​Like most of you we got some new gear for Christmas. One of the best items was a new Silky Ultra Accel Curved Blade folding saw. Although we normally use wood that either is deadfall, or is easily chopped with our hatchet or pack axe, sometimes we find that we need to saw something. If pack weight is not an overriding consideration the best option is a folding saw.  As with all of the Silky curved blade outdoor saws, these are pure Japanese pull stroke saws with Silky's proprietary tooth design. While technically there is some cutting done on the push stroke, it is very minimal. The saw will easily cut through logs up to 6” in diameter, and larger logs if you can either rotate the log or vary your cutting position. 

​You can find the details about the Silky Ultra Accel Curved Blade Folding Saw on the Camping/Tools page.

​Just in time for winter the Utah Avalanche Center has produced a new set of Avalanche safety classes and made them available online.

​ 
There are 5 interactive courses designed to help everyone learn the principles needed to be safer and more confident in the avalanche terrain.
 

• Get the Gear
  • Learn about the equipment that you need to go into the backcountry and how to get the most out of it
• Get the Training
  • Learn how avalanches work and how you can avoid them
• Get the Forecast
  • Learn to understand your local avalanche forecast to guide your decision-making in the backcountry
• Get the Picture
  • Learn to recognize the clues to avalanche conditions
• Get out of Harm's Way
  • Learn about avalanche terrain to maximize your riding while minimizing your exposure

 
You can find out more at both the “Know Before You Go” and the Utah Avalanche Center websites.

​Since all firearms need to be kept clean to operate efficiently we recently got around to purchasing a bore snake for our 7.62 x 39mm Norinco MAK-90. Although all of our other bore snakes are from Hoppe’s, when we were looking for the 7.62mm snake we ran across the Real Avid Bore Boss. Since we really like our Real Avid cleaning mat (because of the thought that they put into it) and the Bore Boss appeared to be a “reimagined” version of a bore snake, we decided to give it a shot. We’re glad we did.

​The Bore Boss has a round case with an attached rubber cover that stores the cable/brush/mop and acts as an ergonomic grip that helps you pull the tight-fitting cable through your rifle. The snake stays in its container until needed with the cable wrapped neatly around the case to ensure that it doesn’t get tied into knots while it is stored. The case also keeps the cleaning brush from grabbing fabric or poking you, and keeps the dirty mop away from other items in your range bag. ​

You can find the details about the Real Avid Bore Boss on the Shooting/Cleaning Supplies page.

Back in July we posted a blog related to “Trying Out New #8 Shot Shells” for 3-Gun activities – and ended by saying that we would let you know what we figured out after we had completed our testing of the following 4 types of 12 Gauge 2 ¾” #8 shot shells:

      1) Winchester Super X - Upland Game
      2) Winchester Super Target - Light Target
      3) Fiocchi Shooting Dynamics Target Loads
      4) Federal Premium Gold Medal Grand™ Competition Clay Target Loads
 
Normally we use 2 ¾” 00 Buckshot shells in our shotguns since they are “tactical” in nature (as opposed to being used for skeet shooting or hunting). However, because we had been doing more 3-gun shooting, where 00 Buckshot is overkill when shooting at clay and paper targets, we decided that we needed to find a good #8 shot shell for the 3-gun range.
 
Well, after putting a lot of lead down range, we’ve decided to use the “Fiocchi Shooting Dynamics Target Loads” 2 ¾” #8 shot shells (Manufacturer #12SD1L8, UPC #762344705538) going forward for our 3-gun activities. 

​Although all 4 of the shells that we tested worked well, we decided to choose the Fiocchi shells for a variety of reasons.
 
      1) Fiocchi is the world leader in shot shell manufacturing making more than 500 million
              cases each year. Fiocchi also helped pioneer the lower recoil 1 oz load.
      2) Good quality shotgun shells.
      3) Gives a nice tight pattern due to the 1,170 fps velocity and lead pellet
             shape consistency.
      4) Never had a FTF or FTE - always reliable.
      5) Good combination of economy and performance – cost per shell ~$0.25
      6) One-piece shot cup
      7) Clean-burning powder
      8) Reliable Fiocchi primers
      9) Cushioned wads
     10) First-run chilled shot. High-antimony (5%) lead pellets with nearly perfect
             round shape.
 
You can find the details about the #8 Shot Fiocchi Shooting Dynamics Target Loads on the Shooting/Ammunition page.

​These days many people are not just out there backpacking, they’re lightweight, ultra-lightweight and super-ultra-lightweight backpacking so that they can travel further and faster. So what are the definitions of lightweight, ultra-lightweight and super-ultra-lightweight backpacking, and what gear do you need to jettison from your normal load to give it a go?
 
The short answer is that for lightweight backpacking your “base pack” should weigh less than 20 pounds. Ultra-lightweight requires a base pack weight of less than 10 pounds and super-ultra-lightweight requires a base pack that weighs less than 5 pounds. Note that “base pack weight” refers to the weight of all the items in your backpack, including the backpack, with the exception of your consumables (food, water and fuel). Base pack weight also doesn't include the clothing that you are wearing to hike. Alternatively “skin-out weight” refers to everything in your pack plus your consumables and the clothes that you are wearing. In other words, skin-out weight is what you weigh with your clothes and backpack on - minus the weight of your naked body. But there’s a lot more to Lightweight, Ultra-lightweight and Super-ultra-lightweight backpacking.

​Luckily one of our website’s readers found a great article on Angie’s List (thanks Steven and Stephanie - who knew that they had hiking articles on Angie’s List) that summarizes this trend and provides lots of links to other websites to give you all the necessary information to get you started. Since the article nicely aligns with our thoughts on the topic we thought that we would pass it along - "Ultralight Backpacking: Keeping the Packing List Short". You can find the article here:

​https://www.angieslist.com/articles/ultralight-backpacking-keeping-packing-list-short.htm

….and here’s a complete listing of the 21 links that the article references:

1) Start Lightweight Backpacking
   - https://www.gossamergear.com/pages/start-lightweight-backpacking
 
2) Ultralight Backpacking Guide (How to Easily Conquer Lightweight Hiking)
   - https://backpackerverse.com/ultralight-backpacking-tips/
 
3) Working Gear List: The Big Three
   - http://www.thetenaciouscrasis.com/working-gear-list-the-big-three/
 
4) The Big Three: How to Lighten Your Backpack, Sleeping Bag and Shelter
- https://seattlebackpackersmagazine.com/the-big-three-how-to-lighten-your-backpack-sleeping-bag-and-shelter/
 
5) Lightweight Backpacking Step 2: The Big Three
   - https://www.itstactical.com/gearcom/load-bearing/lightweight-backpacking-step-2-the-big-three/
 
6) Ultralight Makeover
   - http://www.backpackingnorth.com/ultralight-makeover-overview/
 
7) How Much Should Your pack Weigh?
   - https://www.rei.com/blog/camp/how-much-should-your-pack-weigh
 
8) A Weekend Backpacking Checklist for First-Timers
 - https://www.sierratradingpost.com/blog/article/first-weekend-backpacking-checklist/
 
9) Lightweight Backpacking: The Big Three
   - https://sectionhiker.com/lighten-up-your-backpack-the-big-three/
 
10) How to Pick Your Big Three
   - https://thetrek.co/pick-big-three-shelter-sleeping-bag-pack/
 
11) Water for Hiking
   - http://www.hikingdude.com/hiking-water.php
 
12) Hydration
   - https://www.thehikinglife.com/health-safety/hydration/
 
13) How to Cut Water Weight: A Backpacker's Guide to Hydration
   - https://www.greenbelly.co/pages/how-much-water-should-i-carry-backpacking
 
14) Ultralight Backpacking: 10 Tips for Shaving Weight Without Sacrificing Comfort
   - https://bearfoottheory.com/ultralight-backpacking-tips/
 
15) Tips for Lightening Your Backpacking Load
   - https://www.backcountry.com/explore/tips-for-lightening-your-backpacking-load
 
16) How to Calculate Backpack Weight with LighterPack
   - https://backpackers.com/how-to-calculate-backpack-weight-with-lighterpack/
 
17) Organize Your Backpacking Trip
   - https://www.backpacker.com/stories/organize-your-backpacking-trip
 
18) How to Pack and Organize a Backpack for a Euro Trip
   - https://www.eaglecreek.com/blog/how-pack-and-organize-backpack-euro-trip.html
 
19) Long-Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail
   - http://hikinghq.net/book_long_distance.html
 
20) Pack Like a Pro: Ultralight Backpacking with Scott Robertson
   - https://www.osprey.com/stories/pack-like-a-pro-ultralight-backpacking/
 
21) Making the Switch to Ultralight Backpacking
   - http://www.lovetheoutdoors.com/making-the-switch-to-ultralight-backpacking/

​If you read the article you’ll see that many of the embedded links talk about the need to first sort out your backpack, shelter and sleeping bag/system (the “big three”) since they are the absolute required gear and weigh the most. After that, assuming that you still have remaining weight allowance, you need to add water, food, fuel, cooking/eating utensils, first aid kit, etc.
 
So, if you’re interested in challenging yourself with a Lightweight, Ultra-lightweight or Super-ultra-lightweight backpacking adventure, look over all this great information and get out there…….

​If you’re outdoors, and the weather is both cold and wet, one invaluable piece of gear that you need is a good pair of waterproof gloves – especially here in New England. The only problem is that many waterproof gloves don’t breathe, don’t allow you to have good dexterity and aren’t sturdy enough for actually doing real work - like chopping wood.

​Recently we’ve spent a fair amount of time looking for a good pair of waterproof gloves and finally found a pair that we liked; the Seirus Innovation 1171 Mens Xtreme Waterproof gloves. We like the fact that they provide a tight fit and have a tall wrist cuff that keeps out the cold air and snow – while allowing us the dexterity to use tools in the cold.

​You can find the details about the Seirus Mens Xtreme Waterproof gloves on the Camping/Tools page.

​As with most gear, everyone has their own opinions about firearms; what specifications matter, which firearm is better, which firearm should be used for what application, etc.,
 
Because of this, one of the topics that comes up alot is the comparison between the AR-15 and the AK-47, and the various pros and cons of each. The AR-15 is the best-selling rifle in the US, while the AK-47 is one of the most widely recognized rifles on Earth. Both weapons might be similar in appearances, but on closer observation, they are truly worlds apart. 

​Here's a side-by-side infographic comparison of the basic functionality and specifications of these two popular guns that was pulled together by TacticalGear.com:

​Recently someone asked where the readers of our website were located - so we thought that we would share the data with you.
 
We have readers from all 50 States in the US and over 75 other countries around the world.
 
Here's a couple of screenshots from the website's analytics showing where our readers are::

​Needless to say, we appreciate all of you – our readers around the world.

​Guns & Ammo has been publishing their evaluation of the gun laws of each State for the past six years, and on 31 October 2018 they published an article [“Best States for Gun Owners (2018)”] by Keith Wood with this year’s evaluation. 

As with previous years their evaluations are based on the following 5 categories:

• Right to Carry
• Black Rifles
• NFA
• Castle Doctrine
• Miscellaneous

 
As always there’s a lot of great information – not only on a State-by-State basis - but on the overall trends across the US – since many times legislation that successfully passes in one State gets fed to anti-gun organizations in other States to see if they can get it passed too. Not to spoil the article – but here’s a summary table with their overall ratings - sorted from Worst to Best :

If you want to read the entire Guns & Ammo article (which we highly recommend) you can find it here:
 
https://www.gunsandammo.com/editorial/best-states-for-gun-owners-2018/327233

​These days there’s lots of information related to Hiking, Camping and Shooting gear on the internet – some of it good and detailed - and some of it superficial and just plain wrong. Since we like to help our readers save time by focusing on information from good online resources (instead of wasting your time surfing all over and filtering out bad resources) we list the best sites that we find on our website under the heading of “Other Helpful Information Sources”. 

Because the content on the internet is constantly changing, we also update our references when we find new ones that we like. Recently the folks at MyOpenCountry.com found our website online and reached out to us to us since we both love the Outdoors and share a common point of view. We hadn’t seen their site before so we looked it over and really liked the information that they were putting online.

​We especially liked that they had a specific sections for “Hiking & Camping Gear”, “Hiking & Camping Tips & Guides" and “Trip Inspiration” – much like the content on our site.

​In addition to all of their other content, the folks at My Open Country just published a great detailed article with their point of view on the gear you need for Hiking titled "What to Carry: 3 Season Hiking Gear Checklist”; they even included a downloadable checklist to make things easier for you. 

​Their article starts with some "Quick Tips: Do's & Don’ts" and then the covers the areas listed below in more detail:

​So, if you’re searching for another great outdoor information source, you might want to take a look at, and bookmark, MyOpenCountry.com. 

If you want to see our latest gear checklists you can download PDF versions of them here:

     Hiking Gear

     Camping Gear

     Disaster Preparedness Gear

     Shooting Gear