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So, as stated in one of my previous blog posts, I tried shopping at Thunderhead Outfitters for the first time and picked up a few items. One of the items I purchased was a Rothco brand canteen cup lid, as I'm tired of using aluminum foil as a lid when I'm hiking, and I've been meaning to get a lid for my canteen cup for quite a while now. Of course, Thunderhead did fantastically on delivering the items I purchased, and I was really excited to test out my new gear, so as soon as I saw my package was delivered, I couldn't wait to fiddle with my new gear at my desk. So I’m going to start off by stating I’ve had Rothco brand gear in the past and I’ve always been disappointed as their gear always seems to be borderline functional and their gear always feels low quality, with that being said however I wanted to give their canteen cup lid a chance as it seemed like it would be hard to mess up. Let's be honest, the U.S. military canteen cup has been mostly the same since before World War II, with the main change being to the handle and a lid would just be a stamped piece of steel that would fit over the top of the extremely common and easily acquirable canteen cup possibly with some sort of handle for easier removal. With requirements like that, it would be practically impossible for a company that apparently does business with the U.S. government to mess up, right? Well, if you haven't guessed it already, yes, the answer is yes, a government contractor that supplies equipment to the U.S. armed forces was able to screw up making a lid for a cup that has been in service for at least 80 years. I literally facepalmed at how ridiculous it was when I tested it out. Now I absolutely do not blame Thunderhead outfitters as they didn't manufacture the lid, they are only a retailer and I as the consumer should have done my research before buying, however after researching this lid more I’ve found that the description of this lid varies from site to site and some retailers don’t mention that this lid is designed for Rothcos version of the canteen cup. The listing on Amazon doesn't mention that this cup isn't designed for military cups. I would assume most people would get this from Amazon as it is one of the first to come up on the search, and to be honest, it's been in my Amazon cart for like a year now as well. I also want to say I don't blame the websites that don't mention Rothco's description, as most people would assume the Rothco cup would be the same as the U.S. military cup, and most websites don’t test out every product they sell. Still, don’t do like me. Do your own research. The first YouTube review I found literally told me everything I would have needed to know. Now, even though the lid doesn't fit my cups well, I still feel I can modify it and make it work. At the very least, it will work as well as aluminum foil to help me boil water quicker. Honestly, if the lid would fit, it would be worth the price at only around $10. The lid is well built, and I do like the folding handle that stays in whatever position you leave it in. If you have a Rothco brand cup, I would say get it; however, if you have a USGI cup, you may want to try out a different brand or at least prepare to modify this lid. I hope to review the self-reliance outfitter lid and the G.A.K. lid off Amazon soon, so check back later.

Screenshot from website So recently while I was looking at my gear and thinking about doing a post about the old US Army ALICE system, I realized I've never owned one of the ALICE first aid kits. So, since we are in the age of Google, I started searching, as I remember they used to be common and cheap. While looking, I've found prices have gone up a bit with the pouch with the plastic insert being around $25 on eBay, while just the pouch runs for around $15. I didn't want to spend that much on a kit I might not use, so I kept looking to see if I could get a better deal somewhere, and I did at Thunderhead Outfitters. So, first off this is not an ad for Thunderhead Outfitters, this is my experience as a paying customer. While scrolling on Google I found Thunderhead Outfitters had surplus ALICE first aid kits for $9, which piqued my interest. I texted my buddy Brent, who also collects military surplus, to see if he had ever heard of them, and he said he hadn't, so I decided to take one for the team and try them out and see how things go. Long story short they did a great job. I ordered 4 items: the ALICE first aid kit, A Rothco canteen cup lid, a USGI hatchet cover, and a MOLLE canteen pouch, all these items were pretty cheap and if I ended up getting screwed over I wouldn't have felt bad about not getting these items. My total with shipping came out to $34.76, which I felt was pretty reasonable considering I would have spent more for just the hatchet cover and first aid kit on eBay. I placed my order on Saturday, July 5th, and my order shipped on the 7th, then arriving at my home on the 10th, which I felt was very reasonable. My items came nicely packaged and were as described; they even included a sticker. Overall I'm very happy with them, I've browsed their whole site and I plan on doing lots of business with them in the future, as I prefer shopping at smaller businesses instead of corporations like Amazon. If you're looking for surplus at a very reasonable price, I highly recommend checking them out: https://thunderheadoutfitters.com

Love it or hate it but our lives are ruled by electronics nowadays, and each day more of these devices are coming with internal rechargeable batteries that require you to keep a charging cable close by. Since we rely on these devices so much, we need to include support for them in our everyday carry. So with that being said, here are the items I have in my EDC electronics kit: Phone charging cable No matter what brand of phone you use they all need a cable to charge. Yes many can use wireless charging however wireless chargers can be bulky and still require a cable, so why carry one around when you can just carry a cable? Cables are inexpensive, lightweight, and can be stored easily. I carry 2 phones every day, one for work which is an iPhone, and my personal phone which is an Android, so I carry both style cables for convenience, and while not necessary it's probably a good idea for you to carry both as we all know someone be it friends or family that use the other style of phone then what you may have. When it comes to cables find a brand that is durable and will last. Personally for my type-C charging cable for my Android I prefer the Anker 6-foot braided cable at Walmart for around $10, as I've had several and they've all been extremely durable: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Anker-322-Braided-USB-C-to-USB-C-Cable-6ft-A81F6H11-1-Black/2387232905?classType=REGULAR&athbdg=L1600&from=/search   For my work iPhone I use the cables they issue me but I might need to pick up an Anker brand cable to test. Battery bank What use is a charging cable without a way of charging? Having a battery bank gives you a way of charging on the go without being tethered to a wall outlet. There are many options with different capacities and connections on the market, so choose one that will fit your needs. Currently I use an ONN brand power bank I picked up at Walmart for around $25 that has served me well for over a year now: https://www.walmart.com/ip/onn-10K-Dual-Port-Power-Delivery-Portable-Battery-with-AC-Plug-Black/174592216?classType=REGULAR&athbdg=L1400&from=/search   This power bank has a built-in wall plug that can be used to charge the power bank or even be used as a charging adapter if I'm near an outlet. It has both Type-A and Type-C ports to accept most charging cables and can even charge 2 devices at a time. There are definitely better options on the market, however this one fits my needs perfectly and has served me well so far.  Car charging port I spend alot of time on the road everyday driving between jobs which means im constantly using GPS that sucks the power from my work Ipad and phone. Having a decent car charger to keep them topped off is a lifesaver. For one of these I recommend a fast charging outlet preferably with 2 ports so that multiple devices can be charged at once. Currently I use an inexpensive charging port I found at my apparently favorite store, Walmart. https://www.walmart.com/ip/32W-CAR-UNI-BLK/5129565721?fulfillmentIntent=In-store&filters=%5B%7B%22intent%22%3A%22fulfillmentIntent%22%2C%22values%22%3A%5B%22In-store%22%5D%7D%5D&classType=REGULAR&from=/search   This port has served me well surprisingly for over a year considering it's such a generic product. It has a fast charge USB-C that I use daily.  Phone wall adapter Nowadays these don't come with phones and need to be purchased separately but due to a lifetime of hoarding anything of use, I have quite a few of these hanging around that I use for all kinds of devices from LED light strips to my phone. They are compact and are handy to keep as a backup to charge your devices when you're indoors or to allow a friend to use. At the moment I carry 2 of these in my bag, one for USB-A and USB-C both of which are old Samsung brand chargers that I've had for years.  Special cables As I stated above, it seems as though everything needs its own cable nowadays, but luckily, USB-C is the most common, so I can get away with my phone charger for most things. Unfortunately, some devices have specialty cables that you might want to get spares of if you carry them daily. Currently I keep my OLIGHT charger and my Pixel watch charger handy. Pouch Keeping your gear organized is an important skill we all need to practice. You can only use gear you can find, so it may be a good idea to get a pouch for your electronics kit. At this moment I use a velcro-backed pouch that I found at my local surplus store, but many people trust the organizers from Maxpidition. https://www.maxpedition.com/pages/search-results-page?q=organizer These are the items I carry daily that suit my needs. This post is more of a guide as my needs may not be as specific as yours. I feel this is a good starting point for most people but you can add or take away items to better suit your specific needs. Depending on need you may want to add items like: device cleaning wipes, SD cards, card readers, dongles, or USB drives. If you carry a laptop for work you may want to base your kit around it and include things like headphones, an HDMI cable, adapters, or a mouse. If you are a content creator you may want to include things like batteries or lenses. Experiment and find what's best for you, get some basic gear and upgrade as you go along and before you know it your kit will be complete.

So a few days ago my brother came in from out of town and brought me a little gift which I immediately opened like the little gear goblin I am. He got me a new flashlight to add to my collection, the OLIGHT i3T 2 EOS. I was excited to test out my new flashlight and I figured I would post my first impressions here. So starting off this light is tiny and is very similar in appearance and function to the COAST G22 I recently reviewed. The EOS measures in at about 3.5 inches long and weighs 1.47 grams according to OLIGHT. Just like the G22 this flashlight also has an aluminum body with a tail-cap button and uses a single AAA battery. This is where the similarities end as though it may be similar to the G22 it does have some noticeable features that make it stand out. The EOS has a dual mode output like the G22 however the high mode on this flashlight is a blinding 200 lumens compared to the G22’s 100 lumen max. The low mode on the EOS is, in my opinion a pitifully dim, 5 lumens as compared to the G22’s 35 lumens. The EOS has the ability to accept a 10440 Li-ion battery and this will increase the maximum light output to 300 lumens which is crazy for a light this compact. The EOS has an IPX8 rating meaning it is waterproof and can be submerged. The major selling point for this light is the dual-direction pocket lip that allows the EOS to be used as a headlamp if clipped to a hat. Now that the technical stuff is out of the way let's talk about my first impressions, first of all, this light is pretty as my bro splurged on the Dragon & Phoenix Golden Black version. The golden dragon and phoenix on the design really pops due to the contrasting black color of the flashlight body. The golden pocket clip looks fantastic in my work shirt just like a high-end pen. I like the ability to clip this light to my hat and use it hands-free. One of the things I noticed is that it doesn't get hot like the original i3t EOS, which I used to own before it was tragically lost inside of a customer's wall, and it stays relatively cool in my sweaty man hands. With a fresh battery this light is fantastic and works wonderfully. However, if you noticed, I just said with a fresh battery. Unfortunately, while it may be pretty to the eyes the EOS underperforms in its main job of being an everyday carry (EDC) flashlight. My chief complaint about this light is its power consumption, as stated above this light produces 200 lumens off of a single AAA battery which sounds fantastic until you learn that it can only maintain 200 lumens for 7 minutes then it drops down to 100 lumens. It gets worse, after the light drops to 100 lumens it can only maintain that for 28 minutes for a total high mode runtime of 35 minutes! I know what you're probably thinking: just keep it on the low mode right? Well, let me tell you why that won't work. While the flashlight can run for 21 hours on low it is only at a pitifully dim 5 lumens, yes 5 frickin lumens the same brightness as a normal flashlight in need of a battery swap. Over the past several days I've carried The EOS as well as the COAST G22 while on the job and try as I might I cannot stop reverting to the tried and tested G22. I have not found any situation where the i3t 2 EOS beats my COAST G22. You would think that the benefit of using the EOS as a headlamp would make up for its low performance however like most tools trying to do multiple jobs it just doesn't work well as a headlamp in the confined spaces that I normally find myself in. To use this flashlight as a headlamp you need to be wearing a hat which gets in the way while crawling under homes or sinks. The limited battery life also plays a part in the EOS not working well in a job setting as I have to constantly change batteries, if I put the light on low it's practically useless as most bathrooms and kitchen lighting wash it out even under sinks. I haven't had the opportunity to use the EOS in an attic yet however I assume that the flashlight will underperform as it will most likely overheat but I will test it when I get the chance. Even though I am very disappointed in the OLIGHT i3T 2 EOS it could be that my work environment is not the right environment for this light to shine, yes pun was intended. I have noted a couple of times where the EOS was handy, just tonight I got home after dark and my carport light was off and using the EOS as a headlamp on low was great for fiddling through my many keys. I've also noticed that the low setting is fantastic for navigating through my pitch-black house at night without unleashing the wrath that would come with waking my wife. I can see this light being extremely handy in a first aid kit as I believe the hands-free option would come in very handy. As I stated before this light may be the perfect light for someone who's not me but I will continue to test and will update as needed. Currently, I give this light a 1 out of 5 star rating. A more in-depth comparison between the OLIGHT i3T 2 EOS and the COAST G22 will be coming soon.

Around 4 years ago I was in an O'Reilly Auto Parts store getting parts to repair my crapbox of a 1995 Toyota Avalon. As I was checking out I started browsing the selection of flashlights at the register and stumbled upon a flashlight that looked like a great addition to my everyday carry (EDC). That was my first COAST G22 and since then it has become an essential part of my everyday carry kit. This little flashlight measuring just under 4 inches long and weighing 1.41 ounces fits perfectly in my work shirt and belt pouch. This light runs off a single AAA battery and has a runtime of about 4 hours in low mode. Speaking of light modes this flashlight has only 2 modes: high, 100 lumens, and low, 35 lumens, offering flexibility when needed. COAST states that in high mode this flashlight has a beam distance of approximately 170 feet which seems correct as it does allow me to see to my chicken coop in my pitch-black yard which is around 200 feet from my house. The flashlight I currently own is about 2 years old and hasn't failed me yet. The flashlight is IP54 rated so it is rated to stop dust and water spray from any direction with COAST stating the flashlight is stormproof. I can tell you from experience this flashlight is built tough as both of the ones I've owned have been put through their paces on my jobs whether crawling through a soaked crawlspace, looking for a leak in a 120-degree attic, or giving me light at night in a rain storm. Both of the flashlights I've owned have been dropped, hit, and soaked on the job and have never failed. I would probably still have my first G22 if I hadn't lost it. These flashlights are built to last and come with a lifetime warranty through COAST. The other day I was walking through my local Walmart and found what I thought was the G22 in stock but after a closer look, I found it was a flashlight COAST called the PX22. After doing some research the flashlight appears to be identical with the specifications and description being the same on COAST'S website. Do you want to know the best thing about this light? It's only $9 at Walmart! Yes, there are fancier flashlights on the market in the same size category such as the OLIGHT I3T EOS that I will be reviewing soon however this light cannot be beat for this price and will make a fantastic addition to anyone's EDC. I highly recommend this flashlight and give it a 5 out of 5 stars.