overland

The MSR Pocket Rocket | Your little camp dragon

Everyone has their preference when it comes to camp cooking. Some are completely kosher with an MRE; freeze dried food or some sort of protein and granola bars. Others take solace in the process of making a good, warm meal on the trail, out in the wild enjoying Mother Nature. There’s something to be said about hiking 12 miles a day and sitting down with your boots off while cooking some fajitas in your camp kitchen kit. Luckily there is someone to help you with that fine meal at the end of a long trek; the MSR Pocket Rocket.

This past week I spent 5 days out in the gorgeous Arizona desert overlooking Roosevelt lake with 3 of my very best friends from the Army. During the day we were off-roading in my buddies jeep till sunset so there was very little time in the morning to cook a proper breakfast. Well I’m not the one to skip breakfast out in the field, so out came the MSR Pocket Rocket and my stove-top kit from Winterial.

Preparing for these types of meals before you head out to the field is crucial to making your life easier. For breakfast I dice up some raw bacon or breakfast sausage with some potatoes, onions, peppers and keep them in a sandwich bag for each day. This way you can just dump the contents inside the small skillet and sauté away. Turning on the MSR Pocket Rocket reminded me of a fighter jets after burners being engaged at an air show. The burner puts out some serious heat that nearly causes you to worry that you’ll melt the pot over the burner. The new addition of the push-start Piezo Igniter worked the first time and every time thereafter. Flawless operating gives you the peace of mind when out in the field and builds the confidence you need in your gear.

MSR boasts’ that the Pocket Rocket can boil 1 liter of water in 3.3 minutes, and they’re not wrong. I think if you have a Titanium cook set it works faster due to the thinner alloy allowing the water to heat drastically faster. Regardless, I was incredibly impressed with how easy making French Press coffee became in the morning. Coming in at just 2.9oz, you can easily stuff this in a pocket or hang it off a belt loop and you would never notice the weight. It’s actually quite impressive to see the immense abilities of this petite device. Crazy to think that 20 years ago Coleman was making the massive propane burners with far less heat capabilities and minimal thought to packability.

Last minute vehicle shake down before an Epic Overland Adventure

Although I’ve been planning a long range Overland trip from my home in Northern Michigan to Colorado and Utah for some time now, the date has finally arrived. And it kinda snuck up on my in all honesty. I know that doesn’t make much sense but with all the prep to the vehicle and gear acquisition, I kinda lost track of time a bit. Well, 4 days until departure and I’m still waiting on a few key parts. Go figure.

Most of the prep work went into the 2017 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. A perfectly capable vehicle in its own right but there’s always room for improvement, right? That’s what I thought. After binge watching some YouTube videos of guys in Jeeps crawling through some epic mountain passes in Colorado and Moab, Utah, I realized there were a few items on the truck that could use some attention. Now I know a full size truck like a Tundra is no “rock crawler” but some of the obstacles we may encounter could potentially damage the truck. Plenty of late nights with the internet and a credit card led to several pallets of parts mysteriously showing up at my garage.

First up was the CTE Bumper from Camburg Racing. I chose this bumper for it’s fantastic clearance improvement for the front tires. This will allow me to get the front of the tire on larger rock obstacles and ledges without damaging the bumper. Along with the clean, not over the top design that seems to compliment the overall appearance of the truck. Finally, a hidden winch mount and light integration was the icing on the cake. With no other vehicles to pull me out of trouble, a 12,000 lb Warn winch with synthetic rope is now my life line. I also added a pair of 10” Rigid Industries E-Series flood lights as well as A-Series rock lights near the winch and wheel wells. What I didn’t plan for was the increased weight that could adversely affect the front end. Which led to a few more late nights researching.

Last minute vehicle shake down before an Epic Overland Adventure

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Originally I planned on upgrading the original TRD Bilstien springs to a heavier pair of coils. When I had trouble finding a definitive answer wether they would be compatible with the original shocks, I just decided it would be easier to swap everything out. And ICON Vehicle Dynamics is were my search landed. A few conversations with Joey from SDHQ Offroad and we decided on the Stage 8 kit from ICON. New adjustable 2.5″ shocks with remote reservoirs for added cooling, upgraded 700 pound springs for the added weight up front, and new progressive leaf packs for the rear. We also added new upper control arms to increase wheel travel and alignment specs once lifted. Mike, a friend and certified mechanic helped wrestle the new parts into place which was greatly appreciated. Not a difficult install but having an extra set of skilled hands was most reassuring.

ICON Vehicle Dynamics Stage 8 2.5″ CDC Shocks and UCA

A lot of the videos I watched showed Jeeps and trucks screeching across rock obstacles on their rock sliders. Basically what appears like a running board but directly attached to the frame and capable of bearing the full weight of the vehicle. Rock sliders are the sacrificial pawn built to take the potentially damaging hit by large rock obstacles and ledges in order to protect the vehicles delicate sheet metal, rocker panels and doors. Fortunately, Victory 4×4 in my home state of Michigan makes some of the best armor on the market. Although it was a 4 hour drive to Portage, MI, it was totally worth it as I was given a full tour of their impressive manufacturing operation. Now I’m awaiting Victory 4×4 to come up with a rear bumper option with dual swing-outs. Because that would be completely unnecessary and badass.

Mocking up the raw steel Rock Sliders from Victory 4×4

Light Force was nice enough to hook me up with 6 of their ROK20 LED work lights to mount to my bed rack. I mounted 2 lights on either side and 2 rear facing. If I ever need to back into a campsite after sunset, these lights will illuminate the sides and rear of the vehicle giving me a clear picture of any potential danger lurking in the dark. But their main purpose is to illuminate the working area around the sides and rear of the vehicle when parked. Wether for repairs or cooking omelettes, these lights are always there and just a flip of the switch away.

Night testing the Light Force ROK20 Work Lights

The next few days before we launch will be spent laying out our equipment, tools and toys to make sure we have everything. As well as a trip to the grocery store to stock the Dometic CFX75-DZ. Ultimately, we will be in a truck with access to anything we may have forgotten. But it’d be nice to know we have the ability to plan and pack for most of the situations we’ll encounter. Some additional items I installed over the winter were an ARB Dual onboard air compressor. Mainly to re-inflate tires after airing down. And a Genesis Offroad Dual Battery set-up to help with the additional electrical demands. All in all, I feel we’re as prepared as we can afford to be right now.

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The realistic goal of this trip is to explore the Rocky Mountains of Colorado including the old mining towns that litter the southern parts of the mountain range. And follow some the trails and high mountain passes used by early settlers that can exceed 13,000′. Then move into Utah and explore the crazy martian landscapes found around the Moab area. But most importantly, connect with my 15 year old son Kevin as we work together to overcome any obstacles we may encounter. All while enjoying the natural beauty of this part of America.

About the Author:

Erik Meisner served in Attack Company, 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment as a rifle team leader with deployments to the Middle East, Central America and Asia. He’s a licensed pilot, SCUBA diver and enjoys Alpine skiing, shooting, Overland camping, boating, sea kayaking, traveling and golf. Growing up in a military family, Erik had the pleasure to live and ski all over North America and Europe. Now residing in beautiful Northern Michigan with his wife and 2 sons, they continue to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible.

Stanley Adventure Base Camp Cook Set | For the adventurous epicurean

Back in my Boy Scout days, it was all about eating freeze dried food while hiking through New England. Then the Army ruined me with those shitty MRE’s. After my time in the military, it was back to better freeze dried food for kayaking expeditions. Now I’m an Overlander. And weight just isn’t a factor. If it’ll fit in my Toyota Tundra, you better believe that 5.7 liter V8 will haul it to our destination. So my cooking needs have evolved through this transition. Gone are the titanium sporks and pocket sized micro-stoves. I now have a 12 volt fridge and a 20,000 Btu 2 burner stove. So a more robust cook set was in order. I recently tried the Adventure Base Camp Cook Set from Stanley.

This set uses high quality, heavy grade 18/8 Stainless Steel for the 3.5 Liter pot and 7.25″ 3-ply frying pan. Also included are basic table settings for four hungry campers. And a few additional handy items like a drying rack for the plates plus a silicone oven mitt. Although I understand why Stanley chose to include four plastic sporks, I’m really not a fan. One night we grilled 2″ thick fillets. Can’t spork a fillet…So we broke out some real knives and forks. The 3.5L pot is perfect for stew, soup or boiling water for pasta. The lid even has a built in strainer when spaghetti is on the dinner menu.

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The 3-ply frying pan has a thick stainless base to help provide even heat to cook the contents. The folding handle proved to be sturdy enough for the task and the heat was very uniform at all burner settings. Although 7.25″ is a bit small when considering feeding a family of 4, it worked very well for two of us. Also of note, the frying pan is old school without a nonstick coating. Better for your health, but you need to liberally coat the pan if you don’t want to be chiseling food from it. This set is well engineered and everything neatly nests into the 3.5L pot. There’s even a graphic representation of how everything fits into the pot printed on the inside of the lid. Because we sometimes struggle to remember how things go back together.

Adventure Base Camp Cook Set Details:

Weight: 5.60
Dimensions: 11.06L x 6.10W x 10.90H in
Dishwasher Safe
18/8 Stainless Steel
Nesting system
Locking frying pan handle
BPA-free
Set includes: [1] 3.7Qt / 3.5L pot, [1] vented lid, [1] 7.25in diameter 3ply frying pan, [1] cutting board, [1] spatula with extending handle, [1] serving spoon with extending handle, [4] 6in plates, [4] 22oz bowls, [4] sporks, [1] dish drying rack, [1] heat resistant trivet, [1] locking bungee
MSRP $80

My $.02:

The plastic 6″ plates, sporks and bowls will do the trick for the weekend warrior. But for the hardcore Overlander who plans to use this kit for weeks at a time, I recommend supplementing larger plates and a full set of silverware. The plate drying rack is kinda gimmicky but the engineers had some extra space within the package so they used it. I always towel dry and put everything away when cleaning up anyhow. The Adventure Base Camp Cook Set is right in-between backpacking and Overlanding. Too heavy to carry on your back and not quite large enough for a week or two in the Tundra. I feel this set would be the perfect choice for a family of four car camping for a long weekend.

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About the Author:

Erik Meisner served in Attack Company, 2nd Battalion 75th Ranger Regiment as a rifle team leader with deployments to the Middle East, Central America and Asia. He’s a licensed pilot, SCUBA diver and enjoys Alpine skiing, shooting, Overland camping, boating, sea kayaking, traveling and golf. Growing up in a military family, Erik had the pleasure to live and ski all over North America and Europe. Now residing in beautiful Northern Michigan with his wife and 2 sons they continue to enjoy the outdoors as much as possible.

Overland Essential: Atlas 46 Yorktown Tool Roll

One of the essential items I’ve found while traveling Overland is a good set of tools. If you plan to take to the hills for an extended period of time and put your rig to the test, things can break. And they do. Being stranded in the middle of nowhere without the means to patch up your vehicle is no fun. Quite possibly dangerous. I always carry a comprehensive first aid kit for my family, why not one for your vehicle? Carrying the right tools and keeping them organized and accessible is much easier with the Yorktown Tool Roll from Atlas 46.

Atlas 46 History:

44 years ago, the founder of Atlas 46 was producing nylon gear for motorcycle racing, assorted bags, motocross pants, etc. In 1977, the company shifted focus to tactical goods for the military and law enforcement. And for the next 40 years, owner John Carver oversaw the operations of the world leader in individual equipment for the military, homeland security and law enforcement. Currently, in their next evolution, Atlas 46 is pioneering the personal workwear category with the same high-quality nylon goods that got them where they are today.

Video Review:

Recently I asked Tony, an old Ranger buddy, what tools he packed and how he carried them. As a driving instructor at Overland Experts, he recommended Atlas 46 for their high-quality tool bags. Taking his advice, I looked into the companies products. I was in search of something capable of keeping the tools I carry both organized and well protected. More specifically, I was looking for a tool roll in addition to a gear bag for my recovery equipment. The Yorktown Tool Roll looked adequate to organize and haul the hand tools I’ve selected. I recall as a kid living in Germany, the fancy European and British cars that came with their own toolkit. Neatly wrapped up in a cloth or leather tool roll and stored in the boot. That’s what I was looking for.

The Yorktown Tool Roll is just a modern version of that old concept. Made from heavy duty 1000D Cordura Nylon, this tool roll is built like a tank. With four large zippered pouches on the front side, you’ll have more than enough room for sockets, screwdrivers and ratchets. 480 cubic inches each to be exact. Flipping the Yorktown Tool Roll over exposes two additional storage options. Under one velcro flaps is an eleven slot organizer with graduated lengths. Perfect for a set of open-end wrenches. The opposing side offers seven multi-width slots for wrenches, pliers and other hand tools. The roll quickly cinches together and is secured by a large quick release buckle. Two heavy-duty handles make transporting the tool roll a snap. And a longer strap allows hanging of the tool roll from just about anywhere.

Yorktown Tool Roll Features and Benefits (courtesy of atlas46.com)

Condensed Quick Roll for Throw N Stow
4 large front pockets. (16″ x 2 1/2″ x 3″ = 480 total cubic inches)
11 wrench slot organizer
7 multipurpose tool slots
Patriot made 1000D Cordura
YKK USA made zippers
2 carrying handles secured by precision tack.
Smallest Wrench Slot: 5.5″ x 1.375″
Largest Wrench Slot: 8.875″ x 2.375″
Hand crafted in the USA
Lifetime Guarantee
MSRP: $110

Another fantastic item from Atlas 46 is the Gear Carry Bag. Offered in three different sizes, I opted for the Largest one. Measuring 14″w x 6″d x 8″h, this bag is just what I needed to organize my recovery gear. With enough room for jumper cables, shackles, tow strap, soft shackle, gloves and a few additional items, the Gear Carry Bag is always readily accessible in my truck. Made from the same 1000D Cordura Nylon, the Gear bag is made in the US and covered by the Atlas 46 lifetime guarantee. Both the Tool Roll and Gear Bag recently made the trip from Michigan to Overland Expo East in North Carolina.

Features and Benefits

Double layer 1000D Cordura® construction to last a lifetime
Multiple sizes to fit user needs
Optional Hi-Viz Interior
Dual satchel style carry handles
Dual slider zipper opening
Pull tabs to assist with closing of pouch
Hand crafted in the USA
Lifetime Guarantee
MSRP $39

I’ve only covered the tip of the iceberg here. Atlas 46 has a laundry list of tool belts, work gear, aprons and bags. And all made with pride right here in the good ole’ US of A. Take a few minutes and check out the Atlas 46 website and support these American workers making high-quality products for the working professional.

DECKED Truck Bed Storage: Always Ready for Emergencies and Adventure

I recently traded in my 2015 Jeep Cherokee for a new 2019 Chevy Silverado Trail Boss. The first thing I noticed going from the Jeep to the Trail Boss was storage. In my Jeep I had a duffel bag with roadside assistance gear, recovery gear in case I got stuck and a portable air compressor. When I migrated everything over to the truck I ended up putting all that stuff under the seats of the cab. It all fit under the cab seats just fine, but as soon as I wanted to take my 105 pound German Shepherd with me, those seats had to go up.

At that point I had nowhere to put my roadside assistance and recovery gear other than throwing it inside the open bed of the truck. Looking over my options, DECKED kept coming up in my searches as well as conversations with those in the truck community. I decided to go for it and make the investment.

Once the unit was delivered I made a trip up to Northern Michigan to visit my partner in crime, Erik Meisner, to do the install before going out on the trails for a few days with Michigan Overland. The install was more or less quick and painless.

Once we went to secure both assembled sides into the bed of the truck we noticed the centerline bowed up and was not level. Upon further investigation we noticed that the DECKED unit was riding up onto the raised Chevy logo in the center of the cab end of the truck bed. The quick fix was to radius out a small notch for the unit to fit flush against the front of the truck bed.

Now that everything was installed it was time to hit the trails. Now the DECKED system is rated to be waterproof, which it is, but dust is a whole different animal; it gets everywhere. Once we arrived to our campsite the 2nd evening of the overland trip, I opened the tailgate of the truck to access the drawer of the DECKED system that contained my camping gear. As you can probably guess, everything inside the drawer was covered in dust. This is not the fault of the DECKED design, it’s just the nature of dust.

With all the dust and the truck getting tossed around on the trail for two days, the DECKED system performed flawlessly. Upon getting home, the truck sat outside in two solid days of rain. Curious, I went outside to open it up and check for water. It was bone dry and still dusty from the trip. Not a drop of water in either of the drawers which is a testament to the design of the DECKED system.

The system is easily removable if you need access to the full depth of your truck bed, but I don’t really anticipate that being an issue. The system is going to stay where it’s at for a while to come. Now the challenge is to load it out that way I want. I think one drawer is going to be for my tools, recovery gear and other roadside assistance tools. The second drawer is going to house my hiking and outdoor gear so that I’m always ready for an impromptu hike or adventure.

Stay tuned for updates and photos of how I utilize the DECKED system with my travel and adventures.

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Scott Witner is a former Marine Corps Infantryman with 2ndBn/8th Marines and was attached to the 24th MEU(SOC) for a 6 month deployment to the Mediterranean. He has completed training in desert warfare at the Marine Air Ground Combat Center, Mountain Warfare and survival at the Mountain Warfare Training Center, attended the South Korean Mountain Warfare school in Pohang and the Jungle Warfare school in the jungles of Okinawa Japan. He now enjoys trail running, hiking, functional fitness and working on his truck. Scott resides in Northeastern Ohio with his wife and two kids.

Rad on Gear: Eating on the run with Ozark Trail’s Hobo Tool

When it comes to survival, covering your bases is the most important first step: make sure you have a ready source of water, shelter, and food and you’re good to go for the long haul… but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few non-essentials that start to feel essential after a while.

Little things like having a fork and spoon to eat with can go a long way toward making you feel less like you’re scraping by and more like you’re thriving. What does Rad use for that? The Ozark Trail 7 in 1 Hobo Tool — and not just because it’s got a kick ass name.

Here’s Rad to tell you about it:

Want to get your own Hobo Tool? Check out the deal we found below!