May 3rd, 2009 by AV
MSR Whisperlite Internationale
The folks at Mountain Safety Research know the outdoors. Having used their MSR Whisperlite Internationale multi-fuel portable stove since 1994, I can tell you that this stove is one tough hombre. Not only is the design bulletproof, but this stove will cook with nearly any fuel available. MSR recommends using White Gas when possible, but I have personally cooked with 87-octane gasoline and ate like a king. Switch out the IG jet (preinstalled) with the included K jet and you can cook with diesel fuel or Kerosene. Weighing in at less than 16oz, this stove puts out some serious heat and will boil water faster than you can say, “Man, it’s cold!” I’m on my second Whisperlite and that’s only because my 1994 version was stolen. The fuel bottle has never leaked in my pack, nor has the stove ever failed to ignite. Sometimes it takes a little getting used to how much pressure you need in the bottle, but you can pick it up pretty quick based on the type of fuel that you are using. If I had a complaint about this stove, it would be the difficulty in getting a good simmer setting, but I solved this by removing the folding aluminum heat saver that surrounds the stove during operation and bleeding off some pressure from the bottle. When the flames start to die at this low heat setting I would give it 1 or 2 pumps on the fuel bottle and it’s back in business. However, 95% of the time I operate it wide open and that’s where it really shines. At less than $80 from internet discounters such as Amazon you can’t afford to miss out on this portable cooking monster.
April 14th, 2009 by AV
Tent camping was the norm for my wife and I before the addition of two Yorkshire Terriers to the family. So the thought of being in a tent with two active puppies with equally active bladders and bowels is my personal version of a nightmare. So we decided to buy a travel trailer. We knew next to nothing about campers or RV’s in general which meant that we had a great deal of research to do. What kind? How long? What kind of features do we need? All these questions were answered by the folks at Northgate RV in Ringgold, GA. Salespeople and I rarely seem to see eye to eye, so it was refreshing to find one that I hit it off with. Fred May answered all of our questions and a few days later we became the proud owners of a 2006 Sun Valley Roadrunner XL 27RB. We left the dealership and headed straight for the campground at Doll Mountain on Carter’s Lake to try it out for the weekend.
Our first camping experience in the travel trailer was a bit confusing initially, but we soon settled in and found out what all of the fuss was about. The first benefit we discovered after getting the electricity and water connected was convenience. When we were tent camping, my wife had to get in the car and drive to the public bath house in the campground to even use the restroom. In the camper there is a toilet, shower, and sink with full privacy and safety. The next thing I noticed was that there was more free time to actually enjoy the camp site. With tent camping we would focus most of our time on making the gear work, like messing with tent stakes, the rain fly, sleeping bags, and propane bottles. With the RV, things just worked. The bed was made, dinner was ready in minutes instead of hours, and we spent less time looking for things that we knew we had brought but couldn’t seem to find. Now traditionalists may find these very activities a reason FOR tent camping, like part of the experience, and it is. But sometimes you just want to relax. Camping in a travel trailer allows you to focus on the parts of camping that are enjoyable like endlessly messing around with the campfire or reading a good book or playing guitar. When the rain comes, you just go inside the camper and do something else until it quits instead of praying that you sealed all the seams correctly in your tent.
My wife and I will still go tent camping, but without the puppies and probably in conjunction with some hiking. So if we are going to get drenched, smoky, and tired, the destination will make it all worthwhile.
January 15th, 2009 by Pete
Welcome to Camping Fishing Guns and Knives. Where you can find fishing articles, gun and knife reviews, camping articles and the occasional survival or hunting article.
March 3rd, 2008 by CB
The Spyderco Cricket is a deceivingly small knife. So small that, even knowing its exact dimensions, I was still surprised by its diminutive size. Like I said though, it’s deceiving. While not ideal for self defense or hunting-related tasks, it excels at most utility purposes. Still, for people with large hands, the Cricket’s size could be a problem. With its handle being a mere 2 ¾ inches long, it only accommodates three fingers. That’s never bothered me, though.
The handle is made of two stainless steel scales, with an open spine, making for easy cleaning. Everything is screwed together with Torx screws, so it can be easily disassembled if you really want to scrub it down or if you just like doing that sort of thing. The lock is actually part of the handle scale, making for fewer moving parts and parts that can break. The stainless steel pocket clip is very smooth, sliding easily on and off the pocket. It’s tight enough not to fall out of sweat pant and jean pockets, but it can slide unnoticed off of thinner materials–a lesson I learned the hard way. (I don’t wear thin pants anymore.) The clip also isn’t reversible, so you’re stuck with right-side tip-down carry, but it’s also attached with Torx screws, so it can simply be removed if unwanted. Additionally, there’s a small hole in the bottom of the handle for a lanyard or fob.
From base to end, the blade is pushing 2 inches, but the cutting edge, measured straight from end to end, is just a little over 1 ⅝ inches. This is useful for places with a 2-inch legal limit, and, to its credit, the curving “reverse-S” blade profile gives it more functional edge, and the hooked shape is very useful for pull cuts. The blade came shaving sharp out of the box, as I’ve come to expect from Spyderco, and is made of high-end VG-10 steel, so the edge will last you a while and sharpen fairly easily when the time comes. The opening hole is only 11 millimeters in diameter, making it rather difficult for gloved thumbs to handle, but shouldn’t be a problem otherwise.
The Cricket isn’t for people with big hands or who commonly use their knives while wearing gloves. It’s certainly small and kind of cute, so don’t worry about scaring passersby while you use it. For office use and general utility use, the Cricket is an excellent tool, and because of its small size, can even double as a money clip. Mine earned a five star rating.
February 22nd, 2008 by CB
Last year, I purchased a Spyderco Native with black blade for display. As with all of my display knives, I had to play with it for a few hours before putting it away. Having left a good first impression, I bought another one, and the Native immediately earned a place in my pocket.
The Native is a mid-sized folder, just shy of seven inches in length when open, with a three-inch blade. Its handle is fairly plain-looking and composed of one piece of black FRN, meaning there are no pesky screws to get loose over time and fall out, but you also can’t take it apart for a thorough cleaning. There’s enough texturing to keep my hand from slipping, but slipping wouldn’t be much of a problem anyway, thanks to the handle’s two deep finger grooves. The pocket clip’s edges are rounded, so it doesn’t dig into my hand, and tight enough that it won’t let go of my pocket when I’m not looking. Though I’ve heard of the screw that holds the clip on quickly loosening and falling out, it has never happened to me.
The spear-like blade shape is visually appealing, with its false-edge grind on the spine. The blade is hollow ground and about 2.5 millimeters thick, made of CPM S30V, one of the higher-end steels on the market, and comes shaving-sharp out of the box. You almost can’t beat the price, considering the blade steel, as other knives of comparable materials are often priced near the $100 mark, while the Native can now commonly be found around $40.
However, it’s not perfect. The knife has several sharp edges in various places, which can sometimes be uncomfortable; for example, the inner edges of the handle where it meets the blade when the knife is closed, the edges of the blade’s spine, and the edge of the trademark Spyderco opening hole are all fairly sharp. Also, the opening hole is a bit small and partially submerged in the handle when the knife is closed, making it difficult to access if you have big thumbs or if you’re wearing gloves. Similarly, the forward finger groove is a bit small. I have fairly small fingers and mine fit snugly, so bigger or gloved fingers might not work so well.
My Native is still nearly shaving-sharp without ever being sharpened, and despite its flaws, it’s a pretty tough knife for general purpose use, and an excellent value. I highly recommend it.
January 16th, 2008 by Pete
The most popular tool is the knife. If you don’t carry one then you aren’t alive. Even my wife carries.
As a species, man has always relied on tools. The knife is one of those tools that has been around forever.
We don’t have the built-in claws for digging or defense or the teeth for eating that our wild animal friends are equipped with.
As a weapon or tool it increases production and defense levels.
Things to look for in a knife:
- Durability
- The right size for your most common tasks
- The right edge for your most common work
- A comfortable grip
There are many things to consider when purchasing a knife for use rather than collecting. Some divers prefer a blunt tip knife to reduce the risk of puncturing their dive gear. Blade steel and finish are also considerations. Smooth edge, serrated, saw-toothed and combos are all useful but each for a different task.