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Every Day Carry Tiny Knife Roundup

If you know me at all, you know how obsessed I am with tiny things, and how I pride myself on being ready for anything at a moment's notice. I've got quite the collection of tiny things for travel and EDC, a collection which would be terribly incomplete without a useful variety of knives. Here are my favorites.

These are wonderful blades for every-day use and survival, but should be noted that tipped blades (blades with points) should NEVER be used during rescues.

This knife is a game changer and the ultimate in tiny.  Can you believe such a tiny knife both folds and locks? It attaches to a zipper pull and is easily accessed via a quick release buckle.

It's one of my favorite purchases and a knife I use almost every day. I use it frequently to open boxes, cut string and for other small tasks.
At a price point of right around $15, there's no reason not to have several.
Weight: 0.32 ounce
Closed length: 1.7"
Blade Length: .68"


CRKT Rsk MK5 $14.50


I keep this knife in my 'go anywhere' survival kit because it is so slim, short and light. While it is too small to tackle large survival demands, it comes razor sharp right out of the box and is perfectly capable of cutting rope, slicing meat and shaving twigs for kindling. I have even cut heavy weight leather with it. I found the sheath it came with too clunky for such a tiny knife, so I made a leather one for mine.

Weight: less than 1 ounce
Length: 3.8"
Blade type: 1.75" fixed drop point


SOG Snarl $32.50
The Snarl is a large scale production version of a knife designed by Jason Brous. It is a badass little tactical self-defense blade that comes in a nylon sheath designed to be worn in a wide variety of ways. Finger holes not only improve grip, but also keep the user from dropping the knife should they open their hands when defending themselves from attack. Jimping for the thumb also improves grip and reduces slip. I've worn mine on my belt, on my pack, hung around my neck, and clipped to my bra beneath my clothes. Eventually, I'll stonewash it so it isn't so bright.

Length: 4.3"
Blade: 2.3" fixed wharncliffe
Weight: 3.4 oz



The minimalist is available in five blade types: bowie, tanto, drop point, keramin, and wharncliffe to suit anyone's purpose or fighting style. It is designed to be worn as a neck knife and comes in a secure nylon sheath that comes with both a paracord for neck wear and a clip for wear on the hip. Finger grooves keep this small knife securely in the hand.
Length: 5" to 6.6"
Weight: around 1.5 ounces


This is the smallest, most useful multi-tool I own. It lives in my EDC adventure bag that moves from dry bag, to day pack, to handbag as I move through activities and locations. It's actually pretty cute, although I do wish it had tweezers. If you're looking for a multi-tool to take on a backpacking trip, this is it.
Weight: 1.92 ounces
Length: 3"
Tools: spring pliers, wire cutter, knife, file, scissors, flat head, Phillips head, pry bar


This bladeless multi-tool is TSA approved, so you can still have the basics even while traveling. I like this tool because it gives me what I use often- pliers, tweezers and scissors- in a compact, travel friendly package. And its only 14 bucks.
Weight: 1.5 ounces
Length: 4"
Tools: spring loaded pliers, wire cutter, file, flat head, Phillips head, zipper pull, tweezers, scissors, bottle opener


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Exciting News for Outdoorsy DIY-ers and MYOG

Does your favorite piece of gear have a hole in it, and you just can't find fabric to match it for repair? Or maybe you have a new design for a pack, but want to use two types of fabrics and need them in the same shade.

Now you can get the fabric you need in any color or pattern you want. Ripstop by the Roll just debuted 9 outdoor fabrics that can be printed on demand in over 1,000 colors AND whatever pattern you upload. I don't know about you, but my creative gears just started spinning!


If you need to match pre-existing gear or want to see what each color looks like on the fabric you'll use, you can order color swatches containing all 1300 colors. You can also custom print your own patterned fabric- in custom camo, your favorite galaxy print, a map of a beloved trail....the possibilities are endless.


To get the best results in pattern printing, I suggest designing or purchasing what is called a "seamless" pattern. This means that the pattern can be repeated like tile- laid end to end horizontally and vertically, and appear seamless.

Here is a youtube video that will show you how to make a seamless pattern:

Happy creating!

Fun Fast DIY for Your Foreign Coin Collection

Travel Coin Magnets
Do you have a jar of coins from your travels that you don't want to get rid of, but you're not quite sure what to do with?
Enjoy looking at and using your collection by turning them into magnets!

This project is super fast, easy and cheap! Here is what you need:


I'm so happy with how my magnets turned out- they look so good on my gold dry erase board!


Did you enjoy this post? Do you find my blog helpful? Now you can help me get the gear I need on my new Amazon List

Dramatic Rescue on Falls Lake

A harsh morning for a paddle.....

kayaking on falls lake raleigh
Looks like a lovely morning doesn't it?
Looks can be deceiving. 
Last week, a few of my fellow instructors and I got together on Falls Lake for some pre-season paddle training. 

We began our session huddled and shivering at a picnic table, discussing our plans for the summer. The bright sun did little to warm us in the chilly 43-degree air while the howling wind sucked our heat away as it moved through the fabric of our jackets. 

Changing Plans
Most of us were dressed in wool and fleece layered beneath wind and rain jackets. Few of us own neoprene wetsuits and still fewer have dry suits. Our original plan for the day was to review wet exits and rescues with newly hired instructors. The water was only 60 degrees, and with such a low wind chill, the likelihood of hypothermia for those of us without neoprene was high. We decided to postpone our skills session for a warmer day.  

It's rare for all the instructors to be together, and with a trailer full of boats and boards, we couldn't resist getting out on the water together. We are all professional paddling instructors, with the ability to manage the risks we were taking and the knowledge and skills we needed to stay safe ourselves should one of us accidentally end up in the water. Our decision to paddle was based on knowledge, technical skill, available safety equipment, and experience. 

That looks bad.....really bad

Typically at this specific location on Falls Lake, we turn right from the boat ramp, but for some reason (maybe the wind) we decided to turn left. Unbeknownst to me, we were heading toward something floating in the water, that another instructor thought was trash. 

Upon inspection, they discovered it was a kind of improvised fishing device that used part of a pool noodle in the design. While they floated and talked by the pool noodle, Cameron and I bobbed next to each other, pointed in a different direction from the group. 

We watched a lone fisherman in a canoe catch a large fish. Cameron reckoned it was a catfish, but we were too far away to know for sure. I think we were about 100 yards away from him at the time. 

I looked away, back toward our group, when Cameron spoke up. 

"Did that guy just jump out of his boat?" 

I thought to myself.  No one jumps out of their boat in these conditions. I turned my head to see the fisherman in the water, swimming violently toward his boat, which sailed away from him much faster than he could swim. In winds like those, it is impossible for anyone but maybe Michael Phelps to swim fast enough to catch an empty canoe. 

My second thought was that we would need to recover his boat and bring it back to him. Within seconds it became very clear that the man was in distress. His movements changed from obvious forward strokes to thrashing, and then to desperate attempts to keep his face above water. Without a lifejacket, the layers of cotton clothes he wore and his heavy boots dragged him down.

Cameron and I began sprinting toward him as fast as we could. His face submerged several times, and I worried that we wouldn't get there before he lost consciousness. Luckily, he was strong and fought long enough for us to get to him. 

Cameron and I presented him with the bow (front) of our kayaks. This is the safest place for a swimmer to hold onto the kayak. One should never present a distressed swimmer with the side of a kayak, as the swimmer is likely to flip the boat over with their weight. He was exhausted when we arrived and could hardly talk for being so out of breath. 

Lisa (of Distressed Mullet) appeared almost instantly on her paddleboard. I couldn't believe how fast she got to us, but she does race paddleboards, so I shouldn't have been surprised. She knew it would be easier to get him up onto her paddleboard than onto one of our kayaks. Meanwhile, Brett (of Adventure Otaku) went after his boat. 

When the swimmer caught his breath, we asked him questions, including his name. We'll call him Jay to protect his privacy.

When Lisa arrived, and I knew Jay would be ok, I thought to turn on my GoPro and focus it on the action.
rescuing swimmer with kayak
Lisa arrives on her paddleboard, while the swimmer uses our kayaks for flotation
Jay used Cameron's bow and Lisa's paddleboard to hoist himself onto the board. Paddleboards and kayaks are designed to hold the weight of one person and can become very unstable when you double the load. I was concerned about Lisa flipping with the extra person on her board, so I kept my bow next to Lisa to help her balance. I was impressed by Jay's ability to push himself and his heavy clothing up out of the water. This isn't an easy thing to do, especially after swimming in heavy clothing. 

Cameron is actively paddling at this moment. The force of J pushing up on his boat also pushes kayak away, and if Cameron didn't paddle against that force, J would have had a much harder time getting up. 
It was around this time that Jay's friend came over on his kayak. You can see him in the background, wearing a jacket with a neon yellow collar.

 Moments later, Brett arrived with Jay's canoe in tow. After introducing himself, he began a patient assessment. Brett is an EMT and was concerned about not only hypothermia but also worried that Jay may have hit his head on his boat when he fell. We listened as Jay told us how he caught a big fish and was trying to get a photo of it when he dropped his phone overboard. He fell out of the canoe lunging to catch the phone.


victim realizes he almost died
Brett asks Jay questions about what happened and how he's feeling.
It seems that Jay is beginning to realize the severity of what just happened. 
After finding out that Jay had not hit his head, Brett decided it is best to put him back in his boat and get him to land. Jay's shivering was becoming more violent and hypothermia was setting in. Brett noticed a 6 pack of beer in his canoe but wasn't able to count open containers. 

We got him back in his boat but wanted to get him in a life jacket. There was no life jacket in his canoe. His friend wasn't wearing a life jacket either but had one in his kayak, which he handed to him. In a situation like this, most instructors would tow the person back to shore, but after finding out the canoe had a small motor, we agreed to let his friend accompany him back to land. 
Brett and Lisa stabilize J's canoe while he climbs back in. I float nearby to support Lisa.
I asked his friend if he had a whistle, and he said yes. I told him that if they had trouble on the way back to blow his whistle and we would come help.

Back on shore, Jay changed out of his wet clothes and into his friend's spare clothes. He vomited up lakewater several times but was otherwise ok after warming up in the truck. Both Jay and his friend thanked us and swore they would always wear life jackets from then on.

A Lucky Break and Lessons Learned

Jay made several decisions that day that, when combined, would have cost him his life. The only thing that prevented loss of life was the coincidence that we happened to be on the lake that day, at that time, and were close enough to respond rapidly enough to keep him from drowning. 

Whenever anyone makes mistakes, it is important to learn from them so we can prevent them in the future. Let's review the decisions that caused Jay's brush with death. 

1. Paddling in conditions beyond his skill level
The conditions on the water (the wind and chop) made it much more likely that one of them would flip over. Jay and his friend did not know how to rescue each other safely if one of them had flipped over, and neither knew how to safely rescue someone in the water. 

2. Not wearing a PFD / Life Jacket
Most of us who paddle usually consider ourselves decent swimmers, but when faced with an unexpected swim of several hundred yards many of us would come up short. Combining cold water and heavy clothes can make swimming even several yards extremely difficult. A personal flotation device (PFD) keeps your head above water without any effort from you. If Jay had been wearing a PFD, he could have leisurely swum back to shore and worried about retrieving his canoe later. He would have been nearing hypothermia, but he wouldn't have drowned.

2. Not wearing proper clothing
Whenever dressing for a water activity, it is important to dress for immersion. This means wearing garments that will keep you warm even when wet and won't become too heavy when saturated. Wearing proper clothing would have kept Jay warm both in and out of the water, and wouldn't have dragged him down. 

3. Drinking 
We don't know if Jay and his friend had actually drunk any of the beers in his canoe. Alcohol compromises our ability to make good decisions, our reaction time in emergencies and our sense of balance. All of these abilities are critical to staying safe on the water. 

4. Paddling too far from 'paddling buddy'
No one should ever paddle alone. Jay and his friend had a false sense of security because they were out on the water together. The problem was that they were so far apart, Jay's friend didn't know what was going on until he heard people on the fishing dock yelling as they watched Jay struggling to swim. Jay's friend would not have gotten over to him fast enough to prevent drowning. Even if his friend had been close by, without proper training it was likely his friend would have flipped trying to rescue him, and without his life jacket on, his friend may have also drowned.

Mistakes I made:

1. Not bringing a tow line
With so many instructors on the water, I neglected to bring a tow or throw line because three other instructors were equipped with them. In hindsight, if I had needed to go get Jay's boat, I would have had nothing to tow it with.

2. Watching for too long
As soon as I saw Jay in the water I should have immediately begun paddling toward him. Instead, I  waited several seconds until I saw he was in distress. Those seconds could have made the difference between life and death for him had be not been as strong.

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Related Posts:

Gear Up for Adventure on a Shoestring Budget

Are you itching to head out into the wilderness on your own adventures but can't afford the gear you need? This is the series for you. You'll learn what to look for and where to find it to get what you need for one-tenth of the cost of new gear.

This post is the where, but not the how. Stay tuned for upcoming posts in which I'll cover how to shop for used clothing, kayaks, backpacks and more.






Rules of Frugality
I love this list, and I use it when I'm tempted to buy something new. If you think you need to buy something, start at the top, and hopefully you'll find a solution before you get to #6. 
  1. Find an alternative you already own 
  2. Borrow it 
  3. Rent it
  4. Buy it used
  5. Pitch in with another person to get it
  6. Buy new
Another rule of frugality is caring for what you already own. This means knowing how your gear should be stored and cleaned to make it last as long as possible. I'll get around to writing a post on that at some point, hopefully...

Click the keep reading to learn where and what to buy used....