From the Far North

What have I been up to

2014-12-09T06:40:00.001-08:00

I moved last year, as previously mentioned. It has been a crazy period of time. I went back to welding school full time while working full time, finishing my BC B level. It is the last school level I need for my journeyman. I also worked a lot as a welder, including shutdowns and and various projects in the region. Good experience, some hard work.

We couldn't find anywhere to live, very overpriced but that's pretty normal these days. We eventually found an apartment to rent that allowed our dog and then bought and renovated and apartment condo. I am certainly tired of renos and tired of moving. Some family has moved to town which is great and we are still getting settled into the community.

Merry Christmas

2013-12-25T12:07:00.002-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone, I hope you are having a safe and wonderful holiday. Be kind, reach out to your neighbours and take care of yourselves. Expect more from me in 2014.

Moving Again

2013-06-20T15:47:00.001-07:00

To make this blog name even more inaccurate, I am moving even further south in BC :)

Kootenays, here I come!

Hopefully I will have time to post more updates and videos soon, it's been pretty hectic lately

Knife Comparison and Review - Spyderco Yojimbo 2, CS Mini Recon 1, Kershaw Needs Work

2013-05-01T21:33:00.000-07:00

I finally made a new video, a comparison of three knives, the Spyderco Yojimbo 2, Cold Steel Mini Recon 1 tanto, and Kershaw Needs Work.

I'll add some more write up...eventually :)

Merry Christmas

2012-12-25T18:28:00.001-08:00

I hope you are all having a great holiday and are surrounded by family and friends. Take care, be warm, stay safe. Not much to add from last year's post. Take care, I'm about to have some awesome Christmas dinner.

My first earthquake

2012-10-29T21:55:00.001-07:00

FYI, I am not dead.

Had my first earthquake Saturday, slept right through it! My son felt the earthquake than got an alert on his phone. He woke us up to tell us there was a tsunami warning and we were supposed to evacuate. The lack of information was disconcerting, tons of websites were down (traffic overload, I assume) and the Canadian sites were way behind the US.

I spoke to some friends and decided we were fine where we were. Our house is very high up and there really wasn't time to go inland, plus, that would involve going lower than where we live. We considered driving up a mountain but I decided that would be more dangerous than the unlikely tsunami, trying to drive up a narrow road in the dark with some very severe cliffs. We did offer to shelter quite a few people but only my son's girlfriend took us up on it. Most of the locals were a bit dismissive of the situation, even though sections of the city were being evacuated by emergency services.

Turned out to be a minimal wave (less than 2 feet) and we had no damage to our house. We were lucky, this time.

Stay safe everyone and be prepared. Certainly be prepared with plans and supplies, all your preps, but be prepared for what may come by loving your family, forming close friendships, and trying to enjoy each day.

My best wishes to everyone, especially those who are suffering on the east coast right now.

Take care and I hope you are safe, warm, and surrounded by those you care about.

What's with the lack of posts?

2012-09-15T18:54:00.001-07:00

Sorry, I have just been swamped. I actually have a bunch of partially finished stuff that I haven't posted and didn't get some video reviews done before I sold the items....so busy right now it's not even funny.

I took on a second job as a bouncer, mostly weekends, still have my main full time job and am also signed up for full time school. It was a great opportunity and a last minute thing, I didn't think I'd be able to come up with the money in time. I'm in a full time welding program, a huge area of interest for me and a potential back up career. If I can swing it, I want to take some blacksmithing courses next year too....

Yard Sale

2012-07-14T15:49:00.001-07:00

We are having a big yard sale today, trying to get rid of a bunch of stuff we don't need and raise some money for my wife's plane tickets, she's going home to visit family and we are hurting for $$ right now.

I'm also trying to clear out a lot of my survival junk, it just makes me cringe to see a lot of the completely stupid shit I have bought over the years.

*sigh*

That's actually a topic for a future post, survival junk and excess buying. There's a real industry out there, encouraging you to buy a bunch of stuff you don't need and will never use for your preparedness needs. Consumerism is the name of the game in "modern" society and survivalists are very vulnerable to overspending.

So, keep it simple, light, and affordable.

Enjoying myself

2012-07-05T21:23:00.001-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted for a while, I've been more involved in enjoying the great outdoors than writing about it.

Honest, a bunch of stuff is eventually coming, I've been testing out a few things and hopefully have some good info for everyone.

Splitting Wood with a Hatchet

2012-06-05T20:06:00.003-07:00

Tried out a new technique that I saw Ray Mears do on a video, a safe and simple way to make small kindling sticks Works well, I did a very short video of it on youtube.

Sorry, not the best angle, it was raining a lot and my wife didn't want to get her camera wet, she was hiding under some trees :)

Eberlestock backpacks

2012-05-16T22:28:00.002-07:00

I'll be doing some more detailed reviews of some eberlestock backpacks - eventually - but wanted to just drop a little line here to say how much I truly love them.

I talked a little about the F3 Halftrack in a previous post, and still consider it a great pack. I picked up the Gunslinger II after and have nothing really negative to say about it, enjoyed it a lot and the scabbard was super handy. I also bought the incredible expensive V90 Battleship in anticipation for an upcoming 1-2 week survival training course, I couldn't take another excursion with my old MEC pack. Sadly, I had to cancel the trip after we moved and haven't used it since, I think I may end up selling it. I don't want to, I spent a ridiculous amount of money for it and I love it but....we will see. I wish I had got the waterproof fleece version now that I have moved to such a wet area.

My EDC-to-work bag has now changed. I moved from the halftrack to the gunslinger II to (briefly) the X1A1 and now have settled on the Blue Widow.

All are great packs and the Blue Widow review and a discussion on work/BOB will be coming as soon as I have time to write it :)

And then there was one

2012-05-16T15:15:00.000-07:00

FYI, I shut down my alternate blog today.

I haven't been posting much to it and there was essentially no traffic. I think I will stick to what I am doing on this blog, others are doing social commentary better right now and I only have so much time.

Thanks to those that were reading it and had subscribed.

Cold Steel Micro Recon 1 Knife Review - Keychain Knife

2012-04-30T04:03:00.000-07:00

I may get accused of hyperbole at times but I consider the Cold Steel Micro Recon 1 to be the most useful and quite possibly the flat out best knife Cold Steel has ever made. Obviously Cold Steel makes a lot of knives that fit a lot of needs and it’s difficult to compare a combat knife to a woods/survival knife or a skinning knife to a kitchen knife. What I am instead doing is a taking a knife within a specific category and comparing it to others on the market. They have really kicked some a** here :)

My video review is here:

The category in this case is the keychain knife. A keychain knife is (obviously) a knife that you carry with your keys. Normally it has a small lanyard hole that you can slide a key ring through or you attach it with a short cord or chain. In our society, a keychain knife can be the ultimate EDC (every day carry) knife as people rarely going anywhere without keys – house, car, work, whatever.

There are many (many!!) types of keychain knives out there, from the ridiculously overpriced to near useless junk. I found most unsuitable, either too large, too expensive (for intended use) or too junky to use, even to cut tape! What makes a good keychain knife? Here were my pre-micro recon 1 guidelines:

- light

- small

- not obvious/scary looking

- affordable

- sharp enough to at least attempt to cut a seatbelt

- easy opening, with either hand

The keychain knife I have been carrying around for years is one of a set of 30 or so I bought off ebay for $20 or so made by Ridge Runner? (pictured below); it met those guidelines well enough. I gave away most of the ones I bought as stocking stuffer-type gifts and kept a few around for my keys. They are nothing special but pretty good considering the price, just good enough to cut open envelopes and could cut through a seatbelt with some effort if you are careful. I would never choose to subject them to hard use (they aren't intended for it) except in an emergency as the locking mechanism is not strong and the whole knife can and will break apart with serious pressure.

With my new focus on EDCing without pants (no longer carrying a pocket clip knife), I started to consider upgrading. I wanted something a little stronger and more capable, as an option for times when I couldn’t access my HAK for some reason. Not much was jumping out at me. I know some people consider the HAK a keychain knife; I just find it too big to carry that way and it jumps out at someone too much.

What I finally settled on was a Sypderco Manbug.

Image and specs from Spyderco:

length overall	4.46" (113 mm)	blade length	1.95" (49 mm)	blade steel	VG-10
length closed	2.51" (64 mm)	cutting edge	1.72" (44 mm)	weight	.65 oz. (19 g)
hole diameter	.39" (10 mm)	blade thickness	.098" (2.5 mm)	handle material

It appeared to be strong, sharp, well made, could be opened with both hands, and was about the right size. I don’t like the bulged out back around the opening hole and it was a little expensive for that kind of knife (I don't think VG10 is really necessary) but I decided to give it a shot. After I ordered it on ebay, the retailer ended up having to cancel the order as it was out of stock. I started looking around for the cheapest place to buy one and, in the amazon recommendations, saw a knife by Cold Steel that I had never seen before, the Mini Recon 1. The comparison with my old knife shows the improvement pretty clearly.

I was so excited I about peed my pants J

Specs from Cold Steel:

Micro Recon 1 Tanto 27TDT

Specifications:

Weight: 1.1 oz

Blade Thickness: 2.5 mm

Blade Length: 2"

Handle: 2 3/8" Long. Faux G-10

Overall Length: 4 3/8 "

Steel: Japanese AUS 8A Stainless with Black Tuff-Ex™ Coating

Key Chain Ring

I like a lot of Cold Steel knives such as the Cold Steel Recon Scout (my old review here), an excellent large survival knife. The company has some history for me, I bought my first CS knife about 18 years ago, a folding tanto with a pocket clip, awesome knife. My girlfriend at the time loved it so much she used to "borrow" it on a regular basis - AND LOST IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, they have a lot of interesting, quality folding knives at prices that range from the affordable to the...not very affordable for me! and I have at one point carried the old style recon tanto, the latest version, and the mini ak-47. For various reasons, I passed on them as my regular EDC blade though I was extremely (extremely!!) impressed by their new tri-ad lock.

But this little baby puts them all to shame for value and EDC use. It was the ergonomics that impressed me immediately, the knife appeared to be a keychain knife that I could actually use – not just to cut a little tape but for some more serious tasks. The 2-finger handle on that blade is the best I have ever seen in a folding knife, deep finger choil, grippy handle, and a flat bottom to brace against your finger. The flat blade shape allows you to put your thumb along the back in a Filipino grip for maximum cutting.

As mentioned, the third finger of your hand (or pinky, with small hands) goes underneath the handle, giving you a ton of security if you are prying or stabbing with the blade and I love the tanto blade (also has a spear point option).

You could also loop your finger through a cord lanyard or key ring (as pictured) or grip a lanyard for extra security.

Dual thumb studs allow you to open the blade with either hand, the lanyard hole is big enough for a key ring, and it even has the uber-strong tri-ad lock. And all for $23!! Are you kidding me? Fantastic value, fantastic blade. Love love love it.

Have I said I love it yet? Just checking. Cause I do. Really.

So far it has been great, as far as I am concerned it sets the standard for keychain knives. Congratulations Cold Steel, fantastic job.

On one of mine I attached the Miltner Adams Incredible SLC (Self Locking Clip) clip with 3M double sided tape; this allows me to hang my keys inside the pocket without feeling the weight and makes it easier to access. Does add some bulk to the handle but provides an even better grip in some ways.

Keep in mind everyone, that every time you have your keys in your hand, with this knife on them you can also have a super capable small blade immediately available. Think it’s too small? Look at this comparison to the HAK blade. It’s plenty big enough if you know how to use it.

My video review is here

Adventures in Biking

2012-04-09T01:02:00.000-07:00

I will probably be doing a series of posts on my bicycling experiences. I almost thought about another blog split off but decided to bore everyone here instead!

I decided on a mountain bike. I really had no idea what to get, I don't know a darn thing about bikes. The road bike didn't seem right and the hybrid bike, I dunno, just didn't appeal. I went with the sturdier looking mountain bike and what I thought (perhaps mistakenly) would be better grippy tires for the wet weather and gravel around here.

Spent about $400? $500? Can't quite remember, it was 2 months ago. More than I wanted to, for sure, but decided to get one put together properly from a bike shop rather than getting one from the local department store. I tried that years back and it was a mess and I got sooooooo frustrated trying to adjust it....

It was a lot of money but will be paid for with a few tanks of gas I won't buy - assuming I get good use from it.

So far it's been pretty good. My fitness sucks, fortunately it's not too far a ride. I'd be a lot better off though if it was flat and 10 times as long....hills suck.

Ridiculous Whining

2012-04-09T00:54:00.003-07:00

I want a Fallkniven WM1.

That is all.

Small EDC and Tactical Fixed Blade Knife Comparison & Review

2012-04-08T23:17:00.001-07:00

I recently completed a video comparison on 4 small fixed blade knives. I am still rocking the hideaway straight as my EDC knife but started to look around at some other options as well. The awesome custom fit of the HAK is also it's only real weakness, if you are wearing gloves you pretty much can't use the knife.

The four knives are the TOPS M1 Sub Compact, Boker Fred Perrin Neck Bowie, Tops FDX Hunter Point, and the Esee Izula. The main common feature between these, besides small size, is a deep(ish, depending on blade) finger choil.

1. TOPS M1 Sub Compact

I kept eyeing this knife up and really wasn't sure if I wanted to try it or not. It has such a small handle, I don't like spear point knives, and some of the previous Tops knives I have seen or owned were not for me. I'm glad I picked it up, not sure if I will keep it or not but it's a good little knife. This is a design from the Relentless Knives guy, Daniel Certo. He has some great designs, appear quite affordable for custom-made but of course there is a bit of a wait for some models. This is a production version of his knife.

Some points:

VERY short handle
Good kydex sheath
Neck carry sheath, could be used for belt carry but doesn't come with any attachments
Good option for static cord carry in the pocket
Very thick knife for its size
Thick handle for size

I see this knife as a fixed blade option for people that prefer folder size but want fixed blade strength/security. The overall length is about the same as a lot of folding knives I own! Other possible carry options could include laced into your boots (emergency services worker), attached to a backpack strap for a light emergency/EDC knife that you will always have handy (and can use with gloves on), key chain carry, etc.

Handy knife, I quite like it but this short handle and blade shape will definitely not be for everyone. It's a pretty good price too, $70 on Amazon. Also check out Relentless Knives, they have some very cool blades. I would like to see a stainless steel version of this blade for those of us that get rained on a lot. You can get S30V knives from Relentless but I can't afford it right now :(

Stats from TOPS:

O/A Length: 4 3/4"
Blade Length: 2 3/8"
Thickness: 3/16"
Steel: 1095 High Carbon Steel RC 56-58
Handle: Tan Canvas
Blade Color: Ash Gray
Sheath: Kydex Neck sheath
Designed by: Daniel M. Certo

2. Boker Fred Perrin Neck Bowie - I think I pretty much covered it all in this previous post.

I think this might be discontinued, better get one while you can! :)

3. Tops FDX Hunter Point

Now this is some serious knife. Another one I've wanted to try for ages but there is very little info on. Possibly now discontinued in this version, not sure, still readily available for under $80. I love the incredible finger choil, it wraps around your finger for amazing security for such a short handle. The skeletonized handle is a little uncomfortable but with a little camoform tape, I loved it. A cord wrap would also work plus there is a version with micarta? scales.

Very thick, fairly heavy, really too heavy for neck carry. Feels pretty nimble for such a heavy blade though. Very nice kydex sheath with removable metal belt clip. I also made a video just showing this knife for those that don't want to see them all.

Some points:

Short handle
Good kydex sheath
Very thick knife for its size

Definitely not your typical blade, I can see it as an interesting option for tactical officers, military, emergency workers, or anyone that wants a very secure knife that is reasonable compact. The one hitch is that if you have very large gloves on, perhaps your finger won't fit in there. Not sure. There is also a long-handled version of this knife.

Got the info from knifecenter, can't find the knife on the Tops site:

Overall Length: 6"
Blade Length: 3"
Thickness: 3/16"
Steel: 1095 High Carbon
Handle: Skeleton
Blade Color: Black Traction Coating
Sheath: Kydex
Weight: 3.7oz
Weight w/ Sheath: 5.6oz
Handcrafted in the USA

4. Esee Izula

There's so much info out there on the Izula, I can't really add much. Great all around knife, would be useful for many roles: bushcraft, EDC, game/food prep, self-defense, emergency, etc.

Removable handles are available, easy to find kydex sheaths for it if you don't like the sheath that comes with it. Az Welke makes fantastic kydex Izula sheaths, non-marking, pops right out with the thumb ramp and very secure. He is on ebay.

*Again, PLEASE NOTE that stores or people I mention on here have NOT paid for or requested my endorsement or review (unless I say otherwise) and they in NO WAY endorse my views. If you don't like something I write, it does not reflect on them, they don't even know who I am. If you send them hate email or refuse to buy their product because you don't like my writing or my opinions, you are an ass.*

I use an Izula II for my woods neck knife, very comfortable. I was just splitting some wood last night for our fire pit :)

The Izula is not very comfortable with the skeletonized handle and bare hands, a little camoform tape (shown below) or a cord wrap helps.

A comparison shot with the always awesome hideaway knife:

A comparison shot with the classic Mora 511:

No More Winter - Famous Last Words

2012-04-08T00:14:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. I'm not dead and I haven't forgotten you. Very sorry I haven't posted in so long, I've been crazy busy since I moved. My work training was interesting to say the least but it progressed at a rapid pace, I finished sooner than expected. This gave me the bright idea to do a late entry in the school semester and take 3 classes....needless to say, I have been busy.

All is going well though I had to laugh after reading my last post. We ended up getting socked with some serious winter here over a 2 week period (plus periodic dumps of snow for weeks after), temperatures in the area dipped to -25 C (much colder with windchill) which is absolutely unheard of for this area. Pipes froze and then burst all over town, it was pretty crazy. The weather was no big deal but it did create some interesting events.

A few notes:

1. I was lucky. My house is up quite high on a hill, set on bedrock. I have a concrete perimeter foundation and a fully insulated basement. Even though my basement isn't heated, my pipes came through OK. I also added some pipe insulation but couldn't get any heat tape for love or money - more prep for next year.

2. I've never lived somewhere with such steep grades, I have always lived in lands of flat! We had a lot of ice and snow and I couldn't make it up the street in our rental car. The day we had to move out of the hotel and into our house, my bike got left behind and we left our bags into the car. I packed up a few personal items and we walked to our house. I went back for the car the next day and grabbed the bike a few days later.

3. 4WD can be your friend. We went wild and crazy and bought a jeep. I have severe buyer's remorse but there have been many days where cars were littered at the bottom of the street and I drove by them on the way home.

4. I quite like riding the bus. There was too much snow for me to even consider biking to work, I don't think I would have lived. I ended up taking the bus one way and then walking home or taking a cab the other, the bus generally only matches up with one direction.

5. Biking uphill is HARD!!!

6. Not a news flash but a good reminder, water-resistant just means a delayed soaking.

All this walking to and from work has been a good reminder of the importance of weight in a BOB. I've been carrying my Eberlestock Gunslinger II pack to work and I've really tuckered myself out. Some minimal survival gear, textbooks, lunch, sometimes a laptop, etc, it adds up fast and I am wiped out. All the more reason to carry it of course, it's good training for my fat a**.

Get in shape people and test your gear. You don't want to carry it for the first time when it's a real emergency, you want it to feel natural and normal.

BTW, love that backpack.

Anyway, I'm going to start posting some material, I have a lot of stuff to add, I hope I can get to it all soon.

A huge THANK YOU to everyone that reads and comments, I really appreciate it. I'm shocked to have over 10,000 views of the site, I didn't even have to tell my mom to get them, lol.

Take care all.

New Location

2012-01-07T21:07:00.001-08:00

Well, here I am in the Pacific NW.

NO MORE WINTER!!! Well, at least of the minus a billion and endless snow kind. It's been very windy and rainy here but I'm loving the above freezing temps.

It's been a bit stressful getting everything set up down here, finances are stretched to the limit. We are going to be car-less UFN, just not in the budget right now.

Starting work tomorrow, probably 6 weeks of training. If unsuccessful I will be absolutely f***ed so wish me luck!

Happy New Year everyone, I hope 2012 is awesome.

Christmas, family, and being a good neighbour

2011-12-24T05:22:00.002-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone, have a great holiday. I hope everyone is safe, warm, and happy. The holiday season can be a stressful and depressing time. There are many people suffering financially right now and the near-mandatory consumer aspect of Christmas can be quite a burden.

I should have posted something a little sooner but to all you parents out there who can't afford to buy your kids the latest and greatest toys, don't worry, they'll be OK. Don't feel guilty, be honest with your kids - even if they don't understand now, they will (hopefully) someday. I did. I'm sure you are all doing the best you can. And don't be afraid to accept help if you need it, it doesn't make you less of a person.

My parents grew up somewhere between dirt poor and not too bad, depending on the seasons and such. Mom was the second of 4 kids and lived in a small town in BC, my grandfather operated a small sawmill and did other work. Dad grew up on a farm in southern Alberta, he was the second of 6 kids. They both learned what doing without really meant.

My parents were poor when they met and stayed poor for some time but were able to provide us with food, shelter, and everything I needed - I never wanted for anything of physical importance and things improved for us a lot financially by the time I was old enough to remember much. After my Dad graduated university, things got better for them but they never were focused on spending a lot of money, they were focused on paying off their debt - student loans, house, etc.

When I was 6, Dad got transferred (the old move or you're fired deal) and we bought a new house under a grant program that was going on in Saskatchewan. It was very nice house, very big* and in a nice neighbourhood. I was lucky. However, to afford that house, certain things had to be "sacrificed" - we made do with less, we bought used, and we accepted (and gave) help as needed. My clothes were hand me downs or from the discount bin at Zeller's. Starting around age 8, I began to separate from my peers in three ways:

Religion - I grew up in the Mormon religion which was not well regarded where we lived. I have a very clear, and sad memory of my best friend (Catholic) telling me I was going to hell for being a devil worshiper. Yep, the old days, before Catholics and Mormons found common cause. Christmas is a good time to teach your children about tolerance and a great time to discuss beliefs, history, and culture.

Appearance - As mentioned, my clothes were either of low quality, handmade, or dated/used. We shopped at thrift stores and I got a lot of hand me downs from other church families. If you didn't have the right shoes back then, you were of low social status. I doubt that has changed. I also was small for my age and my mom cut my hair...

Grades - Scholastically, I was years beyond my peers, especially in reading and mathematics. Doing well in school is not a recipe for being popular.

Why do I bring this up? Because it meant I spent more time with my parents than most of the kids my age and that was a lot more fun than expensive shoes or whatever. Your kids may cry if they don't get an ipad or something but that will be in the garbage sooner or later, it's not worth it. Focus on what you can give, even if it's just a hug and an I love you.

My four favourite Christmas gifts as a child:

A set of blocks my Dad made for me. I would spend hours and hours with them, even when I was "too old" for them.
A pair of wooden swords my dad made for me - that was good for countless house of whacking people :)
A swiss army knife from my maternal grandfather. I got that when I was 8? or so, I had a lockback knife before that. Good for a lot of fun projects though you might get arrested these days *sigh* I brought mine to show and tell at school, good luck with that one.
A bag of marbles. I could spend all day shooting with my friends!

Something that can engage your child's imagination doesn't have to be expensive - I know, easy for me to say that, I used to get a pretty expensive Christmas list from our kids too....

Really though, the best gift that you can give is your time - as much as you can. For example, some of my fondest memories of my Dad are going to work with him. With my mom, I still remember her reading to me, it was very precious. Those are the memories that can last a lifetime and can really hold a family together when the children get older and become evil teenage monsters (jk, sort of).

Being a good neighbour:

The holiday season is a good time to reach out a little to the people around you and try to build some bonds.

Say hello to your neighbours, bring them over a plate of food, offer to shovel their walk - sometimes people can be hard to approach and saying "Hey, it's Christmas, so we..." can be a good ice breaker.

Think of any older neighbours in the area. They may not have family close by and could use some assistance. Check that their utilities are still turned on (sometimes crazy stuff happens over the holidays) and that they have enough to eat. If you can, try to invite them over for dinner, you might end up with some free babysitting and some good company :) One of the best things about the Mormon church was the time we spent in service activities. I got to spend a lot of time with people of all ages and backgrounds, do a lot of useful volunteer work, and spend time with my family.

It's also a good time to reach out to estranged friends and family, again using the season as a reason can make things easier.

Community bonds are valuable from a survival standpoint, a safety standpoint, but also for health and happiness. The Winter Solstice/Christmas/whatever period should be about happiness and family - whether that's the kind we have or the kind we want to create.

*It's funny what people consider a big house now. Our house was 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (1 full, 2 half) and had a full basement with a good-sized yard that was all garden in the back. I would guess it could have been as much as 1500 sq ft, which really is enormous for 4 people. And then I look at some of the houses people buy now...wow. I really don't understand the love for McMansions.

EDC without pants

2011-12-17T02:04:00.002-08:00

This isn't actually about not wearing pants (sorry! hehe) but it is about no-pants-needed carry. I was somewhat aware of how jeans-dependent (or other pants with belt loops and strong pockets) my EDC was and have already moved away from a lot of belt carry items but even more change is going to be needed - my 24/7 system needs to be belt and pants pocket free!

I live in one of the coldest, most isolated areas in North America. There are severe summer/winter temperature variations, from -40C or colder in winter to 25C or warmer in summer. Snow is on the ground from the end of September to April/May (sometimes June!) and there are extensive periods of 24-hour darkness and 24-hour light.

I am moving to one of the rainiest areas in North America, on the coast, that has little to no snow and maintains a relatively constant year round temperature of 5-15C. I am going to start a new series of posts on what effects that has on my EDC, traveling to work, outdoor gear, clothing, the whole deal.

I'm going to start with EDC.

I'm still living north of 68 and trust me, it's winter up here. We just had a little warm spell but temperatures have generally been in the -25C to -35C (-13 to -31F) range, not counting any windchill. This obviously has some effects on what I wear and what I carry.

My current EDC*:

HAK straight - neck carry
Inova Microlight (bright/dim/strobe) - neck carry
No-name microlight (on/off with squeeze or switch) - paracord carry, looped around my belt loop and tucked inside my jeans
Blackhawk Be-Wharned folding knife (still waiting for the Yojimbo 2) - pocket clip carry
Casio G-shock watch on a wrap around thick velcro band (covers watch face)

Usual indoor clothing at work:

5.11 TDU belt
Jeans
T-shirt (prefer under armour or similar shirt)
Hoody
Sandals - it's too hot in here to wear anything else

Outdoor clothing for travel to/from work via vehicle:

Parka - I wear a Canada Goose parka, it's a discontinued model and I don't recall the name. They make top-quality, extreme cold weather parkas. I see a lot of people wearing the Resolute and similar models but they are really too heavy for practical use, I prefer layers
Snow pants - I just wear lightweight snowboard pants
Boots - The Sorel Intrepid Explorer are AWESOME, the best winter boots I have ever owned
Neck gaiter
Toque - I like the Parkhurst Merino Wool Cap that MEC sells
Gloves

My current Work EDC (WDC) pack and contents:

Eberlestock Gunslinger II Pack - I bought it from Linton outdoors, super comfortable, top quality
Amazon kindle (now THAT is essential)
Mora knife - either the 511 or the triflex on a neck cord with a survival bundle (light, fire, etc)
Folding saw
Bottled water - 500mL
Metal water bottle, I like the Klean Kanteen 27 oz. I use a metal water bottle rather than a nalgene so I can melt snow. Their wider mouth bottle is better for snow (and in my camping pack) but I prefer the other to drink from.
Cell phone
All the typical stuff - first aid kit, sunglasses, matches, snack, yada yada yada

I travel to and from work in a company truck. At our new location, I will be walking to work, about 4km (about 2.5 miles). I will get a bicycle and will probably use it for work to save travel time but, with the extreme winds, rain, and all the hills, I'm not sure how much time I will save :) I don't like biking all that much either but it's a great way to carry heavier loads. I don't think I will be using it much in the winter there, it gets very slippery and with the hills and such, I really don't want to take a spill.

So, this new climate coupled with traveling on foot vs. truck made me take another look at what I tote around with me. The important factors: waterproof and weight. Everything must be evaluated based on keeping me and my gear dry. And it has to be water proof not "water resistant" which is just another way to say "slow leak." It rains there almost every day and it's RAIN not a little shower here and there. As for weight, once you have to carry your pack further than a parking lot, you see just how much an ounce matters.

I have waterproof pants, boots, and a jacket with hood (more on specific clothing on another post). However, the rain pants don't have pockets or belt loops and I haven't had much luck in finding anything suitable that does. This immediately eliminates easy waist or knife carry on my outer pants (I'll be wearing another set underneath). I'm also going to be wearing a backpack with a waist strap, which would eliminate any significant belt carry anyway, it's just not comfortable. I'd be looking at a sheath hanging off the backpack, not really workable for cruising around town. A boot knife is possible, but not super easy to access and I've never actually worn one before. Not sure if I want to try at this point, something to consider. My HAK again saves the day, carried around the neck, it's just a continuation of what I am already doing. The one problem is the downside of a HAK - gloves. You can not use one with gloves on, and I will probably be wearing some at times. A more regularly handled knife is now needed - something lightweight, small, and practical (multi-use). The Perrin neck bowie would work well with gloves and it is lightweight and such but I don't think I am going to go back to it. It's an excellent small utility blade but looking at the area (heavily wooded, rainy as all get out) I want something with a little more "bush" capability. I think I'm going to go with an Esee Izula or Izula II. Possibly the Izula II for trail walks and the Izula for walks to work, I'll wear them over my shirt and the HAK will be under. The Izula can be tucked back if needed and it's quite light. The blade is very short but it does have some capabilities for wood splitting as well as prying, digging, and general abuse.

(Total aside - I've always been a little curious about the Tops FDX knives, I'd be curious to get my hands on one of the small hunter points. There's very little info that I can find on most of the tops knives. Or at least the ones that I would be interested in.)

It's actually a similar situation to when I go hiking/camping in the winter and am wearing snow pants, you just can't belt carry a knife and walking long distances with a knife strapped to your thigh is not always practical - the backpack can rub on the belt and a knife that low can get caked with snow and ice. A light fixed blade neck-carry knife is your best option with a larger knife attached to my backpack. I usually carry a Mora 511 but for an urban environment, I want something a little more unobtrusive (thinner, lower profile).

What I love about a neck cord in the urban environment (under a jacket) is the same as the woods environment - the knife is so handy, always accessibly, and the cord is the perfect place to hook on keys, fire tools, whistle, light, etc with a carabiner - easy on, easy off, easy to customize. Since I'll be wearing a rain jacket pretty much every day, the knife and the other tools I chose can be tucked in and accessibly by zipping the jacket open, pulling the lot out with a tug on the cord, or putting my hand down a more open zipper area. Keeps from scaring people "OMG, he's got a knife, noooooooooooooooo!" Bizarre reaction. Once I get to work, the main lot gets tucked into my pack and the HAK/light combo is still there, under my shirt - I won't be wearing gloves while I work :)

I could still be wearing jeans under my rain pants and could still carry my pocket clip knife, possibly a fixed blade belt knife, etc. But....walking in long distance with jeans isn't super comfortable. Walking with them under another pair of pants can get downright uncomfortable. Plus, the tools would only be accessible in my workplace** and I don't see any real need for them (in that location) when compared to the discomfort of wearing them and the other tools I have - I'll always have my HAK and at least one light and a whole host of gear is in my backpack which can be grabbed on my way out the door. Wearing jeans under snow pants for my current trips to work isn't a big deal because I'm driving to work. Some days, when it's -20 or warmer (especially in the day time), I just bring my extra pants and don't even bother wearing them. Having that extra knife accessible has a lot more value here - there's no security here, we're open to the public, we're well out of town and can't secure the building, etc. I see the value in the extra knife and I've worn one in my pocket for so long...well, there just hasn't been any reason to change that until now.

Hmmm, this post started to go a little sideways on me, hopefully this made some sense.

More on all this later - much more I'm sure!

*EDC - Every Day Carry. Some people have slightly different ideas for what this means. I'm considering this to be items I carry on my person at all times outside the home. I differentiate this from items I would carry heading to work for example, as I would carry a bag of some kind that I may not carry for a trip to the grocery store.

**I'm not digging through my backpack waist strap and fishing around inside my outer pants to get them

I'm Still Alive

2011-11-13T19:46:00.001-08:00

Sorry for the severe lack of activity, I've been a busy boy.

School work has kept me very busy and I've been working a lot of hours (what else is new, right?) but the biggest thing that kept me from blogging was my move - yay!

I was down looking for a house, just got back after 2 weeks away. What a stressful process but all's well that hopefully ends well. We found a nice house, affordable, with enough room for us and the kids. It even has a partial basement (remainder is crawlspace on rock) - I've really missed having one. Enough room for storage, room for training, and a workshop area.

I love the city, we're right on the ocean - fresh seafood every day :)

The one downside of the house is that it has no backyard and very little yard in front. I was hoping to put up a large greenhouse and garden and maybe even attempt to raise some goats and/or chickens. A small (very small) vegetable garden/greenhouse will be possible but that's it.

I'll have to investigate starting a community greenhouse or something in my copious free time (lol), I don't think they have anything already.

I'm moving at the beginning of January, I'll try to catch up on my blogging but things are still looking a bit crazy, there may be minimal entries until my training is complete, sometime in February.

I'm so excited! I'll be 12 years and 5 months in the Arctic - long enough, it's time to start a new chapter in our lives.

50th post

2011-10-08T05:03:00.000-07:00

Wow, I can hardly believe I'm already at 50 posts. A huge thank you to everyone that reads and has commented on my blog. This has been a really great experience so far.

Some great news:

I am getting my transfer! I'm British Columbia bound, I'll be living in a town (small city?) on the ocean. It's going to be a huge and amazing change. After 12 years living north of 68, I'm going to be south of 60!

I don't think I'll change my blog name though, I'll still be further north than most :) Plus I may be coming back here to work periodically and I still have family and friends here.

Exhibit A on reasons to leave:

Yep, that's snow and it's here to stay. This is the view from my front door yesterday. It's been snowing here for about 2 weeks but it's mostly melted until now. This is actually a pretty late start for snow cover.

Hideaway Knife (HAK) Review

2011-10-08T04:38:00.002-07:00

I talked in the past about my favorite small fixed blade knife, the Boker Fred Perrin Neck Bowie. It's a fantastic small knife, wickedly sharp, lightweight and very practical EDC (with a few mods). Overall, I still like it a lot but it has been replaced in my heart - and around my neck. My new, true EDC is the HAK or Hideaway Knife .

Before I go into detail on the HAK I'm going to talk a little about what I consider an EDC knife and why I said "true EDC." For those that aren't familiar with "prepper" or "survivalist" terms, EDC means Every Day Carry. To most people, these are the items that you obviously carry every day - they are your normal kit, you put them on when you get up in the morning and they remain with you throughout the day, wherever you go. Anything from a cell phone to a Glock. Generally this only refers to your time outside the home, you wouldn't carry EDC items in your PJs for example.

This means that we are all going to have a different EDC based on a variety of different factors such as:
- weight we are willing to carry
- job we work at
- clothing we wear
- different legal options
- different needs

The problem is that many of us may call our little package of goodies "EDC" but it's pretty tough to carry them every day, in all public settings. It should be more like MDC, Most Days Carry. Or BDC, Business Day Carry, and WEC, Weekend Carry. For those that carry tools such as knives and firearms, the differences can be dramatic.

I am unable to carry a handgun where I live but I do carry one or more knives every day, everywhere I go except for air travel. My main knife for the last 20 years, my EDC, has been a folding pocket clip knife. Prior to that it was either a small scaling or skinning knife on my belt or folding knife loose in my pocket. The actual knife has probably changed more than 50 times (currently back to the Blackhawk Hornet II) but a pocket knife has been a constant. Pocket clip knives are a fantastic innovation, they have been a real game changer for knife carry. They do have a few drawbacks though such as clips losing retention over time (especially the very old plastic-version ones), clips getting caught on things, the knives being more obvious than some people prefer, can be difficult to deploy, etc. One of the main negatives is that a folding knife is more likely to fail than a fixed blade knife. New types of locking mechanisms and handle materials have reduced the risk but it can never be eliminated. This concern and an effort to integrate either an emergency bushcraft-capable knife or a stronger utility blade into my EDC led me to experiment with a lot of small fixed blade knives such as the Fallkniven F1, the Cold Steel Kobun, the CRKT ABC operator knife, Mora 511 and more than a dozen others. In the end, I've pretty much given up. The knives are just too uncomfortable for me to wear all the time sitting down.

The Perrin Neck Bowie made me interested in neck knives as an alternative. I had written them off in the past because they are generally crap and also uncomfortable, but the Perrin knife is pretty amazing - very light, very sharp, and very useful. I'll let you read my review for the rest. The best thing about the neck knife is that it really is a "true" EDC. As long as you have a neck (hehe) you can carry it, no matter what clothing you are wearing or what setting you are in.

What I have started to notice is that it was printing on my short more than I liked. Initially I seemed to be able to adjust it to minimize the print but in the end, it wasn't quite working for me. This and one other feature (get to that in a minute) caused me to look again at a knife I've owned for a while: the HAK or Hideaway Knife, the "straight" utility model:

Note: That's a quarter and a loonie (Canadian $1 coin) in the pictures.

I first heard of these knives after reading a Marcus Wynne* novel. The characters used them extensively so I looked them up. They were interesting....but expensive. The website seemed a little odd too, not a traditional ordering method. I wasn't sure what I though of the knives and they were out of my price range for a "try it out model" - the cheapest was around $150 USD and since they are a custom fit, would be tough to sell if I didn't like it.

Maybe a year or so after that, I checked the site again and saw they had some new, cheaper versions available. They were made from lesser steels which were more than adequate for me and I really wanted to try one out. I bought this Tiger Striped version (I'd rather have a plain color) because it was $80 or so. You need to measure around your index and middle fingers and submit that measurement.

I received the knife in good time - once I figured out how to pay! :)

Product seems well made, I like the cord wrap. Was a good fit (measure very carefully). However, I didn't like it at the time. The sheath has some rattle to it with the knife in it, it sticks into the capsule area a little which makes it a little more awkward to draw and I just couldn't seem to find a comfortable carry location. I'd actually purchased it with the idea of belt carry, I had bought the double-j belt attachment. Unfortunately, with my rather chubby stomach, it was neither comfortable nor unobtrusive and I wasn't thinking neck carry back then. I threw the knife in my crap-to-sell-someday box and mostly forgot about it.

My new love for neck knives and my slight dissatisfaction with my perrin knife made me give it another look. The other feature (see, I did get to it....eventually) is that blade shape, the reverse tanto or wharncliffe design of the HAK straight. I did a training seminar with Michael Janich this year (FREAKING AWESOME!) and I got a chance to handle a prototype of the Spyderco Yojimbo II. After seeing a cutting demo, I was totally sold on the blade shape (just like a box cutter). That knife is amazing btw, can't wait to get mine, darn things are on backorder still. Anyway, the Yojimbo blade has a similar shape as my HAK and the HAK capsule/handle design provides for a grip very similar to the "filipino grip" taught by Michael Janich. Suddenly I had a whole new appreciation for the HAK and it's been a near-permanent carry knife ever since.

Some of the great features of this knife:
- Very lightweight, it is no strain at all to carry (noticeably lighter than the Perrin Neck Bowie and custom sheath I have).
- Amazing retention, it's virtually impossible to be disarmed when this knife is on your fingers.
- This knife is designed to allow for full use of your hands. The designer talks about its use as an off hand weapon for shooters, you can load magazines, carry a flashlight, etc and still keep the knife on your fingers. For my purposes, it's the best work tool ever. I went through pallet after pallet of boxes and was able to carry them, stack them, cut tape and bindings as needed, and keep the knife in my hand the whole time. Totally comfortable and a nice change from continually hunting for where I put my box cutter!
- Very safe. Knife won't slip in your hand. Again, anyone doing utility tasks, working in a warehouse, etc, this is an awesome knife. Climbers and hikers could get great benefit from this also. A must for people that work or play on or under the water.
- Low profile. Slim and has numerous carry options.
- Not too tactical. Probably not as scary as other options thanks to the small size, at least in some versions.
- Available in a variety of steels (including rust-free titanium) and shapes.
- Trainer knives are available.
- Small blade may be legal in more states.

Some not so great features:
- Sheath fit is not ideal, though the retention is very good, it's not going to fall out.
- The jimping on the back is purely cosmetic. I'd rather have none.

Yep, that's all I could think of :) What can I say, the knife kicks ass. That version at least, I don't like the other blade shapes.

*If you like knives and action check out With a Vengeance, it's only 99 cents for kindle.

Autumn in the Arctic

2011-09-21T01:45:00.001-07:00

Every year I'm newly amazed at how fast the leaves change here. I drive to work on a midnight shift, everything's green. By the morning when I drive home, half of the leaves have turned, or so it seems. Within a day or two, it's a mass of yellow (they are almost all yellow), absolutely gorgeous. And then....the leaves fall about a week later, and it all looks quite barren. Winter is only a week or two away.

Another winter in the Arctic.

My wife says I need to get out more. We are still waiting for my work transfer to come through but it's looking more likely I'll be out of here in January. My wife has been spending a lot of time outdoors, taking tons of pictures. She got a new SLR camera, it was a "cheap" one but the pictures are still amazing. What a difference from the point and shoot she had. She's on sort of a good bye tour. With our departure apparently around the corner, suddenly old things appear new again and the beauty of the area is more visible to both of us.

She was driving out to work at 4am the other morning and stopped to take pictures of some Ptarmigan in the road. They are the stupidest birds I've ever seen, if you define stupid as getting run over without moving year after year (she didn't crush any). I've never really been close a bunch of lives ones, I was commenting on one of her pictures of them and she wrote:

"they have a call that sounds like swearing, so silly. They sound like they are saying come 'ere, come 'ere, fck fck fck."

She could be pulling my leg a little.

She finished it up with a little chiding of my lack of time outdoors this year:

"Honey you need to get out more, not just to smell the roses but to hear the birds swear."

Eberlestock F3 Halftrack Backpack Review

2011-09-17T03:49:00.001-07:00

My previous very lengthy post My EDC Bag For Work was about my decision to use a Maxpedition Centurion Patrol Bag and an Octa Versipack as my every day carry bags. They did work out well for me but I recently decided to make a change. I'm anticipating moving (yep, still waiting for my transfer confirmation) and I will be doing a lot of walking at my new location.

I tried out a couple of backpacks, the Maxpedition Falcon II and a Kelty Internal frame pack, can't remember the model, is a largish daypack. The Kelty was comfortable but had too few pockets. The Maxpedition Falcon II was just not long enough, I don't like the torso length. It's not a serious walking/hiking pack, I think it's more of a cool urban commuter pack. Not what I was looking for in the end.

My new work site will be (trying to be positive) be in a small town in coastal British Columbia. I will mostly be walking to work, distance TBD but could be as much as 5 km. Ideally will be 3 or less. Also may be using public transit or a small car. Climate is mild and generally in the 5-15 C range year round. Extremes appear to be -5 to the low 20s. Lots of rain.

Backpack needs:
- sturdy
- comfortable
- enough capacity to carry a small EDC survival load, lunch, water bottles, etc. 20L+
- water-resistant at a minimum, probably need a waterproof cover

Backpack wants:
- multi-purpose, could be used for travel
- looks cool (hey, why not?)
- lots of accessible pockets
- scalable through use of molle or other straps
- relatively inexpensive
- capable of carrying at least a netbook laptop

Thanks in part to the reader comment on that post, I took a look at some Eberlestock backpacks. I was a bit nervous about spending $200+ on a pack sight unseen but was looking for a new EDC bag and decided to bite the bullet and try one. My choice was the Eberlestock F3 Halftrack Backpack. It had a lot of interesting features and the price was only moderately horrifying. Well, maybe a little more than moderately :)

Information from Eberlestock:

The Halftrack pack, like its World War II namesake, was inspired by necessity. The needs are fairly straightforward: carry heavy stuff, and make the thing that does it easy to use. The halftrack vehicle-type was developed because it could carry heavy stuff, like anti-aircraft guns, and yet it was easy enough to drive that you could turn any knucklehead with a driver's license loose with it.

Our Halftrack, we're proud to say, continues in this tradition. It's well-laid out. Tough. PALS webbing all over the place. Filled with easy access pockets. And, combined with our patent-pending Ripcord Gun Carry System (sold separately), it'll carry a heavy weapon aft of your shoulders, so you'll be more mobile. But what will surprise you is that you can get the gun off of your back while wearing the pack.

We do, however, depart from the old halftrack in one essential way. Our pack is quiet, and made for comfort as much as anything else, because we know what it's like to live out of a backpack.

The Halftrack pack is sister to the Phantom sniper pack, and is built from the same pattern. It's a front-loader, with two levels of varying-sized tuck-pockets lining its interior, PALS racks inside and out, and a fold-down shelf that can be used to divide the main compartment into upper and lower chambers. A plastic mesh flap on the rear wall serves as a radio rack. It will carry two 3-liter hydration kits, mounted in side pockets, or two 2-liter bladders in sleeves inboard of the outer pockets if you want to free the main side pockets for other gear.

Tunnel pockets on either side have a D-ring at the top, which is useful for carrying skis, long poles, or other long equipment. It features a longer waistbelt, with a 6 x 2 PALS matrix on each side. The Halftrack has our unique, hand-sewn support, padding, and ventilation system. You'll need to try one on to find out why so many people tell us that our packs are the most comfortable they've ever worn. The pack has a plastic framesheet and internal aluminum Cellular Stays, which work in combination with the harness and padding to provide you with plenty of support for carrying loads.

The Halftrack includes a lightweight pull-out rain cover, which stows in a pocket on the bottom of the main compartment. It can be used to cover the pack, and will even go over a weapon that's being carried.

My Review

I love the pack. It hits most of my wants and needs very well. It certainly seems sturdy and well made, quality stitching and construction throughout - at least, as far as my inexpert eye can tell. Very, very comfortable, extremely well padded in the back with lots of airflow room. More than enough room to carry what I needed, has some excellent pockets on the side for water bottles as well as hydration pouches. Includes a waterproof cover. It does indeed look very cool. I picked the Dry Earth color, very nice.

The only negatives:

- I don't see a full size laptop fitting in this; my netbook fits just fine.
- It's expensive. Around $229 USD. That's a lot to pay for what is essentially a kick ass daypack. It's debatable whether the excellent quality and functionality would be needed for joe or jill civilian; most of us would be buying it for the cool factor, not because we couldn't get by with a lesser pack.

But it's damn cool. Unfortunately I loved this pack so much...I may have bought two more by Eberlestock. Oops. More on that later.

Note - this pack does not have a rifle carrying system included.