Camelbak M.U.L.E.

Camelbak is one of the leaders in hydration packs and for good reason. Their gear has been proven on the civilian and military side. I used their gear during my service in the Marine Corps and never had any problems or durability issues with any of the gear I used. I only saw one other issue with someone else's gear and that was a bad connection at the base of the water bladder. This issue was immediately resolved and a new pack was sent.

One thing I was taught early on in my military time was about hydration. You can get dehydrated whether it's 120° or -30° due to sweating under layers of clothing. I was taught a saying when it comes to hydration... "A little, a lot". This meaning...chugging down water will only make you urinate more thus dehydrating you more instead of rehydrating you. You need to take small sips of water and do it often. The camelbak hydration system is absolutely great for this. By having the water readily available on your back and the drinking tube easily accessible, taking sips of the water becomes habit forming. Like a nervous habit you will just take sips on a regular basis. A very good system.

I received the Camelbak M.U.L.E. and noticed that it looked very familiar. I had used this pack in the Marine Corps and was able to dig it out of my old gear and compare the two. There were a couple of improvements in the new pack. The first was a much thicker water reservoir which is made of polyurethane and has anti-microbial technology. The drinking tube also has this technology that inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungus. It's also suggested that you store your reservoir in the freezer once dry to further inhibit bacteria growth. The new reservoir claims to be tough enough to drive a truck over. The other added feature is velcro on the lower pocket between the molle webbing for attachment of name tapes.

I will cover some of the features of the hydration system first:

• Reservoir holds 3 liters/100 oz. This reservoir has a hook on the top which attaches to the pack so that the reservoir doesn't sag.
  
• Reservoir features the OMEGA opening which makes filling and adding ice easy and you can fit your whole hand in the reservoir for cleaning. The ring around the opening has a grip on it which really helps with filling and the top is easy to screw on and is attached so you don't lose it.
• Bite valve made from medical grade silicone. the water flow with this valve is great. It also includes a cover for the bite valve which keeps it clean and also helps to insulate the bite valve against freezing.
• Bite valve is easily removed by just pushing a button on the side (it will not accidentally push...you have to do this intentionally) to add other attachments that can be bought for the system to include water filters, etc, etc. This can be done while the reservoir is filled because there is a shut off switch called a hydrolock that shuts the flow of water off to the bite valve. This is also useful to prevent accidental leakage from something pressing on the bite valve and releasing water.
• The drinking tube is insulated with a neoprene sleeve and also has multiple layers in itself. A durable outer layer and a taste free inner layer.
• I have yet to try any warm liquids in the camelbak, but I've used cold water quite a bit and the insulation in this system does keep the water cold for several hours.
  

On top of being able to carry 100oz of fresh cold water you also have load carrying capabilities with this pack. This isn't a large 3-day pack, but one that you can carry smaller field items with you for a day out. One thing to note is that when the hydration reservoir is filled and loaded into the pack you lose a little storage space in the 2 front pockets due to the reservoir bulging out and reducing the overall size of the outer pockets. This isn't too big of a deal, but you can fit more in the pouches without the bladder in there. Just something I noticed. Here are some of the features of the pack itself:

• The pack itself is made of 1000D cordura which is abrasion resistant. The model I used in the military got good use and it has yet to show any wear.
• Subdued Camelbak logo.
  
• Capacity is 540 cubic inches. This is slightly reduced when holding a full water bladder.
• Shoulder straps with quick release SRBs, adjustable and removable sternum straps, and waist strap included. The waist strap can be stored in included pouches. The shoulder straps have a unique feature to hold the extra strap material in place. At the end of the straps there is an attached piece of velcro. Once you get the shoulder straps where you want them you roll up the remaining strap and velcro it down. A very nice feature.
  
• D-rings on 4 corners of pack for attaching to a vest, larger pack, or vehicle.
• The back is padded and has ventilation channels to help reduce heat between the pack and the users back.
• Top carry handle.
• Pouch for hydration carrier which I have found comes in handy if you don't want to carry the hydration reservoir. You can put extra gear in this area if hydration isn't an issue. I suggest flatter items as this area isn't meant to be a cargo area.
  
• Top pouch which can hold small to medium sized items.
• Lower pouch has a "sleeve" to place flat items into. It also has organizers for pens, cell phones, smaller items and one that appears to be a radio style pouch. This pouch has an elastic retaining cord which can slip over a radio or GPS and then velcros down. The pouch itself can hold a decent amount of small items.
• MOLLE webbing on the front of the lower pouch with 2 rows of loop velcro material between the MOLLE webbing to add name tapes.
• All pouches have drainage grommets on the bottom.

I have used this pack quite a bit, both the newer version as well as the one I used while in the Marine Corps and I feel that Camelbak products and this one included are of high quality. I have never had a leaking issue, I've never had any of the materials give out on me and after a lot of hard use, the packs are still in great condition. As far as comfort, when using a full reservoir you can definitely tell the pack is there due to the back being somewhat bloated but it is still comfy, and once you drink a little bit of the water it starts to form to your back pretty good. by attaching the sternum strap and adjusting it, and then cinching down the shoulder straps, then the waist strap I have found that this pack doesn't shift around too much. I've done military ops, biking, hiking, and short runs with this pack and it is very easy to wear.
If you need to stay hydrated and need to carry a light load of smaller items this pack would really work out for you. Check them out at Camelbak.com
Colors Available: ACU camo, black, woodland camo, 3-color desert camo, digital desert camo.

MSRP: $119.oo

Freestyle Shark Buzz

Freestyle USA is a company comprised of surfers, skateboarders, and other sportsmen who, in the 1980s, started creating watches that were durable enough to stand up to these sports. Their watches are made to stand the abuse and maintain their water resistance, hence the first name of this particular watch. The second part of the watches name comes from a unique feature...a vibrating alarm.

The shark buzz has a cool look to it as well...kind of a techno shark appearance. The band, which is pliable and extremely comfortable has a kind of shark fin pattern and the side buttons are a shark grey (on the particular style I have). One thing that I noticed right off the bat is the convex face of the watch. It seemed like this would find every sharp edge and scratch up easily. Well, I've been wearing this watch daily for a while and the face is pretty resistant to scratches. The resistance to scratches along with the raised bezel help to protect the face. The display itself is large blocked numbers which are easy to read in low light and with just a quick glance at the watch.

Here are the other features of the watch:

1. Time (12/24), Day and Date display.
2. Backlight - The backlight here is a blue reversed backlight, meaning that the numbers themselves light up and not the background.
3. Alarm - This alarm can be set to go off daily, or on a particular day.
4. Hourly chime.
   
5. Vibrate feature - this watch beeps and vibrates when any button is pushed, at the end of the countdown timer, or at the alarm time. This is enough to feel, but I haven't had it wake me from a sleep yet. Although I have been laying in bed, just about to fall asleep and the hourly chime goes off and the vibrating startles me....so it is noticeable.
   
6. Countdown timer - Timer counts down and once zero is reached it alarms and then starts to count up.
7. Stopwatch with split times.
8. 100 meters water resistant.

The only thing I would do to improve this watch would be in the setting mode. When setting features such as the time or countdown timer you can only advance the numbers. It would be nice to have a button that can go backwards with the numbers as well. This is just a convenience feature that I have come to like in watches.

Overall I have enjoyed wearing this watch. It is very comfortable, durable and has the features that I like in a watch. Freestyle isn't a name you normally hear in the watch industry, but I feel it will become more popular as people start to hear the name and notice the quality of their products.

Colors available: Black, silver/black

MSRP: Black $75
Silver/Black $70

Klean Kanteen Bottle

The Klean Kanteen is the first steel bottle that I've tried. I've always used the plastic water bottles and just recently got interested in steel bottles. The steel Klean Kanteen bottles are more eco-friendly as they last longer than the plastic style bottles so they're less likely to end up in US landfills and are friendlier on the environment when producing them. 38 billion water bottles end up in landfills each year, only 23% are recycled. The stainless steel Klean Kanteens are light weight (8oz), easy to clean, odor and taste free (won't make your water taste like plastic), dishwasher safe and contain no BPA. There is also no lining in a stainless steel bottle like there is in an aluminum bottle.

The bottle I'm reviewing is the 27oz bottle. One thing that is different about these bottles is the capacity. There are 12, 18, 27, and 40 oz bottles. Most bottles come in 8oz increments. This is not necessarily a bad thing...just something that I noted when i went to mix a drink mix in the bottle and the drink says to mix with 24oz of water and the bottle is a 27oz bottle. I filled it up to where I though 24oz would be and it worked out well.

These water bottles come with a plastic cap that has an O-ring seal on it and has a carabiner loop on top. If you prefer a steel cap, one is available as an accessory, along with a whole bunch of other accessories to include a sport cap an insulating sleeves. They even have a "sippy cup" accessory for children.

These bottles are not insulated, so the manufacturer doesn't recommend hot liquids in them due to the possibility of burns, but this doesn't mean that the bottle can't handle hot liquids. One thing you'll notice in my pictures that I did with one of the bottles was to wrap it in camo-form to not only make it look different, but insulate it a little as well.

You can put these bottles on the camp fire to warm up liquids. The manufacturer doesn't suggest it with the colored bottles though. I imagine that it'd be perfectly safe and effective it would just mess up the coloring and possibly give off an odor as the coloring heats up. Also...do this with the top off or the top can be damaged. I have yet to try this, but I will once I get a chance.

At the opposite end is freezing. This is not recommended and it will void the warranty. Freezing can damage the bottle. I put mine in the freezer once to just chill it and forgot about it and it was there for several hours. There was no damage done, but I believe that is because it was only half full and there was enough room for the water to expand while it froze so that no damage was done. But I do not put it in the freezer anymore.

The wider mouth also allows you to add ice cubes and pour liquids in the bottle without spilling.

I have been using this bottle for some months now, and I really like the steel bottle. It's become one of my favorite bottles to use while on the go. It's durable, lightweight and holds plenty of water.

Colors: Green, Orange, Blue, Black, Pink, Brown.

MSRP: $17.95

Aloksak & Opsak

These bags by Watchful Eye Designs are absolutely awesome. You may first look at them and think "ziplock" bags. They're far from it.

Both Aloksaks and Opsaks provide you with a resealable, airtight, watertight, puncture resistant, dustproof protection for anything you can fit in them. They come in several sizes, from small wallet and cell phone sizes to one large enough to hold a rifle. They are a decent thickness so that they don't tear and will last quite a while.

The bags have been tested and passed submergence , thrash, and pull tests conducted by the U.S. Navy Experimental Diving Unit and are certified waterproof to 60 meters by Scuba Schools International. I decided to do my own little test to compare them to Ziplock brand bags by putting a old cell phone in a Ziplock bag and one in an Aloksak bag and putting them through a full wash, rinse and spin cycle with a load of wash. When I took both bags out the Ziplock bag seemed to still be sealed closed but was full of water. The Aloksak was still sealed and had no water in the bag and the bag didn't look too worn either.

I have been using these bags a lot lately as it's been rainy here. I have put the wallet sized one to good use and it's not failed. I have used the other sizes while hiking in a local gully that has running water through it as well. One time while camping we decided to go for a swim in the lake and I was expecting a phone call, so I put my cell phone in a Aloksak and put it in my cargo pocket. I wasn't let down when I got out of the water and checked the phone and no water had gotten to it. One of the pictures here is my mothers phone. She was a little nervous when I put her phone in one of these bags and threw it in the pool. I then went in after it and was able to get a phone call through while a couple feet under the water.

Another thing I tried was to inflate the bag to use as a makeshift pillow for camping. This didn't work as the pressure of my head on the bag forced the seal open. I also used these to vacuum seal clothing for easier packing for camping. I do this by putting the clothing in the bag and then sitting on the bag to get all the air out and sealing the bag while sitting on it. With traditional ziplock bags that works out well at first, but after a short amount of time air gets in and the bag expands. Not with Aloksaks.

The Opsaks have the same great properties as the Aloksaks with the added benefit of being odor proof. So you can store food while camping without the fear of animals coming into your camp because of the smell of the food. They're also resistant to high heat and boiling water can be added to these bags to use for cooking. (The aloksak is heat resistant to 130°, Opsak is resistant to 170°) It's not recommended, though, to put the bag itself into boiling water.

If you use ziplock bags or any other form of waterproofing you need to try these bags out. They're extremely durable and work great. I get a ton of use out of these and I will be using these for years to come. I really have nothing negative to say about these bags and not even any improvements that can be made...they're awesome as is! Also...Watchful Eye Designs can customize these bags as well with custom sizes and shapes, colors, printing, added grommets.

Update (December '08): I have been using one particular bag on a very regular basis for several months now, probably 5 or 6 months. The bag itself has held up, but the closure came apart. One side of the closure separated from the bag. The durability of these bags still impresses me when you look at the alternative. For the abuse this bag has taken I wasn't too disappointed in the closure coming apart.

Rite in the Rain

Rite in the rain is a company that you should know if you're in the military, law enforcement, or an outdoors man. Rite in the rain products are designed to get wet and maintain their usable properties. The water just rolls off the paper, even when completely submerged.

In past years I had used write in the rain notebooks while serving in the Marines. Being in the Marines the rite in the rain notebooks served me well as we were always in a hot or wet environment. I never had the notebooks fail or come apart. Even after being submerged for some time, the only noticeable difference in the paper was a little water seeping into the edges of the paper. This, however, didn't cause the paper to come apart.

In the years since leaving the Marines rite in the rain has even made the notebook paper better. The paper now is even more resistant to water and has a smoother surface. The older notebooks had a slight texture to them...the new notebook paper does not. They have also added tan paper along with their original green.

I recently received a couple products from write in the rain that I'll be reviewing here.

First is the Rite in the Rain all weather tactical black clicker pen (NSN - 7520-01-498-1876). You can use any pencil on the rite in the rain paper and it'll work just fine, but it can be smeared and sometimes you just need a pen. This pen is a metal pen, but doesn't weigh a lot. You click the end to expose the ball point. These pens have special ink that is under pressure which allows the pen to write upside down, under water, in temps from -30°F to 250°F. This pen writes extremely smoothly and unlike others I have tried, doesn't gum up at the tip causing a big glob of ink on your first few letters. Refils are available for this pen as well. MSRP: $9.95

Another item I've been using on a regular basis while out in the field testing gear and taking notes is the 3 ring binder and cover kit. The notebook included here is a 3 ring binder and comes with several different forms used in the military and regular notebook paper can be bought for it as well. The binder is made of durable polydura material and rust proof metals. I dropped this several times from a hight it may get dropped from in normal use to see if the rings would let loose...they didn't. BUT, if they were to let loose, the whole thing is enclosed in a binder cover made of cordura. The cordura feels like possibly 600D cordura, but either way it's pretty durable. It includes pockets on the inside, front and back, and pen pockets on the inside front. this cover zips closed. The color I got was the tan, but it's closer to coyote, which has become very popular in the past couple years. MSRP: $47.95 (with included pen)

One item that I used while in Iraq was the bound tactical field book. Of course, the newer version had the newer paper, and a nicer cover (called field flex), which is still very durable, yet a little thinner to reduce weight and makes carrying it in a pocket much more comfortable. The size is 4 5/8" x 7 1/4" and it has 160 pages printed in a pattern that is very useful. The pattern is basically a light graph paper pattern. I like this as it allows several different applications. This item is extremely durable and if you need to keep a log or any other type of notes that you'll want to have for some time...this is the way to go. MSRP: $14.95

The last item, that is also an item I used to use in the Marine Corps is the tactical pocket notebook with included cover. The 3" x 5" notebook itself has 50 waterproof sheets with the same universal graph pattern as the bound notebook. The Cordura cover (again, very close to coyote in color) is durable and has 4 pen slots on the front. The cover zips closed. I have been using this on a daily basis for the last few months in hot humid environment. It has gotten drenched in heavy rains and all sweaty and hasn't shown any wear, either in the cordura cover or the notebook itself. MSRP: $22.95 (with included pen)

I am not really easy on my gear and I haven't been easy on these items either. My past experience tells me that these items are built to last....they won't let you down. Rite in the rain has a ton of different products, including copier paper, ink jet paper, planners, index cards, and they can even make you custom forms and notebooks. One cool item I got somewhere years ago were their stapled notebooks....a good economical way to go if you need to supply for several people. Check out their site...you're sure to find something you need now or in the future.

CRKT Hissatsu knife

I received this Hissatsu knife from Colombia River Knife & Tool company recently and right away I liked it. I am biased as I have always been interested in the samurai and ninja of ancient Japan and was a martial artist for a little over 5 years. This blade was designed by James Williams, former Army Officer and practicing martial artist (45 years experience) for one purpose...for fighting. It could be used for utility purposes, but it's not intended for this purpose and I really suggest a different knife if this is your intent. The knife was designed after the Japanese tanto blade.

The blade of the knife itself is made of 440A stainless steel with a highly polished finish. The edge is extremely sharp and the blade comes to a nice point that provides excellent penetration. I have taken this knife with me while hiking in a very wet gully area, and the knife itself got wet but resulted in no rusting.

The handle is high-impact polypropylene core, butt and hilt, and a non-slip Kraton handle surface. One unique feature this knife has that shows the attention to detail in the authenticity of this knife is what is called the Oyatsubo, ot the emperor node. This is used so that, by feel, you can tell which way the cutting edge of the blade is facing. For instance when I use the knife in my right hand I know that if I feel the Oyatsubo on my finger tips I know that the blade is facing out away from my knuckles (saber grip). The handle makes the knife very controllable and easy to grip.

The Zytel sheath holds the knife in using friction. If you really put a good shaking on the sheathed knife while upside down it will eventually fall out. However, under normal, and even active use it will not fall out easily when worn upside down. The sheath can be attached in countless ways, either belt worn horizontally or vertically, or strapped to gear using the slits on the side of the sheath for straps or with 550 cord through the eyelets on the sheath. One thing to note when attaching the Zytel belt loop to the sheath...snug the screws down, but do not over tighten them or you'll crack the sheath around the screw hole. I cracked it a little bit by doing this because I wanted to be sure the screws didn't come loose. Use loctite instead of over tightening.

The feel of this knife in your hand is nice. It's very light and ergonomic. Drawing it from it's sheath is smooth and flawless. If you want a knife that is to be used as a backup for your primary weapon I really recommend this knife.

Details:
Blade: Length: 7.125” (18.1 cm)
Thickness: 0.20” (0.51 cm)
Steel: 440A, 55-57 HRC
Knife: Overall length: 12.25” (31.1 cm)
Weight: 7.9 oz. (224 g)

Available Colors: Black handle/high satin finish, black handle/Black EDP finish, Desert tan handle/Desert Tan titanium nitride blade finish

MSRP: $109.99

** Since I will hopefully not have to use this for it's intended purpose of inflicting harm to others, if anyone has any suggestions on ways of testing this knife's fighting abilities please email me! **

Grassburr mounted leather holster

This review is a follow up to my review of Grassburr's Nylon mountable holster (C-Burr). This version is the leather more custom version. For a full review of the mounting options please see my previous review HERE. But to sum it up...Grassburr holsters can be mounted anywhere you can put a screw or bolt. They can be mounted from the side or the top of the holster. The mounting options are limitless.

The C-burr I reviewed previously was a model that was designed for those that didn't want to spend the extra money on leather. Some wanted a holster that wasn't quite as expensive since it would more than likely be hidden anyway and not worn on the body. The Nylon C-burr is designed as a universal holster which fit small, medium, or large frame autos and revolvers. The leather version is made for your specific make and model of pistol...it's molded for that gun. The leather is of great quality, and drawing the holster is a breeze. The thumbreak is smooth as well. My Glock fits and draws very well from this holster, however if you wish to stretch the holster a bit a good suggestion from the manufacturer is to place a sock over the unloaded pistol and put it in the holster for a while to stretch the leather to give the pistol a little more room. Good thinking.

Available in tan and black leather.

Overall this holster is a great addition to any pistol you may carry and want to have a unique way to mount it. Grassburr has impressed me with their innovative ideas and they're worth taking a look.

MSRP: $89.99

Update: One inprovement in this holster over the nylon is that you can get a good firing grip on the pistol while it's still in the holster. On the nylon version you can't get your hand down between the pistol and the mounting surface enough for a good grip...not so on this holster.

HSS gear desert storm knee pads

These knee pads were created by HSS gear and named the desert shield knee pads. When I first saw them I thought 'Wow...these things are big'. And the first time you try them on you think that they're way too bulky. They seem more like a skateboard kneepad than a tactical kneepad. When you first take a knee they seem too bulky in the back, however, after wearing them for a few minutes, this feeling goes away. I've knelt with them on for quite a while once they're broke in and it didn't bother me at all.

These pads have a removable inner foam padding and a hard shell knee cap. This knee cap isn't real thick, but it serves it's purpose, and by being thinner it flexes more to add more comfort. The nylon seems to be 1000D nylon.

The pads are held to your leg 2 ways. The actual knee pad has a velcro area at the top and bottom that attaches together and there are also 2 straps, one on top and one on bottom that are elastic and connect using velcro. They pass through a D ring and then can be pulled tight to the proper fit. If this seems too bulky behind the knee for kneeling I've found that with some use it isn't. But if it is, you can just tuck away the piece of the kneepad that velcros together and just use the straps.

On the inner part of the knee pad there is some grip material on top and bottom to help keep the kneepads in place. There is also a mesh material on the inside that helps with breathability.

I have been using these kneepads for several months and they're still in excellent condition. Durability seems to be great and comfort is good as well. One thing I notice about these kneepads is that they do stay in place so they're where you need them when you need them.

Available in foliage and coyote.

MSRP: $35.00

Sure Set Holster Mount

I found this mounting option a short time ago by Sure Set Holster Mounts and thought that it was a very innovative and versatile system to mount your holster anywhere you may want to.

One reason it's so versatile is that it allows you to use whatever holster you want as long as it'll fit a belt from 1 1/4" to 2 1/16". You're not stuck with one specific holster. The way it does this is by providing you with a platform to mount your holster as if it were worn on a belt. All you have to do is slip the holster on to the mount. There are extra pieces of metal included in the package to make the mounting area wider or thicker for different holster styles.

The mounting options are unlimited. The mounting brackets can be adjusted every which way. The place I chose to mount mine was on the side of the bed. I got the package all ready with drill in hand planning on having to put holes in my bed frame to attach the mount. Well...it wasn't anywhere near that difficult. First I got my holster in place on the mount. After I did that I put one of the included bolts in the end of the holster mounting area (that simulates a belt) to be sure the holster didn't slip off the end. I chose to use a Uncle Mike's paddle holster, which worked fine on this mount. Then I found the instructions that inform you of a bed mounting bracket that is included. All you have to do with this bracket is put it in place and attach 3 bolts (2 below the bed frame, and one above it) and that's it. Job done. Wow....very easy. Obviously if you're attaching it to a wall or car or other surface, mounting will be different, but it was that easy with a bed. A nice thing about this is that if I want to use the holster, it just slips off and can be just as easily placed back on.

The holster mount includes all necessary mounting hardware (except wood screws if this is how you plan on mounting it), the bed bracket, and a locking cable (adjustable with the right tools).

This piece of gear is absolutely great. It's quite self explanatory and easy to figure out and work with. If you want to mount your pistol holster somewhere, be it in the car, bedside, on a wall, etc etc... this is a great option to do that. It's made of quality, durable metal and all components seem to be of great quality.

MSRP: $54.99

Grandpa's FireFork

This is a really creative idea that the Light-My-Fire company brought back from an old fashioned way of making a camp fire fork....by bending a piece of wire around a stick. You then squeeze the ends together and place a stick through the hole created by the wire and let go of the ends and a spring like action holds the fork on the stick. I really like these things and have been recommending them whenever I see someone using a camp fire fork. I have used this product this summer and find it very usefull and durable...good stuff!

The main reason I love these things is that they pack up real small and you just use a stick that is available in the area instead of having to lug around a bunch of premade stick/fork combos. They're especially good for backpackers who need to pack light.

This fork comes with a safety cap to keep the fork in it's propper shape and to protect against accidentally poking yourself or other gear.

MSRP: $4.95