Hey there Wolf Pack, I realize that the world has been a bit crazy lately and I wanted to do something to spread a little joy so I have come up with 3 weeks of giveaways!
This is Week 1 and involves some Go! Outfitters Hammocks; make sure to enter now and good luck!
Thank you all for supporting TOGR!
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Thank You :
A special thank you goes to Go! Outfitters for making this giveaway possible!
Hey there Wolf Pack, today Luke is reviewing the Budget Friendly GYMAX Rain Jacket. Pros, Cons, and real world experiences are coming up in this Real Review!
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100% Agenda Free :
This channel is Agenda Free and is fully supported by the viewers. Support TOGR with Patreon : https://www.patreon.com/TOGR
The company claims 8000mm hydrostatic rating; I’ve been testing this jacket since January in the snow and rain and I have no reason to doubt this rating. It has kept me dry on all of my adventures and the only time that I have gotten wet is with sweat which I will talk about here in a moment.
* Overall good quality with the exception of some threading on the hood.
* High quality materials including YYK zippers.
* Feels premium with the soft touch fabric
* Offers good protection from the weather including rain, snow and wind.
* Zippers run smoothly.
* 3 internal pockets which are a nice feature; this isn’t common on many rain jackets
* minimal tags
* Good value for the money
* Adjustable cuffs and waist.
* Reasonable pack size – rolls up to about the size of a nalgene bottle.
Review Cons :
I have two issues with this jacket; breathability and sizing;
Breathability first : Not the best in terms of breathablity but for the price it is acceptable in my opinion. If you want the breathability performance of a $500 shell you have to buy a $500 shell but for the $45 price, it’s what I would expect.
Unfortunately the jacket doesn’t have pitzips which does heat build up and breathability more an issue
Runs small – I have the medium here and I would absolutely recommend sizing up if you are considering this jacket. It is tight around my arms and the arm length is a bit short. If you size up for the additional arm sizing you might find that the overall chest size is too big. With the medium, I have plenty of space in the chest of an additional layer like a down jacket but it would be too tight in the arms.
No hanging loop
Limited hood adjustments – also I can’t figure out how to lock the size pulls even though there seems to be some sort of pull lock inside of the fabric
Confused : Before I end this video, I wanted to talk about something that I stumbled upon when getting my details ready for the review. Walmart carries this jacket but the price is off the charts expensive; $176 – on sale for $100.
Summary : Based on my experiences with this jacket, I’ve found it to be a good quality for the money shell but the issues of breathability and size need to be considered carefully before your purchase. If you are going out for a bunch of hard work or a long hard hike, you may want to consider a more expensive shell which offers offers better performance.
Then there is sizing; I find the sizing to be slightly off; tight and short in the arms but adequate in the chest which presents a problem; if I go up in a size, I will have more space for my arms but too much space in the chest area.
Also, Susan has the women's version of this jacket and feels the same as I do. Overall good quality for the money but awkward sizing.
Luke has been testing out the Target Exclusive Sierra Designs Crescent 2 Person Tent and as he suspected, it doesn't live up to the claims which have been made by Target nor Sierra Designs.
Why would they even release this tent?
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100% Agenda Free :
This channel is Agenda Free and is fully supported by the viewers.
Support TOGR with Patreon : https://www.patreon.com/TOGR
This is a very inexpensive tent which I got in for the sake of reviewing as I am always looking for a good quality tent that I can recommend.
Even before getting this tent in, I had my concerns based upon the materials of the tent and also the hydrostatic head rating.
Even with my concerns, I gave this tent a chance to prove me wrong but unfortunately my worries and concerns were warranted as this tent has simply failed in its most important job.
You may be wondering why I am reviewing this tent and the answer is simple; these type of tents sell more than any other; the cost is low and those who are thinking about getting out for the first time will be drawn to it especially when they see how much the average tent costs.
With that being said, with this review, I am focusing specifically on the pros and cons and my thoughts; I have done a preview on it if you are interested to learn more about it once the review is done.
Cost : $60
Weight : 6.5lbs
Body Waterproof Rating : 600mm
Rainfly Material : 185T taffeta Polyester
Pole Material : Fiberglass
Review Pros :
will keep the bugs outs
fairly easy to setup – takes 10 minutes or less
Good size
colors are ok
Review Cons :
Inexpensive – most of the time this is a pro but in this case, the quality was lowered to the point where the tent can’t be recommended; quality over price!
Not waterproof – I’ve done one initial rain test which involved around an hour of mostly light rain with 10 minutes being moderate rainfall. The tent leaked in numerous locations and is not weather ready.
Heavy – car camping weight
Fly has to be velcroed to the poles for proper form;
Summary :
To put it bluntly, I recommend this tent to only those who live in dry airid locations. That’s it.
If there is a chance of rain, forget it.
It isn’t waterproof and it simply can’t protect you if the conditions take a turn for the worst. It can handle a light shower but will ultimately soak through. Because of that, this tent shouldn’t be used any further than you backyard. If rain comes in, based on the leaking that I have had with mine, you needed to be able to escape to cover.
I don’t recommend it for car camping.
I’m always looking for a good deal when it comes to outdoor products but I’ll never give something a free pass when it fails at what the company stats that the product is capable of.
Luke is overlanding through the Pisgah mountains and along the way discovers an abandoned mountain cabin while learning of the tragic history of the Roseboro area.
Plenty of companies who make similar products and I’ve used many and in the future will be reviewing even more. With such devices, I use them for emergency uses, overlanding and travel and also for video/photography trips
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Pros :
Good quality system
Good capacity – 500w which translates to 137,700mAh
Multiple ways to charge the device – solar, AC, DC, wall and cigarette charger
Can be charged via solar with many different types of solar panels – includes an adapter so you can connect to varying types.
Can run anything that is under 300w. If you go over, it will shutoff.
The AC ports will allow for a surge up to 600w so you won’t trip it when you turn on some devices.
Shows AC and DC outputs.
Shows input power
To charge the device fully it takes around 8 hours from the wall.
To charge it via 100W solar panels, I’ve been able to fully charge the device in 2 days; those are real world conditions where I set up the panels and walk away. If you were able to stay with the panels and had optimal conditions, you could charge the device in about 5 hours.
Pure Sine Wave ports ; Pure sine wave inverters produce power which equals – or is better than – the power in your home. Appliances which may not function properly, or which may be permanently damaged, without pure, smooth power will be safe with pure sine inverters. Use these inverters for televisions, laptops, digital microwaves, fridges and other sensitive electronic equipment. Pure Sine inverters can power just about any AC appliance without risk of damage.
Can run all ports at the same time
Holds a charge for a long time with minimal loss.
Cons :
Even though this is a 500w hour system, only 450w are open to the user; the rest is to protect the battery.
Some low devices won’t register how much they are drawing.
300w is a low rating; there are other power stations which can offer more such as 500w.
Case materials will condensate in certain situations such as a humid overland trip
I wish the power level was in percentages and not the bars. Each bar translates to 20%. It doesn’t provide accurate information. You will never know exactly how much power is left.
Slow charging from vehicle using 12v power. Really slow! With my testing it’s around 6-7 times slower than other power stations. With the DC power, 6-8w max. This is super, super slow as other products can easily do 40w. 12V Cigarette plug can’t fully charge the device and this can be a deal breaker for some people.
Also, if you plan to run a fridge for an example while you are traveling, the device can’t pull enough power from the cigarette lighter port to charge the device – you’ll be draining even when charging.
Summary :
The overall quality of this device is excellent but for overall overlanding and travel I would recommend looking at other brands which allow for full charging via 12v port unless you are going to rely on solar when off grid.
For home use and limited trips this is a good performer; the price is very competitive and for emergency use I have no problem giving it a positive review. Just keep in mind the device limitations.
Suaoki Brand : I am not overly familiar with this brand as the company is relatively new to the market when compared to more established brands. Because of that, I can’t comment on how well the company stands by their products as far as warranty go; there isn’t enough information available from what research that I have seen online. I did look to see if the company has a phone number listed online and they don’t whereas most companies who do offer similar products do. No phone number in the instruction manual and included documentation.
Packed Dimensions : 20.5" x 10.5" x 9" / 52.1cm x 26.7cm x 22.9cm
Review Pros :
Excellent Quality – I’ve had zero issues with this pack since I got this in over 6 months ago.
Very comfortable – fits perfect and becomes a part of your body
Light weight
Lots of pockets and storage areas – presents you with many options for stowing your gear – enough space for most day adventures
Easy to access pockets -
Good ventilation – you will sweat with enough excursion but it certainly could be worse.
Exterior stretch pocket is excellent drying items and even for carrying a bike helmet
Good looking bag – others must agree as I have received numerous emails about this pack since I began testing it out.
Evenly distributes the weight.
Stretch mesh waist belt makes the pack even more comfortable; moves with you
Excellent water bottle pockets which allow for you to use the compression straps to hold your bottles securely
Excellent adjustments with loadlifters and waist belt
Review Cons :
While this pack is comfortable, I wouldn’t say the shoulder straps are the worlds most comfortable. No included rain cover
Summary :
This has become my go-to day activity bag and I have used it for travel, day hiking, biking, and more.
Is the pack worth the money? In my opinion, yes; it’s fully adjustable, comfortable, breathes well, plenty of pockets and the design is intuitive as is the layout.
Body Waterproof Rating: 600mm Rainfly Material: 185T taffeta Polyester Pole Material: Fiberglass Stake Material: Steel Ceiling Material: Polyester Protective Qualities: Wind-resistant, Waterproof, water-resistant, UV-resistant, Flame Retardant Season compatibility: 3 season
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Claims :
Great for lightweight camping Large exterior storage space Breathable mesh body with full-coverage rainfly Quick set up in 5 minutes - clip system Gear loft and convenient lantern loop Electronic port 10 year limited warranty
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Observations:
Waterproofing - 600mm hydrostatic rating - this is incredibly low and any rating below 1000mm isn’t considered to be waterproof. To be honest, I didn’t know that the rating even went this low but after some research I discovered that this is the same rating that most Ozark tents have which explains why they are perform so badly in the rain.
Keep in mind that for every person who says that their Ozark tent didn’t leak there are ten people who had bad experiences. If you got lucky, good for you. Moving on.
I’ve never seen a company refer to vents as climate control before.
Electronic pass through - can bugs get through?
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I will be reviewing this tent honestly and with an open mind just as I do with all products that I test out. I purchased this with my own money and the only agenda here to is to provide information so that you can make an educated purchase decision.
Comfortable but not the most comfortable sleeping pad and that’s due to thickness.
Good quality valves for inflating and deflating.
Double Chambered does provide additional protection
Sale price makes this pad a good value.
With my testing I’ve had no issues with quality and the sleeping pad has held up well throughout the seasons; around 6 months of use and testing.
Includes a repair kit
Cons :
+Thickness at least with my sleeping pad doesn’t measure up to 2” and when you move around there are occasions when you can feel the ground below you. It’s not uncomfortable by any means but could be more comfortable if thicker.
+ You will only be off of the ground when you are laying flat on the pad; if you sit on it or move around on it you will come into contact with the ground.
+Loud material; if you are a light sleeper this is not the pad for you as it does make a lot of noise as you move on it.
+Not quite as long nor as wide as stated by the company.
+ Full retail price seems a bit expensive to me for the level of comfort which this pad provides.
+ Not sure how practical a double chambered sleeping pad is; yes pads to on occasion have issues but in my years in the outdoors, those issues are rare. In fact, I have only had two issues with leaking sleeping pads over the last 15 years. If it wasn’t a double pad, it would be less expensive and the weight would be less; both aspects interest me more so than the double chamber design.
+ Both chambers can’t be inflated at the same time; if they could, it would make this pad more of an interesting option. Image if it offer 3” of cushion when both chambers were inflated and only 1.5” when there was a leak with one chamber.
+ I couldn’t help but notice the reviews on Amazon and how overwhelmingly positive they were; no one spoke of the issues which I mentioned so I checked with a site which analyzes reviews and the amazon listed was rated an F for a high degree of deception.
In fact, the site stated; 11.4% of the reviews are reliable.
Summary :
Forgetting about the reviews on Amazon, in the end I am going to give the Yekka a passing grade on the merits of the product itself; for the sale price I can recommend it easily. For full retail price, I would like to see a thicker pad; a pad that is more comfortable. For $35 you can overlook the issues because it costs only $35. For $80+, it’s too much even when considering that it is a double chambered pad. If you need more cushion to get a good nights rest, I would recommend a thicker sleeping pad as this is what I would consider 1 step above minimalist.
Price : $200 retail but on sale for $90 at the time of filming at the Kelty web site.
Weight : Kelty Claims : Packaged Weight: 5 lbs. 3 oz. / 2.4 kg but it is actually (on my scale, the tent weighs a good it more at just a bit over 6lbs (6lbs .3oz)
I’ve been testing this tent out since November of 2019 and it is time to pass on my review. I’ve spent a lot of time in this tent and have both good and bad things to say about it. It’s far from perfect but for the money, if you are interested in a tactical military style tent, it is a very interesting option to consider.
There are two version of this pack available – an import version and a made in the USA version.
I’ve discussed this previously and my review is for the import version but should apply for the USA version as well.
Features :
Reinforcement material along mesh seams for pole connections
70D nylon ripstop with 3,000mm coating
70D mesh
2 pole configuration with compact folding size for easy packing
Fly available in MC/ OCP/ ALPINE
Compact folding size for easy packing and saving space
Designed to pack in a cube shape to better fit in a pack
· Dimensions: 31 in x 85 in
Packed Dimensions: 15 in x 11 in x 5 in
Floor: 19 ft2
Peak Height: 43 in
Min Weight: 4 lbs
Packaged Weight: 5 lbs. 3 oz.
Review Pros :
I like the square pack size; I haven’t seen this before and it does fit better inside of a backpack.
The tent is substantial and it is strong – features the thickest floor material that I have seen in a tent
Easy to setup and break down.
Retail price of $200 isn’t bad for a military grade tent. The sale price of $90 is INSANELY GOOD.
Easy to get into and out of.
Dual doors are excellent.
Good size vestibules.
Awning is awesome.
Stakes are good; I’ve bent them but they haven’t broken on me.
Tent looks awesome in my opinion.
Good size; wide enough and tall enough
Check length with tape measure – who is it for?
100% waterproof when vents are closed; has handled 3 days of rain without any leaks. According to Kelty the tent features a 3,000mm hydrostatic head rating….
Includes a foot print
Multiple ways to setup the tent
2 person version available.
Lots of hanging loops inside of the tent
Good zippers
Plenty of guy off points
Review Cons :
The Top Vents flat out suck. Absolutely terrible location and design. The lip allows for rain and snow to enter the tent body. If there is a chance of rain, close those vents or you might be sorry.
Ventilation is exceptionally poor but, thanks to the design all of the moisture that collects on the inside of the fly will run down the walls to the ground. Doesn’t come into contact with the body unless the tent is really shaking.
Moisture will also collect on the walls of the body.
Materials are not breathable and that is true with the fly and the body.
Water repellent coating was strange from the beginning; it left a strange residue on my fingers when I first got it and has begun coming off; where that is the case, there are slight discolorations taking place.
So far this hasn’t affected waterproofness but it is noticeable.
Fixes the Company should make :
They need to be redesigned.
Fly needs additional stake out points on the sides to assist with air flow and ventilation.
Tent body features a bathtub floor but the walls are very high; so high in fact that the fly doesn’t need to always down to the floor. Either raise the fly a bit and keep the high walls or lower the walls for additional air flow and keep the fly the same.
With all of the stake out points, attaching bungie line would make setting up this tent much easier and would provide a tighter pitch.
The $600 made in the USA version of this tent is 100% not worth the money; it has WAY TO MANY problems for $600.
Summary :
There is no telling how much longer the sale price is going to last or whether this product will be on the market for much longer; if you want a good military style tent and can deal with its shortcomings, this is one that I recommend taking a look at.
The overall quality is very good, it’s a tough tent that hasn’t leaked a drop in my testing but be prepared for moisture buildup especially if you seal the tent up in foul weather. If you decide to get this tent I would recommend bringing a towel with you to wipe up moisture as it collects. This will help with keeping drying time in the morning before heading off.
Who is it designed for : searching, rescuing and law enforcement.
Ratings :
Eco : 50 (80H runtime)
Low : 450 (8.5hr)
Med : 1200 (3h 15m)
High : 3000 (1.5hr)
Turbo : 10,000 9 (1hr 20)
Strobe : 10,000
Max Throw : 500m
LR35R Battery : Two included 21700 rechargeable li-ion batteries
ip68 rated – dust proof and waterproof to 2m
Size : 5.5” long x head 2.0
On/off :
With the light unlocked and switched off, press and hold the switch for 0.5 seconds to turn on the light.
With the light switched on, press and hold the switch for 0.5 seconds to turn off the light.
Output Selection :
In general mode, single click the switch to cycle through Eco→Low→Med→High→Turbo.
Mode Switching :
In general mode, press and hold the switch for 1.2 seconds to enter strobe; single click the switch again to turn back to the last used output in general mode.
Lock/Unlock :
Lock : with the light unlocked and switched off, double click the switch to lock the light, the light will blink twice on Eco to indicate locked status.
Unlock : with the light locked and switched off, double click the switch, the light will be unlocked and activated on Eco.
In locked status, clicking or pressing the switch will activate 2 one-second blinks on Eco to indicate locked status.
Battery Replacement Unscrew the tail cap to insert the battery with the anode side (+) towards the light head, then screw the tail cap back on. Intelligent Memory Circuit
The light memorizes the last selected output of general mode. When turned on again the previously used output of general mode will be recalled.
Intelligent Overheat Protection
The light will accumulate a lot of heat when used on Med, High, Turbo output level for extended periods. When the light reaches a temperature of 65°C or above, the light will automatically step down a few lumens to reduce the temperature. When the temperature drops below 65°C, it will then allow the user for the reselection of Turbo mode.
Low Voltage Warning When the voltage level drops below the preset level, the flashlight is programmed to downshift to a lower brightness level until Eco output is reached. When this happens in Eco output, the battery level indicator blinks to remind you to recharge or replace the battery.
Battery Level Indication With the light switched off, single click the switch to check the battery status, the indicator will last for 3seconds.
Green light on : saturated 100% – 85%
Green light flashes : sufficient 85% – 50%
Red light on : poor 50% – 25%
Red light flashes : critical 25% – 1%
Note : The indicator will display for 3 seconds each time the general mode is switched on.
First switch off the light and plug the USB A socket of the charging cable into an electrical outlet, then connect the USB Type-C socket of the charging cable to the light.
The indicator will display red while charging, and will turn to green when fully charged.
Once charging is completed, be sure to close the anti-dust cover.
Note:
Only Eco output level is available when charging.
The normal charging time is approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes from depletion to full charging.
Recharge a stored light every four months to maintain optimum performance of the battery.
6 Luminus SST40 LED’s with a lifespan of 50,000 hours.
10,000 lumens maximum output; 500 meters maximum beam distance.
Included 2 x 21700 rechargeable Li-ion power batteries.
USB Type-C charging port.
Battery level indication for instant checking of remaining battery level.
Lockout function avoids accidental activation.
Intelligent overheat protection against high surface temperature.
Intelligent memory circuit recalls the last used brightness level.
Premium type HAIII hard-anodized anti-abrasive finish.