George over at Modern Combative Systems has posted a nice article about the 10 Essentials that he carries on a daily basis in his self described “Bag of Evil.” He works as a self defense and tactical trainer, so the list is a good look at what a professional carries with him at all times. The list is not necessarily for camping, hiking, or anything outdoors, but it is a good look at some key items to carry when your regular life takes you to some sketchy areas.
We love hammocks here at Going Gear. I use them, all of my employees use them, and I finally convinced my wife to use them on overnight trips. They are light, easy to set up, comfortable, and very versatile. I have received a few requests to make a video showing the setup of an ENO Double Nest hammock, so I made a quick video on a recent hike in the North Georgia Mountains featuring the hammock, some Slap Strap Pros, and my hairy beast of a mutt.
I’ve been looking around for a supplier of quality paracord for a long time, and a company I’ve been in contact with for a while just came through in a big way. I received some samples today of their paracord and I was surprised (in a good way) by the quality. Take a look at the picture. Count the strands. That’s right, eight strand paracord instead of the standard seven.
The rep had mentioned in an email that the paracord was eight strand, but I just figured he had fat fingered the number, so I was expecting the regular stuff that everyone else sells. Paracord with inner strands is extremely useful for anyone in the outdoors, since you can use the whole cord for strong cordage when you need it, or easily dismantle it and use the outer sleeve and inner strands separately for gear repair, shelter building, fishing, or for whatever else you might need some strong fibers.
The manufacturer is a US military manufacturer that says they use the highest quality nylon they can find for the paracord, which means that it should handle use and abuse with ease. I hope to have six colors of it in stock over in the store in the next week.
Looking for a nice gift for the outdoorsy woman in your life? Try a pink knife and LED light combo, if that’s something that wouldn’t result in said knife ending up handle deep in your forehead. Yes, pink is stereotypical for women, blah blah blah. If the lady in your life actually uses pocket knives, the Doug Ritter Mini-RSK Mk1 is an excellent choice, with very high quality materials, a great design, and one of the best locking systems available. Also, it is pink.
The combo includes a Photon Freedom, one of the better keychain LED lights out there. If you just want the knife, you can find the non-Doug Ritter version cheaper on ebay or some of the knife sites. I guess you could get jewelry or chocolate or whatever, but can those help you prepare tinder in the dark? I think not.
Boulders and logs just don’t do it for me in my ripe old age. I like to be off the ground, which means Crazy Creeks and Therm-a-Rest chairs aren’t adequate either unless I get all Bear Grylls and built a platform out of downed redwoods and jungle vines or whatever he uses. Tripod camping stools have been around for a while, but the ones I have seen or owned were not exactly featherweight compact backpacking seats. Coleman came out with their Exponent Trekking Stool a little while back that looked to be both light and compact, so I picked up a couple direct from Coleman to see how they fared.
Carrying bag
The stool comes in a nice nylon carrying bag that can be left at home if you don’t want the extra weight. I keep mine in the bag mostly to stop at least a little of the dirt from the ground that winds up coating the stool’s legs from coating the rest of the gear in my pack. I was glad to have the bag on our recent Cumberland Island trip, thanks to the wet sand that coated the legs. Not having a bag would have meant that I either needed to figure out a way to get all the sand out of every nook and cranny of the stool or live with sand all over the rest of the gear in my pack.
Stool in hand (that sounds gross)
The stool’s four legs fold in half, a feature which gives the unit its nice and compact size. The legs are made out of aluminum and are rated to hold up to 200 lbs, according to Coleman. The seat is nylon and is held in place for carry by a Velcro strap.
Stool ready to go
Unfold the legs, undo the Velcro strap holding the seat tight, fold out the stool, and you have a surprisingly comfortable seat. I tend to be leaning forward cooking food or playing with fire when I am sitting in a camp, so the lack of a backrest does not bother me. Despite the small sitting surface, I find the stool to be much more comfortable than most other folding chairs on the market.
One note about sitting on the stool:Â You position one of the corners to go
This one is for the ladies
betwen your legs instead of on either side like a regular chair or stool. I have seen a couple of friends try to sit with the corners on either side, which means that the metal corners of the stool are jabbing you in the thighs or butt, which is not exactly a comfortable way to relax in your campsite. Well, maybe it is for some of you freaky kids out there, but not for me.
My wife and I have had our Coleman Trekking Stools for about six months so far and have been pleased with how comfortable they are and how well they perform.  The going rate for the stools looks to be $20, a very reasonable price for a versatile piece of gear.
