A Tough, Yet Not Too Large Backpack

Looking for a Get Home or G.O.O.D. (Get Out Of Dodge) bag that is tougher than nails and water resistant that is not humongous? The Maxpedition Falcon II might be just what you're looking for. The first thing that I look for in any bag or pack is YKK zippers. Any company that is quality minded enough to use YKK zippers most likely makes a quality product.

Maxpedition has a long standing reputation of making water resistant bags that are extremely durable, I bought my first Maxpedition product about twenty years ago. It is the Operator Tactical Attache. After all these years it still has many more years of service in it. I'm confident that it will out last me. I also have also had the 47 liter Maxpedition Vulture II for a dozen years. I don't carry it with me every day like I do the attache, but it still look brand new.

I recently decided to purchase a get home bag that isn't so big. After looking around at several options, I decided on the Maxpedition Falcon II. It met all of my needs, and I was already sold on Maxpedition quality. The 23 liter capacity is large enough to hold what I need, yet much easier to carry than my Vulture II, which is a full-blown bugout bag. If you find that you want a bag that is smaller yet, Maxpedition also makes the Pigmy Falcon II that is only 18 liters.

A mistake many peppers make early on when choosing a bag is buy something that is cheap and/or too big. After years of experience we usually learn that a giant bag is not practical. After just one experience of carrying that much weight any significant distance, we are ready to down size. We don't really need to pack around everything but the kitchen sink anyway. Also, after the disappointment of a cheap bag coming apart at the seams, or the zipper breaking, we realize that cheap bags are just a waste of money. If you make the investment in a quality bag you will likely never have to replace it.

Check Amazon's price on the Falcon II

Solar Security Cameras Are A Game Changer

 About fifteen years ago I started out with Samsung hardwired eight camera security system. It served us well and still does. Then I added a Ring doorbell camera. I like that as well. About four years ago I bought a Blink Mini wifi camera for the sole purpose of remotely monitoring the screen on our Harvest Right freeze dryer. It has been quite handy. Later I added several more Blink cameras, including a couple 360 cameras the have indoor applications. 

Then about a year ago I installed a solar powered Reolink 360 camera to monitor the front gate of the homestead. Due to the fact that the front gate is located several hundred yards from the house, it was necessary to get the sim LTE model, which requires a SIM card and therefore adds $25 dollars a month to my cellphone bill. But we thing the added security is worth the cost. In fact, we have appreciated the Reolink camera so much that we added two more a few months ago. They too are solar powered. But because thy are much closer to the house they are wifi and require no monthly fee. 

Although the two newest Reolink cameras perform the same as the original Reolink at the front gate, I appreciate them even more because they cost nothing to operate.

The Reolink wifi cameras can be found by clicking this link.

I NEVER KNEW PEELING COULD BE SO EASY

I have likely peeled thousands of potatoes, cucumbers, carrots, etc. over the last several decades. I started back in the 1970s with a paring knife. Then in the 1980's I upgraded to a metal peeler, which I am not sure it was an upgrade at all. Then, twenty plus years ago, I discovered the ceramic pairing knife. It cut much easier, but didn't peel nearly as thin as the old peeler. Finally, about fifteen years ago, I ran across the Kyocera peeler. This was a game changer. I never knew peeling could be so easy. It was the best of both worlds. I cut with the ease of the ceramic paring knife, and as thin as the old peeler. I was amazed. Now, I cannot image ever peeling anything again without it. If you try it you will understand why I am so delighted by something as rudimentary as a kitchen utensil. This little device has made a once grueling kitchen task not so dreadful.

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