Wish-Lust: ITS Skeletonised Bottle Holder

A while back ITS Tactical (of which I am a subscribed "Crew Leader", always glad to support a forward thinking group like these folks) posted their trial launch of a new product that really caught my eye. In a recent newsletter and subsequent posts they have announced that their ITS skeletonized bottle holder is now on general sale! I'm hoping that my contacts at HorNest will get some in...

Here's what ITS have to say about it:

• Lightweight Skeletonized Construction Weighs 2.7 Ounces!
• Double Layered Webbing with Strategically Reinforced HDPE
• Slipnot Textured Pull-Tab for Non-Slip Grip
• Adjustable 1/8" Shock Cord for Multiple Bottle Neck Sizes
• Three Levels of Height Adjustment for Multiple Container Sizes
• True One-Handed Container Deployment
• MOLLE/PALS Attachment Also Adaptable to Various Belt Sizes
• Color Matched Webbing and Loop
• Available in MultiCam, Coyote Brown and Black
• Hand Made in the USA using American Materials and Labor

MOLLE and belt compatable, adjustable to fit a variety of bottle sizes and shapes, with three points of adjustable shock-cord attachment, the ability to sling your bottle upside-down and bombproof construction. Whats not to like?


So, another collaboration between ITS Tactical and Zulu Nylon Gear, much like their also very cool (and wish-lustful) ETA Trauma kit. I have already commented on how much I like and am pleased with the Zulu Nylon Gear CAOS Admin pouch and the really cool MOLLE car visor sock, but this bottle bolder really appeals as well. I've been very happy with my Platatac FUP pouch, to hold my 1L SIGG bottle, but this is a purpose built piece, and is totally wish-lustable.

Review: SparxGear - Fire Piston

This is a very interesting item I backed through Kickstarter, and is a modern take on the Fire Piston, which is to say, a means of igniting tinder without spark or friction, but rather by rapid compression of air. The principle is that when a well-sealed piston is driven into a cylinder, with a portion of tinder at its tip, the rapid compression of air will drive the temperature of the space at the end of the piston to around 260°C (500°F). This is sufficient to ignite tinder, and you can use it to light a fire.

Eric Gilger started his Kickstarter to build a fire-piston, and I was all for it. The SparkxGear piston is the fire piston is 15cm (5 5/8") long with a 1.6cm (5/8") diameter. It weighs around 65g (2.25 oz) but the weight can vary slightly with additional slot rods, tinder and O-rings held in the storage capsules. There are three slots cut into the side which hose a magnesium (for emergency, thermite tinder), a Ferrocerium rod and a steel rod (fire-steel). The rods are kept in place by the pressure release-valve plug, at one end, which features a storage compartment (for tinder and replacement o-rings for the piston seal). The piston also has one of these compartments in its tip as well.

The piston is operated by placing some tinder (a supply of charcloth is provided) into the cup at the end of the piston, and, once the pressure release-valve end is tightened, and the piston seated, the piston-rod is driven into the shaft, and withdrawn rapidly, to ignite the tinder. This is trickier than it sounds, and I took a long time to get it right. Some lube on the shaft is needed, as its a really tight fit, the whole piece is very well engineered.

But here are a couple of shots of my ignited tinder, gently glowing, and flaring when blown upon, ready for sparkless fire-starting! This is a really cool piece of kit, but one that requires some significant practice to be dependable.The added magnesium, ferrocerium and steel rods, as well as the additional in-cap storage really makes the piece special, a lot of thought was put into these, and I will be looking out for Eric's next projects avidly.

Video Review: United Cutlery M48 RangerHawk

This is me testing out the United Cutlery M48 Rangerhawk which I reviewed recently.

Hope you enjoy watching me chopping, piercing and hacking!

Click image to go to Think Geek's store

Review: Altama Tan Desert MilSpec boot

 

Pristine boot pic, lifted form Altama's website. Mine are LONG since wrecked :)

I thought I should give my trusty boots a fitting send off. I've worn Altama Desert Boots for a number of years, my current pair having been with me since at least 2005, when I was taken out bunny-hunting and have stains from that event that I never buffed-out.

I've worn these extensively during the hot half of the year here in Melbourne (I wear boots all day, every day, unless I am barefoot) and have never had a complaint with the fit or function.

From the ground up, the Panama pattern Mil Spec Vulcanized Rubber has been grippy on road and rough terrain, I really like the Panama patter, it sheds mud, gives purchase when clambering and wears well.

Over the sole, is a heat-barrier, to keep the burning-hot sand, rock and road from radiating up into delicate feet, and is topped by a removable cushioned polyurethane innersole. I had to replace mine a few times, just because of the amount of wear they got. Inside the boot is lined with Coolmax® aiding in wicking and keeping my feet dry and comfortable. The outers are a combination of tan suede and Cordura material, and the boots top off with a padded collar, maxing out at 9" high.

The boots have a nylon coated brass "Speedhook/Eyelet" lacing system, which really performs well, reducing snags and aiding in speedy lacing, even when I put these paratrooper/ ladder laces on them. These were the boots I wore whenever going camping, doing Stargate Lasertag LRP, training for and running the Tough Mudder, and recently, the Stampede. Even prior to the Tough Mudder, they developed a tear down one side, which I attempted to patch, but alas, the conditions of the events and the amount of pounding they got have finally spelled the end for this beloved set.

Compare the "as new" pictures with the tread pattern wear, and you'll get an idea of how much use these boots saw.

These were great boots, but now they are destined for the Happy Hunting Grounds, and I will be on the hunt for a new set of boots. Any suggestions for summer-boots? Or should I stick with tried and true?

Wish-lust: BioLite CampStove

In the lead up to the Hurricane Sandy landfall that hit the US East coast hard over Halloween 2012, I saw a great looking multi-function stove come past my friends feed, and it immediately took my interest. This is the BioLite Camp Stove and here's why I want one.

 The photo below shows a bunch of power-deprived NYC folks charging their phones at a  street-side kiosk running several of these stoves.

http://biolitestove.com/campstove/camp-stories/camp-stories-all/biolite-team-on-the-ground-after-hurricane-sandy.html

The stove itself is pretty simple.  With a packed height of 21cm (8.25") and 12cm (5") wide, weighing 935g  (2 lbs 1 oz) It is built to burn sticks, pine cones, pellets, wood chips, or other lightweight, small fuels and the frame will support a bot of up to 3.6kg  (8 lbs) or 3.6L (1 gallon) of liquid.
The real magic however, is that the orange module on the side is a thermoelectric generator.

As well as being fast to boil (a reported 4.5 minutes to boil 1 liter of water) the fire has a calculated 3.4 kw (lo) 5.5 kw (hi) peak output, which the thermoelectric generator can output via USB as Max continuous: 2W @5V, Peak: 4W @5V which apparently is sufficient power to charge and run most USB-chargeable devices including smartphones, GPS units, flashlights and the like.


Some reviewers have noted that these aren't especially efficient and I am looking forwards towards my first venture in this regard, with my tPOD1 Kickstarter on its way soon ... but the large scale BioLite, combining both power generation and cooking facility in one, sparks a distinct interest in my multifunction wish-lusting!

Review: Smith&Wesson - Tanto Neck Knife

This pretty piece of steel was un cadeau for one of my partners, given by the main organiser of an event she was helping to run last week. She was good enough to loan it to me to play with for the blog. This is the Smith&Wesson - Tanto Neck Knife

As far as "thanks for helping out" gifts go, I must say, this is one of the prettier I've seen.

The skeltonised knine is full-tang constructed, with zytel scale sidings and a kydex sheath . The blade locks into the sheath with a friction clasp, and is both light at 100g all up, and dainty in the hand, at 18cm (7") over all, with an 8cm (3 1/8") blade.

Light and lively it suited the  spirit of the gift well, as a neck-knife to affix to the ID lanyards worn at organisers and officials this particular event, for safety needs as they might arise. 

The kydex sheath has two lanyard holes, for cord or chain to loop through, to wear in its "neck knife" configuration, as well as a drainage hole at the knife tip end. It also features a built in whistle, which I can tell you is VERY  shrill. It is placed such that you can use the whistle, AND draw the knife if that fails to have the desired effect. 

The blade is 2.5mm thick, and according to the internet has a Rockwell Hardness of57Hrc. That's pretty good for a 440 steel.

The blade itself is also skeltonised, with two cutouts, further reducing wight around your neck.

The thumb and index finger notches are aggressively crenelated grips, but not so much as to chew up finger and thumb. Without any guard, these crenelations act to lock your hand in tight and off the edge.

The edge is interesting as well, with a "tanto" tip, the main line of the blade is in face concave, with a subtle but significant bowing. This is pretty, but makes me wonder about keeping the blade sharp. I use  DMT diamond sharpening stones and I am unsure if i could get a good mating of stone to steel.

The factory may have had the same problem, as the blade ships only "supermarket-sharp", so I'm a little disappointed by this, especially on a chisel-ground blade. Hopefully I can do some good work with this, maybe a stropping will fix it.

Review: Zulu Nylon Gear - MOLLE car visor

Ever find yourself rummaging in the glove-compartment or coin dish in your vehicle for that pen, tool or gizmo, but have been unable to do so? I certainly have. The solution I have had in my current vehicle (a 5-door 2002 Toyota RAV4) is to have some of the internal compartments dedicated to certain things. This usually worked out, but from time to time, they aren't just where I want, when I need them. The solution came to me when I saw this come up in my feed from they folks at Soldier Systems I was reminded of it when Hornest advertised on their FaceBook page. This is the Zulu Nylon Gear MOLLE Car Visor.

What it is, is a double sided mid-weight nylon cover for your car sun-visor which is designed to fit most vehicles. It is approximately 30cmx15cm (12"x6") and has two distinct sides.

On the "down" facing side, a 3 channel, 8 row set of MOLLE webbing, allows you to mount and carry all kinds of things. The top and bottom channels are made of elastic webbing, and each end of the elastic channels is a loop, which are perfect for cylume sticks, or even a small LED flashlight.

Between each of the channels is a band of loop-field, for attaching patches or name-tapes (which would display when the visor is folded down). The middle band webbing is regular MOLLE webbing, for stability and strength.



When "up" the contents of my MOLLE visor don't interfere with my vision, and even a small pouch could go up there without a worry. This is my next thing to check! You can see from this angle, the hook-and-loop straps that act to fix the open end of the panel to the visor. This also leave a few more regions of hook-filed for attaching patches. The whole piece opens like a taco, and folds over and around the visor, with the long hook-and-loop straps giving you the ability to adjust it to the size and shape of your visor.



The flip-side of the cover has two document pouches, and three more loops of elastic, and a nice big watermark for Zulu. I have been thinking that I might slot my Stiff K.I.S.S. car-knife into that, rather than having it under my seat, making it more accessible for emergency access, and also stuffing the pockets with some first aid items like sterile gauze packets.

All initial tests and trials have been really good. I haven't loaded it up very much, but it's given me no signs of slipping of drooping. One thing to note, the cover doesn't have a cut-out to slot into the car-visor return clip (on the roof), so you have to push it in a bit to "click". I like it a lot, and look forwards to messing with its configuration to see what I can, can't and want to carry on my visor.