7 Summer EDC Essentials

I hope everyone is having a great day!
With the nice warm weather EDC changes a bit. Here’s some stuff I find myself using a lot these days.

5.11 Taclite shorts

I have some of the old lot of 5.11, canvas 100% cotton. They are falling apart so it was time to get new ones. These are a cotton/nylon blend which is far more durable.
They are comfortable, don’t look half bad with good shoes and a neat tshirt or polo and they have the exact same configuration as your standard 5.11 taclite pants. Pockets for all your EDC and then some. Spare magazine pouch upfront and you can through a couple rifle mags or 20 12ga shells in each back pocket if needed.

Glock Hat

Much needed to keep the sun from your face and head.
I’ve used this Glock hat for a few years now. At this point I feel that although it does contradict my main philosophy of “gray man” wardrobe, I did notice a couple things. First, I LIKE wearing it. That’s always important. Second, and this you only notice after wearing it for some time, is that while I got zero negative comments or even weird looks, I did get a few “cool hat bro” approving nods and thumbs up from people in the know. Not everyone knows what Glock Perfection means and those that do will most likely be gun people.

Seiko Orange Monster

I love the Seiko Monster series. They are true diver watches. Big, built like a tank and just look solid, like a piece of stainless machinery. Although my standard go to watch is still the Protrek PRG 250T, I do wear this one a good bit during the summer. The orange dial looks amazing and the pics don’t do it justice.

Leatherman Charge Tti
This one is with me year round but just a reminder. The Leatherman Charge Tti is such a fantastic tool and has served me so well over the years. My most used EDC tool, hands down. Its been with me many summers, many beaches and it has been a trusted companion. A minimum amount of care, a couple drops of oil and it handles a trip to the beach perfectly well.
WileyX Valor

I somewhat recently updated my shades to these polarized Valor, retiring my much loved WileyX Revlovr. Let me tell you, if you haven’t tried polarized eyewear yet, do it. The difference is very much noticeable and worth every penny.

LG G6

People sometimes ask about a good phone that doesn’t cost a fortune and fits the requirements for people with a survival and preparedness mentality. To me that means toughness and waterproofing, without sacrificing what a smartphone is supposed to be.

Sure, there are specific “rugged” phones, but you give up having the performance of flagship models in terms of camera, display and other features. Not with the LG G6.
My previous phone was a Note 2 which I kept in an Otterbox defender case. Tough as nails but not waterproof and dorky as hell with the large case carried in the belt.
I keep my LG G6 in a Spigen Tough Armor case, added a Spigen screen protector and that was it. Its resistant enough, IP68-rated for water and dust-resistance (the Iphone X is only IP67)
IP67 means the unit can be dropped into a body of water up to a meter deep for half an hour, while IP68 guarantees protection in water up to 30 meters deep for the same period of time. Both are resistant to dust.
Its still a big 5.7” display but thanks to having no front button (centered in the back, like they all should be) and 18:9 ratio, it slips perfectly into my jeans pocket.

Salomon Ultra shoes
I have a couple of Salomon Quest 4D boots which I use all the time but they are a bit bulky for summer.
The Salomon X Ultra are comfortable, light trekking shoes. Surprisingly durable too, unlike my last pair of Merrells that fell apart in a couple months.
So, do you have anything in your EDC that changes depending on the season or weather?
Let me know in the comments below.
Take care!
FerFAL
Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre is the author of “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse” and “Bugging Out and Relocating: When Staying is not an Option”

Leatherman Rebar: A Hard-Use Classic with Great Tools

The Leatherman Rebar is a classic, hard use multi-tool.

You don’t have a pocket clip or one-hand open for the blade like in the Leatherman Charge Tti or Leatherman Wave, but you get a better set of screwdrivers with longer shafts, better plier with 154CM removable wire cutters and an all around solid multi-tool.

The saw in the Rebar went through this 2 inch dry hardwood without a problem.

The Leatherman Rebar is intended to be carried either in the sheath provided on your belt, maybe in a pack or kit. I see it well suited for outdoors use or for construction or DIY projects, would do nicely in a BOB or other kits.
FerFAL
Fernando “FerFAL” Aguirre is the author of “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse” and “Bugging Out and Relocating: When Staying is not an Option”

The Wonderful Leatherman Wave: "Hands down Best Multitool for the Money"

The Leatherman Wave is the best deal in multitools (MT) as of right now. While the Charge Tti is the Rolls-Royce of MTs, the Wave offers pretty much all the functionality of the Charge at half the price. Granted, you don’t get the nice titanium handles and the premium S30V steel for the blade, but everything else is there. The Wave handles are still very comfortable and the blade steel is still ok for a folding knife. Unless you really know steel and know how to keep it razor sharp at all times you wont notice any difference just from cutting a few strings or slicing a few tomatoes every once in a while.

The list of 17 tools found on the Wave is pretty comprehensive:

Leatherman 830040  New Wave Multi-Tool with Nylon Sheath   $51.60

1.  Needlenose Pliers
2. Regular Pliers
3. Hard-wire Cutters
4. Wire Cutters
5. Wire Stripper
6.  420HC Knife
7. 420HC Serrated Knife
8. Saw
9. Spring-action Scissors
10. Ruler (8 in | 19 cm)
11. Can Opener
12. Bottle Opener
13.  Wood/Metal File
14. Diamond-coated File
15. Large Bit Driver
16. Small Bit Driver
17. Medium Screwdriver

The Leatherman Wave is just big enough to be useful when needed but still easy to carry around all day in the pocket given that you have the clip for it.

Besides the official tools, the side of the file can be used as a thick and rudimentary metal saw. Not great but during an emergency it will cut through a window bar if you’re kept in a dungeon in Bolivia and guards forgot to take away your trusty Leatherman Wave! The can/bottle opener can be used as a poking tool and I’ve used it some times to open up jammed knots.

What makes the Wave and the Charge great is that all tools are all they can be in spite of the pocket size limitations: The wood saw cuts as well as a saw twice its size, the knife has a nice, respectable size, so does the spare blade and the file is better than most files you find around in hardware stores. As if that wasn’t enough the knives can be opened single handed with a thumb hole and all tools lock into place. The Wave does everything well, that’s the secret to its success.

Nice Blade

 

Nice Wood/Steel File

 

Nice Saw

The black oxide finish Wave is a bit more expensive than the standard stainless one but otherwise it’s the same MT.

In conclusion, the Leatherman Wave is a great Multitool which is simply a step ahead of everything else in the market right now. There, I said it. If money isn’t a problem get the Charge Tti. If you want to save 50 bucks or so then get the Wave but do yourself a huge favor and buy the clip to go along with it, spend the 7 bucks and buy the black one that is less flashy. The clip makes the MT a dream to carry around all day long.

FerFAL

New Leatherman Sidekick: Affordable Jack of all Trades

Leatherman 831429 Sidekick Multi-Tool

The new Leatherman Sidekick isn’t going to earn you any cool points in the shooting range. It has average looks, its not big and mean looking like the Leatherman MUT and I doubt you’ll see many tacticool guys bragging about their Leatherman SideKick. Honestly I got it for reviewing because I felt I had to, not because I just needed to add it to my already large collection.
Its only after handling it some that you see the stoic beauty of the thing.
Crisis Creature
The new Leatherman Sidekick has been conceived with a clear objective, one born out of necessity: To satisfy the need of a Leatherman Charge/Wave yet doing so at a price people affected by the current hard economic times can afford. The Wave and Charge models do the same things the Sidekick does and do them better. The Wave and Charge simply are better, ly larger  more complete tools. Yet even if you own one, you might still be interested in the Sidekick. What the sidekick does is offer surprisingly close performance to the one offered by the more expensive tools mentioned but at half or one third of the price of the Charge and Wave.
Concentrating on what Matters

Just a bit smaller than the Charge/Wave pliers

The shape of the 420HC blade in the Sidekick (below) is excellent. Charge Tti above for comparison.

Gone are the fancy titanium handles and Leatherman laser engraving on the pliers that cost time and money to make. Like in wartime weaponry, the handles are instead stamped steel, for fast and cheaper production yet though and effective.
The main virtues of the Charge and Wave were of course the pliers, but also the nicely made blades included that could be opened single handed and locked with a liner lock. Thanks to the pocket clip, it could even double as an acceptable EDC folding knife. That and a few more tools like Phillips and flat screwdriver provided a nice amount of uses. The functional blade and pliers along with an assortment of tools where the key of success for the Charge and Wave. That’s replicated in the SideKick, though doing it in a budget minded way.
The pliers and knife are excellent. I’d say that the pliers are even better than in the Charge and Wave. The blade isn’t made of any fancy steel like s30V, it’s the more humble 420HC which is not great but still good, and is in fact the same steel used for the blade in the Wave. Slightly smaller than in is bigger brothers, the blade design is still fantastic for its size.

Flat and Phillips scredriver, serrated sheepfoot saw, file/ruler/small screwdriver,bottle and can opener.

The SideKick's fixed Philips screwdriver is similar to the removable one on the Charge

The saw on the Sidekick is similar to the one in the Charge

On the down side there are a few sharp edges on the inside of the handle which could have been removed, but this is an easy fix with some sandpaper or a small file. There’s no exchangeable bit driver, but you get a long enough Phillips screwdriver that can go where the bit in the Wave and Charge wount reach. The file is probably the worst thing this tool has going for it and the 1.5 inch rule isn’t much better. I wish they had done a smaller version of the diamond dust file found in the Charge and Wave, and place the ruler in the handles instead.

All in all, it’s an excellent tool when you consider the price which hovers around $30. Not bad at all.
The Leatherman SideKick would be perfect for you if you want a Charge or Wave yet cant spend that kind of money in a multitool right now. Also as a very nice gift that doesn’t break the piggy bank or as secondary multitools in kits or emergency bags.
It wont be replacing the Charge, but I still recommend this tool, especially more so when you look at the price tag.
Happy New Year every one!
Join the forum discussion on this post!

FerFAL

Reply: A gun, 1000 bucks and a bottle of water

In reply to the “A gun, 1000 bucks and a bottle of water” post:

Hey Fernando, no reply necessary, but I can't agree about the Leatherman Charge TTi multi tool. There's no corkscrew on that SOB, it's practically worthless ;-) . I prefer the JUICE® XE6 It meets my needs. LMAO. Glad you're onto an IPhone. I love mine and can't speak highly enough about it's versatility. I was in Italy in 2007 and there were three of us. Two of us had Treos, and the one woman, who's not the sharpest knife technologically speaking, kicked our asses. It was so damn easy that both of us went to Iphones within two months of returning to the states. You're doin' great work, keep it up, EN

Leatherman Juice XE6 Storm Gray

Thanks EN, will do. :-)

Hey, at least you have the blade to cut the cork out if needed during an emergency.   : )

I looked into the Juice a lot and came close to buying it but ended up going for the Charge Tti and a spare Wave instead. I do like the smaller multitool a lot, and I like the more traditional  (and in some cases more useful) screwdrivers in it. I have to write a post about the problems I see with the Charge/Wave, even when compared to the much smaller all time favorite little tool, the Victorinox Midnight Minichamp.  By the way, the Midnight Minichamp now comes with a white LED. It used to come with a red LED for better runtime but they've improved that. Now its just freaking awesome. If it had a lighter in there somewhere I'd get divorced only to marry this thing.

About the iphone, I managed to convince a friend (Marine gun nut) to buy one a few days ago, along with the help of another iphone user. He also got the Otter Box Defender  the three of us are currently using, so as to make the iphone more rugged and drop proof.

Now that you mention the Juice, I really should get one so as to try it out and write a review. It does seem awful convenient. Wish it had a pocket clip of some sort though.

FerFAL

Multitools: Why are they needed.

Its’ pretty simple and self explanatory. Everyone that ever carried a multitool, swiss army knife or even a pocket knife knows how valuable a tool can be when needed.
It’s common to hear people say that they use whatever tool they carry at least once a day and they couldn’t imagine not having it with them.

That’s true. Once you get used to having a tool with you at all times, one that fits your general needs, it becomes very valuable to you.

Now of course, all this is directly linked to your general tinkering skills and know how.
As I mentioned in the Poxitas post, I used the epoxy cloth patch and a knife to fix my car’s cooling system hose once, but that was possible because I knew how to detect the problem, where to look, how it works on general terms, how to purge the system, how to avoid getting scald with the hot liquid and steam.
Same for fixing a leaking AC, unless you figure our why its leaking, how it works and where to look, the tool alone wont fix anything.
You need to put a bit of extra effort if you expect to use whatever tool you carry for more than cutting a piece of string or opening a box.

Yet the tool is the hardware to the software in your head. Without it you can somewhat improvise on occasions, and of course the knowledge is more important because there’s no way around that, but without the tool at the right time you can’t solve the problem at hand.

So, what’s all this got to do with Preparedness and Survivalism?

It’s likely that you’re already pretty good at tinkering, fixing stuff and solving problems and that you have some sort of multitool (or several) you carry on daily basis.
SHTF or not, its always useful to carry a minimum amount of stuff for everyday chores and small inconveniences.
Now, why is this extra important when SHTF or when things simply start getting worse?
Because the structure you used to rely on before is either starting to fail little by little or is disrupted completely, depending on the nature of the event.
Here, we’re already used to many things a lot of people take for granted in other places simply not working.

If there’s a blow out in a power substation or street transformer, we already expect to have to wait for days.
If the subway brakes down, expect to get out and walk out of there as well as you can on your own, there’s almost no chance of a subway employee showing up with a flashlight and helping people out.
If you somehow get trapped or caught at the doors of the Roca train, don’t expect anyone to show up to help, and if he does, I assure you he’ll have no tool to help you. Not even a knife to cut you free if your clothes got tangled on the door or somewhere else.
Remember when someone broke into my neighbors home and I had to hand over my flashlight to the cops? They didn’t have one of their own.
When my mother’s car was stolen may years ago, and she hurried to the police station near by, they told her they didn’t have any gas for their patrol cars.
And that’s how everything is here in Argentina: ½ way through, “A medias” as we use to say around here.
This is typical of 3rd world countries and of course typical of emergencies and other problems where you have to cope with the problems yourself.

For all these reasons, what during good times is just a way to solve small daily problems or more serious unexpected emergencies, it becomes of much greater importance when you already know the infrastructure and the general system is not to be trusted or depended on.
A multitool can always be a lifesaver, can always be made useful no matter what, its just that when the structures and safety nets start failing you know you’ll be more likely to need it, and you learn to depend on it yourself more to solve problems instead of counting on others.

The Tools


I always like tools even before I knew how to use them.
My first SAK I found in Pierce School’s yard in Boston, when I was in kindergarten. Oh, I kid you not. Its the truth. All I remember was those beautiful red scales and the little bright shield. The teacher took it away from me immediately and threw it to the trash, so my first SAK was lost to me the same day I found it! If only I had kept it in my pocket…

Many years later already living in Argentina I found a well worn Swiss Army knife in a pier in Mar del Plata, most likely left behind by a fisherman.
That SAK was well worn already when my brother and I found it, and its seen a lot of use all these years. I doubt a lot of people have a SAK with a blade as worn as mine, the tip is almost rounded like a butter knife by now.

About 12 years ago I bought my first multi tool. I didn’t have much money and as always, most of these things are much more expensive here than in USA and other countries.

But as it usually occurs, when you buy quality you don’t exactly pay bargain prices. As with many other things, paying for quality means you pay once and cry once. That was the case with the Gerber Multi-plier.

It’s a “first production run” as stated on the handle, and proudly made in USA. It served me well for many years and still lives in my bag. I bet a cheaper tool wouldn’t have taken ½ the abuse I put that tool through.
Yet today there are several more alternatives and there’s been some progress made during these years.
The improved multitool designs offer more tools than ever, in a more practical package.

12 year old Gerber Multiplier, my first multitool.

The Gerber next to the Leatherman Charge TTi, the pocket clip makes it much easier to carry on daily basis.


After doing a bit of research as usual, for me it came down to Leatherman being king of the hill with their Wave and Charge Tti models. I bought both and have been using them and testing, so far the one I like the most is the Charge Tti. Both models are pretty much the same but the Charge has more comfortable handles and a better steel blade, as well as a hook for cutting seatbelts.
A review of both will be posted soon but I think its important to explain why tools in general are worth having for the preparedness minded person, and within that realm, the tool you actually carry with you is the most important.
Take care folks.

FerFAL

Minitool review: Minichamp vs. Squirt P4

The Battle of the Mini-titans

The reasons for writing about gear and their reviews are many.
Of course I do enjoy writing about it, that’s good enough.
Money being a limited resource for most of us, I myself will read lots of reviews before spending a single buck, and I advice everyone to do the same.

I also enjoy using them and having them handy. As my son opened the gifts grandpa brought today, the Minichamp earned its space in my pocket once again, cutting the tape and small plastic straps, later the wonderful Minichamp Philips tool was used to open the battery compartment.

But there’s more to it. First, while coping and dealing with problems is a matter of mindset, a tool makes solving those problems a much easier task. No matter how much mindset you have, you can’t cut rope or unscrew the plastic cover of an air conditioner unit with mindset.
You need tools, and the more you learn to deal with stuff, improvise, fix things, the more important your tools become.

This doesn’r sound very survival related but there are other cases were fixing something may make a world of a difference. I’ve used my knife and a bit of tape to fix a leaking car hose, without such a fix I would have been stuck on the road. I’ve used my Gerber multitool to replace a windshield sweeper during a stormy night. Without such tool ( and LED) I wouldn’t have been able to fix it.



Victorinox Midnight Minichamp

For several months now, the Minichamp has earned a place in my little tinkering heart. I have used it to install a network card on my PC motherboard, tighten the screws on my car door’s lock, cut dozens of strings, cut out newspaper articles and write down phone numbers when no pen was handy at the time. For me, there’s no equal when considering size/quality/utility/price. I do love the Victorinox Minichamp. Read previous posts about it.


Leatherman Squirt P4

But then came the Leatherman Squirt P4, Leatherman’s keychain multitool.
I liked what I saw, but went cautiously, buying a used one on ebay for 10 bucks plus shipping. Worn exterior, but little real use. Perfect.
I got it, liked it, started using it, and the more I use it the more I like it.
Never thought the Minichamp could have such competition. Both are about the same size, have somewhat similar tools and are very well made. Which one to pick?

Blade: The most often used tool and the harder to improvise. Here, Leatherman wins with a blade that, even though its as long as the Minichamp, its wider and thicker, about 40% bigger than the one in the Minichamp. The Minichamp one is clearly more fragile, but at least you have two blades in case you brake the main one.

Screwdrivers: The P4 has a flat Phillips screwdriver that works kind of ok. The Minichamp Phillips is a little work of art, somehow fits most screws and works perfectly. The P4 has nicer flat screwdrivers(small and large) , but the Minichamp has the cutitcle pusher that works like a large flat and a small one with a ruler.

Awl: The P4 has one, but I improvised making holes with the Minichamp’s scrapping tool.

File: Both have one but the P4 one is much nicer.

P4 pros:
Spring action pliers and wire cutter, a nice blade, nice small screwdriver.
Minichamp pros:
Scissors, ruler, red LED light and pen.

Squirt P4 Tools:
· 420HC Clip Point Knife
· Spring-action Needlenose pliers
· Regular Pliers
· Wire Cutters
· Extra-small Screwdriver
· Medium Screwdriver
· Flat Phillips Screwdriver
· Wood/Metal File
· Bottle Opener
· Awl


Midnight Minichamp Features:
· Blade
· Scissors
· Nail file
· Nail cleaner
· Cuticle Pusher
· Screwdriver
· Ruler
· Emergency blade / letter opener
· Orange peeler
· Scraper
· Bottle opener
· Magnetic Phillips screwdriver
· Wire stripper
· Key ring
· LED mini light
· Retractable ballpoint pen


So, both have a few similarities, but if I had to choose just one, the Minichamp has more uses and it proves that on daily basis. Yet the pliers … I settled with the Minichamp on my house keys and the P4 for my car keys along with a small LED.

FerFAL

Woodman's Pal

Ferfal:

What's your opinion of the Woodman's Pal? http://www.bestglide.com/Woodmans_Pal_Info.html http://www.woodmanspal.com/products.html

Sincerely,

Juan

Hi Juan, definitely not something I’d buy.
This is a good example of the kind of gear I don’t recommend: Expensive, complicated and hype.
I know a few things about knives and if there’s one thing I know is that knives that have “This part is for cutting, this part is for peeling oranges, this part…” kind of blades are no good. It’s like attempting to make a multitool but spread along different parts of eh blade. It doesn’t work that way with knives.
I much rather save the 85 USD, buy a 20 USD machete that is without a doubt a better overall tool, and a small hatchet or sickle if that’s what I need.
Something similar happens with Tom Brown’s Tracker knife. It’s Hollywood hype, and it’s worth almost 300 USD.
300 USD for a knife that doesn’t come close to what a 50 buck knife will do, and only dreams of the capabilities of a 15 USD Bowie like the one by Cold Steel.
Maybe someone likes it, like with the TB Tracker. In youtube there’s a guy swearing by it and making a bow with it. Point is you can make a bow and 100 different other things better with a big knife, easier than with the TB Tracker, they just make an extra effort to supposedly prove they favorite toy is the best in the world.
For good tools check Ontario Knives as well.
Seriously, it’s complicated, and it’s neither an axe, nor a machete, nor a knife or a sickle.

It’s 85 dollars worth of gizmo that pretends to be all at once but is none of the things and will perform none of the tasks well.

FerFAL