CamelBak Better Bottle: Hydration on the Move

So-called survivalists may have gotten a bad rap.  The word conveys up images of burned-out 'Nam vets stockpiling vast quantities of MREs, crates of ammunition, Playboys, and hexamine tabs in the basement.  While some people may indeed just store up for the zombie apocalypse- seeing as how the nuclear holocaust  has been postponed, and all- I take a a different tack.

I think the practical way to prepare for bad times is to keep yourself in good shape all of the time. ( I know, call me crazy.  It's been said.)  With this in mind, I like keeping food, clothing, defensive items, and especially water available as much of the time as possible.  A couple of months before I left on my last deployment, I bought a Camelback Better Bottle from the Clothing and Sales store on Fort Mead.  I think it was about $13.

There is a lot to be said for keeping a small bottle of water with you at all times.  A 16 ounce bottle of liquid makes a terrific improvised defensive tool if you're jumped while on the way to the library.  Unfortunately, buying bottled water is expensive.  I keep a large Pur pitcher filled so I'll have tasty, lead-free water available.  Refilling a disposable bottle unfortunately has some health risks, so a dedicated water bottle is the way to go.

CamelBak Better Bottle

The Better Bottle version I have carries .75 liter (25 oz) of water.  The Better Bottle is a sturdy plastic bottle with a built-in plastic hook that a carabiner can be snapped onto.  The bottom part of the hook protects a rubber nozzle when it's in the closed position.  With the lid on, the Better Bottle has proven spill-proof.  The Better Bottle has been unbreakable under practical conditions, fits into most car cup holders, and is easy to clean.

I took the Better Bottle to Afghanistan.  I used it at CRC and on the trip out, but rarely used it in theater due to the bottled water that's everywhere for US troops.  It suffered no damage being shuffled around the country with me during the better part of a year.  I keep the Better Bottle with me virtually everywhere.  Having it close by reminds me to drink water, even when I'm not thirsty.  Staying hydrated is just one of the ways to be ready for that next big emergency we don't really want to happen- and be more comfortable, in the meantime.

Lights of Being

It is easy to mis-manage priorities, when it comes to preparing for emergencies.  Certainly, if someone is kicking in your door, a firearm could come in handy, and if you're trapped in a car by your seat-belt, you might be very happy to have a pocket knife to cut yourself free.  However, even during the course of normal life, lights are just handy.  During emergencies, they often become vital.  In this day of relatively inexpensive, high quality lights, there is no reason not to have a really good small light and a backup keychain light on your person every damn day.  

SureFire has been probably the most recognized name in small "tactical" lights for years.  SureFire lights are bright and sturdy.  Unfortunately, they are also pricy and only use 123 cells.  123s are powerful and compact, but expensive.  In the last few years, especially as LED technology has improved, many small, bright lights have been produced.  Some of these use the less expensive, easily found AA batteries.  One of my favorite of these is the Fenix line.  Though they have expanded to include AAA and 123-sized lights, Fenix made its niche initially by making high quality lights that were less expensive than SureFire, but used AA cells.  Couple a good 2 AA Fenix with some rechargeable AA lights, and you have a good daily carry light that's bright enough for emergencies, but inexpensive enough to buy for yourself and your loved ones.

Another option is rechargeable 123 cells.  I have been carrying the LumaPower LM33 for some months now.  This is a small single 123-battery light.  Unlike some 123-powered lights (cough, SureFire, cough!), the LM33 can take rechargeable 123-sized batteries.  Mine is currently running on 3.6V 880MAH Ultrafires that I charge with my tiny NanoCharger.  For "tactical" use, a momentary press switch is preferred.  The LM33 has a "reverse clicky" switch.  The light comes on as the button pops back up.  This is one of only two flaws I find with my LM33.  The other is that its lower-powered mode is first.  Fortunately, even the lower-powered mode is bright enough to use as a shooting light at close range.

At about twice the overall size of a tube of lip balm, the LM33 fits easily into a pocket.  It has a luminescent ring at the top of the bezel, so after the light has been used, it can still be found for a while in the dark by the glowing ring.  The LM33 also comes with an a luminescent clicky switch, if the user prefers that to the installed safety orange one.  The LM33 comes with a small nylon holster and a lanyard that works for everyday use, but which will not stand up to truly hard duty.

At less than $30 shipped from Battery Junction, the LM33 is a small, useful light that can easily be accessorized with rechargeable batteries and a charger for about another $11.  If you can live with the reverse clickly switch, I believe you will be very satisfied.