Review: BackCountryCuisine Instant meals - Roast Chicken

As my second part in the four dehydrated meals reviews I have been doing,  I will cover the Backcountry Cuisine "Roast Chicken" meal.

The first of these reviews, on the Outdoor Gourmet Butter Chicken meal was published on Breach Bang Clear, and I had some interesting feedback on it. Go check it out here... The principle is the same, the plasticised foil retort is both the cook-pot, the serving dish and eating bowl.

The Roast Chicken meal weighs in at 175g (6.2oz) tender chicken in little squares, vegetables and stuffing smothered in gravy and then served with the mashed potato. You simply add 220mL of hot water to the mashed potato sachet and 250mL hot water to the chicken meal sachet, stir and let stand for 10 minutes. The result is a delicious hot meal wherever you may be.

About half way down the retort a second tear tab on all pouches allows you to tear the lower perforation and use the pouch as a bowl once the food has reconstituted. It's a great idea and saves getting messy hands when using your spoon or fork, but be sure to tear carefully or you can make a hot mess of the meal. It might even be an idea to cut it into a bowl, to be sure. You have a knife with you, right?

The mashed potato comes in a separate retort, stored inside the main retort, which is good in that it allows you to serve it separately and keeps it from becoming a thick sludgy mess. I found the texture of the main meal to be really appealing, with the mashed potato being fairly standard for instant mash. The flavour balance was good, and it wasn't too salty.

The waiting time wasn't too bad, especially from water brought to a fast simmer, through to eating it only took 15 minutes.

One thing that I found was important, but not required was to have a flat surface to plop them down on as they are reconstituting, but the retorts fan-out from the bottom as part of their design, but I think they did better from standing up than laying down. One good thing however, was that the zip-lock top seal allows you to squeeze-mix the contents to reconstitute your food. This made me feel like an astronaut, given food served on the ISS.

Nutritionally, the whole meal makes up 1549 kJ (370 Cal) which Back Country Cuisine state is 18% daily intake requirement, so it's not a hefty food source, but being light, you could pack a bunch of them, and if you had three a day, that's 54%, so don't leave out the snacks when you're packing.

One thing I found was that the mashed potato didn't quite reconstitute properly, and when I spooned it out, I found some dry patches, but by mixing it up when in a separate bowl, it all came good. All in all, this was a really good meal and I enjoyed it, it was tasty.



Well worth adding to your pack if you are wanting to travel light, but also want a home-cooked style meal.

Be sure to pack enough potable water, or have access to enough wherever you are going, and enough to balance out your hydration as you go.

Viking Hardware piece

Raiding season is fast approaching, and many of you are yearning for adventure, salt-spray on your faces and the chance to prove your honor and win glory such that your forefathers and old-fathers  will sing your name and your children will ask to hear the stories again in the long winter of next winter.

But where you might find yourself loading up with kevlar and lead-spitting black rifles, and hopping in and out of HUVEE or MRAP, crossing seas aboard a C-130 or C-5, I thought I might cast your minds back some 1000 years to another group of hard-handed and steely eyed warriors plying their trade, by blood, fire and steel, as well as actual tradeable goods, the Vikings. I wanted to tell you a little about their wargear, and why it worked so well for them.


Read the rest on Breach Bang & Clear ...

First Impressions review: First Tactical - MDL

Here's a quick "first impressions" piece on one of two items that arrived in my pouch from the good folks at First Tactical. First Tactical is an exciting new business founded by Dan Costa, founder of 5.11 Tactical, to meet the needs of all kids of Public Safety professionals with new, innovative ideas and products in the tactical industry. But enough of the waffle, let's see the light.


Read more about the First Tactical - Medium Duty Light here, on Breach Bang & Clear

Review: HHA ASOT-01

I've finally gotten my hands on one of the much desired Hardcore Hardware Australia ASOT-01's for my very own, as part of my Giftmas haul, and I'm finally getting around to telling you about it, now that I have had it in my grabby-hands for a little while. I had covered this blade after it came out in a Wish-Lust piece, as well as getting to pay with one again at the SSAA SHOT show.
 
We have a few of the HHA items in the household, with a TWI-02 Tactical Writing Implement , and two of their smaller knives, the LFK-05 and LFK-02 blades.
Putting my three most similar blades together, you can see how the ASOT-01 compares to with the ZU Bladeworx Mekanik and the very deadly Benchmade SOCP CQB.
 
The distinct bevelled ring design of the ASOT-01 enhances the tool's accessibility and comfort, making it exceptionally fast and easy to draw. The ring is very comfortable, and the inwards scalloping wasn't at all troublesome as I had thought it might have been. The ring, much like that of the SOCP also enables transition to a rifle or hand-gun with no disconnection between the tool and firearm.
 
That scalloped thumb recess at the top of the ring supports a positive grip and for the application of downward force, opening cans of whoop-ass and the like.
 
Unique to the ASOT-01 is its "live edge identifier" knob at three quarters along the length of the handle. This enables the user to quickly identify the position of the single-sided cutting edge by feel. Good for in the dark, or when your blade is obscured. I really liked this feature, it made for a fast steady draw as well as keeping it firmly in the right orientation.
 
 

The personalised mounting provided with the ASOT is based on the ambidextrous kydex sheath it comes with along with Tek-Lok and Molle-Lok mounting options. Customised for vertical, horizontal or angled wear the mounting is further expanded by the provision of eyelet holes along both sides of the sheath to facilitate alternative attachment to the body or gear with paracord, cable ties or the like.
 
With its low profile design which allows the tool to be sandwiched on or behind magazine/accessory pouches, or horizontally along the belt line to maintain optimum concealment and retention. However, the sheath adds considerable width, which limits where you can place it somewhat, but not so much as to be impossible.
 
Made from 6mm (0.236") D2 tool steel stock, it can withstand some substantial impact without loss of sharpness. Halfway down the sharp edge, serrations have been cut into the blade to aid in the performance for more demanding cutting tasks.
 
 
The blade is 100 mm (3.93") long, with an overall length of 198 mm (7.79") and 27 mm (1.06") wide. When its its widest, it's 40 mm (1.57") wide. The blade with it's G10 handles weighs in at 120 g (0.26 lb) which is not bad for the size it is. The D2 steel is thick, and dense, but the very narrow throat and ringed end.
 
In its friction locked sheath, its 205 mm (8.07") long, and 60 mm (2.36") wide and weighs in at 160 g (0.35 lb). Again, the width makes it much more like a belt knife rather than the dagger effect of the SOCP.
 
The ASOT-01 is a non-prohibited design, single edged but ready to grind down on the back side of the blade, something the guys at Platatac have told me that Operational Operators Operating have been known to do. As always with this kind of knife, please check your local State laws in relation to knife ownership and carry.
 
[EDIT - 26/2/2016]
The good folks at Hardcore Hardware Australia dropped me a line with several words of caution, and I'm only too happy to agree with them -
 
"Josh, we do not advocate the re-grinding of our tools; such practices void HHA’s warranty. What you are suggesting in your review in this regard also constitutes a breach of Victoria State Law; I would be inclined to re-think this approach. Thank you in advance for your co-operation. HHA"
 
I'd rather touch-up a paining in a gallery with a crayon than re-grind one of their blades myself, it's nerve-wracking enough to sharpen them right.
 

Review: TrueUtility - FIXR

This is a fun little tool that was sent to me by the folks at True Utility, who stock all number of nifty gadgets and gizmos. I've been keeping it in my pocket along with my pocket EDC for the last few months, finding uses here and there, and I thought I might tell you a little about it here.

It's only a little tool, and only fit for small tasks, but there are times when only a small tool is required and having something that is "just so" is all you need.

This is the20 tools in 1 FIXR by True Utility.

Constructed of a black titanium coated, 422 grade stainless steel with a silver stainless steel disc, rotating on sprung stainless steel ball bearings - The FIXR is a flat, light, strong, and definitely useful tool.

Formed around a wire-gated carabiner, it will clips to a variety of narrow loops, hooks and straps and is always ready for use, with a considerable array of tools crammed within a very small small space. The brass rotating tool plate serves to protect and keep all the tools safe when the FIXR is not in use.

It simply twists with a push of the thumb on its sprung bearings to click definitively into set positions to use the driver bits, nail cleaner, extra sockets, razor sharp cutter and wire stripper.

A full breakdown of the tools is:

1. Wire-gated carabiner
2. Bottle Opener
3. Nail Cleaner
4. Large Flat Screwdriver
5. Medium Flat Screwdriver
6. Small Flat Eyeglass Screwdriver
7. Medium Phillips Screwdriver
8. Small Phillips Screwdriver
9. 14mm Spanner/Wrench
10. 12mm Spanner/Wrench
11. 10mm Spanner/Wrench
12. 8mm Spanner/Wrench
13. 6mm Spanner/Wrench
14. Bicycle Spoke Wrench
15. Cutting Blade
16. Wire Stripper (by combining the blade with the notch of the tool disk)
17. cm Ruler
18. Box Opener
19. Pry Bar
20. File

I would have put the file along one of the thin edges so you could use it as a metal-cutting tool, but it certainly works to round off any rough edges of things you might find bothering you. Wire, glass, ceramic, fingernails or teeth, it's surprisingly bitey.

The FIXR has proven itself worth the space it takes in my pocket, and I've mended a number of things, opened packages, and pried a few stuck items with it. Smaller than a multitool but still packing a fair number of useful items in one little package, if you want a "forget about it till you need it" tool this certainly fits the bill.

Wish-Lust: Kickstarter - PACE lid

 I love modular and multi-purpose kit, and if I can get and everyday piece of equipment like a drink bottle to do double duty adds a significant thumbs-up from me.

This Kickstarter project, from GoRuck badass, and innovating outdoorsman, Chris Way.



This is the PACE lid, and it's Kickstarter is underway.

PACE stands for Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency. When planning for events in life you have to expect that unforeseen things may happen and knowing this is empowering.

The container in the PACE lid is 300mL (10oz), it's deep enough for an ID or credit card as well as a variety of other gear.

The container is 7.6cm (3") in diameter and 5.7cm (2.25") inches deep. There's a small well around the perimeter that can secure items vertically and in place if they are bent, like cards, matches, other gear items. It's a feature Chris designed in and finds very useful in certain loading particular items in.

So far Chris and his team have tested the PACE lid and found it forms a water tight seal on wide mouth Nalgene, Klean Kanteen, Hydroflask, and MSR bottles.   I have a couple of Nalgene's so their perfect for me.

The prototypes seen here are apparently 3D printed, but the production models will be tooled plastics.

As well as the lids themselves, Chris is offering a pre-filled First Aid PACE, stocked with products from MedTraining Group, who specialize in non-permissive First Response fitting and training. 

If you're super keen, high-end backers can also get training and adventure time with the PACE team, so there are all kinds of benefits to backing this project, big or small.

For me though, it's all about the lids, and stowing my gear, wherever I go.

Be sure to check it out and hopefully, we can get it over the line.

Review: Outdoor Gourmet Company - Butter Chicken instant meal

I wanted to try out a variety of instant meals, in a more controlled environment before risking them on an expedition. I find that there can be all kinds of hidden or unknown complications with gear, and one thing I don't want to take chances with in the field is my food.

I selected a couple of different brands on offer, (two I picked up in my walk-in of Kathmandu's store) and wanted to give them all a go, and report how they went.

Read the rest of the review on Breach Bang & Clear here:

Wish-Lust: ZyntonyRa light Strips

Ok, I was contacted by the people from Zyntony, who had launched a bad-assed light Kickstarter, and not had it make its threshold,  but they are back with a brand new product, that has already surpassed it's threshold, by 287% at time of writing, but I wanted to give them some more bandwidth with the info from their press-release.

Their new offering, the Zyntony Ra is a game-changing light for outdoor adventure enthusiasts that is designed to light up the entire area around you instead of just a spot in front of you.

At full power, Ra puts out 800 lumens of warm natural light. A pair of Ra attached to the shoulder straps of a backpack boast a staggering 1,600 lumens of light creating a “zone of daylight” around the wearer. “This is brighter than ten good headlamps”, one of the founders exclaimed in their release. He continued: “We named the light Ra after the Egyptian god who carries the sun across the sky because carrying one of these lights is like carrying a piece of the sun with you.”

I've covered similar strip lighting projects before, in the PackLight but the Ra is a step beyond.

Multiple mounting options enable Ra to be attached almost anywhere. The user can fix it to any ferrous object using the built-in rare-earth magnets. Ra can be attached to nearly any article of clothing using the accompanying magnetic backer strip, just by slipping the backer-strip under the outer-layer of clothing, and the Ra snaps into place magnetically. Using the D-ring strap and simple hook and loop ties, Ra can be fastened to virtually any piece of gear.

Each of the emitters can put out well over 500 lumens each. So in theory, the light could put out over 2,500 lumens. However, they are only running them at slightly over 1/4 power. Zyntony state they do this for several reasons:

First, is that the emitters are way more efficient - (in that they have a much higher lumens-per-watt output) at lower power. This means that you get a brighter light and longer battery life compared to a light that only has one or two emitters.

Second, by running them at lower power, their life is significantly extended to the point that they will virtually last forever (immortal buyers beware...).

Third, multiple emitters allow for each one to have a separate light dispersion pattern. This allows a less complex and more cost-effective way to balance light spread vs. throw, especially good given its area-effect design principle.

And fourth, by having multiple emitters running at lower power, you can spread out your heat dissipation, also especially useful if you're wearing it.


Ra is powered via a micro-USB input. Zyntony makes four different sizes of battery packs allowing the flexibility to carry just the power you need or as much as you want.

The Ra is designed to be lightweight to facilitate attaching it wherever you want so there is no internal power. It must be powered via USB. By connecting to a power pack via the USB, Ra has the flexibility where you can select a small BatPak for just the power you need or a larger one for as much power as you want. And you can connect up to three Ra's to BatPak II, BatPak III and BatPak IV. That flexibility supports a lot of different mounting options.

Zyntony are planning to certify the Ra to IPX7 which means it is submersible to 1 meter. It will certainly withstand the rain. The USB ports are the biggest challenge they are facing in this but by planning to use rubber boots/escutcheons on both Ra and the BatPaks, it should be waterproof as long as you use the Zyntony USB cable and power pack.

I'm really looking forwards to seeing what they can do when I get a set in-hand, but for mow, their on my wish-lust list!


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/zyntony/ra-worlds-first-strap-light/description

Crumpler - Squid stuff-satchel

It's been quite some time since I added a new Crumpler bag to my collection. Back in 2012 I covered the New Year lucky red Hillman Hunter which was originally meant to be a new satchel for Omega, but seemed to fall into the role of "Tactical Baby" nappy bag.

Prior to that I had covered a Thirsty Al utility pouch and one of the John Thursday camera bags but my first love with Crumpler was their Considerable Embarrassment laptop and courier satchel. I loved that bag. I loved it to death. Crumpler offer a serious lifetime guarantee on their bags, but I had started finding my EDC was getting too much for a shoulder-sling bag to be comfortable lugging, so I moved to twin-shoulder strapped bags.

So, I've following along as new developments come along in the Crumpler line-up, and as Giftmas approached, I spotted a really good deal on their stuff-sack, The Squid.

The Squid is a lightweight, versatile drawstring backpack. It reminded me of the very slick First Strike - Snatch Bag ii  but obviously with a fair bit more marketing and design nuance put in.

The Squid features two storage zones, the main compartment holds 20L and is closed by the dual-coloured extra-thick drawstrings, and a smaller zippered front pocket. That front pocket was big enough to carry my Propper Liberty bottle,  although not enough to zipper it up. The internals of the main compartment are spacious but lacks any internal structure.

The pack is made of a weatherproof 150d ripstop outer fabric which has a very nice texture, and a fairly reliably water resistant. Spills and sloshes seem to run right off it.

Lightweight at only 200g (7oz) and compact, there are no frills, bells or whistles to get in the way of its simplicity. It sits at 28 cm (11.02") wide, and 43 cm (16.93") tall width a depth of  22 cm (8.66"). It easily fits a Nalgene bottle, and the combined Go! Hammock and Go! Apex shelter tarp
easily. The lack of structure means that the pack gets a bit lumpy, but it certainly makes for an easy carry when you don't have to lug a whole ruck around.

It would be perfect for stashing gym or beach gear, groceries, or supplies for a quick bug-out if you hadn't already prepared a bug-out-bag. Equal parts simple and useful.

When slung, the Squid holds itself shut, as the drawstrings also form the shoulder straps. Under a heavy load, they don't offer much padding, but again, it isn't meant to be a full-on ruck.

One of the nice things about its design is that the zipper pocket's internal attachment is sewn such that the whole bag folds up into itself and stows away in a bundle the size of two coffee mugs.

I'm going to be using the Squid as my wet-gear bag, and as an occasional snatch-and-grab bag. I respect and admire the Crumpler products, so I think it will serve me well.

Review: HHA Razorback CQC knife

Following up from my recent review of the ZU Bladeworx FFSA knife loaned to me by a friend, I wanted to do this second blade he was kind enough to sling my way, the equally interesting HHA Razorback CQC. I'm a big fan of the chunky and no-nonsense badassness of the Hardcore Hardware designs, especially the LFK blades that my partner Omega and I both have an example of  as well as the TWI pen that is in my EDC.

It was really interesting to see what HHA are calling their "first signature blade in the fighting arts genre," but I'll give it the same caveat that I gave the FFSA, this kind of knife is not the kind of tool I've trained and sparred with in the limited knife-fighting training I have done, but I'm happy to tell you that it is certainly an impressive piece of steel.

Featuring the same 6mm (0.236") thick, full tang, D2 tool steel blade, as all the HHA blades this back-swept, double re-curved blade features two hollow ground faces on the sharp edge, and another on the spine of the blade.

HHA report that it is engineered for slashing, thrusting and trapping, and designed for the same type of the reverse grip as might be used in Arnis (but again, it's not my martial field of expertise).

The combination of live and non-live edges however makes the Razorback gives you the opportunity for both both offensive and defensive techniques. For expanding on those blunt force, defensive striking and less-than-lethal applications, the Razorback also has an extended glass breaker, strike/hammer pommel, in keeping with their other designs.

A large finger notch is devised to ensure a secure grip to increase weapon retention substantially, and I found it rested in the edge of the hand really nicely in that reverse grip.

The knife is 235 mm (9.25") overall, with 115 mm (4.52") of that being the blade, and is 368 g (0.81 lb) of hungry steel and G10.

To reduce grip weight and optimize balance, both the tang and handle scales have been skeletonized, with a cavity in the handle which could easily double as a hidden storage space for emergency items. However, those scales are secured with Torx screw all steel fittings, so you might find it difficult to pull of a Jason Bourne style recovery without that particular driver.

I found the backwards sweep of the blade a little difficult to adjust to, mostly because I wasn't sure of the arcs it was offering me, but it certainly felt good in the hand whilst moving it around.  I imagine in a practiced set of hands it would be extremely dangerous.
When held in a forwards grip, the blade was no less dangerous feeling, and I certainly didn't have any trouble cutting with it, though I didn't care for the broad double-recurve  of the edge and handle combination.  No fault of the knife, it's just engineered the way I like a knife to be.

With its ambidextrous Kydex sheath, with a Tek-Lok belt mounting system it can be customised in vertical, horizontal or angled positions to suit your rig, or even lashed via eyelets. It also comes paired with a BlueGun style HIVIZ blue trainer, which matches the blade in weight at 369 g (0.81 lb), but with thoroughly safe edges and points. I'd have no qualms training with it, and letting enthusiastic people pretend to do me harm whilst getting better at using the real thing. 

All in all, the Razorback is a substantial, solid, scary-looking and well thought out blade, that just isn't right for me.

Review : Klecker KLAX Lumberjack axe

I finally received my KLAX Kickstarter axe-head in the mail, after languishing I development hell for a while, getting the engineering tweeked. The KLAX is a multi-tool built into the head of an ax.  It allows you to attach the ax head to a handle quickly in the field.  It uses the nested clamping system shown here.   The clamps rotate out from the handle for use. The multifunction options are what really drew to me to the KLAX, and I was very curious to see how the fold-away stow-away option worked.

The Lumberjack is the Klecker high-end stainless steel model with the most features. The first three models are all made from heat treated SUS420J2 stainless steel which is perfectly balanced for keeping an edge and maintaining strength. Klecker do offer a Gucci, titanium version of the Lumberjack model as well, but I wanted to stick to steel for a hatchet head.

The Lumberjack features, as well as a fairly broad axe head, an Ulu knife blade, a hammer head,
cutting/gut hook, a set of skeletonized hex wrench set (19mm, 15mm, 13mm, 12mm, 10mm, 8mm), as well as a 1/4” hex bit driver socket, an inch ruler along the hammer-head, a lanyard hole and an inset wire-gate carabiner (which can be used to clip the sheathed axe-head to the outside of a pack) and a bottle-opener (mate!), all coupled with their Patent Pending clamping system.

The hardness of the axe is around 48-52 HRc. The purpose of this hardness level is to give it the strength it needs to work as an axe but keep it from being too hard. Too hard, and you risk chipping and shattering. 

The clamps are centered on a 1/4"-28 threaded bolt shaft which requires over 450kg (1000lbs) of load to shear it, so you're talking a fair amount of chopping to risk that.

The "front" clamp is threaded and rides along the threaded section of the bolt shaft. It is activated from its stowed position by rotating the nut at the back. When the head is inserted into the handle, it is screwed down and clamped in place by turning the knob the other way.

The "rear" clamp rotates out of the handle and is spring loaded to drop into a notch specially shaped to hold it in place. Once the clamp is tightened, it cannot be turned, bent, or otherwise moved until you loosen the system with the nut.

The KLAX is cut from a 5/16" thick SUS420J2 piece of steel plate with a water jet and then machined to add the side bevels, the caribiner pocket and the cutting edges on axe blade.

The clamps themselves are also 5/16" thick and are extremely rugged as well. Like the head, the clamps are heat treated in order to increase their strength considerably.

The clamps are working correctly when they are seated in the handle notches and have been fully "seated".

To seat the clamps into the handle,   its just a matter of tightening the nut, hitting the axe a few times (blade or hammer, it doesn't matter,) the first few times you use it, and tighten the clamps as tight as you can by hand.

Repeating the process, until the head is secure and then it is ready to go. Given the transitory nature of the attachment, it makes good sense to  to check the head periodically and re-tighten as needed.

Kleker suggest that typically it will no longer loosen after about five minutes of use, but make sure to check it anyway.

I've had some fun chopping wood and things with it thus far, and it certainly seems like a great back-up axe to stow in the outside pockets of a hiking pack, and even without the custom fitted hardwood handle, taking the Lumberjack into the field allows you to use a locally sourced piece of wood,trimmed and split with the ulu blade, and then slid over the head. The clamps just need the roughest of notches for the clamps to seat into, and the self-compressing nature of the clamps will pinch down a split log to give an extra tight grip.

I haven't had a chance to try this out yet, and Klecker recommend only using filed-expedient handles when needed, as they can't be readily depended on, but it sounds like a fun activity.

So, all in all, the KLAX succeeds in providing a very useful tool to use in a pinch. It will do a good job at a lot of small tasks, but won't replace a full sized dedicated tool but packs a lot into a small package. Just my kind of multi-function tool.Check them out at this years NSSF SHOT show, on right now.

Find one on Amazon here: