The Olight M20 Warrior Premium was developed for military and law enforcement users, and it excels for those type of tasks, but it also works great as an outdoor light. The M20 uses lithium batteries, given you a super bright light in a relatively small package. The packaging contains the light, a killer sheath, a battery holder, and other standard accessories.
Until I run out of them, the 2009 holiday set has an M20 and an iTP A3 EOS titanium for $100. Considering that the lights separately would cost you $140, the set is a pretty ridiculous deal.
The NiteCore D10 SP and EX10 SP are new versions of the popular D10 and EX10. While the previous models had adjustable brightness, the SP versions give you three useful levels and add strobe and SOS. The small size and excellent knurling are still in place, as is the piston drive. The piston drive is a metal sleeve that goes the full inside length of the battery tube to make contact with the head, giving you a more reliable switching mechanism than the traditional switch.
My dog is a total goofball, but he has always protected my wife and I when he thinks we need protection, so the video below got me a little teary eyed.
The TA series (TA20, TA21, and TA30) from Fenix is an alternative to the JETBeam Raptor selector ring system. Unlike the smooth action of the JETBeam lights, the TA series has a more tactile feel, with a solid click at each level.
The TA20 has three brightnesses and one strobe setting, running off of two CR123 batteries. The TA30 is a very similar light with the same settings, except it runs off of three CR123 batteries that give you about 50% increased runtime. The TA21 steps up the levels, giving you nine brightnesses and three flashing modes off of two CR123 batteries.
I went a little video crazy over the past couple of days, meaning that after being really slack on the blog and video front over the past few months, you now have 12 new videos to suffer through.
The first one shows the butane lighters I stock. I had several requests for this one, which kind of surprised me. I always figured the lighters kind of explained themselves…
I made a video showing the new Firesteel Super Strikers from my store. I was really pleased with the way the strikers turned out. They work as well (or better) than anything else I use, even the squared off spine of a fixed blade, which is impressive considering they are under $2.
Rite in the Rain makes a pretty cool line of products. As the name suggests, the pads and pens they make can handle rain and other water sources with no problem. Water beads up and runs off, and the ink isn’t touched.
I discovered RITR several years ago when I lost a notebook of important (to me) notes to a sudden downpour on a hike. I forgot that the pad was in an outside pocket of my pack and not in a dry bag like everything else I was carrying that was susceptible to water. I went searching for a solution and, lo and behold, there is a whole company dedicated to making products that laugh at precipitation and scoff at a dunk in a river.
Here is a video I made showing the products in action:
I imagine that Ray Mears wanders through the woods, sipping tea in his cup made from riverbank clay, making bird calls, and generally being at ease in the wilderness. He is like the polar opposite of Bear Grylls, and while both have their entertainment value, Ray’s advice is usually much easier to trust and follow. In the below video, Ray shows how to select an axe and then safely use it. Even if you have been using an axe since you were a toddler, the video might teach you a new good trick or two.
I’ve had several people ask for a more in depth description of how to prepare and use a rope lighter. I live to serve my readers (both of them), so here is a video showing how to use a rope lighter:
Jason Klass has a new video review up of several whistles available on the market, including a few whistles that I have in the store. Check it out if you are in the market for some whistles, since he demonstrates what they sound like in use and also what each one weighs.
