This week: journaling; I went into the office; GORUCK and Mystery Ranch; a vintage lighter.
You must be a member to read the rest of this article. (Already a member? Log In.)
Top Posts
The Hype: Yoshida & Co’s Porter BagsAugust 26, 2025
G-SHOCK DW-H5600 After 7 MonthsJuly 31, 2025
Casio Duro MDV-106 Re-ReviewDecember 15, 2022
Recent Articles
-
Member Journal — 4/19/21
In this edition I humblebrag about how many articles I have in the queue, get to write the word queue, and I show off the coolest vintage lighter. Among other things.
-
Quick Comparison of the Mystery Ranch Front and ASAP
In case you really want a Front but cannot find one, here’s how the ASAP differs.
When I posted my review of the Mystery Ranch Front I thought I had found a bag which was going to start walking away with praise — and I mostly did. It’s such a stupidly good bag, and while not perfect (especially for EDC) it is just good. Then Mystery Ranch discontinued it (I hold out hope it comes back) so I felt the need to see what some of its sibling bags offer. Specifically, the most readily available to US customers, the Mystery Ranch ASAP.
-
Adding Fidlock V-Buckles to Your Bag
Adding fancy clasps to your bag where someone put non-fancy ones on to begin with.
Over in my member-only Discord (you are in there right? You should be in there, great way to not feel guilty about buying many amazing things) I was lamenting about how I don’t love all the duraflex and other buckles on my bags. And how I wished that more of them were Fidlock or Cobra. Turns out (thanks members) that you can get split bar V-Buckles from Fidlock.
-
Member Journal — 4/12/21
I feel really good knowing that I am not the only person loving sling bags and Mystery Ranch — San Antonio might be a bag town, which is nice to know.
-
Hill People Gear Belt Pack
This is the best sling I have tested so far, and while not perfect it is tantalizingly close to it.
I’ve long wanted, desired, and drooled over the Hill People Gear Kit Bags — alas I cannot really see a practical use for those in my current day to day life (rest assured I shall buy as soon as I have a solid excuse to do so). But, during one drooling session, I came across the Hill People Gear Belt Pack, which is one of their smaller Kit Bags attached to a belt strap instead of the chest rig.
-
RovyVon Aurora A8x
Awesome little light, as long as you avoid the amber model I bought.
I am not sure where to start with this light: the price, the output, the form factor, or the general popularity? Because it checks just about every box, and the brand in general has such a wide array of offerings that everyone will find something they like there.
-
Member Journal — 4/5/21
Why don’t our keyboards charge with a Qi charger, and why do I have to bother with so many charging cables.
-
At the Ready, Adjusting My Sling Carry Loadout
You really only need a few key items, one of which is a pen. You gotta have a pen.
I’ve been carrying a sling style bag for a while now, and before that a small satchel field bag. Over that time my bag has ballooned in the amount of stuff in it, and then predictably slimmed back down as I sorted out what I actually need. I figure with more people getting vaccines and trying to venture tenuously back into the world, I would update you on some of the items I find most useful.
-
Member Journal — 3/29/21
That then when you place a dozen bag related items on eBay, but still have 10 backpacks left over that you can’t bring yourself to part with.
-
Morgrie RK68B, Bluetooth Mechanical Keyboard
This is quite possibly the best keyboard on the market right now.
There’s a chance this is end game level here. Only time will tell, but this is an extremely good keyboard which gives me a nice hybrid solution of Bluetooth and mechanical, while being very low friction to use. I love this keyboard, so no more fluff, I’ll tell you why you need one or two.
-
Member Journal — 3/22/21
Why can’t I get an Apple Pencil insert for my actually good feeling pens?
-
REI Member Coupons — What to Buy
I can help you use that coupon!
Warning, there be affiliate links here.
Here’s some things that caught my eye which the 20% off coupon applies to:
-
Garage Built Gear Tech Organizer
A great bargain of an organizer with solid looks and excellent functionality.
I found out about this company by happenstance and immediately liked a lot of the pouches they sell. If you go look today, you’ll see that many out out of stock — I have this one because it was in stock when I went to order one. It’s the Tech Organizer, though you will note that my pictures look different from the website pictures. I don’t know which one is the current model and which is the old, but functionally they are close enough.
I’ve not been using this for tech, but rather as a slim organizer for my day hiking bag. It is fantastic, so let me share why.
-
Member Journal — 3/15/21
The HoverBar Duo is basically a let down, but I will cheer you up with a lot of talk about watches.
-
Headlamps My Thoughts
Headlamps are dope, just don’t overthink or over spend.
I had been meaning to write about this topic for sometime now, and in anticipation of it, I went ahead and bought a few more headlamps. Partly because I found a new need for them, and partly for this post. And then this topic came up on the member Discord a while back, and I was surprised to learn my thinking on this matter was more common that I thought, but also it meant I needed to test one additional light before publishing this.
So, with that said: what makes for a good headlamp?
-
Hey Ben, What Do You Use That Bag For?
In other words: this is my current bag status and what I have them for theoretically.
I have quite a few bags at my house, and some of them are kept around because there’s no money to be had in selling them (meaning they won’t sell for a price I would be willing to part with them) and some are kept around for my wife or the kids to use, and the rest are for me. So what the hell do I use my bags for? Well, let me tell you (I have left the ones I keep for the family or because I can’t sell them off this list):
-
Member Journal — 3/8/21
Writers are still thinking, writing, and talking about the iPad incorrectly, but I found some interesting gear for making the iPad even better.
-
Multicam and Multicam Black Rucker 3.0s Released
Generally not a fan of Multicam Black, but it does look good on the Rucker. The Multicam was the one I had been waiting for, but I think the Coyote Brown actually looks better. As much as I like Multicam itself, the coyote back panel is a reason it bothers me, as is the potential…
Generally not a fan of Multicam Black, but it does look good on the Rucker. The Multicam was the one I had been waiting for, but I think the Coyote Brown actually looks better. As much as I like Multicam itself, the coyote back panel is a reason it bothers me, as is the potential odd looks I’ll get rucking around the neighborhood. It’s great to see more colors coming out though, here’s hoping for Multicam Alpine.
-
GORUCK Rucker 3.0 25L
This is the most comfortable way to carry a 45lbs plate of metal. And a great bag.
At the end of 2020, GORUCK released the all new version 3.0 of the Rucker. This model had a lot of hype around it from GORUCK as they consistently stated that it was the most comfortable Ruck they have ever used. That’s a statement for sure. But GORUCK only initially released the smaller 21L model, which is a touch too short for my longer torso. So I impatiently waited for January to come around and GORUCK to release the 25L variant.
-
Member Journal — 3/1/21
No one prepares for major storms and disasters, because people simply do not understand how to think about the likelihood of such events, and other thoughts.