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A place for me to review the various rugged, nifty and needful kit that I've accumulated, for every-day preparedness in the event of accident, disaster or world-shifting end-times Apocalypse, be it zombies, triffids or Mayan divide-by-zero errors.
Hal
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.
I never go camping without packing at least my Fiskars log splitter and even a long hike will see my Boker Tomahook in my belt because their general utility and suitability to the tasks commonly at hand camp-side or on the trail. But a log splitter is big broad and heavy and the tomahook is light, narrow and short. Not all tools do all jobs well, which is why when I saw the CRKT Freyr hatchet I was impressed enough to add it to my collection.
The broad head of the Freyr is made from the robust 1055 high carbon steel, with a textured black finish all the way to the beveled edge. It features a hammer poll on the reverse face, which I prefer over a spike end for the utility of having a hammer on hand. I rarely have to puncture breastplates, oil drums or car tyres. I do, however often have to reset nails, screws, tent pegs and the occasional fence-post.
This makes it very handy for camp-craft, making kindling for fire-starting and coincidentally, the top corners of the head make good striking surfaces for ferrocium rods.
The usable blade bit length is 12cm (4 3/4"), with a slight toe rising above the top edge of the hatchet, giving decent bite when embedding head-on, which i like to do when pausing in chopping or as a carry-aid when processing logs.
The haft is stained Hickory, with a very nice grain and a smooth finish, a 42cm (16 1/2") overall length, with a slightly flared end knob for good hand indexing and retention when chopping. The head has been wedged in the eye and has two steel rings holding it all in place and stable. As the Pale Rider would say, "that's a nice piece of hickory".Unlike the Tomahook, with its full-length tang, the Freyr maintains almost the full weight at the axe-head end, lending itself to solid chops regardless of how you hold it. The traditional bit and eye design broadens the tool for extra log splitting power, without adding significant extra mass or bulk. Topping out at 814g (1lb 12oz) its certainly a handy tool around camp on on the belt when adventuring.
I have made a leather mask for it, to protect myself and the edge, which I secure with the leather strip when on,
The balance point is just behind the tip of the beard, adding to its nimbleness in the hand. Overall i'm exceedingly pleased with this hatchet, it is simple, elegant and functional. It holds a good edge, the black finish keeps it rust and resin free.
I wouldn't say it has replaced my Fiskars logsplitter for its power and reach or the Tomahook for its versatility and tacticool appeal.
It’s made from durable 70D polyester, with a 1000mm waterproof polyurethane coating on the bottom and a silicone coating on the top for extra protection and easy clean up. This makes the Landing Pad extremely waterproof.
I received my groundsheet as a birthday present, in winter, and took it on a number of walks, where its small packed size of 21.5x8x11cm (8.5"x 3.25"x 4") and light weight 295g (10.4 oz) made it an inconsequential daypack or cargo pocket addition.
Made from a tough Ripstop nylon construction, dual-coated with 3000mm Silicone and PU, it is fully seam-sealed with heat tape to be both 100% waterproof and puncture resistant. When staked out the Bathtub Groundsheet measures : 210x90x15cm (6'11"x2'11" x 6"), plenty big enough to fit me, and my gear, and the bathtub wall height is plenty big enough to keep my bedding in, or incidental wet out.
The corners are heavily reinforced and tailored to stand upright without stressing the seams and feature tape reinforcement to hold upright without sagging. This is bolstered further by built-in metal posts in the corners to hold it up, as well as sewn in buttressing peg-out loops extending outwards. the top edge of the corners also feature a loop sewn in to fit fly poles if used, and sewn in snap-points allow the groundsheet to marry up with the compatible Ultralight Ground Bug Net to create a fully-enclosed sleep system by pairing with this groundsheet. Nice forethought.
The included 4 Y cross-sectioned 7001 aluminium pegs have retention notches and a built in pull-cord for ease of removal.
When fully staked out and pulled taught, the bathtub effect is very stable, and provides a good barrier against the outside. the ripstop nylon is smooth and whilst not breathable, very comfortable to lay on directly, even after being in full sun.
I liked that it was big enough for me to fully stretch out on, as i'm quite tall. i'd want a tarp strung up over it to sleep on, just to give some cover, and I suspect leaving the most down-hill corner flat to allow any water a drain-off spot might be prudent without one.
I've woken up in a pool of water once whilst camping and don't recommend it.
The whole system comes with own drawstring bag for ease of carry and is small and light enough to be stuffed in a cargo pocket. I have been keeping it in my car along with some light picnic hiking gear and have used it as a picnic blanket a number of times. I think i'll be picking up the bug net and one of the Alton goods tarps to complete the set, and will test it out for sure.![]() |
with an Everfire brick as fuel. supported by Firesticks |
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Off cuts and woodwork scraps kindled by the EverFire brick |
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time for a nice mug of tea! |
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Baby wieners toasted and consumed! Vacation fun! |
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Non-sqaure base plate folds to holds it rigid |
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A single methylated spirit charged EverFire brick gets it red hot |
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Heat your tea, cook your dinner, warm your hands! |