Inaugural Post. New Gear as Seasons Shift-8/22 update

I've been wanting to get this going for a LONG time.  With the purchase today of 2 cheap knives, 1 pricey knife and 2 new flashlights and a ton of batteries, it begins here.  This is a blog dedicated to the purchase, review and testing of knives, flashlights, outdoor gear and weapons.  You'll find my 2 cents on brands like Benchmade, Cold Steel and Surefire along with rifles, pistols and packs and tactical nylon gear.  Enjoi.

I just returned from 4 days at Ross Lake in the North Cascades, WA.  Trout fishing was good, the weather was too good.  101 F. on Saturday.  Luckily I employed some 35 spf sunscreen that is applied like spray butter, just squeeze the trigger and out comes an ejaculatory fountain of sun protection.  Banana Boat, to its credit, protected my skin, but it's greasier than Mickey Rourke at a pig roast.

My primary blade was a Spyderco Ed Schempp Persian lockback folder,

blade of VG10 and handles of stainless and black linen micarta.  It rode in my pocket everywhere and is the best knife I've ever used to poke into a trout cloaca and zip my way up to the gills, wherein the fun began.  

Today I acquired Benchmade's Neil Blackwood Rukus axis lock folding knife.  I found it at a local warehouse sporting goods store for an online sans shipping comparable price.  I love it.  The thing is massive with a 4.25" blade, it's 10.12" locked open.....more about that soon.

Also coming soon:  Reviews of Cold Steels incredibly inexpensive Roach Belly and Finn Bear fixed blade knives.  Field review of Eddie Bauer's redesigned Trail Head backpack.  And a writeup on Streamlight's NightCom 3 function green led/xenon lithium powered flashlight.  Supersanitary Garbageman will be a regular contributor also, chiming in on Benchmade and more, it's about time we got this party started.


 I've been chewing Swedish Portion Snus like a sum'bitch lately and you'll get plenty of evaluations on the 20 or so recent varieties I've ordered from buysnus.com in the last 2 months.  

Stay safe, stay smart and check back often.

-A

Hey, I forgot to mention a fairly detailed piece on Surefire's $30-something G2 Nitrolon flashlight is on its way. This is one piece of gear I liked well enough to buy a 2nd one, and I've given them as gifts. I've probably invested several hundred hard earned personal dollars on flashlights and lithium batteries, as instant light is a concept I believe always exceeds its dollar value. I'm really digging Streamlight's inexpensive NightCom, as I've mentioned, I think the green LEDs have some sort of additional psychological intimidation factor, as I scared the crap out of a neighbor and her dog the other night, she may have thought I was an EBE on the prowl for medical test-subjects. If you can't cut, stab or shoot a confirmed "Bad Guy" blinding him and/or confusing him can buy you precious seconds. Viva La flashlight!