Posts Tagged ‘review’

Survival Straps Military Spec 550 Paracord Bracelet Review

Posted: January 17, 2013 in Product Reviews
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By Cameron McKirdy

Lately I’ve been rocking a variety of Survival Straps paracord bracelets. Maybe you’ve noticed them in my videos. You’ve probably seen bands like these before, but Survival Straps has taken it to the next level.

These stylish and functional Survival Straps were made in right here in America. They are an innovative company, and they give back. To date they’ve donated more than $722,000 to The Wounded Warrior Project. This program helps soldiers tremendously. I rock my Wounded Warrior Project Survival Strap often. It’s comfortable. I like the marine grade stainless steel adjustable clasp, but it also came with a plastic breakaway pin you can put in for safety. Plus, if you ever need to use the 15 feet or so of cordage, Survival Straps will send you a replacement bracelet. This is an every day carry item you should have for preparedness.

I haven’t taken my Survival Strap apart yet, but when the need arises, I will. There are many varieties and styles on their website http://www.survivalstraps.com Check them out. There’s something for every prepper, and they are reasonably priced. Most cost around $30 or less. I see great value in them. They are made of the finest 550 paracord. You’ll find a color and style that matches your personality. Below is a few cool designs I’ve been wearing. I haven’t had any issue with these. They feel great. Survival Bros approves 100%.

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Survival Bros 2012 Highlights – Happy New Year!

Posted: December 31, 2012 in Adventures, Comedy and Art
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Cameron whipped up a video of his favorite moments from 2012. It’s been a crazy, and productive year. Best wishes to you and your friends. Thanks so much for supporting this blog. We have big things planned for the new year. Peace.

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Craigslist Joe – Quick Movie Review By Survival Bros

Posted: December 7, 2012 in Comedy and Art, Movie Reviews, Product Reviews, SB Tips
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Blog produced by Cameron McKirdy

Yes, I just blogged about a movie, and here’s another quick Survival Bros review.  I make movies, so it’s only natural I critically look at them.  I poked the Xbox, loaded Netflix, and watched the new 2012 documentary called Craigslist Joe.

This is another heartwarming survival tale.  We follow Joseph Garner on a free-spirited journey across North America.  Joe has no idea if he can count on the hospitality of others to endure homelessness, with no money, or contacts.  He pops his thin comfort bubble, and sees if there really is a sense of community in the USA.

Craigslist Joe is a great story.  It doesn’t ever feel cheesy, or forced.  Comedian Zach Galifianakis, no relation to Andy Milonakis (besides being fat), was the Executive Producer.  That’s probably why it’s funny.  The premise is pretty ridiculous too.  Joe had no survival gear, or training to make it outdoors.  He should have died.  But somehow, Joe didn’t get shot, or freeze to death on a park bench.  He roughed it one night on the streets in NYC, but was housed by strangers he met online the rest of the 31 days of the experiment.

In all, this flick was worth watching.  We see the generosity of strangers on full display.  Humanity has hope.  People can care.  You just have to make them.  Help them along the way.  Most people Joe encountered just wanted a friend.  Let’s make some new friends.  I will be using Craigslist a little more now, but it’s still nothing special if you live in a small town.

I give Craigslist Joe 4 out of 5 Nuggets.

Craigslist Joe Movie Poster

BREAKING GLASS – Gerber LMF II Knife Review by Survival Bros

Posted: September 9, 2012 in Uncategorized
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Cameron McKirdy shatters a car window with his knife!

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Jetboil Zip Cooking System Product Review

Posted: August 29, 2012 in Health & Nutrition, Product Reviews, SB Tips
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Survival Bros is hungry and focused. We promise to bring you quality reviews of the products we actually use. This blog looks at the Jetboil Zip cooking system.

At $74.95 the Jetboil stove is not cheap. It’s nicer than the ones you can get at Big 5, and other smaller sporting goods stores. Survival Bros invested in the Zip because it’s compact, efficient, and light weight. Not including the pot support and fuel stand, it weighs just 12 ounces. The system can be packed up, and self contained. Even a small fuel tank can store inside the cup securely.

It takes just over 2 minutes to boil 16 ounces of water, depending on how cold it is, and how much fuel you have. That means you can prepare freeze dried and dehydrated Mountain House meals at camp in minutes. The 0.8 liter cup is insulated too. These guys thought of it all. The lid strains liquid, and the bottom cup can measure, or be a bowl. Also included is a tripod stand to avoid spilling.

The entire Jetboil Zip cooking system is perfect for weekend backpacking trips into the outdoors. I’ve used it several times to make hot coffee, cook, and boil sketchy water for safety. It’s extremely convenient.

Survival Bros highly recommends this stove for short trips, and light cooking. I’d love to have the bigger size to cook even more hot food. Until then I’m keeping the Zip, and stocking up on Jetboil fuel. I actually bought mine off eBay for about $20 less than retail. It pays to plan ahead, and price around. Have a Jetboil? Tell us what you think of it.

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Survival Bros Reviews The 900 Watt Ninja Professional Blender

Posted: August 20, 2012 in Health & Nutrition, Product Reviews, SB Tips
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I just blended my first whole fruit and vegetable smoothie with the Ninja blender! Here’s my product review, with two healthy recipes.

I picked up my blender for $90 at Walmart. I like that it’s professional grade, and holds 72 ounces. Plus, the pitcher is BPA free, which is important. You don’t want chemicals leaching into your drink. The built-in pour spout is clutch also! I’m going to use it every time so I don’t spill.

The Ninja is a beast. It boasts 900 watts of power, and has several sharp blades. The base is wide, and sturdy. It even has a place for the cord. It’s great for blasting ice and anything else. I’ve used a Vitamix a lot, and I think this works better. It mixed my protein more thoroughly, and got the powder off the sides of the pitcher. At less than 1/5th of the cost, Survival Bros highly recommends this blender.

I put its power to the test. I mixed kale, spinach, protein, frozen berries, maca, and cold water. It had no problem breaking it all down. Clean up was easy too, and it’s dishwasher safe. The dial control was cool to use and simple. I already want another, more powerful Ninja with the different containers.

Here’s two smoothie recipes to try:

Wild Blackberry and Grape
2 cups of blackberries
1 1/2 cups of organic purple grape juice
1 teaspoon organic raw honey
Add a banana for more carbs
Blend with ice if berries aren’t frozen
Try with spinach!

Hippie Vanilla Raspberry Smoothie
1 cup of fresh raspberries
1/2 cup natural bio yogurt
1 cup vanilla hemp milk
1 heaping scoop of Sunwarrior vanilla brown rice protein powder
Option: strawberries

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This is a picture of my extreme breakfast shake, with One World Whey raw chocolate protein powder, spring water, Starbucks Via French Vanilla instant coffee, raw cacao, maca powder, and Adam’s peanut butter. Produced by Cameron McKirdy

Hosting a Healthy Competitive Eating Contest for Charity

Posted: August 19, 2012 in Adventures, Comedy and Art, Health & Nutrition, Parks, Survival Bros Challenges
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by Cameron McKirdy

Today was glorious. I hosted the 3rd annual Seaside Oregon Eating Championship at Broadway Park for charity. We had both an adult, and kid eating contest featuring Subway footlong sandwiches. History was made.

Broadway park is awesome. It’s changed a lot since I’ve lived in Seaside. We got a new baseball and football field, and a jungle gym for kids to exercise on. Plus, we have a dope skate park. There’s even a basketball court, bathrooms, and an under cover picnic area near the river. It’s the heart of this coastal community.

I love hosting the eating contest each year. I’m a pro eater, so it’s great to watch the local talent develop, and appreciate the sport. It’s a pleasure to host it for charity, and support the Sunset Empire Parks and Recreation Department. This year the kids winner was the first to eat a footlong. One kid was cheating and fake puking his sub in the trash. He ended up with a generous 2nd place title. The adults had to mow 2 footlongs! Hardcore. A local ringer won again this year. Next year I’m putting down the mic and taking the championship.

Eating healthy is essential. Chewing is good too. Even though I host eating contests, proper nutrition is always on my mind. Eating a balanced diet and staying hydrated is key. Please don’t try competitive eating at home. You’ll end up bitting a finger off, or using pets for training food. The lesson here is to have fun, stay active, and eat all the good stuff you can. And support your local parks too! Peace.

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Here’s my video footage of the contest!  Funny stuff.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-_aTVaOLiQ

Belnap Hot Springs and Toketee Golf Course Review

Posted: August 10, 2012 in Parks
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My summer road trip is almost over. I’ve hiked, camped, biked, swam, and golfed. This post is a quick review of Belnap Springs, and the nearby Toketee golf course.

After biking yesterday I was super tired, but made it out to Toketee. It’s right by our cabin off the McKenzie highway in Blue River, OR. I wasn’t expecting much, but this area always surprises. Toketee is a great golf course. I played the front 9 with a buddy. No hole in one, but I played well. It’s a long course. The green fee was just $18 bucks. I carried my clubs, instead of paying $3 more for a pull cart. Those are for the weak. There’s lots of sand and water to avoid. You won’t regret playing here.

Another thing I did to relax, in between all the strenuous activity was to check out Belnap Hot Springs. I rolled up and the pool was over flowing with French girls! Winning. The pool is 105 degrees, and there’s two. One is reserved for guests. It’s $7 to soak in the mineral pool for an hour or less.

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For dinner I ate at the Belnap Grill by the river. I ordered a South West chicken wrap. It was good. This is an excellent place to camp. There’s tent sites, and cabins also. There are several gardens at Belnap, and a special “Secret Garden” to find. Some little kids were stoked to lead me to the entrance. I will be back. Now I’m at the cabin, chilling, and icing my body. I need more ice packs.

Just when I think our journey is over, Dad starts planning a raft trip. We may float the Santiam river tomorrow on the way home. This should be interesting. More madness soon. Thanks for reading.

Cameron McKirdy

Survival Bros Summer Road Trip 2012 | Updated with Photos

Posted: August 5, 2012 in Adventures, Parks, Product Reviews
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It’s Cameron. I’m checking in from the road. I’ve lost track of how many days straight I’ve been camping. Right now I’m blogging this from the top bunk in a friend’s RV.

My Dad and I left the Oregon Coast two days ago. We threw all our gear in the truck, including two bikes, and golf clubs. We almost brought the cataraft, but we have a full plate. Did I mention my father loves buffets? You know we went to Izzy’s Pizza already.

On day one we hiked 4 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail near the popular attraction Three Fingered Jack. It’s in the Cascade Range in Oregon. The forest there was scorched in the 2003 wildfire. It’s a beautiful wasteland. Dusty, but boasting epic views of mountains all around.

I would have taken pictures on our first hike, but my iPhone 4S got wet and fried the day we left. It was in a case, but soaked up just enough dew from inside my tent to fail. I should have put down a tarp. My bad. $300 later, I finally got a new 32 GB Apple iPhone today at Verizon wireless. I had to have a camera on our trip.

Tomorrow we will leave Redmond and enter the forest surrounding Mount Jefferson to begin backpacking. We’re squeezing in a round of golf at Eagle Crest also. They have the best real grass, outdoor mini-golf course. I’m gonna get a hole-in-one.

I’ve been to Whole Foods, REI, Dick’s, and other outfitters, so my backpack is loaded. I have plenty of food for three days on the PCT, plus of course my sleeping bag, tent, and the rest of the camping essentials. This week I picked up a Kelty sleeping mat, and a Jetboil stove. Now it’s time to rest. Thanks for following the Survival Bros blog. More from my trip soon. It’s almost 1 AM where I’m at. Night.

Update: I tried to be lazy today. It was 95 plus degrees in Redmond and Bend today. My first priority was to stay hydrated. I chugged more than a liter of coconut water this morning, plus a Dutch Bros coffee my dad brought back.

We ended up golfing The Greens at Redmond today. It’s well maintained and challenging. We played 9 holes and walked. It was hot! I thought about following my ball into the water hazard. I only lost one.

After golf I went out on the town in Redmond. I sifted at the Goodwill thrift store and found a Zen Garden, a great bicycle fender, and a book on juicing vegetables and fruit!

Then I found a huge antique mall! I could look at collectables all day. I checked out silver and copper coins, old toys, and priced other oddities. I found a Buddy Lee doll, and a hand painted sign offering pony stud service by Champ. I took a quick photo.

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The weather is wild in the Bend area. You can see snow on the mountain peaks, but it’s sweltering. It’s dusk now. My buddy’s dog and I have been looking out the window at the flashes of lightening. The thunder is tremendous. Growling like my belly after a workout. And the lights are flickering. There was another bolt! It’s the Wild West out here.

I still have to pack my backpack for our 3 day hike starting tomorrow. Right now my gear is scattered around the RV. I will get to it after I stretch more. I feel ready to charge The Mount Jefferson wilderness, but there will be more challenges ahead. Really our trip is just about to start. More soon.

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Survival Bros Reviews The Vibram 5 Finger Running Shoes

Posted: July 17, 2012 in Product Reviews, Uncategorized
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Spyridon LS

Kicking back and watching boats come in on the Mckenzie River

I bought those silly five-fingered shoes. Yup. I paid $120 for the new model. And I go out in public wearing my Vibram FiveFingers too. It’s OK, because I love the trash talk. The following is my take on these trail running shoes. The good, the bad, and the ugly.

I was stoked when I got these kicks. The salesman told me the Spyridon LS is designed specifically for trail running. Perfect! I climb mountains. So I put them to the test. First I went a short distance, just two miles on Tillamook Head from Seaside. They felt great. Snug like a natural extension of my feet. However, one downside to the Vibrams is that your toes can get wet quickly. Once I stopped running my toes were cold and going numb. I got out of them right away and put them through the wash. They were caked in clay and mud.

The second hike I took wearing Vibrams was around Cape Falcon, and Short Sands, in Oswald West State Park along the Oregon Coast. I jogged parts of my 7.35 mile hike, and made a few stops to checkout the surfers and ocean views. I finished in 3:05 hours. My feet started to ache around the six-mile mark, but I just wasn’t use to the shoes yet. That will take a long time, maybe years. You’ve got to hike this state park. There’s nothing like it. Bring your camera.

Oswald West State Park in Oregon

I’ve had my Vibrams for a few months now, and they’ve performed great. But here’s the ugly. I snagged my pinky toe on something and one small part of the sole ripped away from the upper. An easy fix soon with shoe glue, but annoying now. Also, the rubber is pretty thin, so walking on gravel sucks, and going far on pavement isn’t fun. Plus, they are low top and don’t have much support on the sides. My advice to Vibram owners is to go slower than normal. Another annoying thing about these shoes is even though they are the right size, my little toe has a tendency to pop out of its home. Then I have to readjust by hand. It’s best to pull them really tight to avoid toe slippage.

In addition, like it or not, these shoes will attract attention. Be prepared to answer a million questions about them. Strangers approach me all the time to ask questions. And be ready to be made fun of. Lots of people think that Vibrams are ugly. I think they are beautifully designed, so there! But you won’t see me wearing this around town much. They were absolutely created for the outdoors.

Barefoot like trail running shoes

My new Spyridon LS Vibrams!

Having said all that, I strongly recommend you look into the barefoot running, and walking movement. It’s taking off, and for good reason. Shoes may be the worst invention ever! If you wear Vibrams or some other minimalist shoe you will strengthen your ankles and legs, in my opinion. They will take some time to get use to. You may want to buy a transition shoe first that has more of a sole. Try on all the different brands and styles, and figure out what’s right for you. Survival Bros says ditch the kicks and feel with your feet. Peace.

– Cam

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