this premium class of tote coolers. Overall, the ORCA Walker Tote is lighter, less expensive and more stylish than the Yeti counterparts. Performance […]
Blitz 35 from MYSTERY RANCH | Ready for Adventure
A backpack with a larger capacity, such as Mystery Ranch’s Blitz 35, allows users to pack and organize gear for different adventures. For EDC purposes, the Blitz 35 provides users with options to manage and pack extra equipment in emergencies. For travelers, the Blitz 35 provides a backpack for short trips on the road. “Your […]
Joolca HOTTAP Season Review | Is it worth it?
Ever since the COVID lockdown, I noticed one thing. People were getting cabin fever pretty quickly. RV’s, side-by-sides, Jeeps and car dealerships were selling through their inventory at record pace. People were leaving the metropolitan areas and getting outside. I too decided to spend a few weekends sleeping in the Michigan wilderness. It was so […]
Chair One | Helinox’s Lightweight Chair
Lightweight chairs are great to have for trips and different occasions. From overlanding to local picnics, a chair like Helinox’s Chair One is a lightweight and excellent camping chair. In fact, my dad used an earlier model of the Chair One on an airfield in Iraq while waiting for an aircraft to pick him up […]
Yeti Panga 75 Duffel | Keeping your gear dry
Inclement weather can rain on your parade at any point while living in the outdoors. Being prepared with the proper equipment can make a potentially miserable situation better. Having served in the 2nd Ranger Battalion and lived in the Pacific Northwest for 12 years, I’m no stranger to being wet. In fact, South Rainier training […]
Tick Nipper | A safe and effective way to remove ticks.
If you live or spend time in the woods, it’s once again tick season. Here in New Jersey ticks are out in force and attaching themselves to people and pets. Unfortunately, ticks can cause serious illnesses, including; Lyme disease, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Anaplasmosis to name a few. The consequences of these […]
Best Tactical Headlamp: Princeton Tec Vizz
I wasn’t always a fan of headlamps, in fact, I thought they were gimmicky and not all that functional. Decades of using hand-held flashlights in the military, law enforcement, and security work had institutionalized my mindset. Then, about eleven years ago, I discovered Goruck. And decided to participate in a local event. One of the […]
Stiltsville from Bajío | Sustainable Sunglasses
A good pair of sunglasses can make or break a day. Suppose they do not fit or function well with blocking the sun. In that case, the day can become less enjoyable due to the constant fiddling with sunglasses or having to keep one’s eyes squinted from the sun’s brightness. The Stiltsville from Bajío (bah-HEE-oh) […]
Joolca EnSuite and shower | Portable Hot Water | Part 2
In part 1, I briefly went over the sink set-up from the HOTTAP v2 Nomad Kit. Part 2 focuses on the better half in my opinion. The EnSuite and hot shower. “En Suite”, by definition means, “(of a bathroom) immediately adjoining a bedroom and forming part of the same set of rooms.”all rooms have en-suite […]
Ultra Lochi from Beyond | A sustainable 2 in 1 Jacket
After much success with their Prima Lochi Reversible Jacket, Beyond Clothing went back to the drawing board. To further develop and improve one of their best jackets. And came up with the new Ultra Lochi. Keeping with their reversible design and well thought out color combinations, Beyond Clothing concentrated on the smaller details. Some visible, […]