Section
Survival & Tactical
Preparedness that fits a pack: kits, lighting, edge tools, and judgment.
Sawyer SP544 vs Ben's 30
Buy Sawyer SP544 for 4 ounces of 20 percent picaridin, up to 12 hours on mosquitoes and ticks. Buy Ben's 30, part 0006-7187, for 3.4 ounces of 30 percent DEET and an 8-hour-or-more bullet. Do not mix the bottles.
Aquatabs AQT30 vs Potable Aqua Twin 50
Buy Aquatabs AQT30 for one 49 mg tablet in 0.75 to 2 liters and a 30-minute wait. Buy the Potable Aqua twin pack for two bottles of 50, 35 minutes, and up to 25 quarts per bottle. Ignore the 60-quart cell.
Fox 40 Classic vs Storm Safety Whistle
Buy Fox 40 FO34040 for the black three-chamber pealess whistle rated up to a mile. Buy Storm STORM-SFTW0053 for orange, half a mile on land, and 50 feet underwater.
Victorinox Classic SD vs Leatherman Micra
Buy the Classic SD 0.6223.3B1 for 58 mm and seven functions at a claimed 22 grams. Buy the Micra 64380101K for spring scissors, 10 tools, and a 2.5 inch closed body.
Morakniv Companion vs Opinel Colorama No. 8
Buy the Companion M-12158 for a 4.1-inch fixed blade and a sheath. Buy the Opinel Colorama No. 08, O002213, for a 3.35-inch folder with a Virobloc ring.
AMK Ultralight/Watertight .5 vs .7
Buy the .5, part 0125-0392, for 72 pieces at 3.52 ounces. Buy the .7, part 0125-0391, for 90 pieces at 5.92 ounces. Open it before the trip.
SOL Emergency Bivvy vs SOL Survival Blanket
Buy the sealed SOL bivvy for an unplanned night. Buy the open SOL survival blanket for a wrap, a signal, or a ground layer. Neither has a winter bag rating.
Light My Fire Scout vs Exotac nanoSTRIKER
Buy the FireSteel 2.0 Scout for a larger rod and a whistle. Buy the nanoSTRIKER for one waterproof piece on a keychain. Both still need tinder.
Suunto MC-2 vs Silva Ranger 2.0
Buy the Ranger 2.0 for 1:24,000 scales on a USGS map. Buy the MC-2 only after you confirm the needle and the ruler. Set declination.
Sawyer Squeeze vs Katadyn BeFree
Buy the Squeeze to move one filter between pouches and backflush it. Buy the BeFree 1.0L to fill, squeeze, and drink. Neither handles viruses or salt.
Leatherman Wave+ vs Gerber Center-Drive
Buy the Wave+ for outside blades and replaceable cutters in a pack. Buy the Center-Drive for a real screwdriver and a bit set. Lock the blade. A keychain tweezer is a different pocket.
Garmin inReach Mini 2 review
Buy the Mini 2 if you leave towers and will keep an Iridium plan on. Buy a registered PLB if you want SOS with no monthly bill. Test it. Clip it where it can see sky.
Write a Tuesday turnaround when dark equals day
Equinox day: two lights, paper, and a time on the dash. A phone is not a lamp. Sit if the leaves bury the cut.
Pack a Monday hypothermia kit when nights equal days
Equinox week: merino, rain pants, two lights, and a kit you opened. Fifty degrees and wet is the risk.
Carry two lights when equinox dark comes early
The last Sunday before the equinox already feels like October. Pack a headlamp and a handheld, date the cells, and write the turnaround.
Navigate when September leaves bury the trail
Hardwoods dump overnight. Slow down, carry a lamp and paper, and treat the leaf carpet as a new surface — not the August dirt you remember.
Treat September lake water like winter water
A clear September cove is still a living lake. Filter what you drink, keep clean caps clean, and dress for a swim the dock temperature is lying about.
Sawyer Squeeze vs LifeStraw
Buy the Sawyer Squeeze to fill bottles, cook, and share. Buy the LifeStraw Personal as a one-person straw for a day hike or glove box. Most overnights want the Squeeze.