Stiring the pot with the ZT0100

Submitted by akdoug

Time to stir the pot.

The K-Bar is a great knife and has served a very long and distinguished service life and is owed a great deal of respect. I have my Grand Father's USMC Ka-Bar from WWII and love it, although no longer used I take a great deal of pride in it.

Over the years technological advances have allowed for the creation of new steels that are far more superior to that of the K-Bar. If you have not seen it take a look at the new ZT 0100 made by ZT a division of Kershaw knives, designed by Ken Onion and the guys at Strider knives you just can't beat it. Far superior steels, easier to sharpen and stays sharp longer and made in the USA.

My 2 cents

Ok, hit me now :)

ED -- OK Doug, I'm going to hit you now :)  The ZT0100 is, as you say, impressive.  Yet of all it's listed qualities, the one that truly scares me is it's price tag -- $294.99.  That's a lot to drop on a tool.  With my Ka-Bar I wasn't afraid to pound with it, trench with it, or hack wire with it, but for that kind of money I might think twice about doing so.  However, inasmuch as you're a proponent of the ZT0100 how does it hold up to abuse?

Get the ZT0100 here

Nalgene "canteen" cup

Submitted by Doug

ED --  This slick little piece of kit was mentioned in the comments of the write up I did on the Nalgene bottle and I though it worthy of its own entry.  Thanks Doug!  Keep posting!

They do make a metal cup that nests with nalgene bottles. Go to Eastern Mountain Sports or REI's websites and search for "NESTER'S Space Saver Cup". I got mine for around $7. I rigged insulated carriers on my camping backpack's hip belt and it works great!

Get a Space Saver cup here

How to mix, not wear, your drink

Submitted by Eric Daniel

I saw something both sad and humorous while at my last National Guard drill; brand new soldiers trying to drink MRE beverage base powder out of a bag.  As you may or may not know, newer MREs now come with a resealable beverage pouch (I suppose in the event you want to walk around with a fluid filled Ziploc bag in your cargo pocket) for drinking the various concoctions (both hot and cold) that come with the MRE.

The reason for the bag is the Army’s going away from the canteen (replacing it with the camelback or similar hydration system) and the canteen cup (while I can get canteens from CIF, they are no longer issuing canteen cups) leaving troops with no other option than to either try and drink out of a bag-lined cardboard box (messy and embarrassing to say the least) or mix the stuff in a canteen, if they can get one.

Now, mixing stuff in your canteen has always been bad juju.  It’s dark and moist inside that canteen, and when half filled with a sugar-water slurry, it makes for a wonderful breeding ground for bacteria.  Moreover, given the design of the canteen, it’s very difficult to clean, and once contaminated, it’s really difficult to verify you’ve gotten all the crud out. 

My solution was to pick up a 1 qt. wide mouth nalgene bottle.

Fabricated from high impact polycarbonate plastic, it stands up well to its fair share of abuse.  It’s survived shipping in a duffle bag, kicking, dropping, and with a temperature range of –211 to +225 degrees F it performs well hot or cold.  Mixing drinks in this thing is a snap - add powder and water and shake.  It will even accept boiling water if you’re lacking a more suitable container for making coffee or tea in.  Moreover, if you’re using dehydrated rations, you can dump your meal in, add some water, and let it slosh around in your kit for the next couple of hours (something I did frequently while hiking.)

While the nalgene bottle does not eliminate the issue of canteen “fermentation” given that it’s made of clear plastic it’s easy to clean out and visually inspect for residue.

Get a nalgene bottle here