The Ka-Bar Becker BK22 Companion knife is lightweight and features a durable, 1095 cro-van steel blade, perfect for splitting kindling, skinning game, or chopping onions for the campfire grill. The BK22 is an absolute BEAST! Great for handling just about anything you could ask from a solid everyday carry survival knife, including batoning wood. The edge that comes on the blade is shaving sharp out of the box, the handle is one of the most comfortable you will come across, and the sheath is versatile yet durable.
Specifications:
Fixed blade knife with drop point shape and 20-degree edge angle
Blade made of 1095 cro-van steel blade for strength
Handle made of Grivory material
Blade measures 5.5 inches long
Knife measures 10.5 inches long
Limited lifetime warranty
Product Dimensions: 18 x 5 x 5 inches
Weight: 1.5 pounds
Blade
The blade is 1/4 of an inch thick which makes the entire knife feel sturdy and very hefty in your hand. It is very sharp and heavy. The blade is also cover with a powder coating to protect it. The blade is high quality and keeps its edge even after cutting and chopping wood.
The knife isn’t a light one, but for camping or any other place you may need to chop wood, this knife will blow the competition out of the water. The BK22 is definitely more for brute jobs like chopping wood, cutting thick plastic, or anything you could use with a hatchet.
Sheath
The Ka-Bar Becker BK22 sheath is well made and an improvement over the original BK2 sheath. It has better clips to secure your knife. It also has a nice Velcro belt strap and compartment. It stays securely on your belt. I ended up putting my leather-man into the Velcro compartment which fit perfectly.
Handle and Tongue
The handle feels awesome in the hand. It is made of Grivory which is a heavy-duty polymer that will withstand some abuse. The blade and tongue are well balanced. This knife has a large tongue that is bolted to the handle. Which makes it very secure and strong. The butt of the blade is quite large and very effective.
Where to Buy:
The Ka-Bar Becker BK22 Companion Knife is available from these retailers:
Overall the Ka-Bar Becker BK22 is a great bushcraft knife. Not only works well in the bush but also good for protection. I highly recommend this knife. It is well made, sharp, and heavy. It is a mainstay in my pack.
The Hultafors Heavy Duty Knife is a powerful and durable ground knife suitable for tough tasks such as prizing, breaking, and hacking. It features a unique function for attaching the holster around a button on your clothes so that it does not come loose while still being easy to remove. The blade is made from Japanese steel, 3 mm carbon steel that has been hardened to 58-60 HRC. The holster can be attached to both a belt and a button on your work clothes.
Specifications:
Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 1.4 x 2.2 inches
Weight: 3.7 ounces
The cutting edge has been sharpened in several stages
Both the handle and holster are made from super-durable PP plastic
Holster can be attached to a belt or a button on your clothes
Blade
Hultafors Heavy Duty Knife is really designed for heavy-duty work! The scandi grind carbon steel blade is 3mm thick and quite sharp.
Handle and Sheath
The handle is nicely designed and feels good in the hand. It is big and fat. You could use this thing for hours without it being uncomfortable. The handle is textured and has a substantial finger guard to prevent slippage and accidental injury. Included is a snap-in plastic sheath with a unique button hook feature.
Where to Buy:
The Hultafors Heavy Duty Knife is available from these retailers:
A slightly more powerful axe with a rounded neck, hand-forged and made from Swedish steel using traditional methods in use since 1697. The steel is stuck several times, increasing its density and thereby the durability of the axe. Ideal for hunters who both skin animals and carry out light forest work. Has a clear tempered zone so the axe can be sharpened without detracting from the strength of the edge.
Specifications:
Product Dimensions: 3.1 x 7.6 x 23 inches ; 1.9 pounds
Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
The shaft is made from hickory
Edge protector included
A stout axe designed with the huntsman in mind. Great for general fieldwork. Fit and finish are very good, the blade is sharp enough to shave right out of the box. The Hultafors Classic Hunting 850G Axe holds its edge very well with minimal maintenance. It’s a good compromise between size and utility, it has enough weight and length to process firewood effectively. This axe is compact and light enough to take backpacking. This axe is a work of art and is a pleasure to use.
Where to Buy:
The Hultafors Classic Hunting 850G Axe is available from these retailers:
The Hennessy Hammock Expedition Asym is an amazing hammock. There is a short learning curve in setting them up. There is an innovative entry via a bottom hook and loop-lined opening, but the end result is well worth it. Sleeping in the hammock rivals home. You can endure thunderstorms and heavy rain without incident by using the optional over-sized rain fly. Material and workmanship are first-rate. Be advised you will need insulation in the form of an inexpensive closed-cell ground pad. If you’d rather, there are aftermarket outer quilts or you can order an insulation kit direct from the manufacturer.
Specifications:
Weight: 2.5 lb.
Weight Capacity 250 lb.
Packaged size: 6 in. x 12 in
Stuff sack included
The Hennessy Hammock Expedition Asym is a great product that is well built. It is easy to hang and use, once you learn how to tie the knot that the manufacturer recommends for attaching the suspension ropes to the tree hugger slings. The stuff sack has the directions for hanging and using the hammock printed on the back.
Where to Buy:
The Hennessy Hammock Expedition Asym is available at these retailers:
The GSI Outdoors Halulite Microdualist Cookset is heat-resistant and has a nylon lid with a silicone ring so it will not deform in packs. It includes an integrated strainer, convenient folding handle that locks into place for cooking and secures the entire set for transport. The cups are light and easy to use, especially with the insulation sleeves, and all the bowls and cups nest into the pot. The basin carry case is awesome and very useful. Use it for washing, shaving, sponge baths, collecting water, or whatever else you can imagine.
Specifications:
Unique bowl + mug solution with a low center of gravity
Sip-It lid virtually eliminate spills while the insulating sleeve keeps your drinks hot
Welded stuff sack holds set while traveling
Weight: 18.0 oz
Dimension: 5.60 x 5.50 x 5.90″
Material: Hard Anodized Aluminum Clear Polypropylene, Nylon 6-6, Silicone
The GSI Outdoors Halulite Microdualist Cookset is super light and packs down great. It has space for your stove in the middle and it has everything you would need. Weight is negligible. This is a good mess kit as an entry-level hiking kitchen. You won’t find anything better at this price point.
Where to Buy:
The GSI Outdoors Halulite Microdualist Cookset is available from these retailers:
The Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe has a large head and a long handle, therefore, it provides more chopping power. However, it is still small enough to fit into a rucksack. Practical for splitting small sticks or cutting limb wood. Super clean cuts with enough leverage on the length of the handle to take down small rounds (about 6 to 8 inches). Very useful for taking out large chunks of material.
Specifications:
Item Weight 2.4 pounds
Product Dimensions 7.9 x 19.9 x 1.4 inches
Origin Sweden
Item model number 420
Color: Brown / Black
Material wood
Included Components Case
The Gransfors Small Forest Axe arrives razor sharp right out of the box and will stay that way even after cutting limbs and chopping trees. Easily splits firewood and is small and light enough to be carried in a small backpack or on your belt. If you want one camping and bushcraft axe to do it all, this is it.
Where to Buy:
The Gransfors Bruks Small Forest Axe is available from these retailers:
When you are out in the wilderness having the ability to start a fire is essential. There are several different methods one can use to accomplish this; the easiest way is to carry a Ferro rod. A Ferro rod is a lightweight metal rod and when struck will provide a spark to get a tinder bundle ignited to start a fire. It is an excellent alternative to carrying matches or a lighter. I recently had a chance to review and field test the Grab Life Outdoors (GLO) Ferro Rod.
Specifications:
1/2″ thick (12.5mm) ferrocerium rod
High-quality firesteel
Hand fit hardwood handle
Multi-tool with 6 functions
Item Dimensions 1 x 1 x 4.5 inches
Item weight 0.21 pounds
Construction
The Grab Life Outdoors (GLO) Ferro Rod is a well-made striking rod. It is solidly built and feels good in your hands. The hardwood handle is smooth and easy to grip. The attached multi-tool and striker is made of quality metal and has a good weight for striking the Ferro rod. It comes attached to a decent length of paracord. Overall I was impressed with its solid construction.
Field Test
I took a hike out to one of my local trails to test out the fire-starting capabilities of the Grab Life Outdoors (GLO) Ferro Rod. This Ferro rod is lightweight and takes up very little room in your backpack. It also can be worn around the neck for easy access.
Multi-Tool
The Grab Life Outdoors (GLO) Ferro Rod comes with an attached 6 function multi-tool striker. The multi-tool is a tinder scraper, bottle opener, hex wrench, map scale, and ruler. I tried using the curved tinder scraper to produce some fine shavings for my tinder bundle. It did not work that well. You’re better off using a knife. It is much more efficient.
Tinder Bundle
The first step to get a fire going is to make a tinder bundle. You can create a tinder bundle from a wide range of dry tinder. Just find some dry tree bark, grass, or leaves and make it into a nest. Then line it with fluffy plant material like flowers that have gone to seed. Dried Milkweed, Thistle, Cattail, or finely shaved wood works great for lining your tinder bundle. You could also use dryer lint, twine, cotton balls, or steel wool. It only took a few strikes to get the tinder bundle lit.
Sparks
The Grab Life Outdoors (GLO) Ferro Rod produces an ample amount of sparks to get any tinder bundle ignited. I was very impressed with the spray of sparks that came out on each strike. I have used other Ferro rods in the past that are too small and give off very few sparks. The attached metal striker allows for easy and efficient striking. The paracord is the perfect length and gives you enough span to get solid strikes on the Ferro rod.
Where to Buy:
The Grab Life Outdoors (GLO) Ferro Rod is available at these retailers:
The Grab Life Outdoors (GLO) Ferro Rod is a quality-built Ferro rod. The sparks it produces enable it to be used in many conditions. Overall I was pleased with its performance. Don’t skimp out on your next Ferro rod. It’s worth buying a well-built striking rod like this one made by the team at Grab Life Outdoors. Disclaimer: I was provided this product for an honest review.
Putting together your own survival kit can become expensive. Sometimes it is more cost-effective to buy a pre-made survival kit. This Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Kit is a nice kit to keep in your pack for an emergency situation. All of the items pack away into a rather small container. The items that are included would help tremendously in any crisis situation. This little package comes with a big amount of much-needed accessories and is packaged very well.
Included in Survival Kit:
16 Piece Kit
Gerber® Miniature Multi-tool
Needle Nose Pliers
Wire Cutters
Fine Edge Knife
Phillips Screwdriver
Small Flat Driver
Medium Flat Driver
Lanyard Ring
Bottle Opener
Tweezers
Waterproof Bag
Miniature Light
Hand Saw
Signaling Mirror
Survival Blanket
Fire Starter
Waterproof matches
Cotton Ball – Fire Tinder
Snare Wire
Emergency Cord
Waxed Thread
Fishing Kit
Sewing kit
Lanyard Whistle
Lightweight, ripstop nylon bag with waterproof zipper
Land to air rescue instructions
Priorities of Survival – Pocket guide contains Bear’s survival essentials
Bug Out Bag
This kit is a great start to building a bug-out bag or just to be prepared in the event of an emergency. It’s not too expensive, a good combination of parts, fairly small and light, and in a waterproof bag. The zip closure plastic bag is thick and does the job. If your backpacking or bushcrafting it takes next to no room in your bag, leaving plenty of room for other things.
Multi-Tool
The Gerber miniature multi-tool that is included is well built, lightweight, and easy to carry. The fire starter in this kit works great, it requires less effort to get a spark and all the sparks go in the direction you need them to.
Where to Buy:
The Gerber Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival Kit is available from these retailers:
If you are an avid outdoorsman then you’d know that a good rucksack is one of the most important accessories. The G4Free 40L Sport Outdoor Military Rucksack is an ideal choice. Featured with exquisite design and high-quality material this rucksack shoulder bag is good for any bushcrafter.
Specifications:
600D polyester fabric, high intensity and durable.
Features spacious main compartment with zip around closure
Interior zip pocket and mesh pocket.
Front storage zip compartments.
Grab top handle.
Padded and adjustable shoulder straps.
Side compression straps.
Adjustable & removable chest belt and hip belt.
Breathable mesh backing for comfort.
Size: 19.7 x 11.8 x 10.6 inch
Construction and Size
This roomy rucksack is constructed of sturdy nylon. It is carefully stitched. There are four zippered pockets of various sizes, the largest of which can easily hold supplies. There is also a roomy mesh pocket, which fastens with Velcro. It’s a good pack that alludes to a proven design.
Straps
The shoulder straps are adjustable and padded. The rucksack also has a chest strap and a hip strap, which are also adjustable and removable. The manufacturer put in paracord on the zipper pulls, to save you from doing it.
Where to Buy:
The G4Free 40L Sport Outdoor Military Rucksack is available from these retailers:
The Fox Outdoor Dakota Rucksack is a rugged, roomy, and well-made rucksack. This bag is very comfortable to wear for hours at a time. The rucksack straps are well-padded and offer great weight distribution. This sack comes with a waist strap that will help to keep the pack steady on your back. This rucksack main compartment is quite large and has plenty of space for all your outdoor needs. The bag comes with several pockets that come in handy to store water and other bushcraft and backpacking gear. The canvas is very thick and really durable.
Specifications:
Military-grade
Heavy-duty cotton canvas construction
Adjustable padded shoulder straps for a comfortable carry
Large main compartment with drawstring top and storm flap
3 external pockets with quick-release buckle flap closure
Measures 19 1/2 x 17 x 7″
Large main compartment with storm flap
Inside pocket with Velcro closure
Polypro reinforced padded shoulder straps with a quick-release waist strap
Where to Buy:
The Fox Outdoor Dakota Rucksack is available from these retailers:
The Fox Outdoor Dakota Rucksack is a well-made pack. It is a military-grade backpack with lots of places to store your gear. You can’t go wrong with this rucksack on your back.
