Article By: Bernardine Wood
Campers and backpackers can get pretty attached to their favorite pieces of gear. There’s a bond that builds between the outdoor adventurer and the tools that serve them well, time after time. A few of my favorites have been rising to the top of my kit, to the point where I now take them everywhere. Having had the opportunity to take in a couple of cabin/cottage getaways recently this summer, I wanted to share with you my top four picks of my UST gear that come everywhere with me. These pieces are versatile and serve you just as well at home or in the cottage as they do in the backcountry.
Campers and backpackers can get pretty attached to their favorite pieces of gear. There’s a bond that builds between the outdoor adventurer and the tools that serve them well, time after time. A few of my favorites have been rising to the top of my kit, to the point where I now take them everywhere. Having had the opportunity to take in a couple of cabin/cottage getaways recently this summer, I wanted to share with you my top four picks of my UST gear that come everywhere with me. These pieces are versatile and serve you just as well at home or in the cottage as they do in the backcountry.
1. Folder 3.5, Glo
I love this handy little blade. It has a nice weight and the
fact that it’s a folder makes it easy and safe to toss in any of your overnight
bags. The handle glows in the dark so you won’t lose it.
Use it for: Food prep, cutting open bags of firewood,
cutting tinder and roasting sticks, carving your initials into a picnic table
(so romantic).
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| UST Folder Glo 3.5 -- MSRP US$14.99 |
2. Spright LED Lantern
The fun of expanding and contracting its accordion shade
aside, the Spright has three light settings. It’s ON/OFF is a finger hold to
protect against accidental battery wear. An additional handle on top allows for
carrying or hanging, and it takes easily available AA batteries. Contracted, its
puck-like shape and size is also an easy toss into any overnight bag.
Use it for: On its lowest setting (amber) a bedside nightlight;
on its second setting a warm outdoor seating light; on its brightest a lantern to find the thing that’s making that noise outside the window.
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| UST Spright Light LED -- MSRP US$14.99 |
3. The TekFire
As many times as I have needed a lighter, the TekFire has
saved the day. Arguably my MOST favorite piece of kit, this lighter is
fuel-free and charges with a USB cable. Never worry about a lighter running out
of fuel again, just plug this hero in at night to light your way again
tomorrow.
Use it for: Candles, campfires. Because the arc needs to
come in contact with the combustible, you lose some reach for applications like
BBQs or gas stoves. Play it safe in these cases and use your TekFire to light a
splint, then use the lit splint to reach the gas.
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| UST TekFire (Fuel Free Lighter) -- MSRP US$24.99 |
4. See-Me Headlamp (OR Tight Light 1.0)
I have both headlamps and they’re pretty much interchangeable
for casual use. The See Me has three hands-free light settings (high, low and
flashing red for distress). And let’s be honest … the cool factor of this beats
a plain old flashlight any day.
Use it for: For the cottage or camp, have one or more of
these within easy reach for after-dark bathroom trips, or to play a very rigged
game of nighttime hide and seek.
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| UST See Me Headlamp -- MSRP US$14.99 (Tight Light only $8.99) Article By: Bernardine Wood |
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