My BOB Post, Pic Heavy! (UPDATED 22MAR13)

[Mags]

Hockey, it's a M951 (Millennium Weapons Light) with the older style push button tail cap. In some of the pics it may have a IR filter on it.

[hockey2pt0]

Cool Thanks.

[FlungPup]

Awesome post. Thanks!

[Woods Walker]

Tried a search but wanted to add this into my BOB thread. The TAD Gear "Life Capsule" that I have is an older generation in black. It's made of machined aluminium and both compartments are sealed waterproof with o-ring gaskets. There have been several updated versions but they are all about the same. This is an item that is on my person any time I go into the woods. Whether on a day hike or longer outing. I wear it either around my neck or my prefered method is to loop the 550 cord through my belt loops and tuck the capsule into my right front pants pocket.

That might be just the thing for my PFD when going out on the kayak. But as stated would tie it to the PFD as don't want anything around my neck that is not break away. Yea know...Log jam + dumped yak + paracord neck loop = nothing good.

[Mags]

Dude, cereal, it brings a tear to my eye thinking that something I posted could be of use to you. Even if it's just this stupid capsule,

Also I agree! Neck=No, PFD=yes!.........................................Safe boating!

[Woods Walker]

It is the night paddles that kind of creep me out. But still somehow I am drawn to them. You have other gear items I want. Thinking about a replacement for my 72-hour pack. Maybe use the Pointman for conditioning hikes and get a G2 ZXR. Also there is the G2 Woobie. The G2 is 9 inches longer and they have a double Woobie aka Doobie that uses 4 oz insulation over the standard 2 oz but still even the more UL one with the 93 inches length is a winner in my book. All of this is on hold as the economy is bad. I had to send off my Argon 85 for a repair as the water proof coating came off after only one hike. Something wrong with the fabric. Still it feels nice on my back and is very UL. Plus the Kelp color is a nice earth tone. So maybe once Osprey returns it I will move the 72-hour stuff over to that and work on getting a ZXR next year. Pointman is a great pack but just want a little more room so I can forgo the POD and tight packing. The EMR is for winter. Or just blow more money on a 8-man tipi to go along with my large Kifaru stove for a kick ass base camp.

[Mags]

You sickitate me Sir..........

[111t]

You cammoed your nova fuel bottles.... I LOVE IT!!!!

[Mags]

Ya never know. Sometimes when I'm doing a bag or weapon or bino's etc I get some sticky Krylon on my fingertip. It's all over then, when my finger gets stuck on the nozzle everything in site gets a dusting.

I have seen and used black fuel bottles issued to the military but can not find them in the civilian market. I think there is a "law" about fuel containers being red. Which is odd because the Nova's are not red at all?

Oh well, glad you noticed the effort!

[111t]

What is the cylindrical thing set up at the foot of your bivy?

(I actually went through the post in more detail today)

EDIT: It's a pack cover on your pack... duh It looked like something else at first glance.

Regarding the fuel bottles... I know what you mean about the 'laws' regarding fuel containers. I don't know if they're actual transport laws or what. There's the sign at the gas station that says 'it is unlawful to dispense gasoline into an un-approved container' To me, this could mean it has to be in something red, or just that you can't put in a beer bottle with a rag sticking out. Honestly in this 'pay at the pump culture you could probably get away with a lot more than in years past. I've come to understand the rule as red for gasoline, blue for kerosene, and yellow for diesel. What's the stove maker to do though if all those things are suitable fuels? In the nova I would recommend Coleman fuel as a first choice, followed by kerosene, followed by auto gas, followed by diesel as an ultimate last resort.

Also you didn't succeed at blurring out letters from the word 'Mangus' on your mosquito net. I liked the rolls of tape stored and presumably dispensed from the d-ring. That's a good idea for the FAK that I learned right here in your post. Therefore i will vote now.

(not to say, by any means, that Iknew everything else about everything else. But this is something that will go into effect today on my gear)

[mk_ultra]

Looking for a quick opinion and/or input .

What's your thought on the Petzl TacTikka ? I have a Zipka that I love , and have been eyeballing the TacTikka , just not sure if it is worth the extra money over just getting another Zipka .

Also , what do you think of Green Eyes and Black Rifles ? I have it in my shopping cart at SKD as part of a birthday present to myself , but have not pulled the trigger on it yet .

[Mags]

111t, It's my EMR half emptied and covered in an Outdoor Research HydraLite Pack Cover. I wasn't sure if you meant the silver Thermos bottle, Jetboil, or the bottle of Absolute setting in the snow off to the right a little. (Must have fallen out of my medical kit before I took the picture. )

Glad you like the tape/biner idea. I learned it from a 18D. Held up even in the dusty conditions in Iraq. It deffinetly saves some room in your FAK. Thanks for waiting to vote, until you really checked out the thread!!!

Mk, this is IMHO. I bought Tactikka Plus's over the Zipka's. I thought the "wire" band would cause headaches. There isn't that big of a difference in packed size and wieght. The "Plus" gives me three power levels to help with battery conservation and the strobe mode. Nice to have should it ever be needed. Most of all.......................I'd never have to wonder if I should have "upgraded" to the TacTkka Plus.

On the book......While no substitue for a proper training class like one from Pat Rogers at EAG, I IMHO think Kyle put together a great book. It's very informative while the pictures are entertaining they also help you to visualize what iis written. Lots of info and area's covered. I really like both Kyle's book and Mike's M4 Handbook. If your going to start an AR library these are the two I'd start with other than the Army/USMC Manual.

Hope this helped! (HAPPY BIRTHDAY!)

[Woods Walker]

I would go with a Rebel EOS. I have the Tikka Plus and my newer EOS is just so much better. Warmer tinted Rebel LED. A real low and higher High. Regulated output and waterproof. A nice mix of throw and flood. Here is my review of both the 2-mode and 4-mode Rebel EOS headlamps. Best 3XAAA headlamp going in my view.

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=36608&p=761059&hilit=eos#p761059

[Mags]

WW, that's a nice light. Lumens are good, design and name is soild. The real kicker for me is that the EOS Tac is waterproof. This has always worried me about the Petzl's even though I've never had any issues to date. When the time comes to replace or add to my headlamps I'll keep the Princeton in mind. This coming from a lifelong Petzl user!

One thing we all should be able to agree on is that while flashlights have there purposes, headlamps are the way to go for BOB's and all round camp chores!

Thanks for the link to your review! Just how'd you know my search-fu is weak?!

[Woods Walker]

I like my Tikka plus however it is not really in the same class as the Rebel EOS. I can hike on medium and get enough throw on high to match many flashlights. This is important for the pulk sled as going off a cliff connected to the thing would be a very bad night. The Petzl's are mostly direct drive meaning there is not much electronics to short out if wet. Often just dry the thing out and it will work. The regulated EOS will maintain the same brightness until the batteries can't maintain enough power then it will run on direct drive. A regulated light can run on lithiums without any problems. Also with any higher output flashlight or headlamp LSD NiMH batteries will provide better runtimes. They burn more regulated than alkalines so even our direct drive Petzl headlamps will maintain a flatter output. Plus they don't leak like alkalines can and doesn’t self discharge like normal NiMH batteries.

For a camp headlamp nothing beats the Zebralight.

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=40077&p=833642&hilit=zebralight#p833642

Mine is a H50 pure flood headlamp. Runs on one AA for a long time regulated.

http://www.zebralight.com/

I placed an order for the new H501. They had a limited run of warm tint Q3-5A headlamps that are not listed on the web site. I hope the order was placed in time as they are no longer available until the next run. The warm tint is more like an incan G2. The downside is the most efficient LED with a warm tint is a Q3. The standard tint H501 uses a Q5 with a high mode output of 96 lumens. The Q3-5A is 80 but warmer tints cuts though weather much better and makes the world look more real. Still if they send me a standard Q5 I might be a little sad but will get over it. I am going to put the H50 inside my INCH bag or its E&E component and use the H501 for camping. The EOS for night trail work.

I do agree that headlamps get more use however a good flashlight is nice to have no matter what headlamp is packed. A backup light can't hurt and most flashlights have greater output. There are times when I like to light up the whole woods to see just what is going bump in the night.

[USMC3533]

Great post! I think I am going to spend the rest of the afternoon reading this thread in depth,

[Tony_Barbarian]

There is only one word for this .... Epic.

[Hachiman]

Mags,

Outstanding post, I thank you for the time and effort you put into creating it. I am reading in sections as otherwise the ADHD starts kicking in. I have started listing my gear and its distressing how much work I need to do. I have decided to start working on one block a month in order of precedence.

I'm sure I'm not the only person here low on available funds this is my plan. I am going to fill all gaps in my gear and then upgrade as I can. Example, I may not be able to afford a Rhino right now but I bought a Camanenga(sp) Compass and a few button compasses to augment my nav equipment, next year I will upgrade to a GPS etc etc.

BTW, I voted

[Mags]

Thanks for the kind words. I started the thread but others have added to it as well. Glad people are learning or at least getting good ideas from it. That was the idea behind it.

Hachiman, don't get spun up on a GPS! If your Camanenga is a USGI Lensatic Tritium compass you started off with a good, robust, accurate compass that will provide you with years of solid use. Land Navigation is a perishable skill. Meaning, that if you don't use it and practice it you will loose it. Practice practice practice! You have to get out with an up to date map of your area and try various exercises.

You are deffinetly on the right path. Once you have a solid basic kit that covers your needs then you can go for more expensive, specific, "highend" gear. Besides it's not the gear! Any asshole with a couple bucks can buy a meteric fuck ton of gear and without the training, skill, and experience still windup deader-n-shit. That's cool though, we can stroll by and strip his dead ass of some choice kit! MINDSET MINDSET MINDSET!!!!!

I can't emphesis the value of short overnight "shake-down" hikes and outings for figuring out exactly what you need. Not what you think you might need. They also give you a chance to figure out tips and tricks for using the gear you already like to it's maximum. This helps out a lot with not wasting those few "extra" dollars you have to buy gear with.


Again thanks for looking, taking the time to read and voting!

[ninja-elbow]

I can't emphesis the value of short overnight "shake-down" hikes and outings for figuring out exactly what you need. Not what you think you might need. They also give you a chance to figure out tips and tricks for using the gear you already like to it's maximum. This helps out a lot with not wasting those few "extra" dollars you have to buy gear with.

Quoted for that thing we call TRUTH.

We're all different somewhat, except for essentials, and there are many options out that cover our wants and needs. The only way to know is get out there and try it out. That may just be me though - I'm one of them tactile learners meaning I need to screw things up a few times before I get it right.

Anecdote alert: I hated my JetBoil when I first got it. Was actually mad and almost took it back. Felt like an idiot for spending so much on something that could be done other ways. It was difficult to pull off the bottom cover/bowl, I could only find the fuel at REI, I burned up a can of chili by dumping it in the cup... yadda yadda. After a year it became my favorite piece of kit after using it and finding it's advantages.

Not saying we all should get JetBoils but I am saying that that process was what made it good for me and not the actual gear.

[GlockASP]

WOW!!!!!!
OMG, I am on overload on this one.

Mags, this has got to be one of the best posts I have seen in a long time. You have sooooo much info in there its like reading a survival book.



Keep up the good work.

[Woods Walker]

I can't emphesis the value of short overnight "shake-down" hikes and outings for figuring out exactly what you need. Not what you think you might need. They also give you a chance to figure out tips and tricks for using the gear you already like to it's maximum. This helps out a lot with not wasting those few "extra" dollars you have to buy gear with.

Quoted for that thing we call TRUTH.

We're all different somewhat, except for essentials, and there are many options out that cover our wants and needs. The only way to know is get out there and try it out. That may just be me though - I'm one of them tactile learners meaning I need to screw things up a few times before I get it right.

Anecdote alert: I hated my JetBoil when I first got it. Was actually mad and almost took it back. Felt like an idiot for spending so much on something that could be done other ways. It was difficult to pull off the bottom cover/bowl, I could only find the fuel at REI, I burned up a can of chili by dumping it in the cup... yadda yadda. After a year it became my favorite piece of kit after using it and finding it's advantages.

Not saying we all should get JetBoils but I am saying that that process was what made it good for me and not the actual gear.

Yup the stuff has got to be used.

[Mags]

Thanks for the kind words GlockASP!

Speaking of using your gear...............

While I realize that when in a dire situation I'd be happy just to have some supplies to use like the LMF Spork. (The one that is very popular here.) I can't help but notice what a PIA it is for me to really prepare and cook a meal with this piece of kit. If it's oatmeal every meal fine, even MH ProPaks ok. (Although I hate getting grub all over my knuckles.) Don't get me wrong, I have several and even bought them as give aways for friends. They will and do work fine in a pinch, but........................................

For real prep work and cooking I'll suck up the 14gram weight difference and go with the Guyot Designs MicroBites. This 22gram set is far more robust than the LMF Spork. The LMF offering has a spoon end and a fork end. I see the serrations on the end fork tine for cutting. Anybody try that for cutting meat or cheese? Shitty at best. I know, I know, you have a pocket knife and multitool with blades all over them. Why get it out, get food slop all over it, maybe even lay it down and loose it since you can't put it back in your pocket or sheath with food slop all over it.

The Microbites set gives you the ability to perform 5 functions and all of them pretty well. They are, spoon, fork, knife, spatula, and spreader. I have used both my Guyot Designs (fullsize) Utensils and Microbites in all 5 capacities many times and have never been let down. Whether your using the serrated edge or the smooth side you can really cut with the knife function. Hard cheese, pepperoni, summer sausage, veggies, fruits, even used the serrated edge to (hack) butterfly some semifrozen elk steaks. Flipped meat on the grill and fritters on the griddle, stirred cups, mugs, pots and bowls all with the spatula piece. The speader works great whether it's cream cheese, peanut butter even pizza sauce.

LMF is now offering bigger versions of their spork. If you need bigger go with the Guyot Designs Utensils. These larger pieces work really well with the Jetboil and Reactor stoves. The longer handles reach all the way down to the bottom of taller cook kits like the Snow Peak Mini-Solo and GSI NForm Soloist pots. They also keep your knuckles clean while eating meals from pouches and bags to! The Microbites work well with either the USGI canteen cup or the Crusader Cook Kit cups. They nest together securely, even have holes for lanyards or biners!! Come on it's a no brainer..............which is good when talking bout zombies right?

Point is, for the same pack space and damn near the same weight why not have a robust piece of kit that does several things well and won't let you down in the PAW vs a flimsy piece that performs marginal at best?!

[liberty45]

Where did you get that weapons cleaning kit wrap? Looks interesting.

Thanks in advance.

EDIT: Nevermind I found it. Thanks a lot, your post is most informative. Very nice setup!