Specifications:
4” & 2” Velcro strip for label and pouch attachment
17” x 12.5” x 1.5”
Toggle/Barrel Lock closures
Padded interior
500D Cordura
Our Thoughts:
If you are like me, you love maps and half of the fun of a trip is in the planning. I have invested in maps for all of our backcountry travels and I want to make sure my maps stay protected and free from damage. For years, I tried to protect our DeLorme atlases from being damaged by placing them under a seat, or in the pocket behind the front seats but, eventually, due to being sloppy, the covers and pages would become bent or torn.
After years of searching for a better way to store our maps we came across the Trip Planning Bag by Blue Ridge Overland Gear. The bag holds up to five of our DeLorme atlases or a couple of atlases and our folding BLM travel maps. You can tell that a lot of care goes into making the Trip Planning Bag. The Blue Ridge team makes each one of these pouches by hand and the attention to detail is evident in the design. This is an extremely well-built pouch, Krista even commented that 'Man, this thing is Krista proof!'
Visit our website, www.LivingOverland.com, or click here to read the rest of our review and see why 'we no longer have to worry about damaging our DeLorme atlases.'
Review: Light My Fire Swedish FireKnife
by Beau Johnston
Specifications:
Blade: Sandvik 12C27 stainless steel
Grind: Modified Profile-Ground Scandinavian
Length: 3.75" (10 cm)
Grip: TPE rubber material
Sheath: Polypropylene
Swedish FireSteel®: magnesium alloy
Actual size: 225x45x38mm
Weight: 94 g
Price: $39.99
Our Thoughts:
There is something about the design of Swedish field knives that epitomizes craftsmanship and design. The quality of steel used for their blades combined with traditional designs make these the chosen survival and field knives for outdoor enthusiasts around the world. It wasn't any surprise to us when we heard Light My Fire, known for their Swedish FireSteel, was teaming up with Mora of Sweden, who has been making knives for over 120 years, to create a single tool that is able to 'gut and clean a fish, split kindling and light a campfire.' We were able to get our hands on the FireKnife at the 2012 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market, where we actually had to wait in line to test it out.
Visit our website, www.LivingOverland.com, or click here to read the rest of our review and see why we think the collaboration between Light My Fire and Mora of Sweden produced a great all-around camp knife.
Our Thoughts:
I am a firm believer in the importance of a quality knife, especially when it comes to the camp kitchen. If we think of knives as tools, the size and shape of the blade determine its function. All too often people use the wrong knife for the job, and that is when we experience problems; I have many scars on my fingers to prove this.
So what can we tell from the blade design for the Stowaway Kits? The kits are based around Buck Knives' 941 Spreader knife, which features a thin/flexible 410HC blade with a serrated edge. The full-length tang is covered by a triple-riveted PaperStone handle. The blade is designed as a general purpose kitchen knife, able to tackle the tasks of general meal preparation. The flexible, serrated blade is suited for slicing cheeses, spreading peanut butter, slicing softer vegetables and bread. The blade's flexibility would not be suited to cutting firmer vegetables like carrots and the blades width would not be suited for boning meat.
Click here to read why 'Our Stowaway Kit now resides on our 4Runner's kitchen drawer, along side our two favorite chef knifes, and is the first thing we pull out when we make lunch.'
Out Thoughts:
I will be honest, I have never been a fan of traditional 'mess kits;' like the ones tossed into the backpacks of generations of Boy Scouts. I inherited such a kit from my father when I began backpacking in the late '90s. It was bulky, weighted a ton, and while it was made of metal it wasn't much good for cooking and tended to suck the heat out of the meal it was containing. It was with reluctance that I began looking for a mess kit after deciding to outfit our pelican case as a adventure motorcycle kitchen.
Click here to read the rest of our review and see why you will find our MealKits in our adventure motorcycle kitchen box on our future adventures.
Review: Big Agnes Flying Diamond 6
By Johnathan Aulabaugh
There is nothing quite like a trip like this to bring a family together and let everyone enjoy the outdoors. Of course in some instances a tent can make or break you. Rain, cold, wind - All can destroy the perfect camping trip by simply making one person miserable. While I do not subscribe to the belief that the most expensive product is the best, I do believe in buying quality made products I have used countless cheap tents and had the fall apart within a year. If a cheap tent does not last through the first camping trip, you are on the wrong track...
Our Thoughts:
The flying diamond 6 is referred to as a 3-4 season tent and while I would not quite call it a true 4 season tent, this tent is solid in all weather except for maybe deep snow, and I only say that because the full coverage fly does not quite hit the ground all the way around like most 4 season tents do. The dome design with multiple DAC pole system proves to be strong in wind and not overly heavy.
Click here to read why Johnathan relies on the Flying Diamond 6 for his family camping trips.
I have struggled for years to find a decent cellular phone mount for our 4Runner. Inexpensive suction cup mounts would vibrate loose over corrugated roads or fall off in the heat. Also, suction cup mounts also obstruct the view out of the windshield. I wanted something that could be quasi permanently mounted in the truck, withstand the rigors of off-pavement travel, and could be used on both our smartphone or Garmin Nuvi.
What I found was RAM Mount's new X-Grip cellular phone mount, which uses four spring-loaded arms to grip onto the sides of the smartphone. I was sold on the video showing the design's tremendous rigidity in extreme vibration. I chose to maximize rigidity when in use by not utilizing the kit's suction cup base, but instead mounting the X-Grip to the 4Runner's A-pillar using Ram Mount's Motorcycle Handlebar Clamp Base.
Parts Used:
1ea RAM Small Suction Cup Mount with Universal X-Grip™ Cell Phone Holder (RAP-B-166-2-UN7U)
1ea RAM Motorcycle Handlebar Clamp Base with M8 Screws (RAM-B-367U)
1ea M6x40 Flat Head Socket Cap Screw
Read the rest of our review and how we mounted the X-Grip to our A-pillar by clicking here.
Review: Grand Trunk Double Hammock
by Beau Johnston
We love traveling and sleeping in our 4Runner but sometimes it is too warm outside to sleep in the truck. Tents are great, but are bulky and with the 4Runner's limited interior space, can be difficult to store. A great alternative to sleeping in a tent on a warm summer night is curling up in a hammock. The complete airflow around the hammock helps to keep you cool and two hammocks take up less room than a traditional two-person tent.
Specifications:
Weight: 20oz
Dimensions: 10.5 x 6.5ft
Folded
Capacity: 400lbs
Includes rope and hanging instructions
Price: $64.99
Our Thoughts:
We were excited when Grand Trunk asked us to be apart of their National Hammock Day campaign and supplied us with one of their Double Hammocks for our travels. The Double Hammock boasts the largest bed space of any hammock on the market and includes the two lengths of rope to secure the hammock to a tree or vehicle. I really liked how simple the hammock was to setup. We were able to string the Double Hammock between just about anything that was able to support the 400lb load capacity - including a tree and the 4Runner (as show above) at one of the area reservoirs.
Click here to read the rest of the review and why we would choose the single hammock over the double.
