One Gallon Featured on Ultralight News

I went to the Rocky Mountain Regional LSA Expo last weekend, and Ultralight News was there filming the action. Check out the video!

JetBoil Sol AL Coming to One Gallon

On order and on their way... The JetBoil Sol Advanced Cooking System is a super lightweight canister stove system designed to work at high altitudes and low temperatures. Equipped with a regulator that adjusts as canister pressure changes, the Sol has proven reliable in locations many of us can only dream of going.

From the fuel canister to the cup lid, the Jetboil is designed as a complete system. When not in use, all components of the system fit snugly in the cooking cup. Weighing in at only 9.5 ounces without fuel, it is the perfect addition to the One Gallon system.

Video | A 100-Hour Flashlight You Can Drive Over

Any survival kit worth its salt should include some sort of flashlight. For the One Gallon Survival kits, we went in search of a flashlight that met four criteria:

1) Light weight
2) Adequate light output
3) Exceptionally long battery life
4) Weather resistance/durability

There are literally hundreds of flashlights on the market touting all kinds of talents. From machined-aluminum wonders with the ability to blind an oncoming train to plastic lights that float, you can find a light to cover just about any scenario. Unfortunately, most of those lights will drain their batteries with just a couple evening's worth of heavy use--an unacceptable scenario when caught in a survival situation.

In our search, we ran across the Adventure Lights Guardian. The Guardian weighs only .7 ounces. It's 10 lumen LED light is rated for 44 years of life, and will run for 100 hours on one set of batteries. It's waterproof to 300 feet, and has both steady-on and flash modes. It will last 250 hours in flash mode--more than adequate for the normal 72-hour average rescue time. It's included as standard equipment in all our kits, but don't take our word for it; watch this:



Our Guardian lights are in stock, and the initial impression is "Wow!" They are well-built and light up the night in a way that makes them seem much more powerful. With 100 hours of continuous light, this little powerhouse should see you through quite a few nights in the wilderness.

Helle Viking | Beauty in the Hand--Not the Eye of the Beholder

Helle Viking with Sheath and U.S. Quarter

The Helle Viking knife is not sleek or sexy. In fact with it's straight blade, simple teardrop-shaped handle and leather sheath, it's rather homely. Heck, it'll even rust since it's made from carbon steel and not some fancy powdered concoction with a V in the name. Luckily for the Viking, beauty contests are for girls.

Pocket Chainsaw | 3.28 Ounces of Awesome

A saw isn't just for gathering firewood. It's primary purpose will most likely be to provide a degree of protection from the elements. Wire saws, no matter the make, cannot be relied upon when the going gets rough, and that's where the Pocket Saw, by Supreme Products, comes in.

Weighing in at only 3.28 ounces, including it's storage pouch, the pocket saw is lighter than anything thing else that even comes close to its performance. Proudly made in America, the pocket saw is an incredible piece of gear you won't be unhappy about having on you. Here are some video reviews to whet your appetite:

Why We Chose the Jetboil for Our Kit

Six grams to boil using the Jetboil vs 10 for the MSR Pocket Rocket--66 percent more efficient. "That's me sold. I'm going to begin carrying the Sol Titanium from now on."



But don't take his word for it. Here's another test that proves the same thing: 

Time	Fuel
Jetboil	5:45	0.294oz
PocketRocket	5:45	0.489oz
SnowPeak	5:58	0.494oz

Despite initial appearances all of the stoves checked in with pretty much the same boil time on the one liter test. The major difference, of course, is fuel consumption. Jetboil used about 40% less. As I mentioned earlier the other two stoves were using the two quart pot on this test, which I think contributed greatly to their improvement in boil time.

Did You Know You Can Get Hypothermia in 80-Degree Weather?

It's true... the link to the right titled, Recognize and Avoid Hypothermia is a treasure trove of information on the causes, recognition and treatment of hypothermia. It is a must-read for anyone venturing away from their home, regardless of the season or the temperature. Here's an excerpt:

How does Hypothermia occur?    

“How do you get hypothermia?” is a question I’ve heard quite a few times.  It’s not a disease and it’s not catching!  But if you are already unwell, this can contribute to your susceptibility.  More on this and other risk factors below.    

When the ambient temperature is less than 28^oC (82^oF), unless your body is protected, you will lose heat to the environment around you.  This means hypothermia can occur in deserts or jungles, not just in arctic or mountain environments.  In fact hypothermia can occur at pretty much any latitude.    

The maintenance of your normal body core temperature, or normothermia, depends on your ability to generate enough heat to balance the heat lost to your surroundings.     

Therefore:    

Hypothermia occurs when your body’s heat loss exceeds its heat generation, causing the heat content of your body to drop.  As the heat content of your body drops, your body core temperature will start to fall.  As your body core temperature drops, your body’s systems start to shut down with vital organs eventually ceasing to function.  If this process is not halted, it will lead to death.    

We can see from the above that, in general terms, hypothermia can come about through increased heat loss or decreased heat generation.    

Outdoors, hypothermia comes about though exposure or immersion.