What I Read: March 2018

Hey everybody! Sorry for missing a few posts on here and a video on YouTube this past week. The semester is picking up, and I haven't felt like getting any posts/videos I'm working on finalized and uploaded. I might be taking a brief break from YouTube, but I should have posts up on here still. Anyways, back to the point of this post. It's that time to wrap-up what I read in March. I'm still reading mostly disappointing things which kind of blows. I read 9 this month, and my total for the year is now 60.

The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (1/5 stars)
The idea behind the plot was interesting where the underground railroad is actually a railroad. This book was awful. I kept waiting for it to get better, but it never did. I wish the book was written as more of a first-person look at the main character. I didn't feel particularly invested in any of the characters, which is a huge issue for me as a reader. If I had cared about any of the characters, I might have enjoyed it more. There were also lots of small characters and digressions that I didn't think were important. I absolutely do not recommend it. It was excruciating to get through.

What Happened by Hilary Clinton (3/5 stars)
I enjoyed this but didn't really love it. I thought she rambled for too long in places about things that weren't that relevant. I do recommend it, as it's a good look into the most embarrassing and disappointing elections in U.S. history in my opinion.

Quiet by Susan Cain (3/5 stars)
This one was all about introversion and how quiet people are perceived in today's society. I learned some things, but again, I think the author was rambling too long in certain sections. As the book went on, I found myself to be less and less interested. I probably wouldn't recommend it.

How to Be a Bawse by Lilly Singh (3/5 stars)
I feel kind of mixed on this one, and probably should've rated it lower. This is a book by a bigger YouTuber who I've watched a little bit. I heard this was an inspiring book all about hustling, working hard, improving yourself, etc. I thought the writing was almost too childish, and it just didn't click with me. I admire Lilly's hard work, but I don't think the tips were that helpful. There were nice photos throughout, and all the chapters were pretty short. I enjoyed her stories about famous celebrities she's gotten to interact with most, like Dwayne Johnson and Selena Gomez. I probably wouldn't recommend this one either.

The others I read that I won't go into that much are The Restless Sleep by Stacy Horn (2/5), Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance (3/5), The Girl Who Takes An Eye For An Eye by David Lagercrantz (2/5), Curious Minds by Janet Evanovich (2/5), and The Innovators by Walter Isaacson (2/5).

I still haven't found many good books this year. I'm reading things that I've wanted to read or ones that are highly acclaimed, so I'm surprised I'm not enjoying much. They're just not clicking with me for some reason. I'm going to start reading a ton of physical books I own in April, so maybe those will be things I enjoy more. I also have been making my way through It by Stephen King this month after I got about 100 pages into it last year. I think King is way too wordy, and I'm not a fan of all the racist slurs and violence against women. It's gotten better, but it hasn't wowed me like I thought it would. Hopefully I'll finish that soon, as I'm probably about 65% done with it at the moment. That's all for now. Thanks for looking!

Ontario Rat 2 Thoughts

I've been into knives for at least five years now, and I just got around to picking up an Ontario Rat 2 last year. I highly regret not picking one up sooner. I don't have a single complaint about this knife. It's pretty much perfect in my eyes. I believe it's an essential knife for any serious knife collector or user. It is probably my favorite mid-sized knife I've ever bought. If you want to check it out on Amazon, here's a link!

I love the design of the Rats. It's not the fanciest or most beautiful design out there, yet it works perfectly for EDC. I always prefer to have function over beauty. This is a mid-sized knife, but it feels a lot smaller in the hand. Ontario makes a great quality product as well. This knife is so smooth! I was shocked at how good the action is. It beats the action of most of the other knives I've tried. I've got no complaints when it comes to quality and design.

Getting onto the blade, it's a simple 3" AUS-8 blade. That's the perfect size for a mid-sized EDC knife. The steel isn't the best for all those steel snobs out there, but for typical EDC usage, it'll be just fine. I love the thumbstuds too. They're not hard to access, so it's easy to flip the knife open. With that amazing action, this knife is so much fun to play with. If you do want a higher end steel, Ontario put out a D2 version as well. You'll pay more for that of course. I do know that some people think the added cost is worth it. Last but not least, the jimping on the spine is well-done and works as it should. This knife has been able to cut all the things I've needed it to cut.

The handles are a plasticky material, but they still feel nice in the hand. The rounded edges on the scales are a great touch. The OD green looks awesome. I'm glad Ontario has so many different color options and even some blacked out blades as well. You can get one in the carbon fiber/G-10 or the plastic scales in a variety of colors. They do have a slight texturing to them, so they're not completely slick. The ergos are amazing. This is one of the most comfortable knives I've tried. The knife fits perfectly in my hand. If you have larger hands, you might not be able to fit a full four-finger grip. There is the bigger brother, the Rat 1, that you may also want to check out if that's the case. The clip has nice retention and carries well. I haven't had any problems with the liner lock. I've seen people really beat up on these knives, and the lock has done perfectly fine. The lockup is solid, though there may be a slight bit of side-to-side play. It's not a huge concern to me. I thought it'd be a pain to carry since it does have full steel liners, but it still disappears in the pocket. I also like that the scales are pretty thin and the handle itself isn't that wide, which helps slim down the knife. Again, I've got no complaints when it comes to the handle, clip, or lock. 

These go for around $30, which is a fantastic deal for what you're getting. It is made of solid materials and will last forever. It's the perfect price point to start out your EDC or give to friends/family that need a new knife. It's easily the best budget EDC knife out there. 

If you're like me and have waited years to pick a Rat 2 up, you need to get one now. I highly recommend it! It's a great quality blade with killer ergos. As I've said, it's a perfect knife all around. You can't go wrong for $30. Here's a link to it on Amazon if you're interested. Thanks for looking!

My Hiking Day Pack

Hiking is another one of my hobbies. I don't think I've ever talked about what I keep in my pack for day hikes. I try to keep it pretty light, so you won't see too much in here. This is kind of the base contents that never change. I have additional things I add right before the hike depending on where it is, the season, the expected weather, etc. I do need to add a few more survivalish type things for those worst case scenarios.

The bag I use for hiking is the Camelbak Day Star. I've had this for years, so Camelbak has probably updated it since. I've loved using it! It's lightweight and small but is still capable of carrying everything I need it to. I hate weighing down my bag, especially when you go on those longer hikes, so having a bag on the smaller side helps. This version is meant for women, and it's probably one of the more comfortable bags I've ever used. I highly recommend any Camelbak bags for hiking. I usually bring two bottles of water as well.

In the main compartment, I have my Eno hammock, the straps for it, and a basic first aid kit. I don't necessarily use the hammock when I go hiking. I mostly didn't have anywhere else to store it, so it found a permanent space in my bag. It doesn't weigh much at all, and it's always super fun to chill in. There's always an abundance of trees in my area too, so I never have to worry about finding somewhere to set it up. I've had it for years, and it has served me well. I guess I could also use it for shelter in an emergency situation if I had to. The first aid kit is just a cheap one I got off Amazon. It has a lot of band-aids and various things of gauze, which are really the only things I ever use. I'm thinking I might break it down and put it in a different bag/pouch to save some space. I'm not 100% sure on that yet. In this compartment, I'll also normally throw in my camera, a few snacks, a lighter jacket, an extra pair of socks, etc. I think that's basically it. The main compartment is the dumping ground for whatever bigger odds and ends I think I'll need that day.

For the front pocket, this is where I'll store all of my smaller pieces of gear. I've got a bandana, some duct tape, a whistle, Rite in the Rain notepad, a knock-off Sharpie, Coast G10 flashlight, an Ontario Rat 1, and a Victorinox multitool that I don't know the name of. These all stay in the bag as backups to my typical EDC. I usually bring my EDC pouch with me on hikes, as well as an Esee Izula. I'd like to eventually upgrade the flashlight to something nicer with a clip. I used to have a lighter in the bag, but I'm guessing I took it out and never put it back. That's something I'd like to add along with some water purification tablets and a little bit of paracord. 

The loadout is nothing crazy by any means, but it works. I definitely could be more prepared, so that's something I'll be working on before spring begins. If there's anything you've found to be useful during your hikes, feel free to give me suggestions for my own pack. Thanks for looking!

My Recommendations For Beginner EDC Gear

I've been into EDC for years now, and during that time, I've tried a lot of different pieces of gear. My system will probably never be perfect, but at this point, it is probably as close to perfect as it will get. I thought this post would be a good way to share some of the best items for beginners that are looking to start their own EDC or to get your friends/family to be more prepared. All of my recommendations are going to be budget-oriented, as you wouldn't want to drop a couple hundred dollars on something you're just getting into. They'll also mostly be on the smaller side, since small gear is easier to carry and doesn't typically scare people. Having a well-rounded EDC can go a long way to make your day easier. You really need to cater your EDC to your specific needs, but some universal items that almost everyone needs is a knife, multitool, flashlight, and pen. Those are the things that I'll focus on in this post. I'd also recommend just reading through some of my previous posts to see what other gear I've carried. At the very end of this post, I'll have links to the posts that I may have done on these things, as well as links to Amazon.

I always like to have a mid-sized knife on me as well as a keychain knife. That's so I have something for those bigger tasks, but also another knife that won't scare people easily. The best budget, mid-sized knife would have to be the Ontario Rat 2. It took me years to finally pick one of these up, because I thought they were extremely overhyped. That is not the case at all. It feels great in the hand and is very sharp. Ontario makes a high quality product that will take a beating. They come in tons of different colors and blade steels. There's even the Rat 1 (Amazon link here) if you want something slightly bigger. Both the Rat 1 and 2 go for about $30, which is a phenomenal deal for what you're getting. A keychain knife I really love is the Spyderco Ladybug. It's on the pricey side for what you get, a little over $35, but I do ultimately think it's worth every penny. It's easily one of my most used knives. I've tried so many keychain-sized knives over the year, and the Ladybug has been the best one. I might do a keychain knife roundup post where I talk about all the different keychain knives I've tried as well as some of the other popular ones. There's tons of other knives out there, so I recommend you shop around and find ones that you like the look of that will serve you well. The Spyderco Delica (Amazon link here) is another option that lots of people seem to love. I've never been a fan of them, especially because they go for at least $60.

Most people, including me, think their phone flash can suffice as their flashlight. You can usually make do without a knife by using your own brute force or some other random tool. However, light is one of those things you can't really replicate on your own, so I've found it is worth carrying a dedicated flashlight. I like using my phone flash as my main light in a pinch, but if your battery dies you're screwed. Some of my favorite lights for EDC are the Nitecore Tube and the Olight i3E. If you're not 100% sold on carrying a flashlight everyday, these two are small enough that they're not going to weigh you down all that much. You can throw them on your keychain, and always have a light handy when you need one. Both go for about $10 and are incredibly easy to use. Either one will serve you perfectly well. The Tube is better for those that want something rechargeable and prefer a button over a twisty light. The i3E is good for those that want that typical AAA flashlight experience.

For multitools, my two favorites are the Victorinox Classic and the Leatherman Squirt P4. Both can be had for less than $20. The Classic is the best all-around keychain-sized multitool in my opinion. It has all the basic tools one might need on a day-to-day basis. It can easily fit on your keychain so it's always accessible. I use mine mostly for the scissors, but there is also a file/screwdriver, a knife, tweezers, and a toothpick. The Cadet is another popular model from Victorinox that may be worth checking out. The Squirt P4 is my favorite keychain multitool with pliers. It has a solid toolset and functions quite well. My only complaint about it is the lack of scissors. I love the design of it over the upgraded PS4, but that mostly comes down to personal preferences. The PS4 will give you both the pliers and scissors. However, Leatherman's scissors come nowhere near to competing with Victorinox. Leatherman and Victorinox are the two companies I'd look at for any multitools. They both make great quality tools at a reasonable price. I will say the P4 is discontinued, so you'd have to find it secondhand on somewhere like eBay or Instagram.

Pen wise, I've struggled to find a good, compact pen that rivals the Fisher Bullet Space pen. I don't think this pen is perfect, but it is one of the most popular compact pens for EDC out there. They can write underwater, in space, upside, etc. The refill is not the best to write with in my opinion, especially if you prefer more of a gel pen. They take a little bit of pressure to write well, but they are solid pens overall. They're made here in the US and will run you under $20. If it doesn't look like the perfect pen for you and pocket space is not an issue, I'd go with a Pilot G2 or the Zebra G-301 instead. That $20 on the Fisher pen could go towards getting you a nicer knife, multitool, or flashlight.

My Favorites
Ontario Rat 2: Amazon link
Spyderco Ladybug: my review link and Amazon link
Nitecore Tube: my review link and Amazon link
Olight i3E: my review link and Amazon link
Victorinox Classic: my review link and Amazon link
Leatherman Squirt P4: my review link
Fisher Bullet Space Pen: my review link and Amazon link

I hope this helped give you ideas to start your EDC or at least add some new gear to your wishlist. Most of these are things I've personally loved and used for years now. Thanks for looking!

Spring Break Update Post!

Hey everybody! Unfortunately, this post is mostly going up so I don't break my twice a week blog post streak. I didn't have the time to finish any of the other posts I've been working on, hence these quick updates for today.  I just finished my spring break, so I was mostly relaxing and spending time with my family while I had the chance. I figured I'd at least try to make reading this worth your while by throwing out a few updates and some video/blog post plans.

First off, video wise, I've got so many weeks worth of videos filmed. I believe I've got about ten videos that I still need to upload. Those range from my favorite PS4 games, my college gaming setup, the Mecarmy SGN5 thoughts, a Nitecore Tube vs. TIP vs. TINI comparison, etc. I'm very excited about all of them, so you won't have to worry about a lull in video posting. My channel also got demonetized thanks to YouTube's new Partner program rules. I hadn't made much yet, but it still kinda bums me out. I wasn't worried because I had the minimum subscriber requirement, though I apparently didn't have enough watch time. Oh well, YouT'ube's going downhill very quickly. It's too bad I don't have anywhere else good to post my videos. I still do have my Amazon Affiliate links going, so maybe I'll work harder on getting those to be more productive.

Gear wise, I don't see myself buying anything new for awhile. I think I've mentioned that in my previous posts. I am planning on having a sale once I finish reviewing all of my gear. I don't necessarily want to sell some of the things I've got, but honestly they're not getting enough use to justify me keeping them. I'm not sure if there's any interest in this either, but I may also be selling some of my old camera equipment, like a basic DSLR lens and my GoPro possibly. The sale video probably won't be until the summer, since I'll have a lot more free time to deal with it all then.

Blog post wise, I've got three posts in the work right now that I need to take some photos for. One is about my hiking day pack, and I'll keep the other two a surprise. I believe the next piece of gear I'll focus on reviewing is the Ontario Rat 2. I feel like a lot of my reviews lately have been on average or disappointing things, so I'd like to do one where I have nothing but good things to say. After the Rat 2, I'll probably try to finish up all my flashlights. If there's any other blog posts or even videos you want to see, just let me know. I might do a collection update either before or after I have that sale.

One fun thing I did this break was go on a five mile hike. The weather was finally nice enough in my area to make that happen. It was a blast, and something I hope to do way more in the coming months. I'm hoping to get more into hiking and camping this year. That's one reason I want to have the sale. I'd like to get some basic backpacking equipment and do some overnight backpacking trips. I still love talking about EDC, but it would be nice to have another hobby I can discuss. We'll see if any of that ends up happening.

Anyways, I think that's enough updates for now. Stay tuned for more fun videos and blog posts! Thanks for looking!

My Favorite Flashlight Battery Type

Over the years, I've tried a lot of different flashlights with all sorts of battery types. I've tried AAA, CR123, 2AAA, various rechargeable ones, button cells, etc. Surprisingly, I don't think I've tried a AA light before, so that's on the list to try eventually. I figured it'd be fun to talk about my EDC preferences when it comes to battery types. One specific battery is my favorite of all time, and that would have to be a single AAA light. They are a mix of good performance/output with a slim form factor for EDC. No matter what other battery types I try out, I always come back to my AAA lights.

The AAA battery is the perfect mix of slimness and good performance. You're not going to get the brightest light in the world with them, but they are by far the easiest for me to carry. They're never too long or bulky. I've also tried the 2AAA form factor. It's not my favorite, because of the added length. I like having a 2AAA in my backpack but not ever on my person. You'll usually get better runtimes and max output with the 2AAA, though you're losing the pocketability. AAA batteries are super common too. I picked up some rechargeable Eneloops a few years ago, and I run all my main EDC lights on them. As long as I can get at least a hundred lumens with my AAA lights, I'm happy. You really can't go wrong with a simple AAA. Some of my favorites AAA lights are the Foursevens Preons, Olight i3e, and Thrunite T01.

I hate CR123s because of their stoutness. I like that they're shorter, but that comes at the cost of a thicker light. I've tried a couple different ones, whether they're clicky or twisty, and I've just never enjoyed the form factor. You get much better outputs with them obviously, but again, my EDC is focused on how easy things are for me to carry. I would never want to carry a CR123 light. Most of them are way more tactical than I need.

I'm really impressed with the number of USB rechargeable lights that are coming out these days. It seems like every flashlight company has at least one model that is USB rechargeable. I think the best company for these types of lights is Nitecore. They've got the Tube and TIP, which are both very popular models. The form factor of these lights aren't as convenient as the cylindrical shape of a typical flashlight. They still do carry well, and you have the added convenience of a light that can charge universally anywhere with power. I've seen Fenix putting out a few different rechargeable models, as well as Olight, Mecarmy, etc. If I couldn't carry AAA lights anymore for some reason, I'd switch exclusively to USB rechargeable lights.

I've surprisingly never tried a AA light. There's been a couple that have interested me, but I've never wanted to pull the trigger since I love my AAA lights so much. I'd essentially be getting a better light spec wise, but with a slightly bulkier body. I've gotten into flashlights more heavily this year though, so I'll probably try at least one this year. It's another common battery type that would be neat to add to my rotation or backups. I'll also briefly talk about a few of the button cell lights I've tried. The Streamlight Nano and Speck Spotlight come to mind. They're both very tiny lights that are easy to throw on a keychain. I like them if you need the absolute smallest light out there, but honestly, I'd rather take something a little bigger, like the Tube or a AAA, that has a better battery. The little button cell batteries are a pain to find. Plus, most of those small lights are hard to use one-handed since they are so small. They have their purpose, though there's better options for EDC.

Alrighty, I think I got to everything I wanted to say. Basically, there will always be a special place in my heart for AAA lights. It all started with my love for the Preons, and now I'm kind of obsessed with the battery. They work so well in my carry and are the perfect size. You can't go wrong with a AAA light. What's your favorite flashlight battery type? Thanks for looking!

What I Watched: February 2018

I watch a fair bit of TV and movies. I do monthly reading wrap-ups, so I figured I'd try my hand at doing those for TV shows, movies, and YouTube videos I watch. I'll mostly focus on shows and movies, as I really don't watch many YouTube videos these days. I'll do these around the end of every month and put together some of my thoughts on various things I've watched. I have a pretty broad taste when it comes to shows/movies, so you'll probably hear about all sorts of random things. I love keeping track of my reading, and why not extend that to other things I love to do. One thing I'm going to try to avoid with these posts is to give spoilers. I hate when the main twist of shows are ruined for me, so I probably won't talk too much about specific plot details.

I'm currently making my way through a couple of different TV shows. I started Boy Meets World in 2017 I think, and I've made it about halfway through season 4 so far. If you've never heard of it, it basically follows the life of a few young kids as they go through middle to high school and beyond. I really enjoy seeing the progression of all the characters. Corey and Topanga's relationship is my favorite, but there's a surprisingly good amount of smaller characters that are funny and cool. I love most shows that have 22 minute episodes, since the plot moves pretty fast and you can make your way through the seasons quickly. I just finished The Good Place and liked it a lot. It's picking up a lot of steam lately, and I can see why. The plot is very interesting and different than anything I've watched before. I didn't know much going into, besides the ending which was spoiled by my roommate. The cast is diverse and not actors I've heard of before. Again, these episodes are short, so you can knock them out very quickly. They seemed much shorter than that, as there's not a lot of worthless filler content in each one. I just found out that the second season recently ended, so I need to try to watch that soon. I normally only try to watch shows that aren't airing anymore, because I normally can't keep up with them during the season. I believe I'm also four episodes into Narcos, but I haven't watched any of it in a little bit. It's all about Pablo Escobar and the Colombian cocaine cartel. It follows some DEA agents and their struggle to take Escobar down. It's not my favorite show in the world, but it is interesting. The episodes are 45 minutes to an hour long, so I'm not always motivated to watch them. I usually have two shows going at a time, one with 22 minute episodes and the other that's 45 minutes or longer. I like to switch between them if I need a change of pace or don't have time for something long. 

Movie wise, I've watched a decent number recently. I saw Wonder Woman and thought it was okay. I loved seeing a badass woman beat a bunch of dudes up. It was kinda long, and the love interest annoyed me. I didn't know much about her as a character, so I do think the movie gave a good background of who she is. A surprising new favorite is Mother's Day. It's kind of a stupid movie, but I was so invested in all of the different character's lives. It follows a ton of different women and a couple dudes as they go through struggles with their mothers or being mothers themselves. I thought it was hilarious, and it has a lot of big name actresses in it. I also saw Now You See Me and Now You See Me 2. They're a cool combination of magic/trickery mixed with a heist film. They could get very convoluted, especially the second one. I did like the cast and all the tricks. I think I liked the first one more. There were a few movies that weren't amazing but had their moments. Those were Frankenweenie, Gnomeo and Juliet, and The 5th Wave. I'm a sucker for animated movies, so Frankenweenie and Gnomeo and Juliet were both up my alley. They were cute, but Gnomeo and Juliet was definitely more entertaining. My spring break just started, so I'll probably be able to finish some more this week. I hope you enjoyed this post and look forward to more this year! I had a lot of fun writing it. Thanks for looking!