Outdoor Gadgets

Is GoPro Hero 5 Session Still Worth Getting

noreply@blogger.com (Spencer) — Tue, 21 Aug 2018 16:05:00 +0000

Many of you might not know GoPro Company is going down the hill. Their recent Hero 6 has not got many reviews. So is GoPro Hero 5 Session worth getting it?

There are many cheap action camera out there almost as good as GoPro Hero 5 but the Session 5 is different from all the others. It is small and compact compare to all action cameras. It shaped is a compact square and others are more bigger in rectangle shape.

My current GoPro Hero 5 Session is almost 2 years old, so far it has been to Tibet and Singapore which I have made many food videos with it under another Blog Without Borders.

At this moment GoPro stopped production of the Hero Session but you can still can get it on eBay as low as USD195. GoPro Hero 5 now sells at USD299.

After all this years, I really love the small form factor of this action camera, the 4K recording is a bonus but for better digital image stabilization I have to drop to 1080p. The colour quality is pretty decent, enough to make Youtube videos which can upscale to 4K using 3rd party video editing software.

At the moment when I am up on an adventure, there are only 2 cameras in use, my Samsung S9 and GoPro Hero 5 Session. Clips on the GoPro will be transferred to my Samsung S9 using OTG cable for editing.

The software I used is PowerDirector Paid App, it takes about 30 to 45mins to edit the video and later video is uploaded to YouTube and the rest of the clips are transferred to my 1TB Seagate Slime Drive. Basically I do not have to bring a laptop, all is done from my Samsung S9.

SAMPLE VIDEO
Here is a video made using GoPro Hero 5 Session recorded in 4K but downscale to 1080p.
Just view and listen to the sound quality, the mic is from the GoPro itself. In making this video, I used my smartphone as a second screen to capture the angle of the shots.

Overall I find it is good action camera that suits my need. The battery life is around an hour and I am using 64g ScanDisk Ultra Micro SD card. On my Samsung S9 I have a 128g SD card so I can transfer all the 64g file to my phone for editing.

GoPro Hero 5 Session is a waterproof camera up to 10m, it is small and the recharging time is around 3 hours but I do charge before the battery runs out. So to me battery duration is not a problem. GoPro Hero 5 Session is currently my smallest setup.

What are you views on this little camera?

Cheap Survival Water proof Wind proof Lighter

noreply@blogger.com (Spencer) — Sat, 30 Dec 2017 17:25:00 +0000

I have bought a few of such high end lighter in my life just as Bruton lighter. Today I found out it was a waste of $$. In this video, I will show how a cheap lighter can compare to those high priced lighter for outdoor that is waterproof and windproof for a fraction of a price.

GOPRO Hero 5 Session Action Camera

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 19 Jan 2017 17:02:00 +0000

This topic will not be discussing the specification on the above subject, this you can find on the internet but more on my motivation on getting it which I have been scouting for months from Singapore, Taiwan and around the World.

I do own a GoPro Hero 3 Silver, since then Gopro has been launching new models almost every year. One of the model that caught my eyes was the Hero 4 Session. Having use the previous Hero 3 Silver, the Hero 4 Session was a new kid at the block with build in waterproof housing and small form factor.

I was still reluctant at that time to pay for Hero 4 Session because of the pricing, everyone was complaining about it. GoPro did drop the price.

In late 2016 GoPro launched 4 products in their line. The Hero Session previously name Hero 4 Session, Karma Drone, Hero 5 Black and Session.

At the launch the price was pretty decent $299 for Hero 5 Session but that you can only get it from the States. Prices elsewhere was shocking, in Taiwan the price was $100 more, Singapore was SGD486.

Finally I found from eBay the Hero 5 Session for $289 + $5 shipping from Hong Kong. I could not resist the temptation and with 3 clicks on the mouse. GoPro Hero 5 Session arrived by DHL at my doorstep 3 days later.... WOW!!!! (The seller since then have change the pricing to $299 shipping remain the same)

No doubt the Hero 5 Black is much better and cost $100 more than the Hero 5 Session but I am looking for size, weight and small form factor.

HERO5 Black: 4.2oz / 118g

HERO5 Session: 2.6oz / 73g

The Hero 5 Black was just merely Hero 4 Sliver and Black combine plus a incorporated waterproof housing. So there was not much changes. However the Hero 5 Session compare the earlier model it took drastic changes, the upgrade of voice command, 4K recording and image stabilization was worth putting the $$$.

I have yet to test the new GoPro but the material design was simply awesome, sadly it has a 1000mAh which said to last for 2hrs. So I will need to explore option like how to constantly power the device using 12V Bike / Car battery or Portable Battery while still recording. That was possible on the GoPro Hero 3 Silver. A 32Gb class 10 micro SD Card will be sufficient.

In future topic will discuss how to use Smartphone, 2.5 portable HD to transfer media to free up space on the GoPro or any Camera devices for any Outdoor Adventure.

PS Previously GoPro 3 Silver was ordered from Hong Kong. Please do not ask where I bought from, go to eBay and find out.

Cheers,

Spencer

Adventure Tip #3 Choosing Multi Tools

noreply@blogger.com (Spencer) — Thu, 22 Dec 2016 13:50:00 +0000

Frankly there is no such thing as best Multi-Tool, every tools suit every person differently. With more than 2 decades using Multi-tool experience, I have narrowed down to my needs.

A breakdown on the Multi-Tools I have owned

Swiss Army Issued SAK given to me by a Swiss friend.
Swiss Army Knife Mini
Leatherman Wave
Modded Leatherman Super Wave Black Tactical
Leatherman Rebar
Leatherman Juice Xe6
Victorinox Farmer
Leatherman Style PS
Leatherman CS

Last couple of years of my usage there are 2 kind of Multi-tools, one for OUTDOOR / TRAVELING and the other for EDC URBAN SURVIVAL TOOL.

EDC SURVIVAL MULTI-TOOL

Previously since 1998 Leatherman Wave was my EDC Multi-Tool until 2013 I have created a super multi-tool for my need calling it Super Wave Black Tactical. You can read the post Here. This is the best Multi-Tool I ever mod however it is not lightweight. Not ideal for traveling and hiking. Most of the tools have no use for Outdoor and Traveling.

Ideal usage: Bike, Cycling, Car Camping and other heavy duty work.

OUTDOOR / TRAVELING MULTI-TOOL
For backpacking, hiking and traveling, it is not ideal to have the Leatherman Super Wave Black Tactical because of the weight. Below is my breakdown what I need a Multi-tool for these activities, needs to be lightweight.

These are the basic Multi-Tool functions which I feel necessary for Outdoor and Traveling

Knife
Can Opener
Awl / Reamer
Wood Saw
Pliers
Scissors
Wire Cutter
Cross and flat head screw drivers

Few years ago I finally found what I really needed, Victorinox Farmer and Leatherman Style PS combo.
Before I go further, some of you might not carry such tool, allow me reason out.

Everything man-made item will breakdown even for our camping gears. I have done many outdoor emergency repair and clearly understand there are certain tools I needed to have for outdoor. The basic tools listed below is really necessary to carry out our repairs and other work function.

Below are all the tools function for both Multi-Tools in total 14 functions and weighs below 130 gram.

Victorinox Farmer (89gm)

Knife
Can Opener
Awl / Reamer
Wood Saw
Bottle Opener
Wire Stripper
Cross / Flat Screw Drivers

Leatherman Style PS (44.7gm)

TSA Approved

Needle Nose Pliers
Regular Pliers
Scissors
Wire Cutter
Nail File
Smaller Cross / Flat Head Drivers
Bottle Opener / Carabinar
Tweezers

Some of the repairs or work I have carried out in the field

Backpack sewing repair
Wood processing
Tent pole repair
Tent fabric repair
Awl for pilot hole drilling
Awl for fire starting with fire steel
Wire cutter for repair
First Aid such as tweezers
Preparing Meals

Q: Why the need of 2 set Multi-tools?
Victorinox Farmer is a camp tool while the Leatherman Style PS is used mostly for field repair.

Q: Why not a Swiss Army Knife with all the tools.
The pliers on the Swiss Army knife is very weak.
The Wood Saw on Victorinox Farmer is much longer so is the blade
Having 2 different Multi-Tools reduce the chance of breaking down.

Q: Why Leatherman Style PS and not Squirts PS4
Leatherman Style PS is TSA approve.

In my opinion the Victorinox Farmer is one of the favorite by many people. I had to order from ebay direct from Germany.

If you have your favorite do share your thoughts.

Brother BRS-3000T Hornet Gas Burner

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 15:39:00 +0000

World Smallest and Lightest Gas Burner

From China by a company JieDeng Outdoor Products Co. Ltd. This burner was released to China market in Jun 2014.

I have using it for almost 2 years now and I have very please with the product. So far have to encounter any promblem.

Highly reommended

Specification
Unpack size: Dia85 x 68.5mm
Packed size: Dia37 x 52mm
Wight: 25g
Output: 2700Kw
Material: Titanium

AMG Titanium Cookset

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 19 May 2016 16:03:00 +0000

This is another Titanium camping inventory added to our gears. So far the first impression was good, the quality was well built. I did order the Evernew Titanium DX3 which has a 1300ml pot, good enough for 2 person camping but soon realised the Evernew with non-stick coating cannot withstand extreme heat but I am glad the Japanese seller told me was out of stock.

AMG stands for Authentic Mountain Gear, they are specialized in making outdoor Titanium products for other company. The company is based in Inchon, South Korea. Now they have decided to market their own and this is just one of them. As for price, this is one of the cheapest Titanium product you can find in the market. All their products provided free shipping.

I highly recommend not to buy any non-stick pot expect for fry pan. All coated non-stick cookset cannot withstand high heat, their coating will eventually peel off.

Anyway this is my video below how I am going to Ultralight setup for 2 person. This setup will be used for hiking, bikepacking and overseas backpacking trips.

www.amg-titanium.com

On their web there is English version just lookup at the right corner.

Specification

Fry pan or Lid: 400ml dia

Pot : 1250ml

Weight: 200gm.

Correction on my video price, I have paid USD34 but on their website is only USD30 at this time publishing.

DIY Edelrid Hexon Multifuel Stove With Vargo Titanium Hexagon Wood Stove

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 15 May 2016 14:08:00 +0000

Before I purchased the Hexon Multifuel Stove, I did a lot of research and one of it was using with Vargo Hexagon Wood Stove. I have Noticed the nut of the Hexon Multifuel Stove size and the base plate of the Vargo Hexagon Wood Stove had the same size. It was a wild guess without physically seen it. There was no info on the internet that anyone has done it.

Took the gamble and guess what??!! I was right. This is a simple mod to use both stoves together. Takes less than a minute to get it done. Watch the video below

You might ask why the mod, reason simple if the Hexon Multifuel Stove fails, I have the Vargo Titanium Wood burning as backup. At the same time I do not have to bring along a wind screen.

There is only one item needed for this to work. A Presta Valve nut from a bicycle tube.

This mod you can just leave the nut in place and with all the legs install back.

Edelrid Hexon Multifuel Stove Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 15 May 2016 11:56:00 +0000

This stove is from a German Company who makes climbing gears. This is the first stove they released sometime back but the first generation had minor problem on the leg support due to high heat.

In 2014 they released the 2nd generation with some modification. The legs were tilted instead of right angle on the stove support section.

I was scouting for another Multifuel Stove to replace the MSR Dragonfly. Reason is that I needed a stove that can run on LPG as well.

Options were MSR Whishperlite Universal but it did not fold compact and you need to change jet for different fuel. The other was Optimus Polaris Optifuel, great looking stove and uses ONE jet for all fuel. However it did not fold well and the simmering control was sticking out. It's weighs too heavy.

Hexon Multifuel was different, it folded, small, compact and very neatly. It is much lighter compare the other stoves.

The Youtube video will provide more details and also a test on Diesel which was not mentioned on the instruction sheet.

Makers Fuel Recommended

LPG
White Gas
Unleaded Gasoline (never use Leaded Gasoline due to health reason)
Kerosene
Paraffin??!!

Kindly comment if any.

Cheers
Spencer

Watch and Read on
DIY Edelrid Hexon Multifuel Stove With Vargo Titanium Hexagon Wood Stove

Adventure Tip #2 Choosing Cookset

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 17:17:00 +0000

Outdoor Camping Cookset are very expensive depending on the construction and made. Many have made the wrong choice after a few field trips, most ended getting a Cookset too small or to large and heavy.

We never narrow our Camping Cookset just for Camping, we use it both for outdoor activities, home or traveling. Our choice of cookset have to very versatile, durable and light. Over the decades I have made some wrong choices but now we are clear on what we are getting into.

Before we select a cookset, we first have to identify how many people are we cooking for. Simply break down to these groups. Bigger group more than 5 person will not be discussed here as you probably need Kitchen Cookset.

TYPES OF CAMPERS COOKSET

Soloist (1 person)
Partner (2 person)
Family / Group (3 to 4 person)

First we will discussed type of Cookset construction and their usage practicality but we first have look into their construction.

Stainless Steel
Aluminium
Titanium
Cast Iron

Stainless Steel

Ideal for: Bike, Car, Kayaking Camping

This comes in 2 variations lightweight and heavyweight, personally we had own the heavy weight MSR Alpine Cookset but sold it away (wish I have not done that). MSR Alpine Cookset was very durable and most of the time we made perfect even from cooking rice without any burnt. The cookset have a thicker base thus it distributed the heat rather evenly especially for the fry pan. The trick to frying is to let the pan heat up till smoke from the oil then only you dump in the ingredient. This will prevent fish, eggs or meat from sticking the pan.

The other version will be thin walled stainless steel cookset as you can see below pic with discolouration, mostly we got it in Taiwan Supermarket. This cookset gets dented easily and burnt the food rather fast. The benefit is the weight, it is twice as light compare to the thick wall type. The material tends to discoloured after prolong usage.

PS Zebra brand from Thailand makes good cookset, MSR was using them. You can find it in locally. Think about it.

MSR Stainless Steel Alpine Cookset, fry pan sold separately

Thin wall Stainless Steel Pot discolouration

Aluminium

Ideal for: Hiking, Bicycle, Bike, Car, Kayaking Camping and Traveling

Back in the days of World Wars, soldiers were issued with Aluminium Mess Kit and you can still find such construction from different maker such as Trangia. The are durable however the setback it leaves a black residue when cleaning with a scourging pad. Does not spread the heat evenly.

Aluminium Polished Cookset are much better than earlier mention. Their construction are thinner and prone to dents. However they will not produce any reside when washing with a scourging pad but do leave some marks. Does not spread the heat evenly, example our Uniflame Yama Cookset.

Aluminium Hard Anodized are specially coated and heat mostly using Teflon base. Their construction is much harder compare to the two above. We own a MSR Duralite Cookset for 15 years and the coating all started to peel. Now we have decommissioned it due to health reason. They spread the heat reasonably but still heavier compare to the earlier both Aluminium type.

MSR Duralite and Uniflame Yama Cookset

MSR Hard Anodized wearing off mostly cause by the Pot Handler

Titanium

Ideal for: Hiking, Bicycle, Bike, Car, Kayaking Camping and Traveling

Most expensive of the lot also one of the toughest and lightweight construction. So far we are in love with it and cleaning was easy, we could use a steel scourging pad and it still will not damage the surface. At the moment we owned the EPI Titan Cookset. We are looking to add another Evernew Titanium DX3 Cookset to our current because at the moment we only have a soloist cookset. Evernew Titanium DX3 has a 1.3L pot and a fry pan which is suitable for Partner or solo camping. The only setback is this cookset have coating on both pan and pot however they are using ceramic the best and more durable coating. Then again any coated or treated pot will still fail in time, at least ceramic is much healthier than Teflon.

Evernew Titanium DX3 and EPI Titan Cookset

Cast Iron

Ideal for: Bike, Car Camping

The heaviest cookset in this category, this mainly focus to luxury or family camping. However cast iron distribute the heat very evenly and cook pretty good gourmet. We only have the 7" and 6" skillets. We have no plans to own a Dutch Oven just yet. Hey, we do use a cast iron wok at home :)

What Kind of Cookset should you get.

It all depends on your outdoor activities.

Family or Group

If you have a family or group of 4 who goes camping and hiking, we had use the MSR Duralite, it has a 2.0L and 1.5LPot with a 7" Fry pan. Not necessary to get MSR but something of this size. Fry pan of 8.5" like the Primus LiTech should do the job.

Partner

Go with at least 1.3 to 1.5 Pot, Fry Pan 6" to 8.5".

Soloist

Some Soloist prefer kettle style like the Jet Boil or Snow Peak Trek 900 where they only boil water for their freeze or dehydrated meal.

If you are looking for cookset with a pan then have a look at Evernew DX3 or something similar size. If you choose Evernew DX2 it will something similar to Snow Peak or EPI Titan which have 0.65L pot, I rather pick up the Uniflame Yama Cookset with larger capacity.

How to Use the Cookset

Besides Cast Iron or heavy base Stainless Steel Cookset, all other construction cannot be subject to high heat, this will create a heat spot even if you are cooking noodles in water, the noodle will get stuck to the pot bottom especially so if using Titanium Cookset. You will need constant stirring to prevent that from happening.

Some of our replacement Primus LiTech Fry Pan with Silicon Ceramic Coating, been using more than 3 years now mostly at home cooking for 2 or car camping, suitable for me and partner.

Our replacement frying pan Primus LiTech 8.5" over MSR Duralite 7.5"

Our Final Thought

Because of our activities we will go with Titanium setup. Except for Car camping we will add the Primus LiTech Fry Pan for Gourmet cooking.

Our cookset have traveled many places, Dubai, Holland, Australia, Vietnam, Cambodia, India ....etc. The list is too long. Yes, we always bring our cookset when traveling, we enjoy our morning cup of coffee or taste the local instant noodles otherwise preheat leftover food.

So we do not mind investing in a good all rounder cookset, what do you think leave us a comment.

Photos of Cookset in Lake Toba Inonesia, Dubai Hotel room,

India Midnight Train and Wild Hot Spring.

4 different cooking methods, Alcohol, Electric, Tablets and Fire

PS Do not waste $$ buying cookset for Kitchen, instead look beyond the horizon and get a decent all purpose Camping Cookset. No point keeping a cookset just for camping.

We have spent move 1.5K for both outdoor and our kitchen for the perfect cookset.

Just my 2 cents

Cheers

Spencer

Fire Maple Ultralight Mini Table

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 Apr 2016 15:01:00 +0000

Pack Size: 38 x 15 x 2cm
Unpacked Size: 37 x 25 x 11xm

Wight: 437gm
Cost around USD30

Snow Peak has an identical table however they came out withe version 2 that has hole on the table top. Both Snow Peak and Fire Maple table are made in China but Fire Maple cost much lesser.

Some hikers might not agree of taking along a table during their hikes as it takes up space and weight. That I will have to agree. However I see the need for motorcycle and bike camping or mini car camping as there is more space to stuff the table.

We added this table to our inventory for the sake of more table space. Otherwise it function well as an outdoor picnic table. On the last 2 photos, it was easy to tie down to below my Mountainsmith Tour Lumbar Pack and ride on.

Another option for hiker instead of getting this table, craft cutting board works well for uneven ground. It help to keep the cookset stable on rocky ground.

Adventure Tips #1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 14:03:00 +0000

This article below was taken from http://sectionhiker.com/10-backpacking-gear-myths/

Below are my comments in RED

10 Backpacking Gear Myths

It’s amazing how some backpacking gear myths persist, even when there’s ample evidence to the contrary. Here are my favorites.

1. Two people can fit in a 2 person tent.

Most two person tents are too small to actually fit two people unless they’re 8 years old. If you want *any* extra space in a two person tent, size up to a three person tent and make sure it as two separate doors, so you and your partner can get out at night to pee without falling over each other.

I do agree but from my experience, A person of less than 1.7m tall can fit in a 2 person tent.

2. You’ll sleep warmer if you sleep naked in a sleeping bag.

No again. If you’re too cold in your sleeping bag, put on some long underwear and a hat or a down jacket. The math is simple: the more you wear, the higher the combined R-value of your night-time sleeping insulation.

Totally agreed

3. You need to wear hiking boots to go backpacking.

Wrong. Most long distance hikers don’t wear hiking boots anymore. They wear running shoes which are much cooler to wear in hot weather, dry faster when they get wet, and are much softer than hiking boots so they don’t cause as many blisters.

Totally agreed unless you are mountaineering.

4. You need a backpack rain cover to hike in the rain.

Backpack rain covers are a hassle: they get ripped, torn off and lost, and they don’t do a very good job at keeping your pack dry in rain anyway. Most experienced backpackers line the inside of their backpack with a trash compactor bag instead which is much more effective and less expensive.

For decades been using Trash Compactor bag, work great and you can throw the whole backpack into the river and use as float.

5. You need a tent footprint to protect the floor of your tent.

Footprints are just an easy way for tent companies to milk you for more money. Tent fabrics has come a long way in the past 40 years and almost all tents have bomb-proof waterproof floors that aren’t going to wear out unless you live in them full-time. Even Kirstin doesn’t bring a tent footprint backpacking. Need I say more?

OK...I am using footprint for the reason it is much easier to clean the footprint than a tent base if camping on wet soiled ground. Also on rocky ground, you might get a tears so having a footprint is still on my list.

6. Waterproof breathable rain jackets are breathable.

So-called breathable fabrics, such as Gore-tex and eVent, have been so over-hyped that their breathability claims are not believable anymore. If you want to stay dry in a rain jacket, get one with pit zips so you can vent your sweat the old-fashioned way by cracking a zipper.

That is right, all the so called waterproof breathable jacket are not breathable. My outer layer is a rain jacket with pit zippers. If proper layering is done correctly, you will not feel cold. Most important is the base layer which I have migrated to Merino Wool.

7. You need a 4 season tent to camp in winter.

Most three season backpacking tents work as well in winter as during the rest of the year. If you expect heavy snow, a tent with steep walls is best, but there’s usually no reason you can’t camp in winter using your existing tent if you have a warm sleeping bag rated for cold temperatures.

Totally agreed

8. Biodegradable soap is ok to wash with in streams and ponds.

Nope. A lot of people I meet on backpacking and camping trips think that it’s ok to pour soapy water into streams and rivers if they use biodegradable Campsuds, Sea-to-Summit Wilderness Wash, or Dr. Bronner’s Castille Soap to wash their hands, shampoo their hair, or clean their camp cookware. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Getting any soap in a water source is not acceptable. The soap can cause all sorts of issues from increased nitrogen to actually causing significant harm to aquatic inhabitants. Plus, no one wants to drink water that you’ve washed yourself, your clothes or cookware with. Carry all dirty or soapy water away from water sources and bury or disperse it at least 200 feet away.
Totally agreed

9. Waterproof hiking boots will keep your feet dry.

No again. Waterproof hiking boots are only as waterproof as the coating applied to their exterior which degrades rapidly with use, or the integrity of the Gore-tex lining which quickly breaks down with wear so they start to leak. Waterproof shoes, even those with so-called breathable liners, trap perspiration from your feet, which makes your socks damp and increases blistering. Except in winter, when waterproof boots can increase insulation by trapping warmth, you’re better off hiking in non-leather boots or shoes that have some mesh so that they drain and dry faster when you get the wet and your feet sweat.
Totally agreed, your feet will smell however I have tried 5 feet Merino Wool and it smell less because each of your toes are wrap up and there are no air pocket.

10. You don’t need to carry maps and a compass because you have a GPS.

No. You should always carry a map and compass and learn how to use them. GPS devices (including cell phones) can complement a map and compass, they don’t replace them. While battery-powered devices are a convenience when hiking, you can’t rely on them in the backcountry. GPS devices are power hogs and you don’t want to be stuck in a lurch with dead batteries with no idea where you are or how to get to safety.

Sold my Garmin, now using Android Locus Map. I do carry a backup phone mainly for navigation with no GSM signal or SIM Card. Both Phone uses 5V charging and I do carry external power supply. If needed for long hike, Goal Zero Solar will come to play. Yes, having a map is still essential only if you can get one.

笑'ｓ Sho's Compact TAKIBI Grill 【B-6 boy】

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 13:02:00 +0000

This is one of our favorite camping gear, we do use it at home for mini BBQ. It is small, compact and do not take up much space. We have used it for BBQ and a mini fire place for camping.

We like the quality build, size and the fact that we can have a camp fire off the ground and not hurting the environment. Cleaning was very easy, we can BBQ using the Iron Grill Plate or just skewer with the Grill Plate which makes cleaning easier. Our skewers were bought from Daiso.

We paid for the TAKIBI Grill (SHO-0004) and Iron Grill Plate (SHO-0010) a total of 5832yen, total shipping package weight 1060gm.

I did not order from them directly because they took a while to reply. I did order from http://www.rakuten.co.jp/shop/ and use Tenso shipping which cost 2800yen.

Yes, the shipping cost is rather expensive but for the whole grill set was rather reasonable considering the product innovation and built quality.

Note this item was purchased in March 2015

笑'ｓ Sho's Info

Facebook Link

Link to 笑'ｓ Sho's Works product http://eng.sho-s.jp/index.html

Link to 笑'ｓ Sho's Works product PRICE LISTS (note this quotation was listed in 2015)

You will need to send them an email for more detail sho-s_global@showapress.jp

Specification from Maker

【B-6 boy】Item number : SHO-0004　・Ultra-thin compact design, storage thickness 18mm
　・Weight 500g only, superior carrying characteristics
　・It is most suitable for touring, mountain climbing, hiking
　Dimensions / Weights
　Storage Dimensions：181×122×18
　 Assembly dimensions：215×122×165
　 Weight：0.5kg
　Materials：Stainless(t=0.6), Aluminum rivet
　 Static weight：10kg
　Depth grate：7㎝

Car Camping Mini Camp Setup (Mini Glamping)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 14 Apr 2016 13:01:00 +0000

It has been 18 month since we did this and is our third time we have tried mini camping, was much inspired by many Japanese V-Blogger. Mini camping has all the comfort of Glamping, the setup is less tedious and less heavy gears to bring along.

Watch the video below to get a better glimpse.

Main Gears
Main Tent was from Walrus now taken over by MSR
Tarp by DD Hammock
3 different size of take top
Sho's B-6 Grill
Cooler

All our gear in Mini Daihatsu 4x4 Terios

Bring along Trash bags, it protect your gears from getting soiled

Vaseline for Outdoor

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 19 Jan 2015 15:35:00 +0000

Vaseline aka Petroleum Jelly, to many novice campers they mostly think of only one usage, fire starter such as cotton ball coated Vaseline. Below I will cover on my usage, frankly there are tons of usage but these are some of it how I have used Vaseline.

Survival First Aid and Beauty Care

Burns
Cuts
Rashes
Hot spot
Blister
Chafing
Prevent nose bleeding
Sun screen
Lip balm
Skin moisturizer
Fire starter
Tons of beauty care from eyelid etc
Pet care

Repairs

Rust coating
Zipper repair (tent, bag etc)
Electrical waterproofing
Lubrication (hinges, roller, screw etc)
Battery terminal protection
Finish (leather, wood etc)

Personal Pleasure

Self DIY pleasure

Personally I prefer to use straw tinder with Vaseline coated cotton. It burns very well and it always stays dry. Other than that it could be used for first aid application when needed. So it served 2 purposes beside as a tinder.

Do not just think that the Vaseline straw tinder must be used with a fire steel. Like I said it a great fire starter ever if using a lighter to start a fire. If you make the straw tinder an inch long, it can be reused again once you have the fire started.

As a Fist Aid application, it does have plenty of uses. It helps to waterproof the affected area from infection.

I have Vaseline in my Emergency Kit, Small Tinder Kit and Pocket Repair Kit so think about it, definitely will gives you all the outdoor pleasure needed.

Ferrocerium Rods and Fire Starting Kit

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Jan 2015 19:37:00 +0000

If you have been surfing around the internet on this subject you will definitely find tons of info on it. Ferrocerium Rods aka Fire Steel. Some claimed the Chinese made Firesteels are crap while other champion the Swedish Fire Steel which I still own and now she is laying it my pile of outdoor scrap stuff.

Personally I have sold quite a few DIY Fire Starting Kit and also Chinese made Fire Steel. One factor I did not like in most Fire Steel is the fire steel handle and the striker. The handle simply takes up space and as for the striker, almost every outdoor adventurer, survivalist or prepper carries either a Multi-tool or a knife which can be used as a striker. So why carry a striker that only perform one function?

DIY from smallest Fire Steel 37mm in length dia 4mm

In my opinion, having a Fire Steel is good but if only using once in a while adventure or preparing a survival kit, I do not wish to carry a full size Fires Steel, instead that will be in our bug out bag checklists

Tinders: Cotton Straw, Magnesium, Twine, Tinder Quik (not my cup of tea)

The most important fire starting kit are the tinder no matter the size of Fire Steel. There are many kinds of tinder such as charcloth which I find a waste of time to make it, Vaseline coated cotton or from the nature.

My main concern is tinder has to be lighted fast and at certain point it must be waterproof during wet or snowy seasons. Frankly why waste time searching for tinder in nature (well if you come across it, that is cool) but you if you are doing it, valuable time is wasted when you can to do something else.

Spark-Lite

I have been preparing Survival Kit for 30 years, every year something new comes up and it goes into my kit. Recently I got the Spark-Lite, reason is if somehow one of my hand or arm is immobilise, I could still use the Spark-Lite with one hand. Some will tell me why not add a lighter in my kit, I do carry one since I am a smoker, always have a lighter with me all the time, it is when the lighter is out, Spark-Lite is next in line to assist.

I try to keep my Survival Kit light and simple. I will try not to use my butane lighter during camping because I need it for my smoke.....LOL. So basically I have DIY smaller, light weight Ferrocerium Rods for survival kit, hiking and overseas backpacking. Will only use the modified bigger Ferrocerium Rods Dia8 x 80mm during car or bike camping.

Cheap Tinder

My most favorite tinders are cheap twine and waterproof straw with Vaseline coated cotton aka Straw Tinder. 100 meters of twine cost less than USD1.50, what more can one ask for.

I keep my fire system simple, I have 2 Survival kit now, one for outdoor the other for oversea backapcking. Spark-Lite goes overseas, Mini Ferrocerium Rods goes outdoor and in Survival Kit but most important is still the tinder. No one is going to stop you carrying 100 metres of Twine through the Airport security....LOL (hope you get the drift)

Well hope you guys have enjoyed reading the post and have an idea about fire starting and give you an ideal how to go about.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

High Sierra Diplomat Lumbar Pack

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 20:16:00 +0000

This will be a brief review on the High Sierra Diplomat Lumbar Pack so it will be more to why and how I used a Lumbar Pack. End of the day is up to your opinion if you like my setup. Below there will be many photos of my setup.....so keep reading.

The pack when bought it comes with 2 water bottles but it did not last too long. There are few likes and dislike about this pack, for one the compression clip is on the top of the pack which obstruct the accessing to the compartment, the other is the waist belt compression which goes over the water bottles. Other than that I do like that it has many compartments with a total capacity 8.9Lts.

I have been carrying Lumbar Pack for many years. The High Sierra Diplomat Lumbar Pack is one of my favorite, the other is the Mountainsmith Kinetic II Lumbar Pack which is smaller. Had done a review on it but not ideal for backpacking.

Basically a Lumbar Pack is a bigger version of a fanny waist pack which have bigger storage capacity. In a way it replaces a Day Pack and function very well in many ways. Those days I used it to carry laptop, tools, stationery to work, it was so easy, just sling it to my shoulder and go.

The High Sierra Diplomat Lumbar Pack has few carry options, as a shoulder bag, Lumbar carry or attached to your main backpack front harness which is useful during hiking, this option will have to DIY which is relatively simple by using carabiners. One of my favorite carry option is over the shoulder. It gives the flexibility to swing the pack to the front went sitting down on a chair or needed to access stuff from the pack. However Day Pack you will need to remove the shoulder harness to access stuff which is rather inconvenient.

One of the key feature I look for is tuck away waist belt, the High Sierra has this feature but not the Mountainsmith Kinetic II. So when use as shoulder carry, the waist belt doesn't hang around. Since both my packs have been worn down, I am looking forward to the 2nd generation Mountainsmith Tour TLS which have more carry options. Yeah...it does cost more but I am looking forward to tweak it.

Currently High Sierra Diplomat Lumbar Pack is out of production that is why I am not doing a review. However for Singaporean who wants to find this pack, you can head down to Changi Village. I have seen them last May 2014 in one of the shop houses beside the Food Center. It cost around SGD30 plus if I remembered correctly. Well that was the price I paid years ago.

What do I carry in the Lumbar Pack? Basically all my much needed and important stuff is in this pack which I can easily access all the time. Carrying a Lumbar Pack has a lower profile making it easy to grab stuff. In my experience an 8Lts Lumbar Pack is good, more than enough to carry what is needed.

Man's Hang Bag - It never leaves my sight, even going to the toilet. The best part is using on a flight, it is small enough to tuck away under the seat. Carries my reading book, water container, sleeping eye shades and ear plugs, electronic gadgets, emergency kit, jacket or my cotton Camel long sleeve when it is getting too cold in the plane..etc. You name it, all is in the Lumbar Pack.

10Km hike around Lake Toba, Indonesia, notice the waist compression was not doing well, there is still a gab between my lumbar and the pack.

When sitting down just swing the the Lumbar Pack to the front.

Lake Toba, Indonesia

Kep, Cambodia
Easy access and does not take up much space when riding a bike. This is my OD cotton Camel long sleeves shirt. It has been with me since 1995 and have traveled many countries. Really cooling to travel near Equatorial places

Koh Chang, Thailand

Angkor Wat 4 days cycling around with this setup

6 days cycling around Penghu with Mountainsmith Kinetic II Lumbar Pack

DIY Hydration System

2 Lts Platypus Hydration System with both hip and shoulder carry to lighten the load

Hydration System in Lake Toba, Indonesia

Lake Toba Mas Cottage, Indonesia with Aboriginal Batak owner, had good times together. This is the place to stay if you are heading to Lake Toba. One of our SE Asia 5 star budget relaxing spot however the road journey there is not that comfortable. From Medan, 6 hrs squeezing road trip and almost 2hrs boat ride but it was all worth it.

Malacca, Malaysia

Backpacking notice that the Lumbar Pack goes in first before putting on the main pack

Mountainsmith Kinetic II Lumbar Pack in Maolin 2009 Typhoon Morakot Disaster Aid

Using High Sierra Diplomat Lumbar Pack in backpack style to allow the basket weight to sit on it.

High Sierra Diplomat Lumbar Pack

Lowe Alpine Lumbar Pack back in good old days heading to an overnight trip in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Sincerely I do not understand why the need for a Day Pack. This is my partner carrying a Main Pack, Day Pack and a Shoulder Bag. I really do not comprehend why she was carrying so many stuff. In reality when she puts her Day Pack and the Main pack over her body, both shoulder harness overlap each other and the load bearing was not equalized, end of the day she complained her shoulders were aching.

The Missing Statue of Angkor Wat

Thanks for your support in us, we hope to keep giving up to date materials to read about. Whatever is written here is from our honest opinion, no prejudice taken, end of the day is up to you. There are too many Outdoor Gears and Gadgets, it only through years of research, experience and investment only then we find what is suitable for us so here we share.

Cheers to Lumbar Pack!!

The Ultimate Stove

noreply@blogger.com (Spencer) — Sun, 23 Nov 2014 16:48:00 +0000

We have owned couple of different types of stove. Recent addition is The Pocket Stove and another Vargo Titanium Wood Stove is on the way. In our honest opinion after using Wood, Alcohol, Butane, Hexamine (solid fuel tablet) and Multi Liquid Fuel Stove we can narrow down which is our ultimate and maintenance free stove.

Below the post we have rated each stove and came to a conclusion on the Ultimate Stove.

Multi Liquid Fuel Stove

It burns most flammable liquid, ideal if only for World travelling or vehicle camping. We got this stove because of bike camping trips before. We could drain gasoline from the bike fuel tank and topped it up. Excellent stove but the weight itself weighs too much for any hiking or MTB camp trips.

Hexamine Stove

These are basically solid fuel tablet stove, the bigger tablets can burn around 20mins but if using inferior tablet, it can leave a black and sticky reside on the pots bottom which we have encountered.

The advantages are the stove cost is low and you can bring the fuel tablets overseas when travelling which we did. We did use it on an overnight India train to cook our meals. The stove itself can be turned to a wood burning stove but it is rather shallow to get a good heat.

Overall this stove does not produce enough heat to cook and it takes time.

Butane Stove

These are mostly cannister stove from Iwatani cannister to mountaineering cannister. The lightest set up can be as light as 280 grams including cannister. There are many types and sizes of Butane stoves and it all depends on your camping group size. Most vehicle camper prefers this set up as it is fast.

This setup can be suitable with bigger camping group as it cook faster. Most local Porter here uses 3 stoves setup and can wipe out a 9 course meals in an hour. For 3 days hike they probably need 6 x 440 grams cannisters to make the meals.

Alcohol Stove

There are 2 options, one is either you DIY from Pop soda cans or getting a Trangia, Alocs Alcohol Stove. By the way the Esbit Stove is identical to the Alocs and both are made in China, the Trangia is from Sweden.

If you are planning just boiling water then DIY stove is the pick but if you are into gourmet then Trangia, Esbit or Alocs is the pick.

Alcohol stoves burns efficiently and produces less carbon. Fuel cost is much cheaper compare to the rest except Wood Stoves. Generally most alcohol stoves are maintenance free. The pop soda version would require extra care as they are using softer material.

Wood Stove

The lightest in the market right now is the Titanium Pocket Stove weighing 58 grams and next is the Vargo Titanium Wood Stove weighing 116 grams. Both these stoves beside using wood as fuel, they can be used with Hexamine fuel (solid fuel tablet), alcohol stove, gasoline or any fuel that burns except Butane fuel. In another words they can be a multi-fuel stove.

Using wood as fuel cost nothing however when it is wet that can be a problem. I have made a few DIY wood stoves using Soda cans but never use it in real time or for any outdoor trips. Right now we are looking into options how we can combine this stove for our different camping setup from vehicle to hiking.

Comparison on different types of stove, if you feel our comparison are inaccurate drop us a note and we readjust the figures to see which is the best stove.

	Wood	Alcohol	Butane	Hexamine	Multi-Liquid Fuel
maintenance free	4	5	3	2	1
easy usage	2	5	4	3	1
lightweight include fuel	5	2	4	3	1
stove cost	2	5	3	4	1
fuel cost	5	4	3	2	1
oversea usage	4	3	1	2	5
multi usage	5	1	2	3	4
fast boil time	2	3	4	1	5
cleaning after usage	1	4	5	3	2
Top Stove	30	32	29	23	21

The results showed that alcohol and wood stoves are the top stoves for outdoor. If both stoves combine it will be the Ultimate Stove to be used in any condition. DIY Alcohol stove can be as light as 12 grams. This setup can give you options of using both stoves at any one time and double your cooking time.

We never thought wood and alcohol stove can be combined and make an Ultimate Stove set. We will be testing out soon in our coming trips. We like things that are versatile, alone we had multi liquid fuel stove and butane stove failure before.

CONCLUSION

Fast and Light - Butane Stove

Maintenance free - Alcohol and Wood Stove

Multi usage - Multi Liquid Fuel and Wood Stove

Lightweight and can wait - Alcohol Stove

Best setup - Wood and Alcohol stove

Vargo Hex Ti Wood Stove with Alcohol Stove in Lake Toba, Indonesia

This is our DIY Wood, Alcohol Stove and BBQ. The Vargo Wood Stove simply cannot BBQ very well but somehow I still like it. See below Youtube

Leatherman Wave Mod - Black Tactical

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 08 Jun 2014 16:56:00 +0000

Black Tactical is completed!

From 17 tools Leatherman Wave now it is a 24 tools Leatherman Super Wave.

Additional features: wood chisel, awl, nail extractor, steel cutting saw, hard wire cutter, electrical crimper and scriber tools.

Since owning the first Leatherman Wave in 1998 when it launched, it has been with me round the world both work and play. I was tempted to purchase another Leatherman like the Surge where there are few features worth having such as the awl, powerful hard wire cutter, able to add a steel cutting saw was a big plus point. However the Leatherman Surge was too big and heavy.

After many nights of internet research, came across Mutitool Forum and there was a guy that mod my dream multi-tool. He called his "Black Tide" a transformation between Wave and Rebar. My aim to be better than his and still retaining the 17 tools features on the Wave. So I decided to spoil myself and order Leatherman Wave and Rebar both Black Oxide.

THE MOD

Was it hard to do the modification? Not at all just that a few tools were needed, a Torch, Rotary Tool and Security Torx T10 for the Wave. Before we start tearing both Wave and Rebar down, heat is applied to breakdown the thread lock which has been applied from factory.

Once that is done, using Wave to unscrew the funny looking screw on Rebar and remove the Pliers from the handle. On the Wave just use the security torx T10 and remove the Pliers. Swaping both Jaws was easy and it fits like a pair of gloves.

Once the pliers heads were transplanted, move on to some issues. The Wave scissors was too long for the multi-tool to be fully closed. Some modification was needed to trim it smaller and grind to profile using a Rotary Tool.

Few other tools that were added or modified on the Wave, awl from the Rebar and the pry bar (flat head driver) which is useless and turn into pry bar / wood chisel / nail extractor. The awl was fitted where the original can opener was but some grinding work was done on the Awl. As for the flat head driver, it was shorten and a 45 degree angle of grind on the tip to create a chisel cum nail extractor

FINAL ASSEMBLY
Everything was secured back with thread lock. Here are some photos of the final assembly and if you are interested how the steel cutting saw was added you can find the post here. I have removed the bit holder for eye glasses however found a neat location that you can use the drivers, works like a charm.

As you can see the Wave is fully closed was not completely closed there is still a gap, some grinding work still needed on the Awl but for now this beats Leatherman Surge 21 tools and Black Tactical has 24 tools!!

Rebar back in action

BIT HOLDER MOD

Here are some simple mod to carry extra tool on your bit holder. I carry a set lock picks and steel cutting saw.

Leatherman Wave with Steel Saw Add-on

noreply@blogger.com (Spencer) — Tue, 27 May 2014 17:51:00 +0000

I have been scouting for weeks on the internet on how to add a steel saw blade on my Leatherman Wave. Most of the results came from forum.multitool.org and none of it really fits my bill.

Why do I need a steel saw blade? Since I am a handyman it will come in handy also I have read reports how a guy escape from his captive with a saw blade, so that is partly survival too.

The construction is rather simple and took me days to figure it out. Basically some carton box, super glue and clear tape. The reason for the clear tape so that it protects the carton that is wrap around the base of the saw and also to provide layers for tight fitting.

Well this is the first step to my upcoming Leatherman Project which I will combine Latherman Wave and Rebar to become a Super Multi-tool.

Below is a YouTube vid I have made, it will give you an idea how it can be done. Hope you guys enjoy it.

Sometime things can be that simple and we failed to notice it!!!

DIY 5V Li-ion Charger

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 15:05:00 +0000

Initially started this experiment to revived old dead phone batteries which cannot be charged by conventional charger anymore, read it from somewhere so decided to give it a shot. Somehow it worked and the batteries were revived once more for use.

So I decided to go further experimenting on live batteries that requires recharge. To my amazed I was able to charge live batteries using 220V or portable 5V Power Pack supply.

One of the gadget I have used is a USB Charger Doctor to check on the charging status. Without this I will not be able to tell if the charging was active or the battery was fully charged unless I used a volt meter.

I have tried on several 3.7V Li-ion batteries and all of them were successful charged. To know the batteries were fully charged, USB Charger Doctor would indicate ZERO Amp. Most of the time within half hour the batteries were fully charged. That was amazingly fast!!

From these experiments, I found the Li-ion battery itself was able to cut off charging supply when it was fully charge. In my opinion, this is one of the fastest, simple way to charge Li-ion battery, ideal for spare batteries.

This method is rather useful for Camera Batteries especially those who venture into wild photography or backpacking when you can only carry 5V Portable Power Bank. This will eliminate carrying Camera Charging Pack which most of the camera uses 110~240V supply.

Now this makes me wonder why Camera Makers supplies these bulky charging pack when all we need is a 5V USB cable. Camera batteries uses the same 3.7V as all mobile devices.

Maker's Charger vs DIY Charger

Advantages

lightweight setup
5V charging
able to charge batteries if device charging port is damage (not applicable for device with built in battery)
fast charging time
revive old Li-ion batteries

Disadvantages

Do it at your own risk

Material Needed

Spare USB Cable
USB Charger Doctor or Volt Meter
Bike Inner Tube Band or Tape
5V Supply

Important to Note

RED is POSITIVE

BLACK is NEGATIVE

Stripped the end of a USB cable, remove all other cable except Red and Black. On both the red and black ends you can either roll into a ball or like I preferred to solder a ball which makes better contacts.

Charging either from a 110~240V power adapter and 5V Power Pack. Used the bike inner tube bands or tape to the correct contact points. Sit back and wait.

Previously this was our Li-ion portable alligator charger. It was easy to use and had no failures. Problem was that it charged at the max rate of 250mAh which took the whole night.

This experiment was merely to jump start a dead battery. I was glad to have used the USB Charger Doctor only then realised that this method could fully charged the battery. To verified the battery state, volt meter was used to confirm the battery readiness.

Finally my "5V Project" is coming to a closure, the camera battery was the last obstacle. Will try to improve the design and include in future backpacking kit instead of carrying bulky chargers.

Do share your feed back if you encounter any problem. As you are aware this is only at experimental stage. Do it at your own risk.

DIY Universal Smartphone Bike Mount

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 20 Sep 2013 13:02:00 +0000

These days we have been using our smartphone as GPS and Fitness Apps instead of our Garmin Oregon 400t. I have been thinking how can we mount our smartphone on our bikes instead of stopping and taking out from our pocket or bag to use it or rather spend extra money on a Smartphone Bike Mount.

So finally here I found a simple solution for both of us, a DIY Universal Smartphone Bike Mount and it cost almost nothing.

Materials Needed

Used bike inner tube (preferable 1.85 min)
Soft Foam

Method

First cut a small piece of foam, size slightly smaller than the Smartphone
Cut a few pieces of used bike tube as band. The thicker the band the elasticity will be harder
Remove the bike handlebar
Loop 3 inner tube band as shown below and place on the bike stem
Place another inner tube band (this will hold down the foam)
Secure back the handlebar and check for alignment and we are almost done
Place the Smartphone and use the loop inner tube band and secure it. For larger phone see photos of Sony Xperia Z mounting method below

Final Words

Both our Sony Xperia Active and Z were mounted very securely. I have tried lifting and banging the front wheel down couple of times and both smartphones did not drop. I can't guarantee in off-road condition as I have just finished the installation, so if you do the same, it will be at your own risk.

Both smartphones can be accessed easily without the inner tube band in the way.

Another suggestion is to plug headphone so when you leave the bike aside, you will remember to take the phone with you.

If you worry the inner tube band might break, suggest you double the looping band for the smartphone

Pros

Hands free handling the smartphone
Able to talk while cycling with mic on
Able to check Fitness App Status
Able to check Map location
Lightweight Installation

Cons

Might forget and leave the phone on the bike
No guarantee for off-road condition
Need to use clear wrap or ziploc for non-waterproof smartphone during wet condition

Mounting method for larger Smartphone

Partner Smartphone Bike Mount

Axeman Airpad

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 24 Aug 2013 13:21:00 +0000

Just received this Amazing air mattress from China for review!! Ok that is not just what I wish to say. Have been using many mattresses from cheap roll foam, Z-Rest, tried NeoAir and currently owned 3 Therm-a-Rest mattresses. This Airpad is super lightweight 280gm and compact comparing what I had used before.

At first glance, it looked like a cheap white trash bag from the can. But after testing it out and it was far more comfortable compare the rest I have used, even partner agrees with it. It looked similar to Therm-a-Rest NeoAir but only translucent however doesn't make much noise like NeoAir when moving around the mattress.

The only problem was inflating and deflating it, unlike Therm-a-Rest which can self inflate but then again, we still blow it most of the time.

This Airpad is all manual and it comes with 2 set of cheap looking valves, one to inflate the other to deflate. It takes about 2 to 3 minutes to inflate the air chamber which is almost similar to Therm-a-Rest NeoAir. As for deflating was the hardest however we found the fastest method was fold in half and roll it. It is hard to pack to the original size when it came but we are pretty satisfied with the outcome packed size.

fold the top to use as pillow

Specification

It is 2 metres long and 60 cm wide. It will fit in most tent however if folded the top it can also use it as pillow, it works perfectly well. Now then, we save another weight from carrying a pillow. Overall inflated thickness is 60mm which is almost 2.5" thick. Manufacture claims the PET material is 75um thick which I felt it is and also it could withstand 200kg weight!!

field repair

Do I trust this mattress durability? So did a damage test and inflicted a hole, well one can repair it by melting the hole and seal it since it is PET but instead I decided to use Gear Aid Tenacious Tape to repair it and works wonderfully well. But I do feel using a Park Tool GP-2 Super Tire Patch Kit will be better.

SIZE COMPARISON WITH THERM-A-REST

original and final packed size

Conclusion

For the price that is 5 times cheaper, weights 280g compare to NeoAir 500g and can be easily field repair, compact in size. The only down side are inflation and deflation but if one can overcome, it is one hell of a compact and lightweight mattress we ever seen. Quality is definitely no where compare to NeoAir.

Life Time Warranty vs No Warranty sometimes I do not know which is better but if the price is a huge difference then I will know. If I knew this Airpad earlier, I would gamble with it instead of investing in Therm-a-Rest..... for god sake it only USD25 and do not take up much space!!!!

Glo-Toob AAA Series

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 15:34:00 +0000

Glo-Toob has been in the market for more than a decade. Initially they made these signal lamps for the Military and Law Enforcer and now it is favourite for Divers and outdoor adventure sports.

With the new introduction of the AAA series, it cuts down a lot of weight (34g) and size compare to earlier models. What is even better is that re-chargeable batteries can be used. Battery life span varies from 4 hours to 15 hours depending on the mode setting. There are only 3 settings high, low and flashing by twisting the waterproof battery cap.

The signal lamp is waterproof up to 60 metres so basically can be used in any outdoor adventure sports. The signal lamp can be used as a camping lantern as well, ideally for solo and lightweight backpackers. However, there are more usage such as cycling warning lamp, night hiking signal lamp so partners can be easily located, pet collar lamp or as emergency lamp. If one little lamp can provide so many usage, it is definitely worth while investment. At the moment retailed price is around USD25.00 http://www.glo-toob-usa.com however we should be able to retailed at lower price.

Currently they have 5 colours, Red, Green, Amber, White and Blue. So which colour should one choose is all depends on your usage. If planning to use as a lantern and not worrying about preserving Night Vision then choose white. The rest of the colours are capable of preserving night vision however only Red can be used at high light density with the rest of the colour needs to be on lower light density for night vision preservation. Green is the brightest light and can be spotted further away compare to Red when both on the same light density.

In total darkness

Just tested on our dog, the setting was set to low because partners claims it was too bright on high setting.

EDC lamp Red or Green??!!!

SCUBA Diving

Back-up light for SCUBA diving in low light conditions

Night, cave and wreck diving

Second light source for underwater identification

Can be placed on top of the dive cylinder so it can be seen from above

Place it on or near a breathable air source like the divers regulator
Makes the location of a breathable air source easy to see in a low-light conditions

Use during Dive Lessons to ensure students are safe

Outdoor & Extreme Sports

Camping:

Place on a backpack zipper for a "follow-me" light

Hands-free alternative to a flashlight

Tent light

Mark hazards around a camping site

Cycling & Jogging:

Attach to pants or seat pole to draw attention to oncoming traffic

Water Sports:

Can be used for any water activity as a safety light

Attach to life vests or sides of boat
Attach to a float when night fishing

Safety Light & Signalling

Early Morning / Late Afternoon Visibility

Emergency Kits

Night time activities

Attach dog collar when walking at night

Use during a roadside emergency

For Fun

Parties

Raves

Reusable

More environmentally friendly than Chemical Light Sticks

Glo-Toob is used by the military and law enforcement around the world, with uses ranging from marking personnel to avoiding friendly fire.

Marking Hazards & Locations

Marking Targets & Distances

Illuminating Cache Drops

Training Exercises

Redirecting Traffic

Cambodian Hammock

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 27 Jul 2013 10:25:00 +0000

Our backpacking trip in Cambodia had experience a Nation of Hammock people. Literately everywhere we can see them hanging around. Personally we owned 2 Hennessy and a Eagle Nest Hammocks, prices for these Hammocks did not come cheap. The Eagle Nest is a Double Nest version meaning 2 person can be on the hammock at the same time and build very strong.

Our Eagle Nest and Hennessy Hammock

After experiencing different types of Cambodian Hammocks, we can't resist and decided to get 2 cheap Cambodian Hammock to try it out for ourselves. We were more interested in the Nylon version which looks more durable and pack light. Here are some Cambodian Hammock Photos

Our Cambodian Hammock

How much??? Dirt cheap!! 7 times cheaper than Eagle Nest and 17 times cheaper than Hennessy Hammock, 4 meters Nylon Ropes and a Nylon Hammock cost below USD10!

After observing the hammock construction which had really bad sewing, it seems rather easy to DIY. Basically it is a big Nylon material 260cm x 220cm, folded in half 130cm x 220cm and sewing the edges off. The area where the Nylon rope needs to ran through the hammock is reinforced with another material, Nylon rope used is 5mm thick.

Setting up the hammock was rather easy, just need two fixed object and tying it off. Normally would give a distance between 3 to 4 metres between 2 objects and the hammock will hang perfectly snug. Overall the hammock do not weigh much, only 500g and packing it up was rather easy too, just release one end and roll towards the other end.

After testing the Cambodian hammock, beginning to feel this is a better hammock compare to the other 2 we owned, it was both very comfortable to sit and lie down in. It does feel too big or too cramp. In our opinion, this hammock is ideal for people below 170cm and 90kg. Frankly we do not trust the stitching but then again for the price it a great add-on outdoor gear, fun to use around the city.

Now we can really understand why the Cambodian takes their hammock seriously, it is a good place to rest from serious mid day Sun.

Zefal Spy Mirror Repair

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:52:00 +0000

Zefal Spy Mirror had been our favourite bike mirror, it is small and can be mounted anywhere from handle bar to bike frame. Having a bike mirror is really necessary when cycling in the city so we do not have to keep turning our head back to check for traffic all the time and it is much safer.

Having owned this bike mirrors for a decade, the mirror reflective coating had deteriorated and render the mirror useless. We have contacted Zefal and they informed there was no replacement parts, pretty disappointed as these are expensive mirror.

So for the last few months we have been searching for bike mirror and none came to our liking. We even try using a reflective solar adhesive and turn out rather bad. Finally came up with an idea using vehicle blind spot mirror and it work. So here was how we did it.

Tried using reflective solar adhesive

The vehicle blind spot mirror came with a 3M adhesive so securing to Zefal Spy Mirror was rather easy. We have carefully chose the right blind spot mirror size so it fit the Zefal Spy Mirror nicely.

The surface of the Zefal Spy Mirror was sand-off so that the 3M could stick better on to the surface.

Overall it turn out better than the original Zefal, now we have wider rear view as the mirror is convex.

Partner's Bike

My Bike