Category Archives: Gadgets

Gadgets, Shooting Sports

Maven B.5 18×56 MIL Binoculars

Maven sent me the target model of their excellent B.5 18×56 binoculars. This version has a MIL target range finding reticle (they also make an MOA version) in the left tube of the binos. These are a feature that make them useful for target range estimation and shot correction in long range shooting sports.

While it only offers 18x magnification, binoculars offer stereoscopic depth perception unlike single tube scopes; this allows you to easily determine the relative distances of objects to each other and that of ground splashes to the target. Its size and compact form make it easy to pack and transport compared to a 80mm spotting scope (which can’t easily be use handheld like binoculars).

The B.5 features bright and clear Fluorite glass for crisp details. This is a step up in price and quality than standard ED glass which has some fluorite in it but “Fluorite ED” is even sharper and more expensive. Looking through the B.5 there is little chromatic aberration from edge to edge.

Looking at my reference targets at 100yrds I was able to see far clearer than in my phone camera test footage. Something about the eye and the brain when looking through binoculars allows you to see in greater zoomed detail. I was easily able to see the .22cal holes on paper even at 100yrds.

The B.5 has dark grey silicone rubber armored body tubes and striking metallic orange accents on its reticle leveling ring and washer sections. These colored accents and the body can be customized when ordering a build-your-own model of your optic on the Maven website. No other optics company offers such a wide range of custom style options on their products.

The B.5’s does not come cheap. This and all of Maven’s optics come in at a premium price tier. But its optical performance and customizable style make it look like a winner.

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Amazon affiliate: https://amzn.to/3AAtY8D

Maven Custom builder (use code: moondog): https://alnk.to/3J6z2Dh

RESOLUTION

Element 5 / Group -1

SPECS

Magnification18x
Obj. lens diameter56mm
Exit pupil3.1mm
Field of View (FOV)3.7°
Apparent FOV (FOV x Power)66.6°
Field of view (ft/1000 yds)194
Brightness9.6
Light transmission (%)92.70%
Twilight factor31.7
Multi Position Eyecups Y/NYes
Eye relief18mm
Near focus9.8ft
Eye width adjustment56~75mm
Dimension WxHxD6.1×8.2×2.6
Weight45 oz
Gadgets

Maven B.6 10x Binoculars

Maven sent me their new B.6 binoculars which comes in 10×25 and 12×50 sizes. These feature ED glass which reduces chromatic aberration to provide clearer, sharper images. These 10x field binoculars are small enough to pack in a range bag or luggage for a trip, while offering brighter images and a wider field of view than pocked sized 10x binos.

Despite only being 10x these optics surprised me when I was clearly able to see a pair of .22cal holes on my paper target at 100yrds. Typically these would be faint or hard to see with a 12x rifle scope. While not easily seen in my video footage, they were as clear as day with my naked eye.

The B.5 has dark grey silicone rubber armored body tubes and striking metallic orange accents on its reticle leveling ring and washer sections. These colored accents and the body can be customized when ordering a build-your-own model of your optic on the Maven website. No other optics company offers such a wide range of custom style options on their products.

The B.6 do not come cheap. This and all of Maven’s optics come in at a premium price tier between Zeiss and Leupold. Is it worth it? It certainly looks like a million bucks both outside and looking through it.

BUY IT

Amazon affiliate: https://amzn.to/3XbAoUw

Maven website: https://alnk.to/gzVUnQp

Maven Custom builder (use code: moondog): https://alnk.to/8iUihuy

RESOLUTION

Element 2 / Group -1

SPECS

Magnification10x
Obj. lens diameter50mm
Exit pupil5mm
Field of View (FOV)6.5°
Apparent FOV (FOV x Power)65°
Field of view (ft/1000 yds)341
Brightness25
Light transmission (%)94.75%
Twilight factor22.4
Multi Position Eyecups Y/NYes
Eye relief18.1mm
Near focus7.5ft
Eye width adjustment58~74mm
Dimension WxHxD5.2×6.6×2.3
Weight30.69 oz
Gadgets, Product Reviews

Blackbeard Fire Plugs

In a survival situation, without a means to create a fire, can you slowly die of hypothermia. Blackbeard sent me a bag of Fire Plugs; compact fire starters that feel like mini candles and look a bit like white cheddar Cheetos. They claim their completely water proof.

As a torture test, I dropped a plug into a pitcher of water and let it soak for an hour. After 62 minutes I took a wet plug out of the water and gave it a quick shake. I bent it and twisted it and worked it back and fourth until it softened and allowed me to pull it apart into two halves.

Blackbeard’s online demos advise fluffing up the torn half which felt like wax impregnated cotton cigarette filters. Despite floating in water for an hour, the interior of the plug felt relatively dry (though it was hard to tell as my fingers were wet from fishing out the plugs). To my surprise the tinder lit up without too much effort. Despite it also being a gusty day, I was able to get a small fire started.

If you’re a hiker or packing for an extreme bug-out-bag, adding a Blackbeard to your kit is good “fire insurance.”

AFFILIATE RETAIL LINK

Amazon https://amzn.to/4ePPfLr

The lighter and ropes are part of the Pirate Plunder Kit: https://amzn.to/4eW4H8I

Gadgets, Product Reviews

Fenix PD32R EDC flashlight

I assume ‘PD’ in PD32R stands for Police Department because Fenix designed their entire PD flashlight line “professional” users such as LEOs, security, and first responders. First impressions of the unit are that it’s a ‘typical’ looking tactical flashlight with a 1″ barrel, tail click button, and crenellated bell. But looking at the Specs we can see it’s an evolutionary rather than evolutionary flashlight.

The PD32R runs off a standard 18650 lipo cell. An o-ringed screw down collar below the bell covers a USB-C port which allows you to recharge the battery inside the PD32R. The flashlight is IPX-68 rated means it can be submerged in down to 2m of water for up to half an hour. I tested it sealed in a water jug for an hour with no moisture leaking in.

It has a silent tail click button that activates the unit and based on the length and number of presses allows you to cycle through it’s brightness modes: low, medium, high, and turbo. The button is partially hooded to protect it from accidental presses but will not allow it to tail stand. mode has offers up to 1400 lumens of brightess that automatically dims to high and medium to avoid overheating the electronics.

There is a strobe mode which is activated by keeping the button pressed for 3 seconds. This is intended to be hide the strobe from accidental activation or activated under stress when a user crunches down on the button. I would have liked to allow the user to means to change this feature to switch out to Turbo instead of strobe for those who absolutely do not want a strobe on their EDC.

BUY

Get 10% off using code AF-MOONDOG
on Fenix LIghting’s website https://www.fenixlighting.com

Amazon affiliate: https://amzn.to/3WeBwoJ

SPECS

PD32R

Max Lumens: 1400

Max Beam Distance: 344m

Max Runtime: 70 hours

Modes: 4 + strobe

Bulb Type:  SFT40 LED

Color Temp: ~6500K

Length: 5.32” (135mm) 

Head: 1.04” (26.5mm) 

Body: 0.93” (23.6mm)

Weight: 4.80 oz. (136g) 

Battery: 18650  or two CR123A

Gadgets, Product Reviews

Anarchy Outdoors Bubble Level Scope Rail

The Ruger Precision Rimfire (RPR) is an popular entry-level chassis riflePRS training or NRL22. It comes from the factory with a 30MOA rail which is perfect to compensate for the bullet drop for long range targets at 200yrds or more. But this 30MOA rail can make it impossible to zero a scope for targets at 25yrds or less. I was eager to replace my stock 30MOA rail with a flat rail to easily allow me the option to attach flip-up iron sights to train my kids.

Anarchy Outdoors sent me their 00MOA rail. This Picatinny rail has a built in bubble level that’s user replaceable and they offer a selection of colored levels on their website. This rail is also available in 10MOA, 20MOA, 30MOA, and 40MOA grades and for other popular rifle makes like Remington, CZ, Bergara, and Browning.

RETAIL AFFILIATE LINK

Amazon: https://amzn.to/4cCBRZf

Gadgets, Product Reviews

Blackbeard Ferro Rod

Blackbeard is a small company that was founded by Kai and his brother, who are avid hikers and outdoorsmen in Utah. They invented a range of Fire Starters and fire starting tools based on trail and their own experience, setting up camps in rain or after crossing creeks and rivers with wet gear.

Along with Fire Starter rope cord and Fire Plugs, they include in their Pirate’s Pluder kit, possibly the largest ferro rod on the market. Ferro rods are sticks of magnesium metal that when struck by steel or iron produce sparks. This is the metal used to make sparklers and burns with enough intensity to ignite most kindling.

The Blackbeard Ferro rod comes with its own metal striker which has a built-in bottle opener. Both are connected with a paracord lanyard that can unwound for 6ft of emergency rope. If you’re a hiker or packing for an extreme bug-out-bag, adding a Blackbeard to your kit is good “fire insurance.”

AFFILIATE RETAIL LINK

Amazon https://amzn.to/3VKnqwu

The lighter and ropes are part of the Pirate Plunder Kit: https://amzn.to/3VL6XYX

Gadgets, Product Reviews, Shooting Sports

MNN Budget LCD Monitor

The 2016 Macbook Pro had a fatal flaw in its hinge design. Over time and with use, the monitor wiring passing through the hinge would frey and cause the monitor to turn off when the monitor face is raised into normal operating position. Recently my wife’s 2016 began experiencing the “Dead Screen” problem which progressed to the point that she could only open the hinge about 4 inches before it would deactivate.

Fixing her screen would required replacing the entire LCD screen and display wiring which costs over a hundred dollars; almost as much as buying a used Macbook. As a hack, I purchased an inexpensive MNN portable LCD monitor from Amazon. The package includes a 1080p color screen, USB-C and HDMI cables, and a magnetic cover that can be folded into a monitor stand.

Plugging the MNN screen into the Macbook USB-C port, the LCD screen automatically synced to Mac and functioned as an extended monitor. Changing the System Prefs I was able to change the MNN to a mirrored monitor. This allowed me to functionally replace the Macbook screen with the MNN monitor.

I also tested the MNN monitor connecting it to my phone and it effortlessly sync and mirrored my phone screen. Color rendition was fair though not as intense or sharp as my Samsung OLED display. It also has built in speakers but these provide disappointingly thin sound.

AFFILIATE RETAILER LINK

Amazon https://amzn.to/3Wc5Imm

Gadgets

5.11 Braddock DP

5.11 Tactical is a outdoor and tactical outfitter which is best known for making specialized backpacks, hiking, and duty pants. At their own stores and 5.11 branded sections at retailers, you can also find 5.11 accessories like EDC knives; almost as an afterthought like swag.

One of their newest is the 5.11 Braddock DP and on first blush it could be easily overlooked. The Braddock has the generic look of a archetypical tactical folding knife. Polymer handle with a frame lock design and a traditional drop point, with a half-length swedge and a black stonewashed finish.

On closer inspection, I found the handle to be solidly constructed with a grippy textured finish without the creak you’ll find on cheaper polymer knives. The blade was very sharp out of the box able to cut paper, 1/8″ paracord, and 1/4″ nylon clothesline with ease.

Overall it does feel a bit basic. The only stand out feature was the reposition-able pocket clip which comes in a matching color to the polymer body panel (kangaroo brown or black). The clip itself was shorter than typical knives. Its short length and matching color has the advantage of making the Braddock slightly more covert than most EDC knives.

5.11’s products command slightly premium pricing not as much as Arc’teryx or TAD but certainly in that “technical clothing” eco-system. While its a bit more than a baseline model from better known knife brands, the Braddock DP is well designed and well constructed. You’re getting good gear while paying only a modest brand name premium.

Available on Amazon through this affiliate link:

Gadgets

DIY Polarizer Filter for Security Cam

I have USB powered WiFi security cams around the house, including one on my second floor overlooking the street. It’s an 80 year old home so it doesn’t have outdoor power outlets and I didn’t want to drill a hole in the walls to snake a USB cable through to power an external outdoor cam. Instead, I mounted my Wyze cam indoors in my window.

Unfortunately my window mounted cam gets a lot of glare and unwanted reflections. Taking an idea from the world of photography, I wondered if I could somehow attach a polarizing filter to the cam. Polarizer filters restrict the angle of light that enters a lens. This reduces the overall amount of light entering a camera but it also significantly reduces glare and reflections in a photo or footage.

Polarizing filter sheets are available from most photo and camera stores (though there are fewer and fewer of those). I purchased a pack of polarizing filter sheets from the Photography section on Amazon. These are thin square sheets of plastic film that appear tinted.

By placing this film at 90º or 45º to the axis of your camera, you can reduce perceived glare and reflections. Some experimenting is required to get the best results. I cut off a piece of filter just large enough to cover my cam lens then taped it down.

One re-mounted, I found that the film did not entirely remove all of the reflections but it reduced it noticeably. Furthermore shadow areas in the scene were enhanced and the overall scene had greater contrast and detail. The only downside is that it reduces night/low-light performance slightly with more blurs and digitizing of night footage. I think the trade-off is worth it. This 5-minute DIY hack works on any home security cam and also works on car dash cams.

10-PACK POLARISING SHEETS vailable on Amazon through this affiliate link: https://amzn.to/46eRe6i

Gadgets, Product Reviews

Hikeen Dry Bag

Hikeen sent me a 10L and 5L of dry bag. For those of you who haven’t been to a rafting, kayaking, or a water park lately, dry bags are water proof, vinyl bags with a folding closure to keep items dry inside. When folded shut correctly, these bags are so air tight that they can be used as floats.

What makes these bags different is that they have a built-in external pouch for you phone. Normally if you store it in a dry bag, you have to find a dry, stable location to open up the dry bag and get to your phone. The water tight clear zippered pouch allows you to use your phone’s touch-screen while inside, allowing you to answer calls or read text messages without having to remove your phone.

The pouch has a zipper with rubberized seals similar to dry suits used by kayakers and cold water scuba divers. The entire bag is rated IPX7 waterproof, capable of submersion in 1m of water for up to 30 minutes. I don’t have a pool to test them in so I tested them to IPX6 standards.

I places sheets of toilet paper in the phone pouch and inside the main bag. Next, I shot a high-pressure water hose at its main opening, the zipper pouch, and the seams for over a minute. I opened up the bag and found both sheets bone dry.

Hikeen makes these bags in 5L, 10L, and 20L sizes (denoting the internal volume capacity). In a pinch you could also use these bags in reverse and cary water in them. This makes them an ideal survival accessory for any home or an emergency bag in any car. My only criticisms is that the external pouch is a bit small for larger sized phones and that they only cary one color choice on Amazon: blue.

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ONLINE SOURCES

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