Price : Price depends on the amount that you purchase, a 30 pack is $15, 80 is $30, 200 is $70
Weight and Length : 2.7g per plug - 1.5” long
Those are the retail prices, I’ve seen sale prices which are impressive.
Features : Rain or shine, wet or windy, start your fire with just a single spark and 100% waterproof Bigfoot Bushcraft Fire Plugs™.
With more than 5 minutes of burn time, you won't feel rushed to get your fire started. Made with our high performance JetFuel Wax Blend™ for hotter and stronger flames.
Materials : Cotton infused wax
5+ Minute Burn Time 10+ Year Shelf Life Weighs 2.7 grams per plug Waterproof & Windproof Non-Toxic Formula - But don’t use them in an enclosed place. Made in the USA in Colorado ……
Point : Don’t get this confused with another fire starter product; I did a quick search for this online and Bigfoot Fire Camp Fire Survival Aid 10ft popped up. This is a fire cord product that is similarly name but is a different product.
Comparable Products : When getting my notes together for this episode, I did come across similar products; some have similar prices but what I noticed was that some don’t burn for as long. Bigfoot Bushcraft claims 5 minutes while a few others that I saw would only burn for 60 seconds. Some stated 5 minutes as well.
There are a number of companies who make similar products; I don’t know who initially came up with this and who is copying who but I can say that there are a handful of these plugs out on the market. Some companies are less expensive than the Bigfoot Bushcraft version and include greater quantities for the money.
Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas my friends, This is the Christmas Lunch Adventure and this one involves an amazing lunch, a beautiful sunset, some photography and an injury which alters my original plans.
Have a terrific Christmas and be safe out there. S&H - Luke
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TOGR - PO Box 111 7378 Old US 421 S Deep Gap, NC 28618
DeviantArt Gallery : https://www.deviantart.com/theoutdoorgearreview ... Gear List for this Adventure : After receiving countless messages from viewers about supporting the channel through Amazon, I have begun using Amazon Affiliate links in the Adventure Videos and if you choose to purchase one of these products via these links I will receive a small commission which will help fund future honest reviews and adventures.
The channel remains as it always was, 100% Agenda Free with no sponsored videos, no paid reviews, and I don't care if you purchase these products or not; you won't find affiliate links in review videos only in adventures.
I'm going to do my best to put gear lists into all of my videos since everyone is asking for them all the time.
The Differences between these two Fuels is INSANE!
This is an Episode of VS and today we have Esbit (Hexamine) going up against the FireDragon Tablet. Both of these are fuel tablets that have been adopted by military forces all around the world; they are used to heating up meals, boiling water and to get fires going.
When comparing these fuels to each other, my MIND WAS BLOWN! I never expected such performance.....from one of them!
... 100% Agenda Free : This channel is Agenda Free and is fully supported by the viewers.
What they are : Both of these are fuel tablets that have been adopted by military forces all around the world. They are used to heating up meals, boiling water and to get fires going.
FireDragon 27g Tablets Price : At the time of filming, $8.55 for 6 Tablets
Esbit 27g Tablets Price : $12.99 for 8 Tablets
…………………………… : Notable Differences : Esbit has a very strong odor; smells like shrimp and is so strong that you can smell it through the packaging.
FireDragon has a smell as well but it is more like an ethanol Alcohol smell.
FireDragon is non-toxic to burn and can be used inside of an enclosed space.
Hexamine is TOXIC and releases Cyanide.
FireDragon can be used as hand sanitizer
Fire Dragon is easy to ignite.
Hexamine takes more time to ignite.
FireDragon melts when ignited and fills the fuel chamber of stove being used.
Hexamine stays solid.
The flame to the FireDragon is extremely chaotic and can be rather dangerous; you really have to be careful using this product as it can shoot flames everywhere.
Hexamine is much more controlled when burning. …….. To get best performance from your stove and fuel : Use a lid - When you heat water in an open pot, some of the energy that could be raising the temperature of the liquid escapes with the vapor. But as long as more energy is being added to the water than is being lost with the vapor, the temperature will continue to rise until the water boils. Covering the pot prevents water vapor from escaping, enabling the temperature to rise more quickly.
Set your stove up off of the ground as the surface that you place your stove on will pull a fair amount of heat away from the pot or cup that you are heating.
In this episode of TOGR's Lone Survivor Series, Luke is going to show you how to stay alive with minimal gear when stuck in the outdoors overnight in a winter storm.
18f 50mph winds Snow
Gear List for this Adventure : After receiving countless messages from viewers about supporting the channel through Amazon, I have begun using Amazon Affiliate links in the Adventure Videos and if you choose to purchase one of these products via these links I will receive a small commission which will help fund future honest reviews and adventures.
The channel remains as it always was, 100% Agenda Free with no sponsored videos, no paid reviews, and I don't care if you purchase these products or not; you won't find affiliate links in review videos only in adventures.
I'm going to do my best to put gear lists into all of my videos since everyone is asking for them all the time.
For this trip, here are the big items that I used.
What it is : What I have here is a version of the popular military tent - this is a tent that is still in use today with the USMC and it is still being produced.
This is the Diamond Brand Combat II and in this episode we are going to take a first look at it before taking it out and storm testing it.
Dimensions Setup : 84″ W x 59" D x 45.5" H Dimensions Packed : 24" x7" x 7" Vestibule : 14 SF
Materials : Tent body is composed of burly, military grade 70 D nylon uncoated ripstop and military grade no-see-um mesh doors for breathability 70 D coated 2nd layer door for extra protection Fly has a heavy 1.9 oz urethane coating to withstand the elements Aluminum poles
Versions : There are two versions of this tent being offered by Diamond Brand - there is the Combat Tent and the Combat Tent Survival Package.
Price : Tent - $250 retail Survival Package - $380 includes footprint, an extra rainfly, 8 extra stakes, and an extra set of DAC poles
Surplus : These used to be very easy to find on eBay but over the years the supply has dwindled. I did a quick search last night and I found 3 or 4 and the price was around $300. On military surplus sites, I’ve seen these going for around $200 in used condition.
From the Company : For those interested in meeting the needs of multiple survival scenarios, multiple tents would be needed. If you are interested in a survival tent for the whole family, our canvas wall tents could be the perfect solution. For those seeking military grade tents for survival and hunting, our Combat II tent checks the boxes that matter most. Directly inspired by our official United States Marine Corp combat tent, the Combat II is built for adventure. The smart design of this military-inspired tent makes it an essential for keeping survival comfortable. Made in the USA of the best materials, this tent will not let you down. Tested and inspired by the tough and fearless USMC!
Features : Reversible camo/tan rain fly has blackout capabilities Rain fly can be pitched as a hooch in no time flat Taped seams
Included: Tent body Reversible rain fly 3 DAC poles 12 Easton stakes Clear repair tape 1 oz seam grip Transport bag
…… Combat II Tent :
Some of you will find this interesting; with the combat II tent, the US government owns the intellectual design and every 5 years or as needed the government looks for bids to produce this for the US military.
Diamond Brand lost this contract some time back and LiteFighter is the current manufacturer for the military version.
With this version of the combat tent, this is not the military version. This is the civilian since DB lost the contract. Both are made in the USA and from what I could find out, there are no differences between this and the military surplus version.
As far as I know, there have been 3 companies who have made this tent;
Diamond, Eureka and LiteFighter
Setup : Overall setup is fairly easy and it is straightforward. That’s in fair weather though. The tent poles move over the tent body via sleeves and these can be a serious pain in windy conditions or in wet conditions.
Luke is here today to review the Czech Military Three-Piece Sleep System; this is an OLD SCHOOL piece of military surplus and that will be obvious the moment that you see the overall design of it. Old school but still very functional and highly versatile. Also, it's inexpensive!
This is an Agenda Free Review and it begins now!
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Agenda Free Link : eBay.com and military surplus sites
Price : This is going to vary greatly; you can find used military surplus for around $40, new is around $90. Those are common prices but you can find swings all over the net. I purchased mine 7 years ago for around $20.
Color : Olive Drab, blue linen and yellow blanket
Layers and Materials : Nylon Bivy bag - this is a bivy style protection layer that is both wind and moisture resistant.
Linen Liner, this is known as the hygiene layer - it also makes the entire kit more comfortable as you don’t have to come directly into contact with the wool blanket which tends to feel scratchy against your skin.
Wool Blanket
Zipper on the left side
Weight : 7lbs
Measurements : Nylon outer Bivy with side zipper, 80" x 28" Linen Liner is 76" x 61" Wool Liner is 76" x 61"
Features: Czech military issue Both liners button together
Temp Rating : Around 35F is my limit with this setup as is; the 3 piece kit, socks, pants, shirt and 40F is good for me. I run hot though so your mileage is going to vary. For colder natured folks, 45F is a reasonable rating.
With good thermal layers and/or insulated clothing, it could be used in much colder conditions.
Review Pros :
Great military surplus value.
Very cool piece of old school military surplus.
Excellent for warmer weather and early fall trips.
Very versatile kit - 40f is my rating for this kit as is but there is enough room to add additional layers; sleeping bag liner, sleeping bag or an additional blanket. A Woobie works great inside of this kit. It doesn’t take much and this is a 10F sleep system.
You can put a sleeping pad inside of the cover under the blanket and linen.
Bulky but for car camping and short distances, it makes sense.
Good compression straps.
Great for emergency use - throw one in the car for winter and you have a valuable piece of gear just in case of an emergency.
Deploys quickly
Good fit for the majority of users.
Easy to pack up
It saved us time and made inspection much easier, so we just unrolled them at night and slept in that.
Easy to store.
Decent amount of space for the shoulders and legs.
Works great on the ground with a sleeping pad or on a cot by itself. It’s thick enough to block a good amount of cold air from underneath.
Good weather resistance - wind and rain. Not waterproof but can handle some moisture before wetting through.
Easy to take apart and wash what you need to.
Because of the overall design these make great sleeping bag rolls for not only adults but kids as well. It’s a super inexpensive way to gear up for a child or someone who doesn’t camp all that much. As a kid I would have been thrilled to have something like this!
One of these, a sleeping pad and they are set for most of the year.
Review Cons :
If purchasing used, be prepared to wash and possibly repair. Replacing buttons is common.
These are military surplus items and there is a possibility of the military surplus smell. It’s unique to surplus and luckily it does go away with enough use.
Mine was fairly strong when I got it in 7 years ago but it’s completely gone.
Fair amount of air can make its ways through the zipper
Taller and Larger individuals will have some problems here; Too tall and it won’t cover you properly, too wide and it won’t cover you properly. My tallest buddy is 6’3” and 250lbs and he has no issues with his. I would say around 300lbs and this would be tight.
Heavy
Summary :
To sum up this review, this is a great product but like most things it may not be for everyone. If you don’t mind the size though it’s a versatile piece of kit that’s still fairly inexpensive to find…..but who knows how much longer that will be for.
I’m glad that I own it and I can easily recommend it; it gets my thumbs up for sure. ... Come Join Us on Facebook, Twitter Instagram :
In this episode of TOGR, Luke the Lone Wolf is out for another adventure and this time, he's in a HOT TENT!
Unfortunately there is a burn ban in effect but he has an idea....
HEATER BUDDY!
This adventure features a Massive Pomoly Hot Tent, Cast Iron Cooking, Wood Processing and a discussion about the future of The Shed.
This is a Propane Hot Tent Wild Camp Adventure and it Begins Now!
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TOGR - PO Box 111 7378 Old US 421 S Deep Gap, NC 28618 ... Gear List for this Adventure : After receiving countless messages from viewers about supporting the channel through Amazon, I have begun using Amazon Affiliate links in the Adventure Videos and if you choose to purchase one of these products via these links I will receive a small commission which will help fund future honest reviews and adventures.
The channel remains as it always was, 100% Agenda Free with no sponsored videos, no paid reviews, and I don't care if you purchase these products or not; you won't find affiliate links in review videos only in adventures.
I'm going to do my best to put gear lists into all of my videos since everyone is asking for them all the time.
For this trip, here are the big items that I used.
What it is : “A more convenient stuff sack. They zip wide open for easy access to all your stuff. We make them in four sizes that are perfectly suited for your clothing and other miscellaneous gear.”
This is the 12L bag, I paid $13 for it during a sale.
Colors : I’ll be honest, I don’t know for certain what colors that are available and that’s because you don’t get to choose the color when ordering this product. This might be a dealbreaker for many….
There is a green, blue, and blue….these I have seen but there could be other colors.
Materials : 210D Nylon No Name Zippers
From the Company : Square shape fits and stacks great in your pack Zippered opening allows faster access and security when closed Large haul loops for grabbing and hanging Assorted colors for color coding your gear, They come in Blue, Red. Designed for years of use and abuse. Accept no substitutes!
Versions : There is a lighter weight version available called the Air Zippsack - it was only available in purpose and is more expensive.
How I use it : While you could use these bags for all sorts of purposes, when I saw this on the GG web site it stood out to me as an excellent ultralight food storage bag and I was right, that has been a great use for it. Review Pros : Very good quality Good materials - durable Very good price 12L size is excellent for a multi day adventure - easily holds 3 days worth of meals, snacks and coffee. Plus trash and a bear hang kit. Grab handles at both ends Zipper is smooth and there is a good zipper pull BUT….
Review Cons : Going to the cons, there is a flap that goes over the zipper and you will find that it gets in the way of opening and closing this bag. The solution is to fold the flap back when you plan to access this bag; that will allow for the zip to be used without any issues.
The Biggest con is that you can’t select the color which is really, really weird and this applies to any site where you can purchase these bags. I have no idea why GG does this as they really are shooting themselves in the foot here; the site doesn’t even show green an option…what if I received a purple bag….that just wouldn’t work for me.
It’s a gamble….what color are you going to get if you order one?
Who knows.
Summary : Ultimately I like this bag, for the purpose that I use it for it rocks! Throw all of your food and snacks in here, include a bag for trash and you are good to go.
If needed, you can also add a liner to keep everything dry during a good rain event, plus a bear hang kit and there is plenty of space left over.
These can make excellent gear storage bags, clothing bags, fire kits and so on. You can also use this for storage when bike packing,
These bags are inexpensive, can be used for a number of different purposes - I gambled on this and the color is ok….I can live with it especially when you consider that I paid only $13 for this bag during a sale. ...
This is it folks, the best Ultralight tent that I have ever used! It's been an award winner for years now and copied by more companies than you can imagine for a reason.
In this Agenda Free Review Luke is going to share this thoughts about this tent, the pros and cons, and his experiences with using this tent around the country.
... 100% Agenda Free : This channel is Agenda Free and is fully supported by the viewers.
What it is : This is one of the lightweight 2 person tents out on the market; winner of countless awards and is very popular with thruhikers - it’s a handmade single wall tent which performs insanely well!
Measurements : - Stored : Setup : 45” wide, 90” long 48” high
Features : Single Wall Tent 2 doors 2 vestibules Bathtubs floor
Required to Setup : Either Trekking Poles or freestanding Carbon Fiber Poles
Freestanding pole kit costs $125 and adds 10oz
Forward : I’ve owned this tent since 2019 and I have used this product all around the country and in all sort of conditions. I’ve used trekking poles for the setup, I’ve used the Carbon fiber poles that Zpack spellings and after all of my time and experiences with this tent, I’m ready to pass on my review.
Review Pros : Incredibly lightweight shelter especially for the size Very good pack size
Very durable - No issues over the years - thruhikers using this tent can get thousands of miles of trail time with now issues
Waterproof - in extremely heavy rain there was a slight leak on one of the doors; I seam sealed this and problem solved.
Lots of space for 2 people and their gear -
Plenty of room to sit-up, change clothes - excellent dimensions in all directions
Setup with trekking poles is very easy and also quick.
Top of the line materials : Dyneema is very light, very strong, highly waterproof, doesn’t absorb water, and doesn’t stretch.
Floor guy line which attaches to the overhead panel is excellent to prevent splashing when hard rain is falling
Very good ventilation and condensation control - this is good for the warmer months, not the best in the colder months
Good size doors - entry is easy
Tent is very stable in strong winds when using the trekking poles and the carbon fiber poles - The poles feel rather wobbly but in high elevations in CO, it stood with no issuu with windows around 25mph. For really windy situations poles or sticks should be used.
Tent can be setup without the inner getting soaked Review Cons :
The doors are a bit fiddly with the way that they attach to the stake out point.
Doesn’t include tent stakes - for a tent that is this expensive, it’s an insult for the company not to include stakes. 8 stakes are required to fully setup this tent.
Using the Carbon Fiber Poles to set up the tent requires a substantial learning curve especially when using the tent is windy situations.
Fairly transparent materials are interesting; it offers decent privacy but not light; for an example, with a full moon overhead a lot of does make its way through.
Pricey : There is no doubt about that but I will say this, for tents that are this lightweight, there are many that are even more expensive. Having a shelter this lightweight and this strong, is going to cost and that’s how it is.
Condensation - while ventilation is excellent with this tent, it is still a single wall tent and condensation is possible. Overall condensation control is better than most single wall tent.
Summary : This tent is incredible; plain and simple; while expensive what you are getting for the money is one of the best tents out there. Its performance is top level, tons of space, easy setup, top of the line materials. Weather resistance is a strong point for this tent and so it longevity;
Thanks to the materials that make up this tent, this is a shelter that is going to last a very long time. It doesn’t feature DWR coatings, the fabric isn’t laminated and the seams aren’t taped which means that there are very little that is going to age.
Without a doubt this tent is an investment and if you are someone who spends a lot of time in the outdoors, it is well worth it. ... Come Join Us on Facebook, Twitter Instagram :
Last week we took a look at the Fjallraven Wind Sack 3 which is an emergency shelter designed to keep the occupants protected from the Wind, Snow and Rain but are those claims accurate?
Find out in this episode as Luke the Lone Wolf takes the Wind Sack into the wild to push it to its limits.
Will there be a life threatening failure?
Find out now!
....
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This channel is Agenda Free and is fully supported by the viewers.
Versions : 1 person and 3 person : There was a 2 person version in the past but I believe it has been discontinued and is no longer listed on the Fjallraven web site.
Materials : 100% polyamide 40D TripleRip Sil/Sil 3000 mm
What it is : The Nemo Tensor is a three season, ultralight sleeping pad that comes in multiple forms, insulated, non-insulated and it also comes in multiple styles.
Versions : Tensor Non-insulated Tensor Insulated Tensor Alpine - which has a slightly higher r-value.
With this r-value rating, the majority of users will be comfortable with temps down to around 20F and on snow. Below that rating, you may want a higher r-value or want to bring an additional pad to put underneath this one such as a foam pad. These are subjective measurements though as everyone is different; I run warm and at 25, I was absolutely comfortable but Susie was starting to feel cool air coming through from the ground.
Sizes : There is a short pad which most people refer to as a half pad. There is a Regular length mummy. A regular length rectangle Regular length wide rectangle Long Wide Rectangle
Price : For the Regular Rectangle insulated version, the retail price is $160 and will go up and down in price depending on size and whether or not it is insulated.
Materials : 20D PU Polyester Thermoplastic valves Alumuniized thermal mirror film - two layers of insulation - similar to what Thermarest has done with their XTherm sleeping pad
Colors : Yellow for the Ultralight Tensor model and orange for the Alpine version
Measurements : 72” long 20” wide for the regular rectangle model. 3” of cushion
Weight : 15oz for the regular rectangle
Included : Storage bag Vortex Inflation Bag Velcro compression Band Repair Kit
…
Review Pros : Nemo is a company that is known for their quality tents and sleeping bags and the trend continues with their sleeping pads. This is a top quality product as it should be for the money.
Construction is excellent
The pad is one of the most comfortable that I have used - it’s long enough, wide enough and offers excellent cushion. With 3 of ground separation, you won’t have an issue with your bones pushing into the ground. Sleeping on this pad is awesome!
Materials are fairly quiet considering that some sleeping pads are very loud and obnoxious when you are moving.
Excellent weight concerning the warmth and size. The pad itself is 15oz!
Very good valves for inflating and releasing air.
Included Vortex Pump Sack is excellent and makes inflating the pad much easier. Speaking of which, this is a much better solution than what you will find with Thermarest or Klymit.
Price is fair considering the size of the pad and the r value. There are warmer sleeping pads on the market but they are a fair bit more expensive. For an example, the Thermarest Xthrem is around $220 but does offer an r-value of 6.9.
Review Cons : The materials which make up this pad are more fragile than other sleeping pads but it is lighter; the purpose of the Tensor is lightweight, good insulation, good price and excellent comfort. Other pads such as the Xthrem are heavier, not as comfortable, warmer, and are more expensive.
Comparing the Xthrem’s materials, the Tensor definitely feels less strong and it would be my advice to be as careful as possible with it.
I would not recommend using this directly on the ground without a protective groundsheet underneath it. After all of my use, I believe if you take care of this product and use it as intended it will last a very long time.
Next, not a con but something that I want for you to consider; if you are going out into the coldest of conditions, you may want to consider a pad like the Thermarest XTherm. While more expensive it is warmer and the materials are more substantial.
With a pad that features such a high level of comfort, it is going to require a fair amount of air to inflate it; via mouth this can take some work if you don’t plan to bring the vortex pump sack with you.
Summary :
This is hands down the most comfortable sleeping pad that I have ever used, the price for what you are getting is fair and the low weight is impressive. Do keep in mind how the company was able to get the weight down to this level and you shouldn’t have any issues. ...
