This is a quick look at the Cardshark folding knife. Purchased this for less than $10 on sale.
Some things I like about it:
Lightweight - weighs ~14gms
Fits perfectly in your wallet due to its credit card size dimensions.
Durable (so far) - I've carried this around in my wallet/pocket and so far no damage done to it.
Easy & safe to use - it has a lock for the blade so it doesn't accidentally flip on the open position. It turns into a knife in 4 motions - unlock safety, flip blade, fold smaller portion, fold large portion over that which clicks it into place.
Price (see above) - good for the budget conscious.
Some things I don't like about it:
There's only one actually - The final fold of the large portion to the smaller one doesn't always stay in place. After a couple of times, it pops open so you end up having to readjust your grip on the handle to keep it locked.
Here's a caveat: This knife might be awkward to handle for those who have really big hands.
For what it is, it's not too bad of an investment as far as having a knife with you for general purpose only.
Hello everyone. Been awhile since I posted any new prep related vids or blog posts. Here's the latest one.
These LED clip-on lights are less than a couple of bucks a piece. I have several of them in stock. It's small enough to keep in your glove compartment or carry around with you but it's also good to have in stock since it doesn't take up too much space.
As an urban newbie prepper, I always talk about space being very limited. Each addition really has to be multifunctional or doesn't take up too much space.
For such a small little device, this LED clip-on light is not only versatile but also very bright. Usually when you buy clip-on things, the clip part fails because it doesn't have much of a grip.
These lights however are pretty secure once you clip them on to the brim of your hat or your shirt/jacket. The battery for it is just your standard watch batteries. Another positive with this particular item is that it pivots around so it is adjustable which give you a bit more flexibility.
I've used this light as a booklight as well. Although my prepper library is mostly digital, we do have a large collection of print books so on occasion this clips on nicely on a book cover.
It just goes to show you don't have to spend a whole lot of money to have some emergency temp lighting. Always good to diversify what you have.
A lot of my viewers in YouTube are budget conscious (as they should be) so I try to review things that they can easily pick up. Good rule to have for newbie preppers: keep things simple and budget friendly.
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Site updates:
The tech editions of my YouTube channel have been a nice change of pace but I do have a lot of new articles/vids/reviews I'd like to put up. I have several prep vids already on standby. I actually have more equipment to review, specifically knives. There's also book reviews forthcoming.
As for the site itself: Some additional changes I was planning on implementing is put on hold for now for lack of time.
The site has reached over 50,000 views. Many thanks for all the support!
With topics such as starting fires, purifying water, finding/catching/preparing food, first-aid, shelter, hygiene, proper burial among many other covered. It’s a very thorough book, topic-wise. It was almost too overwhelming for a noob to read. It’s my own fault for trying to read it from beginning to end as it were fiction. This is more of a reference book really and should be read as such.
I love that it’s written in a straight-forward manner that any average civilian could understand – you don’t have to be a hard-core survivalist to comprehend any of its content. His overall tone is pretty laid-back and fun which made it a quick and easy read for the most part. It’s peppered with humorous illustrations throughout as well (which was sometimes distracting). The best part about this guide is how it’s not focused on buying cool camping and survival gear. The projects he mentions are usually low-budget or no-budget at all (you may already have the materials in your home).
I came across Cody Lundin’s name after scanning for books to review for this site – he has a survival show (available on Netflix) which I’ve been meaning to watch. If I’m going to learn from someone, it might as well be from an expert who lives, breathes, and teaches this way of life.
Tons of info here for those seeking out a starting point. I actually read the e-book version of this which is perfectly fine, but I think this is one of those books that would be better off sitting in your shelf as a reference.
You’d probably get more enjoyment and use out of this if your preparedness and survivalist skillset is in the beginner or intermediate. Also good for the casual read.
Definitely a great addition to any prepper library. 4 out of 5 stars.
Note: This entry is a guest post by one of the cool people from GuestPostU.
First aid kits are important for everyone to have. Whether you are going camping, going on long bike rides, or just having one in your house or car. Being prepared for whatever strikes is so important, no matter your age or activities. First aid kits can help with burns, cuts, poisoning, and even broken limbs. When buying a first aid kit, it would be best to open it up, and get an idea of what it has. If there are items missing that may be handy for you, it would be best to add them. Also, if need be, put the first aid kit into a container that protects it from water.
Isolation
Having a first aid kit is important for anyone that goes on long trips far from civilization. This is because it may be difficult to find a doctor, or a store that has the items you need. Sometimes while camping it may be difficult to find aspirin or splints for an injury. Any camper or backpacker should certainly have a first aid kit.
Money
Having a first aid kit can be a large money saver, this is because a first aid kit can help avoid visits to doctors. Many small injuries and ailments can simply be fixed if you have the necessary medicine or first aid item. Emergency room visits can be expensive especially when hospitals or doctors are out of your insurance network. Having the necessary equipment will save you a lot of money.
Kids
If you have kids, or watch kids, they are going to get into trouble. Kids are always getting cut up, or getting into things they should not. Having a kit available can help fix the small problems they get into. Of course, large injuries may need a doctor to fix. But any small scrape or cut can be fixed by a first aid kit.
Liability
In this day and age, it is a good idea to of course, avoid liability. Having a first aid kid can help save lives. If people are injured at your house, having a first aid kit can fix them up. Sadly, in this day in age, many people sue homeowners when they get hurt at someones house.
Acts of Nature
Sometimes hurricanes or tornadoes or other natural disasters will hit. It is important to have some kind of kit to help in case of injury. This is because during a natural disaster, local and state government agencies may not be able to assist quickly. Not only that, but fixing small problems on your own can free them up so they can help people in life and death situations.
A first aid kit can be a life saver, the great thing is you can buy one or make your own. It is very important to make sure it has all you need for your specific needs. Many people who hike out in the wilderness may put more anti venom items in their kit. People with kids may want to look at putting more band-aids in their kit. It is important to open it up every few months to make sure nothing has expired. A first aid kid may truly be a life saver. Or at least get you out of an uncomfortable situation.
Retta Gilbert writes about safety, privacy & the importance of a criminal background check.
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Guest Post U
The University of Great Content
Here's the updated review on the Rothco Medium Transport Pack.
After about a month and a half of daily use, it's been holding up well. Better than expected, actually.
Keep in mind I have this thing packed to the brim with usually a very large and heavy textbook, a binder, my lunch, several other supplies in the front pockets, and even an android tablet every so often.
The more I use it, the more broken in it gets the better it is. The padded shoulder straps have been fantastic on keeping the support alongside with the multiple compression straps. I haven't had any back and shoulder pain, and as much as I walk around and take mass transportation it's managed to keep the stress off my feet.
The waterproof factor is just a bonus. I haven't had to really purchase additional MOLLE packs to go with this. I thought I was going to need to but right now this setup is sufficient.
So overall, I'm sticking with the original 3.5 star rating out of 5 for this product.
I use this mainly for: Everyday carry (EDC) school and work.
Location: Urban / City
Cost: $40 at a local army and navy store
I would imagine this pack would also be great for weekend trips, camping, and as a primary bug out bag.
Clothing is just as essential as any cool gadget under the sun so I wanted to highlight some of the basics of my winter outdoor gear.
I like to keep things classic and simple. It needs to be comfortable, functional, and of course, look good. In general when I'm in the market for outerwear, I look for something that's durable with plenty of pockets. For shoes, I always go with comfort since I practically walk everywhere.
Keep in mind, my winter gear is based on my geographic location - the Northeast, in the city, where the temps can drop below freezing and we get the occasional snow/icestorm.
Here are a few essentials:
1. Vest (medium weight, waterproof) - very versatile addition to any wardrobe in my opinion. I actually use this all throughout spring and autumn seasons as well. Excellent for layering.
2. Army boots (lined, waterproof, non-skid soles) - always good to have a pair of high boots if you live in an area that gets accumulating snow. The lining definitely helps with the insulation.
3. Hiking boots (waterproof, non-skid soles) - better for trekking around the city, although a bit heavier and chunkier than I prefer.
4. knit hats - very affordable accessory, I have a good handful of these in different thicknesses and designs.
5. Heavy duty ski-gloves - very warm, weather-proof addition. These types of gloves usually come with a clip that you can use to secure on a carabiner on your coat or pack.
6. fingerless gloves - medium weight gloves that I use daily. Good for casual use. I have another pair that is more flexible - it can transform into a pair of mittens.
7. Scarf - another great accessory to have, very affordable, and it comes in various sizes.
8. NorthFace Hyvent parka - very warm. I have a 2nd pair in a different color. Plenty of pockets, hooded, with adjustable cuffs. I have other coats (wool blend - more formal, and a couple of leather ones 3/4 length)
Anther essential that I forgot to include in the vid are my thermal shirt and pants. Another excellent layering component. It provides an extra layer of warmth while keeping sweat and moisture away from your kin. And of course, you can't forget about a thicker blend of long socks.
Once you have the basics covered, it's easy to build upon that.
Don't underestimate this coffee in a packet - this stuff is pretty strong. This would be suitable for the morning rush. Unlike the Trader Joe's instant coffee packet I reviewed recently, this one doesn't come prepackaged with the sugar or creamer already mixed in. You'll have to supply it yourself. Regardless, this is definitely worth picking up as a part of your food preps, EDC, ultralight backpacking or camping gear, dayhikes, road trips, etc.
This particular one is sold in packs of 3 per pouch. It varies from time to time depending on where you get it. I've seen this sold by the checkout counters in retail stores. It's also available online, of course, in larger batches and a variety of other flavors.
Being fairly new to prepping, I feel that acquiring knowledge and new skills is more important than having a lot of cool gear.
One of the first things I did was to create a reading list of sorts. Shelf space is very limited for us being in a city / urban setting and I didn't want to crowd our place with clutter.
Solution? I've loaded my Android tablet with pdfs / epub / mobi files for use on either the Nook, Kindle, Aldiko or ezPDF reader apps.
I've used this in conjunction with Dropbox where I store the ebooks to save space on my chosen device. I always double backup my files (just in case!) so I also store the files in a microSD card which also enables me to access the data in any compatible device.
Not only do I use this for prepper / survivalist / bushcraft books, I also use it with fiction books. It's been a great way of keeping everything organized and accessible.
So far I have probably a bit over 20 books (and growing) in my prepper digital library. If I read a book that I really enjoy, I purchase a print version of it as well.
With the price point for a standard ereader now as low as under $100 for either the Nook or Kindle (you can get a decent starter Android tablet for around $200-250), I highly recommend adding this to your preparedness / prepper arsenal.
I picked this up recently at a local army and navy store after doing some research online. I was on the market for a backpack because my messenger bag puts too much strain on my right side.
I have another backpack that's seen better days - I can haul a bunch of textbooks in it but offers very little back support. Initially I was unsure about getting this one because it seemed too tactical-ish for use around the campus but went with it as soon as I saw it at the store.
First impressions: Nice looking pack, true to its "medium" transport size. I can see why some reviews deemed it too small - I think if you're between 5'4" - 5'10" tall this backpack should be just about right.
I've only been using this a little over a week but here's what I think of it so far:
Pros:
Comfortable shoulder straps with multiple adjustments
Sternum and waist straps offer extra support
Narrow profile with the compressions straps
plenty of pockets and compartments
waterproof
has room for hydration bladder
expandable (MOLLE)
Cost - $40
Cons:
Poor stitching in one of the interior pockets.
No interior hooks where I can put my carabiner / keys
no exterior side pocket for my water bottle
zipper pulls are not ykk metal tabs
Despite its shortcomings, this backpack is holding up to my expectations. It's been easy on my back during the commute back and forth. I can easily haul a large textbook, a binder/notebook in the main compartment. If you need to carry more than 2 textbooks, you might have problems getting that too fit in this. I haven't tried loading up my 17" laptop but I don't think it'll fit at all. I was fully aware of this when I bought the product.
Keep in mind this is my first tactical-type backpack so I'd say this is great for entry-level buyers. I use it mainly for school but this would definitely come in handy for traveling as well as dayhikes.
I'll do another update review of it after a month or so of usage but for now here's a short vid I made:
Excellent coffee for those who are always on the go.
This is not as strong as what I'm used to as far as coffee blends go but I use it mainly as after dinner coffee and for in between my classes. It's just strong enough to get me by for another few hours.
I'd say the major thing this has going for it is that it already includes the creamer and the sugar in the packet. Just add hot water.
Those of you who like their coffee very storng might find this week tasting to start off with but it's definitely worth a shot.
Suitable for:
college students
road warriors
dayhikers / campers / light backpackers
preppers on a budget
It currently sells for $1.99 / box (each box has 10 individual packets)
For the second installment of my urban /city EDC (everyday carry) I've decided to briefly go over my mini multitool that I carry with me everywhere.
This one's just your standard stainless steel type of multitool - a gift given to me 2-3 years ago - it's monogrammed with my initials and everything...I know...fancy pants, =)
The 3 main tools on it that I use often are the screwdrivers (flathead
& phillips), and of course the blade followed by the saw. Most
useless feature - corkscrew. It's good to drill a small pilot hole
manually but for actually opening up a bottle of wine - not so much.
Second least favorite feature is the scissor.
For all you newbie city preppers, I'd say a pocket sized multitool is a great starting point for your EDC. If you're not sure, I'd just get whatever you can afford at the moment and use it well. Keep tabs on which features you use frequently that way when it comes time to upgrade you'll have a better sense of what you're actually looking for.
Would I rely on this multitool for dayhikes? Absolutely. For longer camping/bushcraft type activities - no way.
And here's the vid I made about it.
So in the video, the messenger bag I have is by Nautica (see the link below). Pretty good for light loads but not great for when you have a couple of heavy textbooks to lug around. So yesterday I actually picked up a backpack which I'll be doing a review on shortly.
If you have a pocket multitool you'd like to share here, feel free to email me a photo - what you mainly use it for and a link to your website/blog if you have any. I'll put the content up in a future post.
This is part of my EDC (everyday carry). Most people call this a survival tin and there's many different versions of it. My approach in preparedness (prepping) in general is a minimalistic one. So everything in this "survival tin" are items I use quite a bit except for the lighter (I don't smoke anymore).
It just doesn't make sense to lug around items that's not applicable to your environment / situation.
I carry this everywhere with me and as I've mentioned on the vid, I have enough textbooks and such to carry around for my classes so I don't need additional things to weigh me down.
my minimalist edc survival tin - interior
Contents:
Bandaids
Antibiotic ointment for minor cuts
alcohol pads
ibuprofen & advil
zantac
chapstick
eyeglass repair kit
lighter
I still need to add:
something for my allergies
Here's the brief vid I made of it:
This is just part of my EDC - minimalist style. I'll go over the other parts in future vids and blog posts. I keep everything interchangeable depending on where I'm headed but this kit remains a constant in all of them.
Do you have a survival tin? What do you carry in yours?
