All posts by Tony Cataldo

Clothes

Miscellaneous

Selecting the proper clothing and base layers is critical to your comfort. Choose durable clothes that wick moisture away from your body.

Bugout Clothes

A good set of clothes for your Bugout Bag should include:

  • Wool socks (3 pair) are comfortable and wick moisture
  • Underwear (3)
  • Pants (2): I like hiking pants with multiple pockets
  • Moisture wicking shirts (2)
  • Long-sleeved shirt base layer
  • Waterproof jacket
  • Long underpant base layer

Review: Duracell 350

Equipment, Illumination, Review

The Duracell 350 is a stout aluminum body flashlight that generates 350 lumens. I purchased a 4-pack of these lights from Costco for $20. My expectations were not high but these are surprising nice flashlights. The 350 uses three AAA batteries mounted in a cylindrical battery holder. The body of the light is fatter than most flashlights but it has a good feel in my hand. The knurling, heat sink bands, and fatter body combine to create a very good grip. When held in my hand the light is wider than my palm and it could be used tactically. The front strike bezel is fairly aggressive. I keep one at home and one in each car. It would not make a good everyday carry (EDC) light because of the size and it does not include a clip. I would recommend these flashlights because they work well, are bargain priced, and they use standard batteries. I would not purchase these for the Amazon price but if you can find them at a discount at Costco (or similar outlet) then they are worth the price.

  • Construction: Machined aluminum in a variety of colors
  • Size: 4.5″ long x 1.1″ diameter body with 1.3″ diameter head
  • Waterproof: IPX4 water resistant
  • Features: High, low, and strobe modes
  • Battery: 3 AAA batteries
  • Light Output: (high) 350 lumens at 5,000 candelas for 1 hour, (low) runs for 4 hours
  • Beam Pattern: At 3′ the total beam pattern is about 44″ with a 7″ hotspot

If you cannot find the aluminum version of these flashlights at a good price then consider the DuraBeam 350. I have not tried these but they look like a polymer version of the 350. The specifications look very similar and Duracell generally makes very good products.

Recommendations

Purchasing a 4-pack of these lights for $20 from Costco is a no-brainer. Put one in your car, have one in the house, and you could even use one in your hiking kit (if your headlamp uses AAA batteries). For a hiking kit I would prefer a flashlight with a longer runtime but 4 hours on low is still respectable. There is nothing fancy with this flashlight. It is just a good, economically priced, and capable flashlight.

Review: Streamlight Stinger HPL

Equipment, Illumination, Review

The Streamlight Stinger HPL is a large, durable, ultra high-power flashlight, that uses a single 75375 NiMh rechargeable battery to generate a 800-lumen beam at 48,000 candelas. This is NOT an Everyday Carry or concealable flashlight. This is a large flashlight that is about 9.2″ long, weights over 13 oz., and includes two charging docks. This type of flashlight is intended for heavy use environments in demanding conditions such as first responders, security professionals, safety personnel, etc.

This is a heavy use service light that includes two charging docks. Many users will use one dock in a vehicle and the other in an office. The battery life is 1.25 hours on full power. When not in use the flashlight is normally stored in one of the charging docks.

  • Construction: High impact polymer body
  • Size: The HPL is large at 9.2″ long
  • Waterproof: The Stinger HPL is rated at IPX4 water resistant
  • Features: High, medium, low, and strobe modes
  • Battery: Replaceable 75375 NiMh battery
  • Light Output: (high) 740 lumens at 48,000 candelas for 1.25 hours
  • Beam Pattern: 35″ x 4″ at 3′ (Beam Scale)

Recommendations

This is NOT a normal household flashlight. This flashlight is intended for heavy, everyday use. The beam pattern is tight with an extremely intense hotspot. The dual chargers allow the light to be recharged in both an office and vehicle. In the hands of a trained user this heavy duty flashlight would make a formidable weapon.

Review: MSR Guardian Water Filter

Equipment, Review, Water

The MSR Guardian is an amazing device that filters contaminants down to 0.02 microns. Most other filters filter to 0.1 – 0.3 microns. While these “normal” filters are fine for most applications they will NOT filter the ultra small organisms such as viruses. The MSR Guardian WILL filter most viruses and it can be used to filter extremely fouled water. If you do a quick internet search you should be able to find this filter for around $350.

The Guardian is portable and lightweight (only 17.3 ounces). It can filter 2.5 liters of water per minute. The Guardian pump filter is self-cleaning and about 10% of the pumped water is used to continuously clean the filter. The filter lasts for 10,000+ liters. A hose allows you to pump water from a stream other water source. The Guardian retails for about $350 and a replacement filter costs about $150. This filter can be used by backpackers or anyone that needs to filter a larger volume of water quickly. If you are in an emergency situation where the water supply was compromised then you should use a 0.02 micron filter such as the MSR Guardian. This is also an excellent choice if you travel to remote locations with questionable water quality.

Threads on the bottom of the Guardian connect to wide-mouth bottles such as Nalgene bottles. A duplex hose reaches from the filter to the water source. One of the duplex hoses is the water intake and the other is the flush line. About 10% of intake water flows over the ceramic filter to continually clean it. The cleaning water is then pushed out the flush line on the duplex hose. The clean, filtered water drops out of the bottom of the Guardian into a wide-mouth bottle.

Advantages

  • Filters water to 0.02 microns (most other filters are 0.1 – 0.3)
  • Continuous cleaning as water is filtered
  • Filters high-volume of water quickly (2.5 liters/minute)
  • Hose allows easy access to water source
  • Portable and less than 18 ounces
  • Filter water directly to a wide-mouth bottle

Disadvantages

  • Unit and filters are more expensive than other filters
  • Filter life good but less than other filters such as the Sawyer

Conclusion

If you want a serious water filter then this is one of two that I recommend. For a gravity filter consider the Sawyer Zero PointTWO. If you need to filter higher volumes of water quickly then the Guardian is an excellent choice.

Orange Bliss

Food, Recipe

This is a handy guide to making various amounts of Orange Bliss drink.

1 cup 2 tbsp Orange Bliss
1/2 Gallon 1 cup (16 tbsp) Orange Bliss
1 Gallon 2 cups (32 tbsp) Orange Bliss

Just add Orange Bliss mix to water and stir.

9-Grain Breakfast

Food, Recipe

Servings: 1; Total Time: 5 minutes; Prep Time: 2 minutes; Refresh Time: 0

Ingredients

½ cup 9-Grain Cracked Cereal
2 tsp Honey Crystals
1 tsp (optional) brown sugar
— (optional) Fruit, finely chopped
— (optional) Dash or two of Cinnamon

Directions

  1. Take some THRIVE fruit and chop finely.
  2. Add 1 cup water, chopped fruit, Honey Crystals, and brown sugar in a small saucepan and heat to a boil.
  3. Turn off the burner if using an electric stove or set to low simmer for a gas stove, add Cracked Cereal, and stir.
  4. Let sit in the hot pan for 5-10 minutes (longer time for softer consistency).
  5. Optionally add a little milk for a creamier texture.

Bears

Miscellaneous

You must be prepared when exploring bear country. Bears are omnivores which means that they eat just about anything. Bears are large, powerful, and very fast in spite of their size. Bear attacks are rare but you need to know what to do when exploring their territory. There are type types of bears common in North America:

  • Black bears are 5′ to 6′ long, can weigh up to 600 pounds, and can run at up to 35 mph.
  • Brown bears can grow to over 9′ in length, can weight up to 1200 pounds, and can run at up to 37 mph.

I must confess that I have never encountered a bear while hiking. I carried bear spray but have never deployed it in a bear encounter. With those caveats here is some information that I have collected over the years. Be sure to read my complete article on Bear Spray. While in bear country remember:

  • Be Alert: Watch for bears and for signs of bears such as bear prints and scat.
  • Make Noise: Two of the worst things that you in bear country are coming between momma bear and her cubs and surprising a bear. Make noise while on the trail. Loud conversation, singing, or bear bells attached to your backpack can reduce your chances of surprising a bear.
  • Bear Spray: Carry bear spray and know how to use it. Stop at visitor centers and ask the rangers about trail conditions and how to deal with local bears. They often have inert cans of bear spray so you can practice holding the can, releasing the safety, and aiming. Rangers live there, they know the area well, and it is their job to provide information to tourists. Carry the bear spray so that you can get to it immediately!
  • Don’t Hike Alone: It is best to hike with 3-4 people. If you must hike alone then be extra careful and be prepared.
  • Don’t Run: Never run from a bear. They can run at over 30 mpg. An Olympic sprinter can reach about 28 mph so you cannot outrun a bear.

If You Encounter a Bear

These guidelines came directly from a card from the National Park Service (bullet points taken verbatim from that card):

  • If you have a surprise encounter with a bear — slowly back away.
  • If the bear charges — stand your ground & use bear spray.
  • If the bear attacks — play dead.
  • If the bear stalks you, then attacks — fight back.
  • If a bear attacks you in your tent — fight back.

Refilling Propane Bottles

Equipment, Miscellaneous

Many portable propane devices such as camp stoves, lanterns, and heaters use the one pound canisters (often called “Coleman Bottles”). These 1# bottles are very convenient to carry but they can get a bit pricey to use. The bottles cost about $5 each and some devices can empty these canisters fairly quickly.

You can refill these one pound canisters if you have an refill adapter and a larger propane tank. It should cost about $0.75 to refill a 1# bottle and it keeps the canister out of the landfill. Four 1# bottles contain about one gallon of propane. At $5 per bottle this means that the propane costs about $20/gallon. Propane generally costs around $3 per gallon. You can refill the 1# bottles using a refill adapter, a larger propane tank, and a little bit of care. I found some YouTube videos showing how to refill the one-pound bottles:

Be EXTREMELY careful when refilling propane bottles!

BioLite

Equipment, Food, Review

The BioLite cooking system is a very innovative product designed to solve two problems at once, namely, cooking and electricity. The BioLite stove includes an internal fan for extremely efficient burning, a power pack that converts heat into electricity, and a mounting system that supports a variety of optional attachments. Attachments include a portable grill and a large KettlePot. The BioLite can burn almost anything combustible to generate heat and electricity.

Advantages of the BioLite system include:

  • Can be powered by almost any combustible material
  • Generates electricity and has a USB plug
  • Can accept a grill, kettle pot attachment, or lights

Disadvantages of the BioLite include:

  • Weight: the BioLight is heavier than most camp stoves
  • Less efficient than comparable gas backpacking stoves
  • Larger in size
  • Small firebox requires adding fuel often

I am not sure what to think about the BioLite system. It is definitely a very cool concept. Being able to cook, generate electricity, and not require store bought fuel is a very appealing concept. However, the BioLite is large and heavy compared with other cooking systems and you can generate electricity more passively with portable solar panels. The small firebox means that you will have to add fuel often. If it takes a few hours to charge a device then you will have to babysit the stove to ensure that it does not run out of fuel. I would prefer to have a solar charger that I could “set and forget.”

If you are going to be extremely remote and have no way to obtain fuel then the BioLite makes sense. For normal backpacking the BioLite is simply too large and heavy to be practical especially for solo trips. While being able to use any combustible fuel seems appealing there are ultra efficient gas stoves that use very little fuel and are much lighter. There are also lighter stoves that can burn any biomass fuel.

Review: Streamlight ProTac HL3

Equipment, Illumination, Review

The Streamlight ProTac HL3 is a durable, ultra high-power flashlight, that uses three CR123 batteries to generate an 1,100 lumen beam at 36,000 candelas. At 7.4″ long and a head diameter of 1.6″ this is a larger flashlight. The HL3 comes with three CR123 batteries, a tactical belt holster, and sells for about $80. The aircraft aluminum body of the HL4 is the same diameter and uses the same tail cap as the HL. It will NOT use rechargeable batteries.

The HL3 tactical light generates a remarkable 1,100 lumens at 36,000 candelas. The front and rear have semi-aggressive strike bezels that would make an effective weapon. The body is very comfortable to grip. Many of the other Streamlights such as the HL, PolyTac, 1L-1AA produce a beam with a very hot center and the light decreases significantly towards the outer edges of the beam. The HL3 has a very noticeable hotspot but it produces a brighter and more even beam for the entire diameter of the beam.

  • Construction: The HL3 is machined from aircraft grade aluminum, has semi-aggressive striking bezels on both the head and tail, threads are tight and smooth, and sealed with an O-ring.
  • Size: The HL3 is large (7.4″ long) and would work well on a service belt.
  • Waterproof: The HL3 is rated at IPX7 waterproof.
  • Features: Has high, strobe, and low modes. You can also change the light mode using the Ten-Tap programming feature.
  • Batteries: Uses three CR123 lithium batteries.
  • Light Output: (high) 1,100 lumens at 36,000 candelas for 2 hours, (low) 35 lumens at 1,200 candelas for 43 hours.
  • Beam Pattern: 40″ x 7″ at 3′ (Beam Scale)
  • Power Fail: No low battery indicator and the flashlight will significantly dime when the CR-123 battery gets to 2.84v.

Things I like about this ultra high-power flashlight:

  • The beam pattern is very nice. There is a definite hotspot but entire diameter of the beam is bright
  • While this is a large flashlight it is still a manageable size for a utility belt
  • Nice tactical belt holster included

Recommendations

If you are looking for a high-power tactical light then this is a good choice. This would be a good choice for first responders that do not use the light extensively. The CR123 batteries are still a bit expensive and with a runtime of only 2 hours on high power it could get expensive to operate if it were used extensively.