More new gear testing-boots & pants

Well, as we had our first significant snowfall of the year-and none last year, I FINALLY had a chance to get out snowshoeing. I had bought Nicky some Redfeather snowshoes last Christmas, but we never had any snow. This week, we got 6" on Thursday, and another 9" overnight. So, we went out for a 3 mile loop today, at our local town forest.
The weather was 28*, with gusty winds, in excess of 15 mph. The sky was overcast, with an occasional patch of sunlight. The air was dry. The snow was a nice, light, powdery snow. Overall, a great day to be outdoors-like there is EVER a bad day. I wore, from toe to head, smartwool socks, USAF mukluks, with felt boot liners, German wool pants, an Underarmor T shirt, a wool sweater, a polypro watchcap, ragg wool finger mitts, with poly pro liners. I also started with a goretex jacket on, but got too hot, believe it or not. So, that came off pretty quick. I also carried a backpack with extra gear, and 2 quts of water.
As we were simply out for a little walk in the woods, I didnt really do anything other than some tree ID. It was simply a nice walk outside. The pants are similar to these: http://www.armynavysales.com/products/german-wool-pants/
They are heavy weight, wind resistant, and have what sounds like some sort of plastic lining in the knee area, I assume that is to keep from wetting through, when kneeling. These are actually fantastic pants-I have been searching for something like these for years, for winter outings. They are rugged, sturdy, with cargo pockets, and were my size. I really couldnt go wrong with them, and am vary happy with the purchase thus far. The REAL test will be this weekend, when I have a 3 day hiking/winter workshop, where we will be outside all weekend, practicing winter skills. But, with this test run today, I am happy so far.
The other gear tested were a pair of USAF mukluks: http://www.omahas.com/usaf-issue-mukluks
These are simply canvas boots, with a rubber bottom. They came with 2 pair of felt insoles, which I am using both. They did NOT come with liners, which I am led to believe they dont sell them with them. I ordered liners separately off of Amazon, for about $15.
These are simply canvas overboots, if you arent familiar with a mukluk. Being canvas though, they can possibly leak water in. What I did, was got some canvas wax treatment, and treated the bottom half of the boot-the part most likely to come in contact with the snow. The upper half zip up, and act as gaiters. There really isnt a need to waterproof these, as, for me, they are simply covering up my wool pants, which are water resistant anyway. These are nice & flexible-ideal for snowshoeing, which was my main reason for buying them.
With the liners, my feet were WARM, all day. This is important. They never got hot-no sweating. They never got cold-at ALL. They were covered in snow, for 2 hours. Granted, I was walking the whole time. But, the snow never got in, the melted stuff rolled right off, and the liners, plus the insoles, kept my feet at a comfortable temp-and, my feet are RARELY warm in the winter, due to previous bouts of frost nip. But, not ONCE, did they get cool. Or overheat. Based on this short stint today, I am anticipating a good weekend of use in these. They are definitely for cooler weather-being canvas, even the water resistant stuff, they will still wet out, eventually, with melted snow. One thing I do want to get, is another pair of felt liners. This way, if one set gets wet-even though its wool felt, and will retain heat, wet feet suck-I can trade them out for dry ones, and dry the wet ones when I can-hopefully, over a fire.
And, last up, so nice pictures, of our day out!!

Teaching the next generation

I had the opportunity to get out on Black Friday, with my fiance & my nephew, for some quality outdoor time. We went geocaching all day, and into the dusk (we didnt make it out of the woods before dark). We made it a sort of bushcraft & geocaching day, where I taught him how to navigate with a map, how to use a slingshot properly, how to correctly use a knife, and how to make fire with a firesteel. It was a fantastic day out with my fiance & nephew-perfect weather, a fun time out in the woods, all finished off with a late lunch by the pond, and a nice evening walk in the dark. Here are a few pictures of yesterday:

An Emberlit follow up

I just wanted to do a quick followup on the Emberlit wood stove,  as I have been using it for a little over a month now. Coming from a more traditional hiking stove background-canister stoves & alcohol stoves-I was a little wary of this, as I figured gathering burnable fuel would be tedious. After a month of using this every weekend though, I have to say, this is now my go to hiking stove. I have had NO issues gathering materials for it, at all. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to go out into the woods, during and after a drizzle (we havent had much rain here recently). I specifically wanted to find out how hard it would be to get fuel when its damp out. Well, I had no issues at all. Living in New England, we have mixed woods here. More importantly, we have resin producing trees, which burn, even when wet. Pine trees have a particular growth cycle, that helps too-they tend to only have live branches & needles on their crown, letting lower branches die off. What this means is that there is PLENTY of standing dead wood fuel, that is likely dry, or at least drier than what is on the ground. My initial reservations of fuel gathering, thus far, are unfounded. It doesnt take long to get fuel, the stove will not break down or need spare parts, I dont need to be concerned about running low on fuel, and, lastly, this is environmentally friendly-harvesting dead wood, over manufacturing canisters and fossil fuels, both of which require processing plants to do so.
Bottom line is, if you are considering a different stove type, I say give one of the wood burning ones a shot. There is something about making a fire at the end of the day, that feeds that primal instinct. And, its like a portable campfire-that will burn much longer than any canister or alcohol stove will, simply for heat!

This past week, outside

As I had mentioned, I was on vacation last week. I attempted to minimize my time online, even via phone, and LARGELY succeeded. It was rather refreshing, actually!!! I limited my computer time-didnt even log into an actual computer until this past friday-and kept my phone on airplane mode most of the week. I DID spend quite a lot of time outdoors, trying out new gear, and generally just being in the woods, where I seem to feel most at peace.
A couple items I tried out for the first REAL time, and want to give a quick review here.
First, a pair of Palladium IDF desert combat "boots". These are, in essence, simply Chuck Taylors, made for the military. They are canvas boots, no insulation, and VERY light. I really like these things-they are light enough to wear all day, and dry out pretty quick once you get them wet. They dont require a breakin period, as they are simply canvas. They only come in a couple colors-more are available, but, from what I understand, hard to come by-so mine are in foliage, I believe they called it. Here are a couple of pictures:



I would rate them a 7, on a scale of 1-10. They are certainly comfortable, and cheap-less than $40 for them. But, being canvas, I dont expect to get more than a year out of them, with a lot of use. The soles are nice, with good lugs, but, my experience with canvas shoes in general is that they dont last forever-certainly not as long as leather. But, you are paying MUCH more for leather boots, so keep that in mind. There is also limited ankle support-I personally feel the whole "ankle support" argument is overrated, as, if you walk correctly, it isnt an issue. But, these dont offer any at all, so, keep that in mind.
Next up, my brand new Real Deal Brazil hat, that my fiance gave me for my birthday. I am not a fan of cowboy hats, but, this is a little different. Its made out of old truck canvas, from trucks down in Brazil. It has a nice, worn in look to it. This is my absolute favorite hat!!! It has a good brim, with a wire that, from what I understand, is a wire from a truck tire. Its malleable, and can be formed to whatever position the user wants. It has a Coolmax headband, but the rest is recycled canvas. These are made by local villagers in Brazil and, speaking with the owner personally, the money they get for each order, goes back into their community. They have built schools, public water and sewer, and most homes now have electricity-as a DIRECT result of the purchase of these hats. So, not only are they environmentally concious, they actually give back to the community they serve. How can you go wrong with THAT???





I did add a hat band I made out of paracord, and s chin strap out of deer skin lacing, to keep it on in windy conditions.
NExt item up is sort of just an update, for the Emberlit stove. I have been using this for a little over a month now, and, I must say, this is now my go to hiking stove, for anywhere in New England. In fact, any where I could get something to burn, I would go with this stove. Its only 5 pieces of stainless steel, or titanium, if you want to go that route-essentially, its simply a mobile mini fireplace. But it works SO well!!! You simply start a little fire, add twigs until its going, then feed fuel in from the side hole. No need to carry fuel, or worry about running out. I have yet to see how difficult it is to find fuel after a rain storm, as we really havent had one yet, but it would be no more difficult that doing so when setting up for a fire. Here are a couple pics of my latest use:
Staring with a twig fire:


Got it going well:


Boiling pond water!

Last up, just a quick review of my ever-changing daily bumming gear.
I have taken to carrying 2 small over the shoulder packs: a water/stove kit, and a haversack, for other stuff. Here is what I carry:


Here is the breakdown of this stuff:

Water bottle, cup, plastic mug, titanium spork, Emberlit stove, canteen cup lid, and a container of PCJBs. Also, in the top of the lid, are 6 water tabs, for chemical treatment of water.

My haversack:

A tarp, with 4 aluminum stakes, a ridgeline, and 8 small pieces of 550 cord, a notebook, some guide books, a first aid kit, an emergency blanket, some boil only food in the blue bag(enough for 2 days), a small pair of binos, a small metal container that has a fire kit, fishing kit, sharpener, and wire saw in it, and has duct tape on the outside, and, finally, some writing utensils. Not pictured, my compass, a lighter, my SAK, and my Condor Bushlore, with a fire steel. Those items, I have on me.

Thats it for this installment. I am thinking the next one, I am going to do some foraging-scratch that. Next up, I will go over my new bow!!! :)

Some craftiness this weekend!!!

So, first off, this past week was my birthday. My LOVELY fiance got me a Real Deal Brazil hat for me-absolutely LOVE it! I crafted a braided 550 cord hatband for it. Have worn it several times so far this week, and this is now my go-to outdoors hat. I need to make a chin strap for it, as it does sit a little loose (choice between small, or large, and I KNOW a small wouldnt fit), as it can have the propensity to blow off in a good wind.
Next, I picked up 2 things I am excited about: first, a Samick Sage takedown recurve bow, with a 45# pull. I have shot it in my backyard a few times, and LOVE this bow!!! I may even try my hand at hunting next year. We will see.
Second, I got a pair of Israeli desert boots. They are, in essence, Chuck Taylor sneakers. I want to give them a go, see how they feel in the woods. Initial impressions, they are lightweight (being made of canvas), and should be cool enough for summer weather.
So, anyway, the plan is to get out for an overnight from Sunday to Monday, in the Federated Women's State Forest, out near the Quabbin Reservoir in MA. My understanding is that you can do primitive camping there, and myself and a friend are going to knock out some lessons for our Basic Bushcraft classes. I should be able to close mine out this week, and submit my certification by Friday. I only need a couple things (some basic firecraft skills), and my outings, which I plan to knock out by the end of next week. So, stay tuned, I should have some interesting pictures to show soon!

New day pack

As I am getting more & more into the whole bushcraft thing, I am finding that I am looking into more traditional gear. First, let me back up a little-I have an addiction. I LOVE packs, of all kinds. I currently own maybe 10 packs, ranging from lumbar packs, all the way up to expedition packs, with a capacity of almost 8000 ci. Now, I rarely use most of them-I use my Kelty 3000 almost all the time, and, up until very recently, my Mountainsmith Lumbar pack, that I recently went over in another post. But, as I stated, I was looking for something a little more traditional, for woods bumming. I wanted something cheap, to start with-something that I could afford to spend money on, and, if it wasnt for me, sell off, with minimal loss to me.
There are several that I would LOVE to have: The Isle Royal by Duluth Packs, is the one all others are measured by. I like the pack-but, dont like the lack of a frame. And, at over $300-which, as it is handmade, I understand the pricing-it was more than I wanted to spend, particularly as this will be my first more traditional pack.
Second on my list, and a little more affordable, was the Continental Rucksack by LL Bean. I have toyed around with this, and really like it. Its a little more in my price range-about $140-AND it has an internal frame. I read a LOT of reviews on it, and, overall, it seems to fare pretty well. The major complaints are the shoulder straps. It seems, after some use, they have a tendency to roll in. The shoulder straps are imitation shearling, backed by thin canvas. Most people either return it for a new one (LL Bean has a no questions asked return policy), or they modify it by sewing old leather belts as backing, to keep the rigidity. The one major drawback, for me at least, is that they are manufactured in China. But, I think that, for a larger overnighter, this may be my next purchase-we will see though.
So, I continued my search-something a little smaller than the 2 listed above. Duluth Trading Co. has a smaller version of their Royal Isle, the RI Jr, but, again, the price is out of my range. So, I started looking into surplus packs.
I started looking into foreign military packs-Italian packs, Swedish packs, Swiss packs, Czech packs, and German packs. My main priorities were, besides price (and, all these were cheap), were canvas, sufficient room for gear for an overnight, and the long term reviews. And, of course, I was looking at style too, but, that sits pretty low on my priority list.
After taking ALL this into consideration, I finally settled on the German Mountain Rucksack, which was a reproduction of a model during the 60's. The pack I got is new, unused, but was manufactured in 1990. As it doesnt come with shoulder straps, they put on an old LCE shoulder straps onto the D rings for this. Originally, this ruck was designed to clip into a  suspender system used by German forces. But, as I didnt want that, and, well, they seem to be impossible to get anyway, the seller has taken to adding these straps.
I havent taken it out yet, but, here are my initial thoughts on this rucksack. First, it appears very durable. it is a heavy canvas. The closures for the 3 pockets (2 sides, 1 front), are metal buckles. The top lid is a cinch style closure. The large internal main pack is plenty large enough to carry gear for an overnight, and then some. The 2 side pockets can hold a 32 oz Nalgene bottle (1 in each, of course), and the large central pocket can hold quite a bit of gear as well. There is a large pocket in the main compartment, that I have slipped a cut down CCF pad in there, for back support, and as a kneel or sit pad. There is also a top lid compartment, similar to what is found on the top lid of ALICE rucksacks.
Loading it up, I noticed a couple things. First, this is my first time trying one of these. Coming from a traditional backpack background, this rucksack sits low. Something I need to get used to. Second, the shoulder straps provided by the seller are lacking. They arent well padded (the original LCE straps arent made to carry heavy loads, simply to help support the web belt). These will be replaced, this weekend. They also pull in a different direction than what I am used to. As there isnt a waist belt, all the weight rides on your shoulders. Which, for now, is fine-this is primarily a daypack, so I shouldnt need to carry too much. I could pack it for an overnight too, but I wouldnt go with any more than 20 lbs of gear in this, as I think it would become too cumbersome.
I made some slight modifications to it as well. Other than replacing the straps, I also removed the top drawstring. There isnt anything wrong with the one it comes with-its a simple cotton string. But, I wanted something a little more durable. I replaced it with 550 cord, and put a wooden bead on it, for a keeper. I tied a loop of 550 cord through one of the eyes in the top, to hang my hawk from. I also added 2 small pouches, on either side, through the belt loops-one contains my compass & signal mirror, the other my first aid kit.
I have the following items currently in here: one side pocket, a military poncho. The other side pocket, a DD hammock (no bug net). The center pocket, my rope kit in a Maratac pocket pouch, my fire kit in an old decon container, my shelter kit in an old top pouch for a military ruck (it contains a 5x7 tarp, a ridgeline, and several lengths of 550 cord, and a Heatsheet), a slingshot, my gerber saw, and a small set of binos. The top lid has my map, and writing stuff (pencil, paper, map marker). Inside, I have a military wet weather bag, which I will put clothing in, as needed, for the weather. I also have my 14cm Zebra pot, which has 2 days worth of food packed inside it, and a Katadyn Basecamp water filter. As I play around with this, expect to see a little more feedback. I am planning on a couple of overnights in the next few weeks, and will update then. For now, I am also attaching some pictures, so that you have an idea what the rucksack looks like.

My daypack

A friend of mine asked what I normally carry in my daypack. As this can vary, time to time, and, well, texting all the contents is laborious, I decided to put up a quick blog post in regards to what I usually carry. Mind you, this WILL vary, depending on the time of year, where I am going, what I am planning to do, etc. But, generally, this is what I carry as a base:
First, I have an older Mountainsmith Lumbar pack I use as my main dayhike pack. I purchased shoulder straps for it, to keep it from pulling my pants down. I prefer the lumbar pack as its slightly cooler than a traditional backpack. But, I am actually looking into a canvas rucksack, for a more traditional look. We will see...
Anyway, the contents (in no particular order):
2 water bottles. I have a Nalgene bottle, and a NATO water bottle. I also have a NATO cup, that I can use to boil water in, or cook in, as needed.
A Gerber saw-for, well, cutting wood...
A Heatsheet survival blanket. These are MUCH tougher than the myar ones. A little more expensive, but worth the additional couple of bucks, in my opinion
A notebook, with a pen and a pencil. For taking field notes.
10' of brass hobby wire. This is for making snares, should the need arise, or, more likely, making shelters or repairing gear.
Folding diamond sharpener. For touching up my knives.
20' of cotton line-for making shelters, marking trails, etc.
50' of 550 cord. This is for making shelters, tying things-it has a myriad of uses.
Cammenga military compass. I ALWAYS carry a compass-I have tried civilian compasses, and find I am more comfortable with this version, even though it is MUCH heavier than a civilian one.
Garmin GPS-a small wrist top GPS, in case I want to map my trek, or a quick reference for a grid of where I am.
Leather work gloves-for handling hot pots, going through brambles-pretty much anything you would need gloves for.
Cordage kit. This is 6 separate pieces of 550 cord, each about 5' long, and a 2 strand braided twist of 550 cord, about 15' long, for use as a ridgeline.
a 6x8' tarp, for shelter. Either worn, if needed, or in making a shelter.
A large plastic bag, to keep my maps and documents in.
A Suunto Vector wristwatch, with cobra knot cordage for the wrist strap (that I made).
First Aid kit-bandaids, meds, etc. In a waterproof container.
My emberlit stove-for, well, a stove.
Sea to Summit spoon, for eating.
(Not shown) Water purification tabs.
A little microfiber towel. I carry a yellow one, so that it can also serve as a signalling device.
Condor Bushlore beltknife, in a handmade leather dangle sheath.
Firesteel.com Ranger firesteel. Probably the best one I have used yet.
Swiss Army Knife Farmer. I got this for both the saw, and the awl, which I use as my firesteel striker.
I have a full ration kit that I take-it contains oatmeal, ramen, some non cook snacks, coffee, and cocoa.
Shemagh, which is just an oversized handkerchief. This is such a useful piece of kit, I wouldnt go without it.
I also carry a jacket, rainjacket, or something for inclement weather. The LAST thing I want, if I get stuck out overnight, is to be stuck without some sort of jacket. I use a heavy wool shirt, in the picture below, which serves well for 5 months out of the year. As I am often working with fire, I prefer natural materials, as they dont burn. But, I usually stick to wool, as cotton sucks when its wet.
All of this easily fits into the lumbar pack, as shown. Its easy to carry, and, should something happen, I have enough gear to spend a night or two out, if needed. I cover shelter, water, and fire. I have signaling devices, and navigational aids. I even carry food. Anything I may need, I can fabricate. As my skills get better, my load will certainly decrease.

This is the lumbar pack, full:


The contents:

A day out in the woods

This past Saturday, I went out for a few hours' hike. I went to a local town forest, where there is ample room for rambling. I had a new stove I wanted to try out too-an Emberlit wood stove. This was the primary reason for going out (other than for my mental health!!!), so, I will do a dandy little review on it.
The Emberlit stove is a collapsible, wood burning stove, that comes in either SS or, from what I understand, titanium. The website lists the weights at 11.3 oz for the SS, and 5.45 oz for the titanium. They are either $35, or $55, respectively. I went with the SS one myself.
The stove comes completely unassembled. There are 5 parts-4 walls, and the bottom. The walls all attach with little slots, and the bottom has tabs on 3 ends, that also slide into slots. One wall has an opening at the bottom, to allow for fuel to be put it.
Assembling is dead simple. Attach the back, and 2 sides together, insert the floor, then the front side. The front side requires a little twisting to line it up, but, once assembled, this this is rock steady.
To use, simply light a fire inside it, and feed it. You dont need large pieces of fuel-I used pieces about a thumb width, once the fire was going. This burns quite efficiently-all the heat is directed up to the pot. There are small holes in the sides, for airflow. Water boils fairly quick-I didnt time it, but I would estimate it took 5-6 minutes to boil 2 cups of water. Honestly, this is where wood stoves are great-you dont have to worry about burn times, as fuel is limitless. But, it is certainly comparable to alcohol or canister stoves.
Some of the plusses of this stove:
Simplicity
Ease of use
No fuel to carry
Sturdy
Cheap
Nothing to break or wear out
Some of the cons of a wood stove:
Dirties your cookware
Fuel must be found (although, here, in New England, that isnt an issue)
Cannot use in a tent (you shouldnt use ANY stove in a tent, but, even vestibule cooking, I would advise, as the flames are unpredictable)
Must feed the stove on occasion

A few take aways from this; based on this ONE test, I was satisfied with the performance. My plan is to go out in less than ideal weather, and try it then. One can ALWAYS find dry wood, but, I want to see how hard it is  to do so.
I use a flint & steel exclusively for lighting fires. I would suggest taking some sort of priming source-PCJB, jute twine, tinder quick-to get a quick light. I did this with ONLY natural tinder, but it did take some time.
Prep of fuel is key, as it is for any wood fire. Its better to have more, than less. And, if staying somewhere for a couple days, or even overnight, get enough for several lights, for ease of use.
For this particular stove, you get a better burn if you keep the feed port stuffed. If there are gaps in the fuel, flames have a tendency to lick out. This doesnt provide optimum burning of the fuel-and increases boil time. I find that keeping it stuffed, helps with both. That way, the flames only have one real route-upwards.
A feature I liked about this was that, you can use fuel as long as you want-I wouldnt go any longer than a forearm though-so long as they can fit into the fuel port. As it burns, you keep pushing it into the stove itself.
Again, I have only used this stove once. And, that was in good weather. As I plan to use this as a primary stove for a while, I am sure I will encounter other things, either good or bad, with it. As I do, I will post. But, based on this one outing, and no other stoves of this type to go by, I think I have a winner with this one!!!
Now, some pictures (also one of a coyote I came across):
Here it is, in the package:


Here it is, disassembled:


Here it is, assembled:


Here is what I used for my fuel source:


Here is my fire prep:


Here it is, fired up:


One more:


Water, at a boil:


And, last up, coyote!!!

New tools

A couple new acquisitions. A cold steel rifleman's tomahawk, and a Mora #2. I did a mustard patina on both. The knife, I put a choil and some thumb notches on it, for doing fine work. I did those with nothing but my trusty dremel tool. The hawk, I stripped the black paint off it, polished it with the dremel, the put the patina on it as well. A good friend made me a leather mask for the hawk, and a dangle sheath for the Mora.

Bushcraft as a way of centering one's soul

If you follow this blog at all, you know I am a great fan of being outdoors. Recently, I have been dabbling back into the whole notion of Bushcraft. What is that, you ask? Let me explain it. Buschraft is, in essence, being able to get by, in the woods, with minimal gear. It is, in essence, a combination of skills, all related to outdoors; tracking, tree, plant, and insect identification, shelter building, fire building, knife and axe skills, foraging, and making your own gear, to name a few. Think of the mountain men of old; those that blazed trails for the pioneers. Those that lived here BEFORE the pioneers. Often, men of old went into the woods, mind you, there werent trails then-with little more than an axe, a knife, a gun, and whatever their horse could carry. They crafted what they needed. They hunted and trapped animals. They ate wild plants. They treated their own ailments, made their own clothes. There is somewhat of a renaissance of these skills coming back. Not so much being a true mountain man, but more self-reliant. This is the more REALISTIC spinoff of the now hollywood phenomenon of the "prepper". Mind you-most of us ARE preppers of one sort or another. But, we do this as a way of life-nay, a way of LIVING. We (and, most preppers in general) arent crazy end-of-the-world people that Hollywood would have you believe. We take life seriously-ALL life. We just want to be prepared for that time that we are without those things we take for granted-heat, running water, easily accessed food, etc. But, I digress....
So, anyway, over the next few months-my goal is by fall-I will be documenting my development of skills, and what I am working on. Hopefully, with these updates, I will become a little more active in this blogging community. I recently came across a forum called BushcraftUSA. They have an online, self-taught "course", if you will, that works around you getting some basic skills under your belt, and then using these skills on some outings, one of them being an overnight. There are 3 levels; basic, intermediate, and hard(woodsman). Even though some of these skills are basic, and stuff I am familiar with, to meet the requirements, one must document themselves doing the skill, either via photos, or video (the hardwoodsman course must be ALL video). So, I want to get the basic one done by fall. There are 13 skills lessons, and 5 outings, as well as completing 5 electives, to get the Basic certification. Now, its an honor system. Could you cheat? Yes-but, you only cheat yourself. Here are the 13 requirements for it:
Make a feather stick
Light 5 manmade tinders (without a lighter, of course)
Make a twig fire
Demonstrate 4 basic knots-Done
Improvise a cooking implement from metal
Knife sharpening-Done
2 strand twist with man made materials-Done
Braiding with man made materials
Set up a tarp shelter-Done
Make a simple snare
Tree ID and uses
Make bannock
Make a pot hook
Electives:
Twig bundle fire
Make a PSK-Done
Whipping rope & tool handles
Make a ridge line
Make a FAK
Flint & steel with char cloth
Paracord bracelet-Done
Improvise a flint & steel striker
Make a lanyard for your firesteel
Make & use a fishing kit
Improvise a chair
Improvise a fish hook
Spend a night out with a wool blanket

So, as you can see, there is a lot to play around with. I have done several, as marked above. But, it looks to be a busy & enjoyable summer!!!

New gear and shakedown hike!!

Spring is here!! And, with spring, comes more outdoor time! That being said, I have picked up a few items over the winter, and want to do a small review on them, as I did a nice little shakedown hike today to try some new gear out.
The items I will review are
My Kelty Redwing 3100 pack ( have owned this for about a year now, but haven't put any mileage on it yet)
Keen Gypsum mid hikers
OR insect resistant gaiters-short
Backcountry Navigator program for my SGII

First, lets start with the feet. These shoes I found on sale, and got them cheap. Keen has been making a name for themselves as quality hiking footwear in the past couple years. I figured I couldn't go wrong picking up a pair of these. I subscribe to the "light is right" theory of footwear. By that, I don't wear heavy, full leather boots. First,. they simply don't fit my hiking type-unless I am in a scree field, I don't see a need for heavy boots like this. Second, my experience with the heavier boots is that, although they are waterproof-this also causes my feet to sweat, heavily, thus negating the waterproof claims. Don't fool yourself-even with goretex, you will likely experience sweating. The majority of sweat glands exist in our feet, and, as such, the more boot, the more sweat. Instead, I prefer a lighter weight short cut shoe, that is breathable. If my feet get wet, they will dry out. Even if they are soaked, at the end of the day, they will mostly be dry by morning-and, with a dry pair of socks on, you likely wouldn't even notice any remaining dampness.
Next up is fit. I get hotspots on the top of my feet. Its hard to find shoes that don't do this for me. These haven't created that as of yet, and that makes me happy. The overall fit is nice-I prefer my shoes a little big, as my feet have a tendency to swell when walking a lot, due to numerous stress fractures they have suffered throughout my tenure in the Army. So, I like a little room in the toe area, and buy accordingly. With shoes in general, a size in one brand doesn't necessarily translate to the same size in another-and, these are no different. They are size 9s for me, where I would usually go with an 8.5 (yes, I have small feet). But, the 9s fit me best, so I went with those.
I did about 4 km in them today, both on trail, and off (mostly off). I am happy to report that, after that little trial, there were no hotspots, no issues, and, even with a soaking crossing a swamp, they remained comfortable. I didn't even notice my foot was wet, until I looked down, and saw it was discolored. Although, I think this is more due to the warmth of the standing water, than anything else.All in all, these Keens work for me. They fit my criteria as affordable, durable, good quality, and good fit.
Next up, the OR gaiters, the Bugout model. These I bought, again, on sale. According to the tag, these are repellent for ticks, mosquitoes, and chiggers, for up to 70 washings (I honestly don't know anyone who washes gaiters though). What can I say-throughout my bushwhacking, they kept the crud out of my low cut shoes. And kept my pants bottoms tucked in. I didn't have any ticks on me-I cannot definitely attribute this to the gaiters themselves, but I can attest to them doing what they are supposed to do-keep all that crap from getting in your shoes. I spent more time off trail than on, and they worked flawlessly. They are tan in color, and likely will not remain so for long. Personally, I don't care if they look dirty-they are outdoor gear, and are going to get that way. So be it. But, the dirt definitely shows on these. Be warned, if that's something you don't like.
Next up, my Kelty Redwing 3100. I haven't really put any mileage on this yet, so this will be an ongoing project. I got this particular model because, well, its very popular, and got great reviews. I wanted a pack I can use for up to a week, but isn't so giant as to be unwieldy. I tend to pack minimally, so I thought this would fit the bill. Here are my likes:
First, I had about 27 lbs in this. I put my hammock, tarp, and pegs in there, a small first aid kit, and the rest was water. I had a 100 oz camelback (there is an internal pocket for this), and a bunch of 1L bottles, filled with water. I prefer this method, as, if the weight it too much, I can empty the bottles. My pack weight I want to keep under 30 lbs, with water, and this pack is rated to about 35. Carrying the weight I had wasn't a problem.
Overall, this pack is a decent fit. It isn't spectacular, but neither is it horrible. I have had packs that fit like a glove, and some that, no matter what, hurt your back. This was neither. The overall fit was good, but, without a truly adjustable back, its sort of a one size fits all. Which, works for most people. I just found myself shrugging to readjust every now & again. It wasn't bad at all, just something to note.
There is an aluminum stay that provides rigidity. If I spend the time getting this adjusted to my back, this would improve my carrying it greatly. I like the single stay idea myself.
The shoulder straps are easily adjustable, for both length and the load lifters, and are comfortable. There is a sternum strap as well, that is actually long enough to fit my chest, without being completely extended. I DEFINITELY liked that feature!!
The hip belt, I am not so fond of. As this is a multi-use pack, the hip belt is kind of flimsy. It certainly did its job, and I didn't experience any rolling of the belt-even when off trail and scrambling. Long term, I want to keep an eye on this though.
As for space, this has plenty of space for my hammock, tarp, sleeping bag, underquilt, clothes, food, and camelback. I have packed it full previously, but didn't hike with it. Its a tight fit, but it works. I am a minimalist when it comes to clothing, preferring to carry only one spare clothing set, no matter the length of the hike. I got this pack with the idea that, with less room, I would pack less, and that works. It is a great size for a 3 day trip, but, if you are like me, you could do a week, or longer, with it, no problem.
Last up, Backcountry Navigator. I like to record my trips, and this seems to fit the bill. They offer a free 2 week demo, and the full version is $9.99, available in the Google Play store. Its simple to use, and setting waypoints is dead easy. It recorded my entire hike, to include time, distance, elevation gain and loss, and even has a way to pause it, if you take a break (which I did). There is an ability to download local maps to your SD card as well. As I JUST got this app today, I haven't had the opportunity to play with it fully yet, but, expect a full review on it when I do. I suggest that, if you are looking for a decent mapping program for your phone, try it out-you have 2 weeks, and it costs nothing (some things may be disabled though in the trial version).
Overall, it was a great day to be out. I decided to be a little adventurous, and dust off my old navigational skills. Fortunately, it worked out. I really want to get out and start playing around with a map & compass again-perhaps look into some orienteering courses. I have missed playing like that. The place local to me is ideal for orienteering-terrain variety, good hills, easy to recognize on a map. Someday.....

New gear coming this week!

I haven't posted a whole lot, and I promised to do more this year. I hope to get more outdoors time this year, be it shooting, hiking, kayaking, or whatever. Being a homeowner, a lot of my time is getting taken up with that. Which I am ok with!
If you aren't familiar with me, I am a firearms owner. My pistol of choice is Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm. This is my carry gun, range gun-my only pistol. If you aren't familiar with the platform, one of the shortcomings-the only one-is that the magazine release is hard to manipulate with smaller hands-which I have. Chris Costa, of Magpul fame, started his own company. He had made an after market extended magazine release, specifically designed to address this. I ordered one, and will be trying it out next weekend, so stay tuned!
Update as of 4/14/12: I have been told these are backordered, and not to expect one until May. So, review will be at a later date

Tying it all together

Ok, I am linking my online blog to my Google+ account. This will hopefully get me to start posting more, and spending less time managing things. I REALLY want to dump FB altogether, but, as I have been a part of it almost since the beginning, its kind of hard to wean myself off. But, this should help get things rolling. We will see!

A new year!

So, happy new year! I have a few things I want to accomplish this year. Get in shape, become a better piper, get some home improvement done, things like that. I have some goals to achieve as well, to help accomplish these this year. First, I am going to enter a zombie 5k obstacle race in may. That's my first fitness goal. Second, I am going to attend a 2 day shooting school this summer, which is both fitness and shooting goals. Last, I plan to attend a piping workshop, to improve my skills. My reward? A 7 day cruise with my girlfriend next year. So, here's to accomplishing goals!

Tactical Medic class

I had the opportunity to attend a Tactical Medical class over the weekend of 21-22 November, 2010, put on by Code One Training Solutions (www.code1web.com). The primary instructor, Ian McDevitt, invited me personally to attend the class. The course ran through the weekend, and was approximately 6 hours each day. The course is designed for people that have some sort of valid medical training-be it a first responder, EMT, paramedic, or some other qualifications. The course is an introduction to performing these duties while in a role of a medic assigned to part of a SWAT or SRT team. It assumes you have the necessary basic qualifications for performing in that role. Not that the information is above a laypersons head-I am not currently certified in any of this, but have been a certified first responder, combat lifesaver, have taken wilderness first air courses, and currently possess Red Cross cert for first aid/CPR/AED, for adults & children. I attended this course for the knowledge, and the opportunity to train with others. And, I was certainly NOT disappointed! Now, on to the class!
The class consisted of a number of police officers, several EMT-Bs, a paramedic, and an ER nurse. I was THE most unqualified person there. That isnt to say I didnt know what to do-as I stated, I am familiar with the material, just not as up to date as everyone else. The first day was spent going over the concept of tactical medicine, the applications of it in today’s world, and the differences between the role of a tactical medic on the civilian side vs. a military role as a medic. The focus during both days was on the 3 phases of tactical medicine, and where to apply each phase. The 3 phases we dealt with were Care Under Fire, Tactical Field Care, and CASEVAC. The focus of the weekends training was primarily with the first phase, and touching on the second phase. Its important to note that, like anything else when in these types of environments, the phases are VERY fluid-often going back & forth between the first 2 phases, as the situation develops. This is where we focused our attention.
We covered topics such as pressure dressings, hemostatic agents, tourniquets, and when all of these are applied. Through handouts, videos, real world scenarios, class discussion, and practical application, we all had a thorough understanding of the use of all of the above-what works, what doesnt, and why. Ian has extensive experience in this subject, in hostile areas, and had plenty of stories to relate to us. He also had several videos to show us, as well as numerous pictures, of proper & improper wound treatment. By the end of the first day, I felt fairly confident that I knew what I was doing, what the phases were, and, through several iterations of practical application, how to handle the equipment.
Day 2 was the practical application day. We started off with a mental exercise. We were asked to plan the casualty phase of an operation. This is similar to paragraph IV of an op order, for those in the military. It consisted of locations of different medical facilities, what was available, route planning, etc. This was a higher level exercise, but it drilled into us that, although care STARTS with you, there is a large support chain there to assist with care. Once we were done that, Ian went over some of the packs he has used. Some worked, some didnt. And, he was honest in his assessment in all of it. If gear didnt work, he called it out. If he recommended a particular brand, or piece of equipment, he provided the dealer, and the website, so that anyone who wanted to check it out, could. Once the gear fondling was done, we broke up into 2 groups, with LE working together, and the civilian side working together.
I worked with several EMTs, who had a LOT of practical experience with the medical side, but limited tactical experience. The scenarios called for both. I FINALLY felt I could bring something to the table! We ran through scenarios where we had an officer down, and we had to get to him/her. We varied between the area being secure, to us being under fire. As was explained to us the first day, the transition between the first 2 phases is fluid-and, with these scenarios, we went back & forth between them several times, with each scenario. We even ran one where we never left phase 1. After running through 7 scenarios of varying degrees of difficulty, we then broke for lunch.
After lunch, we secured an abandoned building, and the whole group worked together. In the real world, this is how it would actually work. The LE have their jobs to do, and the tactical medic is there primarily to deal with casualties after the LE have done their jobs. So, we broke it down so that everyone got a turn doing their jobs. LE did their various response scenarios (workplace violence, officer down, etc), the tactical medics followed up with them when they were called forward, operating in both the 1st & 2nd phases, and the casualties were taken to the ambulance, and treated by the EMTs & paramedic in the CASEVAC phase. All phases were covered, and everyone got a chance to rotate into the tactical medic role. I felt that the whole class benefited from this integrated training. It allowed the LE to see the benefits of having a dedicated medic to their team, and the civilian side got to see how the LE operates for different callouts. I learned a lot talking with individual officers, as to what their SOPs are-and, they vary greatly from anything I have done with the military-and, even from what I thought they would be. I wont go into detail, but their level of response, and how the respond to certain situations, was a real eye opener to me,
In conclusion, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this class. Some of the knowledge was new to me, some I had some experience with, and havent used in a while, but, in the end, it was all beneficial. The instructors are VERY knowledgeable, and have many years experience between them. They have been there, and done that. By sharing their stories, providing handouts, to include a book on tactical medicine written by Ian, videos, slide shows, demonstrations, and practical applications, I have a newfound reverence for those men & women who risk their lives, every day, so that others may live. The experience I walked away with will remain with me for a long, long time. Even as a civilian, a lot of this can be applied. Self aid is something we ALL should know-and knowing what works, and what doesnt, can be the difference between you living or dying.
I want to thank the following for a great weekend: first, to the Old Saybrook PD. Thanks for attending, working with us, and demonstrating your tactics to us. Stay safe, in the line of fire. Second, to the EMTs & paramedics that attended; your lifesaving skills dont go unrecognized by us civilians. Your dedication to your profession, and your interactions with people on a daily basis who arent at the best point in their lives, doesnt go unnoticed by us civilians. Your skills may sometimes be taken for granted-but they are ALWAYS welcome when needed. Stay safe.
Last, I would like to thank the instructors, who, without them, this course wouldnt exist.
Ian McDevitt-primary instructor. Paramedic, CCEMTP, Tactical Medic, FARMEDIC, graduate of CONTOMS & H&K tactical medicine, as well as a few other creds. On top of all this, he has also served with the Army as an Infantry officer. Ian has worked in places such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Central America. Ian, I want to personally thank you for inviting me to this course.
Tony Maggio-EMT, paramedic, and EMSI. Tony, thanks for your guidance and help, with someone who doesnt know all the cool lingo you guys use.
Rory Leslie-paramedic, and is an OIF vet, who served with the 101st. Thanks for your crafty scenarios-it helped drill in the fluidity of going back & forth between phases.

If you are interested in attending one of these, you can go to www.code1web.com for further information, or contact TacMedic here on the forums via PM. Again, this is a very informational class, and is geared towards SRT/SWAT scenarios, where a team medic would be attached. It helps to have a basic understanding of BLS, as your role would require you to perform at LEAST at a level of First Responder.

BCB Crusader Integral stove updae

This is a follow up to the review I did in August, with pics.

I wanted to write this review for a while now, and just finally got around to it. I have been using the NATO canteen for about 2 years now, and recently purchased the Crusader burner and digicam zulu pouch from Bestglide. As a result, I wanted to review the whole kit. I am in no way associated with, or compensated by, either Bestglide, BCB International, or any of their affiliates. All items were purchased full price, and I was neither endorsed, nor compensated, for this.
I purchased all the following items separately, but, on the Bestglide site, you can purchase them as a complete set as well. Here is my setup I purchased:
NATO water bottle with plastic mug
Crusader metal canteen cup
Crusader cooker
Zulu pouch.
Green Heat
Additional stuff I have in the pouch:
12 Pur microtabs
2 pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil
small lighter in plastic bag
LMF Scout firesteel
titanium spork.

Review.
I did a test run a few weeks ago, in my kitchen, to try the stove system out. I used 8 oz water, straight from the tap, and started the test. I left the cup uncovered-honestly, I didnt even think of covering it. In this controlled environment, I achieved the following times:
Water achieved small bubbles at 6:38
Flame went out at 10:27.
Its important to note I did NOT cover the cup, so I lost a lot of heat that way. I was a little concerned with this initially.

Today I did the outdoor test.The weather was about 70*, slightly overcast, minimal to no wind. A nice day to be outside, overall. Not a great time to test gear, as it isnt testing limits, but it was great to get a baseline, where I can post reviews in inclement weather at a later date. As before, I used 8 oz tap water. However, this time I used a piece of tin foil to cover the lid of the cup (the complete kit apparently comes with a plastic lid; I dont have one, as I have heard bad reviews of it melting on the first use, so I didnt purchase one). Here are the results:
Rolling boil achieved at 5:24
Flame went out at 14:14
Two things of note here-of course, covering the cup increases boil time. In this case, it actually caused the water to boil. The other thing was the longer time until flame went out-I burned the package (it didnt burn completely, but it came close), and this gave a few more minutes of flame time. It also reduces waste. There was a very slight breeze as well, and this may have helped both the boil time & the flame out time too, as I did notice the flame increase slightly with the breeze.

Things to note with this set. First, the canteen itself. There is a little retaining plastic thing that keeps the lid from getting lost. I broke it, within the first week of use. I am a dumb grunt, and it was FAR too fragile for me. The button on top of the cap broke, so I removed it completely. Its no great loss-its been over 2 years, and I havent lost the lid yet.
Second, if you get the Crusader cup, do NOT get the PFTE coated one. The inside of the cup is peeling, as you will see in the accompanying pics. The outer coating is fine-I think that the boiling water does something to the coating. Get the SS one, and get some stove paint, and coat the outside. Me, I am gonna boil & scrape till the internal coating is gone. Not really a fun project.
Third, I am in love with the zulu pouch. This holds the complete kit, plus accessories. There is a pocket in the inside of the lid, that can hold purification tabs. There is also an internal front pocket, that holds additional fuel packets, tin foil, and my fire gear. Hell, I could stuff the spork in there too, but I usually just shove it wherever. There is room in that little pouch for small items. I have a few boullion cubes in there, just in case. It comes with a shoulder strap, and is MOLLE compatible. Really, it doesnt get any better than that....
Fourth, Green Heat is a decent product. It heats quick, you can light it with a firesteel, it doesnt smell, and you can burn the packet. It doesnt leave any residue afterwards (it certainly doesnt have the fish stink Esbit tabs do). This leaves the stove relatively clean, and ready for the next round. It being a gel, you cannot add to the stove when its burning. Which isnt a big deal, I suppose. You could always add small pieces of fuel though, to keep it going, if needed.

All told, this is a great little set. In fact, its the set I take with me for dayhikes & geocaching, as opposed to a small pack. Between the set, a small FAK, an altoids kit, and my pocketknife, thats all I really need. If you are looking for an all in one kit, something that can take some abuse, and doesnt require any more fiddling than opening a packet & lighting, this is for you. Its rugged, relatively light, compact for what is in there, and stupid resistant (soldier-proof). This kit is a primary component of my BOB kit, and can be used on its own, as needed. The only major downside is the PFTE coating-but, again, my mistake is your gain!

Crusader Cooking Set, test I

Ok, so I tried the cooking set inside. Here is what I did; I used 16 oz water, measured from my Nalgene bottle. The water was room temp, roughly 78*. I poured the water into the metal canteen cup, lit the gel, started my timer, put the cup on the cooker, and waited. Here are the times I achieved:
From start to first bubbling: 6 minutes, 48 seconds. There was never a true boil achieved. The water did begin to boil, with occasional small bubbles, but never a rolling boil. The gel flamed out at 10 minutes, 27 seconds.
I think that the water was likely hot enough to either make noodles in, or to add to a freeze dried dinner-but certainly not enough to boil water for consumption. That being said, there is enough room in the cooker itself to stuff little pieces of wood, if needed, to keep the flame going. I may try that on the the second test.
Overall though, this is my baseline for testing. I will do an outdoors test this weekend.

BCB Crusader Cookset

I haven't written anything of substance in a while, so I figured I would jump right back into it, by doing a review of a nice, robust, outdoors product. Today I am going to discuss the BCB Crusader Cookset. This is, from what I understand, standard issue with the British forces. The set consists of the following items: a plastic cup, the water bottle (1L capacity, I believe), the cooker, and the holder. Lets start with the holder.

The model I currently have is an older style canteen holder. It DOES hold the entire set completely, albeit a little on the tighter side. The closing mechanism is a sort of plastic clasp. The back of it is a padded loop, with snaps, designed to snap over a web belt )or any belt, but, the thicker, the better). It looks to be ideally suited for a 2" wide belt. There are also aftermarket holders for these, one of which I have ordered. They are a little larger, and have MOLLE straps on the back, as well as a shoulder strap of sorts. I have seen them in DPM (british camo), black, OD, and digicam. I am quite sure there are other colors out there as well. If none suit you, there is always spraypaint :).

Next up, the canteen itself. This is a 1L canteen, and is marginally bigger than the standard USGI 1qt ones issued to American forces. The canteen itself is black, and is a little thicker than the US ones. In my opinion, it is a little more rugged. The black color actually aids in warming up water in the container when placed in the sun. This is good for winter use, as you can place ice into some water, set it out in the sun, and let the bottle go to work. The neck of the bottle is a little wider as well, exactly for this purpose. The cap is attached via a molded plastic lanyard. There is a loop that attaches it to the bottle, and a molded button attached to the cap. My experience, and others I have read, this breaks fairly quickly. Mine broke in the first 2 months of use.

Next up is the plastic cup. This cup, from what I understand, is usually ditched by troops. As a soldier, I can see that happening. However, as a civilian, I like the cup. It allows you to eat & drink at the same time. Putting a hot beverage in the cup, and making ramen, or something similar, in the canteen cup, works out for me. Besides, you dont burn your lips on the plastic. The cup holds 22 oz, full to the top, according to my highly accurate Nalgene measuring device (a water bottle).

The canteen cup is made out of stainless steel, and comes in 2 finishes; black (pfte coating) or stainless. Mine is black. It is similar to the USGI canteen cups-hip shaped, with two swing out handles. The cup itself holds a full 28 oz-almost as much as the USGI issue canteen! This thing is built rugged as well-being made out of SS, it should stand up to some abuse. The pfte coating on mine is starting to wear out a little, but, I am not too concerned.

The last part of the kit is the cooker itself. This is simply another piece of stainless steel, shaped similar to the canteen cup, but slightly larger, to allow the cup to rest on it. There is a hinged arm that opens up for storage in the holder, and closes to put the cup on. There is also a little burn cup in it, where you put fuel into (more on that in a moment).

This all fits together into the holder. You put the burner in first, with the concave part against your body, and the arm of the burner raised. Next, in goes the canteen cup, which nests right into the burner, when its open. Then, the canteen fits in next. Last, the plastic cup goes in, inverted, as a sort of lid. Close it up, and you are good to go!

A couple of notes. First, you will want to throw some extra stuff into the bottle holder. The older issue holder will make this a little harder than the newer ones. In mine, I have the following items stuffed into the holder: a titanium spork, a LightMyFire Scout firesteel, 8 Pur waterpurifcation tabs, and 3 greenheat gelpacks (fuel).

Now, about the gelpacks. These neat little items are gelled fuel. From their site, this is Ethanol derived from sugarcane and other renewable agricultural resources. Its, safe, clean, non toxic, non explosive, burns clean, and only emits water vapor and EXTREMELY low CO2 emissions. Translation; in an absolute emergency, this can be used indoors, without any ill effects (it IS still fire though, so, PLEASE, use common sense). Best of all-when its burned, there is NO mess to clean up!

Ok, so thats the kit. I plan on doing 2 tests with this. The first, indoors, in a controlled environment. I want to test boil & burn times. Boil times are between 6-8 minutes, from everything I have read, and burn times are approximately 15 minutes.

This past weekend

Well, my plan to do an overnighter didnt turn out that way. My old National Guard unit is being deployed to Afghanistan, and they had their sendoff yesterday. So, I spent the majority of the weekend with friends I still have in the unit. Additionally, I also attended their ceremony yesterday, and some BBQs a few of the guys had. So, the only REAL time I got outside this weekend, other than BBQ & Beer, was some shooting. So, I will talk about that :).
Up until this weekend, I had a S&W M&P 9c. This is Smith & Wesson's military & police model pistol. The 9c is a compact version, in 9mm. I have owned this pistol for roughly a year, and was very happy with it. It fit my hand well, shoot pretty good, and was easily concealable (you cannot open carry in MA). Although I was satisfied with this, I wanted a full size version for 2 gun classes & competitions. The advantage of a FS vs. a compact is that it is heavier, rendering it easier to control. The downside is it is bigger, making it harder to conceal. To me, thats an OK tradeoff-I wear large button down shirts to conceal anyway.
So, a little over a month ago, I put some feelers out, to see if anyone was willing to trade. I got some replies, most wanted a little $$ thrown their way-rightfully so. I priced a new one, if I were to trade mine in, and the difference was $280. A little high, but it was within my price range.
Then, I had someone on a forum I belong to state they would be interested in a trade, straight up. I contacted him, and we agreed to meet up, and if we are both satisfied, we could swap & fill out the paperwork.
I drove down there, both pistols were looked over, both parties agreed, and we exchanged pistols, filled out & filed th paperwork. No money was exchanged, it was an even trade. The new FS one I got had all of 50 rounds fired through it. A pistol break in period is 3-500-so, in essence, I got a NEW pistol. AND, to top it off, the trigger has been done. In MA, a legal trigger in a NEW pistol is 10 lbs. This SEVERELY reduces your accuracy, as a 10# trigger is HARD to pull. The job he did on it, reduced it to 5#-which is VERY light. Its exactly where I wanted it-a solid pull, but nothing that would throw the pistol off, resulting in NOT hitting what I wanted to. I was ecstatic!
So, off to the range I went yesterday. The weather was about 85, sunny, no wind. I put 150 rounds through it. First thing; I need to get used to the trigger. I found myself slapping it, as I am used to a harder pull. With time, I will get used to that. Second thing; the bigger pistol is easier to shoot, overall. The larger frame, and the subsequent weight increase, allows for quicker follow up shots. And, it simply feels better as an extension of my arms. One thing I noticed with this is that I cannot detect trigger reset. Essentially, trigger reset is when, after pressing the trigger to the rear, if you slowly release it forward, you will feel the sear engage again. This is trigger reset. All pistols do it differently, some you can feel, some you cannot. Trigger reset is important as that is the breaking point for pressing the trigger to the rear again. This is something I am going to fix.
So, thats my limited outdoor experience this weekend. This coming weekend, I am going canoeing on the Saco. This is a camping trip-we are tenting on a shore somewhere, and drinking. So, there will be minimal gear writeups. However, I will likely do an overnight in the White mountains, as I will be in the area. If I do, I will most certainly do a writeup at that time!

New stuff!!!!

Ok, I have been WAY out of the loop, and I apologize. My life has been crazy busy. If you are still reading this, thank you. My intent is to hopefully post on a weekly basis.
I need to update my interests here too. I plan on doing an overnight hike this weekend, and will update my blog afterwards. The main goal of this is to keep a log of what I do, mainly for me. If it helps you out, or you have questions, then great! Plan on hearing from me again soon!!!