Review: Kings Adventure Big Daddy Deluxe Double Swag

In a similar vein as my review of the capable and functional SnugPack Stratosphere Bivy, and from the same birthday purchase splurge last year I also picked up a luxury camping item from Kings Adventure in the form of the Big Daddy Deluxe Double Swag.

Though I tend to prefer hammocks for the "off the ground away from pests" and low footprint aspects. Having a good flat lay can be hard to achieve in a suspended hammock, and its nice to have company that isn't all pressed elbows and knees or bunk-stacked hammocks. For this reason I looked for a double bed style swag.  

 

Kings Adventure was on my radar as source of gear, having seen them at Melbourne Camping and Caravan ShowMelbourne Camping and Caravan Show and having bought my camping stove from them having bought my camping stove from them . A happy medium between tent and bivy bag, a swag like this aa swag like this a self contained bed and shelter system.  

Constructed from waterproof & Ripstop 400gsm canvas, with a heavy-duty waterproof 450gsm PVC bucket floor base. The two arc ends are supported by tent poles with clips, fitting to pegs held in split rings at each corner, have been upgraded to 10.2mm diameter for extra strength. The ends are held up by a telescoping alloy spreader pole, which also connects to polyester clips to lift the roof and keep the whole structure taut and self-standing. Corner pegs and end-flap guy lines help keep it secure and stable. 

Side flaps open all the way with heavy duty zippers on both sides, allowing easy access for either person ( as its a double) and bug-proof mesh with full zippers round out the build. Set up, the Swag is a spacious 2.15m (7') long and over 1.55m (5'1") wide, at the peak of its arc it is 96cm (3'1") high. Internally, both head and foot ends have a zippable window panel, behind more bug-mesh, and under storm flaps, allowing good airflow without compromising comfort. The real selling point for me, beyond the large footprint, was the included mattress. The ripstop fabric covered and free-floating pad is 7cm (2.75") thick, fully expanded. It's so comfortable. 

Not only was it soft and padded, it also breathed and I could lay on it without matt or blanket without getting sweaty. The ceiling has loops for tying up the side flaps if they are up, but when down they serve as good tie-in points for a lamp or in my case to store my glasses whilst sleeping. 

The heavy 400gsm canvas is weather proof and shady, allowing for afternoon naps as well as shelter from harsh sunlight as needs be. 

Overall, I enjoyed sleeping in the Swag far more than I did in the Stratosphere Bivy, primary because of the mattress but also the roominess. Not having the skin of the Bivy pressing down on me made it a lot more comfortable. No shade on the bivy, but the more tent like Swag was a treat. 

Tactical Baby and I camped out over a couple of nights and we did side-by-side camping, swapping after a night from bivy to Swag and we both agreed the swag was the more comfortable. 

We hiked in to our site, and initially I had rolled the swag up in a single layer, so was a wide bundle at a little over 1.55m (5'1") wide, I carried it draped over a shoulder but I had rigged a sling to carry it at the small of my back on the way back which was more convenient but still wide. 

The swag only weighed 14kg, so its no trial to carry, even with the regular camping load, but once home I found I could double it over and roll it up to make a much more manageable bundle at 80 cm long x 50 cm across. This was possible with the built-in straps and double-D-shackle binders. The bundle was thus smaller and more manageable to transport and pack out and in the vehicle. It's obviously not as easy to ruck in as a bivy, but the luxury it brings is palpable and welcome, making up for the minor inconvenience . Better than hauling a full sized tent for sure. I haven't had opportunity to put it through a solid storm-test, but the construction seems solid and the stitching tight.

Prepping shed

As the final part of our move from the original home of Apocalypse Equipped Actual, we installed a garden shed in order to store my copious accumulated camping and prepping gear. No room in the new house or garage. My parents were kind enough to gift us this flat-pack, DIY ABSCO 3x3 shed. We built it over a couple of weekends, in a quiet corner beside the house, which was a nice project for me and my good-father. The shed consits of a frame to which pannels are afixed. Assembly is made easier with the help of pre-drilled holes and Absco’s patented SNAPTiTE technology that allows panels to lock into channels without the need for screws. (note, it came with screws and is screwed together, but self-tappers all the way.)

We found there was some manufacturing variance on the pre-drilled holes that needed occasional modification to set things secure and square. The shed is designed to be bolted onto a pre-poured concrete slab, but rental property constraints meant that we instead used a treated pine sleeper frame we anchor-plated together and bolted down to star-picket anchors we pounded into the soft ground. The bare grass we built over was covered in places by salvaged pallets or timber sleepers to set things upon. I put a long table in, along the back wall and a couple of ‘duckboards’ to avoid any seepage that might occur. 

I loaded my collected camping gear ( tents, sleeping systems, cookware and other needfuls, into some old ikea shelves on the table, and many, many stacked Tactical Milk Crates full of my other preps (canned goods, MRE's, and the like) that i'd collected before and during the Covid years. I also have spare tools, crockery and other super-numerate supplies. I also had a number as as-yet unpacked boxes of stuff from the previous house. Initially I just tetras-packed it all in, floor to ceiling in order to get it all in so I could free up other spaces and make them functional. This didn't lead to a very accessible and orderly storage system. 

A process of consolidation and rediscovery over a couple of sunny weekends enabled me to make a little more sense out of my collection, both for ease of access but also to make room to store more stuff and even use the space for additional supplies and furniture, like this cupboard unit, which makes for good assorted pack and kit storage (I have sleeping bags, hydration systems and some tools). 

I also managed to collect all our only occasionally used cold weather snow gear, as well as my various cammo outfits. Under the big table, I've been able to stack my foldable tactical crates. which makes good use of that space whilst having these easily available in the event of a bug-out or camping trip.

 The placement of the shed puts it in the shadow of our side fence and beside some trees and the back corner of our house. It's in the full daylight ark, but has some wind shelter. We placed it on a flat spot but the area is in a slight depression so the duckboards and pallets  keep all the stuff off damp ground. (I open the doors of windy/ sunny days to ensure it doesn't get too humid in there).

I'd noticed condensation on the roof and walls, so I made sure to space my stacks so there was some clearance on all sides (which also improves ventilation)and even though I have  a mix  of storage containers ( crates, chests and bags) I've managed to make an orderly store for my preps, in a safeish, dryish, dark place. I haven't yet put a thermometer in there. but I expect it gets pretty warm in there  (which will obviously affect shelf life of my food preps) but that's a next stage concern. 

How do you store and organise your preps?

 

Review: Campmaster single burner stove

Carrying on in the series of camp cooking posts, let me bring to your attention the utilitarian Campmaster Single Butane Stove. This simple and straightforward single burner stove only weighs 1700g (3 3/4 lbs), without a fuel canister, and  folds down into a very portable 343mm(13 1/2") x 280mm(11") x 118mm (4 2/3"). I've seen similar burners set up in Korean BBQ joints for at-the-table cooking. I've often used it for exactly that purpose, inside at the dining table and on innumerate picnic tables. The blue enameled steel frame is both sturdy and easy to clean. 

The stove takes standardized 220g Campmaster CRV Butane Gas Cartridges 4 Pack (Countersink release vent) safety cans which are explosion proof and they fit into a compartment on the side of the strove. The cartridge locks into place with a latch in the lip of the bottle and a lever beside the adjustable flame control needs to be engaged in order to connect the cartridge to the stove. The compartment closes when the stove is in operation to protect it and the user. it is well vented in case of leakages. 

The stove has a peizo-electric sparker, triggered by the Flame control dial which is handy. The stove has strong heating power: (Gas Consumption: 160g/h (7.9Mj/hr)) at maximum setting, which is plenty for a number of serves of a meal, or several rounds of quick cooking meals. 

The hob itself is cast aluminium, and the stove-top comes out and when flipped provides a trivet for resting pots and pans on, small enough to hold up an enamel mug for singular brews, perfect for cold mornings in a tent vestibule. The hob head is recessed in the stove-top to shield it from winds Though it should be noted there is a manufactures not not for use below 0oC freezing, presumably because the butane freezes up in the canister or in the tubes.

The stove is lightweight enough that its easily hikeable, especially important if you're going to a fire-free area and want to cook, without hauling a whole BBQ and gas bottle. I have to admit I stocked up on the canisters during the Covid lockdowns, in case there were mains-gas shortages or disruptions as part of my  bug-in / bug-out preparations, thankfully un-necessary. We did have several pleasant summer night al-fresco dinner cookouts, and I've even used it for at-the-table teppanyaki  and hibachi type meals. ( Be sure to ensure it is used in well ventilated spaces and that the stove is set up on a heat-proof location as radiant heat can scorch surfaces. ) The canisters are self-sealing and can be stored for lengthy periods between uses.

Review: Snugpak Stratosphere bivvy

I typically prefer off-ground camping in hammocks or on cots, but there is  a time and place for a low-profile, low laying tent, and sometimes even the ubiquitous dome tent is too much. Whether it be due to weather (high winds are not attractive to hammock users), location ( no trees or structures to sling between) or for a more clandestine profile, sometimes a bivvy is the way to go. I've used improvised bivvies before, with a tarp, poncho or just a poncho liner, but I saw this and wanted to add it to my collection, so as a birthday treat to myself I bought it as part of the Platatac End of Financial year sales.

This is the Snugpak® Stratosphere and it is the picture of functional, elegant simplicity. That's saying a lot, right off the bat, but it really impressed me. It is, essentially a waterproof over-bag for a sleeping bag, with a supported canopy to provide space around your head and shoulders.

The whole package is enclosed in a roll-and clip-top dry-bag type stuff-sack, with two additional webbing straps and buckles to cinch it in tight, it packs down to a mere 31cm x 14cm  (12" x 6") and all told weighs only 1.13kg  (2.49lbs).

The bundle contains two drawstring bags, one for the 7 aluminium alloy Y-stakes, and one for the two collapsible 8.5mm aluminium poles. as well as the uni-body bivvy itself. 

The bivvy upper is constructed of a 50D 190T 100% nylon ripstop cordura with (5000mm HH) waterproof polyurethane coating. All seams being fully waterproofed and taped, the upper meets the bathtub style  210T 100% Cordura nylon with (8000mm HH) waterproof polyurethane coating. This combination makes for a very dry sleep, even in very exposed locations.

Two sleeves at the head-end take the curved poles to pop out the hood section, seating in eyelets in tabs in the base to stretch out the head and shoulders area nicely. A flap at the back edge can be staked out to to pull it extra taut and increase the internal cavity even further.

Pegging the bivvy out at each toe end corner, shoulder and head end flaps, as well as the back flap makes for a very secure and stable structure. It sits very low to the ground, offering a very slight weather silhouette. 

When fully staked out the bivvy has a footprint of 220cm (87") length x shoulder width of 70cm (28") x feet-end width of 60cm (24") x and is 48cm (19") tall at the hood.

The bivvy has  a 3/4 length zipper, which extends all the way up and over the lip of the hood to seal the whole unit off from weather or bugs. As well as the storm flapped zipper, it also has 5 hook and loop strips for rapid egress in case of emergency or contact. You obviously compromise the water-proofing of the bivvy by not zipping it up but it's a trade-off you can choose to make. 

The hood canopy is stand alone stable and provides a shady nook to rest ones eyes in without the need to zip up at all. The fabric of the bivvy is soft and not very crinkly, making it comfortable to lay in without a lot of distracting noise. The back side of the hood features a No-See-Um Mesh Mosquito Net window, under the flap, which provides sheltered venting to reduce breath condensation from building up. In good weather the flap can be rolled up and stowed with toggle loops. 

The front of the hood can be zipped up all the way to the left corner for complete enclosure or left open to the elements. If left zipped up there is a hidden feature, a backwards zippable mesh face window, for added ventilation or visibility without creeping intruders. It rolls up out of the way when not in use. 

face window opened

rear window open, flap rolled up

Inside the hood there is a surprising amount of room, plenty enough to sit up on your elbows to read or even wrestle yourself in and out of sleeping bag or change clothes. The roof of the hood has a mesh pocket built into it, plenty big enough to slip a tablet, phone glasses or even a small light. 

Getting in and out of the bivvy is easy, once you get past the hood lip zipper, which can be a little awkward to get around the corner. It is super quick to put up, pegging the feet out, feeding the poles and pegging out the back takes just minutes. The end result is a sleep system that is elegant, robust and reliable. 

After a couple of trial set-ups, Tactical-Baby said they wanted to try it out overnight, so with just a yoga mat ,a sleeping bag and a couple of fleece blankies. Despite an overnight of 15C (60F) and spotty raining throughout the night (enough to leave pools on the upper surface they were remarkably comfortable and slept well past dawn. 

Given its small packed-size and light weight I wouldn't hesitate in either recommending it or strapping it to my own pack if there was even the possibility of needing to overnight trail-side. With its low profile and unobtrusive olive drab I bet you could pitch it in trailside bracken and smell passing hiker without being seen.

Review: Titaner titanium Bento Box

It's all good and well to load up with knives, axes, shovels and all manner of gadget and do-dad, but every-body has to eat. Old tin mess-kits are all good and well, light and compact, but not known for their durability or stealth.

I am very happy with my Heavy Cover canteen and mug set both as a hydration tool but also as cook-ware, so when the opportunity came to add to my titanium cookware collection in the form of the Titaner  Bento lunchbox Kickstarter. 

Pressed from food grade titanium, with titanium wire fittings, the bento box has a lid fitted with a tritan gasket inset into the rim. The lid is held in place with the two clasps at each short end. Along with the gasket, the clasps hold the lid water-tight, with a capacity of  600mL (20 1/3 oz), making it ample for cooking single serve meals as a small fry-pan or shallow pot. 120mm x 165mm x 60mm (4 3/4" x 6  1/2" x 2 1/3") 227g, (8oz). The inside is plenty big enough to carry an instant noodle packet and additions sufficient to make a decent trail-side meal. With some careful packing you could probably carry a half-dozen eggs in relative safety too. I might work on some inserts to do just that .

Speaking of cooking, the long titanium wire handle, which folds over one of the short sides, which provides a comfortable and stable handle to carry and manipulate the pan-side of the box allowing the user to adjust the pan over the fire. When using it, I have tended to clip closed the clasps in order to avoid any unwanted snagging and possible spillage.

The bottom of the pan has a slight inset bulge to reduce deformation and denting, and matches a similar bulge in the lid, allowing the pot to sit on the lid as a coaster or heat-shield. The rounded internal corners make for easy clean-up and ensure nothing gets stuck or burnt in to inconvenient spots. The gasket is easily removable for easy cleaning 

No coatings, no additional material other than the tritan gasket ring and the titanium, i'm confident that this is a healthy, resilient and robust piece of cook-ware as well as an eating surface, that also doubles as storage. The fittings don't rattle and hold it securely. I haven't yet found a pouch to slot it into but it fits into a napsack easily enough.  

Perfect size for 2-minute instant noodles ( shown here with spring onion, ginger chunks, lap cheung sausage and chilli paste.  All of which fit nicely in the box for easy transport. 

 

Review: Great Outdoors Silver Grande 9L tent

Having an ultralight bivy tent is all good and well for a bit of  a solo over-nighter off the trail when ounces mean pounds, but there is also a time and a place for a big tent that will fit the whole family, and gear. Sometimes you need to go big, and one such biggness is the Great Outdoors Silver Grande 9L a four room, 9 person tent.We jokingly refer to this beast as the Tent Mahal. All told this huge tent weighs 29.7Kg (65.5 lbs) so its definitely more suited to back yard or drive-in camp sites, though i have carted it in to a couple of sites in a trolley and/or hand wagon. 

This rather palatial tent with measures 6.4m (21') in overall length (2.1 x 2.2 x 2.1) and 3m (10') wide in the middle, 2.15m at the end rooms. The front room adds another 2.1m to the width to a total of 4.3m (14'). The side rooms are a little bit shorter than the main central room, which tops out at a very respectable 2m15m (7') tall enough for me to stand and stretch in nay room, quite a luxury. Each room has a door out wide zippering allows for good clearance around the bathtub bottom of the tent. The three off-rooms all open onto the central room with a low-trip edge of similar width as the external doors for ease of access. 

The internal doors are made of the same lightweight and breathable fabric as the inner walls of the tent, and self-stow in fabric pockets beside each door.  Each outside door features a flyscreen outer, with the opaque option as an in-set. these all wrap up with their self-storing toggle and loop attachments. The interior is really very spacious and airy. The walls are at a high angle, so you maximize the available space, which is often lost in lower dome tents. The internal walls are all a very light, breathable material, and well fitted. 

Each of the off-rooms have window panels on the sides which can be rolled up to add airflow and views. Structure is provided by two sets of colour coded fiber-glass poles, and each is designed to slot into sleeves built into the inner shell, and mount on captive pegs attached to split rings, attached to the base, in the corners of the main room. These also have clip-on stays to keep the inner walls taut. The off-rooms each have a similar system, forming an arch over the external doorway. Plenty of peg-loops around the edges provides for a well pegged-down base. 

Each room features clips in the corners to suspend a light or string a clothes line to air out what have you. The main room has two "window" panels in the roof and the fly has two clear PVC panels corresponding for light and ventilation. The windows throughout make for a very well lit and comfortable home away from home. 

The main room has two zippered ports in the bathtub floor wall to feed power or other cables in without exposing yourself to too many bugs and critters. Perfect if you have a powered site, a generator or the like. You might even feed an LPG hose to a cooker if in-tent cooking was your thing, though I wouldn't recommend it myself. There are also two sets of four mesh pocket sewn into the main room walls for all manner of small items; phones, sunglasses, tissues, spare socks, gloves, caps. This little touch helps organize personal effects that might otherwise vanish until pack-up time. (I once "lost" a wallet, went as far as cancelling all my cards only to find it under the tent when we packed up). The fly is silvered on the inside which adds significant protection from the sun, and radiant heat, and as previously mentioned has clear PVC panels matching the windows on the sides and top of the inner layer. 

The zippers are set under a lip for rain shedding and have a reflective cord loop for easy pulling at night. Numerous guy-lines are built in to strategic locations and the ground- reaching corners feature a heavy-duty shock-cord loops for pegging it down. The "front door" has a door-matt built in, perfect for keeping muddy feet out of your nice clean tent. The fly features a pop-out pavilion with two poles to form an annex that is billed as being able to join up with the back-cabin of a truck or van, for even more enclosed space, though i haven't had the ability to try that out. I have managed to set the whole thing up on my own, under good conditions, but it's easier with help. I have set the fly up the wrong way around several times, prompting me to write on the corners of the fly and tent ("tab A, slot B" type notes for next time I set it up. The tent nominally fits in a light nylon carry bag, with carry and drag straps, and a wheeled base, but I have had great trouble re-packing it every time. 

After use, I like to lay the fly out to dry, ( and the inner, too,inverted if possible) if space and time allows to have it dry for pack-down. In summary this is a great tent, spacious, roomy and airy, but its very large and heavy. With all the pegs in place, and well guy-lined down, the chain-of-domes structure is very stable in even quite high winds, and in the light rains I've had it up in we've had no leakage or seepage problems. Given its capacity, it could even do as a short to medium term bug-out home, once a suitable location has been scouted, whilst more permanent habitations are established. This was a second hand gift from a festival going friend of ours, and i probably wouldn't have bought one as large on my own. Looks like its no longer on the market, but if you have the need for a big tent, something like this would suit you well.

Review : Aerial A1 suspended tent

Its no secret that I'm a fan of hammocks and if I had my way I'd never sleep on the ground, but the inevitable sag can lead to a banana shaped sleep which some can't abide.
 Options like the fabulous and fun Tensile tents provide a flat space but need three anchor points, and more traditional hammock systems like the Sierra Madre Nube are comfortable but don't resolve the sag issue. A very exciting and innovative option is the Aerial A1 by Opeongo which I backed on Kickstarter. After the usual development and manufacturing delays, I was delighted by the end product. 

The principle of  the A1 is to form a semi-rigid cot, by stretching the four corners taut via a pair of webbing loops that are strung around appropriate supports, tree trunks or beams. This forms the base ontop of which the tent component is built. Each short end is held rigid with the inclusion of a spreader bar.
A single 7000 series aluminium pole with spreader-bar held in place with clever clasps suspend the internal mesh body and give it near vertical side-walls. The base features a bath-tub bottom and is made of 210 Denier, ripstop nylon (PU 4000) and the mesh walls features full size zippered openings on both sides.

The main feature that allows the A1 to achieve its exceptional comfort and stability is the unique, slackline inspired, suspension system. By wrapping high tensile webbing straps around a tree and pulling them back from both sides of the trunk the A1 is able to achieve a four point connection system. Using this four point system, along with tension and two spreader bars at the head and feet of the base it is able to create a sturdy, flat platform that feels similar to a high quality cot. The webbing suspension (PES (Polyester) rated to  14kN /1450 kg (3200Lbs)) also provides spring like a mattress that helps absorb movement without being tippy or bouncy. 

This flat sleeping surface provides the ability to sleep in any position, back, side or even on your front.The secret to the suspension tension is the buckle system. The AustriAlpine are rated to  15kn / 1528kg (3370lbs) and are made from ultra lightweight alloy. The system works by having a simple self-locking dual-buckle at one end's corners. This lets you set up one of the webbing straps  (6m (19'8") or 8m (26'3")) straps at one end, as a static length. The dynamic end features a pair of off-set buckles. 

This enables you to take advantage of the RollerCam fitting to tension the whole system up. To do so simply feed the webbing through the first off-set buckle on the A1 and then back to the Rollercam returning back to the second off-set buckle on the A1. This simple system 3:1 purchase creates a 4:1 mechanical advantage which is more than sufficient to create a nice taut, flat surface. Each of the webbing straps has a boldly embroidered + mark in its center to assist on centering the straps which was a nice touch. 
The removable fly is lightweight, durable, made from a  premium 40 Denier nylon and has a 1500mm hydrostatic head waterproof rating. 

The fly is completely separated from the internal mesh body by the spreader bar and main ridgepole, which  prevents condensation build up, promotes good airflow and prevents contact weeping.  The base has  a footprint of 203cm x 69cm / (80” x 27”), which is plenty big enough for me to stretch out on, even when Tactical Baby joins me. It is also no coincidence that the footprint matches a large Therm-a-Rest® mattress, which would be great insulation, let alone padding, but I found the cot-like finish very comfortable on its own. The fly open on either side or can be stretched open to form 17” vestibules. guy-lines and Y-shaped stakes are included to stake out the vestibule. The clever design of the A1 also allows for it to be used as an on-ground tent, with four Shepherd Hook stakes to stake out each corner. Its peak height is 90cm (35”), which is plenty high enough to sit up in.
Inside the tent there are three well placed pockets to hold all your needfuls. Two medium size pockets on either end and one 'sky" pocket in the ceiling that is the perfect place for putting your head lamp to light up the tent at night, or an iPad to watch a movie. None of these pockets are heavy duty, and the outside attachment points work better for hanging a bottle, or your boots but for glasses, a flashlight or devices, they work perfectly. 

The system as a whole, packed down measures  67cm x 13cm (28” x 5”) in its slingable stuff case and weighs 2.70kg (5lbs 15oz) for the full system, or cut down to 2.45kg / (5lbs 6oz) for a slung trail set, or 1.86kg (4lbs 1oz) for a ground-based set up. Leaving out the stakes, straps and roller-cams cuts weight, crucial when ounces mean pounds. 
 This shelter is very easy to set up and only takes about 6 minutes. (once you get the suspension buckles sorted out. )The A1 makers state it will be stable on trees with a diameter as small as 5”, though they recommend using healthy trees with a 7” - 25” trunk. I set it up on painted 5"x5" beams with no trouble. The standard webbing provided allows the tent to be set up between two trees spaced 10’ - 25’ feet apart. For trees spaced 10’ - 16’ apart the webbing will completely encircle the tree for maximum hold. I recommend using the long webbing lengths at the Roller-cam side, for maximum cinching length. 

The A1 has a suspended capacity of 200kg (440lbs) so you probably wouldn't store your gear in there with you, but OpeonGo offer an under-slung gear hammock to keep up to 27kg (60lbs) of things off the ground, yet easy to reach (it doubles as a vestibule ground mat in the un-suspended set-up). They also recommend not setting the A1 up any higher than waist high, for ease of entry and safety. A good rule of thumb is never to sling a hammock higher than you're willing to fall. The 5" high tub walls of the base provide a good support in the event of leaning or rollovers in the night. I've found it to be very stable, even in high winds and with the fly staked/ pegged down, very rain resistant. 

The Aerial A1 can also  be pared with the A1 Underquilt to provide maximum warmth for winter camping.

This is a great system, light, comfortable and versatile. I'd highly recommend them to anyone looking for an off-ground option. Outstanding design and top notch engineering.

 

Review: MyMedic - MyFAK

Accidents happen. Burns, cuts, bumps and breaks can come to anyone at any time.  Having a first-aid kit to hand is a vital element to anyones preparedness loadout or lifestyle. Whether you're hiking in the bush, cutting firewood, camping, on a road trip, driving nails in the backyard or hitting pipe in the sandbox you'll want to be able to plug holes and tend to boo-boos to get on with the task at hand. I keep a generic first aid kit in the bottom of my day-bag, and have a small IFAK on my hiking belt, but there are some jobs they just aren't up to and frankly, being stuffed in the bottom of a pack does not make for rapid treatment in a critical situation.

This is where something like the purpose built MyFAK from My Medic comes into its own. Jam-packed with a very comprehensive collection of needful and useful items for treating a variety of ailments and accidental injuries. It does so all encompassed in a tactically minded form-factor. 

 With contents suitable for airway, bleeding, burn, hydration, outdoor safety, sprains and fractures and specialty surgical incident as well as topical treatment, the MyFAK  has packs that caters to both Basic and Advanced First Aid needs. (Available in two different configurations to suit your ability and need).

"By ordering MyMedic First Aid Kits you warrant that you have the required training and authorization to use the medical supplies contained within. MyMedic assumes no liability for their misuse."

  

https://mymedic.com/collections/first-aid-kits/products/myfak-firstaidkit

The 1000D cordura pouch measures 6.5" wide, 7.5" tall and 5" deep, its no slouch. The advanced kit weighs 1275g, the same size basic weighs a mear 975g. The front of the pouch is rigged with 6" of loop field, in 3 2" strips, with a secondary layer of 1" strips straddling these to provide 4 channels of MOLLE attachment, for those of us who like pouches on our pouches or for stowing additional accessories likepens, lights, cyalume sticks or pry-bars. A 1" wide nylon strap runs all the way around the pouch, with a fastex buckle to keep it fully secured to the backing and fully closed> This is especially important as the backing, which features not only two press-stud closure MOLLE straps but the entire back is hook and loop for tear-away capability. a 1" nylon grab handle allows for positive grip and when unbuckled the MyFAK can be torn off your pack, or load bearing gear for ease of access or to pass on to someone who needs it.

The rip-away design makes for ease of access for what is otherwise quite a bulky pouch. being able to get at it without it being strapped to yourself or a pack would greatly improve your ability to get the components you need in a timely and efficient fashion. Crucial in a medical crisis. The fastex clip is no hindrance to access and does a great job in securing the pouch, but it has two easy-grip rubber toggles with medic crosses to pull the oversized zippers open. A lightly hook-and-looped nylon tab acts as a pull tab to assist in pulling the pouch open and holding it spread. Folding down to the front loop fields to stow out of the way when not in use.

The pouches hook field backing also means once removed it can be stuck to other loop-field surfaces at your leisure.

Opening the pouch up reveals its Tri-Fold Design

MyMedic created this pouch to give you quick access to your First Aid Supplies. This tri-fold design makes it easy to see what you need, when you need it.

Working from the innermost layer forwards the front the back panel has three Elastic webbing loops to contain items, a mylar space blanket, a hank of paracord, a cyalume stick and a RATS tourniquet. Behind that are two pockets with bandages, including quick-Clot and a chest seal. The back most pocket has a hook and loop  closure tab to keep it closed until needed.

The middle panel has more elastic webbing securing more bandages, irrigation saline and suture kits. An additional pocket behind the elastic webbing holds a compressed compression bandage.

I'm really impressed with the amount of material squeezed into this kit, both by clever arrangement of pockets but also arrangement of items. I was tempted to reorganise the kit but quickly recognised I wasn't going to get it any better packed or sorted.



The third section of the internals is the zippered mesh lind pocket panel. It is filled with small items; medications, electrolyte sachets, swabs, lotions and gloves. The section is itself a tear-away as well allowing you to pass it over or just get at it without disturbing the rest of your pristine supplies.

Whilst the rest of the kit is full of bandages, burn kits, and hole closers, the medication pouch holds pain killers, anti-inflammatories, anti nausea and anti-dirorrerals and electrolytes. The mesh panel allows the plastic pouch wrapped medications to be rummaged through. Good if you find yourself off-Oregon trail and not fancying dying of dysentery.  The flip side of the medication pouch provides a smooth field for laying out items: bandages, sutures, tweezers and such as you work on your patient, or just as a cover to prevent debris falling in your kit.

So, apart from being jam-packed with all kinds of goodies and needfuls, being well put together as far as design and layout, and having an excellent quick-release and access options go, this is an excellent First Aid kit.

I find it a bit bulky and heavy to put on my person, say on a battle-belt or on a plate carrier, except maybe on the back. Personally I feel it's suitable to go on a pack, or on a dedicated medic's harness. One thing I saw on their webpage and successfully tried myself was fitting  it to the headrest of my drivers-side car seat. Putting it in easy reach for shot-gun or back seat passengers should the need for road-side assistance come up.

Secured by its Molle straps, to the headrest prongs, it can be accessed by its quick release Fastex clip and pulled free by the webbing drag handle. If needed it could then be reattached in an upright position and unfolded to access its components in a secured place for out the door or back seat triage as needed. Perfect for on-the-move treatment. 

I have a Cert 1 in first aid which is basically: bites, breaks, bleeds and burns and I feel the contents and setup of this kit is more than adequate for my needs, and beyond what I'm trained for in its Advanced format, but not beyond my ability in extremis.