Haul More Gear With a Cargo Carrier Cover From Harbor Freight | Video Review

This past weekend I went on a scheduled camping trip with my scouts. We did not have someone to haul our double axle trailer, which meant packing all the participants and their gear into three vehicles. When I purchased my car last year though, I made sure to have an already installed tow package. I wanted to be able to add one of those cargo carrier platforms when going on trips. So with two Ford Flex and a Jeep, we hauled 15 individuals and gear to a fossil dig.

When a fellow scouter learned of our plight, he mentioned having a Nylon Cargo Carrier Cover  from Harbor Freight. Essentially it is a large soft-sided bag to tie onto the carrier instead of using a tarp. He had not used it yet but said I could test it for him. And test it I did!

The expandable cargo carrier cover from Harbor Freight
was a great solution for hauling gear! 

We used the bag to haul 6 tents, two hiking packs and assorted cooking gear. There was a bit of room to spare but we encouraged everyone to pack lightly and hauled gear in cars too.

Thankfully we had near-perfect weather and did not have any rain until driving home. (Really it was more of a mist.) We ask a scout in each tent to take them home after a weekend, to dry them out and sweep them. The tents were already damp from packing up, so they came out of the bag damp.

I still had my tent and assorted gear in the carrier. After dropping my scouts it began to rain in earnest, so I left the cargo carrier and bag on the car. The plan was to  return it and the remaining gear to the trailer the next day.

First thing Monday morning I drove to my friend's where the trailer was. Now this is where I had poor planning. After a night of heavier rain, I SHOULD have opened the carrier FIRST to check for water. Instead though, I sprayed down the carrier to wash off the mud.

I was concerned about the zipper area leaking, and sure enough it did. I did use a sprayer to clean the bag though, so the force might have been enough to push water through.

My suggestion would be to add water-proofing to the bag, or waxing the zipper OR adding a tarp cut to fit to place on top of gear in the bag. Otherwise I was exceptionally pleased with the product. In fact, as soon as I need it again, I will likely buy one from Harbor Freight to have on hand for $30 it can't be beat!

Leatherman's New-er Keychain Tool

Leatherman's Style-line of keychain tools was introduced in 2010, making it one of the newest on the market.  The Style CS and Style PS follow Leatherman's Skeletool styling, a design full of holes and alternative materials designed to reduce weight and probably also to look cool.  Materials include stainless steel and plastic.  The current Leatherman keychain tool Style offerings run about $25.

By way of introduction, the Style was a basic Leatherman's keychain tool that took aim squarely at the Victorinox Classic, offering a knife, nail file, scissors and tweezers.  I believe this model has been discontinued, and I've never owned one.  So, we're going to skip ahead.

Released at the same time, the Style CS offered more.  Isn't that what tools are about?  MORE?  The Style CS design took what Leatherman's Skeletool design and downsized it.  The Style CS offers a knife, nail file, scissors, and a nail file, as well as an easy-to-use clip which doubles as a bottle opener.  The Style CS uses Leatherman Micra's folding scissors configuration to make them very functional.

The CS knife is a straight back point with a chisel grind, and a surprisingly wide spine for a keychain knife.  This makes the knife better for cutting harder materials, but the lack of a blade lock of any kind, the stainless steel metallurgy and the knife's short length make it a poor choice for cutting anything particularly hard.

The CS scissors work just like those of the Leatherman Micra, unfolding when opening the tool, which makes them much better for heavier cutting tasks than smaller fold-out scissors like those offered on the Victoinox Classic.  Again, with keychain tools, I question the inclusion of both a small knife, and a pair of scissors that operate in overlapping areas of functionality.  For example my Style CS scissors see much more use than its' knife as smaller cutting tasks are easier, more accurately, and more safely performed with scissors than with a knife.

The Style nail file and flat head screwdriver is similar to the industry standard, though I appreciate that the file is more coarse than others, and the flat head is ground to an almost sharp edge rather than Victorinox's more blunt polished offering.

The Style tweezers are arguably slightly better than the industry standard Victorinox.  They are made of two pieces of metal rolled together at one end and the tip is set at an angle and sharpened some.  They make very effective tweezers and I dare say I haven't seen better in a pocket tool.

Above I also mentioned the Style PS.  I can't tell you what that stands for but the concept was to produce a keychain tool that would be TSA friendly.  Of course, TSA doesn't certify tools and rules was and wain more frequently than the phases on the moon.  So, you're traveling with this at your own risk, but it worked for me.  The Style PS replaces the CS model's knife with a fold-out style scissors, and replaces the main body scissors with miniature pliers.

My verdict: The Leatherman Style PS is my every-day carry, and that is high praise.  I find the build quality and construction of Leatherman's keychain tools to be top notch, and the tool-set vs size vs weight vs price balance is as optimized as one could reasonably expect.

Lost Camping Utensils and How to Avoid It

Has anyone found my spoon? Camping and silverware do not go together well in my family. Yet keeping it handy while camping is a must. If there is anything I have forgotten (more than once) it has been my eating utensils - and possibly my mess kit. This is in large part due to the nature of those items being removed from my pack for better cleaning after camping.

When we started camping as a family, we took along a small container of re-usable Ikea kids flatware. It was inexpensive at $2.99 for 18-pieces, so I did not mind of we lost anything.  The kids really did not appreciate them though, and they often got thrown away by accident.

It was shortly thereafter, during the Coleman sale at the local 100th Anniversary of Boy Scouting Camporee, that I found, and purchased this Coleman Swiss Army style Silverware. I made sure to purchase (4) so that everyone in the family received one (in our Christmas stockings) and even went back to purchase two more sets to have "on hand". The price was right at less than $5 for each one. The challenge was in keeping them together after using while they were drying after being washed. When cleaning, you take them apart to dry so it is easy to misplace one half. Sadly we quickly lost track of several pieces. I also found that keeping the crud out of the cracks was challenging. I did like that they were a good weight, heavy enough and were good camping silverware, but less than 8 years later we have only 1 or maybe 2 of the sets remaining!

The next thing we tried was a good old plastic spork that I found while shopping at my local Scout Shop. The thing is, after less than 6 uses, several of the tines of the fork would break off. So here I was spending $2-3 on each spork, only to throw it away shortly after purchasing it!

Sometime last year I saw one of my scouts with a flatware set clipped with a carabiner. I thought that would be great to clip to the side of the back-pack for easy access. So I bought a set. Only the carabiner broke and I lost the spoon. So again, there went money down the drain...

So what is a parent to do? I did not want to waste more money but needed something that worked. This summer while backpacking with my daughter, I thought out of the box a bit. To keep things light, we only needed a collapsible bowl and a spoon. So what did I do? I grabbed the free spoons we were given at Menchie's.

I was getting tired of all the waste though, and did not want my scouts to laugh at me. That's when I ran across these stainless steel sporks, I thought they may be the perfect solution. They were lightweight, easily cleanable (and could be sanitized), and could be easily stashed. So I purchased a dozen and added one to my mess kit.

My only two criticisms I have, if they are even that, is that the set is a bit long. I would love it to easily fit INSIDE of my mess kit. If not, I would like a way for it to easily hang with it. So the the  improvement I would suggest is that there should be a small hole in it. I actually drilled a hole in mine so that I could hang it with my metal lunch plate during summer camp, or clip it to my backpack. I can't say yet if they will last a long time, as this is my newest acquisition. I can say though that when a hole was added, I was very happy with the resulting lightweight, stainless-steel 3-in-1 camping utensil for around $2.

The Flashlight Standard

Camping gear is eternal, what worked for your grandfather still works today.  In fact, because much of camping, and outdoor exploration is linked in with conservation, some of your grandfather's camping gear is probably still around.  My own personal inventory still includes tents that are old enough to order a beer.  And while technology and the pursuit of ever-lighter materials is a driving force in the manufacture of all outdoor gear, flashlights have certainly made dramatic improvements in recent history and continue to do so.

As an industry, recreational camping has always been closely tied to the military; and the development of the WW2 TL-122 flashlight and its Vietnam era replacement the MX-991 flashlights made them very popular for camping.  Eveready even made one for the Boy Scouts.

Image: http://www.flashlightmuseum.com

Advancements in technology and materials led to the aluminum bodied Kel-Lite and the Oreos to Kel-Lite's Hydrox, MagLite.  The aluminum-tube flashlight was the next generation of technology, using space-age metals that are lighter weight and don't corrode.

MagLite

While angle-head flashlights have become scarce, and MagLites are still plentiful; technology marches on.  Today, LED technology means smaller more durable lighting with better battery life.  Unfortunately for the consumer, the technology is also inexpensive to manufacture which means there are many manufacturers.  A quick Amazon search for "LED headlamp" shows 11 headlamps by manufacturers that I've never heard of before the 12th result branded an Energizer.  The first "big" name flashlight branded headlamp, a Streamlight, shows up on page 2.  How is anyone supposed to make an informed decision?

An Amazon's Choice: Foxelli headlamp.  I've never heard of them.

Before we go about reviewing every flashlight on the planet, know that it's a daunting proposition to people who know their stuff.  A lot of the "professionals" will pick a name brand and find features they like in a model that's offered for a flashlight reviews.  We won't be doing that, it's likely that the big name brands are already being reviewed by the big guys in the outdoor world.  We're going to find the hidden gems, the underdogs.  We're going to focus on a few select factors: physical features, performance and cost.

The Next Level of Sit-Upons

As a Girl Scout we made cute sit-upons for use camping or in a meeting. I don't remember mine much, except that it was stuffed with newspaper. Stuffing them with newspaper seems odd to me, given that when they become wet, they would become a brick. But hey, it was the early 80's, who knew...

Two summers ago, I took my Girl Scout Troop to a Girl Scout Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve. One of the things they mentioned on the packing list was to bring a sit upon. So I set out to find a good option for my girls to make. We looked at buckets with lids, sewn ones, and ones made by weaving recycled grocery shopping bags. Then I found this sit-upon tutorial. I eventually ended up having the girls use a colorful vinyl tablecloth, duct tape and padded shipping envelopes waterproof and I had them on hand! I figured they were lightweight, easy to make, and they were not ugly.  I'll admit as we sat and waited in the lines at SBR, the sit-upons came in super handy!

I know, many of you Boy Scout adults think using one is silly, however I have found the need for something when camping with the boys too. Especially after sitting on a wet cold picnic table on one of my early camp-outs. Thankfully one of my scouts shared his dense foam padded seat. It added insulation, was a barrier from the damp bench and had a handle. I later got one too.

Last week, as I was walking through WalMart, I saw this inflatable seat.  As fate would have it, my daughter needed a little secret sister gift for another Girl Scout, so I picked up 1 for her and three more for our packs.  I really like how small it is. Admittedly I have not used it yet, but I think it's a great way to carry an option with you when camping. Given that it was $2, I'm not sure how long it will last, but one can hope.

Other pack-able options I have used when camping were a small tri-pod collapsible stool, the REI Co-op Flexlite Low Chair, and the "Old Scoutmasters Chair" (one I got from my grandfather's estate). I have not found the perfect one though. What do you use when camping or hiking?

BULLET | World's Smallest LED Flashlight by SLUGHAUS

I'll admit. I have a camping gadget addiction. So much so that I have banned myself from seeking out new products on Kickstarter. I have found several fun camping items there though, including the Bullet flashlight.

I was an early adopter of the Bullet Flashlight by SLUGHAUS. Billed as the smallest LED light ever, it lived up to it;s name. I ordered a pack of five to start, figuring I'd give one to each kid and I would have one. I liked them so much though that I ended up keeping them all. I even re-ordered a multi pack when they added features to the Bullet 02. I especially like clipping them to the zipper of my tent or my coat. That way I always can see no matter where I am!

The REI Co-op Flexlite Low Chair

On one of my visits to REI I saw the REI Co-op Flexlite Low Chair and knew I had to have it. I thought it would be portable enough to attach to my backpack, and light enough to carry. So, using a coupon, I bought one.

I took it on the first camp-out and had to chase scouts away from it multiple times. Everyone wanted to sit in it and try it out. I used it throughout the weekend, but the sandy soil at the camp site made me feel a bit unstable in it.

I took the chair on the next camp out and felt unstable once again. I am not an overly large person. At 5'4" and an average weight I just felt like I would flip over the back of it. Since my son likes it well enough though, I passed it on to him.

I do know that I bought the chair when it first came out. REI seems to have made some changes to the chair. I know many other scouters who love theirs. This summer I ran across two scouters who had a version of this chair with a high back too. I LOVED the way I felt in it.

In all I am not 100% dis-satisfied. I would use it in a pinch, and have, but think I would like more back support in a little, portable chair!

Inexpensive Down Blanket Exceeds Expectations

Two years ago I saw a packable down blanket on Groupon for $20. I purchased a couple thinking they would be good for the back of the car for soccer games or possibly camping. They ended up being perfect for what I wanted and far superseded my expectations. They were warm, but not overly heavy and came with a small stuff sack that could double as a pillow. The trouble was, they were sold out on Groupon and I couldn't buy more.

Last Christmas, around Black Friday I found something similar sold as an Amazon deal. I  paid a little more, but I knew they were worth the cost. I wanted to be sure that each of my camping family members had one for their pack, and I wanted to get a couple as gifts.

The packable down blanket from Amazon was not as fluffy as the ones from Groupon, but I have found that they maintain shape and the density of the down better. They are also made of a different nylon that is not quite as slippery; When using my first blankets, I will often wake up to find they have fallen off.

I have used my down blankets extensively for camping, and I use them all year long. I haul them in the back of the car and have used them for soccer and other sporting events as well. One word of caution though, I washed the first ones per the instructions. Although I used a tennis ball in the dryer to fluff the down, the blanket has several voids where the feathers have shifted. After that, I have only washed them in the gentle cycle and air dry!

What I an most impressed with is how light and packable it is. It's warm enough to add insulation on the coldest days (surprisingly so) but not too warm to use during summer camping. I know I will buy them again too, but will watch for them to be offered at a discounted price!

Lights Everywhere: Inflatable Light and Water Bottle Light

Each year my local Boy Scout Roundtable schedules a night to visit our local camping store to see a presentation on all of new gear. It's probably not the most well thought out program, since many of our spouses dread the night, BUT us scouters love it. That night I also made the mistake of taking my son. We ended up finding two products to try and of course walked out of the store with them.

The first was an inflatable lantern or the Luci Light which is an inflatable solar light. I chose the matte finish light and my son chose the clear light that had multi-color LED lights. A disco in my tent was not really what I wanted. 

I love, love, LOVE the Luci Light. Mostly due to how lightweight and portable it is. It lights up my small backpacking tent as well as my larger family tent. The lighting on mine is not harsh and I will often grab it to play a game of cards on the picnic table with my scouts or even walk to the trails. Note though, that if using it to guide you on the trails, you may want to turn it upside down so the light is facing the ground.

This light has traveled in my pack for the last two years. It is used every month on outings, camping with my family and camping with my scouts. It has not been punctured and recharges faithfully. My sons however MAY have punctured, but I believe the story goes that it was used as a football.

PROS:

• Solar powered so batteries are not needed
• Inflatable, lightweight, fully waterproof
• Extremely durable
• Adjustable light settings: Bright, super bright, 1 second flashing
• Collapsible and compact
• Strap on the back allowing for easy hanging

Some friends argue that the light is difficult to deflate. I have found however that if you simply squeeze the air valve and gently compress the lantern it easily deflates. I will then often suck the remaining air out. I have never had condensation in the light and find that it works faithfully when needed.

The second product, a silicone water bottle with a solar light, I wanted to so badly love. It was just so squishy and cute I was suckered into buying two. It failed though for both my son and I on our first camp out.

The Seattle Sports FireWater multi-bottle seemed like a really good idea. It was collapsible, water bottle, lantern and waterproof container in one! I especially liked that users could charge the lantern via USB or solar charge. It also featured 3 light settings: low, high, flashing at 50-100 lumens of brightness.

The problem we discovered though was that when filling the water bottle, it was very difficult to screw on the plastic lid. We both experienced leakage, which was a really bad problem when cold-weather camping. In the end, both of us used the bottles 1-2 times and ended up placing them in the closet never to be used again. If we could figure a way to use it as a water bottle though, without leaking, we would surely use them over and over.

I will note, that in pulling the bottle out of the closet, to right my review, the light went on right away shining brightly. I can't remember when it was charged last, but it has been years!

Sleeping on a Cloud: Thoughts on Sleeping on a Memory Foam Sleeping Pad

Thrifty and this mattress may not seem like the same thing, but let me tell you that this mattress means I am functional after a night of camping with my scouts! So let' start with my story and review of this wonderful memory foam sleeping pad.

IN THE BEGINNING

When I started camping with my son and his scout troop, I quickly discovered that I needed a good sleeping pad. Much to my mother's surprise, I actually requested a sleeping pad for my birthday. I was happy enough with my Thermarest, but quickly discovered a greater thickness would be better. I then upgraded to the REI Camp Bed 3.5 Self-Inflating Sleeping Pad. Alone that sleeping pad was good, but when I purchased the Mountain Trails Base Camp Cot to my camping gear, I slept like a queen. As any scouter will tell you, it's all about the gear. The other Assistant Scoutmasters may have been a bit jealous (or perhaps they were laughing at me behind my back) but the thing is, I was comfortable and started sleeping much better on camp outs with the air pad AND camp cot.

Sometimes I used my 3.5 inch air pad alone, and sometimes I would use it with my cot. It just depended on how I was feeling and where we were camping. As experienced scouters know though, air pads do not always offer the best insulation. Michigan winter camp outs meant my air pad was lacking a bit. If nothing else, my first true winter camp out once I reached Boy Scouts was in -25+ degree weather - Yes that IS a negative temperature and it was cold.

Certainly I could have purchased many different sleeping systems, my husband would have loved that too - Not! But I was determined to find yet another option that offered comfort and warmth.

On accident I came across this memory foam sleeping pad. At $159 it was more than I really wanted to spend. I didn't have much experience with memory foam, except for my crappy mattress and a foam topper my child had. I didn't even know another scouter who had used one. I knew though that memory foam offered exceptional warmth so I took the plunge.

The first camp out I used it on, I placed it on top of my cot. I have to say it was HEAVEN. I slept like I do at home. I had no painful pressure points and plenty of comfort and warmth. The next camp out was a fall camp out with a bit of cold, so I tried it on the ground. Again I was exceptionally comfortable. I'll admit though it was better ON the cot! I then took it on a winter camp out.

The winter camp outs did not offer exactly what I had hoped... To avoid the air beneath the mattress I placed the memory foam on top of several blankets it on the floor of my tent. I should have known I would have trouble when the first sign was that the mattress would not unroll. It was like it was frozen in place. Which it basically was. When I later crawled init was like laying on a brick too. It took some time, but eventually the foam heated up enough to leave a body impression. I will say too, that it offered exceptional warmth. It was simply not as comfortable as it was in warmer weather though.

CONTINUOUS USE

Fast forward to last summer. I was attending summer camp with the troop and we needed to use our own tents. Of course I used my cot and decided to take the memory foam sleeping pad. I was worried it may be a bit warmer than I would prefer, but in the end I slept delightfully well. I do think though, that in future summers, I would place a sheet over the mattress and use a light blanket instead of my summer sleeping bag. I was a bit too warm with the sleeping bag!

So was it worth the money? You bet. Hands down I would buy it again if needed. It has come in handy for overnight guests at home and I have even added it to the cardboard thin mattresses that are in some cabins. My son often tries to steal it from me too. I( consider it good for year-round camping use and comfort!

I know I could get something smaller but the thing is, we have room in the troop trailer so using and carrying it has never been an issue. I certainly could not use it when backpacking or lightweight camping, but for car camping or camping with the troop, it works great! Other Amazon users seem to agree too since the memory foam sleeping pad has an average 4.6 of 5 star rating.

PROS:

• Super comfortable and warm
• Easy to roll and store with integrated bedroll straps
• 3" memory foam to avoid uncomfortable pressure points
• Easy to carry handle
• Good for year-round camping use

Cold Weather Camping Sleeping Bag on a Budget

The first winter camping experience I had with Boy Scouts had record cold temperatures. Several camping programs got canceled even, but as Boy Scouts are supposed to "Be Prepared," the option to camp was ours. The troop opted to go for just one night, but it was still near negative 30 degrees that night with day time temperatures not even reaching single digits.

I was determined to go with the gear we had, even if that meant double-bagging. Thankfully one fantastic friend came to the rescue and lent my son and I two  negative 20-degree bags and other necessary equipment. Since we are in Michigan, there was no surprise that for my next REI dividend refund, I purchased two good Alps Mountaineering negative 20-degree sleeping bags.

Fast forward a couple of years and several toasty camping trips. One of my newest scout families was living on a budget. Although we offered to lend out good cold-weather sleeping bags, the family insisted on buying their son his own. So when I stumbled upon a special deal for the Suisse Sport Everest Sleeping Bag I sent it their way.

The next campout that scout, and two others had gotten the bag so I checked it out. I actually liked it so much, I purchased a third cold weather sleeping bag for my family. I ended up liking it even more than I liked my Alps bag!

I think what really sold me was having a little more room near the toes. I did not feel quiet as claustrophobic. And even though the Suisse Sport Everest sleeping bag is only a 0-degree bag, it feels a bit loftier and warmer than my other bag. I love their chest baffle and drawstring hood too. And mostly I love that the price of the bag is near $30. I paid three times that for my other bags even with the dividend!