minimalist

Photo of the day: Mobility EDC Pack

I made this mini go-bag from spare parts and by cannibalizing from gear I already had as part of my packing list on a whim in a hotel room.

It took me a while through trial and error to get it just right, combining seemingly unfitting parts together to make something useful as a whole. The entire kit is irreversible as there was no sewing or permanent changes made to each part with one exception.

This “mobility EDC pack” is the answer to needing to carry additional gear that won’t fit in my clothing pockets but not enough gear to warrant a daypack.

Courtesy of John Cain (Vinjatek)

Trip Prep: Take only what you need

The course I took from Kyle Defoor a few years back was one of the best experiences I’ve had attending a shooting course. His professionalism, attention to detail, real-world experience and no bull-shit attitude were second to none. I’ve been following Kyle over the years to see what gear he recommends and his overall minimalist approach to things. If you’re a gear guy and interested in the minimalist movement, then you need to follow Kyle Defoor and Defoor Proformance Shooting.

Trip prep 1- taking only what I need and nothing more. Two mags per gun, eyes, ears, two training blades, timer and a blue pistol- all wrapped up in a Magpul bag. – Kyle Defoor

*Photo courtesy of kyledefoor.tumblr.com

Active SERE kit: Concealed and ready for deployment

An active SERE kit differs from any other survival or task kit in that it must be concealed on your person ready for deployment, not unloading.

Survival in any form for any environment is an act of prevention and or recovery, best enacted by preparation.

A particular set of tools must be removed from a SERE loadout kit to be applied for field use, forming an independent and “active” deployment carry kit.

An active SERE kit is not a pack or pouch filled with many tools to be carried for universal use. It is a select few tools for a specific purpose such as escape/evasion and is integrated on to the person.

Read the full article here

*Courtesy of John Cain (Vinjatek)

Mission First Tactical Battlelink minimalist stock

Mission First Tactical (MFT) has the most photographed rifle stock to appear in gun rags this last year. And it’s easy to see why. The Battlelink Minimalist Stock is easy on the eyes. After spending some quality time at the local pewpewpew spot, I found that it’s not just the eyes it’s easy on.

5.8 ounces. That’s how little the Minimalist weights, without tube or buffer assembly. For comparison, the Magpul MOE and BCM Gunfighter stocks come in at 8oz and 8.2oz respectively. This is why most of the articles the Battlelink Minimalist Stock appears in are “Lightweight Build” types. Don’t take this to mean that skinny is all MFT was after here. This is more than just a svelte package.

Constructed from a reinforced polyamide, this stock doesn’t suffer wimp syndrome, despite fighting in the featherweight category. A QD sling socket on the forward/bottom portion of the stock offers the best position for ambidextrous use. Additionally offering good balance as it’s so close to the receiver. The cheek weld is among the best I’ve used in adjustable position stocks. Not only comfortable, this was the first time in years I didn’t lose beard hairs while going through shooting drills.

Cheek weld on the minimalist is far above par

The angled buttstock with rubber buttpad provide good traction on the shoulder. Not only that, the shape of the lower end makes keeping the rifle at the low ready much more comfortable than with a 90 degree stock. The adjustment release lever is pretty much flush with the underside of the tube. Keeping it out of the way until it’s needed. The Battlelink Minimalist Stock adjusts easily and locks-up tight with zero wobble or play.

The only concern I’ve heard people (who had no hands-on time) voice about this stock was their worry that the L shape of the stock, lacking a diagonal supporting bar wouldn’t be strong enough. Well I’ve used and abused it, and this thing is easily durable enough for the vast majority of civilian shooters. If you’re a SOCOM type and feel like breaching doors with your rifle instead of using demo charges or a sledge, then maybe add the extra few ounces for MFT’s Battlelink Utility Stock. Even if the bottom angle on the stock did break off while smashing in a solid oak door, you’d still have the top portion to shoulder. Ranger on.

Incredibly light, comfortable and possessing excellent utility, you might expect the price to be the real bummer here. It isn’t. MSRP is $59.99, with street prices ranging from $10-$20 less than that. This stock is the real deal, check it out.

Feathered Friends Swift UL 20 sleeping bag

If you have never heard of the brand, Feathered Friends is a small business based out of Seattle, Washington. While a small business indeed, it is one that receives extraordinary praise from the backpacking and mountaineering communities. As the name suggests, their manufacturing specialties are down products. Down is the soft insulating layer underneath the feathers of ducks and geese, primarily used in sleeping bags and insulated clothing like “puffy” jackets. What follows is an overview of the Feathered Friends brand and a review of their Swift UL 20 Sleeping Bag.

Specifications

Dimensions: 64″ / 58″ / 40″
Fill Power: 950+ Goose Down
Lining Fabric: Flite 15 denier ripstop nylon
Country of Origin: Made in Seattle, USA of imported materials
Packed Size: 7″ x 12″ | 9L
Sleeping Bag Shell Fabric: Pertex® Endurance UL
Temperature Rating: 20ºF / -6.67ºC
Zip Side: Left
Length

Reg 6′ 0″ / 183 cm
Long 6′ 6″ / 198 cm

Average Weight

Reg 1 lbs 14 oz / 859 g
Long 2 lbs 0 oz / 905 g

Fill Weight

Reg 18.8 oz / 533 g
Long 19.7 oz / 558 g

Swift UL sizing. Courtesy of Feathered Friends

My thoughts and review

Starting backpacking can be expensive. Quality gear can make things more expensive. Most of Feathered Friends’ down products are high-value items, but they’re also some of the best gear available. Plenty of other quality manufacturers exist and their bags are probably more suitable options, but Feathered Friends’ sleeping bags are unrivaled. They are exceptionally lightweight and compressible for the amount of insulation they provide. Their Swift UL is their wide mummy sleeping bag. I like having a little extra room in my bag; a little extra comfort goes a long way in the wilderness.

Truly Made in the USA

The term “Made in the USA” can be somewhat of a misnomer. We often like to view products “Made in the USA” as having the utmost quality while showcasing our pride for American craftsmanship. While the branding of Made in the USA is regulated by the Federal Trade Commission to ensure the product is “all or virtually all” made in the USA, the designation itself isn’t always synonymous with utmost quality. With Feathered Friends, there is no question that their “Made in the USA” designation is as stout as the claim can be. Sleeping bags like the Swift UL 20 are as high quality as a sleeping bag can get.

Sleeping Bag Ratings

The problem with sleeping bag ratings is that there is not a standardized or universally-used method to ensure temperature ratings are similar across manufacturers. In other words, the 20°F sleeping bag from Company A can feel warmer or colder than the 20°F bag from Company B (mildly or significantly so). To ensure an honest temperature rating for sleeping bags before purchasing, you should look at a company’s reputation, especially from the perspective of its buyers. The trend with Feathered Friends is that their products’ specifications are generally modest, performing beyond users’ expectations. I have used my Swift UL 20 in temperatures lower than its rated 20°F and I was still comfortably warm.

Down Fill Power

Some people might be unfamiliar with “fill power.” The fill power describes the quality of down used, and in a way, the insulation capability of your sleeping bag. Fill power is expressed by cubic inches per one ounce, how much warmth can be insulated by one ounce of down. The difference between two identical sleeping bags with differing fill powers is that the bag with the higher fill power will be the lighter bag because of its better insulating ability. For example, if two sleeping bags have an identical temperature rating of 30°F, Bag A (fill power of 800) will need less down than Bag B (fill power of 500) to achieve the same temperature rating of 30°F, this results in Bag A being physically lighter than Bag B. Feathered Friends use fill powers of 900+ and 950+ meaning their sleeping bag insulation is exceptional for its weight.

Feathered Friends Swift UL 20 in the titanium color option.

The verdict

The good
-Lightweight
-High down fill power
-Works at colder temperatures than what it’s rated for

The bad
-Expensive

Feathered Friends makes the some of the best sleeping bags available. The Swift UL 20 has an MSRP of $509. Yes, it’s expensive, but you do get what you pay for (cry once, right?) As I mentioned earlier, there are other great sleeping bags available across several manufacturers, but Feathered Friends is definitely on top. The insulating ability, its minimal weight, and compressibility are all features you want to have in your sleeping bag.

If you own any gear from Feathered Friends, let us know what you think in the comments below!

Leatherman Style PS | A Minimalist Multi-Tool

In my quest to find tools, knives and other gear that fit my minimalist lifestyle I’ve been through several products in order to find the right one. One of those items is the multi-tool. Both Gerber and Leatherman are the leading manufactures and I’ve carried multi-tools from both in the past. In the past, they have always been in a belt pouch on my belt (not very low-vis). Wanting to get away from carrying one overtly was easier said than done. My plan was to find a smaller multi-tool with the bare essentials that I could just drop in my pocket and forget about it until I needed it. After buying and trying a few I settled on the Leatherman Style PS.

The Leatherman Style PS comes in a small form factor as you can see in the featured image of this article.

Another benefit the Style PS has over almost all other multi-tools is the fact that it doesn’t have a knife blade as one of the tools which makes is TSA friendly. I didn’t really need a blade on my multi-tool since I already carry a knife.

The Leatherman Style PS has a very minimal set of tools which is exactly what I was looking for.

Pliers
Scissors
Nail file/screwdriver
Bottle opener
Tweezers

In the small amount of time I’ve been carrying this, I’ve used the scissors and bottle opener the most. The bottle opener actually works quite well too!