Black Rucksack – The Gear, The Lifestyle and The Pastimes of Men

Survival of the fittest...

The single most important item in any survival kit is the means to start a fire. Another necessity for every survival situation is a knife. When you combine those two functions, you get the ToolLogic SL3 Fire.

The SL3 features a partially serrated 3″ blade and a magnesium alloy fire starter. This particular type of fire starter will spark at over 2500 degrees Fahrenheit and will always spark when wet. If you watch Man vs. Wild you’ll notice that survivalist Bear Grylls often uses a similar type of magnesium fire starter.

Perfect for any rucksack at only 2.7 ounces, the ToolLogic SL3 Fire is a fundamental piece of survival gear.

ToolLogic SL3 Fire
$38

Got a light?

Much is familiar about the Zippo lighter: the “clink” they make when they open and shut, their windproof flame and the distinct shape. My Grandpa had one that he cherished and kept with him in his trouser pocket every single day. And like the few Zippo’s in my family, Zippo’s around the world hold the same two roles: lighter and heirloom.

There are few day-to-day items that carry as much history as a Zippo lighter. It was 2007 when a friend and I were driving through Pennsylvania on a road trip. We literally, accidentally drove past the Zippo Manufacturing Company in Bradford… and we then stopped. There we toured the part-store, part-museum visitors center and took in a lot of the history of Zippo. First produced in 1933, the lighter was popularized by many American soldiers of World War II and the tradition continues on; it remains one of the most popular brands to date.

In 2007, Zippo released a new line of lighter… the Zippo Blu. It’s a butane torch lighter and a must for the cigar smoker. The case design is slightly different than the standard Zippo case and thus a distinguishing feature.

The Zippo is sturdy and resilient but just in case, it also includes a lifetime guarantee. If there is a problem with your lighter the company will replace or fix it for free.

Zippo Windproof
~$18

Zippo Blu
~$38

Photo by: thenorthface.com

Picture this… it’s the weekend… it’s calm and cool… you’re grilling… and suddenly your dog is at your side begging. At first, you thought the pup wanted something off of the grill; it turns out she wants to go for a long walk.

On this not particularly sunny day you decide that since it may storm later, it’s best to get the walk in now. It’s about 55 degrees F and the calm day may suddenly change to windy and brisk as a cold front moves in. Knowing this, you grab for the perfect jacket…
the Apex Bionic Jacket by The North Face.

This jacket is windproof and just about waterproof. With it’s breathability it’s ideal for hiking into a cold wind with your dog, while staying warm and dry. It’s made out of a stretchy material that provides the ultimate comfort. I’ll go so far as to say you could play some pond hockey in this jacket and still be well protected!

The North Face Men’s Apex Bionic Jacket (Spring 2009)
$129

The Climber by Victorinox

The Explorer, Ranger, Rucksack, Mountaineer, Climber or the Handyman?  My personal favorite of all the Victorinox Swiss Army knives is without a doubt the Climber, followed closely by the Rucksack.  There aren’t many pieces of gear as simple and as useful as a Swiss Army knife.  I carry mine in my front pocket just about every day.

It’s easy to see how the Swiss Army knife has become the quintessential piece of gear.  The knives flexibility and diverse set of tools lend favorably to its usability.  Compared to many other multi-tools it is far less cumbersome and the bold red shell is pretty tough.  While the Swiss Army knife is a good friend for a cautious fellow, it is also the embodiment of resourcefulness.  Choose this knife and you’ve chosen brains and versatility over unsteady, oft detrimental brawn.

Take a look at the rich history of these knives and you’ll catch a glimpse of World War I and World War II.  Since the birth of the knife in 1891 it has been a stand-by for many soldiers.  And, now in 2008 there is a new soldier’s knife that has been re-invented for this era.

The Climber and the Rucksack represent two different types of Victorinox knife.  The Climber is a traditional Swiss Army knife with the following 14 tools: large blade, small blade, corkscrew, can opener with small screwdriver 3 mm (also for Phillips screws), cap lifter with screwdriver 6 mm and wire stripper, reamer, punch, key ring, tweezers, toothpick, scissors and multi-purpose hook.

The Rucksack is a more ergonomic knife with a locking blade and contains the following 12 tools: large lock blade, corkscrew, can opener with screwdriver 3 mm, cap lifter with screwdriver with automatic locking and wire stripper, reamer, punch, key ring, tweezers, toothpick and wood saw.

Both are fine companions for hiking, hunting, fishing, camping, and most any other outdoor activity you can think of, as well day-to-day use even in the office.

Victorinox Swiss Army Knife
$15 to $38

A watch above watches... the Suunto Vector.

Suunto labels their watches as “wristop computers” and while this description is accurate, I don’t think it captures the how damn nice these watches are. After some research on Suunto watches I decided that the Suunto Vector best suited my needs. I’m in the woods a lot so, knowing the temperature, barometric pressure and fluctuations, altitude and having a compass is not only convenient but often times necessary. Most frequently and on a daily basis I use the compass and the thermometer. I will use bearing tracking when hiking and the barometer to detect weather patterns. The standard time features such as the stopwatch, countdown timer, calendar and three daily alarms all function as expected. Oh, and I love the 24hr time setting.