Last years Cheers and Jeers (2 Viewers)

[Corey]

Here are a few of the new things I have got since September to use during the upcoming camping season.
All of this stuff is on my build thread too.

Outer Limits Weekender first aid hit on the rear door rack.

Rigid rock lights will help setting up camp if after dark.

Hella plug with 8 gauge wire to the aux battery to power the new National Luna Weekender 50 fridge & freezer.
Bottom two 12v plugs go to the starting battery, but use thin wire which is OK for some stuff I run back there, but not for the Luna fridge.

NVIDIA Shield tablet for marking waypoints of new campsites I explore.

Dual Rotopax water cans, along with two new black Maxtrax with the older two tans ones.

And a new shower tent showing up this Friday from Nemo, saw a great article on the Portal here.
Field Tested: Nemo Equipment Helio and Heliopolis

 

[Corey]

One more cool item I bought, a new Fenix headlamp.
I already have one at home that is less lumens that I use when I read in bed at night that runs on 2 AAs.
This one uses a lithium 18650 rechargeable like I also use in a nice 1,000 lumen Fenix flashlight.
This new headlamp is very bright, and I just got back from a 30 minute walk with it around our lakes we have at work.
I like to get 30 minutes of fast walking in every day.
This headlamp will be great for camping.

No need to pull the battery out to charge it, it uses a standard Android USB cable that plugs in next to the on/off switch.

Fenix HL60R 950 Lumen USB rechargeable CREE XM-L2 T6 LED Headlamp, Fenix 18650 rechargeable Li-ion battery with 2 X EdisonBright CR123A back-up batteries bundle

 

[rusty_tlc]

OMG - I googled "discada cooking" and got this link: and couldn't stop watching it and getting hungrier & hungrier. One delicious meal after another cooked... Where did you get your cooker, or have you got it yet? What a good idea for camping or overlanding in Baja!

They can be purchased on-line. Mine was made by Chicago using a harrow disc provided by Mace.

 

[rusty_tlc]

One more cool item I bought, a new Fenix headlamp.
I already have one at home that is less lumens that I use when I read in bed at night that runs on 2 AAs.
This one uses a lithium 18650 rechargeable like I also use in a nice 1,000 lumen Fenix flashlight.
This new headlamp is very bright, and I just got back from a 30 minute walk with it around our lakes we have at work.
I like to get 30 minutes of fast walking in every day.
This headlamp will be great for camping.

No need to pull the battery out to charge it, it uses a standard Android USB cable that plugs in next to the on/off switch.

Fenix HL60R 950 Lumen USB rechargeable CREE XM-L2 T6 LED Headlamp, Fenix 18650 rechargeable Li-ion battery with 2 X EdisonBright CR123A back-up batteries bundle

Thanks, one of the pieces of gear I need to replace is the Costco headlamp I've been using for a few years. It worked great and gave me good service for the cost but the case is starting to fail. One good thing is it let me see if it was something I would use without spending a lot of money.

 

[Corey]

Thanks, one of the pieces of gear I need to replace is the Costco headlamp I've been using for a few years. It worked great and gave me good service for the cost but the case is starting to fail. One good thing is it let me see if it was something I would use without spending a lot of money.

You are welcome.
I am debating whether or not to get the Tembo Tusk Skottle too.
You can cook a wide variety of grub on it, and there are a few aftermarket companies now like Jackcovers.com that make nice carry cases for them.

 

[Corey]

Well, I could not help myself, I finally ordered the Skottle from Jackcovers.
Skottle - Ultimate Kit

His whole kit includes the carrybag/leg bag, chrome dish cover for covering food when cooking, a tan colored bag to cover when setup, and the piezo 10K burner.
All you do is add a Coleman bottle, or get an adapter to run a full size tank if you want.
Not sure if I will have it by the weekend or not to test out, but def the following weekend.

 

[surfpig]

I'l probably build my own then.

I finally replaced the annoying cig lighter in my 80, I went with the power port socket, I can always plug in a usb adapter. I used the same one as CDan. Some of these come with a mounting bracket, you could put it under the dash:

 

[TrickyT]

The Blue Sea marine ciga (and probably some of the others) has a couple locking notches in the barrel. If you use their plug or one with similar shoulders you can insert it and rotate it 90 degrees to "lock" it in place. I have a male plug on order to get a look at it. I will be replacing the Hella plug on my Kimberley LED strip light.

12 Volt Plug - Blue Sea Systems
View attachment 1406621

I've used to use the Blue Sea locking cig connectors several years ago, but had repeated problems with them and eventually moved everything over to Anderson Power Poles. The problems I experienced were not with the ground connection on the outside of the barrel but rather with the center contact. The center contact is a thin shell with a spring inside that pushes against the end of a glass fuse. The spring would lose tension over time and not make a good contact with the end of the fuse leading to higher resistance and overheating. Once it got so hot it deformed the plastic shell of the male connector. This was on the cord to my ARB refrigerator and I didn't notice the problem until everything inside got warm. Like I said, this was a few years back and maybe Blue Sea has corrected the problem by now, but watch out for this.

 

[Mace]

From what I have seen of the Skottle, I'd like the ability to put more heat into it.

Using a turkey fryer burner on my discs has worked out really well over the years.

@rusty_tlc Where are the pics?!?!?!?

 

[cruiserdan]

I've used to use the Blue Sea locking cig connectors several years ago, but had repeated problems with them and eventually moved everything over to Anderson Power Poles. The problems I experienced were not with the ground connection on the outside of the barrel but rather with the center contact. The center contact is a thin shell with a spring inside that pushes against the end of a glass fuse. The spring would lose tension over time and not make a good contact with the end of the fuse leading to higher resistance and overheating. Once it got so hot it deformed the plastic shell of the male connector. This was on the cord to my ARB refrigerator and I didn't notice the problem until everything inside got warm. Like I said, this was a few years back and maybe Blue Sea has corrected the problem by now, but watch out for this.

Valid points Tom. I'm using the positive-locking ARB fridge sockets in all my trucks. The cigas are all for less sensitive circuits that are not pulling as much current.

 

[Bogo]

The problems I experienced were not with the ground connection on the outside of the barrel but rather with the center contact. The center contact is a thin shell with a spring inside that pushes against the end of a glass fuse. The spring would lose tension over time and not make a good contact with the end of the fuse leading to higher resistance and overheating. Once it got so hot it deformed the plastic shell of the male connector.

Does anybody know of any that don't have this issue? The thermoelectric cooler I used to use was particularly good at destroying even the best heavy duty plugs. The one plug I haven't destroyed yet is the one that came with my 300W inverter from 2 decades ago. Sadly it has no markings on it so I have no clue who made it.

 

[Kofoed]

I've used one for the past 4 years and really like it. I wish it was wider. Cabella's has some that are wider. I bought it for use in the back of my 4runner. I store it inflated in a closet.

Mine is 30 inches wide.....you'll definintely need to go to Wally World or Cabelas to get something wider....

 

[rusty_tlc]

From what I have seen of the Skottle, I'd like the ability to put more heat into it.

Using a turkey fryer burner on my discs has worked out really well over the years.

@rusty_tlc Where are the pics?!?!?!?

The discada is still at @chicago house he has pics.
I have the a pig ass gas burner for beer brewing that should work fine.

 

[rusty_tlc]

Does anybody know of any that don't have this issue? The thermoelectric cooler I used to use was particularly good at destroying even the best heavy duty plugs. The one plug I haven't destroyed yet is the one that came with my 300W inverter from 2 decades ago. Sadly it has no markings on it so I have no clue who made it.

Just change to power pole connectors.

 

[DickM]

Just change to power pole connectors.

I have been very happy with the Anderson SB50 plug/recessed socket/cord supplied by @NLXTACY for the ARB fridge power supply. Pretty much impossible to loosen or unplug accidentally. Actually, very tough to unplug without a very concentrated effort and the handle even when you want to.

 

[Kofoed]

So a sleeping pad update.

I sold my Alps Mountaineering XL (77"x30"x3") to a coworker for about my cost....he seemed to really like it. Truth be told, the surface was slippery and I sort of don't like that. I have a Big Agnes Double Z air mattress which is really comfortable for packing, aside from having to blow it up and having patched about 10 holes in it so far. I think that a 4-inch-thick pad is my speed for a side-sleeper (who used to use those 3/8" thick pads)

I had my eye on an Exped MegaMat 10.

Exped MegaMat 10 Sleeping Pad - REI Garage


This is thing is not a sleeping pad, it is a freaking mattress.......and it rolls up to a bit bigger than the Alps.

 

[rusty_tlc]

So a sleeping pad update.

I sold my Alps Mountaineering XL (77"x30"x3") to a coworker for about my cost....he seemed to really like it. Truth be told, the surface was slippery and I sort of don't like that. I have a Big Agnes Double Z air mattress which is really comfortable for packing, aside from having to blow it up and having patched about 10 holes in it so far. I think that a 4-inch-thick pad is my speed for a side-sleeper (who used to use those 3/8" thick pads)

I had my eye on an Exped MegaMat 10.

Exped MegaMat 10 Sleeping Pad - REI Garage


This is thing is not a sleeping pad, it is a freaking mattress.......and it rolls up to a bit bigger than the Alps.

I camp with a group of guys and many have that mat. Last year one of the gang told me to test his out while we were setting up camp. I was impressed.

 

[Kofoed]

It is a game changer.....hum, link gets corrupted

Exped MegaMat 10 Sleeping Pad


On sale for 2016 close out, $163.

Amazon has it too, if you are anti-REI (which I am most of the time)

 

[BMThiker]

It is a game changer.....hum, link gets corrupted

Exped MegaMat 10 Sleeping Pad


On sale for 2016 close out, $163.

Amazon has it too, if you are anti-REI (which I am most of the time)

Yeah, the *** extension that this site uses has been corrupting links. You have to scroll to the bottom of the redirect page and click the "skip these deals & continue on to..." link. It's annoying but @woody is already aware of the issue.

 

[surfpig]

It is a game changer.....hum, link gets corrupted

Exped MegaMat 10 Sleeping Pad


On sale for 2016 close out, $163.

Amazon has it too, if you are anti-REI (which I am most of the time)

I'll look into that...