Gear Reviews

Global Sun Oven – Solar Cooker

Manufacturer – Sun Ovens International, Inc.

T.S.T. Rating – 4.5 out of 5

Review – The Global Sun Oven is another product that I would really classify as an Urban Survival product given its size and weight. It weights around 21 pounds and is nearly 20 inches wide X 20 inches long X 11 inches tall so in my opinion it’s too large to be used for hiking or light camping. However it’s still compact enough to take it camping if you are you are relying on some type of motor vehicle for transport. When it comes to Emergency Preparedness, this is a great product to have. The biggest advantage of this oven is the simple fact that it requires nothing but the sun… that’s it. That means that it has an infinite amount of usability and is a complete standalone oven. Despite their label as an Oven, the unit allows you to do anything from boil water, steam cook, bake, roast, or cook via a Dutch oven. If something were to happen to your household that prevented you from receiving electricity, natural gas, or propane then you could simply set the Global Sun Oven outside and continue to prepare meals and sanitize water. The majority of households within the U.S. rely on electricity to do the bulk of their cooking and many people’s homes do not have fireplaces therefore they typically don’t have access to a vast amount of firewood to be used for emergency cooking and heating. So if most people were to lose electricity, they would have little or no wood to provide the fuel needed to sustain the ability to sanitize water or cook for a long period of time. Especially if the household contains 3 to 4 people, that’s nearly 1 gallon of water that may need to be sanitized per person per day, and 2 to 3 meals that may need to be prepared per person per day. That’s a lot of natural wood that would need to be used and that’s not even including what you might need to provide thermal heat if you were currently experiencing winter or located in a harsh cold climate. So save that wood for heat and break out your Global Sun Oven. Besides being a great backup, it’s also a lot of fun to actually use. There’s just something about cooking with the power of the sun that has a feeling all its own. I almost have to resist the urge to want to peek into the unit while preparing a meal in amazement. The oven itself can reach temperatures of up to 360 degrees Fahrenheit or higher and can even cook in negative degree weather. The setup couldn’t be easier and only takes about a minute to setup. Cooking is a breeze too and really not any different than using a standard oven however you do need to reposition the oven about every 30 to 45 minutes to ensure that it is getting the maximum amount of sun exposure. Cooking times are sometimes close to those of a standard oven but seem to take twice as long for thicker meats and products. For the best results, I really recommend using black or darker colored pots or pans as their darker color will further help raise the internal oven temperatures. Mine nearly any month of the year in the Texas sun produces temperatures in the 335 to 355 degree range without fail. Given that it is a solar product it’s best to use it between 10:00 A.M. and about 4:00 P.M. depending on your geographic location. As far as the results, I can honestly say that they are as good if not even better than a traditional oven, it is nearly impossible to actually burn anything and the flavor, tenderness, moistness, and overall taste is simply amazing. The only downfall is that it takes considerably longer if there is a heavy overcast as the oven temperature can fall drastically. The construction of the oven is very good as is its fit and finish. The body of the oven is made out of wood which looks to be Oak, the solar reflection surface is made out of Aluminum, and the window to the oven is glass. I believe that some of the models available have a plastic exterior instead of wood like the one found on mine. Overall it’s a very simple design and looks to be made by hand. The unit is also built in the United States which I always view as a positive. As far as the negatives,  you have to be a little careful on really windy days as the oven can be toppled over by a strong enough gust, but with some extra support via rocks or other items you can easily sturdy the unit up. The glass window also tends to fog up sometimes making it harder to keep an eye on what’s cooking below but an old trick of the trade works great to fix that problem. Just take a dot of dishwashing detergent and buff the inside of the glass and it will help immensely. You can also use that little trick for glasses, sunshades, goggles, shower mirrors, or just about anything else you can think of. You do however want to keep the majority of what you cook covered though to decrease the amount of fogging as it will block sunlight and can drop the ovens internal temperature. Before you use your oven to cook for the first time, I recommend that you break it in by simply leaving it out in the sun for two to three days and properly wiping it down afterwards. The included instructions also walk you through step by step procedures to properly season the oven and it is critical to do just that. Without proper break in, the oven can leave a plastic like taste in your food. A proper break in will help eliminate any odors or smells that the oven might produce when it’s brand new. I’ve been using my oldest Global Sun Oven for over 6 years now and it works just as well as the first day I unboxed it. This is a very unique product, fun to use, has great cooking results, and best of all… it requires nothing but a clear view of the sun.

Pros: Nearly infinitely reusable given it’s solar, well built, made in the United States, can easily cook or sanitize water, and it’s fairly compact/lightweight given it’s a portable oven

Cons: Doesn’t come pre-seasoned for immediate use and it’s slightly wobbly which makes it prone to being toppled in high winds

Click The Link Below To Purchase – Provided By Amazon.com

Hybrid Solar Powered Flashlight With Emergency Battery Backup

Manufacturer – Hybrid Light

T.S.T. Rating – 4.5 out of 5

Review – First, let me start off by covering some of the ground that I focus on when it comes time for me to purchase a product, especially if it’s something that I plan on using while camping or hiking. In this case, a flashlight is a great example. I tend to look at outdoor situations at a “worst case scenario” standpoint or approach and make product decisions primarily based on what I think would provide the maximum amount of use in a survival situation. For instance, let’s say that you get stranded while on a hiking trip and all you have is a traditional battery powered flashlight. That flashlights usability will end once the battery power has been depleted and at that time it will be rendered fairly useless. However, if you were in that same situation with a solar powered flashlight then odds are you would have plenty of light the entire time up to the point where you were either rescued or successfully completed self rescue. In a survival situation, being able to provide light in the darkness of night can have a huge moral advantage, provide a sense of safety, and keep your outlook positive which is extremely critical to surviving. A flashlight can provide a means to signal rescuers, explore caverns & caves, hunt & fish at night, monitor your surroundings, and much much more. Given there are several other ways to provide light via fire, torches, and other means; they are all useless without proper training or prior knowledge of these procedures and how to implement them. That’s when this flashlight can be a critical tool and play an integral part in your survival. Throughout the years I have tried everything from dynamo style flashlights, shake charged flashlights, other brands of solar powered flashlights, and many other forms of long term use flashlights but nothing has worked better or stood up against mother nature better than these units. These flashlights are extremely bright given their size and use a 1watt LED all wrapped up in a plastic housing with a heavy duty rubberized exterior that is waterproof, floats in water, works under water, is built to operate in extreme temperatures, comes with a lifetime warranty, and even has a small lanyard for easy carrying. The company advertises that it can hold a charge for up to three years, that the LED will last continuously turned on for over 11 years, or even last over 22 years if used every night. The battery can also be charged from either natural or artificial light sources and the entire flashlight is very compact at only 8 inches long. They also advertise a 16 hour run time on a full charge which I can say is pretty accurate as I have consistently run them for 14 to 15 hours before. The built in backup battery is also advertised to have about a 7 year shelf life and are the common and easily replaceable lithium CR2032’s. The push button switch has three different settings and small LED indicators that let you know whether it is off, on via solar power, on via battery backup, or is in the solar charging mode. A small red LED will let you know whether there is sufficient light to product a charge or not and the flashlight will charge even in indirect light. My oldest unit is probably a little over 3 years old now and has worked flawlessly despite looking pretty rough from use and being dropped over time. In all, I probably have more than 10 of these units and have never had one fail or have had to return it to the manufacturer. The only negative that I can really think of when it comes to the light is that I wish the light beam itself was crisper. The diffuser does a great job of scattering the beam to provide plenty of light but it could be more defined for precision and up close work. Other than that, these are a great addition to anyone’s survival and outdoor gear.

Pros: Extremely bright given its size, backup battery supply, lightweight, waterproof, rugged, nearly infinitely reusable given it’s primarily solar powered, it floats, lifetime warranty, and they’re fairly inexpensive

Cons: The light beam itself could be slightly more defined and crisper

Click The Link Below To Purchase – Provided By Amazon.com





























Volcano II Collapsible Cook Stove

Manufacturer – Volcano Corp.

T.S.T. Rating – 5 out of 5

Review – This is by far, my absolute favorite portable grill or stove. The Volcano II Collapsible Cook Stove is the new version that replaced the original Volcano stove. The new version offers a collapsible design that takes up limited space and offers even more flexibility than ever with the use of several separate attachments. The entire stove collapses down to just under 6 inches tall X 16 inches wide, slips right into a portable storage bag with a carrying handle, and weighs only 22 pounds. This is a great portable stove that can be used for back-porch cooking, camping, emergency preparedness, family outings, home use, RV’s, recreational areas that prohibit open flame fires, and dozens of other uses. Even though it is collapsible, it is still fairly large so it’s not really feasible for long hiking excursions however I would classify it as a “Must Have” for emergency backup use and Urban Survival planning. This stove will allow you to sanitize water, cook meals, sterilize utensils, provide emergency heat, heat up water for bathing, etc… The design of the stove allows you to even safely use it inside your household as the bottom will remain cool enough to place it on almost any non-combustible surface. The housing itself uses a double wall design and separates the cooking chamber from the exterior making it even safer to use and less likely to produce accidental burns. The stove itself is built extremely well and couldn’t be any easier to set up or collapse down. Simply pull the handle upward and the entire stove pops right up with no other tools, adjustments, clips, bolts, or any other modifications. To collapse the stove, just simply pick up on the bottom and it folds right up into the original position. It’s a very simple design but one that is extremely effective. The fuel sources that can be used with the stove are almost endless; you can use wood, naturally found tinder, charcoal briquettes, fuel bars, fuel pellets, and even propane with the use of an additional attachment that can be purchased separately. As far as cooking, the stove allows you to cook with Dutch ovens, grill directly on the surface, and allows the use of pots, pans, griddles, woks, and even shish kabobs. Besides the design itself, the functionality of the stove is remarkable. The first time you use one you will be blown away at just how little fuel is needed to cook meat, provide heat, or sanitize a substantial amount of water. The cooking time itself it astonishing and can cook meats nearly twice as fast as traditional grills or other portable units. With just a handful of natural wood found around a campsite or around 10 charcoal briquettes you can easily provide enough heat to fully prepare a meal due to the extremely efficient design of the stoves heat chamber. You can also adjust the vents themselves that channel the air through the stove to regulate the stoves heat output. Given that the fuel is located at the bottom of the stove and shielded by the side structure, it is also very easy to light in high winds as compared to a traditional open fire. A handmade fire bundle can also easily be transferred into the heat chamber as well. It also provides a large amount of thermal heat and could easily be used as an emergency backup for cold weather conditions. The Volcano is also very easy to clean, just simply dump the contents out once allowed to cool off and then wipe the heat chamber clean. I guarantee that once you use the Volcano II your other portable camping stoves will instantly become obsolete and that it will probably make your Top 10 favorite list as well.

Pros: Flexibility in cooking, fuel source versatility, heavy duty and collapsible construction, allows you to boil and sanitize water, allows you to prepare meals, extremely efficient heat-to-fuel ratio

Cons: None (seriously)

Click The Link Below To Purchase – Provided By Amazon.com






























512 G.I. Type Stainless Steel Canteen Cup

 Manufacturer – Rothco


T.S.T. Rating – 4.5 out of 5

Review - The Rothco G.I. Style Canteen Cup is a great addition to anyone’s backpack and offers a lot of versatility. It holds roughly about 1 Quart and is composed of fairly thick stainless steel. They come in a dull flat finish and like other GI style cups they have a classic shape that allows them to be considerably sturdy when used over a flame, propped up by rocks, or sitting it on a handmade cooking structure. A Canteen cup can be used for boiling water, making coffee, as a stove, a means to mix up soups, a bathing aid, a water carrier, a sturdy case holder for fragile items such as a camera, and dozens of other uses as well. Before use, I would strongly recommend rubbing them down with a SOS pad, some steel wool, or sand paper followed by a good soapy bath. All the ones that I have purchased have had a coating and slight oil residue that’s still left on them from the manufacturing process which needs to be removed before I would recommend drinking or eating from them. This will also slightly polish the cup so that it’s a little easier to clean versus the original dull slightly textured finish. Personally, I always try to polish the side to a mirror like shine that way it could also be used as a rescuer signaling device as well if needed. However, I wouldn’t recommend polishing the bottom so that it purposefully has a slight grip to it to make it more stable for campfire use. Just like you would a Dutch oven, it’s not a bad idea to go ahead and expose them to flame and season them before use as well. This has been my favorite type of Canteen Cup primarily because it’s about the only one that has seemed to hold up well after lots of use and abuse despite having a “Made In China” sticker right on the bottom when you receive them from the manufacturer. The butterfly style handle has also out lived several other models that I have used over the years, including two genuine Military grade canteen cups that I have owned. I have several of these and some of the ones that are used most often are blackened from fire exposure and scratched up from packing but are just as sturdy as ever. They also work great when used with a standard Military canteen which slides right into it. The cup and the handle are not insulated so you have to be careful not to burn yourself. Using a forked stick you can easily adjust the cup as well as pick it up and place it in and out of the fire. Because it’s not insulated, it won’t keep your coffee or food warm in cold weather for a long period of time but can easily be placed back in the fire to warm the contents back up.

Pros: Inexpensive, flexible and versatile, heavy duty construction, could double as a rescuer signaling device, and allows you to boil and sanitize water

Cons: Made in China, needs to be cleaned before use, and does not come fully polished

Click The Link Below To Purchase – Provided By Amazon.com