Let me just cut to the chase. This is an awesome bargain. Even at full price, there is not much else out there in terms of quality to price ratio for what you get in the Kershaw Storm II.
-Weight: 5.6oz. (according to my scale) -Dimensions: 3 1/2″ part serrated recurve blade -Packed Size: 4 3/4″ closed
The knife blade is made of Sandvik 1428N stainless steel. The Blade has ambidextrous thumb studs for one hand opening. These thumb studs do take some getting used to due to their new ramp-like design. But after you get the hang of it, you won’t want to go back to your old bulky thumb studs on your other knives.
The stainless steel handle has inserts on one side, called Trac-Tec inserts. There are also holes drilled along the sides of the handle for whatever reason. Maybe for weight? However, this is a decently heavy blade. Wouldn’t go for this blade if weight was a real issue. The other main factor on this knife is it’s versatility with the reversible pocket clip. Lastly, the knife is a frame lock. Personally, I enjoy a frame lock, plus it saves a bit of weight.
Overall, this knife is a great buy! It might not be a spring loaded beast of a knife. However, it also does not cost nearly as much as a spring load. For an every day carry knife, it slips in to a side or back pocket with it’s slim profile and is quickly accessible due to it’s awesome pocket clip (probably one of the better clips I’ve used). If the knife can’t get any better, it can. It even comes with a fingertip flick notch. With a little flick of the wrist, you can flip the blade out similarly to a spring load without the added weight.
-Price/Quality Ratio
-Grip Inserts
-Functional design
-Slim & Well Built
-Finger-flick Notch
-Thumb Studs
-The blade comes from the factory scary sharp! Be very careful.
I’ve been using these sporks for a few months now and I have been very impressed with their durability, ease of use and functionality. These sporks are relatively inexpensive. If you’re concerned about cost and weight, the next time you’re eating at Taco Bell, just pick up an extra plastic spork and use that instead. However, for durability, these sporks are awesome, from cutting meat, to slurping yummy soup, these sporks do it all. I’ve read some complaints about the knife portion of the fork cutting into their mouth, however, I have not come across this problem in the time I’ve been using these utility utensils. These sporks are somewhat flexible, so eating hard ice cream with them might be a challenge, but then again, I don’t know who would ever bring ice cream backpacking. They are extremely easy to clean and don’t hold odors. I tried a new soup while out backpacking with these a few weeks ago and it was the most god-awful soup I’d ever tasted in my life. It soaked all my cookware in a terrible odor, I didn’t want to deal with it at the time so I packed it all up and when I came home, I rinsed everything off with hot water a soap, and these sporks had no odor or residue left on them. It’s like they were teflon coated or something.
Even if you’re not backpacking, these sporks come in handy on many different occasions; if you’re going out for a picnic or if you hate airline flatware for example. They’re easy to fit just about anywhere and the best part is you don’t have to worry about them bending or snapping like metal. These little buggers are definitely (IMHO) worth the price.
REI has been a long-time leader in camping and outdoor recreational equipment. REI is one of the most, if not most multifarious outdoor company around. Dedicated to serving and listening to their customers, REI has created one hit product after another, and the REI Lite-Core 1.5 Sleeping Pad is no different. The pad comes in two sizes along with a seat size which is for another review. For this particular review, I will be looking specifically at the Regular size REI Lite-Core.
The pad itself comes deflated, folded (in half), rolled, and bound by a sturdy Velcro strap all packed up into a grey/orange stuff sack ideally sized to fit the pad along with a repair kit inside. On the exterior of the stuff sack are marketing materials used by REI to replace any unnecessary packaging that would be thought to be, by the outdoor community, a waste of resources. I commend REI for thinking through such a product. To elaborate on this a little more, I find it great that REI would think to print their product materials directly onto their product rather than waste resources. For one, it is not obtrusive. Second, most any outdoorsman/woman, including myself, do not really put much care into what a product looks like, for in the end, it will most likely end up looking old and worn. Better practical than pretty. All in all, the REI Lite-Core’s packaging is economical and smart.
Aside from the smart packaging, REI has added a few new contributions to this specific sleeping pad that have put it above some of it’s brother and sister competitors (IMHO). The Lite-Core features a rectangular design with a tapering of width dimensions on the top and bottom portions of the pad. The top still allows for elbow space for those like me who like to sleep with their arms underneath their head. The bottom tapering is long and gradual; starting around the thigh area, the pad slowly tapers into a comfortable foot space. Allowing just enough room to keep your feet on the pad without the unnecessary excess fabric and weight of a normal rectangular pad. The pad features a bright neon orange top and a dull grey underside. The top of the pad is slightly transparent with visible woven threads and the bottom feels study, rugged and waterproof.
The air valve on the Lite-Core blows all of the other big name sleeping pad nozzles out of the water. REI is ingenious when it comes to simplifying a product. Instead of having to unscrew the valve like a light bulb, as one has to do with other products, such as the Big Agnes Air Core or the Therm-a-rest NeoAir, with the REI Lite-Core air valve, there is minimal effort needed to lock and unlock the air valve, allowing for quick and easy inflation, re-inflation, and deflation without the frustration of loosing air while trying to lock the air in.
Non-slip grip
The non-slip silicon circles that REI designed into the pad, allow for a comfortable nights sleep without the trouble of falling off the pad if sleeping on an incline. As there are very few perfectly flat spots one can pitch a tent, chances are, if you’re backpacking, there is going to be some incline to where you are sleeping. With the REI Lite-Core, there is little chance of slipping off thanks to the silicone grips that were molded to the product from the factory.
Flaws and other
A few flaws that I found when using this pad were minimal when compared to how functional this pad actually is, however, I find it necessary to divulge the information nonetheless. The size of the pad, when packed, is nothing to write home about. The Big Agnes Air Core is almost half the size of this pad when rolled up at nearly half the cost. I know there is a huge difference between the two pads. I own both. However, I think that with a reduction of foam and in turn R-Value, REI could have a pad that is small and convenient when packed, especially for those of us who only camp 3-season. I have not had any problems with temperature drop and my back/stomach getting cold from the ground with this pad. It definitely has a good insulation system though. The other flaw I found was the price. I purchased this pad while it was on sale for right around $50. For that price, it’s hard to beat. However, for the regular $85 price point, there are a variety of other pads to consider as well. For $40 more than the regular price, you can bump up to the Therm-a-rest Neo Air, which is supposed to be revolutionary. However, I haven’t yet been able to see what they are like.
The REI Lite-Core 1.5 is definitely a pad to consider if you are in the market for a new pad. However, with it’s $85 cost, you’re better off waiting for a sale. For a 3- season pad, it’s insulation is awesome, and the features that REI has coupled with this product are simple and functional. Although this pad doesn’t provide a significant amount of loft, for its thickness, the pad is relatively comfortable, and I for one, haven’t had any difficulties sleeping on it.
Camelback is best known for it’s wide array of backpacks integrated with water reservoirs. All of the backpacks ship with the newly designed Omega reservoir. The Omega reservoir is durable, stylish, and best of all you can trust that it wont bust open and release your valuable water. Today I’ll take a look at the Camelback HydroLink Filter Adapter for those times when you need more water. Whether you’re the ultralight hiker, and don’t want to fill your camelback full. Or you are the distance traveler and would like to refill along the way. The HydroLink Adapter is worth checking out.
This it what you get for seven dollars. If you compare it to a small child’s action figure you are getting about the same amount of plastic. Plus there are a couple nifty mechanisms on the device that makes it “easy” to use.
Overall the Hydrolink system is very pleasant to the eyes. The blue/yellow theme of camelback is followed through outstandingly with this product.
-Hydrolock:
-Bite Valve Adapter:
-Filter Adapter:
The Hydrolock features a simple flick on/off feature much like the angle adapter (AKA Ergo Hydrolock) that comes stock with many of the camelback products.
The Hydrolock & two accompanying adapters fit together with an ingeniously simple and practical design. The hydrolock has one end to mate with your camelback drink tube, whereas the other end allows you to quick connect/disconnect the provided adapters. This is achieved by the small notch in the two adapters along with O-Rings. The O-Rings form the seal while the notch in the adapter is held in place with the grip ring on the Hydrolock:
It’s super simple, and overall it’s a clean design. The drawback being how much plastic they have to use to allow for a quick change operation. They had to make the Hydrolock apparatus extra long to accommodate the two adapters. This leads to a heavier object. (0.6 ounces total weight)
The Camelback Hydrolink Filter Adapter performed excellently. There were no leaks, and everything worked exactly as described. The setup couldn’t be simpler either. All that is required it to remove your bite valve, and install the Hydrolock. As per the filter, you have a few options depending on your filter manufacturer. I own an MSR HyperFlow-Microfilter. For the install all I did was chop off a four inch piece of tubing from the pre-filter attachment.
This left me with a perfect filter adapter. All that I’m required to do is whip out my filter, drop the pre filter in the water, and plug it into the Hydrolock.
The biggest disappointment with the Hydrolink system is the weight and bulk. The features that the Hydrolink system posses is awesome, but the weight is too cumbersome to recommend the Hydrolink system to anyone that is in the ultralight subsection of hiking. Also due to the design more plastic is needed to accommodate the adapters, thus building up more bulk.
Since I like to cut back weight however possible (I’m kinda a comfy hybrid ultralighter) I opted to make my own Hydrolink system on the cheap. I traveled to my local hardware store, and after much searching I found the perfect solution:
I found a Nylon 1/4′th – 1/4′th inch adapter (aka, male to male adapter) I pulled the piece of tubing from the filter adapter that I had fabricated earlier, and installed it to the end of the Ergo Hydrolock. The other end mated perfectly with the 1/4th inch adapter, and I was set.
Even thought this wasn’t the greatest solution for me, this is a wonderful accessory to the right person. The Hydrolink system provides a level of simplicity to filtering your own water that is just splendid… It also allows you to keep your toxic water more separate from your clean water. For example: You go to filter a liter of water into your camelback. You start by dropping & repositioning your pre-filter in the water (get your hands contaminated with bad water). Then you open the camelback (touching everything with bad water). Then you start to pump away, while you hopefully don’t slip into your water source With the Hydrolink system simplifying everything, you are less likely to muck up the process.
Depending on if your an ultralighter, or the uber comfortable will weigh on your decision for the Hydrolink system. Since I like to cut back un-necessary weight when ever I can: I can’t see the overall functionality outweighing the weight and bulk of this device.
This combined with all the Pros of the Camelback Hydrolink Filter Adapter get it an:
So I’ve been drinking a lot of red bull, and cleaning out a bunch of cans of all kinda gross food. The reason being = alcohol stoves!!! yay.
My first attempt was glorious:
The next attempt with a steel can was absolute crap. So I returned all the steel cans I had bought (for a couple dollars). And fetched all the aluminum cans I could find. I got some potted meat, mini wieners, cat food, red bull, v8, and some neat aluminum pepsi bottles. I plan to make a bunch of different stoves, and got some plugs to make some high pressure stoves. Onward and upward to alcohol madness!
——
One other thing I picked up were these almost pie tins; made to line electronic stoves. They look like a perfect candidate for a windscreen for my Snow Peak Lite Max stove (review in the works) I’ll make a post when I get something whipped up.
So one liter of water is 35.28 ounces (2.205 lb). Mind you this is just the water. Then you factor in that a Platypus weighs .8oz (.05 lb) and you have 36.08 ounces or 2.25500 pounds. This is just for one platypus, say you would like to carry three liters. Thats 6.765 pounds… If you have the equivalent amount of water in your three liter camelback (7.5 oz) you weigh in at 8.0025 oz (zheesh). Don’t get me wrong camelbacks are great, but I’m reconsidering if it is the “best” solution. Looking into the matter I’ve found that the 3 liter Omega Reservoir from camelback has a platypus & nalgene twin. The platypus’ online page states that it weighs a cool 3.8 oz for the Hoser and 5.8 for the Big Zip. I couldn’t find a weight on the nalgene, yet it looked like a bulky version of the camelback. I’m going to try and see if I can get a couple friends to play with my camelback, and give some nice stats in the end…
Black Diamond is a household name when it comes to climbing equipment. While the focus of Black Diamond is climbing, some of their products are exceptional additions to a campers arsenal. Today I would like to examine the Black Diamond Orbit Lantern. Upon first glance the lantern is sturdy, looks great and is simple to just add batteries and go. Further into the examination you notice a delightful attention to detail, and a overall wonderful product. No wonder the Orbit received Backpacker’s 2009 editors choice award, and fairs extremely well with all that have been blessed with it’s light. (pun intended)
The box is uncomplicated and informative. The front showcases the Orbit with a gaping hole allowing you to touch and feel the orbit w/o opening the box. The left & right sides give to-the-point information. Including peak output runtime, output, output radius, weight, diameter, and height. Along with this the back explains the multiple tidbits of the lantern in a little more detail.
The Orbit lantern looks great. The Black/Yellow combination works very well, and none of the yellow overpowers the black. The top of the lantern features a Black Diamond logo inset on an industrial’esque platform of black and shiny chrome. Extra brownie points are awarded for the wonderful “collapsible hang loops.” Thinking of what could have been done; (one loop, one circle, a clip, etc.) the choice of two quarter loops to form a half circle is stupendous. It provides a compact solution for storage, and a sturdy hanger. The hooks open and collapse nicely, and work great inside the REI Quarter Dome UL. There are a bunch of loops inside the tent, and the hooks on the lantern secure wonderfully to the loops in tent.
Lantern Hooks:
The lantern feels like a quality product. The black plastic feels sturdy, and has a tough feel. The opaque globe around the bright LED is thick, and rugged. Among the plastic are strategically placed rubber protectors. One in the center, one covering the on/off/dim switch, and one to host as a decent foot. The foot of the lantern is decent, but far from great. When the lantern is opened fully the foot is sturdy, but a little more girth would be much appreciated; especially on an uneven surface.
Button Assembly:
Fully Open:
Along with the outside, the heart of the Orbit is constructed very well. The heart (aka battery compartment) is made out of bright yellow plastic. The batteries were easy to pop in, and stay in place nicely. There are neatly placed “+” and “-” symbols to help you place the batteries in their home correctly. What’s great about this battery pack is it’s stupid proof design. The battery pack has no notch like many packs have. As long as you put it the correct orientation (silver side up) you are good to go.
Battery Pack:
The collapsible construction is wonderful. It collapses a considerable amount to pack easier. And once collapsed it prevents the lantern from powering on. When closed the opaque globe covers the button, and prevents it from accidentally being pressed. Another thing to think about is protection. When the lantern is open, the globe is in more danger than closed. When closed the center of the lantern fills the void, and prevents crushing. This is a plus, especially if the Orbit gets packed at the bottom of your pack.
The Orbit lantern is bright which is nice, and has some well placed reflectors that bounce the light well. The overall throw of the light is lacking. As you can see in the first image, the upper reflector shoots the light at a sharp downward angle. This leaves a small foot and a half sized donut of light. The Orbit really shines when propped up on a couple cans, or hanging in a tent. By itself the height of the Orbit doesn’t allow it to throw it’s light far enough.
Detailed Throw:
Dark Throw:
Other than the short light dissipation distance the lamp functions as expected. It provides a subtle, bright light that isn’t at all overpowering. The globe is not transparent, which is a plus. If the globe were transparent you would have an uncomfortable glare, and harsh lighting. At the brightest setting (and propped up) the Orbit can easily throw a fifteen to twenty foot cloud of “readable” light. Meaning you could read at up to fifteen or so feet. The lowest setting of the light is best suited for inside your tent. It provides the perfect glow for a bedtime story, or last minute sleeping preparations. Oh, and to switch from dramatic to mellow all you need is to press and hold the power button.
The Black Diamond Orbit is a wonderful addition to any outdoorists’ arsenal of lights. As to say that most dedicated people have a headlamp for hiking, and a large lantern for base-camp. The Orbit is a wonderfully pleasant in-between lantern. It’s too bad that the Orbit has a thirty dollar pricetag…
With the Hydrolink system simplifying everything, you are less likely to muck up the process.
