Camping Gear Reviews, A Ton

[Corey]

Best American Duffel bag #4

Mike, I see quite a few have that style of enclosure.
Yeah, I am a pretty anal person

Best American Duffel
Best American Duffel bag #4

First off let me say if you do not have a subscription to Overland Journal, you should if you are into exploring the great outdoors.
The OJ is written by a staff that camps, overlands, and goes on expeditions, so they test a wide variety of gear.
The 2009 Gear issue came out a short time back, and I saw an article in it by executive editor Jonathan Hanson.
The article was on duffel bags.
There were quite a few tested, but one I really liked was made by BadBags, or Best American Duffel.
Turns out they are made in American in Seattle, WA. a short distance from me.
Jonathan Hanson mentioned in Overland Journal that owner Malcolm Vetterlein would more than likely answer the phone if you call, and sure enough he did.
By telling him what duffel I currently owned and how long I might stay out, he recommended the #4 duffel.

I ordered up the #4 size which is 25”x16”x13”, and equates out to 4200 cu in.
A little smaller than a Cabelas Ripcord duffel I bought last year, but this one is way more durable.

It has a carry strap on the side, two full zip external pockets on each side, two internal zipped pockets that float away free from the bag inside, and a horseshoe shaped zipper on top to load/unload your contents.
It also has two compression straps that use the Fastex buckles, and you can cinch the bag tight to make it smaller after you stuff it.

While this is a little smaller than my Ripcord duffel, it is still plenty big, big enough for this packrat to take along a weeks worth of clothing and other gear such as flashlights, bathroom kit, and much more as you will see in the pictures below of all the stuff unloaded.

As you can see the duffel can hold a lot of clothing for an extended stay somewhere.
Mine will be used exclusively for camping/overlanding.
Long long ago I use to use the soft sided suitcases to take car/tent trailer camping, but then I found a duffel that is around fifty years old or so that was my parents.
I used that a lot when my kids were growing up on camping trips, but it is a little too small to hold a good weeks worth of clothing and gear.
This new BadBags #4 duffel will fit the need quite nicely.

Here is a picture from Best American Duffels website.

Here are a few pictures of my bag loaded and and the last one showing all what was stuffed into it.
The socks were put into one of the internal zipped side bags, and the undies where put into the other internal pocket.

I did not have to use the compression straps in the second picture, but I did just to show how they work.
There was still plenty of room left over for more clothing inside.
I did not even use one of the external pockets, so there was plenty of room left for more gear.

Here is what I stuffed into the bag minus my undies which I put back into my drawer

Top row left to right
six pairs of socks
nylon pullover
Boeing sweatshirt
five shirts
extra pair of shoes (they include a stuff sack for shoes or whatever you want to place in it)

Bottom row left to right
Jansport toiletries case
hooded FJ Cruiser pullover
two pairs of pants

Rest of the items in the bottom row were in an outside pocket
eyeglass case
Black Diamond LED headlamp
Gerber Covert FAST tactical knife (to defend against killer chipmunks)
Gerber mulititool (Recoil model, discontinued, best one they ever made IMO)
earplugs
Garmin GPS

What I forgot to pack for this test was a few pairs of shorts.
But there was still plenty of room left over inside to pack them in on top of the pants below the shoes or the toiletries case.

The bag is very high quality and also comes with a shoulder strap to carry the bag that way.
I am looking forward to many years of service from this duffel, and I can not wait to test it out on my next camping trip.

 

[KJun]

Doesn't COSTCO have a duffle bag of similar proportions but has wheels (which can be great when on a solid surface)? I have one that was around 50 bucks if I remember correctly and it has held up really well. I like all of your gear reviews by the way and plan to order some of that Cutter Picardin mosquito repellent for a summer trip to Yellowstone.

 

[NLXTACY]

Doesn't COSTCO have a duffle bag of similar proportions but has wheels (which can be great when on a solid surface)? I have one that was around 50 bucks if I remember correctly and it has held up really well. I like all of your gear reviews by the way and plan to order some of that Cutter Picardin mosquito repellent for a summer trip to Yellowstone.

I was in Yellowstone for 7 days last year. I was there the very last week before Labor Day. I didn't see a single mosquito the entire trip.

 

[Atoyot1031]

Corey, excellent write up. Rarely (if ever) do I come up with a piece of equipment from Cabelas that doesn't live up to my expectations.

My only question: How the hell do you fit all that in your FJC?!? (pics needed)

 

[Corey]

I like all of your gear reviews by the way and plan to order some of that Cutter Picardin mosquito repellent for a summer trip to Yellowstone.

Thanks.
I was really surprised it worked on the skeeters up there at Mt. Rainier, as they are bad that time of year.
Worked as good or better than REIs Jungle Juice (100% DEET) that I have used in the past.

Corey, excellent write up. Rarely (if ever) do I come up with a piece of equipment from Cabelas that doesn't live up to my expectations.

My only question: How the hell do you fit all that in your FJC?!? (pics needed)

Thank you very much.

I use a very BIG showhorn
I am reorganizing my gear for this year though, so hopefully it will not take up as much space.
Having the tent and bedding on the roof though helps free up some room that would be occupied by a tent stuff sack, air mattress, and bedding.

 

[knoll0351]

What's that sweet doohickie on the door?

 

[Milkwagon]

Wow, you have a lot of nice stuff... I do not blame you for striving to stay in the same camp for 5 days, as your goal. I bet it gets old in a hurry packing and unpacking all that stuff and then putting it away at your place when you get home.

I envy your energy, I am a minimalist as it goes to camping. The least I take the least I have to set up and put away.

Awesome stuff and great thread!

 

[lingo]

My only question: How the hell do you fit all that in your FJC?!? (pics needed)

You should see my Yaris (HB) loaded with my camping stuff. I thought about pulling the back seat out for just a little more room.

 

[Corey]

What's that sweet doohickie on the door?

Those are the M Packs.

Wow, you have a lot of nice stuff... I do not blame you for striving to stay in the same camp for 5 days, as your goal. I bet it gets old in a hurry packing and unpacking all that stuff and then putting it away at your place when you get home.

I envy your energy, I am a minimalist as it goes to camping. The least I take the least I have to set up and put away.

Awesome stuff and great thread!

Thanks.
I enjoy staying more in one spot that packing up and moving every day.
Been there done that many a time in the past.
I like to stay in one place and explore on foot what the area has to offer.
Plus when I am done, I can come back for some R&R at a site already setup.

I use to backpack many years ago in the 70s and 80s, so I am use to that way of life too with taking the bare minimum.

I got into taking more when my two sons were born many years ago.

 

[knoll0351]

That's just slicker than googerhunck!!! Thank you I'm gonna look more into that!!!!
The net gizmo is about worthless back there, especially when we put our Mickey in the back! He likes to see what kind of goodies we may have put in the net for him to eat during the long bumpy ride.

 

[knoll0351]

Oh my goodness!!!! On the same sight I finally found a pet barrier designed for the FJ!! Today was a great day, thank you soo much Corey!!

 

[Corey]

That's just slicker than googerhunck!!! Thank you I'm gonna look more into that!!!!
The net gizmo is about worthless back there, especially when we put our Mickey in the back! He likes to see what kind of goodies we may have put in the net for him to eat during the long bumpy ride.

Here are some more pics not in the above thread.
http://www.pnw4runners.com/fj/mpac/7.jpg
http://www.pnw4runners.com/fj/mpac/8.jpg

All that stuff on my floor is packed into the bags.
Enough food for about three days, and a stove to boil the water on.

Oh my goodness!!!! On the same sight I finally found a pet barrier designed for the FJ!! Today was a great day, thank you soo much Corey!!

You are welcome.
I got in on the group buy for the M Packs for the rear door long ago over at the blue forum.

 

[Corey]

Maggiolina bone dry inside after a very wet winter

I am happy to report the Maggiolina AirLand roof top tent was perfectly bone dry when I opened it up awhile ago to take out the down comforter and shake it out, and to wash the flannel sheets.
Today was the first time it has been opened up since last August.

We had a lot of snow, ice, and rain since winter, and I mean a lot.
With all of that up there it drips over the shell halves where the gaskets are in place, but not one drop got inside.
I was more concerned with winds driving rain up in there while on the freeway, but the gasket/seal did their thing with perfection.

The only thing I had were some small spiders living on the stainless steel ridge where the canvas connects to the lower half.
That was to be expected as there is slight room for them to crawl there.
But they were not up on the bedding at all.

I will be installing a 12v heating bunk pad later this morning, but I am not sure if I have enough cord or not to make it to the 12v outlets in the rear of my rig.
That will come in useful for some future winter camping or summer camping if the temps drop incredibly low.

 

[Corey]

New season, just got back from my 2009 vacation

Xpress Lounger Arm Chair

I give it two thumbs up

Pros:
* This chair takes up about as much room as a laptop case.
* Chair expands to almost the size of a regular folding camp chair.
* Comfortable, can stretch your legs out, slump down, and still catch some zzzz's.

Cons:
* The top strap you carry it with only snaps to one side of the chair, thus making the handle bunch up.
I hear the next gen will have snaps on both sides, thus fixing this.

Engel Wireless Thermometer

I give it two thumbs up

Pros:
* Mount the receiver anywhere you like, as well as it is within the specified 80' range.
* Can read temps in both Fahrenheit and Celsius.
Besides reading the fridge/freezer temperature, it also displays the temperature where you place the receiver.

Cons:
* Can not think of any.

I really like this gizmo, as when camping in hot weather like I just got back from, I may not check the fridge all the time, and this being outside can alert me to rising temps.

PowerFilm F15-3600 60 watt Solar Panel
Please see my installation article too.

I give it two thumbs up, this is a great way to keep your battery or batteries fully charged without having to fire up your rig when base camping.

Pros:
* Keeps the battery/batteries charged when you have a load on them.
* Stop worrying that you may not have enough juice to start your rig after several days of running a fridge/freezer and other items.

Cons:
* You need sun for it to work.
* Can work with it partially cloudy out, but full power will be utilized when the sun can hit the panel.
* Expensive still at this time.
Accessories such as cables and charge controllers are competitively priced, but the panels themselves are a high dollar item.

Adventure Trailers solar page
PowerFilm Solar
F15-3600 60 watt model, also comes with female 12v (cigarette lighter) adapter that plugs into the solar panel, and you plug your 12v devices to it to charge them
Brunton Solar Controller 12-Volt Battery Charge Monitor
Bought Brunton Solar Controller at Amazon

You can see the voltage dipped down to 16.66 v in one of the pictures, that was in partial sunlight.
Still pretty good, but direct sunlight shoots it up to 18+ volts.
The solar panel kept my batteries charged during my recent trip in hot weather.

Cabela's Chaise Loungers - Black (other colors available)

I give it two thumbs up, very comfortable.

Pros:
* Huge chair, can get very comfortable in it.
* You can sleep in it, as it lays back almost flat.
* Chair locks into any position you pick.

Cons:
* Big chair, even when folded and using the available case for it.
Takes up a lot of room in my rig.
So much in fact I was not able to use my rear window at all, I drove only with my two side mirrors.
If you have an RV or Adventure type trailer to store it, it will not take up valuable room in your rig.

Gerber F.A.S.T. Covert Knife (full size and small)

I give it two thumbs up, very nice knife, and badass looking

Pros:
* Opens with a flick of your thumb placed on the thumb stud, or by grasping both sides with your thumb and two fingers, and flipping it down.
* Both regular blade and serrated edge.
* Sharp from the factory.
* Positive reviews too at Cabelas.

Cons:
* Can not think of any, I like it.

Gerber LMF II Knife

I give it two thumbs up, very nice military knife

Pros:
* Big knife, well balanced.
* Both regular blade and serrated edge.
* Handle end can be used to break a vehicles window if needed.
* You can also use the end to drive in tent stakes or use as a hammer.

Cons:
* Can not think of any, another well made knife from Gerber.

 

[Corey]

Bad Bags Duffels

I give it two thumbs up, the model Duffel #4 SP I bought holds more than a weeks worth of clothing and gear

Pros:
* Huge, nice zippers, carry strap for shoulder, regular strap handle, compression straps to make duffel smaller.
* Very heavy duty bag, this one replaces a Cabelas bag I bought last year.
The Cabelas one is good, but this one is top of the line in my book, read about it in Overland Journal.
* Should last a very long time.
* Owner is local to me should I need a replacement for any reason, or to order more in different sizes.

Cons:
* Can not think of any, I like it.

Link to the model #4 SP I bought

Food Saver vacuum sealer

I give it two thumbs up, I bought model V3835 which is not listed, as it was built to be distributed via Fred Meyer retail stores

It is the same as model # V3840 listed at the time of this review on Food Savers homepage.

Pros:
* Makes food preparation before a trip easy.
* Less preparation of food while in camp.
* Food last longer thus staying fresh longer while camped.
* Can also seal up non food items such as clothing, batteries, and more.

Cons:
* Sometimes wet food may require more than one seal from liquid getting pulled up to the seal line interfering with the heat/seal process.

Some of the food I took on my trip sealed.

Surefire Nitrolon LED Flashlight

I give it two thumbs up

Pros:
* 80 lumens in a compact light is pretty bright.
* Puts out more light than a four D cell Maglite I have that I converted over to LED.
* Push button on the On/Off rotating base cap lets you signal with the light or just turn it on momentarily without having to turn the base On/Off..

Cons:
* Uses two 3-volt lithium batteries instead of readily available AA batteries.

Very bright light, I had fun shining it in the pitch dark up at tall trees in the spot I camped at.
Picture below on my down comforter in my roof top tent.

Outback Porta-Privy

I give it two thumbs up

I like this one much better than the one that came with my PETT toilet system.
It sets up much easier, and it a little bigger inside, and also has a removable floor.

Pros:
* Takes up very little space in a rig.
* Sets up like those tents you throw up in the air, sort of.
It is spring loaded, and once expanded, you only have to open it by hand.
* Comes with a removable floor held in with Velcro.
* Sky light opening in the roof.
If you are tall, you can stick your noggin' out the top to keep an eye on your campsite while showering.
If you hear banjo music, grab your rifle or run.
* Towel holder on the outside.

Cons:
* Break down can be a little confusing, I would suggest practicing at home first until you have it down good.
insert pics here
* The two way zipper on one side kept coming open as you would zip it down for privacy.
I think this was due to the tautness of having it staked at four corners, I do not know.

It came in handy also for showering with my Zodi Extreme Series Water Heater/Shower.
I retrofitted a a kitchen faucet sprayer on it several month back, and it makes showering a lot easier with it since you do not have to keep turning off the tank to stop the flow.
Just release the sprayer button to save on water when soaping up.

[YOUTUBE]XzI-sXNrIFA[/YOUTUBE]

Kelty Shadehouse 12 (This links to a newer version than the one I bought last year)

I took it along, but I did not set it up.
The site I choose was not really big enough to open it up, and the weather was in the 80s with zero rain.

Cabela's Deluxe Roll-Top Tables (Mine is the bigger one)

Another item I took but did not set it up.
To be honest with you, I may not have a need for it.
The Cabelas folding picnic table holds a lot, I simply did not see the need to set it up, even with my brother camping with me.
I will leave this at home on single trips, and perhaps only bring it along if there is going to be a lot of us that could utilize the storage space it can provide.

 

[FJ40_owner]

Call the Norcal 80's guys. You'll fit right in

 

[Corey]

Call the Norcal 80's guys. You'll fit right in

Cool...

 

[knoll0351]

Corey thank you again yet another well done review

 

[Corey]

You are welcome.
I have fun getting out and witting down my comments on the items.

 

[Rigger]

Great Thread! Thanks!

I'm currently working up a camp shower, and your review was helpful.

I like your mini picnic table salt and pepper shaker holder!