A rugged jacket for adventuring...

You know that spring or summer rainstorm/monsoon/torrent that we all inevitably end up in at the most unexpected and inopportune time?   Say, when you need to fill the gas tank or just as you arrive at the campsite but haven’t yet setup?  ”Infrequent” may describe how often these scenarios occur, still, they happen. Good news… there is a jacket that you can rough up and will still keep your top half dry. The Craghoppers Bandero Jacket…

There is something you should know about the Craghoppers company before getting to the details of the Bandero Jacket.  Simply, they have a passion for gear.  For 45 years they’ve been producing quality outdoor gear in the United Kingdom, all started by a dream to summit Mt. Everest.  Craghoppers is a company based on a quintessential adventure and because of that, they succeed perfectly in creating worthy gear.

Craghoppers also works with Bear Grylls to create clothing specifically for the extreme conditions Bear will encounter.  While we don’t know for sure whether or not the Craghoppers Bandero Jacket was influenced by Bear, we are pretty sure it would qualify for one of his adventures.

The jacket itself is a thing of beauty… stylish, et al.  Even if Craghoppers didn’t already have a great reputation for creating quality gear, I would recommend this jacket solely on its reliability.  It’s comfortable and the fit is perfect. I am 5′ 10″ with broad shoulders and the large jacket fits like a glove.  All the pockets, flaps, zippers, seams and buttons are NOT flimsy like they can be on many other jackets.  This jacket keeps the bulk down but truly feels rugged.   A side benefit of the Craghoppers Bandero Jacket is that it could be worn in a variety of conditions: hiking, fishing, hunting, a night on the town, urban, rural, treasure hunting, fall, winter, spring and possibly even in the summer.

Specifications:
-23oz. (660g)
-Roll-away hood
-2 zipped hand pockets and inner pocket plus concealed map pocket
-Chin guard and waterproof storm flap
-AquaDry polyester fabric with water-repellent finish
-Lifetime Guarantee!

Bottom Line:
One of the best multi-use jackets at an absolutely great price.

Shoe perfection? Close.

The Little Manistee River in northern Michigan serves as a gauntlet for any water shoe. This river has many different types of difficult to navigate riverbeds including: small and loose pebbles, soft sand, slippery clay and large boulders. The Teva Sunkosi 2 water shoe is made to conquer exactly these types of riverbed challenges.

Teva, Hebrew for nature, created an outsole for the Sunkosi 2 that is made of a durable, high friction rubber for much needed grip in the river. Teva refers to this rubber compound as “Spider Rubber”, rightfully so; the outsole is great in the water or on land.  Available in two colors, gunmetal and stone grey, and weighing in at only 10.6 ounces / 605 grams, a pair Sunkosi 2′s are comfortable and meant for freestyle canoeing or kayaking, whitewater rafting or a day of workin’ on the boat at the dock.

Teva Sunkosi 2 water shoes are built to perfection for a day on any river, including the Little Manistee.

Get the Teva Sunkosi 2 Water Shoe:
- at Amazon.com
- at REI.com

Stay dry... stay warm...

I’ve been in two violent thunderstorms while driving across Nebraska on Interstate 80 (I-80) between California and Michigan, the first was in February of 2007. Days earlier I installed new windshield wipers on my Escape, and of that I was thankful. During that storm, even though many cars and trucks pulled off the road, my Dad and I were able to keep heading toward California.

The second storm was in April of 2007 and of course, mid-storm one of those wipers decided to partially detach, leaving me looking through an opaque windshield. I immediately pulled over on the right side of the road and started to think, “do I have a poncho in here?”

The answer was no, I did not have a poncho. Thankfully, I had the next best thing, a Marmot jacket. And during the time it took to fix the wiper, I was kept remarkably dry. For spring 2009, Marmot has another weatherproof jacket… the Marmot Aegis Jacket.

This jacket is well-designed from top to bottom, from collar to zipper. The Marmot material known as MemBrain Strata serves as the main material for the jacket and is incredibly lightweight, breathable and of course, waterproof. Zippers on the jacket are water resistant and the seams are taped. In addition to that, there are useful pockets including hand warmer pockets and a sleeve pocket. The jacket also as a hood that rolls into the collar.

All in all, this is one good jacket. Buy one now and you’ll have it for the next decade.

Black hooded...

As we described in a previous article, Armani Exchange (A|X) is the trendy, accessible off-the-peg brand from Armani. A|X features stylish, branded gear such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, jeans and jackets. One sweatshirt that is really emblematic of the uniqueness of A|X is the Zip Neck Hoody.

In jet black, the Zip Neck Hoody features a hood that folds easily into the collar. Although, you may find, like I did, that you like the hood out a whole lot better.

The sweatshirt is a medium weight and perfect for an outdoor rock concert in a Midwestern state during spring or fall.  Or, it’s good for that early fall tailgate and football game.

Armani Exchange Zip Neck Hoody
$115

It's grillin' time...

It’s only January, it’s around 21 degrees Fahrenheit outside here in Lansing, MI and I’m thinking about one thing… grilling. Last year my Dad designed and built himself an outdoor grill island in his backyard (and from what I hear, my Mom gets a lot of credit for the engineering as well). The design includes a gas grill, tiled top, wood trim, stone facing and many other features. The most kick-ass feature of this grill has to be the view while you’re grilling… Bear Lake.

It’d be awesome to duplicate his custom grill station in my backyard someday… not this year, maybe next. This spring, summer, and fall I am going to stick with grilling on the porch. But, lucky for me there is an equalizer in this grill island v. porch grill throw down… grill tools.

There are a lot of puny, cheap grill tools out there and we don’t want you to buy something you’ll regret. For example, the average grill tool set you might see at your local grocery store is most often not acceptable. For your grilling pleasure you need the serious grill tools. The tools made out of tougher metal that will last through more abuse and torture then the cheap-o grocery store kind. The toughest we’ve tested so far is the 12 piece Deluxe BBQ Tool Set by Ledmark Industries.

The right tool for the job...

This set includes a multi-function spatula, a marinating brush, tongs, a two pronged fork, a BBQ knife, four skewers and a two piece steak set. The tongs are great for large pieces of meat because of their large grip.  The knife and fork are long enough to reach the back of the grate on a deep grill without causing a serious mishap. Plus, the set is easy to carry, easy to pack away and well protected in the included aluminum case.

This spring we plan on testing out more grill tools and letting you know the results. And for our gear-addict friends patrolling all of the B[+]R gear posts… “hey!”

Ledmark Industries 12 piece Deluxe BBQ Tool Set
$60

Photo by: jpeterman.com

The first item I ever owned by The J. Peterman Company was a t-shirt. I didn’t know much about the brand… only that it was well regarded by a few friends of mine. A t-shirt seemed to me the perfect way to test that notion. I went with the aptly named Father of All T-Shirts and to this day it provides the best comfort and fit of any undershirt I own.

I opted for the original navy blue mostly due to the first sentence in the shirts description within the J. Peterman Owner’s Manual: “The T-shirt first appears on American radar just before WWI, when the U.S. Navy introduced it as an undershirt.” Navy blue just seemed to be the obvious choice. When the t-shirt finally arrived I threw it on and was immediately pleased with the fit. It’s perfect for guys with an average or athletic physique.

The writing in the J. Peterman Owner’s Manual is one of its differentiating and defining features. Often, you’ll be transported to another world in another time through the descriptions of their products. Take this bit:

“The idea seemed laughable to most people back in ancient 1964, but not to Swiss archaeologist Charles Bonnet.

He packed his steamer trunks, headed for Nubia in the Sudan, uncovered an entire culture including larger-than-life statues of the Black Pharaohs who once ruled Egypt up north.

The man is astute about where to dig; and he’s also astute (to get to the immediate point) about what to wear when he’s digging.”

Every single product is written about in such an evocative way. We at Black Rucksack suggest you first look over the J. Peterman website… take your time… read and enjoy the experience. Then, start looking for the few pieces of clothing or unique items from J. Peterman that will transform you.

The J. Peterman Company – Father of All T-Shirts
$29

Photo by: merchco-online.com

Pnatrul… sure, they spell it strange… but they can get away with it because they of the quality gear they hock. Worn by drummers, rockers and thrashers everywhere, Pnatrul is based in southern California. The Pnatrul logo is based on a crescent-shaped pendant worn by Navajo and other Native American tribes called a “naja”, the Navajo word for crescent. The brand also casts themselves as “eco-friendly”.

They carry a range of t-shirts, hoodies and other gear. The shirt we suggest is the most unique in their online store… the Blizzard.

Pnatrul Blizzard
$66

Photo by: cabelas.com

Adventure… a guy must have it. It may be the thrill of a hunt or perhaps just setting out on a drive or hike without a specific landing-place. Or maybe, it’s traveling around the world with a black rucksack and letting the locals in each new destination discovery guide you to the next. However you define it, you’ll need a shirt for it. For my adventuring, I choose the Cabela’s Serengeti Safari Shirt.

This shirt has five pockets, epaulets, features 6-ounce-per-square-yard 100% cotton canvas and is highly durable and comfortable. It’ll outlast your boots, your pants and probably a lot of your other gear.

As you button this shirt up you begin to transform… you become not just an adventurer but the adventurer… the man of many talents.

Along the road you may find your transformed-self becoming permanent… that’s perfect. That is what you wanted… the true adventurer to come through for a good, long time.

Perhaps a fedora is in order…?

Cabela’s Serengeti Safari Shirt
$32

Photo by: oakley.com

If you need a hooded jacket for heading downtown (or your next intelligence op) then reach for the Oakley Disestablishment Jacket.  Oakley gear is tough as nails and stylish; good for any high impact night you might have in mind.  Whether you’re walking into the club wearing this jacket or running out of it to meet a contact, you’ll be comfortable.

The hood is removable if need be and this jacket comes in three colors: New Olive, Black and New Khaki.  We here at the Black Rucksack would opt for the black Disestablishment Jacket over the new olive or new khaki.  After all, black is the only color in which one can stand out or blend in.  This jacket runs for $125.00 and is found online and at brick and mortar stores that carry Oakley apparel.

Oakley Disestablishment Jacket
$125

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.