SOG Multitool

I was lucky enough to get the SOG Multitool (S66N-CP) for Father's Day earlier this year and have been putting it through it's paces.  It has not disappointed.

The first thing I noticed was how massive it was compared to other multitools like my Gerber.  It's not like twice the size or anything, but noticeably bigger.  I actually like that because it seems to fit in my hand better.  Those of you with small hands might want to try one out in person before purchasing.

It comes with a nylon sheath that has a belt clip, but would be nice if it had some kind of hardware for mounting to Molle also, or instead of.  It feels like the beltclip could come off any second, although it hasn't happened to me yet.

The tools in the SOG are pretty run of the mill, but one I haven't seen much is the strap cutter.  Another nice feature is the ability to lock both the knife blade and saw blade in the deployed or non-deployed state.  You can also deploy both blades with one hand, similar to assisted opening knives.

And of course there are the power assist jaws of the pliers.  I haven't compared the strength of the pliers vs. any other multitool pliers, but when I needed them, they worked well.

This is a tough sucker and I haven't used it necessarily according to how it was meant to be used (some light hammering maybe), but it's stood up to the abuse I've given.

Very happy with this tool and plan to keep it with me on all future outdoor adventures.

Streamlight NF-2

You can never have too many flashlights, so I was pretty excited to see the excellent selection of lights at the troop store at Ft. Lewis Washington. Normally I just browse these stores because they're just too expensive, but I saw this Streamlight NF-2 for 50% off and had to get it.


It's a great little light, and these "tactical" lights do a fantastic job of putting out light, despite their size. I've got a couple different lights about this size, and they all use CR123A batteries. The Streamlight puts out a better, stronger beam of light than the Surefire G2, but has a shorter battery life.

Here's a quick look at the specs:
# High-intensity xenon gas-filled bi-pin bulb delivers up to 7,900 peak beam candlepower(78 lumens)
# Adjustable spot-to-flood focus
# 1.3 hours of continuous run time
# Spare bulb contained within flashlight
# Head: 1.25;" Body: .9" x Length 4.8;" Ring: 1.38"
# 4.5 oz. with batteries
# Two 3 volt CR123A lithium batteries with a storage life of up to 10 years (included)
# TactCap™ click switch for quick, easy momentary operation
# Momentary push button tailcap, which rotates for locked "on"
# Polymer grip ring adjusts to any hand size
# Removable spring steel pocket clip and adjustable wrist lanyard

Right now it's in my car, but I have taken it running on some dark mornings and it worked very well. I kind of regret not getting another one for the price. Streamlight lists this as a discontinued product but you can still get them on the internet at various places. If you have a chance to get one of these, I would recommend it.

TAD GEAR Pathfinder jacket

I picked up a Tad Gear Pathfinder jacket after doing a lot of looking around both online and in stores.  Everything I saw was either too light or too heavy.  I wanted something for the strange season after winter and before summer.  I guess it's called spring but this year in the midwest, the weather has been all over the place. 

The Pathfinder jacket seems to fit the bill perfectly.  It's a hardshell fleece that acts as a pretty decent windbreaker and is also suitable for light rain.  I wore it this morning (beginning of May) when the temps outside were in the upper 30's, over a short sleeve shirt and was very comfortable.  When the wind picked up a lot, I felt it a little, but it wasn't bad.

I chose the Pathfinder because it's got no hood and is still a pretty lightweight jacket.  The sleeves have thumbholes and the pockets feature a pass through for headphones.  Inside the zipper are loops for cord management.

Once again, I'm really happy with Tad Gear's quality and attention to detail.  It's not the cheapest gear, but so far all of their stuff has held up very well.  I would definitely recommend the Pathfinder jacket if you're in the market for something that will keep you dry and warm during the unpredictable midwest springtime.

5.11 Tactical Rush 24

My TAD Gear pack has served me well over the past 10 years or so but I wanted something with a little more space and organization.  The 5.11 Tactical Rush 24 fits the bill perfectly.

The Rush 24 has about 200 more cubic inches of space and many more pockets for organization, while keeping the hydration pouch.  It of course has the ability to attach molle accessories as well as a couple velcro areas for nametapes and morale patches.

Overall, it's a great bag.  It suits my needs, is tough and handles everything well.  The only thing I miss is the straps on top of and below the bag.  They were very convenient on the Tad Gear bag, but something I've learned to live without.  The extra space in the Rush 24 almost makes up for it.

Stay tuned for more updates as I take this into the field and see how it really performs and holds up.

Out here.

Update 8/30/18

Well the Rush 24 survived a deployment, numerous work and hiking trips, and a 3 day trip to Vegas.  I packed light for Vegas and was able to get all of my clothes, shoes and toiletries in the bag.
The many different pockets really help organization, and the color doesn't yell out "tactical" as much as some other bags.

So far, no rips, tears or even errant strings.  This is a definite upgrade to the TAD Gear bag and am very happy I made the switch.

G Shock GW-6900

The Casio G Shock GW-6900 was purchased to replace a Timex Expedition that bit the dust.  It didn't stop working completely, but the buttons were not always working and it had served me well for about 6-7 years.  Plus I wanted a new watch.

I looked for another Timex, but found the G Shock line while on Amazon.  I started looking around and decided G Shock was the way to go.  They're durable watches and got good reviews. 

I initially bought a G Shock with an analog and digital interface, but the watch hands covered the digital face too much.  Not the best design.

I eventually wound up getting the 6900 you see below and am very happy with it.  As you can see it's pretty beefy without being too big.  I though the digital readout might be too small, but it's perfect, even with my old eyes.  The backlight works well too. 

The functions are easy to figure out and once you go through the setup, they're easy to remember.  Other cool features include solar charging, atomic time keeping (assuming you're in a location where there's a transmitter), dual time zones and several alarms.

On the subject of alarms, several reviews noted that it's a little on the quiet side.  I have not found this to be an issue.  It wakes me up everyday.

Another nice feature is that the buttons are not directly connected to the watch's electronic board.  In other words, it's engineered so that it won't easily wear out.

It's a comfortable watch and I barely notice its on during the day.  Overall, I'm very happy with this purchase and highly recommend this to anyone that doesn't need any crazy features, like compass, thermometer or whatever.  Time will tell (pun intended) if this holds up, but it's been great for the last four months.

Update September 18, 2018

I've had this watch for about 9 months and still love it.  Zero maintenance on it and it still works great.  The best thing is that I still find it comfortable, even if I wear it 12 or more hours a day, 7 days a week.  It's done well in the summer heat, occasional rainstorm and shower too.  Highly recommended.

K&F Carbon Fiber Tripod

I don't do a lot of photography that involves the use of a tripod, but for the few times that I do, it makes sense to have a decent tripod.  Up to now I've been using a cheap tripod by Rayovac (yes the battery company).  I don't even remember where or when I go it.  It does the job but one of the feet finally broke off and I decided to replace it with something better.

I did a decent amount of research and decided on the K&F Concept TC2534 Professional Carbon Fiber Tripod.  It was reasonably priced (before rush delivery and a delivery fee from the hotel to which I had it delivered).

I got it for a trip to Las Vegas, and more specifically to Red Rock Canyon, where I had hoped to take sunset photos and possibly do some night photography.  Unfortunately there were too many clouds for decent photos, but I was able to play around with the tripod.

Setup is pretty intuitive and easy.  One thing that was interesting was that aside from a panning action, all of the head movement is locked by one mechanism.  Not sure if I like this or not, but it seemed pretty easy to control and maintain.

One thing I haven't tried is using the removable monopod.  One of the legs can be removed and used as a monopod, which is a pretty cool idea.

Overall, this tripod seems to be a sturdy, lightweight accessory.  It also packs down pretty well.  Collapsed and in the case, it fit inside my Tactical Rush backpack, albeit without room for a lot of other stuff.  The point is, it's a pretty compact tripod.  I easily strapped it on the outside of my backpack for the way home, and both easily fit in the overhead compartment of the plane.

If you're looking for a light, capable tripod, this may well fit the bill for you.

Update 8/30/18

I've had the chance to use this a couple times and am very happy with it.  It's easy to set up and best of all, easy to position.  As I mentioned before, adjusting the head is pretty much the only thing you need to do.

One feature I didn't think I'd ever use was the hook on the bottom of the head area.  This allows you to hang a light weight (think 10 pounds or less) to add a little extra stability.  I was shooting in an area that wasn't level and simply hanging my backpack on the tripod helped a lot.

I still recommend this tripod and would purchase it again.