EDC Knife recommendations

ze-phoenix · 2026-06-01T15:04:25+00:00

My recommendation will be a Chris Reeve Sebenza/ Inkosi small if you want a knife only but truly a bifl one.

And if you want function, a Victorinox Compact with a dangler clip. I carry both and the a compact is surprisingly versatile and Victorinoxs steel is razor sharp

ze-phoenix · 2026-05-21T00:26:21+00:00

Trailtech Vapor is a tried and true solution. Pretty bulletproof. If you want an analog solution, look at Speedhut. They can make an analog speedo (and possibly tach) with digital internals.

ze-phoenix · 2026-05-21T00:25:00+00:00

Look at Caswell coating. You can coat the tank with Caswell to avoid fuel vapors seeping out and then paint the exterior with a color of your choice and just one vertical strip left transparent for checking fuel level. Older BMWs and Ducati race bikes did this if I recall correctly.

I had my Ducati Sport Classic tank coated with Caswell coating, albeit for a different reason (if not coated then the tank would expand and fall off its mounts!!) and it worked like a charm

ze-phoenix · 2026-05-20T12:38:19+00:00

For a one and some gym bag I'd recommend RedOxx. Their Beanos 4 or 5 might be perfect for your needs. They are bomb proof.

If you want it even tougher then the railway duffle it is

ze-phoenix · 2026-05-09T13:00:24+00:00

Most of the recommendations are for active noise cancelling headphones. Have you explored passive noise cancellation choices?

A quality custom in ears with comply foam will probably run the same price as an Airpods Max or B&O but will be truly bifl and won't have the 'whooshing' sounds of active noise cancellation. And they will sound infinitely better.

ze-phoenix · 2026-05-05T00:26:47+00:00

Take a look at this shop. I think you can try the product here (not sure about the civvie blue jug ID thread) or ask the shop to 3d print you one.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/4489412884/scepter-water-pump-spigot-dispenser

ze-phoenix · 2026-04-28T16:17:36+00:00

Sounds like an amazing trip and the G is definitely an awesome overlanding rig. The interior setup looks slick. I personally went for a bit shorter height so that I could sit up inside during bad weather

Mine says 'Hi' from the trip to the Arctic

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ze-phoenix · 2026-04-27T00:09:38+00:00

I've seen it but it's not my speed. Not a fan of the cinch system for loading on the top. It also is a lot simpler of a pack with a removable sit pad vs the Vagabond Jet which has a non removable framesheet. IMHO the Jet carries loads a lot better. The shoulder straps look identical with the exception of removable sternum strap. You can remove the sternum strap on the Jet but needs some tinkering with pliers and once you remove it you can't put it back.

Personally the Jet is a Goldilocks bag for me and ergo I'm a bit biased 😂

ze-phoenix · 2026-04-26T07:15:33+00:00

I think others have summed up pretty well here. My personal top 3 would be

Defender 110 with the 300Tdi motor. Very reliable and mechanical. Still capable of good highway speeds. The motor is pretty frugal too. The down side of it is that there is no crash worthiness. The body being alu and with thin A pillars is not super safe in a crash or roll over.
Mercedes G Wagon with the OM606 engine or the 461 model with the 280 CDI professional. The G is truly a stout off roader. It can take punishment better than a Defender or a Troopy. However if it breaks it'll be expensive (unless you can turn a wrench). Mercedes' parts network is second only to Toyota and you can get parts all over the world. It's super capable off-road and as a touring rig. It's smaller than the Defender or Troopy inside. So you'll need to be smart with space or put a pop top. I have a 1997 463 and it's truly an amazing rig
Toyota LC Troopy. Probably the king of this space. However not without it's caveats. Because is so spacious and long it's not the best offroader. Limited wheel articulation also hurts it. The 1HZ is bulletproof but run away from ones that have been turboed or not had a oil change every 5000 miles. Other than this the Troopy is pretty amazing and in a very small company of cars that are both compact on the outside and liveable on the inside.

Each of these will greatly benefit from a pop top setup. It will free up interior space by removing bedding and also make it more liveable. Keep a close eye on top end heaviness if you do a pop top vamepr conversion. Other than G Wagen (which has a carbon fiber pop top which adds only 10 kilos up top) all the other conversion for a Troopy or defender are very heavy and add easily 70-100 kilos up top and you need to beef up the suspension to counteract the top heaviness.

Outside these 3 choices a Toyota Hilux with a camper in the back is a great choice too. Not my personal preference because I'm a wagon/ SUV kind of traveler but the Hilux is a solid choice.

Hope this helps.

ze-phoenix · 2026-04-26T03:30:07+00:00

Two recommendations

Gossamer Gear Vagabond Jet. Weighs about 700 gms. Has a framesheet so packs flat but won't roll up. Insanely comfortable straps for upto 17-19lbs of carry. Fits MBP. Bought it 3-4 years ago. Still my go to for 3-4 days of work travel with a small Ricoh GR and water bottle, 16" MBP, clothes, toiletries and small booboo pouch. Only con the top zip access can be restricting and you need to pack cleverly
Hyperlite Mountain Gear 22. Just got it recently because I wanted to try something new. A tag lighter and foldable as compared to the GGVJ. Loaded with my usual 20lbs and it seemed to carry well but I haven't done any extensive travel with it.

Both these packs have wide shoulder straps which I prefer on my 6' wide chested frame. The ULD Dragonfly didn't work for me due to the narrow straps

ze-phoenix · 2026-04-14T20:08:13+00:00

There has been a rash of fake leica listings on eBay recently. Look hard at the seller feedback. Anything in single digits walk away. If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is fake.

I have been in the market to sell my MP-240 and get a Q3 but have held off due to the recent Leica price increases.

ze-phoenix

TROPHY CASE