I’m generally not the biggest fan of AAA-powered lights. After reviewing the Streamlight Microstream I figured maybe it was time to give the AAA Olight I3T another look. I have a little bit of history with this light. I actually own two of them because this was one of the first lights with a pocket clip that I carried on a daily basis (the second was purchased as a backup).
Lumbar Pack: Mountainsmith Tour
Writing about the Helikon Essentials Kitbag recently got me thinking about alternate means of load-carriage. Backpacks are cool, all of us probably own one, but they aren’t the only fish in the sea. Today I’m going to revisit one of my old favorites: the Mountainsmith Tour lumbar pack, an alternative to the ubiquitous backpack.
Malkoff Conversion LED for Legacy Surefires
Like many guys of my age and background I have some old, legacy Surefire flashlights lying around. These lights where the cat’s pajamas back in the day. I recently pulled out my old Surefire 6P “Defender” and was blown away…by how weak the light was. Good news, though: you can breathe new life into those old flashlights with the Malkoff Conversion LED.
Medical Multi-Tool: The Triangular Bandage
The tourniquet is the rock-star in the world of medical devices. Tourniquets are the latest in an ever-growing list of strongly-encouraged EDC items. If I had my ‘druthers I would always have a full medical kit at hand. That’s not always possible, so if I had to limit myself to a single medical device, I’d choose the most versatile single item. Instead of a tourniquet, I’d choose the multi-tool of medical stuff: the triangular bandage. I know that’s a controversial position, so let me explain.
Some Thoughts on Quitting Tobacco
I quit using tobacco on 23 November, 2019. My last dose of nicotine via the patch was on January 5, 2020. I was a daily user of Copenhagen Snuff for over 20 years and finally, somehow, got the gumption to give it up. This article will tell you why you should quit, talk about the process of quitting (and it is a process), and list some things that might help.
Wilderness Predator Defense
My girlfriend and I have been doing a good bit of hiking lately. I am always interested in what we can do to improve our chances of survival if something were to go wrong. On our last hike I was thinking about wilderness predator defense. This article will cover some general principles regardless of what predators you may encounter, as well as a little specific advice here and there.
2021: Goals for The Year Ahead
Good morning and Happy New Year! It seems popular to talk about how you “don’t care for New Year’s resolutions.” Honestly, I think that’s because most people can’t stick to New Year’s resolutions or are afraid to commit publicly to them. Just because you can’t stick to yours doesn’t mean I can’t stick to mine…so here are mine for the coming year!
Making (and Keeping) New Year’s Resolutions
New Year’s Day is right around the corner. This time a year brings out two types of people: those making resolutions and those who poo-poo making resolutions. I happen to be a fan of making New Year’s Resolutions. I might get some grief but, hey – I kept mine. Today I’ll share some of the things that have helped me make resolutions that are possible to stick to for an entire year.
Tips for Using Sparking Fire-Starters
Sparking fire-starters are a mainstay of wilderness survival kits. They are rugged, waterproof, and have the potential to light thousands of fires. They aren’t terribly expensive and you can find one of just about any size or form-factor from keychain-sized models to large, purpose-built versions. For all their virtues, lighting a fire with them can be tougher than you might think. Today I will offer a few hard-won tips for using sparking fire-starters.
5 Secrets to Reading More Books
In January of this year I set a goal of reading 52 books this year. I accomplished this goal by mid-November and haven’t slowed down. As you’ll soon see, I’ve also set a more ambitious reading goal for next year. Today I’ll share a few secrets to help you read more books.