Gear Patrol

As Hurricane Sandy furiously barrels on like a scorned woman — and the East Coast grinds to a halt — we thought we’d leave you with a parting post today recapping some of our recent survival and outdoor gear. Keep in mind: this doesn’t include a basic survival kit, which we assume you already keep…

The Boy Scouts of America’s motto is simply “Be prepared”. They’re spot on: failing to do so can lead to some seriously bad outcomes when true disaster strikes. The AE Light SolarMine Emergency Lantern ($115) is made to give you light in exactly that unfortunate occasion, and having proved itself during Japan’s horrific 2011 earthquake…

Sitting Bull used his hands, your grandfather used a crowbar, and if you use either of those items today you’re being silly. Appreciation of the past doesn’t mean we need to suffer its inefficiencies. When seconds count, lives are at stake, or a nasty camp job needs an ass-kickin, the TNT Emergency Survival Tool ($215+)…

Unless you’re fastpacking, any trip involving more than two people (kids, especially) maxes out vehicle cubic space before you run out of things you need to bring. Dinoot Modular Camping Trailers ($789+) let you take everything on your list, plus everything on your wife’s list, too. With modular, build-as-you-go setup, each trailer is customizable to…

The Japanese are known for minimalist design and intelligent engineering; Snow Peak embraces those values in its new Mini Hozuki Lantern ($40). Styled after a traditional Japanese paper lantern just like its larger sibling, the Hozuki Lantern, the mini Hozuki is an elegantly simple battery-powered camping light that weighs all of 2.4 ounces, lasts up…

Danner, the famed Portland, Oregon bootmaker, has been manufacturing some of the finest boots made for hunting, hiking, work and law enforcement since 1932, but their new Tektite Plain Toe 3″ Boots ($115+) throw pomp and tradition aside. In the pursuit of melding sneaker fit with work boot toughness, Tektites use both a lighter platform…

Keyboards are underrated and mistreated. Face it: the thing your fingers are resting next to right now is absolutely filthy — you disgusting pig, you. Luckily for you, the Logitech Washable Keyboard ($40) can be cleansed of its grime, just like a stack of dirty dishes. Using UV coating and laser-printed symbols for durability, the…

Growing up in the boonies teaches you lots of things: at a young age, you knew that field dressing was neither a female garment nor a salad accessory; your childhood memories were made possible by lax zoning laws; and educating coworkers on the finer points of raising livestock isn’t as difficult as you thought. If…

Bushnell is a brand synonymous with high quality outdoor optics, but when it comes to solar power the brand has been noticeably quiet. But all that may soon change as the company widens its focus (if you will) with their new line of PowerSync portable charging devices debuting next January. The lineup includes solar chargers…

Now there’s officially a headlamp for every scenario. The Black Diamond Sprinter ($54) is designed for low-light runs departing from a consistent base of operations (a.k.a. your home) and perfect for twilight or dawn workouts. As the first headlamp to tout a lithium rechargeable battery, you won’t have to deal with swapping out AAs, but…

Gas powered generators are great but they’re not exactly portable nor convenient. Sun Flare Systems S.O.S in a Box solar powered backup generator systems are compact, powerful and just might save your bacon (and solidify your reputation as “the man”) in an emergency. It’s powered by the sun, thereby not requiring any liquid fuel source,…

If you’re itching to reenact an episode of Lost, husk coconuts, or just clear brush, the Woodman’s Pal Military Premium 284 machete should come in handy. The made in the USA concave axe blade, forged in high carbon steel (hardened to Rockwell C47+2 for you knife aficionados), “catches” branches and vines, reducing the glancing blows…

The latest addition to Wenger’s line of ergonomically-handled utility blades the RangerGrip 90 is all about the grip. Sporting a rubber grip insert within a high-visibility yellow recyclable handle, the 90 is ideal for sweaty palms in hot or tense conditions or stiff fingers in cold ones. The thickness of the four-layer multi-tool also gives…

It’s a fact: technological improvements make simple survival tools more effective. There’s no shame in using a lighter rather than flint and steel, water purification tablets over straining through a sweat-soaked T-shirt, or spraying some deet versus smearing cool, putrid mud all over yourself. In the same vein, ASR Tactical Kevlar Survival Cord ($7) is…

Gore Bike Wear’s Fusion GT AS ($280) might be the only jacket cyclists need all year. Whether you’re on the trail, on tour under the hot sun, or battling the freezing rain — the lightweight and extremely breathable Gore-Tex engineered shell provides protection from the wind and water, while still remaining comfortable. It’s nearly mountain-bike…

We’ve written about GORUCK and their tactically inspired gear a number of times. Made in the USA, bomb proof, with a life time guarantee, they’re the kind of company we love to support. Enough said. But one of the best things about a GORUCK product is how they’re set up for you to make your…

Our collective taste buds have been maturing at a rapid rate, and no longer will charcoal laden processed meats satisfy the hunger achieved after a long day of hiking the wilderness. The Primus Firehole is the essential tool for any outdoor enthusiast who also knows the secret to a great meal is a controllable, consistent…

For 80 years, Norwegian knife maker Helle has been building ornate, wood-handled knives that look every bit as good on your mantle as they do in your backpack. Interestingly, the company has lived to be an octogenarian without ever building anything but fixed blades. That all changes this spring with the Dokka folding knife. Helle…

We think the term “all terrain vehicle” is used a bit casually these days. Sure that 4×4 or side-by-side can go off-road, but anything too steep or deep and it quickly becomes dangerous or useless. That’s why we’re stoked about the Argo 8×8 750 HDi ($19,500) – an eight-wheel amphibious mutant that will dominate snow,…

The death of your iPad is a palpable loss. When you’re on the go, we recommend keeping your glowing Retina Display enshrined in something that can prevent such a tragedy. While there are plenty of i-accessories out there to choose from, Normincies Radical iPad Bag (~$198) features an anodized aluminum shield backing and detachable handle…

When’s the last time you checked your land-to-water based escape route? You can cut the number of needed vehicles in half with the new Gibbs Technologies Phibian that enables you to go from trucker to aquanaut in a matter of seconds. Gibbs has been in the amphibious vehicle world for some time now and is…

The first in a series of new technical pieces called the Advanced Projects Series, Mission Workshop has infused the classic military field jacket with their thoughtful, modern touch as well as a heavy dose of the murdered out look we can’t get enough of right now. Made from Swiss fabric called Schoeller c_change, the Eiger…

Your average man doesn’t give much thought to knives, much less fixed blade knives. But if you’re at all a prepared man and you either get to the great outdoors with some regularity or you just want to be ready for whatever may come, you might want to include one of the Cold Steel Leatherneck…

Adventure filmmakers big and small have more tools than ever for producing their work in the wilderness, thanks in part to the continuous improvements of camera equipment and filmmaking technology. Of course, the vision wouldn’t be anything without the dedicated creativity put forth by the storytellers — the writers, directors, cinematographers, editors, and producers. Lastly,…

If Commissioner Gordon happens to be looking for an upgraded and portable Bat Signal, we’d say the Surefire UB3T Invictus ($695) could be easily retrofitted to light the Gotham night. Machined from hardened aerospace aluminum and anodized in matte black with tempered glass window it’s tactical excess in its most beautiful form. It features multiple…

Just because you can’t (or won’t) lug your Calphalons along with you doesn’t mean your bivouac has to be barren of cookware. At least not with a set of GSI Outdoor cookware like the Pinnacle Base Camper ($110). Built with durability and easy stowability in mind, the set includes everything you need for your next…

A flashlight is a flashlight. Right? Think about all the times when you needed to reach for one in the house or the garage and the batteries were dead or if it did work, the beam was weak. Even moreso, your run-of-the-mill flashlight tends to be bulky (hence, bad for small spaces) and the beam…

No matter the destination or pursuit, there’s one unpredictable constant that entwines throughout the spirit of adventure — the ever-changing natural elements. Rather than limiting your lifestyle or altering your approach, we’ve compiled this list of 10 critical items that belong in your outdoor gear arsenal. Some you may be familiar with, some you may…

Most people who spend time in the high latitudes own some sort of insulated jacket or vest. And most of these ubiquitous puffy garments are filled with goose down, the undisputed king of insulation. But while it’s true that down has the best warmth to weight ratio of any batting, fall through the ice and…

Just because something isn’t broke doesn’t mean you can’t tweak it. Recasting its popular, stainless steel predecessor the PocketToolX Piranha Titanium ($95) proves that lighter is better. 30% to be exact. An open wrench, pry tip, oxygen bottle wrench, metric wrench, scraper, box ripper, 1.5″ driver bit, knot un-tier, and the requisite bottle opener are…