Latest Gear Finds And Hacks Pt Ii

I found a few more worthwhile mentions amongst the pile:

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Stove Top "Espresso" on a iso-butane stove:
https://www.amazon.com/Bialetti-Express-coffee-maker-Aluminium/dp/B07XK6NLSQ We've had a lot of pack-up mornings where we didn't want to make a real breakfast, and even the prospect of digging out all the stuff in the galley to pull out the stove just to make a cup of coffee seemed like way too much work. I had also been looking for a decent way to make a "near"-espresso on the road. The Moka Pot is about as close as you can come: stronger than a regular coffee, or an Aeropress, but not really an espresso made with high pressure steam. This is a double, although they do make a single, 3-, 4- and 6-cup models.

The JetBoil stove is also a good way to very quickly make that late night hot drink after everything (stove, cooler, tables) has been packed and put away. I like being able to use up half-emptied fuel containers that won't ever hit the trail with me again. (Note: unless you invested in a very large moka pot, the CI burners are far too big and hot and you will melt or burn the handle off the pot, or make it too hot to hold safely. The small camping stove burner is just the right size.)

Emergency Window Punch:
ZT57K Key Ring Window Punch 5.25″ – Black – Zak Tools This hangs on my keychain. It is a "pull-back" spring, meaning that it won't fail like a "push-spring" model frequently does, or be as unwieldy to use as a hammer style. Because it is a pull-back, it requires the use of two hands to operate (which in a self rescue situation could be a problem), but I can tell you that it is very effective in taking out a side window. I slid a piece of silicon hose over the pointy end to prevent self-injury.

Paper Towel Holder:

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I can't take credit for the basic concept (it's one of the first posts on the forum), but I will suggest that a 1.0" I.D. piece of PVC tube combined with a couple small hooks and some tent pole shock-cord work really well. The PVC prevents the cardboard from being chewed up by the bungee or getting deformed into an oval. It can stay in place when closing the hatch. And the bungee holds it tight, preventing unauthorized unrolling by the wind or otherwise

GSI two-sided dish towel:Camping Dish Towel for Outdoor Cooking | GSI Outdoors Soft on one side, abrasive on the other, with a loop for hanging. Dries quickly.

Portable Bellows: https://www.amazon.ca/Stainless-Col...0&psc=1&mcid=2e884ad07a913b769e05f73d87c79518 I think that Seth, or possibly someone else, may have already praised its usefulness a while back, but I thought it worth mentioning again. I keep one in the trailer, and another is used all the time with the woodstove in the house, getting the fire going again in the morning. Far more accurate and effective than fanning the flames with a pot lid or a plate and stirring up air-borne ash.

Seat Caddy Organizer: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0B81PVPP4?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1 Not expensive, but this version seems to be well made. There's a couple Molle pouches (velcro, grab and run) and a decent volume of storage that should help control the growing amount of occasionally-used camping gear that is accumulating in the galley.

 

I have not used these specific blow tubes. Mine appears to be no longer available, it double as a poker/fork. It has bene a boon when staring a wood burner with slightly difficult to burn wood. I've had very good success with mine.

My only wish is that there was a check valve to prevent inhaling through the tube --- a lung full of hot gasses would be unfortunate.