The Gear You've Got.

[Sea Monster]

(I intend to discuss all sorts of gear - so if this is not the right place for it, please do not hesitate to move it to a better area of the forum)

There is no end of options when it comes to having gear recommended for you.

Maybe you listen to the people trying to sell it, maybe you listen to the bloggers, or the forum folk, or your mates, or you see it in a movie, it doesn't really matter - if you're the sort of person who uses stuff (or just likes to have it, in case maybe it gets used some day) you're going to encounter forces pointing you to one thing or another (the MT.O motto of "get both" notwithstanding)

I like gear as much as the next guy, but like many of you, I tend to pick it up when or where it becomes necessary, and even then I try to pick something that will suit a variety of circumstances.

This means I have a rather eclectic collection of gear. It's not a "set", it's not something I've designed with Survival, or Outdoors, or Urban, or Sea, or anything in mind, it's just...accumulated, and though I can mix and match for particular events, for the most part it's all just "good stuff for all times"

I may as well mention that I do get out and about a bit - sometimes I travel by plane, sometimes by car, or 4WD, or bike, or boat, sometimes for a weekend, sometimes for longer. I've lived out of a bag for up to a year.

None of this stuff is the "best", mostly it was probably on sale when I needed something, but, if gear is your thing, then maybe something might interest you, or you might realise that the gear you've got is the best kind of gear.

(This isn't a single post, it'll be a rambling, updated-when-I-feel-like-it thread on "stuff I've got that I use a fair bit and have had success with" - if you really want you can ask "what do you do for...." and I'll answer if it is something I have any experience or opinion on...)

[Sea Monster]

First up, something near and dear to my heart - Brew Mugs.

At the moment I use a  Lifeventure Thermal Mug, the type with just a screw lid -
These things are made by a bunch of brands, of varying quality. This is my second or third, and I'm pretty sure my first of this brand - and it has been pretty good. I've had this one about three years - seals are still good, still easy enough to clean. It's narrow enough to fit in most of your standard car cup holders, and small enough for cargo trouser pockets.

It doesn't hold a massive amount of drink, and there's alternatives with more features and what-not but I'm happy with it.

If you venture more than 30 minutes away from the nearest coffee shop, and you like your hot brews, it's a good bit of gear to have.


BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE - I actually often carry two brew mugs. The screw lid one that I can fill up and put in my pocket, or bag, or tuck away next to the camelback for later, and a more regular one that I can use right now!

No frills stainless steel mug - something like

Whether for a sip of water (or something stronger), or to make a soup when there is coffee in the travel mug, or for when you're at the cheaper sort of motel that doesn't supply cups, it's a must have for any kind of travel. I've had mine for over a decade, it's light, easy to clean, damn near unbreakable, and (by sheer luck) fits over my thermal mug, so takes up next to zero extra room when packing.

[Sea Monster]

The next most important thing after a nice cuppa....is your feet.

When it comes to shoes, I've got a few favourites, and one-or-the-other come with me everywhere, depending on whether I am mostly towning-it-up or "off road" so to speak.

The main item is a pair much like these -

Danner fetches a high premium around here, and you could probably get just as much mileage from some cheaper options (most euro brands are cheaper off the shelf, and just as reputable), but they've given me good service, and can be cleaned up enough to go to decent enough dining establishments.

I'll throw out two other hot mentions - When I'm more about town, but want some ruggedness and real ease of use, I've got some elastic sided work/cowboy boots (RM williams are a premium Australian brand. Whether or not they're really worth the extra coin is probably open for debate)-

When appearance is nothing, and I'm going to be on foot a lot, I ditch boots entirely and wear the laces are great, yes you're feet can get wet, but they dry fantastically. Unlike the other two, yes Salomons are a relatively premium brand of runner - but they are absolutely worth it. I go through a pair a year, and don't regret a cent of it.

For activities less than a month, I try to pick one set of shoes that will suit most situations I expect. Extra shoes are a lot of unnecessary space and weight, so if you don't need them, why pack them?

[Poncho65]

Thanks for the thoughts SM I usually trust reviews and experiences of gear that comes from MTO more than anywhere I can usually trust you lot to tell me the truth about what you use and aren't just giving good reviews about a product because it was given to you for a favorable review

 

[nate j]

 

[Barry Rowland]

I'll definitely vouch for Danger boots...top notch gear!

[Nix]

Another Danner boot fan here.

Take care of them and they will last for miles and miles. 


Oh, and +2 for the small insulated stainless mug. Mrs Nix insists that we keep a pair of those in the camper.

For a while I used the traditional "Sierra Cup", while these do have some benefits, I find that they cool too quickly and liquids slosh around too easily. So I prefer either the SS double-wall model as shown in SeaMonster's post or a single wall Snow Peak with a nice lid.

The Snow Peak mug doesn't insulate very well, but it is incredibly light, has folding handles for easier packing, and the lid keeps most bees and dirt out. 

[Barry Rowland]

There is nothing in the universe better than a warm cup of brew when you're outside!

[Nix]

Definitely! 

[Sea Monster]

It seems brew gear has struck a chord, and well it might. I have a few more items in that realm, but I'm come back to that later, for now I wanted to talk about sleeping gear.

Now, I have a few options, but one (I'll mention two, but the second one is a fair way behind the first in terms of my return on investment for cost/usage) really stands out as having been handy in a whole range of situations.

I will make the caveat now that I have two other items that (for me) enhance the one I'm about to mention, I'll detail those further down.

Sleep is important, good restful sleep, at the right temperature, free from wind, or rain, debris, or vermin. For this, my Go-To is the Biker Swag. Again there are a variety of brands making these, but mine is an Oztrail Biker, I'm not sure if there have been minor design changes in the lineup, as mine is a few years old, but this is the current equivalent from the manufacturer - https://www.oztrail.com.au/collections/swags/products/biker-expedition-single-swag

For anyone familiar with Swags, the key difference in a "Biker" design is weight - it tends to have less generous dimensions, lighter material for the canopy, a simple collapsible pole setup, no extra frills like awnings, storage pouches or boot pockets, and is designed to be laid directly on the ground (ie, no tarp)

This won't work for everyone, obviously, but if you're on your onsies and just want to get out of the weather to kip, it's the way to go.

It's not just for camping - I've used my swag when staying at mate's houses when spare beds or decent couches are not option, I've even used it to sleep at the office when going home was inconvenient.

Now I said there was two other items I had that I combined with the swag to make my life easier.

#1 - I ditched the supplied foam mattress and replaced it with a self inflating mat, I use 3/4, but it probably wouldn't be a massive difference to use a full length one

#2 - premium military sleeping bag http://www.reconbags.com/recon_3 - this bad boy is a super light, super warm, "mummy" style bag, with a waterproof PU bottom (so theoretically it can be used straight on the ground without a mattress, tarp, tent, or swag, but thats something I leave to the truly hardcore outdoorsman).

The combination of the above two items, with the Swag means that I can get it down to 1/3 the size of how it would be with the manufacturers mattress and a cheaper "puffy" sleeping bag. All the better for stuffing in a bag, strapping to the bike, tucking away in a nook on a boat, or the boot of the car for "just in case" occasions.

There's no doubt that there are bigger, fancier, and more featured sleeping options on the market, and there are lighter options too (such as a superlight bivvy bag, or the other sleeping option I'm going to discuss next), and I have many of them - but this is the thing I use most, so I'll let that speak for itself.

[Sea Monster]

This item is actually really neat, but I simply don't go to places that can utilise it often enough, so it so often gets left behind, but I thought I'd give it an honorable mention for being a cool piece of kit.

It's a Hennessy Hammock, the model I have is discontinued, but the comparable option is - https://hennessyhammock.com/products/explorer-deluxe-asym-classic
(mine is about a 1lb lighter by the stats, but was sold at a considerable premium for the enhanced materials, and I'm guessing didn't quite have enough of a market for them to keep it in the lineup)

It's a clever bit of gear, and if you set it up right, quite comfortable - it gets you off the ground, it keeps the weather off, and it has an inbuilt flymesh (much like the swag) to keep vermin out. Being little more than some thin nylon sheets and cord, it packs down to almost nothing

The major downside is that you really need two sturdy erect posts (or trees ;P ) approximately the right distance apart for it to be any use at all, and that just simply isn't a predictable enough scenario for me, so unless I'm going to a site I know it doesn't make the cut.

[Sea Monster]

I thought I'd take a moment to mention jackets - Now you can have all sorts of jackets for all sorts of reasons, and there's more than enough options out there to suit any taste and scenario. There's jackets for cold weather, jackets for wet weather, jackets for windy weather, jackets for any combination of the three. There's stylish jackets and there is practical jackets.

When I'm not sure what is ahead, and I don't want to pack a 4 different coats and jackets, I take a something a lot like this -

Heavy duty wax cotton, 3/4 coat length, removable full size quilted liner (which could be worn as a light jacket in its own right), high collar, and plenty of pockets (it has two internal pockets as well for phones or whatever sorts of things you like to keep in internal pockets) - This bad boy is ready for anything from walking to dogs to a month in the mountains.

My particular one is in fact a motorcycle jacket, so has optional armor inserts (which when removed, can make it look a little baggy - but that's not a huge concern as long as I'm warm, dry, and comfortable )

You can get something like this in a range of configurations from a range of manufacturers, usually marketed as a "field jacket" - it's not the latest and greatest by any stretch (both the style, and the fabric (wax cotton) have been arguably superseded) but I have found it to be more than sufficient for most situations, and can't think of a good reason to buy something different any time soon.


(I know Ego shouldn't be a factor in choosing gear, but I do get a bloody minded pleasure out of rocking my heavy wax cotton coat when everyone else is wearing the latest and greatest Marmot or Jack Wolkskin or North Face fleece liners and nylon shell jackets*)





*I do concede to the march of progress when I'm on the water, but my lah-di-dah fully sealed seams 100% wind and water proof elastic cuffs etc jacket sees no use at all on land.

[Sea Monster]

Sometimes you need to fix something, sometimes (unlikely, I know!) you need more than a multitool - now whatever tools you've got - it means storage.

You can spend as much as you like on storage, you can have custom tool boxes, you can have the latest and greatest from all kinds of manufacturers, but the bit of gear I've got, the bit of gear that has worked for me for about ten years is a simple canvas option, it's about 450mm long (or eighteen inches, if you prefer) reinforced base (the base is stitched between two layers of canvas, so not sure what it is - could be thin plywood, could be plastic, could be masonite) It's got no brand, so I couldn't look up the exact thing, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if it was made in the same factory as this -


Best thing about it? Cost me somewhere between twenty and thirty bucks.
Now it ain't waterproof, it ain't drop proof, it doesn't have perfect dividers for every tool - but it is the gear I've got, and it's gear that works, and I've got no reason to replace it until it stops working.
 

[Sea Monster]

Since I'm onto bags, I may as well mention another one - Whether I'm flying, sailing, or driving, I tend to use the same simple bag for any travel longer than a day or two

Much like some of my other gear, what I've got has lasted so well that the exact model is no longer available, but this is a near enough thing...



About 900mm long, 350 wide and 350 deep (around 100 litres, if that's how you like to measure your storage), you can fit damn near everything in this, being (sort of) flexible means that if it's not completely full you can crush it up a bit so it takes less space.

It's fully sealed PVC coated sort of fabric with full length hook and loop on all the pockets, the side/end pockets have a little flap, and the top opening has another one - it is effectively waterproof for anything short of full submersion.

Almost any bag manufacturer will sell you some kind of duffle, holdall or sailing bag, and you can spend as little or as much as you like for features or logos.

I didn't spend any time on research or thought - I went into the store when I needed a bag, and ten years later, and countless travels later, it's still doing what bags do.

Yet another item in your collection that can simply be "good enough" and serve well for a good long time.

[Sea Monster]

A few weeks ago it was necessary to deploy an "away team" - it was relative short notice, and the circumstances of which I didn't really want to commit anything I wasn't willing to lose to it, so I had to have a last minute scrounge to put together a small toolkit from double ups, spares, and misc tools that were laying around.

The case itself is a cheap tool/stuff organiser case that was being used to hold some documents at the time....

it's a bit all over the shop in terms of brands - but managed to put together some spanners from 8-19mm, 1/2" sockets from 17-24, 1/4" sockets from 6-13mm, 1/4" bits for slot, phillips, and hex head, some pliers, a torch, a knife, hammer, a long slot head (more for general prodding and levering) and a couple of sundries such as markers, tape, and cable ties.

It's more a "better than nothing" sort of situation, but I expect it would solve a lot of problems, and it was expedient at the time, and didn't cost any extra to go out and buy a ready-made tool kit.

Just another example of sometimes the stuff you already have is just what you need....

[Sea Monster]

I made a bit of a song and dance in the Kitchen Knives thread about some high (ish?) end japanese knives my partner bought.

Mostly as cartharsis, because the expense of the things riles me, as nice as they are - however I would like to give honourable mention to one "cheapy" that we also got.

I didn't want to get it, but my partner has that "will buy anything just to be polite" look that salesfolk in stores love, and whilst we were getting something unrelated (I don't recall) he suggested this - https://www.baccarat.com.au/baccarat-id3-12-5cm-santoku-knife

Now don't let the price fool you, it was in a retail impulse buy cardboard display thing from the manufacturer with a price of $29.99, so the RRP on their website is a flatout lie.
Also don't let the name fool you, though it has a japanese look in profile, and apparently japanese steel (though it doesn't say manufactured in Japan) the actual cutting edge is more curved than you might find on other "santoku"s and handles more or less like any western "kitchen utility" knife you might buy,

I shook my head at the time of purchase, because I've had poor experiences with the brand in the past, it's basically professionally-priced at entry-level-consumer quality. Sold in various department stores and spruiked to would-be home chefs that don't know any better. (At some point in the past, that was me, and I threw away plenty of coin on kitchen knives and cookware that were, ultimately, a waste)

ANYWAY, for the price, this little chopper has been very rewarding! It came with a little plastic holder, which helps protect it (whether your the sort of person to throw knives in a drawer, or if you needed a small knife for camping and travel)

I've taken this knife with me to BBQs, camping, and used it in the kitchen, for around 5 months, and I've been quite happy with it. The handle, with obvious styling cues from Global Knives, is quite comfortable, even for extended use, the weight and balance is good, and I've only had to sharpen it once in that time (for a knife that gets used on a timber chopping board daily, that is not often)

I certainly wouldn't pay more for it, and it's not the greatest thing I've ever used, but it's earned its place, and if it continues to serve well, one day I might even say it was a worthwhile purchase.

[gerleatherberman]

Interesting and useful tips and information here, SeaMonster! Thank you for taking the time to write about this stuff! 

[Sea Monster]

I seriously doubt any of it is useful, but I thought if I contained (some) of my inane ramblings and shower thoughts to a single thread it might just be better for all involved

It also doubles as a bit of a philosophical reflection / backlash against all the new-acquisition threads we have that add to the idea that happiness just one more purchase away 

I daresay my major letdown as an internet personality, author, and market influencer is my lack of skill and discipline in taking photos. I'm sure if I know how to use a camera, filters, and instagram I could change the world 




 

[gerleatherberman]

The unfortunate issue with the multi tool hobby is that it is partly contingent on people who enjoy buying. The average person who uses MTs will buy one or two and throw on in the truck, then use one until it is completely trashed and then might buy one or send the old one in for replacement.

My position is that all thoughts, musings, and ramblings are useful. As a writer, I'm sure you know, it is difficult to ascertain where the reader may draw inspiration or conclusions. So I appreciate when people take time out of their day to offer their insights and opinions.

As far as photography goes, I am not good at it, but I've taken some awesome photos. My secret is to take a lot of the same photo(slightly different angles and distances), pick the best one(light reflection, focus, etc) and apply a butt-load of contrast and saturation. 

[Sea Monster]

Blimey, has it been that long?

Well I've been in the shed lately, making up boxes, and coffee tables, and dog houses, working on bikes, etc etc, and there's a lot to all that, but one of the things that comes up here and there is light cutting and trimming tasks.

Now, it'd be a relatively safe bet to say everyone here has some kinda knife, maybe even in their pocket, and while it's true I've got a Wave or MP600 in arms reach more or less or the time, the true hero of my garage is the Stanley 10-049.

A whimsical purchase from the hardware section of a homewares store, oh, fifteen or so years ago, this little bugger has been everywhere and done everything.

I've never seen a particular need to go out an buy any other (although I do have on another, I found it half buried in cement on a worksite, it's also a good'un, but that's getting off the point)



We're having some blackouts at the moment, so I'm going to hit post, and come back to this when the elements and fate allows.

[Sea Monster]

It seems I forgot to come back to the above ramble, ah well.

Anyway, I don't know how many or whom of you come visit my little thread, but what is getting at me now is Used Tool/Knife gifts.

I have a number of gift-giving situations coming up, and would like to give a knife or tool to a number of them, but, not to seem like a tightarse, I would just as soon give of my collection that I don't really use as go buy new product.

Now I know anyone here would be gleeful with any kind of knife or tool gift, new or used - but what would you think of it if it didn't happen to be a passionate hobby? would the layman appreciate such a thing, or would the giver be looked down upon as lacking in imagination or financial commitment?

[comis]

It seems I forgot to come back to the above ramble, ah well.

Anyway, I don't know how many or whom of you come visit my little thread, but what is getting at me now is Used Tool/Knife gifts.

I have a number of gift-giving situations coming up, and would like to give a knife or tool to a number of them, but, not to seem like a tightarse, I would just as soon give of my collection that I don't really use as go buy new product.

Now I know anyone here would be gleeful with any kind of knife or tool gift, new or used - but what would you think of it if it didn't happen to be a passionate hobby? would the layman appreciate such a thing, or would the giver be looked down upon as lacking in imagination or financial commitment?

I think it might depend on a several things--the perceived value of the gift, how close are you to the gift receiver and whether he/she needs the tool.  If the gift receiver hardly know me, he/she might misunderstood the gift if it is unappreciated or needed.

[gregozedobe]

With two exceptions I have just about stopped giving "useful" gifts, as mostly they seem to be quite unappreciated (to the point where I don't even get a "Thank You")

The two exceptions are:

1  Where I know the gift will definitely be appreciated (often after some discussion and questions on my part)

2  Where the item is one of the cheap fauxtons (small keychain light) that I give away at the slightest pretext.
   These cost me very little, so I don't really care if they get used or not, but I have found that if people put them on their keyrings like I tell them to,  they turn out to be surprisingly useful at some time.

[Poncho65]

Blimey, has it been that long?

Well I've been in the shed lately, making up boxes, and coffee tables, and dog houses, working on bikes, etc etc, and there's a lot to all that, but one of the things that comes up here and there is light cutting and trimming tasks.

Now, it'd be a relatively safe bet to say everyone here has some kinda knife, maybe even in their pocket, and while it's true I've got a Wave or MP600 in arms reach more or less or the time, the true hero of my garage is the Stanley 10-049.

A whimsical purchase from the hardware section of a homewares store, oh, fifteen or so years ago, this little bugger has been everywhere and done everything.

I've never seen a particular need to go out an buy any other (although I do have on another, I found it half buried in cement on a worksite, it's also a good'un, but that's getting off the point)

(Image removed from quote.)

We're having some blackouts at the moment, so I'm going to hit post, and come back to this when the elements and fate allows.

I have a few of these type knives scattered about along with a couple different style blades in them I bought the first one way back in 1996 maybe and I have always love these knives for a multitude of tasks Hard to find blades for them these days so I have just been sharpening the blades that I do have

[Sea Monster]

Fires are a bit of a "thing" at the moment in these parts, and though I was (fortunate?) enough to be out in the zombie-apocalypse proof truck at the time, my partner had to be evacuated.

All was fine in the long run, but I guess it highlighted that whilst I've always considered "us" ready for stuff, it seems when the heat is on (pun?), my better half was at a little bit of a loss as what to do. She grabbed food and water and whatnot, but I guess didn't have time, or couldn't plan enough for the "comfort" items.

So, I've put together a ready bag for her, not wilderness survival nonsense, but things for impromptu camping, or to make a night or two at an emergency shelter a big more pleasant (ie, blanket, cup, spare charging cable, tea bags, that sort of thing)

As usual, I don't like spending money I don't have to, so it's been put together with bits and bobs I already had around the place. I won't go into it, as I like to focus on one item at time here...

So, the bag itself!

I hemmed at hawed about this. I had I guess three options - a small wheeled luggage bag, a sort of small canvas duffel bag, the sort you might use for the gym, or carry-on luggage, or (and this ended up being my selection) a 90s rucksack. From a great era of backpacks - before everything was either weird military looking molle covered stuff, or made of superlight ripstop/parachute material - I could not find an image of the exact thing I have, but here's a close estimate from the same design period -



Mine is a 50L of a competing brand, that I used for a number of adventures a decade ago (as have other members of the family, being the sort of stingy people who go and bludge stuff of each other rather than buy something we might use once or twice)

It's in perfect working order, despite the dated design. If I was doing some proper traveling, I might buy a newer item, but for these purposes, the heavy duty canvas is fine, as it will most likely be transported in a car, and only have to be worn/carried for short distances, and being mostly packed with bulky/soft items, the deep central cavity that seems to be a signature of ruck sacks (I've never found it appealing) is of no detriment or inconvenience.


Never worry that what you've got, or have used before, isn't necessarily perfectly adequate for the job.

FOMO is for suckers.

[Sea Monster]

"How does Sea Monster store his sewing stuff?" asked no one ever...

Well here you go -

My "storage MO" if you will is it sits on a desk or nook until the item type becomes sufficient enough to warrant a small container, and so it lives until it requires a slightly larger container, perhaps with compartments - and then eventually it receives a custom made or purpose purchased storage solution.

My sewing stuff is at "Stage 3 - Slightly Larger Container with Compartments"

(Two of those compartments being Small Containers, from something that was previously in Stage 2)

Anyone, here's some pictures, because why the hell not -

(and yes, that Wenger Money Clip does live there and has more or less since I got it.

The tobacco tin is for spare buttons. Free Internet Points to anyone who can guess what the timber ball is for....

[zoidberg]

guess what the timber ball is for....

Darning?

[Sea Monster]

Aha

A fellow cheapskate

 

[zoidberg]

Heck yes... free internet points!       

[Barry Rowland]