OAUSA Net - 12/15/16 - Chistmas Gifts for the Outdoors

[DaveK]

It's that time again!!!

This will be the last net of the year and we need everyone's help to make it great. Use as many posts as you like to suggest gifts for all the outdoor adventurers you know.

[Jeff-OAUSA]

A custom Buck Knife is a really cool Christmas gift, to either give or to receive. At this time, it may be too late to get a custom knife finished and delivered, but you could do a gift certificate.

I'm partial to the Buck Folding Hunter (Model 110). Throughout the year, Buck features various materials for the knife scales, and some are pretty exotic (Giraffe Bone is available right now). Besides selecting the scales, you get to select the blade material, blade style, bolster material, rivets or no rivets, and with or without finger grooves.

WD6USA - Jeff

http://www.buckknives.com/custom-knife-shop/

[Jeff-OAUSA]

If you like the outdoors, if you are a hunter, it you enjoy wildlife, and you like to read, I highly recommend the Joe Pickett series of books by author C.J. Box.

C.J. Box is a Wyoming Fish and Game Warden with a great heart and a penchant for getting involved in all sorts of things vaguely related to his job. Things ranging from poaching, land grabs, murders, wind farms, and terrorists...and there is more in there too. So far there are 13 books in the Joe Pickett series.

Hint: Read the Joe Pickett books in the order they were written because there is some background that carries from book to book.

Below are a few links related to CJ Box.

WD6USA - Jeff

http://www.cjbox.net/
http://cjboxbooklist.com/c-j-box-books-in-order/

[KK6ATH]

So Turners had this Pelican 7000 LED flashlight for $25
I bought several as Gifts, which was difficult, because they limited them to one per customer.
But, I pulled it off with the help of my "line-buddies," who I got to know very well during our 1hr. 45 min wait, to pay!

So, this light puts out over 600 lumens with a decent throw, in an aluminum housing.
Its programmable and uses only 2 CR123's.......how they can pull 600+ lumens out of a flashlight that fits in your palm is remarkable.

The best thing is that they're made in AMERICA, and of course, they carry the "BOMBPROOF" warranty from PELICAN who is right here in SOCAL.

Good luck finding them at $25 because the cheapest I can find them is $53.
Last year they were selling The Leatherman multitools for $24. I gave those out last year.
Sure, nobody likes the hassle of Bfriday, but you just cant beat the deals.......

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PELICAN-7000-HI ... 2481576994

[KK6ATH]

These were other "no-brainers" stocking stuffers
So, I picked up this set of Kobalt Pliers for $10 at Lowe's
They have a lifetime no hassle guarantee.

Good luck finding them, they're pretty scarce now.
They also had this 3 pack of adjustable wrenches for $10


You don't need to spend top dollar for good quality tools, with prices like these, its a good way to start to replace some of that cheap harbor freight crap in my trucks emergency toolbox.

[DaveK]

Off road navigation is one of the most important parts of any trip. With the aid of your computer, a navigation program, and a GPS, you can plot out the best trails to take in order to see as many things as possible, and make sure that you remain on target.

For our travels, the criteria for our GPS included, water/dust resistance, rugged construction, significant coordinate/route capacity, ports for computer connections, a daylight readable screen, a decent size screen viewable from the drivers seat, sufficient memory for map downloads, and good acquisition time. It also helped to find a unit that could serve as a backup handheld GPS, in the event of a failure of the usual hiking unit. Finding a GPS that met all of these criteria took some time, a lot of research, and eventually a healthy purchase price.

The choice ended up being the Garmin 276C, and as it turned out, it was right on the money. Unfortunately, advances in technology seem to sound the eventual death knell for just about all electronic gizmos, and the 276C, was no exception. Several years ago, the 276C was discontinued, but despite this, it's intensely loyal following wouldn't give up. The current popularity of the 276C, despite being discontinued, is evident from the price that used units are commanding. For a model in reasonably good condition, sellers are getting prices that are higher than the retail price of years ago, back when they were still being manufactured.

Garmin, apparently recognizing this popularity, has now come around and offered essentially the same model, with all the necessary current technology, in a new model designated the 276Cx. The new 276Cx, is similar in appearance, size and function and does everything that the older model did, but it now has many additional features that make it even more attractive to the off-roader. Garmin describes the 276Cx as an "all terrain GPS navigator" and their website gives an excellent description of its features, functions, capabilities, and, of course, its price, see: https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/539722.

The following article describes the older model 276C as, "the best overlanding navigation GPS device ever made." I agree. The author also examines the new 276Cx and how it compares to the older model. Good reading: http://www.exploringoverland.com/overla ... df97968103 .

Perhaps, if you have been very, very good during the last year, you might be lucky enough to find one of these under the tree.

From the Garmin website:

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[toms]

These would be a really nice gifts!

ZSAT Folding Charcoal Chimney
We have been mourning the discontinued manufacturing of the Sandbar Flat Charcoal Chimney for 3 years now.
It appears that there is a viable replacement in the ZSAT Folding Charcoal Chimney. And they have added at least one innovation - there is a hole on the side to insert a propane torch to help start the fire. Amazon list 7 in stock at $39 (as of 12-15-16).

https://www.amazon.com/Folding-Charcoal ... al+Chimney

ZSAT Folding Charcoal Starter

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There are two must have items for camping and overland travel that you will not know how you got along without them.
Trasharoo
It is designed to be strapped to your spare tire in order throw all your garbage into on a trip.
• Carries up to 50lbs of weight
• Made from high quality 900 denier canvas
• Water resistant interior coating for bad weather
• Drainage holes at bottom for unexpected leaks
• Fits a standard 30-gallon trash bag for ease of dumping

Trasharoo

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http://www.dirtyparts.com/store/index.c ... /trasharoo
$44.99


ARB Fridge/ Freezer
• Holds up to fifty 12-ounce cans, and can also accommodate a two-liter bottle of cola
• Continues to actively cool contents while the vehicle is off, and features an adjustable automatic battery protection system that prevents vehicle battery run-down
• Can maintain an interior temperature of 0 degrees for true in-vehicle refrigeration and freezing
• Includes two power cables: the DC power cable connects to your vehicle's 12/24-volt DC power outlet, and the AC power cable plugs into a standard household AC power outlet

ARB Fridge

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http://www.dirtyparts.com/store/index.c ... -/vid-3403
$806.55

Speedy Sticher
This is an old stand by that makes a great stocking stuffer. Not a bad idea to have several. One in the workshop and one in the camp box or car.

Speedy Sticher

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Books
There are a number of good books covering a range of outdoor skills from Knots, Compass, to Leadership. A gift of a book is something that lasts a lifetime. Here is a picture of a few. I will let someone else post up the trail books they recommend.

books

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books II

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Kinetic Energy Recovery Rope (KERR)
Also referred to as a K-rope. You might know it as a Bubba rope after the brand name of one of the biggest manufacturers in the market.
The K-rope is a superior solution to pulling someone out but it is costly. So surprise someone this year with a gift they would not buy themselves.
These ropes are designed for snatch pull so get a 30 foot one. 20 feet is just too short. And buy at least the 7/8 inch rope but better get the 1 inch rope.

http://www.dirtyparts.com/store/index.c ... bubba-rope
Like I said they are not cheep!

K-rope

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[KK6GFF]

This is one of my favorite threads of the year!

A few months back I discovered the Western Hunter magazine and the Elk Hunter magazine. They cover gear, tactics and stories of backcountry hunting. Their DVDs are very addictive too:

http://westernhunter.net/pages/why-subs ... ern-hunter

Western Hunter

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Also, during the last few years I've bought several Kuiu products. One of my favorites is the Ultra 6000 Hunting Pack. The carbon fiber frame comes off and you can attach other bag sizes to it, giving you the versatility of packing a smaller day bag inside of the bigger one where you carry your basecamp gear, set camp, and be able to use a day size bag during the hunt.

http://www.kuiu.com/hunting-backpacks-p ... =Verde-2.0

Kuiu Ultra 6000

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I've been swamped with work, I hope to make it to the net this Thursday.

Roger

[KA9WDX]

Well, the first thought that I had, dealt with the "gadget" that I have here, and that is a Jeep JX2LTV, but it is old, and a discontinued item, and sort of obsolete, since the built-in B+W TV is analog, not digital, and I tried to find a modern day equivalent, and the closest thing, that appears as though you could buy today like what I have, is this one:

http://www.sears.com/gpx-tvwb534sp-5-in ... ckType=G17

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However, I did buy two of these battery-powered, LED, lanterns, at K-Mart:

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The brightness of the light is adjustable and there's a compass at the top of it.
73 and CUL,
Bernie
KA9WDX

[DaveK]

Here are some gifts for the motorists and shooters:

1. Micro Start Anti-Gravity Jump Starter (https://shop.antigravitybatteries.com/p ... ro-starts/ )

The Micro Start is a very compact jump starter designed to work on your truck, sedan, SUV or motorcycle. When fully charged, it is capable of jump starting the biggest V8 motors up to 30 times, in a row. Some of its features

• compact enough to fit in a pocket
  can serve as a power source or charger for cell phones, computers, cameras, and any device that can be powered or charged with by a USB cable
  110 lumen flashlight
  can be recharged with the included USB cable, a 110 AC outlet, or a vehicle 12V port
  includes several charging/power jacks
  can be recharged up to 1000 times
  includes carry case

Save an expensive call to the Auto Club by making sure that one of these is in your vehicle. Sure beats the old fashioned jumper cables. Here is the Micro Start shown with its accessories. The pack of cards is in the picture just to show the size of the unit.

Micro Start Anti-Gravity Jump Starter (Large).jpg (105.25 KiB) Viewed 906 times

2. Tire Repair Kit ( http://www.safetyseal.com/ )

A good tire repair kit should be in every off-road vehicle, but carrying one around town is good idea too. Whether on the trail or around town, this kit can be used to cure most tire deflations, and in almost all cases, the repair can be performed quicker and easier than installing the spare. From the Safety Seal website:

Safety Seal Tire Repair Kit.jpg (318.11 KiB) Viewed 905 times

3. Auto Emergency Kit - Food Insurance ( http://www.foodinsurance.com/auto-emergency-kit )

Having sufficient supplies and tools in your vehicle is a critical component of being prepared. The Auto Emergency Kit by Food Insurance is a smart step in that direction. From the Food Insurance website:

Auto Emergency Kit - Food Insurance.jpg (66.71 KiB) Viewed 897 times

4. Genuine 5 Pound Blanket Amazon ( https://www.amazon.com/Italian-Wool-Bla ... B00CX8U1CE )

Keeping one or two of these in the car, whether it is for emergencies, sporting events, or camping, can make a real difference. The 5 pound wool blanket first gained popularity during the Civil War, when the war department specified this type of blanket for the troops. Since that time, the 5 pounder just seemed to catch on. We use them regularly as an additional layer of insulation either on top of the sleeping bag, or the bottom. Also, not bad for the camping friend that needs a little help for warmth at night.

Available on Amazon. From the Amazon website:

5 Lb. Blanket.jpg (317.61 KiB) Viewed 882 times

5.Oehler Chronograph ( http://www.oehler-research.com/ )

For all of the handloaders out there, you know that consistency is the key to accuracy. If you have been loading for any length of time, you also know that there is a great deal that goes into creating consistency. One of the keys to reaching your accuracy goals is a chronograph. Oehler Research, Inc., has been at the forefront of making some of the very best and most highly regarded chronographs on the market. This is what they say:

The first law of accuracy is uniformity. Uniformity includes a good gun, your aiming, holding, and squeezing precisely the same shot after shot, and proper ammo where each round is exactly like the next.

If your ammo shoots to one hole, you know it is uniform. If your ammo leaves something to be desired, a good start is making sure that its velocity is uniform. With a chronograph, you can easily measure that the velocities are uniform, and that the average velocity is where you want it.

We can't guarantee that ammo with the most uniform velocities will always shoot the best groups or even shoot good groups. We know it's a good starting place. If you know the uniformity and the average velocity of each tested load, you can find the best load faster and easier.

Oehlers Model 35P is an industry standard and a workhorse. If you shoot a lot or if accuracy is a very important part of your handloading, this is the chronograph for you. Its features:

The Oehler Model 35P includes a built-in printer. It prints with real ink on plain adding machine paper, not thermal paper! It automatically prints each round as you fire; you can't forget or lose any data.

A: Statistical summary of valid shots includes high, low, extreme spread, mean and standard deviation.

B: Asterisk denotes possible error on shots, X indicates previous shot omitted from summary.

C: Proof velocity between first and second screens.

D: Primary velocity between first and last screens.

E: Shot number.

F: You can read the large display digits from any angle and in any light-- without bifocals.

A second chronograph or PROOF CHANNEL™ is built into each Model 35. You measure two velocities every shot. The two velocity readings are automatically compared to assure you of correct readings on each shot.

From the Oehler website:

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