I'm A College Graduate!

Happy almost New Year's! I hope you've had a relaxing holiday season. It's crazy that it'll be 2020 tomorrow. As you may know, I've been in college for the past three years and finally graduated this fall semester! I'm so happy to be done and can't wait to move onto my post-grad life. College was good overall but not entirely what I expected. It still felt too similar to high school and didn't entirely line up with my career plans. I did learn a lot, especially about how I want to live my life and be as a person. It's an awesome feeling to know that I'm completely done with school now.

My whole life is in a state of disarray at the moment, so bear with me as I get settled. I'll be moving, starting my full-time job, and hopefully buying my first home all at the start of the new year. I'm planning on keeping the blog going at least, though I'm not sure about YouTube. One other place I'd like to be more active on is Instagram, which I know I've been saying forever. If I don't end up coming back to YouTube, IG will probably be the main place where I end up selling my gear. I'm definitely going to be getting rid of a large chunk of gear at some point, since I don't use the majority of it.

Now that I'm in a new stage of life, I've got some much needed changes I'd like to make to my EDC. I feel like I was in a rut with my carry since I was a student for so long. Stay tuned for posts on my EDC changes, along with the usual collection/reading updates, gear thoughts, and other random posts. Graduating college was a great way to end 2019, and I'm looking forward to 2020! Thanks for sticking around and for all of the support over the years!

My Top 5 EDC Flashlights

These days, I find myself reaching for my flashlights more than my knives. If it's pitch black out, there's no way to create light yourself if you lack a light source. I've accumulated a lot of flashlights over the years but find myself only reaching for a small handful of them. In this post, I thought it'd be fun to share what my top five favorite EDC flashlights are. If you're looking for a good light to carry, these are all great options!

Starting from left to right: Nitecore Tube, Olight i3E, FourSevens Classic Preon P1, FourSevens Updated Preon P1, and Lumintop Tool AA. As you can tell, I love my colorful gear! You can't beat these awesome green, blues, and purples. These don't boast some of the highest lumens in the world, but I love their designs and have never had any problems with them not being bright enough. They're very affordable too, with none of them being over $30. 

With the Nitecore Tube, you get a USB rechargeable keychain light that's very easy to use. It's super lightweight and a killer deal at $10. It only puts out 45 lumens on high, though that's fine for having on a keychain. I love the fact I can easily recharge when it's dead and that it's infinitely variable. If you'd like to read more of my thoughts on it, here's a link to the blog post I did.

Next up, the Olight i3E is another great keychain option. It has one mode of 90 lumens that again is more than bright enough for a keychain or even as your main option. At first I didn't think I'd like the simplicity of only having one mode, but it definitely makes the light easier to use. It's a twisty, so it may not be as easy to use one-handed compared to a clicky. Still, with it being a AAA light, there's plenty to grab onto. I also did a blog post on this one, linked here.

The FourSevens Preon P1s were probably the first perfect EDC flashlights I found. I absolutely love their simple designs and all the colors they came in. They both put out around 100 lumens on high and have a few other modes as well. They're AAA lights which helps keep them on the slimmer side for everyday carry. One huge downside is that they were discontinued, making them hard to find. However, Prometheus bought FourSevens a few years ago and has a newer Mark III version available. Here's a link to my thoughts on the Classic and the Updated version.

Lastly, the Lumintop Tool AA is an awesome AA/14500 light. With the 14500 battery, you greatly improve the output to a max of 550 lumens. It's the brightest flashlight in my collection and has a nice floody beam. I love all the knurling and the green tailcap. They're very affordable too, at just $20 on Amazon. I still need to write an in-depth thoughts post on it, so hopefully I get around to that in 2020. It hasn't left my EDC pouch in the past year or so.

That's about it for this post! If you're looking for a good EDC light, you can't go wrong with any of these! They're all perfect lights in my eyes and ones that I highly recommend! Thanks for looking!

My Top 5 EDC Knives

Over the almost eight years that I've been into EDC gear, I've tried a whole lot of knives. It's taken me quite awhile to find ones I deem perfect. I thought it'd be fun to do a post about my top five EDC knives from my current collection. If I could only own five knives for the rest of my life, I'd be perfectly content with these.

Going from left to right: Spyderco Ladybug, CRKT Eros, Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite, Kershaw Launch 4, and Ontario Rat 2. I did not order these from most to least favorite, but I will say I could easily pick my favorite two are the Ladybug and Rat 2. The other three could vary places based on what I'd be doing or my mood.

The Ladybug was my first real knife and is what I consider to be one of my most people friendly knives. I love the size, FRN handles, and of course that it comes in purple. The Eros is probably the best flipper I own right now, flipping smoothly, quietly, and quickly. I was surprised to like it as much as I have. Again, it's the perfect size to not scare anybody. The Mini Tuff Lite has great ergos and has the infamous, tough Tri-Ad lock. It has the shortest blade out of the bunch despite having a full four-finger handle (for me) with a clip. I love the neon green handles too. I haven't felt the need to buy anymore autos, because the Launch 4 is so perfect. Can you see the common theme here is small sizes and fun colors? Lastly, the Rat 2 is my favorite mid-sized knife. It beats every other mid-sized knife I've ever tried. It's the perfect price (only $30), is very compact, and has awesome action If you want more information on any of these, check out the Gear Thoughts tab. Thanks for looking!

First Hike of the Fall!

I'm so happy it's officially fall now since I hate the summer heat. It's still a little too hot and humid here in Virginia, but hopefully fall temperatures are on the way soon. Last weekend I did an eight mile hike in the New River Valley, checking out the Cascades and Barney's Wall. I definitely recommend hiking both if you're in the area. Here's a link to information about them from HikingUpward.

The main draw of the Cascades is a 69' waterfall. It's probably the biggest waterfall I've seen so far and a great sight! Throughout the hike, you can hear the water roaring in the distance which is pretty soothing.

I hung out taking some photos of the falls and then continued onto Barney's Wall. I had heard this was a pretty easy hike overall, but it definitely kicked my butt. 

I was happy to see this view after a harder than expected uphill climb.

Barney's Wall has some massive cliffs. The leaves were starting to change color some too. I imagine it'd be an ever better view during the peak fall colors.

There were some awesome views of the surrounding mountains! It was relaxing to sit up here since I was the only one on the trail at the time.

I used my trusty Camelbak bag as my day pack, and it worked out quite well. I didn't bring much with me, just enough water/snacks, first aid kit, and my nicer camera. All in all, it was a fun way to spend my Saturday morning. Thanks for looking!

Long Awaited Updates!

Hi everyone! As I'm sure you all could tell, I've been on a break from posting on here and YouTube for the past couple of months. I really wanted to make this the year where I posted consistently every month, but I ended up putting this knife stuff on the back burner. The summer is usually when I slightly lose interest in EDC since I don't have any pocket space to carry anything. That's exactly what happened again this year. I feel out of touch with what's been going on in the EDC world, so if I missed anything cool, definitely let me know! Now that fall is here though, I'll be back to wearing a jacket which will give me the chance to starting carrying all of my gear again.

I've got about eight posts in progress from the summer, like my top 5 EDC knives and flashlights, old reviews, and comparisons between different knives. On top of those, I'd like to get back to posting my what I've been reading and watching updates every month. I've also still got a huge backlog of gear that I need to finish reviewing. Once I've gotten all of my own gear reviewed, I'm probably going to have a substantial sale to thin out the herd. I'm graduating at the end of this year and would like to put aside more money for post-grad life.

Fall weather also means I'll be getting back into hiking. I've recently finished acquiring gear to start going backpacking and am hoping to go on my first overnight trip within the next month. I'll be posting about both of those throughout the rest of the year.

I'm not sure at what capacity I'll make my return to YouTube. Honestly, there's nothing drawing me back to it right now. Who knows if/when that will change. I've said it in the past, but blogging is definitely what I prefer doing. It's much easier for me to do and is something I look back on for my own reference.

So yeah, that's about it for now. I had an awesome summer and can't wait to graduate! Expect to see some more posts on here and potentially some YouTube videos in the future. I'm thinking I'll be posting once a week at the minimum to make sure I have a constant flow of posts. I might also try to get back into Instagram, maybe posting shortened gear reviews and more of my outdoor adventures. Thanks for sticking with me! I'm excited to be back!

Rike Hummingbird Thoughts

The Rike Hummingbird is one of the tiniest knives I've tried. What intrigued me the most about it was the fact that it's a flipper, since it's very hard to find flippers in this size range. While I think the action is a bit lacking, it's a neat knife overall. It's not one that I'd recommend for EDC usage, but it fills the role of a show piece or pocket jewelry quite nicely. It's nowhere near as useful as other smaller knives I've tried.

The size alone make this more of a novelty knife than anything. It's a beautiful design by Rike with a variety of color options as well. They've done different golds, pinks, purples, greens, blues, etc. Mine's green and purple with some blue accents on the framelock and clip. The damascus blade and cool colors make it look very classy. The gold pivot is a great touch too, and it even has Rike's logo on it. The quality on mine is fine, though I have heard people have had issues with theirs. 

I didn't realize how tiny this knife was until I actually got it in person. The 1.5" blade is definitely on the lower extreme of what I'd consider usable. I thought it'd be comparable to the Spyderco Ladybug (with a 1.69" blade), but boy does that missing 0.19" make a difference. The Damasteel looks beautiful and was sharp enough for the light tasks I put it through. With a knife this tiny, I only can see it being used for cutting open letters/packages. I would not even try to cut cardboard with this thing. 

The hole in the blade is purely for cosmetic reasons, because the main way to open the knife is the flipper tab. Like the knife, the flipper tab is very tiny, almost too tiny to get a solid grip on. It certainly could have benefited from being a bit bigger. With the knife being so small and having titanium handles, it's already hard enough to get a good enough grasp on the knife. It's a struggle for me to consistently hit the flipper tab just right to get it to flip well. The Hummingbird does run on ceramic ball bearings but that doesn't translate to good, smooth action. It takes a decent number of crummy half flips before I can get a solid one. This is the type of action I'd expect on a sub $30 knife, not one that you're paying $75+ for. The tab is maybe just a little too sharp for me as well which means it's not one of those knives you could sit and play with all day. 

The titanium handles are what you'd expect for a knife this pricey. Besides the colors, the only thing that stood out to me was the cutouts. They're mainly for aesthetics in my opinion but do give your fingers something to grip into. There's no jimping anywhere on the knife besides the flipper tab. I kind of expected this since it's a classier, sleeker knife, but it definitely could've benefited from some added texture. Again, with the tinier size and slicker handles, there's not much to grip onto, causing a lot of issues with getting it to flip well. The framelock was relatively solid and was easy to disengage too.

The handle comes in a 2.25" long so the ergos are another area that suffers. I can only manage to fit a two and a half finger grip on here comfortably which kind of surprised me. Even then, I didn't feel like I ever had solid grasp on the knife. There were no hotspots luckily. It just didn't feel as comfortable as I'd like. For those of you with larger hands, it's probably a one or two finger knife.

A huge benefit of tiny knives is how well they carry. This knife weighs a crazy light 0.6 ounces and absolutely disappeared when I carried it in the waistband. I like the inclusion of the clip, since that's not something you frequently see on these tinier knives. I'd love it if Spyderco did a clipped knife in the Ladybug size range. Something like that would never leave my side.

These go for about $135 on Blade HQ which is absolutely ridiculous for what you're getting. However, Massdrop has had some exclusive deals for $75 to $80 in the past few months. That's of course better than the $100+ price tag, though I still think it's high for a knife you'll rarely be able to seriously use. If the action was better, I wouldn't feel as bad paying the $75. That's not the case though. Unless you like tiny knives, save your money and get something else instead. 

It did come in a nice tin with a neck sheath and chain in the event you wanted to wear it as a necklace. The inclusion of those makes it even more apparent to me that this is a jewelry piece opposed to an EDC knife. Since it's so slim and light, it probably would carry well as a neck knife.

Here's a comparison shot of the Hummingbird next to some of my other favorite tiny options: the Spyderco Ladybug and Victorinox Classic. It's about the same length closed as the Classic and slightly smaller than the Ladybug. Both the Classic and Ladybug offer much better ergos and more functionality for a similarly compact package.

All in all, this is not a knife that I'd recommend as a serious EDC option. I've seen much better tiny knives that are less expensive, more functional, and have better ergos/action. Unless the design really speaks to you, I say skip it. It has been neat to see more companies doing smaller knives for a change. I like the idea behind this one yet don't think the execution is 100% there. If you want a tiny flipper, maybe check out the Bestech Reticulan or CRKT Eros small instead. I don't recommend the Hummingbird at all. Thanks for looking!

EDC Pen Collection Update 2019!

Over the past few weeks I've been doing updates on my EDC gear collection, like my knives, flashlights, and mulitools. Here's the final update on the current state of my EDC pen collection. Pens and flashlights are probably the things I use the most consistently in my EDC. I've added a few new pens since my last update and probably won't have any additions for a while. I feel like I've got all the pens I need in every size from keychain to compact to full size. 

The middle of this photo is the core of my collection with the newer additions at the two ends. As always, going from left to right, I've got the Valiant Concepts keychain pen, two Pokka pens, Fisher Bullet space pen, Zebra G-301 (gel pen), Parker Jotter, Zebra F-301 (regular ballpoint pen), Pilot Metropolitan, Fisher Cap-o-matic, and a tactical pen. All of these are regular ballpoint pens except the Pilot Metropolitan, which is my one and only fountain pen. If you want to get into fountain pens, the Metropolitan is definitely the one I recommend. It's such a different writing experience, feeling a lot more smooth overall than regular ballpoints. I've never felt inclined to add any more fountain pens to my collection since I love the Metropolitan so much. It's the perfect fountain pen in my eyes. 

I'm happy that I have a few more compact pens to rotate with the Fisher Bullet space pen. I've always found that to be the perfect size for EDC and have hoped that other companies would eventually make other compact options. The Pokka pens are essentially plastic versions of the Bullet that come in 3 packs for about $9. It's one of those pens you could loan out to someone and not worry as much if it walks off, unlike losing a $20 Bullet. The Valiant Concepts keychain pen is probably one of my favorites, because there are even fewer tiny pens out there. Despite how small it is, it's still incredibly comfortable to write with and has found a permanent place on my keys.

The Zebra 301s and Parker Jotter are two less expensive options that have a nicer writing experience than cheap plastic pens. I prefer the Zebras for everyday writing more, but the Jotter is a popular option as well. The Zebras go for less than $5 a pen, while the Jotter is about $10. The Cap-o-matic just stays in my hiking bag in case I ever need to write in the rain. The tactical pen is neat but too bulky as an EDC option. I could see myself throwing it in a bag for a potential self-defense option. I hope you all have enjoyed seeing the updates on my gear collection! I'm very happy with what I've got and think I've got a good variety of stuff for every occasion. It'll be fun to look back at these posts in a few years and see if my collection has drastically changed or not. Thanks for looking!

Kizer Feist Thoughts

I recently had the chance to check out my first Kizer, the Feist, on loan. I liked certain aspects of it but am not a fan of front flippers. I like to be able to open my knives quickly and easily, and front flippers don't allow for either of those in my opinion. Though this is not the knife for me, I am looking forward to trying out more of Kizer's knives. The quality and design of the Feist were very impressive.

I can definitely see why people like Kizer so much. They put out a very high quality and well-designed product. This is a Justin Lundquist design, who also designed the Baby Barlow I talked about a few weeks ago. It's such a classy looking knife with a simple design that'd work well for EDC. If you don't like the reverse tanto blade or the holes in the handle, they've got a regular drop point version for the same price ($168) as well. I like that there's no lanyard hole too. It's a small detail but makes the handle look a lot cleaner. I'd love to see more companies get rid of lanyard holes, at least on these mid-sized or larger knives. I've got no complaints about the quality or design.

Moving onto the blade, this is the perfect length for a mid-sized knife, coming in at 2.8" long. When I first got the knife out of the package, it seemed so much more compact than you'd expect that blade length to suggest. The steel, CPM-S35VN, is great and performed well for my typical EDC tasks. The reverse tanto blade looks awesome too!

The front flipper is the biggest issue about the knife for me. Maybe I just need to get used to them, but as of now, I think they require too much effort to open well. It was awkward for me to open the knife and took more concentration than I'd like to make sure I was hitting the flipper tab right. I wasn't able to open it cleanly 100% of the time which would deter me from carrying it as an EDC knife. To me, it's not natural to reach around the end of the knife to flip it open. It's not one of those flippers you could sit and play with all day, because it's not quick and snappy to open. It would've been a better knife overall if it was a regular ol' flipper.

I've never fully bought into the titanium framelock hype, but knives like this make me start to see the appeal. I love the slimness of the handle and how perfectly rounded the edges are. The holes are more for aesthetic reasons and add some pizzazz to an otherwise bland handle. The framelock itself is solid, and there wasn't a bit of play. The knife feels much more compact than the almost 3" blade would suggest.

The ergos were some of the best I've felt in a while. I could fit a full four-finger grip comfortably. Like I mentioned earlier, the edges of the handles are perfectly rounded which make the knife melt into your hand. If only it wasn't a front flipper, then I'd probably be tempted to pick one up. There's some jimping on the spine of the blade which mostly helps deploying the blade with the front flipper.

The Feist carries extremely well thanks to how slim and thin it is. I've always stayed away from titanium handles since they tend to make knives heavier compared to the FRN I'm used to. Still, this knife is pretty light at 2.62 ounces. The clip is simple and carries pretty deeply. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed carrying it.

These go for $168 on Blade HQ which seems like a great deal for what you're getting. Most titanium framelocks seem to start at that price and some go for well over $200. For the quality and materials you're getting, it seems well worth it. They also come in nice packaging with this pouch and a cleaning cloth. That's not standard in most $150 plus knives and helps Kizer's quality and attention to detail stand out even more.

I loved the design and compactness, yet the knife was ultimately ruined by the front flipper. To me, front flippers are more of a hassle than any other opening mechanism I've tried. Kizer has definitely caught my attention though, so I'm looking forward to trying more of their knives in the future. This particular one was provided by Valtac Tactical to the passaround group I'm in, so check them out if you need a new place to buy more knives. It was a fun experience overall and is worth the look if you're into front flippers. Otherwise, maybe check out some of Kizer's other knives instead. Thanks for looking!

Microtech UTX-70 Spartan Thoughts

After loving the Kershaw Launch 4 so much, I've been on the hunt for other small autos. I've never tried an OTF before and have always heard that Microtech does some of the best ones. The UTX-70 has been been on my list to try for a while, but they're usually out of stock. After snagging one in April, I'll end up sticking with my Launch 4. The UTX-70 just doesn't have the same charm or appeal to me.

Design wise, this is your standard Microtech. It's a clean looking knife, though I do find the black scales to be boring. They've done all sorts of different varieties of colors and blade shapes over the years. It's much easier to find the UTX-85s in various colors for whatever reason. I'm not sure why Microtech makes these so hard to buy. This particular version is the Spartan which has a double edged tanto blade. The quality is impressive and is on par with how much you're paying. It's nice to support a USA made company as well. 

Getting onto the blade, like I mentioned this one is double edged. I've never tried a double edged knife and don't care for it all that much. I don't find it necessary and am always afraid I'll somehow cut myself on the extra edge. The steel is CTS-204P which I've never tried before. I don't care about having the highest end steel and have been more than happy with the performance. It's a nice size for EDC too, coming in at 2.41" long. That doesn't make it CA legal like the Launch 4, though they do have a CA legal version if that's a necessity for you. Most states have stricter laws regarding autos anyways so definitely be wary of that.

I've only ever tried push button autos before, so I wasn't sure what to expect from the OTF action. Getting the blade out is quick and easy, but the same cannot be said about trying to retract the blade. Either I'm just weak or mine still needs to be broken in, because I have to use two hands to slide the blade back in. The slide was designed well, with good texturing and a ramp-like shape that helps you get a good grip on it. It's a solid knife, and I've never worried that it's unsafe.

There's not much going on with the handle. It's a simple, rectangular shape (coming in at 3.22" long) with some contouring throughout. The edges of the handles could benefit from a bit more rounding in my opinion. I love the look of the Microtech logo too. Like I mentioned at the beginning, I wish these were easy to find in other colors. The black doesn't do it for me. These do have specialty hardware, so you can't take the knife apart unless you have the tool. That's probably for the best, because it'd be easy to screw up if you took it apart. I've heard Microtech has good customer service in case you do end up having problems.

The ergos are alright but not my favorite in the world. I can fit a full four-finger grip, though I can't find a natural place to rest my thumb. I'd want to rest it on the blade but I can't do that since this one is double edged. The rectangular handle does feel boxier than I'd like due to no rounded edges. Again, it just doesn't feel as good in the hand as my Launch 4.

I've got no complaints about the clip. It works exactly as it should. There's even a glassbreaker on the end of the knife. I'd probably never use it, but I guess it's nice that it's there. This is one of the few knives where I'd tolerate tip-down carry, since your thumb will be closer to slide when getting it out of the pocket.

These went for $221 which seems fair enough for what you're getting. I'm sure there's a lot of detail that goes into getting the action right. Plus, you are supporting an American made company. If you're interesting in picking one up, you have to be patient and jump on them as soon as they're up for sale. They usually go out of stock the same day which is kind of annoying.

This is a nice enough knife, but unfortunately doesn't compare to the Launch 4 that I love so much. Ultimately, I think I prefer push button autos over OTFs. It's still a well-done knife, though isn't perfect ergos wise and is much stiffer than I expected. If you're looking for an OTF, Microtech has the market locked down and puts out high quality knives. For EDC, it might not be the best option if your state has stricter knife laws. It's not as great as I was expecting considering they sell out like hot cakes. I say skip it and spend your money elsewhere. Thanks for looking!

Multitool Collection Update 2019!

My 2019 collection updates continue with my multitools. For the most part, this aspect of my gear collection has stayed pretty constant. I don't use multitools all that often, and there aren't too many innovative ones coming out. I rarely need plier-based multitools so Victorinoxs are the ones I typically reach for the most and what my collection primarily consists of.

Along with the typical Leatherman/Victorinox/Wenger multitools I have, I also threw in my one piece multitools (OPMTs) and a CRKT Eat'n Tool. Starting at the top row after the Eat'n Tool is my larger multitools, like the Victorinox Alox Pioneer, Wenger EvoGrip S11, Victorix Alox Bantam, mini pry bar, and Gerber Shard. The Shard is by far the best OPMT I've tried and is a great deal at only $5. The Pioneer and Wenger are my two favorite larger tools, and I love both of their colors. They're still compact enough to carry in my EDC pouch without weighing it down too much.

The second row is the smaller keychain sized tools I have: the Leatherman Squirt P4, Victorinox Classic, Victorinox Alox Classic, Victorinox Midnite Manager, Victorinox Alox Minichamp, and CRKT Snailor Compact. If you couldn't tell, I love the 58mm Victorinoxs. They're the perfect size for a keychain or to slip loose in the pocket. The only Leatherman I currently own is the Squirt P4 which has remained my favorite plier-based multitool over the years. I prefer it over the newer PS4, since the finish feels nicer to me and it doesn't have Leatherman's crappy scissors. One of the reasons I always stick with Victorinox is due to how great their scissors are. They cut better than any other multitool scissors I've tried, getting very precise cuts thanks to how thin they are. The Classic is my favorite 58mm tool and multitool in general, and I always have one on me either on my keys or in my EDC pouch. I still haven't carried the Midnite Manager or Minichamp much but like how they offer different toolsets than the bare bones Classic. The Snailor is a cute little keychain bottle opener that I've mostly kept around for its design. I don't drink so I never find myself needing a bottle opener.

And of course I left out one of my cooler Victorinoxs which I believe is called the Adventurer. It stays in my hiking bag the majortiy of the time. It's the largest multitool I own and has a locking blade unlike any of the other multitools I've got. The camouflage pattern looks awesome as well! 

That about wraps it up. I'm not as interested in multitools as I used to be when I first got into EDC. Victorinox makes the superior multitools in my opinion with a tool for everybody. I've never had any luck with Gerber's quality, and Leatherman focuses mainly on plier-based tools. There's a couple Victorinoxs I want to check out, but other than that, I don't see my collection changing much in the next year or so. Thanks for looking!

Urban EDC Supply/Justin Lundquist Baby Barlow Thoughts

I had the chance to check out the Baby Barlow on loan which is a collaboration between Urban EDC Supply and Justin Lundquist. If you're interested in learning more about them, here's a link to the all titanium version on Urban EDC Supply. If you want to see the different varieties, here's that link as well. I've never been too interested in traditional knives due to how formulaic they are. That's where the Baby Barlow comes in, finally adding some more innovation to the kinda dull traditional market with the addition of a front flipper, liner lock, and clip. It was fun to check out, though I'm not sure it's something I'd want to carry everyday.

Quick side note: this is a prototype and is not exactly like the final production version. This one is beadblasted while the production version is sandblasted. Apparently this one is not up to the final quality standards either, but I was very impressed with the quality and fit/finish. They'll end up shipping in early November of this year and are available for preorder at a slight discount. The all titanium version is going for $199 currently, while the versions with the G10 inserts are going for $215.

This is a Justin Lundquist design, who's also done some knives for Kizer like the Feist. It's a very classy and clean design that would function well for EDC tasks. It's a smaller knife that would work out well as a backup option. These are made by Fox Knives in Italy which is pretty cool as well. Like I mentioned earlier, the quality/fit and finish were top notch. I was very impressed with the quality and design.

The blade steel is M390 with the cutting edge coming in at 2 inches. I find 2" to be the optimal blade length for me, since it keeps the knife compact while not sacrificing usability. M390 is a great steel and performed very well. The only complaint I have about the blade involves the front flipper.

The nail nick is entirely for show, as the front flipper tab is the primary way to open this knife. As you can see in the photo below, the blade is entirely recessed in the handle. The flipper tab isn't that apparent in the photo but it's right above the pivot. The fact that it doesn't stick out that far in the photo goes to show how small it really is. I'm not sure if they had to make it that small to fit the design or if they just wanted to make it as small as possible. Either way, it's too small in my opinion and makes the knife that much harder to open. There is some jimping on the tab for grip, but it's almost too coarse and is one of the few flipper tabs I've tried that has absolutely destroyed my finger. I ended up getting a huge blister on my index finger just from flipping it in my video. I don't think dulling the jimping would help at all because it'd make the knife even harder to flip.

As far as the front flipper aspect, I'm not a fan personally. It takes too much concentration to flip well, and it usually takes me 3 or 4 attempts before I get it flipped open cleanly. Sometimes I miss the flipper tab because of how small it is. Other times, it only opens partially due to not hitting the tab right. I'd rather have a normal flipper that's easier to open than the gimmicky front flipper. The Baby Barlow does run on caged ball bearings, so when you manage to flip it well, it opens very smoothly. Maybe I just needed to get used to the front flipping action. To me though, it didn't feel natural to reach around the end of the knife to flip it. That's probably the biggest issue I have with the knife overall. If it's not easy to flip, then I'm never going to want to use it in my EDC.

This version of the Baby Barlow has a titanium handle with an OD green G10 insert around the pivot. I like the insert, and the three grooves help add a little grip for your pointer finger. I'm normally not a fan of titanium handles but really like these ones due to how nicely rounded the edges are. Though there's no jimping anywhere along the handle or spine of the blade, I've never felt that the knife is too slick. Also, the liner lock is solid and had no play at all.

I was able to fit a full four-finger grip quite comfortably. Those of you with larger hands are probably looking at more of a three-finger grip on the 2.93" handle. The edges of the handles are perfectly rounded so the knife feels like it melts into your hand. I'd like to see rounded handle edges become the standard on all new knives. 

The clip is simple and works as it should. The light weight (2.4 ounces) and slimness made it a joy to carry. I had no major complaints about how it carried.

Looking at the price, the full price of $239 may seem high for what you're getting. The higher-end materials (titanium, M390, and G10) are what you typically see in knives over $200. I hear the argument that people wouldn't pay so much for such a small knife which I don't get at all. Just because a knife is small doesn't mean the price should be reduced. If anything, they require more precision/details and have smaller tolerances than larger knives would. As a classier show piece for your collection, the price doesn't seem that ridiculous compared to what some knives go for.

It was neat to check out the Baby Barlow, yet it's not the knife for me. It's nice to see some innovation in the traditional market. I hope other knife manufacturers catch on and start innovating more in the production folder market. I see this knife as more of a show piece instead of one you'd actually want to use every day. The clean design and compact size was ultimately ruined by the front flipper. Thanks for looking!

Flashlight Collection Update 2019!

I've gotta admit, these days I'm getting much more usage out of my flashlights than my knives. Light is just one of those things you can't easily replicate unless you're some sort of wizard. If it's pitch black out, you're screwed unless you've got some sort of light source on you. I use my knives mainly to open mail/packages which you can usually end up ripping open if you had to. If I could truly only carry one thing everyday, it'd hands down be a flashlight. Because of my increased usage over the past year or so, I've spent more time researching lights and expanding my collection. The majority of the newer additions have been very generous gifts, so huge thank you to those that sent them my way! Here's the current state of my collection with maybe a few random ones missing. It's almost as big as my knife collection if you saw that post a few weeks ago with 16 lights in this photo. I expect it to a change a bit by the end of the summer so I can try out a few others that have been on my list to try. I also just realized I left out my headlamp which is one of my favorite lights I own. Nothing beats having hands-free lighting. Let's get into it!

Something that surprised me when I was getting all these together was how colorful my collection is. It's kind of neat because I've got three purple ones, three blue ones, three black ones, and three green ones. That's a nice symmetry that I didn't intend to happen. I've complained for years that the standard black flashlights are so boring and thought my collection would closely reflect that market. It goes to show that companies could easily make more colorful lights if they tried. These days, I'm not going to buy a flashlight if it only comes in black. Colorful lights are much easier to see in the dark and are more fun for me to carry. Anyways, sorry for the tangent there, back to the lights.

Starting on the left side and going down is the Eagle Eye X2R, Convoy S2+, FourSevens Classic Preon P2, an Ultratac that I don't know the model of, Utorch UT01, Streamlight Microstream, and Thrunite T01. The top 2 are both 18650 lights and are extremely bright. They're not lights I'd carry on my person but could easily throw in my bag if I knew I'd need something brighter. The Preons are my favorite lights of all time, and while I don't carry the P2 that much because of the longer size, the neon green is one of the coolest colors. FourSevens did a great job making the colors pop and stand out. The rest are ones that I don't use too frequently in my EDC. I have a few of the Ultratacs scattered around my apartment and in various bags as backups. The Microstream is a classic light that maybe doesn't stand up to the higher end flashlight tech available now. I love the simple design and rubber tail cap and am hoping to upgrade to the USB rechargeable version near the end of the summer.

The right side is filled with the flashlights I rotate through the most. I've got the Lumintop Tool AA, Astrolux A01, Olight i3e, Maglight Solitaire, FourSevens Updated Preon P1, Foursevens Classic Preon P1, Singfire SF-348, Spotlight Speck, and Nitecore Tube. Of this bunch, I pretty much love all of these lights. The most used have been the Preons, Lumintop, i3e, Singfire, and Tube. The Tube and i3e are some of the best values at $10 or less. I'm currently carried the Lumintop because I love the purple and green tail cap combo. So there you have it, that's my flashlight collection as of 2019. I'm happy with where it's at and feel like I have a great variety of lights. I know I didn't go to in-depth on any of these, so be sure to check out the Gear Thoughts tab if there's any you'd like to hear more about. I have a large majority of them covered there but not all of them yet. Thanks for looking!

Benchmade 380 Aller Thoughts

Benchmade doesn't have too many smaller options in their lineup. I was intrigued by the 380 Aller because of how small it was but didn't know how I'd like the friction folder aspect. I was able to check it out on loan for a week or so and wasn't all that impressed. The price tag is high for a less than perfect knife.

The Aller has a simple design that works well for EDC. I like the blue accents on the liners and around the pivot. I don't personally like the look of the knife all that much but it does function as it should. I've never been a huge fan of sheepsfoot blades. This is also one of those multipurpose knives, with a prytip/screwdriver on the end and a bottle opener on the opening tab. I never had a use for those because I already carry a multitool with me everyday. The quality was as impressive as any Benchmade I've tried. 

The blade is 1.6" long, and the steel is CPM-S30V. It was more than sharp enough for my needs. With a blade this small, I'd only use it for lighter tasks in more of a backup role. Especially paired with the fact that it's a friction folder, this knife obviously isn't meant for hardcore tasks. It's still a solid knife despite there being no lock. The choil is a little deeper so you wouldn't have to worry about the blade closing on your fingers.

The G10 scales are okay but not my favorite. They've got some cutouts in them which are more for design than adding extra grip. The texture of the G10 itself is pretty smooth. I find the black scales boring and would've liked to see some sort of color besides just the blue accents. Also, I thought the opening tab stuck out too far and was too pointy. When carrying it in the waistband, it dug into me more than I would've liked. It was easy to open and close one-handed which was an initial concern of mine. I tried a Kershaw Pub last year and found it to be awkward to open. I thought the Aller would fall to the same fate but luckily that was not the case.

The boxy design of the handle causes the ergos to suffer. Normally I can fit a four-finger grip on a knife in this size range, but this one was more of a two and a half to three-finger knife. The edges of the handles are not rounded either which makes the handles feel even more squared off. The ergos were probably my least favorite thing about the knife.

The clip is much wider than a typical clip because Benchmade designed it to be used as a money clip. I don't like it at all and probably would've taken it off completely if I had owned this knife.

I couldn't imagine paying $136 for this knife. The quality is there, yet the materials (just G10 and CPM-S30V) aren't that high end in my opinion. Benchmade always charges a premium though, so the price is in line with what they charge for their other knives. 

I've never been into friction folders and the same goes for the Aller. It's nice to finally see Benchmade do some smaller knives but this is not the one. The ergos are lacking, the clip sucks, and the price is high for what you're getting. If you're looking for a knife in this size range, the Spyderco Ladybug is far superior. Save your money and pick up something better instead. Thanks for looking!

Knife Collection Update 2019!

I haven't done any updates on my EDC gear collection in a while, so what better time to do them than this summer. In the coming weeks, I'm also going to have updates on my flashlight, multitool, and pen collection. Stay tuned for those! Without further ado, here's my current knife collection.

Starting with an overall shot of my collection, it's a little bit bigger than I'd like. A lot of these knives don't get carried that frequently and may be sold at some point. It's currently sitting at 18 knives which isn't as big as it once was. I'm thinking I'm going to try to get it down to 10 to 15 knives. After trying a ton of knives over the years, I've finally found the ones I like and don't need to have a ton of extras collecting dust.

Looking at just the fixed blades, I've got a Mora Companion, Mora Eldris, and Esee Izula. The Companion normally stays in my car bag, though I might start using it for outdoors stuff since it's the largest knife I've got now. The Eldris is one I still haven't used it that much, despite how much I like the size and ergos. The Izula is my all-time favorite fixed blade and is the knife I always bring when I go hiking. It's a perfect knife in my eyes and is a great value at only $50.

Folders obviously make up the bulk of my collection. They're the easiest for me to carry every day, with most of them having blades less than 2.5" inches. I've found that's all the blade I ever need in my EDC these days. The oddball on the far left is the Boker Subcom which is a great small option. I didn't think I'd like the boxier ergos at first, but it's grown on me a lot over the years. Starting on the top row from left to right, I have the CRKT Eros, Kershaw Launch 4, Spyderco Cat, Benchmade Proper, CRKT Drifter, CRKT Ripple, and Ontario Rat 2. Of those knives, the standouts are definitely the Eros, Launch 4, Proper, and Rat 2. Finishing off with the bottom row, I've got the Spyderco Cricket, Spyderco Ladybug, Kershaw Cinder, Blade-Tech Ratel, CRKT Jettison, Sanrenmu 681, and Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite. The Ladybug, Cricket, and Mini Tuff Lite are the ones I've carried the most out of that bunch. 

If I had to rank my top five favorite knives, it'd go the Ladybug, Rat 2, Launch 4, Eros, and Mini Tuff Lite. The Ladybug was one of my first real knives and is a perfect, people-friendly knife. The Rat 2 is easily the best mid-sized knife I own. I've tried so many other mid-sized knives, yet always come back to the Rat 2. Nothing beats it in terms of the price, compact size, and smooth action. The Launch 4 is the best auto I've tried. The color options and small size make it another perfect knife for me. The Eros is the one I've had for the shortest amount of time compared to the others, but it managed to quickly impress me. It's one of the best flippers, and again, the smaller size is what draws me in. Lastly, the Mini Tuff Lite has perfect ergos and is another lightweight smaller option. That's the general theme of my collection. Small knives with FRN/plastic handles are my go-tos. I love the neon green scales too! I know I didn't go into much depth about every knife here, so if you'd like to hear more of my thoughts on each one, check out my Gear Thoughts tab. I've reviewed the majority of these but haven't gotten around to some of them yet. Thanks for looking!

Spyderco Pingo Thoughts

A few years ago I had a Spyderco Squeak and was very impressed by it. Since then, I've always had an interest in trying more of Spyderco's slip-it knives which is where the Pingo comes in. I like the design as a whole, though there are a few major issues that make it a less than optimal EDC option for me.

The Pingo is collaboration between Anso/Voxnaes that I love the look of. The orange is an awesome color too! They came in black FRN and titanium as well, though it has been discountinued so I'm not sure if they're as easy to find anymore. It was designed to be Danish legal due to restrictions on locking knives/blade lengths and knives that can be opened one-handed. The size is perfect for a smaller EDC option and one of my favorites aspects of the knife. This particular one does have a quality issue that ruins the knife for me. For some reason, it takes an insane amount of pressure to close the knife. I know it's not normal since I didn't have the same experience with the Squeak. There's no way it's an issue of the knife still needing to be broken in either. You should be able to see what I'm talking about in the video that's coming soon. If this was my knife, I'd send it in to Spyderco to see if they could fix it. Other than that, it didn't have any other quality issues. The Pingo is a Maniago, Italy Spyderco which is neat. 

Getting onto the blade, you're getting a 2.35" N690Co blade with a cutting edge of 2". That's the perfect size for most basic EDC tasks. It's a good slicer, and the sheepsfoot blade looks good/performs well. With this being a two-handed opening knife, the Spyder hole is for cosmetic purposes. I've seen people do the zip-tie mod to make a thumb stud, but honestly I don't see the point. It's not that big of a deal to open the knife two-handed. Since this particular one is so tight, I've never had any worries that it'd accidentally close on my fingers. There is a half-stop which seems as strong as the Squeak's. 

FRN is probably my favorite handle material. I love how lightweight it is, and all the color options. Spyderco used their checkered texture for the FRN opposed to the bi-directional texture that most of their other FRN knives use. I like both variations of FRN, but I do think I like this checkered texture more. It's more subtle than the bi-directional texture and still provides good grip.

The Pingo isn't the most comfortable knife in the hand for me. The big problem is the pointed part where the curve ends and the butt end of the knife begins. My fourth finger hits right where the point is which is insanely uncomfortable. Spyderco should've smoothed out the curve some more. The handle is reminiscent to the CRKT's Pilar, where the Pilar's curve is more subtle but is still slightly too pointy for me. This problem with the ergos is probably due to the fact that I've got smaller hands. My first three fingers are slightly too cramped in the curve, yet two fingers in the curve is too spread out. The length of the handle is long enough for a four-finger grip for me, but I imagine it's more of a three-finger knife for those with larger hands. I'm not going to want to use a knife that has bad ergos, so the handle design is a huge flaw for me.

There is about a quarter-inch section on the blade before the handle that I suppose you could use as a choil of sorts. It does have some jimping on it, but I'd still be afraid that my finger would slip into the edge during use.

The Pingo uses Spyderco's infamous wire clip which is probably my favorite clip. It doesn't scream that you're carrying a knife and rides very deep in the pocket. The knife carries extremely well thanks to how lightweight (1.9 ounces) and small it is (3.45" closed). I haven't had any problems carrying it in the waistband.

Like I mentioned in the beginning, Spyderco discontinued these so I don't think you can find them as easily anymore. When they were still being sold, they were priced around $50 which is fair enough for what you get. 

I like the idea of the Pingo, but the flawed ergos mean I'd never want to carry it. I'm not that bummed that it was discontinued; however, I'd still like to see them do more slipjoints. The Roadie has been on my list to try for a while. If you have to carry a non-locking knife due to laws, this might be worth a look. I personally liked the Squeak a lot more. Otherwise, if you're just looking for a smaller option, go with something like the Dragonfly or Cold Steel Mini Tuff Lite. I don't personally recommend it but at least it was fun to try. Thanks for looking!