Just wanted to write a quick note for our viewers, and especially for our sponsors and companies we are currently doing reviews for. As some are aware, I suffer from some health issues. The last several months have been severe. It has caused me to take a forced break from doing what I love, namely being outdoors and bringing you reviews of equipment that I love.
It has been a long, slow road of recovery and recuperation. I am now getting back on my feet, and we will be resuming operations at the end of May, beginning of June. Emails were sent to all of the folks and companies on our list that are awaiting reviews when this all started, but I have been recently informed that some of you may not have gotten regular updates. All I can do is apologize, and let you know that your reviews will be coming very soon. I once again humbly thank you for the opportunity you have afforded me, and the promises I made to you will be completely fulfilled. I am ever so thankful for your patience during this very trying time for us here at Natural Living Outdoors.
No one can ever foresee when a health or other issue will change our lives forever. That is why we do our best to prepare for everything. Some things, you learn the hard way, cannot be prepared for. For those things I rely on the mercy of my Heavenly Father.
For all those who have kept us in their hearts and prayers during this trying time, we thank you. We look forward to seeing you at events this year as health allows. We have been fortunate to have several interviews scheduled in the coming months, and can't wait to bring them to you, along with more great gear reviews, recommendations, and even some exclusives found nowhere else!
We thank you for your views, your continued support, and your business.
Keith (aka DeriusT)
Natural Living Outdoors
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
When there is no doctor?
So what happens when a doctor is not available? When there is no drugstore around the corner,
no pharmacy, and you have an infection, or some other ailment, and are in need
of some help? My recent surgery and
rocky recovery has given me plenty of time to think. What would have happened to me had a
hospital, a doctor, and most specifically some form of antibiotics not been
readily available? Where would you go? What would you do? Where would you get the needed medication?
In this blog I deal mainly with bushcrafting, wilderness
living, self reliance issues and related gear. Sometimes however, I find myself in
possession of information that would be valuable to just about anyone. Survivalists, preppers, those who practice
total off-grid living, end of the worlders, you name it. Sometimes all of these hobbies, mindsets, or
ways of living share similarities.
Sometimes they intertwine. One of
the things we all share is a love of information. We love to be prepared. We love to have the necessary gear to make it
through the day.
I started to imagine a scenario where access to antibiotics
was not immediate. How does one prepare
for that? Since antibiotics require a
prescription, and most doctors will not write you a prescription for a year or
five of the more necessary antibiotics, what options would we have? If one wanted to legally prepare for such an
event, what would one do?
(see what happens when
they give a guy who has been through surgery, severe sickness, and has had a
lot of time to think; while being on some highly effective painkillers, access
to a keyboard during his convalescence?)
In a world where you have a societal collapse, or some such
incident, certain items become more important, and more valuable than
gold. Items like tobacco, alcohol, and
coffee, top every list for the most valuable barter items I could find. I began to think that antibiotics (and
possible other medications) would be in very short supply, and very high
demand. If you have an infection and
there is no doctor, antibiotics become more important than any other item I can
think of. How could one prepare, in a
legal way, to have a store of something so valuable on hand? Well, I have some information that may prove
very valuable to some of you, and since I am unable to get back to my gear
reviewing at the moment, I want to share it with you. I suspect a majority of your hard core
preppers are aware of this information, but I need to write, and it may indeed
help someone, so here it goes.
Before I proceed, here comes the obligatory disclaimer:
*NOTICE: The information contained in this blog
post is for strictly educational purposes only. I do not advise or advocate breaking the
law in any way. If any of the
information here happens to violate laws in your area, do not use it. I am not a doctor or medical
professional. This is not
advice. This is simply information gained
by my own personal research. It
could be wrong. I do not advocate
or advise taking any medication, natural or otherwise, that is not
directly prescribed to you by a licensed healthcare provider, and that you
are not absolutely certain of.
Again, never take any medication not provided to you by a licensed
and properly trained medical professional.
Taking improper medication of any kind can kill you. The medication listed below is legal to
buy without a prescription in my state.
It is not medically endorsed or approved. It is, in fact, not for human
consumption at all. (some of the
listed animal medication may in fact required a veterinary
prescription) For discussion and
educational purposes only.
In my research I have found that there are a variety of
antibiotics, as well as other medication, that are for animal use, that appear
to be the same medication as commonly available to humans. A majority of these are available at your
local pet store, or online at extremely reasonable prices, without the need for
a prescription. In my research I have
found that if one were to take a commonly available guide to prescription
medication (with pictures and descriptions of each item) and look up the pills
bought for animal use, you would find that they have the exact same markings
and labels as occur on the same medication as it is prescribed to humans. In short, in many cases they appear to be the
exact same medication, minus fda approval. (see disclaimer above)
Further research one could do on their own, would lead to
the conclusion that these medications are in fact identical to their human
counterparts, even at times being made by the same manufacturer, in the same
facility. I found this interesting. (sometimes dosage information is different,
sometimes not)
One could conclude that you could simply enter your local
pet store, (or order online) and purchase whatever quantity of these possible
life saving antibiotics you would desire, at lower prices than most people pay
to get a prescription filled. Now as it
is perfectly legal to do so for your dog, horse, fish, whatever, one would be
breaking no law. (as far
as I know, again see above disclaimer)
However, the law might frown on taking medication “not for human
consumption”, or giving it to others.
However again, if the situation were bad enough, perhaps there would be
no law, or maybe it simply would not matter.
The one problem I found is that the medications you buy for
your animal friend are not called the same thing as for humans on the package,
so unless you knew what to look for, you would have no idea what you were
getting, and it would be a gamble. If
you knew what to look for, an enterprising person could, with the proper cool
dark place, store away enough antibiotics for several years (or as much as they
wanted to buy) without much hassle or money.
That said, I have compiled a list of several highly
desirable antibiotics, their pet store name, their human equivalent, and what
they are commonly used for in humans. I
will not list anything other than antibiotics.
My information could be wrong, so I would advise doing your own educational
research. (again, see above
disclaimer) This information listed is
for animal use.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Penicillin: Penicillin is an antibiotic in the penicillin group of
drugs. It fights bacteria in your body.
Penicillin is used to treat many different types of infections caused by
bacteria, such as ear infections, urinary tract infections, septicemia,
meningitis, intra-abdominal infection, gonorrhea, syphilis, pneumonia,
respiratory infections, ear, nose and throat infections, skin and soft tissue
infections.
Veterinarian Equivalent: 250mg Fish Pen and 500mg Fish Pen
Forte
Amoxicillin: A penicillin antibiotic. It fights bacteria in your
body. Amoxicillin is used to treat many
different types of infections caused by bacteria, such as ear infections,
bladder infections, pneumonia, gonorrhea, and E. coli or salmonella infection.
Veterinarian Equivalent: 250mg Fish Mox (for children) and
500mg Fish Mox Forte (for adults).
Ciprofloxacin, or Cipro: Ciprofloxacin is an antibiotic in a group of drugs called
fluoroquinolones. It is used as a potent, broad-spectrum antibiotic to fight
bacteria in the body. It may also be
used to prevent or slow anthrax after exposure.
Veterinarian Equivalent: 500mg Fish Flox Forte
Cephalexin, or Keflex: Cephalexin is in a group of drugs called cephalosporin
antibiotics. Keflex fights bacteria in the body. Keflex is used to treat infections caused by
bacteria, including upper respiratory infections, ear infections, skin
infections, urinary tract infections, tooth and mouth infections.
Veterinarian Equivalent: 250mg Fish Flex and 500mg Fish Flex
Forte
Doxycycline: Doxycycline is a tetracycline antibiotic. It fights bacteria
in the body. It may be substituted in
place of penicillin to treat common infections in those people who are allergic
to that particular drug. Doxycycline is
used to treat many different bacterial infections, such as urinary tract
infections, acne, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, Lyme disease or tick bite
infections, anthrax infections, cholera, periodontitis (gum disease), and
others.
* Exercise caution with expired Doxycycline / tetracycline
and -cycline medications. There has been
some documentation of liver damage and some have even labeled it toxic if used
past the expiration date. However,
Doxycycline provides a great alternative to penicillin medications for those
who are allergic.
Veterinarian Equivalent: 100mg Bird Biotic
Pet Store Brand Names
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fish Cillin, 250 mg Ampicillin x 100 Capsules,
Non-prescription
Fish Cycline Forte, 500 mg Tetracycline x 100 Capsules,
Non-prescription
Fish Cycline, 250 mg Tetracycline x 100 Capsules,
Non-prescription
Fish Flex Forte, 500 mg Cephalexin x 100 Capsules,
Non-prescription
Fish Flex, 250 mg Cephalexin x 100 Capsules,
Non-prescription
Fish Fungus, 200 mg Ketoconazole x 100 tablets,
Non-prescription
Fish Fungus, 200 mg Ketoconazole x 30 tablets,
Non-prescription
Fish Mox Forte, 500 mg Amoxicillin x 100 Capsules,
Non-prescription
Fish Mox, 250 mg Amoxicillin, 100 Capsules, Non-prescription
Fish Mycin, 250 mg Erythromycin x 60 Capsules,
Non-prescription
Fish Pen Forte, 500 mg Penicillin x 100 Caps,
Non-prescription
Fish Zole Forte, 500 mg Metronidazole x 100 Tablets,
Non-prescription
Fish Zole, 250 mg Metronidazole, 100 Tablets,
Non-prescription
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope that the above information will inspire further
research. If anyone has any corrections,
or additions to the list, please leave them in the comments section and I will
update the post. Please leave the human
medication name, the correct dosage, and the correct animal brand name. Please list only non prescription medication.
* A special thanks to those of you who helped to provide this educational information.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Core Foods Warrior Meals
Hungry from fighting that trail all day? Famished from your battle with the elements? Starving after wrestling with setting up your camp? Well Core foods has a solution for feeding the warrior in all of us with it's line of Warrior Meals!
(All of the pictures look great at their present resolution but for some reason are not switching to high definition when you click on them to enlarge them. Apparently this is some issue with blogger that I have yet to figure out how to solve. They are taken in HD with a 12 megapixel digital camera and look great on the computer at any size, but are for some reason not translating well. I apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause. They will be replaced when this issue is resolved. If any reader has encountered this issue and knows how to fix it, please contact me.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As you have heard me admit in the past, I am generally not a fan of organic or "health" food in general. This is the second such food company that I have had the pleasure to review in the past months, and I must say, that my opinion about such foods is changing fast. If all companies out there were as dedicated to quality, I suspect my opinion may have changed before this. Please visit the company and decide for yourself. On with the show...
Technical:
Each individually wrapped bar I received weighed in at 3oz (85grams). Each run approximately 320 calories, and boast all organic ingredients, and are high in protein. The Raw almond raisin bar I tested contained Whole Oats, Almonds, Raisins, Whey Protein (Milk), and Spices. This is raw food, or food in it's unaltered, natural state. They have the consistency of a soft, chewy granola type bar, but are much larger. The flavor was quite bold and unexpected. You could really taste the "freshness" of the ingredients. The instructions are simple, and clearly printed and pictured on the rear of each package. Simply eat the bar, drink a couple of glasses of water, and you have received the nutrition and feeling as if you had eaten a full bowl of oatmeal. I will discuss this more in my impressions. You are reminded that real food does go bad, so you must refrigerate or freeze the bars if you are going to store them more than a week. In fact there is a helpful reminder on the package: 1 week on the go, 1 month chilled, 6 months frozen. Very simple and easy to remember. As most people don't camp or stay in the bush more than a week on average, this makes it a good trail and camp food that is light weight and very easy to prepare as it requires no prep or cooking. They would also work well for a "bugout" or similar emergency situation. The bars are USDA certified organic. The company has a unique philosophy and is non profit. I would urge that you visit their "ABOUT" page for a look at their philosophy.
Impressions:
As most know I am not fond of food without four feet and fur. As this is my second go in as many months with organic foods, I am still a bit unsure about them as a whole. My wife made the statement that if I keep this up it's drum circles and hemp shirts in my future. She is now officially off my Christmas list. (actually not but don't tell her that) When I opened the bar I was greeted by a wonderful smell. It reminded me for all the world of a warm bowl of oatmeal. I didn't think at this point I could have two positive experiences with "hippy" food, but I was wrong. (is that patchouli I smell?) Ahem, anyhoo, since my guyot 38oz bottle was close and filled with freshly filtered and bitterly cold creek water, I decided to put these things to the test. I noticed the bar is soft and easily bitten or broken, but it will not fall apart on you by any means. It can be eaten one handed with ease, even wearing mittens without it falling apart on you. What hit me the most was the taste. I didn't expect it to taste exactly like a bowl of oatmeal with similar ingredients, but it did. I could almost see myself with the bowl and spoon. These things are good! It definitely has that "raw" taste, and if that is off putting to you, you may not like these, but it didn't bother me in the least. In fact it fit with what my brain was telling me I was eating. I ate the whole bar over about 5 minutes or so, and drank about half of my water bottle. One thing I noticed almost immediately is that I was full. It had been the first thing I ate that day, around 11am, and I have a rather big appetite, so I was really surprised that I felt satisfied. Not bacon and eggs by any stretch, but very good, without the mess, prep time, gear and cleanup. Now I would assume you could eat the bar without drinking the water and still receive all the benefits, but perhaps not feel as full, you'll have to try that for yourself, and I encourage that you do so.
Overall excellent for backpackers, campers, hikers and the like. Especially to the light or ultralight traveler where every ounce matters. Great for people traveling or camping with kids. If you are going on a scout and want to travel light and have something filling that will give you the pep in your step to get back to camp, these could be right for you. On a side note, I found no problems with the food and would recommend it to anyone. I really like the longevity factor. However, if I could envision one improvement that would make it even more useful, I would perhaps consider a resealable package. Not a big deal by any means, but something to consider over at Core Foods. Also 100% Made In The USA! The Natural Living Outdoors coveted (I wish) stamp of approval! 9 1/2 out of 10. Great job Core!
Note: as always, please make sure that you are not allergic to any of the listed ingredients.
(All of the pictures look great at their present resolution but for some reason are not switching to high definition when you click on them to enlarge them. Apparently this is some issue with blogger that I have yet to figure out how to solve. They are taken in HD with a 12 megapixel digital camera and look great on the computer at any size, but are for some reason not translating well. I apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause. They will be replaced when this issue is resolved. If any reader has encountered this issue and knows how to fix it, please contact me.)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As you have heard me admit in the past, I am generally not a fan of organic or "health" food in general. This is the second such food company that I have had the pleasure to review in the past months, and I must say, that my opinion about such foods is changing fast. If all companies out there were as dedicated to quality, I suspect my opinion may have changed before this. Please visit the company and decide for yourself. On with the show...
Technical:
Each individually wrapped bar I received weighed in at 3oz (85grams). Each run approximately 320 calories, and boast all organic ingredients, and are high in protein. The Raw almond raisin bar I tested contained Whole Oats, Almonds, Raisins, Whey Protein (Milk), and Spices. This is raw food, or food in it's unaltered, natural state. They have the consistency of a soft, chewy granola type bar, but are much larger. The flavor was quite bold and unexpected. You could really taste the "freshness" of the ingredients. The instructions are simple, and clearly printed and pictured on the rear of each package. Simply eat the bar, drink a couple of glasses of water, and you have received the nutrition and feeling as if you had eaten a full bowl of oatmeal. I will discuss this more in my impressions. You are reminded that real food does go bad, so you must refrigerate or freeze the bars if you are going to store them more than a week. In fact there is a helpful reminder on the package: 1 week on the go, 1 month chilled, 6 months frozen. Very simple and easy to remember. As most people don't camp or stay in the bush more than a week on average, this makes it a good trail and camp food that is light weight and very easy to prepare as it requires no prep or cooking. They would also work well for a "bugout" or similar emergency situation. The bars are USDA certified organic. The company has a unique philosophy and is non profit. I would urge that you visit their "ABOUT" page for a look at their philosophy.
Impressions:
As most know I am not fond of food without four feet and fur. As this is my second go in as many months with organic foods, I am still a bit unsure about them as a whole. My wife made the statement that if I keep this up it's drum circles and hemp shirts in my future. She is now officially off my Christmas list. (actually not but don't tell her that) When I opened the bar I was greeted by a wonderful smell. It reminded me for all the world of a warm bowl of oatmeal. I didn't think at this point I could have two positive experiences with "hippy" food, but I was wrong. (is that patchouli I smell?) Ahem, anyhoo, since my guyot 38oz bottle was close and filled with freshly filtered and bitterly cold creek water, I decided to put these things to the test. I noticed the bar is soft and easily bitten or broken, but it will not fall apart on you by any means. It can be eaten one handed with ease, even wearing mittens without it falling apart on you. What hit me the most was the taste. I didn't expect it to taste exactly like a bowl of oatmeal with similar ingredients, but it did. I could almost see myself with the bowl and spoon. These things are good! It definitely has that "raw" taste, and if that is off putting to you, you may not like these, but it didn't bother me in the least. In fact it fit with what my brain was telling me I was eating. I ate the whole bar over about 5 minutes or so, and drank about half of my water bottle. One thing I noticed almost immediately is that I was full. It had been the first thing I ate that day, around 11am, and I have a rather big appetite, so I was really surprised that I felt satisfied. Not bacon and eggs by any stretch, but very good, without the mess, prep time, gear and cleanup. Now I would assume you could eat the bar without drinking the water and still receive all the benefits, but perhaps not feel as full, you'll have to try that for yourself, and I encourage that you do so.
Overall excellent for backpackers, campers, hikers and the like. Especially to the light or ultralight traveler where every ounce matters. Great for people traveling or camping with kids. If you are going on a scout and want to travel light and have something filling that will give you the pep in your step to get back to camp, these could be right for you. On a side note, I found no problems with the food and would recommend it to anyone. I really like the longevity factor. However, if I could envision one improvement that would make it even more useful, I would perhaps consider a resealable package. Not a big deal by any means, but something to consider over at Core Foods. Also 100% Made In The USA! The Natural Living Outdoors coveted (I wish) stamp of approval! 9 1/2 out of 10. Great job Core!
Note: as always, please make sure that you are not allergic to any of the listed ingredients.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Bearded Snackfood? Yes!
Today I want to take a look at some energy bars from the Bearded Brothers.
I will be the first to admit I am not in any way, shape, or form a health food guy. My idea of organic food usually has four feet and fur. I do however, like to pack light when I hit the woods or trail, and I like to get the best bang for my buck. When researching backpacking foodstuffs, I came across the Bearded Brothers Snackfood Company from Austin, Texas. It was their passion for the outdoors that drew me, and it is the quality and taste of their food that will keep me coming back. Well, on with the show.
Technical:
Each energy bar is handmade. They are 100% Natural, Mostly Raw, Vegan Friendly, and Gluten Free. They come with names like Bodacious Blueberry Vanilla, Colossal Coconut Mango, and Fabulous Ginger Peach. Each package I tested weighed 2.3oz or 65grams. Each is sealed in a foil lined, ziplock, brown paper wrapper. The list of ingredients on the back would make any self respecting hippy bubble over with joy! The ingredients are very simple, things like: Organic Dates, Organic Almonds, Vanilla Rice Protein, Whole Brown Rice, Vanilla, Organic Blueberries, Sea Salt, ect. There is a warning to chew carefully as some product may contain pit pieces, and your nutrition facts. (Around 300 calories per bar and jam packed with vitamins and go power)
Impressions:
When the little brown resealable packages arrived in the mail I was a bit nervous. As I stated earlier, I am not a "health food" guy. I am not that guy because in my experience a majority of food packaged as "organic" or "health food" and the like usually tastes like it was already eaten once. When I think of these types of foods I think of drum circles, bean sprouts, tofu, and granola eating hippies. (no offense to any of you who happen to be granola eating hippies, it's just not my thing. think caveman, and red meat, and fire, and lots of grunting and pointing with sharp sticks, that's my thing)
Anyway, the first one I tried was the Bodacious Blueberry Vanilla bar. When you remove it from the package it feels heavy for its size. It is not mushy, and it does not crumble or fall apart. It feels like it has "substance" if that makes any sense. The first thing I noticed was the smell. I expected it to smell like a granola bar, and boy was I wrong! What a smell these have! You could literally smell blueberries, and vanilla. In fact, my wife asked me what that amazing smell was.
I told her it was nothing. I turned into the creepy little golum from the Lord of the Rings movies. Must hiidess my preccciouss.... ahem. If it smelled this good I could only imagine the taste. The dog was circling me, eying my precious. I promptly locked myself in the bedroom to be alone with my precious, and I ate the whole thing.
Now, let me be serious for a moment and tell you that this is a "good thing". I do not say things are good if they are not in fact, good. If I see something wrong with an item, I say so. I take pride in giving honest reviews, warts and all. The only thing I could find wrong with these bars is the fact that they didn't send me enough of them. These are made with quality in mind and it shows. Now everybody may not find them as good as I did, but I think most people will. I think that these will certainly replace a majority of the snacks and such that I take into the outdoors with me. They weigh next to nothing, are resealable, easily packable, crazy good, and they give you a natural boost of energy for sure.
Perfect for backpackers and outdoors folk who want something no muss, no fuss on the trail or at the campsite. I will be packing these for the kids as well. A homemade, handmade, USA product that I recommend highly. 10/10
Note: please make sure that you are not allergic to any of the listed ingredients.
I will be the first to admit I am not in any way, shape, or form a health food guy. My idea of organic food usually has four feet and fur. I do however, like to pack light when I hit the woods or trail, and I like to get the best bang for my buck. When researching backpacking foodstuffs, I came across the Bearded Brothers Snackfood Company from Austin, Texas. It was their passion for the outdoors that drew me, and it is the quality and taste of their food that will keep me coming back. Well, on with the show.
Technical:
Each energy bar is handmade. They are 100% Natural, Mostly Raw, Vegan Friendly, and Gluten Free. They come with names like Bodacious Blueberry Vanilla, Colossal Coconut Mango, and Fabulous Ginger Peach. Each package I tested weighed 2.3oz or 65grams. Each is sealed in a foil lined, ziplock, brown paper wrapper. The list of ingredients on the back would make any self respecting hippy bubble over with joy! The ingredients are very simple, things like: Organic Dates, Organic Almonds, Vanilla Rice Protein, Whole Brown Rice, Vanilla, Organic Blueberries, Sea Salt, ect. There is a warning to chew carefully as some product may contain pit pieces, and your nutrition facts. (Around 300 calories per bar and jam packed with vitamins and go power)
Impressions:
When the little brown resealable packages arrived in the mail I was a bit nervous. As I stated earlier, I am not a "health food" guy. I am not that guy because in my experience a majority of food packaged as "organic" or "health food" and the like usually tastes like it was already eaten once. When I think of these types of foods I think of drum circles, bean sprouts, tofu, and granola eating hippies. (no offense to any of you who happen to be granola eating hippies, it's just not my thing. think caveman, and red meat, and fire, and lots of grunting and pointing with sharp sticks, that's my thing)
Anyway, the first one I tried was the Bodacious Blueberry Vanilla bar. When you remove it from the package it feels heavy for its size. It is not mushy, and it does not crumble or fall apart. It feels like it has "substance" if that makes any sense. The first thing I noticed was the smell. I expected it to smell like a granola bar, and boy was I wrong! What a smell these have! You could literally smell blueberries, and vanilla. In fact, my wife asked me what that amazing smell was.
I told her it was nothing. I turned into the creepy little golum from the Lord of the Rings movies. Must hiidess my preccciouss.... ahem. If it smelled this good I could only imagine the taste. The dog was circling me, eying my precious. I promptly locked myself in the bedroom to be alone with my precious, and I ate the whole thing.
Now, let me be serious for a moment and tell you that this is a "good thing". I do not say things are good if they are not in fact, good. If I see something wrong with an item, I say so. I take pride in giving honest reviews, warts and all. The only thing I could find wrong with these bars is the fact that they didn't send me enough of them. These are made with quality in mind and it shows. Now everybody may not find them as good as I did, but I think most people will. I think that these will certainly replace a majority of the snacks and such that I take into the outdoors with me. They weigh next to nothing, are resealable, easily packable, crazy good, and they give you a natural boost of energy for sure.
Perfect for backpackers and outdoors folk who want something no muss, no fuss on the trail or at the campsite. I will be packing these for the kids as well. A homemade, handmade, USA product that I recommend highly. 10/10
Note: please make sure that you are not allergic to any of the listed ingredients.
Survival Neck Wallet - Tops Knives
Today we look at a unique product from world famous Tops Knives. It is called the SNW-01 or the Survival Neck Wallet.
It was nice to see Tops, who has traditionally been a more tactical and hunting type knife producer, move into the realm of survival products. With Tops legendary attention to detail and quality, it ought to prove an interesting test.
Technical:
It comes packaged in a heavy duty nylon type wallet. Has open top velcro flap. Inside is a clear pouch for your ID or other items, and two zig-zag pouches that run the depth of the wallet. On the top of the flap itself is a small zippered compartment. The rear of the wallet has one open pocket that runs the length and width of the wallet, and is covered with an emergency orange and reflective stripe surface. (pictures will follow) The wallet is approximately 6 1/2in tall x 5 1/2in wide. It includes the following items:
1. TOPS Survival Whistle tested at 126 decibels.
2. TOPS Pocket Survival Saw.
3. Compass.
4. The TOPS Firestarter with Ferrocium and magnesium rods.
5. P38 military can opener/Fire striker.
6. Offset Phillips/flat head Screwdriver.
7. TOPS Dog Tag Signal Mirror.
8. Lighthound LED Flashlight.
9. Lansky Quick Fix Pocket Sharpener.
10. Monofilament HD Line 24 ft
11. Snap Link 3/16 " x 2.0 "
12. 2 Ranger Bands
13. Razor Blade
14. Heavy Duty Sail Needle
15. Fresnel Lens x3
Impressions:
As with most pre-packaged "survival" items, I will be honest and say I expected very cheap, low quality items. I do not like survival kits. I prefer to build my own, but this one was different. I was pleasantly surprised at what I found. The whistle is a flat whistle with 3 holes. Each hole makes a different pitch, or can be used all together. Tops claims 126 decibels. My car stereo friend tested it, and it reached 128 decibels. I like its shape and size. The saw is not the old key ring and wire saw I expected when you think survival saw, but a heavy duty hacksaw type blade set up like a folding knife. It performed well on small camp tasks and fire work. I also used it to make a few stick traps, wooden camp tools and a fire bow set and it performed well. The compass was not a name brand compass that I could see, but when I tested it against three other compasses I had lying around, it held to true north and was very responsive, with the needle returning to true within a 2 second count when forced out with a steel nail.
The fire starter is actually a three piece unit, with 3 rods pressed into a metal hub, so that it can be used with a lanyard. It holds 2 small magnesium rods, and 1 small ferro rod. It performed well, even in damp conditions, even though it was a different configuration than I was used to. The P38 can opener does it's job, and has been a military icon for years. It also works well for throwing sparks on your fire rods. (as does the saw blade just so you know) The offset screwdriver is well made and easy to use, although I did not use it during this test. The small plastic dog tag signal mirror is adequate I suppose. (I will talk about that later)
The small keyring squeeze type LED light was surprisingly bright. It stays on until you squeeze it a second time. It came with the key ring and carabiner attached, but you can remove them. (I took off the carabiner to use elsewhere. It is NOT load bearing!) Anyone familiar with Lansky products knows their quality. The pocket sharpener did well as expected, with a carbide side and a crock stick honing side.
The kit was rounded out with 24ft of monofilament fishing line and 2 small hooks, a standard razor blade with a paper sleeve, (fire material?) a fresnel lens, a #13 sail needle, 2 ranger rubber bands, 2 large safety pins, and a 5ft wire small game snare with lock. All in all a very decent, usable kit. Everything in the kit was usable and functioned as advertised. It would make a good starter type kit for a novice interested in getting started with survival items. A more experienced survivalist might find other items he or she would replace or add, and there is plenty of room in the wallet for upgrades. It was comfortable around the neck with a long lanyard with a cord lock.
One of the things I liked the most was the way the items came packed separately, forcing the user to unpack each item carefully and place it in the kit, allowing them to become familiar with the contents ahead of time, so they know what they have on hand. I also like the ease of getting items in and out of the wallet. At a price of $49.95 USD it is also easy on YOUR wallet.
The only thing I really didn't care for was the plastic dog tag type signal mirror. It did cast a weak signal in direct sunlight, but I would not want to rely on this and only this in a true survival situation. It could easily be replaced with an actual safety glass signal mirror of similar size pretty cheaply, and not impact production costs, and that is the one suggestion I would mention for the designers at Tops to consider changing for newer models. (Maybe the inclusion of a mylar space or survival type blanket for warmth/shelter, and a few water purification tablets as well?) All in all a good buy for those interested in getting their personal kit started on a budget. I would recommend to friends. Well done Tops. 9/10
UPDATE: It appears there was a very thin plastic film over the dog tag style signal mirror. It is difficult to see and remove, but once removed, it becomes as reflective as any glass mirror it's size. My mistake. Sorry TOPS.
 |
| SNW-01 Survival Neck Wallet |
Technical:
It comes packaged in a heavy duty nylon type wallet. Has open top velcro flap. Inside is a clear pouch for your ID or other items, and two zig-zag pouches that run the depth of the wallet. On the top of the flap itself is a small zippered compartment. The rear of the wallet has one open pocket that runs the length and width of the wallet, and is covered with an emergency orange and reflective stripe surface. (pictures will follow) The wallet is approximately 6 1/2in tall x 5 1/2in wide. It includes the following items:
1. TOPS Survival Whistle tested at 126 decibels.
2. TOPS Pocket Survival Saw.
3. Compass.
4. The TOPS Firestarter with Ferrocium and magnesium rods.
5. P38 military can opener/Fire striker.
6. Offset Phillips/flat head Screwdriver.
7. TOPS Dog Tag Signal Mirror.
8. Lighthound LED Flashlight.
9. Lansky Quick Fix Pocket Sharpener.
10. Monofilament HD Line 24 ft
11. Snap Link 3/16 " x 2.0 "
12. 2 Ranger Bands
13. Razor Blade
14. Heavy Duty Sail Needle
15. Fresnel Lens x3
Impressions:
As with most pre-packaged "survival" items, I will be honest and say I expected very cheap, low quality items. I do not like survival kits. I prefer to build my own, but this one was different. I was pleasantly surprised at what I found. The whistle is a flat whistle with 3 holes. Each hole makes a different pitch, or can be used all together. Tops claims 126 decibels. My car stereo friend tested it, and it reached 128 decibels. I like its shape and size. The saw is not the old key ring and wire saw I expected when you think survival saw, but a heavy duty hacksaw type blade set up like a folding knife. It performed well on small camp tasks and fire work. I also used it to make a few stick traps, wooden camp tools and a fire bow set and it performed well. The compass was not a name brand compass that I could see, but when I tested it against three other compasses I had lying around, it held to true north and was very responsive, with the needle returning to true within a 2 second count when forced out with a steel nail.
The fire starter is actually a three piece unit, with 3 rods pressed into a metal hub, so that it can be used with a lanyard. It holds 2 small magnesium rods, and 1 small ferro rod. It performed well, even in damp conditions, even though it was a different configuration than I was used to. The P38 can opener does it's job, and has been a military icon for years. It also works well for throwing sparks on your fire rods. (as does the saw blade just so you know) The offset screwdriver is well made and easy to use, although I did not use it during this test. The small plastic dog tag signal mirror is adequate I suppose. (I will talk about that later)
The small keyring squeeze type LED light was surprisingly bright. It stays on until you squeeze it a second time. It came with the key ring and carabiner attached, but you can remove them. (I took off the carabiner to use elsewhere. It is NOT load bearing!) Anyone familiar with Lansky products knows their quality. The pocket sharpener did well as expected, with a carbide side and a crock stick honing side.
The kit was rounded out with 24ft of monofilament fishing line and 2 small hooks, a standard razor blade with a paper sleeve, (fire material?) a fresnel lens, a #13 sail needle, 2 ranger rubber bands, 2 large safety pins, and a 5ft wire small game snare with lock. All in all a very decent, usable kit. Everything in the kit was usable and functioned as advertised. It would make a good starter type kit for a novice interested in getting started with survival items. A more experienced survivalist might find other items he or she would replace or add, and there is plenty of room in the wallet for upgrades. It was comfortable around the neck with a long lanyard with a cord lock.
One of the things I liked the most was the way the items came packed separately, forcing the user to unpack each item carefully and place it in the kit, allowing them to become familiar with the contents ahead of time, so they know what they have on hand. I also like the ease of getting items in and out of the wallet. At a price of $49.95 USD it is also easy on YOUR wallet.
The only thing I really didn't care for was the plastic dog tag type signal mirror. It did cast a weak signal in direct sunlight, but I would not want to rely on this and only this in a true survival situation. It could easily be replaced with an actual safety glass signal mirror of similar size pretty cheaply, and not impact production costs, and that is the one suggestion I would mention for the designers at Tops to consider changing for newer models. (Maybe the inclusion of a mylar space or survival type blanket for warmth/shelter, and a few water purification tablets as well?) All in all a good buy for those interested in getting their personal kit started on a budget. I would recommend to friends. Well done Tops. 9/10
UPDATE: It appears there was a very thin plastic film over the dog tag style signal mirror. It is difficult to see and remove, but once removed, it becomes as reflective as any glass mirror it's size. My mistake. Sorry TOPS.
Injinji Merino Sock Review
Today we will be reviewing the Outdoor Series Sock from Injinji.
Technical:
This sock is a premium Australian Merino Wool, trademarked as NuWool. This is their Original Weight offering in Forest Green. It is constructed of 70% nuwool, 25% nylon, and 5% lycra Fibers. This allows for better temperature control, dryness, and comfort. They also have the companies patented AIS Technology, Which includes an anatomical 5 toe design, Arch Support, Vector Heel, and Dual Welt Band. The sock is all season performance in any footwear, in any terrain. The breakdown is as follows:
1. Anatomical 5 Toe Design: Keeps toes dry and prevents blisters and hotspots. Properly aligns toes for more natural movement.
2. Arch Support: Provides mid-foot stability and eliminates bunching.
3. Vector Heel: Precision stitched heel for custom fit, prevents slipping.
4. Dual Welt Band: Specially constructed band ensures socks stay in place.
Sock is naturally moisture wicking. Sock tested was crew length. Sock is offered in mini-crew, quarter, crew, and over the calf length.
Impressions:
The socks feel very well constructed. Very soft and itch free as expected from premium merino wool. The nylon and lycra give the sock just enough stretch to hold your foot snugly, but not so snug as to interfere with circulation. There is a dedicated left and right foot, and a dedicated heel box, so there is no way to put the sock on improperly.
Putting on this sock is not like just dragging on a regular sock. It takes a bit of wiggling your piggies as you need to fit your toes one by one into their own spot first, then snug up the toes, finally pulling into the heel and on to full fit. (My daughter calls them sleeping bags for your toes!) The socks fit snugly.
There is a bit of getting used to if you have never worn toe socks before. (I had not) It did feel very different having your toes surrounded like that, and I had the constant urge to pick the fabric from between my toes, but it subsides quickly. The thing I noticed nearly immediately about the sock was that as stated it did not move around once it was on. No matter how much wiggling or squirming I did, they stayed in place, and they stayed up. I suppose you could make them move if you were determined to, but that was not the purpose of the test. I wore them in several different types of footwear, in several different conditions. The thing I noticed is that they did not slide around in my boots, and I did not get blisters on my heel or the sides of my foot. (I had purposely worn boots that were not broken in and caused blisters previously) I think this is where the sock really started to grow on me. I can't stand when a sock moves around and bunches up, no matter how warm they are. If you have to keep taking your boots off to fix your sock it kinda defeats the purpose. I never had to do that with these socks.
The urge to pick at the toes went away fairly quickly, and by the second day of wear I don't remember noticing it anymore. The sock was as warm as I expected. I even wore them to bed. They dried by the fire very quickly, and kept my feet warm when I got them wet. Overall, it was a good experience, and a good sock. Well made, and I would recommend giving them a try if they sound interesting to you. They are around $16.00 USD for the pair I tested, so they do not break the bank either.
On a side note, customer service was excellent, and the socks arrived very quickly. The folks at Injinji take their product and it's quality very seriously, and that is a good thing.
This sock is a premium Australian Merino Wool, trademarked as NuWool. This is their Original Weight offering in Forest Green. It is constructed of 70% nuwool, 25% nylon, and 5% lycra Fibers. This allows for better temperature control, dryness, and comfort. They also have the companies patented AIS Technology, Which includes an anatomical 5 toe design, Arch Support, Vector Heel, and Dual Welt Band. The sock is all season performance in any footwear, in any terrain. The breakdown is as follows:
1. Anatomical 5 Toe Design: Keeps toes dry and prevents blisters and hotspots. Properly aligns toes for more natural movement.
2. Arch Support: Provides mid-foot stability and eliminates bunching.
3. Vector Heel: Precision stitched heel for custom fit, prevents slipping.
4. Dual Welt Band: Specially constructed band ensures socks stay in place.
Sock is naturally moisture wicking. Sock tested was crew length. Sock is offered in mini-crew, quarter, crew, and over the calf length.
Impressions:
The socks feel very well constructed. Very soft and itch free as expected from premium merino wool. The nylon and lycra give the sock just enough stretch to hold your foot snugly, but not so snug as to interfere with circulation. There is a dedicated left and right foot, and a dedicated heel box, so there is no way to put the sock on improperly.
 |
| Preformed Heel (taken outside very sunny!) |
 |
| Preformed Toes (taken outside very sunny!) |
Putting on this sock is not like just dragging on a regular sock. It takes a bit of wiggling your piggies as you need to fit your toes one by one into their own spot first, then snug up the toes, finally pulling into the heel and on to full fit. (My daughter calls them sleeping bags for your toes!) The socks fit snugly.
There is a bit of getting used to if you have never worn toe socks before. (I had not) It did feel very different having your toes surrounded like that, and I had the constant urge to pick the fabric from between my toes, but it subsides quickly. The thing I noticed nearly immediately about the sock was that as stated it did not move around once it was on. No matter how much wiggling or squirming I did, they stayed in place, and they stayed up. I suppose you could make them move if you were determined to, but that was not the purpose of the test. I wore them in several different types of footwear, in several different conditions. The thing I noticed is that they did not slide around in my boots, and I did not get blisters on my heel or the sides of my foot. (I had purposely worn boots that were not broken in and caused blisters previously) I think this is where the sock really started to grow on me. I can't stand when a sock moves around and bunches up, no matter how warm they are. If you have to keep taking your boots off to fix your sock it kinda defeats the purpose. I never had to do that with these socks.
The urge to pick at the toes went away fairly quickly, and by the second day of wear I don't remember noticing it anymore. The sock was as warm as I expected. I even wore them to bed. They dried by the fire very quickly, and kept my feet warm when I got them wet. Overall, it was a good experience, and a good sock. Well made, and I would recommend giving them a try if they sound interesting to you. They are around $16.00 USD for the pair I tested, so they do not break the bank either.
On a side note, customer service was excellent, and the socks arrived very quickly. The folks at Injinji take their product and it's quality very seriously, and that is a good thing.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Upcoming Reviews & Tests
Well, the last few months have been crazy beyond belief! When I started this thing I never had the slightest idea that it would take off the way it has. There have been so many people willing to help and support a new guy, that I have literally been overrun by opportunities. (not that I'm complaining mind you!) I just want to take a second to say thank you for all who have supported us, and give you a small taste of some of our upcoming reviews. I will put a link to the companies website in each listing so you can visit them! Make sure to tell them you heard about them from us here at Natural Living Outdoors! (Note: These are not links to the actual reviews just some upcoming teasers) Stay tuned for more updates! God Bless!
(The reviews are in no certain order, just a few on the list to get posted in the upcoming weeks/months)
Energy Bars from Bearded Brothers Co. (Thanks Caleb & Chris!)
Extreme Ultralite Towel from Discovery Trekking (Thanks April!)
Buddy Burner from Buddy Burner.com
Lifestraw from Vestergaard-Frandsen Co. (Thanks Elisabeth!)
Sierra Combo Stove from Ursa Designs at Clickstand.com (Thanks Sara!)
Merino Outdoor Hiking Socks from Lorpen North America (Thanks Nick!)
Warrior Meals High Protein Meals from Core Foods (Thanks Laraine!)
Beaver Falls LS Shirt from Tasc Performance (Thanks Jessica!)
Blackbird Hammock from Warbonnet Outdoors (Thanks Brandon!)
Biffy Bag Disposable Toilet from Biffybag.com (Thanks Greg!)
Survival Neck Wallet from Tops Knives (Thanks Mike!)
The PACK ONE Canvas Knapsack from Mule Team Canvas (Thanks Jeff!)
Outdoor Series Australian Merino NuWool Toe Socks from Injinji (Thanks Eva!)
I will also be doing some reviews I can't talk about right now (top secret hush hush goodness) as well as some general outdoors videos, bushcraft and survival skills videos, among other things. Check back in the days and weeks ahead and see whats new! Thanks for stopping by, now let's go outside...
p.s. - If we have talked about doing reviews for you and I haven't gotten back to you it is not because we do not want to do them. I accidentally deleted my entire email database somehow! Please contact me here and we will get your reviews schedules asap! Thank you.
(The reviews are in no certain order, just a few on the list to get posted in the upcoming weeks/months)
Energy Bars from Bearded Brothers Co. (Thanks Caleb & Chris!)
Extreme Ultralite Towel from Discovery Trekking (Thanks April!)
Buddy Burner from Buddy Burner.com
Lifestraw from Vestergaard-Frandsen Co. (Thanks Elisabeth!)
Sierra Combo Stove from Ursa Designs at Clickstand.com (Thanks Sara!)
Merino Outdoor Hiking Socks from Lorpen North America (Thanks Nick!)
Warrior Meals High Protein Meals from Core Foods (Thanks Laraine!)
Beaver Falls LS Shirt from Tasc Performance (Thanks Jessica!)
Blackbird Hammock from Warbonnet Outdoors (Thanks Brandon!)
Biffy Bag Disposable Toilet from Biffybag.com (Thanks Greg!)
Survival Neck Wallet from Tops Knives (Thanks Mike!)
The PACK ONE Canvas Knapsack from Mule Team Canvas (Thanks Jeff!)
Outdoor Series Australian Merino NuWool Toe Socks from Injinji (Thanks Eva!)
I will also be doing some reviews I can't talk about right now (top secret hush hush goodness) as well as some general outdoors videos, bushcraft and survival skills videos, among other things. Check back in the days and weeks ahead and see whats new! Thanks for stopping by, now let's go outside...
p.s. - If we have talked about doing reviews for you and I haven't gotten back to you it is not because we do not want to do them. I accidentally deleted my entire email database somehow! Please contact me here and we will get your reviews schedules asap! Thank you.
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