{{ Stuff that just works }}

[Monocrom]

Doan magnesium blocks with attached skinny ferro rod.
So many cheap copies out there! But the genuine Doan is fantastic for making a campfire. Yes, the little ferro rod can fall off. But on the genuine article, far less common.

 

[Monocrom]

Has anyone mentioned physical maps?
Unless you set a match or lighter to them, they're just going to work.... assuming folks know how to read one.

 

[Jean-Luc Descarte]

Has anyone mentioned physical maps?
Unless you set a match or lighter to them, they're just going to work.... assuming folks know how to read one.

A physical map, properly cut and folded, is worth more than its volume in gold. If I went into wild areas often, I'd never leave without one. Even better if you carry a block of small post-its to annotate it without damage.

Though more than just fire, I personally wouldn't get mine wet if I could help it either.

For those that have little use for physical maps, the next best alternative is to download an offline map to use with the OSM apps. They're free up to a certain number and even remote areas are well-documented since OSM is crowdsourced (anyone can add data to it and Editor Mode is the easiest I've ever used), so I highly recommend them. Even my tablets, that receive no cell service (Wi-Fi only), have them.

 

[bykfixer]

I still use paper maps. Map books are great.

Once I was going to a company owned office in a place I hadn't been to in 20+ years. The digital map had it all wrong since the barbecue restaraunt where I was supposed to make a left at was a CVS, the street name had changed during an urban renewal project and had turned into a one way street going the opposite direction from where I needed to go.

I stopped at a BP gas station that was supposed to be a Shell to use the bathroom and bought an ADC map book from them, then found my way to that office quickly.

 

[Monocrom]

Thankfully, many physical maps are printed on water-resistant paper.

Still, best to keep them dry. Ironically, out of everything I own (including a police scanner) I don't own a GPS. Best to have layers of redundancy. Need to find a good hand-held unit that won't break the bank.

I'm not giving up my physical maps though.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

Thankfully, many physical maps are printed on water-resistant paper.

Still, best to keep them dry. Ironically, out of everything I own (including a police scanner) I don't own a GPS. Best to have layers of redundancy. Need to find a good hand-held unit that won't break the bank.

I'm not giving up my physical maps though.

I relied on paper maps for ages, especially when I was traveling out of state for business. They don't need batteries, they don't crash, they're not subject to interference, viruses, etc. and you could mark them up with a pen. I could never fold the damn things back up correctly though.

 

[Monocrom]

I relied on paper maps for ages, especially when I was traveling out of state for business. They don't need batteries, they don't crash, they're not subject to interference, viruses, etc. and you could mark them up with a pen. I could never fold the damn things back up correctly though.

Ha! I could.... if you gave me about an hour to do so.

 

[Poppy]

This weekend I was in a large campground. They handed me a map with a maze of roads. While breaking camp I had to bring our recyclables to the designated spot. So I pulled out the map, and got myself oriented... Ok... left, left right, simple enough. Hmmm... was that a left? Damn I missed the right, ok let me try again.

Back in the day when gas stations gave out state maps for free, I collected one from each Welcome Station between New Jersey and Florida. Also I had a New Metropolitan map, and a street map of each, Bergen, Hudson, and Essex counties.

Those re-routing apps on the cell phone caused us a problem as we drove from Jersey to Arizona. At one point my daughter and I were about 12 miles apart, and at a junction, her app had her go in one direction, and mine in another, only with the use of another app where we can track each others location, did we discover the error. She had to back-track 30 minutes to get to the cross road, and in the mean time I continued along the way. Then I had to wait an hour for her to get to me, where we had dinner, and continued along the way.

We were running like "Smokey and the bandit" because she had to stop more frequently to let the dog go potty, and because he wouldn't drink while in the car. She also got a little frustrated having to slow down on those long grades that the truck was challenged to maintain speed.

 

[Monocrom]

I try not to recommend specific items, but staying on-topic.... MSR Pocket Rocket 2. Just a fantastic stove for a butane canister. And, depending on the size of your cook kit, goes great inside a 750ml Ti or stainless steel cooking pot/mug (without the stove's red plastic carry-container). Toss a couple of other items in the pot (assuming it has a lid, and a mesh cover for the whole pot), and you've pretty much got a nice little self-contained cook kit. Yes, there are smaller stoves. But when reliability is most important to you, the one from MSR is fantastic!

Unfortunately MSR doesn't take PayPal on their official website. So, that sucks.

 

[Poppy]

Duraflame logs!

I saved two camping trips with them.
One was with a bunch of girl scouts who camped during a weekend when there was lots of rain. Even the dead dried branches hanging from trees were wet. There was no where nearby to buy firewood, and being that it was a camp; all of the free firewood was already scavenged. I drove into town and the lumber yard was closed. Fortunately the local supermarket had some Duraflame logs. I bought a few.

The girls had a camp fire, and sang their camp songs, and told their scary stories before going off to bed.

Another time, I was new to the boy scout troop. One of the rules was that it was a "Scouts led troop". The adults are not supposed to get involved other than to keep the kids safe. Well there was a foot of snow on the ground, and it was time to make a campfire. After watching them struggle a bit, I walked over to the scout master to tell him that I have a DuraFlame in my trunk if they would be allowed to use it. As I approached him, I heard him tell another leader " I saw that Poppy has a DuraFlame in his trunk!"

The boys had their campfire, told their stories, played their games, and put on their skits.

Yes... DuraFlames do work.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Doan magnesium blocks with attached skinny ferro rod.
So many cheap copies out there! But the genuine Doan is fantastic for making a campfire. Yes, the little ferro rod can fall off. But on the genuine article, far less common.

Firesteel.com ones are better. Soft magnesium is easier to scrape off, firesteel throws hotter, longer lasting sparks, and the scraper you can get with it will keep you from dulling your knife and has several striking surfaces. If you want a good firesteel, get their Gobspark Armageddon firesteel and scraper with long handle (firesteel inserts and locks into it for one easy to carry unit). The handle striker lets you flick your wrist when you strike the firesteel and throw some really good sparks.

For actual emergencies when I don't know when the S will HTF, I have a 3 inch long by 3/8 inch diameter Armageddon firesteel with hole drilled, with a key ring through the hole. This is wrapped in a rapid deploy centipede weave layer of parapocalypse cord, urban camo color. Makes a great looking key fob. Nobody knows it's a survival kit. This is attached to my keys. I make plans to be prepared for disasters that people don't think of.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

I try not to recommend specific items, but staying on-topic.... MSR Pocket Rocket 2. Just a fantastic stove for a butane canister. And, depending on the size of your cook kit, goes great inside a 750ml Ti or stainless steel cooking pot/mug (without the stove's red plastic carry-container). Toss a couple of other items in the pot (assuming it has a lid, and a mesh cover for the whole pot), and you've pretty much got a nice little self-contained cook kit. Yes, there are smaller stoves. But when reliability is most important to you, the one from MSR is fantastic!

Unfortunately MSR doesn't take PayPal on their official website. So, that sucks.

Make sure you bring something with a philips head screwdriver with you on trips with this stove (Swiss Army Knife). The screw tends to loosen and make the stove more wobbly and less stable. Original didn't have that problem and is quicker to set up, but isn't as light and doesn't fit as neatly in a titanium pot with a small MSR butane canister either. The separate electric ignition is a good investment too, especially at high altitudes where lighters don't work and matches blow out in an instant from wind.

Edit: My Pocket Rocket 2 and a small MSR butane canister fit perfectly inside my 0.9 liter Evernew Titanium pot. I don't have to remove the stove from the case to fit it inside.

 

[Monocrom]

Firesteel.com ones are better. Soft magnesium is easier to scrape off, firesteel throws hotter, longer lasting sparks, and the scraper you can get with it will keep you from dulling your knife and has several striking surfaces. If you want a good firesteel, get their Gobspark Armageddon firesteel and scraper with long handle (firesteel inserts and locks into it for one easy to carry unit). The handle striker lets you flick your wrist when you strike the firesteel and throw some really good sparks.

For actual emergencies when I don't know when the S will HTF, I have a 3 inch long by 3/8 inch diameter Armageddon firesteel with hole drilled, with a key ring through the hole. This is wrapped in a rapid deploy centipede weave layer of parapocalypse cord, urban camo color. Makes a great looking key fob. Nobody knows it's a survival kit. This is attached to my keys. I make plans to be prepared for disasters that people don't think of.

Got it! Bought one years ago. Works well. Just personal preference, I tend to gravitate towards the Doan. Never had an issue with dulling my knife using either one.

 

[Monocrom]

Make sure you bring something with a philips head screwdriver with you on trips with this stove (Swiss Army Knife). The screw tends to loosen and make the stove more wobbly and less stable. Original didn't have that problem and is quicker to set up, but isn't as light and doesn't fit as neatly in a titanium pot with a small MSR butane canister either. The separate electric ignition is a good investment too, especially at high altitudes where lighters don't work and matches blow out in an instant from wind.

I appreciate the heads-up regarding that. I always have a SAK or multi-tool on me when hiking.

 

[Street Survival]

Glaco from Japan for your windshield.
Freezer Tape for shooting in the winter
Hyper Whistle for firearms training or survival situations
Old Gas Cans the new ones suck
5yr Ceramic Car Polish
Pri-G or PRI-D for fuel stabilizer
Lucas Grease for machinery or firearm slide grease
Crazy Glue
Water proof Epoxy, for oil leaks
Flex Seal
Kilz for stain coverage
Cottontail, Wooden handle Q-Tips for Gun cleaning
Aviation Simple Green
Icy Hot Max
Camp Dry for boots or clothing
Amtac, Magnus 5" combat Blade
Staccato, 9mm firearm with red dot
Dan Wesson Vigil 45acp light weight firearm
M&P 2.0 45acp compact 4"
100grn Black Hill Honey , Badger 9mm ammo
77grn Black Hill 5.56 when you care to send only the best

 

[bykfixer]

Got a drawer you want to get stuck closed?

Works every time

 

[Monocrom]

Old Gas Cans the new ones suck

Thankfully, there is a fix.
Go to eBay, type in Gas Can Nozzles.
Watch all of the options come up for converting a new gas can to work like an old one.

 

[Monocrom]

Don't think I've mentioned it yet but Becker BK9 (and BK39) from KA-BAR. Sure, it's heavy. Sure, the stock sheath is trash. But get a custom-made aftermarket kydex sheath for it. Replace the stock slippery grips with KA-BAR's optional micarta handle slabs, and (as long as you can tolerate the weight) you have a realistic and affordable one-tool wilderness option that'll last you literally a Lifetime.

 

[Monocrom]

TOAKS Titanium pots and cook gear in general....

So incredibly reliable. Their smaller pots are excellent for assembling personal sized cook-kits. And, their orange mesh stuff sacks are thick enough to use as improvised oven mitts for taking your pot off the fire.

 

[orbital]

+

Everyone in this forum needs to have a multimeter,, at minimum for checking DC voltage (second setting on this unit)
doesn't have to be expensive either
Thsinde 18B+ is $19