Monday, July 31, 2017

ILBE Assault Pack vs FILBE Assault Pack - Versus Ep3



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This is the 3rd episode of Versus!!!  With this series Luke puts two products up against each other to see who will be the victor!  Today we have FILBE Assault Pack vs the ILBE Assault Pack!

Who will win?

Friday, July 28, 2017

Independence Pass Colorado - Road Trip and Day Hike Adventure




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Join Susan and I in Colorado for our Road Trip and Day Hike Adventure.  This is part 1 of a Three Part Adventure Series.

Next week is the Overnight Adventure to Cathedral Lake (EPIC) and the week after is the multiple Day Hike adventures video.

Thank you all for making this adventure possible; Grab some coffee and come along for an adventure!




Thursday, July 27, 2017

VOTE NOW : Viewer's Choice - The Next Overnight Adventure



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It's time to vote for the next Overnight Adventure where you get to choose the type of trip, the gear and so on.

Head on over to:

http://www.theoutdoorgearreview.com/

and vote on the next Overnight trip!


Wednesday, July 26, 2017

One of My Favorites - Savotta Minijääkäri - Review



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Today Luke is reviewing the Savotta Minijääkäri Backpack, straight from Finland!



Link : https://www.varusteleka.com/en/product/savotta-minijaakari-backpack/55400

Price : $108.99

Weight : 1.70lbs

Colors : Black and Green

…..

Despite the name this is actually a proper sized 20 litre day pack, simple in construction and appearance. A roll-top closure means there are no zippers to fail and rain doesn't fall into your stuff. All straps, buckles, stitches and so on are tough as nails, so you can really push yourself through anything and the pack will be your trusty companion.

The main compartment is simple with just one zippered pocket on the inside of the flap for valuables, and a kangaroo pouch for a hydration bladder or 13.3" laptop. The pack has elastic passages for the hose (or headphone cord) on both sides at the top. Anything else you want to pack separately goes easily on the outside thanks to the PALS webbing: even the carrying straps have PALS for pouches you want to keep really easily accessible, or just for a sternum strap.

When you're not carrying a full load the flap folds down to a compact size, and side compression straps reduce the bulk further. The volume is there when you need it, but barely noticeable on your back when you don't.

The flap has a 13 x 5 cm velcro base for a name patch or morale stuff.

Specifications

general

•       Height: 45-55 cm (adjustable)

•       Volume: 18-22 litres

•       Width: 26 cm

•       Thickness: 17 cm

•       Weight: 775 grams

details

•       Valuables stash: 15 x 25 cm

•       Kangaroo pouch: 25 x 37 cm

•       1000D polyamide with PUR-coating (Cordura)

•       Delrin buckles

•       Single PALS slot durability: over 100 kg

•       Warranty: 5 years (materials and workmanship)

Care

•       Brush off dirt

•       Wash by hand with mild detergent

•       Talk gently to your backpack on every Sunday

Made by Finn-Savotta Oy

Founded in 1955 Finn-Savotta, or just Savotta, is known for their simplistic and extremely rugged designs. For decades Savotta has been the go-to supplier of hiking gear for the Finnish civilian market and combat gear and tents for the defence forces.

Today Savotta operates two factories, one in Karstula, Finland, where they make all their tents and metal components and one in Estonia where they do about 50% of their sewing.

Monday, July 24, 2017

Test Night - Big Agnes Happy Hooligan UL2 Tent



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Welcome to another episode of TEST NIGHT!!!  Up for an evening of T&E is the Big Agnes Happy Hooligan UL2 tent!



Link : http://www.bigagnes.com/Happy-Hooligan-UL-2

Price : $379.95

Weight : 3lbs 9oz for the complete package

-               Ultra light two door, two vestibule back packing tent
-               Storm flaps on vestibule zipper
-               All mesh body is great for star gazing and ventilation
-               Media pockets located above sleeping area enable clean ear bud cord routing from phones or other devices
-               One fly vent
-               Velcro tabs connect fly to pole structure providing perfect pitch and extra stability
-               Ready to pitch; with pre-cut guy lines and tensioners attached to fly
-               Reflective guylines and webbing on tent corners
-               Easy grip zipper pulls
-               2 interior mesh pockets, 2 media pockets & 8 superlight aluminum J stakes
-               Gear loft loops included
-               Footprint - sold separately
-               Fast Fly setup available
-               Fits Wall Gear Loft - sold separately
-               Fly and floor are silicone treated nylon rip-stop
-               Fly and floor have 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating
-               Tent body is polyester mesh
-               All seams taped with waterproof, solvent-free polyurethane tape (No PVC or VOC's)
-               DAC Pressfit pole system with lightweight hubs
-               Ultralight plastic clips attach tent body to pole frame
-               Hub pole design

This is the preview and this tent is going into testing now. There will be a how to setup video coming up soon, and there will be a Test Night video before the review goes live.

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Morning Drive with Moose and Viewer Mail Explosion #33



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Today Luke and Susan are out for a drive in MOOSE and have some viewer mail to go over.  As always we are honored and thankful!




Friday, July 21, 2017

LOTS Of POWER!! - Anker PowerCore+ 26800mAh Battery Bank – Review



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Today Luke is reviewing the Anker PowerCore+ 26800mAh Battery Bank!



Link Amazon : https://www.amazon.com/Anker-PowerCore-Portable-Capacity-PowerPort/dp/B01K6TA748

Price : $82.00

Weight of the Bank : 1lb 5oz

+ PowerCore+

PowerCore+ is our flagship series of portable chargers, built using only premium materials and the most advanced charging technology.

Make sure your charger is as advanced as your phone.

•     10 iPhone charges, 7 Galaxy S7 charges and multiple charges for other tablets and devices
•     Almost Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 and PowerIQ combine for serious speed
•     Qualcomm Quick Charge input for super-speed recharge (wall charger included)
Premium matte aluminum finish offers durability and style

Qualcomm QuickCharge support (this one supports QC 3.0 on the Green port)

- Med-High Amperage charging on all ports (Each port can push up to 3A)

The charge indicator button is divided into 10% increments

Charging Time with wallcharger : Around 7 hours

Pros
........
Lots of Power – This is what I use for extended road trips
Multiple Charging Ports
Fast recharging for the size of the bank
Quick charging for specific devices
Nice design
Easy to power level
Can charge multiple devices at once

Cons :
........
Heavy
Slick
Expensive
The included charging cable is so-so quality.  A lot of people have had issues with these; it’s common.
Comparable to similar sized battery banks

Note : I have experience an odd glitch with this device roughly two months back.  I hit the battery level indication button and I took a glace at it but my attention was called by my wife susan so I didn’t get a good look at what it was.. Once I was done talking with her, I hit the button again and this time it wouldn’t light up at all.. It wouldn’t charge any devices either. I connected it to the charger and nothing happened. Came back some time later and everything was working once again.. I remember specifically that the device was not empty as I saw that it was stating that it was around half full.  I haven’t had that issue again with my 4 months of testing.

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

French Military Rubberized Duffle Bag





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It's Military Surplus Wednesday and today Luke is taking a look at the French Rubberized Duffle Bag.



Link : https://swisslink.com/packs-bags-pouches/french-rubberized-duffle.html

Cost : $16.00

French Army issue duffle - rubberized. Made of a heavy duty rubberized material. Has backpack straps to make it easier to carry with a heavy load. Used in good condition. Measures 21" x 36"

Impressions :

This is a large size, rubberized duffle bag which is water resistant; perfect for a car camping adventure or even a flight.  I have a few friends who will fly with their backpacking gear by putting their gear inside of large size military duffle.

Perfect truck bag; throw it behind the seat with some JIC gear and food.

Hunting bag!

Something to keep in mind is that this is a military grade duffle bag; it’s not made from low strength nylon like the one that you can purchase at Walmart.  This is a duffle that was made to be handled roughly.

If they’re tough enough for the armed services they’re tough enough for anything you might throw at it.

They’re well built, rugged, and will hold all your gear.

Monday, July 17, 2017

Colorado - A Three Part Adventure Series - INTRO



Support TOGR with Patreon : https://www.patreon.com/TOGR

Starting next Friday is the Three Part Adventure Series from Colorado!

- Road Trip from NC to Independence Pass CO.
- Overnight Adventure to Cathedral Lake (EPIC)
- Multiple Day Hike Adventures

This is the INTRO for the series, the Full Adventures are coming soon.

Friday, July 14, 2017

LumberJack Beef Jerky - Camper's Cafe



Support TOGR with Patreon : https://www.patreon.com/TOGR

Today for this episode of the Camper's Cafe, Luke and Susie have some LumberJack Beef Jerky to munch on!

Link : https://www.facebook.com/Lumberjackbeefjerky/

Phone : Call (865) 640-4750

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

The Perfect Bushcraft Pack? - Italian Military Combat Rucksack



Support TOGR with Patreon : https://www.patreon.com/TOGR

It's Military Surplus Wednesday and today Luke is taking a look at the Italian Military Combat Rucksack.  Is it the Perfect Bushcraft Pack?  Find out now!



Link : https://swisslink.com/packs-bags-pouches/italian-nylon-backpack-camo.html

Cost : $60.00

Weight : 4.5lbs

This is one of the best packs we have had! Excellent quality nylon. Super padded back piece over a rigid spine support, padded kidney strap, padded backpack straps. The pack measures 26" high, 12" wide and 10" deep, has two side pockets that are 15" long, 6" wide and 3" deep. Used in very good condition. Very Limited quantities!

Impressions :

A pack with a frame for this price?  That’s impressive.

Excellent quality pack; it’s a rare one that I haven’t seen before and trust me, I have seen a lot of military surplus over the years.

They really should show off the under side of this, crazy padded with a built in rigid frame that's curved to keep gear from hitting you in the back. Just amazing quality all around, the inside is a huge bucket for all your gear with a heavy duty drawstring on top, and massive side pockets. The pads for your back are insane, fell as I could trek forever/anywhere with this.

Monday, July 10, 2017

MSR Pocket Rocket 2 vs Optimus Crux Stoves - Versus Ep3



Support TOGR with Patreon : https://www.patreon.com/TOGR

It's time for an episode of Versus!

This time we have the MSR Pocket Rocket 2 vs Optimus Crux Stoves.

Which shall be the winner?

Friday, July 7, 2017

Big Agnes Happy Hooligan UL2 Tent - Perfect for Two - Preview



Support TOGR with Patreon : https://www.patreon.com/TOGR

Today Luke is previewing the Big Agnes Happy Hooligan UL2 tent!
Coming up soon; TEST NIGHT!



Link : http://www.bigagnes.com/Happy-Hooligan-UL-2

Price : $379.95

Weight : 3lbs 9oz for the complete package

-               Ultra light two door, two vestibule back packing tent
-               Storm flaps on vestibule zipper
-               All mesh body is great for star gazing and ventilation
-               Media pockets located above sleeping area enable clean ear bud cord routing from phones or other devices
-               One fly vent
-               Velcro tabs connect fly to pole structure providing perfect pitch and extra stability
-               Ready to pitch; with pre-cut guy lines and tensioners attached to fly
-               Reflective guylines and webbing on tent corners
-               Easy grip zipper pulls
-               2 interior mesh pockets, 2 media pockets & 8 superlight aluminum J stakes
-               Gear loft loops included
-               Footprint - sold separately
-               Fast Fly setup available
-               Fits Wall Gear Loft - sold separately
-               Fly and floor are silicone treated nylon rip-stop
-               Fly and floor have 1200mm waterproof polyurethane coating
-               Tent body is polyester mesh
-               All seams taped with waterproof, solvent-free polyurethane tape (No PVC or VOC's)
-               DAC Pressfit pole system with lightweight hubs
-               Ultralight plastic clips attach tent body to pole frame
-               Hub pole design

This is the preview and this tent is going into testing now. There will be a how to setup video coming up soon, and there will be a Test Night video before the review goes live.

Wednesday, July 5, 2017

Large ALICE Pack - Review



It's Military Surplus Wednesday and today Luke is reviewing the famous Alice Pack!   More coming soon!

Support TOGR with Patreon : https://www.patreon.com/TOGR

Alice :
Two Sizes.

Not really used any longer.  You might see them in training situations but that is about it.

You can find them all over the internet, ebay and military surplus sites.

Prices vary but less than $100 is very common.

All of the parts can be switched out and replaced.

Frame can be used on its own for different hauling possibilities.

Aluminum frame.

The Large ALICE Pack with Frame has long been the standard for comfort and durability. officially adopted by the military in 1973.  The medium sized ALICE can be used without the frame but the LARGE is meant to be used only with the frame.

ALICE stands for;

All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment

The pack features a large main compartment with a cinch closure, an interior radio pocket, six external pockets, padded kidney belt and waist strap. The padded shoulder straps are the wider camouflage version designed to better distribute the additional weight that this pack can hold. Pack must be used with ALICE frame (included).

Issues : The biggest issue with the ALICE pack is that when they are packed full, the weight will pull away from your body.

Technical Information:

•      Main compartment: 13" X 22" X 8" (over 2200 cubic inches of space)
•      Radio pocket: 10.5" X 11" X 5.5"
•      Three top pockets: Hold 2 M16 magazines
•      Lower side pocket: 5.5" X 9" X 2.5"
•      Lower center pocket: 8.5" X 9" X 2"

Total capacity: 3800 cubic inches

Water-resistant nylon with 2-strap top flap
9" x 3"w. shoulder pads
Lower and upper back pads
Exterior measures 22" x 20" x 14"h.
Weighs a sturdy 6 1/2 lbs.
USA made

Designed for longer trips and heavier loads up to 70 lbs. Same construction and features as medium pack plus three additional 3" x 7" x 1" external pockets and larger 20" x 20" x 8" main compartment. Complete includes pack, frame, shoulder pads and kidney pad. Cannot be used as a backpack without the frame and shoulder pads.

ALICE packs can be used with or without a frame but the external frame definitely helps balance the load – otherwise, these packs get pretty center-fat.

What’s bad about ALICE?

The pack can be uncomfortable especially with heavy loads and some of the straps for lashing gear to the bag get in the way. The old style of metal strap adjustments make closing the compartments a bit tedious. There is no easy access pockets for things like water bottles although with the external frame, you can rig something up pretty easily.

Built with rugged materials designed to withstand the rigors of extreme conditions. The large storage compartment is great for hauling bulky equipment. People who demand the most from their equipment will appreciate the toughness of this bag.

While in use with military forces in the US, it would be common to hear of a soldier referring to his ALICE as Old Faithful.  Not elegant by any means but it will get the job done!

Story of my ALICE Pack : This is not the ALICE pack that I grew up with as I had a medium size pack that my Unlce who was a marine gave me.  I carried that pack everywhere I went and it never let me down.  When I got old enough to drive, I had a chevy corrisca which had a faulty lock on one of the doors.  One day I had the back in the back seat, thought that the doors were locked and came back to find that I was mistake and it was stolen.

Alice Tips :

The large ALICE Pack is just that, large and if features a large center area for gear.  I have found that it really helps to pack your gear into sacks and then load up the pack.  It makes organizing simple and gear acquisition very quick




Sunday, July 2, 2017

What's in the Envelope??? - Viewer Mail - #32



Support TOGR with Patreon : https://www.patreon.com/TOGR

What's in the Envelope????????

Today we're looking at some viewer mail that was sent in to The Outdoor Gear Review.  As always we are honored and thankful!