Review: Smart Wrench

Here's a little tool that I backed on Kickstarter, and was really expecting big things from. The idea was elegantly simple. A CNC milled titanium ratcheting wrench, with storage for additional drivers built-in the housing. 

It was a relatively small project, and only had low numbers, due in no small measure I suspect to the high price, but at the time I was flush, and eager to add some more multi-capable titanium tools to my collection.

The development was a bit slow, but we had design and prototype pictures along the way, and this is often the case with first-time Kickstarters, so I didn't worry much. Eventually, the tool arrived, and I was really impressed with the beauty of the thing. Smooth lines, lovely graduations and a very smooth screw-on tool housing in the handle. The tool bits were also very nicely produced, and nested really well, without any significant rattle when fully stowed.

The bits included are: 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm hex bits, and a flathead bit, all CNC turned from the same Grade 5 titanium alloy (commonly known as Ti6Al4V) as the rest of the tool.

The extender bar that marries to each of the bits to the wrench body has a rubber o-ring on the tool-mating head, as well as the two sides where the extended marries to the wrench. These bind the bits to the bar, and the bar to the tool by friction, some other users commented eu were disappointed that a ball-bearing indent attachment wasn't offered, but it seems to work well enough for me.

The ratchet has a cute engraving to indicate the direction of ratcheting to use, but here is where the tools biggest fault lies. The ratchet slips extensively, and either doesn't catch at all, or slips under what I would call "normal use" in hand tightening or loosening bolts, screws and the like. 

I was really disappointed with this, and it seems my fellow backers were too. Such a beautifuly put together tool, and when it comes to the primary action, such a disappointment. With some angling, you can get a better or worse ratcheting action, but even then, it's barely functional. 

Considering I'd want to be using for small electronics and devices access, where bolts are often held in with Loctite glue, and need a fair amount of delicately applied torque to initially shift. Outstanding ergonomic and practical design, such a let down for the functional basis of the tool.

Events: Nagasaki 70 years on

What if the 1945 "Fat Man" bomb was dropped on Melbourne today?

Following on from my "Trinity Day" post a few short weeks ago, a chilling reminder. It is now 70 years ago since, on August 9th, 1945, at 11:01:47am the Fat Man bomb exploded some 500m above Nagasaki, Japan, outright killing between approximately 39,000 and 80,000 people. The blast was estimated at around 20kt, and it set fires through the mostly wood and paper construction of the city that left it devastated, even before the radiation effects began to manifest.

What if a 10kt "dirty bomb" was detonated in downtown Melbourne?

Some very clever people at Stevens Institute of Technology, namely nuclear historian Alex Wellerstein developed  “NukeMap” which allows you to overlap various atomic and nuclear events over a regular GoogleMaps view. You've seen this kind of effect with the Sea-Levels which I discussed in my Rising Sea-Levels post. The NukeMap application demonstrates the estimated (and extrapolated from actual tests) effects of these weapons on built-up areas, including "Fireball radius", "20psi Air Blast radius", "5psi Air Blast radius", Radiation Radius" and "Thermal Radiation Radius", each with a descriptor of the kinds of damages you could expect to see, and survivability of those effects.

What if the currently deployed 800kt Russian "Topol SS-25" ICBM munition was dropped on Melbourne?

It also then overlays that with estimated population density in the areas covered by the various zones, and estimates immediate fatalities, and injuries. For explosions of either sufficient size, or proximity to the ground to kick up fallout (high air-busts hit harder, and wider, but don't kick up as much fallout, it's inefficient to do so, apparently), NukeMaps will also plot prevailing winds and density of fallout.

What if the currently deployed 800kt Russian "Topol SS-25" ICBM munition was detonated in downtown Melbourne?

You can pick your location, and from a variety of historically documented devices, from the North Korean tests, Pakistani and Indianweapons, the Trinity and WW2 bombs, all the way up through the Cold War era tests and production weapons, from estimated improvised terrorist weapons to the state-irradiating Tsar Bomba weapon.

Its a very sobering tool to visualize both the destructive capacity we have been capable of for the past 80 years, but also as a reminder of how fortunate we are to have only ever had these forces brought to bare in anger only twice.

Review: Platatac - S&M Side Opening Pouch

I follow a couple of gear swap-buy-sell groups online, and every now and then something comes up that piques my interest. The last time was my Condor Plate Carrier, which I've enjoyed running in at a few events, and was value for money second hand, for my purposes. A bonus from that deal was the carrier had a couple of extra pouches that the guy "threw into the deal". One of these was the pretty recent Platatac S&M Side opening pouch. I hadn't thought to get one of these of its own merit, but having had one in my collection now, I can see this may have been a mistake.

One of the first things I noted was that it looked quite different to my other Platatac pouches, which mostly run into the magazine pouch category, but certainly had the same quality of construction that I'd expect of their products. Constructed of 1000d Cordura, and double stitched throughout. The big-enough to be strong, small enough to keep grit out No.10 YKK zipper wraps around three of the four sides, but interestingly, not top to bottom, but from the side. The twin zipper pulls are equipped with nylon extenders which are grippy, but snag-free.


One of the things I really liked about this design is that the front panel has a broad lip, that can completely wrap over the zipper, giving you a fully Cordura enclosure, even of the pouch isn't fully zipped up, and eliminating rattle, and giving further dust and water protection. Inside, the pouch measures 15cm (6") x 10cm (4") x 4.5cm (1.75"), giving you quite a lot of capacity for personal electronics, like a GPS unit, strobes, a survival tin or small medical kit, or even snacks or drinks.

The internal of the pouch only has one feature in particular, a wide, broad band of elastic webbing, too big for the strobes I have, but perfect for a 600mL bottle sized item. No extra flaps, pockets or anything to get in the way. One thing that was obvious though is that all the seams were really well finished off, no bare edges or seams to catch or fray. The non-zipper side features a big chunky drainage grommet, which even though it's on a vertical face, gives a good headphone jack access point, or dummy-cord lashing point.

Attachment is via twin channel PALS/MOLLE straps and takes three rows, to give a pretty solid connection. The "handedness" of the pouch is simply governed by flipping the way you attach the pouch, with the PALS/MOLLE connectors feeding "up" rather than "down" to have the opening side either way. I've been using this pouch on my baby-poo khaki-green gear, and Multcam, but threw it onto my black pack for contrast, but really, it's smooth lines and snag free profile don't really make it stand out. Perfect for all your small S&M needs. Cuffs and gags, anyone?

Reblogging: Target as a bug-out-locaton

My awesome partner Omega is constantly on the lookout for articles and gear for me. She turned up a great one, from Kayla of Chicago who has a Tumblr blog. Kayla came up with a very similar assessment for Target as a bug-out-location as I have done for Bunnings, and Ikea


If there was a zombie apocalypse the best place to go would be Target.
Lets look at the facts:

• Targets have at maximum 3 windows. And those windows are also doors. Otherwise they are giant concrete cinder-blocks of prison like retail. 
• Target is filled with things to quickly barricade those window-doors. such as entire gazebos, lawn furniture, exercise equipment, etc. 
• From that point forward all you have to do is worry about the zombies that are inside.

 Follow the rest of Kyla's post here:
http://kaylapocalypse.tumblr.com/post/121358772274/if-there-was-a-zombie-apocalypse-the-best-place

Too much pistol?

Do you own a pistol? If so, I'd love to hear your feelings about it. I don't, as legislative requirements (and costs, to be fair) to do so are more than I want to go through for what would be for me, just a hobby. However, I know that some of you readers do, so I have some honest questions for you, regarding how, what and why. I'd love to hear your stories, and to report them back in a future article, with your permission.
What it come down to is:
How much pistol is too much pistol?


-"I'm looking for a really big gun, that holds a lot of bullets" - Kuffs (1992)

what is your current go-to pistol?
what caliber and cartridge, and was this a deciding feature?
what is your motivation to own a firearm?
what was your motivation to carry a firearm?
do you open-carry, concealed-carry or store-secure?
what features of your pistol made it appealing for your use?
what training have you had?
what regular training do you perform?

Feel free to comment below, or send me an email at
Apocalypseequipped@gmail.com if you'd like to answer some, any or all of those questions for me to use in an upcoming article.

Wish Lust: Bomber Paracord Keychains

I'm a big fan of paracord, not only as a rope for binding, tying, strapping, load-lifting and shoe-lacing, but also as a construction material.

I also love my Kickstarter community, and was contacted by Sarah Buckley of Bomber & Company who wanted me to look over their current project, the firestarter-paracord-bracelet-and-keychain set.

They offer two paracord items, a keychain, with a H&K style metal clip , a split ring keychain and 1.5m of paracord, woven in a Portugese Sinnet / Solomon Bar style construction, and most uniquely, includes a small bar of ferrocerium firestarter woven into the cord, it weighs a mear 35g so isn't going to add much to your load.

The bracelet is equipped with 3m of paracord, in a 19-22cm loop and offers the same firestarting capabilities as the keychain, swapping out the H&K clip for a steel washer to terminate one end, and the ferrocerium bar to "button" the bracelet closed. The washer becomes the striker for the firestarter. the bracelet weighs in at only 20g.

Due to popular demand, Bomber & Company are also bringing back the Bomber Barrel Duffle bag Set along with th Bracelet and Keychain rewards in this Kickstarter campaign.

The complete Bomber Set includes the original Bomber Barrel Duffle Bag, Mini Bomber Travel Kit, Bomber Survival Bracelet, and Bomber Survival Paracord Keychain.  Well worth the look-in.

All of the original tooling and pattern costs have been set up. Now, they're just in need of funding to get started on the new production runs.

I like the looks of the keychain, and bracelet, especially the inclusion of firestarting functionality. They certainly look like an easy and unobtrusive way to keep some in your person, and are totally waterproof.

Keep your eyes on Bomber & Company, they may be small, but I think they'll be coming up with more products as interest grows.

Reblogging: Focus on the 25M target.

I came across an article by John Mosby, who is a U.S. military veteran and current instructor, who's school covers a range of hooah courses such as: Combat Rifle, Clandestine Carry Pistol, Grid-Down Medical Care, Security Patrolling, Close-Quarters, Battle (CQB)/Fighting in Built-Up Areas and Vehicle-Based Patrolling

I don't have any personal experience with the fellow (or in-truth the kind of courses he offers) but I do have some experience with the mindset he has. The article in question relates to situational awareness, and he occasional propensity of people who either should know better, or at least present a front of should have known better to be less than attentive. 

https://mountainguerrilla.wordpress.com/2015/07/28/focus-on-the-25m-target/

Mr Mosby has some honest opinions around people's physique that I might not have expressed the same way, but he's entitled to his opinion and probably knows better when it comes to the physical requirements and standards certain callings should have.  This said, I find his observations on people's behaviour very telling.

I may well be one of the gear-collecting, Dungeons & Dragons playing types who needs to do more realistic training  fundamentals well before I move on to being a Delta Force, Ranger, MASOC operator, but I think we can all agree, we could all do well to "hone the edges on your ax." 

Me in D&D mode. 

ApocalypseEquipped: Review: ITS ETA (Med kit (basic)

ApocalypseEquipped: Review: ITS ETA (Med kit (basic): As first seen (well, apart from a teaser) on Breach, Bang & Clear ....   I was so excited to see this tucked away in the corner of my...

Review: ITS ETA (Med kit (basic)

As first seen (well, apart from a teaser) on Breach, Bang & Clear .... 

I was so excited to see this tucked away in the corner of my Propper package, because I've had a lot of trouble trying to get one sent to me, due to the specific rules surrounding selling the Z-Medica QuickClot Combat Gauze  as an export.

This is the ETA Trauma Kits in Fatboy which is designed to fit into the ITS Fatboy Trauma Kit Pouches, but can also be either sealed or broken down for easy access to the individual components, or stowed as is, in its heavy duty vacuum sealed ziplock bag. They’re also well suited for cargo pockets if you’re not going to be keeping it in a pouch for storage.


The ITS team who put their expertise together to develop the kits select every item in the ETA Kit carefully to complement the others and serve multiple purposes. They make several different versions. The Basic, Standard and the MIL/LE ONLY version, as well as new International version, with concessions to Z-Medica's export policy.

Here's what is in the kit that I received, the Basic, with a stock photo from ITS, as I didn't want to pop the seal on mine (bad reviewer, I know).

Basic Contents

• QuikClot Combat Gauze LE (1)
• HALO Chest Seal (2)
• Pressure Dressing (1 — 4″)
• Elastic Bandage (1 — 4″)
• Z-Fold Dressing (1)
• Combat Casualty Card (1)
• Nitrile Gloves (1 Pair)
• Pencil (1)
• Contents List w/ TCCC Care Under Fire Instructions (on reverse) (1)

 The kit is sterile when sealed (which is why I didn't want to bust mine open), and ITS also stock an "inert" training version, for those who want to train how they fight, and fight how they train.

The slightly more substantial "Standard" kit also features

• MojoDart Decompression Needle (1)
• Nasopharyngeal Airway (NPA) Adj. 28fr (1)

Which are a couple of things you'd really be wanting some medical training before using, thats not just patching boo-boo's and plugging holes.

The MIL/LE ONLY replaces the Basic/Standard QuikClot Z-Fold Combat Gauze LE with the more specialised Z-Fold Combat Gauze (w/ X-Ray Detectable Strip — Green Package). The International Kits feature an international version of QuikClot Gauze.
The FatBoy med kits hit very snugly into a two-magazine Platatac FUP pouch which is my gold-standard for pouches, but has an easy-access fit in their slightly larger WUP pouches.

I will be packing the ETA FatBoy with me on all adventures from now on, and it's a good reminder for me to chase up refreshing my FirstAid certification too. This is a great kit, dense, well thought out and packaged and appointed. Lets hope I never need to stop a sucking-chest wound, but if I do, having a kit like this might well make all the difference.

ITS also stock all the same contents in their "TallBoy"kit but stacked long, rather than wide, because it's not always about girth. If you really just need a pocket-sized pal, the EDC Trauma Kit might be more your style.

If you don't feel you'll often be responding to trauma, but rather more minor injuries, you might consider the ITS Boo-Boo kit, or, if you're like me and have multiple kids, and occasionally stab yourself in the leg with a sword, the slightly larger Boo-BooPLUS kit might suit your needs. 

Web store now ONLINE

I am very pleased to announce that I have opened a webstore, and will over the next little while be stocking it with a variety of tactical and survival type goodies.

I will be adding more stock as time goes on, and reviewing as I go.

There will be things I have covered her, as well as other things I have yet to review, but worthwhile adding to your supplies.

Follow the link and look it over.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions, and I'll see what I can manage about stocking it with the needfuls YOU have in mind!

www.tacticalcoyote.com

Review: BokerPlus - Automat Kalashnikov 11 knife

This is one of the few folders I have in my collection, and it was one that I got on a whim, and sort of never put into high rotation. However, it has some features and aspects I thought I'd share, AND it is the one that I am stocking my Bug-Out-Jar kits with.

I have two other folders in my collection, my EDC CRKT K.I.S.S. , my other Boker, the 343 Scalpel folder or my trusty old Shelham clasp knife . None of these are as chunky as the BokerPlus AK 11. 

The sturdy handle features textured solid billet aluminium scales over the liner lock frame. Normally I don't go in for flashy looking scales, but I overlooked these this time because of the functionality of the thumb flipper and the strap cutter.

It is a liner-lock style folder, with both the liner, and the lock being stainless steel. The blade itself  is a black coated, 440C stainless steel tanto tip. The integrated seatbelt cutter in the hilt is built into the folder side, rather than the spine side, so can't be accidentally deployed unless the main blade is already out.

The steel frame also ends in a lanyard hole and glass breaker pommel even more functionality. With an overall length of 20cm (8"), with 8cm (3.3") being the blade and 12cm (4.7")being handle, and with it's all-metal construction, weighing in at 185g (6.5oz) the knife is a very solid tool in the hand.

The thumb-flipper on the spine becomes a nice finger guard when deployed, and the crenelations on both the spine of the blade and scales gives a positive grip, even on its all-metal frame. The bullet shaped inset on the back of the blade gives you a secondary flipping point, if the back thumb-flipper isn't your thing.

The action of of the locking mechanism, which is locked in place but the liner, also has a tension bar inside the scale. This, in conjunction with the thumb-flipper, gives you an assisted deployment of the blade. Check local regulations where you live restrict that kind of thing. Know your local laws. 

The release is really snappy, and will open the blade all the way in a moment. Great for single handed use, or in an emergency when fine-motor skills are at a premium.

I tried out the blade and the strap cutter on some 1" webbing. The blade worked really well, but the hook-cutter needed some getting used to as it is a single straight edge rather than a hook like on the Gerber Crisis Hook. 

This is a solid, and well put together blade, and I think its well suited to sitting as a backup blade, which is why I wanted to have it in the Bug-Out-Jars.

Bio: a little about me

I've been interested in both cataclysmic disaster and preparedness since I was little. Growing up, my family moved extensively. My fathers work (petroleum geology) moved us from well-site, to well-site, and I had never lived in any given country for longer than 3 years until I was 16. Being a full time expatriate and part time nomad, and living in Texas and Colorado in the US, Surrey in the UK, Gabon in west Africa, Dubai in the UAE, New South Wales and Victoria in Australia and Alberta in Canada, as well as holidaying through Europe, Africa, South East Asia, the Pacific and the Middle East I have been exposed to not only a variety of cultures, but also conditions and experiences.

"Pack what you can carry" and "eat like a local" were two of the early travel and lifestyle choices that were instilled in me.

I remember living in the UK when both the IRA bombings were a frequent specter, as well as the Faulklands War, exciting in the UK in the way only 6 year olds truly appreciate. I picked up my first "survival guide" in "How to Survive" whilst at school there. I also received my first large Swiss Army Knife. 

Long distance travel, the tail end of the Cold War, as well as airplane hijackings and bombings as well as my fathers (whispered) Vietnam War experiences gave my dual citizenship (US/Aus) more meaning. Is was probably brought into further focus when whilst living in the pre-Gulf War Dubai, when Iraq invaded Kuwait whilst I was on holidays, in both the US and UK, and I couldn't "go home".

Even when we did, in the build-up of "Desert Shield" I was shown how to drive the newly acquired 4wd, we stocked up on supplies and had a go-bad, and my parents told me "if it goes bad, take your [10 year old] sister, and drive to Oman". I was 14. That puts a slant on your world views, I can tell you.

Eventually, we were sent to Calgary, New Year's Eve, and I watched "Desert Shield" become "Desert Storm" on CNN in -45C. Outdoor-Ed in Junior High was again an eye opening and awakening moment in preparedness, that never left me: I'd now lived in jungles, deserts, sub-zero conditions and some of the biggest cities in the world, as well as some crappy places too.

I followed my roleplaying through tabletop classics, miniature gaming, LRP in both fantasy and MilSim as well as my university and workplace career in microbiology and hospital science, then into hospital IT and project management.

I took up kendo whilst at university, and have achieved a respectable grade (3rd Dan) and competed at club, state and national levels. I've supplemented this with smatterings of other arts when my friends and I have pooled knowledge. I've climbed, taken up kayaking, and camp as often as family logistics will allow. I run to stay fit and build my endurance, and walk, take the stairs and carry my burdens in a pack to condition myself.


Earthquakes, forest and grass fires, floods, hurricanes, cyclones, civil unrest, international travel, blizzards,  lions, oh my. I've come to see preparedness as a lifestyle. Whether it is getting my family out of a full blown disaster, or helping someone fix their umbrella in the rain, I have striven to be Equipped, for any encounter.

I live in Melbourne, Australia, where the infrastructure of government is sound, and the legislature is relaxed. It's very pleasant and moderate here. We have a very functional social support system, including healthcare, and very little violent crime. I've lived in some places where these were not the case. I don't have any particular fears for the future, but if something comes, I hope to be ready to face it.

I've really enjoyed being asked to write first for KitUp!, then later on RecoilWeb and most prolifically for Breach Bang & Clear. It's been a real privilege.  

 

 #1086797

Wish Lust: Platatac - BF pack

Early last year I popped into Platatac HQ in Hallam and shot the breeze with BDC himself. He took me through the warehouse, and the factory, where all their in-house kit is constructed.

One of the things he showed me was the then as-yet unreleased BF Pack,
and I was pretty impressed. I then saw them again having been given prominent display at the SSAA SHOT Show this year, and whilst I haven;t managed to pick one up myself, I wanted to get a bit of a Wish-Lust review out there for you all, as they look like a really innovative pack.

The BF pack is designed as a short patrol pack, with key features to cover a variety of soldiering needs.

It would provides every soldier with a personal TACEVAC litter, SSE bag and room to enhance mission capability as needed, according to Platatac.

The main feature that sets this pack apart form anything I've seen previously is a lightweight TACEVAC litter, capable of carrying a soldier and his equipment, out of harms way for further treatment, built right into the pack.

Pic swiped from Platatac

The pack itself is comparable to that of other short patrol packs like the Propper UC pack I recently covered , measuring 46cm (18") x 27cm (10") x 9cm (3.5") internally but encompassing an expanding  SSE pocket allowing quick stowage of documents or extra equipment to further your load capacity. This is stored away behind zippered flaps, and cinching compression straps and topped with a hook-and-loop cover flap to keep it secure.

Pic swiped from Platatac

When those straps are unhooked, I wonder how well the fabric of the SSE pocket holds up against the load of the front of the pack, but with it, I've no doubts.

An ADDITIONAL kangaroo pouch beneath the external cover flap will take a triple shingle or insert for extra mags/medic supplies or other similarly sized kit for even more sustainment in the field.

Clever design also adds a pocket for hydration bladders to be stored behind the cord-locked SSE pocket.

Pic swiped from Platatac

The pack also features a small 3 row, 5 channel PALS-MOLLE covered external admin pouch with a two internal mesh pocket allows you to store and have easy access to essential documents, gadgets, spare batteries, cyalume or whatever kit you need to have on-hand when out and about. There is no shortage of storage in this pack, and that's even before you look at the main compartment.

Pic swiped from Platatac

Internally the main compartment is fitted with full PALS-MOLLE webbing, all of which is also loop-field for taking either permanently attached pouches, or "tear-away" ones. the "back" is fitted with 7 rows of 6 channels, and the front lip has 8 rows of 6 channels. The whole thing clam-shells for ease of access to everything stored.

I must say I really prefer this over the all-loop/no MOLLE lining of the Propper UC pack, as most of my internal carriage would be permanent pouches. There are three zippered off internal pockets, one on the back, and two on the front the back one being big enough to take a 3L hydration bladder. Two ports give hydration tube / antenna access points.

Another cool feature is the wire fed Quick Release System (QRS) built right in. Feeding the included wire through the built in loops, and the back of a plate-carrier, or a larger pack, you have the option to with a yank of the top handle, release the back and have full access to its features. 

This makes utilizing the built in and lightweight TACEVAC litter, which is designed to be capable of carrying a soldier and his kit,out of danger. I checked, and Platatac don't recommend using it as a hammock, it's not designed for that. The two sides of the litter stow away into hook-and-loop closed inset pockets, and are accessed by simply pulling away at the tabs. The pack straps can even be stowed away in the top pocket when the QRS is employed.

All in all, from the twin side carry handles, to the use of the same quality materials and hardware I've come to expect from Platatac to the level of detail given to not only carry capacity, but also clever storage options for all the loads, the BF pack would be a good step up from my old favorite the Bulloch Echo even before the addition of the litter feature.

I really hope this kind of system makes it's way into regular use, I can only imagine the benefits to those putting themselves in harms way to have a fast and effective way to deploy a TACEVAC system like this.

Review: BioLite thermoelectric stove

I finally laid hands on one of these, the BioLite thermoelectric power generation stove and have had some fun trying it out. I've covered these before, in a WishLust post, so I was really happy when a good deal came my way.

The general principle is this: a steel pot, an inner layer with air-holes, a protective outer mesh to prevent accidental contact with the hot pot, built in folding legs, and an attachable, thermocouple driven, high-capacity battery, with both USB output and an internal fan to drive the fire.

The fire output is measured as 3.4 kW (at low power with the fan) and 5.5 kW (With the fan at high power). I haven't yet timed it, but BioLite state that it takes as little as 4.5 minutes to boil 1 liter of water, but obviously boiling times vary by strength of fire, which then comes back to the quality of the fuel used.

Officially, 46g (1.6 oz) of wood to boil 1 liter of water, when I used it, I simply chopped up a fistful of wood, and fed it in, feeding as it went. One thing to note is that with a small combustion pot, you need to feed it regularly, as it burns down rapidly, more so if the fan is set to high.

The varnished pine ex-furniture I was using here went up like a candle, but I expect that denser, or damper wood to burn a bit lower and slower. Charcoal would be an ideal fuel, but anything form hay (which I used to light it) to paper and cardboard, twigs, pinecones, whatever, would do. If you have the fire going, and can fit the solid fuel into the firepot, it will probably work.


The output of the USB varied, with the intensity of the fire, but is documented as 2W @5V at a continuous burn, and a peak output of 4W @5V. This in turn gives a phone such as the iPhone 4S (2G) 20 minutes of charging provides 60 minutes of talk time.

As with the boil times, charging times would vary by device and by the strength of the fire.

I really like how by clever design the fan/charging pod, fits neatly into the fire pot, with the thermocouple poking out.

When packed, its 21cm (8.25") tall, and 13cm (5") around, and weighs only 930g (33 oz).

The triangular trivet which clips over the scalloped triangular metal lip provides extra security for placing pots or cups on the top, for cooking, water sterilizing, or what-have-you, doesn't clip nicely back onto the lip when the charging pod is stored, but the whole package comes with a nylon drawstring bag, so you're covered.

The USB port is nicely fitted, and covered by a silicone flap which keeps it drip, splatter and ash-free when not in use. The external honeycomb grill shields you from direct burns, but still heats up pretty swiftly, so don't try picking it up once burning.

I look forwards to coupling this with my newly-replaced PowerPot XL and doubling the off-grid charging and powering that I can offer my camp-site.

If the little BioLite looks a bit small for your needs, they also make these jumbo versions too, the BaseCamp.

Review: Propper 19/67 notebook

 I've been a big fan of digital documentation for quite some time. I was an early adopter of PDA's, with Palm Pilot V and Mitac Mio-168 before settling on iPhones ... Before then I was a firm user of Filofax binders.

Sometimes there is just no substitute for dead-tree edition. Propper were kind enough to send me a set of pocket-sized notebooks in my recent delivery, and I've had one sitting along side my iPhone in my Hazard4 Escape RG harness and beside my passports.

There are times where you just need to be able jot some thoughts down in a way that you can share, or destroy, easily. Take these notes and map: I've got a map, shopping list, a to-do and task management right there. 

I could tear this page out, and take it with me, pass it to a friend, eat, burn or whatever.

The 48 pages are grid printed, and whilst the grids aren't either in fractional cm or inch increments, they are nicely uniform and pleasant to write on. They aren't waterproofed like the pages of a Rite in the Rain notepad, and could even be used as kindling, in a pinch.

Notepads, still not a dead technology, and better yet, they never run our of battery or need software upgrades.

Events: Trinity Day

"Trinity Test Fireball 16ms" by Berlyn Brixner

From Wikipedia

Trinity was the code name of the first detonation of a nuclear weapon, conducted by the United States Army on July 16, 1945, as part of the Manhattan Project. The White Sands Proving Ground, where the test was conducted, was in the Jornada del Muerto desert about 35 miles (56 km) southeast of Socorro, New Mexico, on the Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range.


This test, which was found to have a yield of 20 kilotons

"Trinity-ground-zero-men-in-crater". 

ushered the world into the era of atomic weapons. Just 4 weeks later on August 6 1945 the first atomic weapon, Little Boy was used on Hiroshima .

 The people who developed the bomb, and tested it, people like Oppenheimer , Fermi and Feynmen took bets on what the outcome of the test would be, in terms of the expected yield, with bets ranging from 0 to 45kt.

Fermi took it a step further and offered to take bets among the scientists and military present as to if the atmosphere would ignite, and if so whether it would destroy just the state, or incinerate the entire planet.

Oppenheimer was reminded of the Bhagavad Gita; quote 'Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.'. George Kistiakowsky is reported to have said "Oppie, you owe me ten dollars" .

For the first time, humanity was wielding the power of the stars, and producing weapons that were capable of effecting mass destruction on a strategic, geological and generational scale.

The Trinity tests marked the beginning of the era of nuclear warfare, which thankfully we've only ever ventured into in fiction and strategic documentation. And Preppers ....