2022-012 | THERM-A-REST RIDGEREST CLASSIC PAD REGULAR

A WEEK BEFORE I WAS ABOUT to embark on my Thruhike of the whole length of Cebu Island, Philippines, on January 17, 2017, a package arrived at my address. It was a THERM-A-REST RidgeRest Classic Pad Regular, courtesy of a benefactor, Michael Schwarz. It was heaven sent and, immediately, it became part of my gear. It has to be, notwithstanding its size.

It is kind of bulky. If laid flat on the ground, it is 72 inches (182.9 cms.) in length, 20 inches (50.8 cms.) wide and 0.63 inch (1.6 cms.) thick. When rolled and packed inside its plastic packaging, its dimension becomes 8 inches (20.3 cms.) by 20 inches (50.8 cms.). Just the same, it cannot be packed inside the backpack but it could be rigged above or below your bag. 

It is very lightweight. It only weigh a mere 0.85 pound or a paper-like 0.39 kilo. It is constructed of cross-linked polyethylene. The patented molded design is constructed with a pattern of ridges and valleys to trap dead air that could increase its insulation value. The ridges make this pad softer and more comfortable than smooth closed-cell foam pads. Besides, it is made in the USA. 

I did not have time to test this in the field but it would immediately see action in this tough Thruhike across Cebu, from south to north, along its very rugged central cordillera, weather and all, 408+ kilometers long, which I have planned would take me 26 days of walking with three days of rest. The route explorations of the Cebu Highlands Trail had been wrapped up last November 2016, and it was time to test the route.

 

The bag I carried has only 40 liters room space. It has no more space for the THERM-A-REST RidgeRest nor can it be rigged above this bag for I placed a Galileo radionavigation tracking device, which location at the top is crucial for interface with a series of satellites. Although I am travelling by memory, the device only serves to record our progress in real time for the consumption of my “audience”. 

What I did was borrow a wide shoulder strap from another backpack and wove it through the center of the packed THERM-A-REST RestRidge and lengthen the strap with a flat shoelace and slung it on one shoulder, frontiersman style. This classic sleeping pad was thus displayed prominently on my front with its complementary plastic packaging and label. 

This unusual carry somehow interfered initially, on the first day, the view of my shoes and the ground I trod. One time, I slipped and bumped a knee on a rock, tearing fabric and skin. From that moment on, I developed a technique in carrying the THERM-A-REST this way. However, on the third and fifteenth days, strong gusts of wind swept it away, leaving me off-balanced. I adjusted the location of the RestRidge on the lee side of my bag.

 

The first day, I found myself camping below a ridge an hour before dusk. I preferred a hammock and a canopy sheet for it is lighter and does not take up so much space than a tent. I squeezed inside the THERM-A-REST RestRidge through the opened bug net and settled it as flat as possible. Then came the strong winds and it pelted rain on my campsite.

After supper, I settled inside the hammock and lay above the RestRidge. It took me many seconds to master the art of sleeping with that inside the hammock. While the rain lashed hard in torrents, I did not feel the icy fingers of cold wind that usually crawled on an unprotected back. The thick polyethylene construction simply deflected wind chill and prevent heat loss. 

I was comfortable that night and it amazed me what this lightweight sleeping gear could accomplish and it provided me a sense of comfort on my Thruhike. I slept through the night, broke camp and resumed my journey until I arrived at our next destination on the second day. The camp site was situated on a peak. Although there is an unfinished structure with a roof, it was open on three sides.

That night, winds stronger than that of yesterday’s, lashed my partly covered campsite with rain. Even when I rigged a canopy sheet to shelter my hammock apart from the roof, rainwater was able to douse my hammock wet. Were it not for the THERM-A-REST RestRidge, which kept me dry, warm and half-awake; I would have suffered a mild case of hypothermia.

The third night I slept among trees. It rained the whole night until sunrise appeared. The hammock was wet from the previous night as were my clothes. For weight considerations, I did not carry spare hiking pants and shirt. What spares I could carry where two pairs of socks, three pairs of elastic undershorts and a synthetic long-sleeved sports shirt which I used as my sleeping outfit and was partly-moist from two nights’ exposure to moody weather. 

I was comfortable on that night with nothing below my crotch. The THERM-A-REST RidgeRest curled along the edges to protect my lower legs and part of my thighs from the damp air and wind chills. The polyethylene structure with its deep grooves and ridges are well designed to trap pockets of warm air which aided in my insulation from the cold. The RidgeRest is surprisingly warm all night long!

 

The next eight nights I used the THERM-A-REST RidgeRest on the comforts of a covered structure, varying from place to place, but, just the same, I slept on bare concrete floors. It helped to keep the RidgeRest surface clean by placing it over a cheap laminated nylon sheet instead of placing it directly on concrete surface. The molded polyethylene pad acts like cushion because it is soft as it is 1.6 centimeters thick. 

On the twelfth night, I camped in the woods in close proximity to a big stream where, again, it rained during the night. The dampness in the cold air was felt but the THERM-A-REST RidgeRest stayed the same, giving me the same warmth and comfort that I had so appreciated on the first few days camping in the wild. From that day on, until I reached the end of my journey, I slept in covered structures with the same luxury experienced during the middle part of my Thruhike. 

My Thruhike would have fared different if I did not have the privilege of using a THERM-A-REST RidgeRest. It was never in my plans nor was I giving priority of acquiring it. It just appeared from out of nowhere on the most vital point of my planning and preparations. Without second thoughts, I immediately accommodated this as part of my load and gear. It may stand out due to its bulk but it was compensated by its weight.

When I had the opportunity to travel to Luzon, I brought this with me and showed this to my benefactor, who was most happy to see his goodwill had been one of the factors that led to the success of the Thruhike. We both camped overnight in Itogon, Benguet and four days more in Masinloc, Zambales to celebrate that freedom of the hills with his gang. 

Upon my final analysis, the THERM-A-REST RidgeRest delivered during my epic Thruhike of Cebu, an expedition that was a first in Southern Philippines. I have benefitted from its design and make and, altogether, it made my trek tolerable and, at the same time, comfortable, especially where I needed it most. The warmth it gave me was unexpected and was the deciding factor why I finished the Cebu Highlands Trail in 26 days! 

I highly recommend the THERM-A-REST RidgeRest Classic Pad for camping and normal domestic use. It complements very well both hammocks and tents. Sleeping on the ground with it insulates you from the cold ground and rain runoffs. Sleeping over it while hanging inside a hammock protects you from wind chill and from moisture caused by rain and mist.

The THERM-A-REST RidgeRest can be acquired online in the Philippines from its local distributor, The Outdoor Armory at P1,490, excluding shipment. However, this sleeping pad can also be bought from Lazada and Shopee at the same retail price. Most likely, shipping fee would be added. Read the details before adding it to cart.

2022-007 | MORA COMPANION

IT WAS IN EARLY 2015, THAT I get to own a MORA Companion. My first and only knife from MORAKNIV of Sweden. It was a gift from my student who took the 2014 edition of the Philippine Independence Bushcraft Camp. It is made of carbon steel with a plastic sheath. The handle is made from a combination of different synthetic material which, surprisingly, produce a good grip. 

The MORA Companion then became part of my array of blades that I used for a living here in the Philippines. I am an outdoors educator, bushcraft and survival instructor, adventure guide, blogger and explorer. I travel with my blades when I do survival trainings in other parts of the country. I am also a knife-carry rights advocate, educating people about knife safety and carry ethics.

My MORA Companion, like all my other blades, are extensively used during my training sessions. However, no student would touch a blade until they listen and understand first about knife care and safety. Then I let them engage in knife-dexterity exercises during survival-tool making and when batoning notches. Although supervised, I would never know how they would use the blades when left alone for a while. 

When I examined the blades afterwards, some, if not, most, has edges suffering traumatic results. But one of the very few blades that had not been affected by that undetected and unseemly use is the MORA Companion. The result led me to believe that MORAKNIV has superior heat treatment which made their blades impervious to the wear and tear of use in the outdoors. 

Even when I know that the MORA Companion has three-fourths tang, I subjected it to rough handling as if it was a full-tanged knife by carving it on hardwood or of batoning with a heavy stick. The blade had not chipped nor bent nor it showed signs of separating itself from the handle. The hardness of the blade could be attributed to the preference of MORAKNIV to design their blades with industrial standards in mind. 

I have exposed my MORA Companion to salty air when I did an exploration of the Dayhagon Canal, an expanse of chest-high mangrove forest, mud flats and fish ponds in Northern Cebu, on April 2015. I slipped it in the chest strap of my backpack and inside a float vest. On other times, I used this on sponsored corporate bushcraft sessions with kids on beach and island resorts.

Then I did the unthinkable. I slipped my MORA Companion into the sleeve of my dive suit as if it was a diving knife when I participated in an international coastal garbage cleanup at Mactan Island in September 2017. Rust was never an issue for the metal responded well to my care. Immersing the whole knife in fresh water overnight and coating it with oil the next day solved that problem. 

The MORA Companion weighs just 110 grams, to include the sheath, and I brought it in my route explorations of the last six segments of the Cebu Highlands Trail Project, a long trail I established in between February 2011 and November 2016.  I brought it again when I hiked through my finished project, across the central cordilleras of Cebu, of a south-north axis, 408+ kilometers long in 29 days. I even carried this in our local Camino de Santiago, 10 days and 175 kms. Long. 

What I liked about the sheath system employed on the MORA Companion is that it is very safe to carry and remove blade. The hard plastic sheath kept the blade from cutting through to you when you take a hard fall. If you want to remove the blade safely from the sheath, you just hold the handle and, with the thumb, push the sheath away. Very child-friendly and a very convenient way to teach knife safety. 

The hole on the tip of the sheath drains water away when you are immersed in chest deep of water or drenched by rain. Because it is plastic, it discourages moisture to accumulate inside which causes rust to form on your blade and it is safe to store your MORA Companion inside its sheath although it is advised to separate both. 

The only downside of the sheath design is its belt clip. I already experienced two cases of missing MORAKNIV blades from two different individuals: one had a Companion and the other had a Basic. Both were used in jungle environment where wiry vegetation would snag on anything. It is best clipped facing inward instead of outward and hanging loose. 

I rarely open carry the MORA Companion on my belt except when I am within the comforts of a camp. I preferred its sheath clipped and tucked in a series of MOLLE webbings of a tactical backpack or just clipped inside of a side pouch of a bag when I walk the trails. Both ways, I could retrieve the blade quickly if I need it. My Companion is indeed a companion and I share my joys to you by acquiring yourself one. 

MORA Companion comes in military green, black, beige and pastel colors of blue, pink, green, and orange. Aside from carbon steel, a Companion is also made in stainless steel and is thicker by 0.5 millimeter. The carbon steel is 2.0 mm thick. There are other Companion variants like the Serrated, the Expert, the Heavy-duty and Heavy-duty Serrated, the Spark, the SRT and the Rescue SRT Safe, the Service Knife, the Electrician and the Fishing Fillet.

The MORA Companion and other MORAKNIV products are available online from their own website. These are also available online at Amazon and all outdoors-and-sports-oriented online stores. Here in the Philippines, it can be bought from real stores like Forged Philippines, Derek’s Classic Blade Exchange and Tactical Asia or online from them.

2021-050 | TRANGIA SPIRIT BURNER

IN OCTOBER 2014, A US-based benefactor provided me a TRANGIA Spirit Burner set for use then of my ongoing route-finding explorations of the Cebu Highlands Trail Project. This project is a long trail of a north-to-south axis that would traverse over the middle backbone of the island province of Cebu, in Central Philippines, which I finished in November 2016.

The exploration has no source of funding nor big-name sponsors and I was asking a little for blessings from friends and appreciative people. A trickle came and one of these significant donations was a TRANGIA Spirit Bunrer set. It is made of brass. It weighs 108 grams, 7.5 centimeters in diameter and 4.5 centimeters in height. It has a screw cap and another cap where you could adjust and control the flame.  

It comes with a windscreen that can be dismantled in three pieces and assembled, which has a total weight of 115 grams. The windscreen complemented well with the burner as it propped the pot above it aside from its other function as a mechanical wrench. By its size, weight and simplicity, I favored this burner set in all my outdoor activities. Fuel I used is denatured alcohol which are sold in 375-milliliter bottles.  

During my explorations of the last six segments of this project between 2015 and 2016, where weight was very essential, the TRANGIA Spirit Burner set was just perfect. Each segment was between two to seven days duration and the volume of fuel I carried was fixed at 3 bottles x 150 ml or 450 ml total. With a self-contained load, the burner set fit into the tight spaces available, to include the fuel bottles. 

Because it was very simple to set up and use, I found myself many times, boiling water for coffee or cooking instant soups by the trail. The process takes just inside of fifteen minutes and the TRANGIA Spirit Burner set had saved me many times regaining my strength where I need it most. This burner set have done well to the demands of my explorations, the terrain and the tropical climate.

Although this was an equipment designed for the individual, I have used it many times to cater to two other persons while in camp. The simmer cap regulates the flame and saved fuel consumption as well as of overcooking; but when you have used this so many times, you could already estimate the amount of fuel you need and discard the simmer cap. 

When I tested the Cebu Highlands Trail with a thruhike, naturally, the TRANGIA Spirit Burner set was part of my equipment. This thruhike was done in 29 days of January and February 2017, from the southernmost point of the island of Cebu up to its northernmost tip, covering 408+ kilometers of rugged terrain along the middle cordilleras. 

The alcohol burner worked mornings and evenings everyday; be it rainy or warm; cold or humid; and, on a few occasions, mid-afternoon coffee breaks when I arrived at my destinations very early. I have never experienced with a component failure since it has no movable parts. For as long as I could feed it with denatured alcohol, I will have my meals. Or coffee.

On other instances, like dirt-times with my bushcraft guild or travelling during training sessions, I experiment in pairing the TRANGIA Spirit Burner with a Swiss Army Wood Stove, when I still have the latter, and, lately, with a Solo Wood Stove. I would use the wood burner as an effective wind screen while increasing the heat efficiency of the alcohol burner, utilizing the construction and design of the wood stoves. 

Presently, the TRANGIA Spirit Burner totally complements my Solo Wood Stove by providing the latter the capacity to use denatured alcohol when not using wood. The alcohol burner perfectly fits inside the wood stove when packed that it transforms into one unit although each could function without the other.

The TRANGIA Spirit Burner set has seen a lot of rough handling and use. I had seen it used for more than an hour of cooking under warm tropical conditions, stopping only when it burned all the fuel down and refilled and re-lit and repeating the process a couple of times more. Once the flames turned blue, it told me that the burner achieved a stable temperature ideal for cooking. 

I had seen it fall several times with nary a dent. Saw it explode a few times when invisible flames lit fresh fuel poured in its superheated cauldron. I once saw the metal surface where the blowholes are located glow red hot. One time, spilled fuel burned all over it and I have to wait for several minutes before I could intervene and cool it down.

The TRANGIA Spirit Burner is built to last. It is old technology yet quite relevant in these present times. It is made in Sweden and probably was designed in temperate and arctic regions yet it performed well in the tropics without fear of a meltdown. So simple and no movable parts and valves. What it has are a couple of screw caps. 

This is an equipment that I highly recommend for the active individual engaged in leisure outdoor activities, like overnight camping, light backpacking and hiking the long trails. Its fuel, the denatured alcohol or its similar derivative can be acquired everywhere, comes very cheap and very safe to store. It does not need a special container.

The TRANGIA Spirit Burner, which is a set, is available online in Amazon, eBay and most outdoors specialized stores. The windscreen is sold separately. Closer to home, it is available online in Lazada Philippines at 1,350 Philippine peso ($27.92), to include a mini-windscreen. But watch out for imitations. Insist on the original.    

Picture Nr 1 grabbed from Trangia website.

2021-033 | BAUERFEIND GENUTRAIN KNEE SUPPORT

THE WEAR AND TEAR OF a knee can only be felt during an accident or when old age comes knocking. I was active in basketball and football during my younger days but that was just about the best that my knees were exposed to the threat of a sprain. When you are not a professional leaguer and you are rearing a family you have to abandon your active lifestyle. So, I possessed a healthy pair of knees. 

Later in life I begun to find more time with my hands. I was in a mid-life crisis and, to rid of boredom and arthritis, I have to be out of my home and explore the outdoors. I reclaimed back my life and beat arthritis out of my knees. But in late 2017, I felt something unusual in my right knee that is different from arthritis. It was a bit annoying but I ignored it until I came to receive a BAUERFEIND GenuTrain Knee Support as a Christmas gift and decide to use it on my one annoying knee in an outdoor exercise.  

It was on a difficult day where an early morning rain made the ground wet and unfavorable for a perfect hike. Ninety percent of the hike was downhill but it made the best for this preventive contraption. Constant application of brake on the toe and the heel to stymie the downhill force could cause undue pressure on one knee joint but being supported with a BAUERFEIND GenuTrain Knee Support made a big difference.

For someone who relied so much with the strength and flexibility of the knees for a long time, my wearing of the BAUERFEIND GenuTrain improved the strength and stability of a knee. Although I used the one healthy knee most of the time, there were instances that I have to use the weaker one, but supported by the knee contraption, I gained a little confidence to reach stable footings as I made my way down the trail.

It was a wet day yet the elastic fabric wicked away moisture, since it is quick drying. The edges had not chafed skin nor developed sore spots. Its grip on the lower thigh and upper part of lower leg had not sagged despite the monotonous movement in wet conditions on the part where the BAUERFEIND GenuTrain is worn and it freed me from constantly adjusting it upwards. I felt my knee was not abused by the hard activity and the knee support satisfies me.

The only complaint I have of it is the elastic fabric constricted flow of blood to upper thigh and caused tightness of muscle function, especially on the inner muscle group close to the crotch. The tightness resulted to a bearable pain which was annoying at some point of the hard physical exertion. Repositioning the upper edge solved the problem temporarily though and I repeat the process. 

Three years later, almost on same date, this time my left knee is kind of unstable lately caused by my lifting of heavy objects multiple times for three days straight over a distance of 65+ meters. Yes I was hefting sacks of cement and sand, composite boards and lumber. I could do these things easily when I was younger but when you are approaching 60, it is kind of different anymore. The problem is I have a schedule for a year-end hike with my club.

I have to suit the BAUERFEIND GenuTrain again for this 12-hour hike. This time, the left knee is experiencing considerable pain compared with the other knee last time and seems wobbly. But I trusted my BAUERFEIND GenuTrain and fixed it comfortably as I could and made good adjustments to achieve knee alignment. The elasticity is still there and it held tighter to my lower thigh now since I added centimeters into my legs because of inactivity and travel restrictions caused by this pandemic.

The BAUERFEIND GenuTrain made sure that my left knee would stay true with its alignment. I never missed a step nor winced in pain for that matter as I would have if I was not wearing this knee support. Because of the added thickness of my leg, I cannot sit normally as the knee support braces would compress hard the sides of the knee joint and on the back of the knee if I bend that one problem knee. I have to straighten the leg and relieve pressure by sliding the knee support inches down.   

This is an unsolicited product review but the wearing of this active knee support could improve your performance just as I have had experienced. There is a difference when you are not wearing one and it does not retard your movement except for those minor problems that I had explained above. You just have to adapt with the discomforts. BAUERFEIND GenuTrain Knee Support is Made in Germany and, therefore, not cheap. 

Here are some of the interesting and helpful features of the BAUERFEIND GenuTrain Knee Support:

 

·        Donning and Doffing Stays which are found on both sides of the knee support. It is made of flexible polyurethane material to aid in proper setting of the knee support.

·        A train-knit material that is lightweight and more breathable, providing better comfort and compliance for your movements.

·        Omega+ Pad. A patented pain-relieving pad made of viscoelastic ring encases the kneecap and provides instant massage as you move, enhancing circulation in the joint capsule and reduces swelling.

·        Good for strains, tendinitis, swelling, pain, jumper’s knee, runner's knee, feelings of instability, lateral meniscus tear, and Osgood-Schlatters syndrome.

 

Here in the Philippines, it could be bought online at Lazada with a price range of P5,500 to P8,900. Do not be deceived by cheaper knee supports that looked like the BAUERFEIND GenuTrain Knee Support. Mine was bought from S&R. You could also find similar BAUERFEIND knee supports online at Shopee, Galleon, Chris Sports, UBuy and iprice.ph. In case you might want to know, there is a page in Facebook called the Bauerfeind Users Philippines. Visit Breaking Muscle for more information and in-depth review by Sally Arsenault.

2021-026 | APEXUS PARAWING CANOPY SHEET

I RECEIVED A BRAND NEW APEXUS Parawing Canopy Sheet in October 2012 as part of my compensation from the Mountain Climbers Association of the Philippines for sharing and teaching their members about bushcraft and survival which was then held in Mount Balagbag. That time, I sorely needed a decent shelter to replace a cheap laminated nylon sheet which I had been using for more than a year. 

Little did I know that I was to embark on my greatest adventures with this simple shelter after that. The sheet just weighs 800 grams despite having measurements of 10 feet and 9.8 feet. It is in light gray color with eight black web loops bar-tacked to the four sides and corners of the sheet. It has a seam running down the middle which stitched two separate sheets of imported lightweight material. It comes with a stow bag.

This is most perfect with hammocks. Initially, I rigged it with a flat rope as a strengthening ridge and made it appear box-like but, as time goes by, the sheet is rigid enough to be stretched taut without use of a ridge. On equal footing, I set this simple shelter on the ground when I feel the need, utilizing the flat rope in tandem with two sticks and pegs or with just a stick if I could tie to a tree trunk. 

What I liked about simple shelters is it is very flexible. I could keep the angles of the sheets tight if wind becomes so annoying, driving rain into my hammock or just so cold for comfort. Sometimes, I just raise one side to let breeze in if it is stuffy warm. If trees are close enough giving me tight spaces to rig this regularly, I could improvise and squeeze it to what livable space available.

The APEXUS Parawing Canopy Sheet has been with me through so many bushcraft camps I hosted like the Philippine Independence Bushcraft Camp of 2013-2018; the Bonifacio Day Bushcraft Camp of 2015 and 2018; several wilderness survival training I did as a journeyman outdoors educator between 2013-2019 at many places in Cebu, Capiz, Bukidnon, Rizal, Sumilon Island, Iloilo and Benguet. 

Then I carried this lightweight sheet in my many route reconnaissance and explorations of the Cebu Highlands Trail, a 400-kilometer route which I started in February 2011 and finished in November 2016. This same long trail, I walked through for 29 days in January 2017, with the APEXUS Parawing Canopy Sheet carried on my back and be ready for deployment whenever there is a need.

What I learned about sleeping with simple shelters is you got to adapt and improvise; most importantly when it rained. It does not matter if the waterproofing seals are new or becoming brittle or there are tiny pinholes on the canopy, water, when it finds a way, it would surely drip from the middle of your shelter. Driplines attached at each web loop tied by cords to the trunk solved this dilemma. 

This classic shelter had served me for more than six years and would have served me until now were it not for another manufacturer who wanted to test me their own sheet brand. The wear-and-tear of use in my rugged lifestyle made tiny pinholes upon the sheet caused by creases yet, amazingly, drips did not start from there. I used this sheet on some other times as a ground sheet.   

Should I rate the APEXUS Parawing Canopy Sheet on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 as Poor and 5 as Excellent; I would rate it by its different characteristics like Comfort, Construction, Function, Weight, Design, Material, Cost and User Friendly; before I could give the final satisfaction rating average. Here is how I do it and please follow me down: 

• The APEXUS Parawing Canopy Sheet is of conventional pattern used for low-altitude camping and other outdoor-related activities which need an overhead canopy. Finding comfort with this shelter can only be achieved if you are used to living a hard life. Comfort is nonexistent on a cold night or a rainy day but I can still rate it at 2.5; 

• The APEXUS Parawing Canopy Sheet had been a steady and reliable shelter when it was with me and had lasted more than six years of extreme use and overstretching when I had to. Construction is superb at 5; 

• Did the APEXUS Parawing Canopy Sheet failed me in more than six years of use? Never. The seams are solid. The web loops had held their ground while I or the wind kept it taut many times over. Function is max at 5; 

• Weight is the most obtrusive feature why people think twice of carrying a tent. Try a simple shelter. Compared with other brands, I found the APEXUS Parawing Canopy Sheet the lightest even though it has the largest surface area. Weight is just about right which I rated at 4.5; 

• This is a very common shape or design sold by most makers but the manufacturer used good materials and workmanship to keep me dry and warm as possible as it allows and it has the widest canopy and lightest weight. Design is a notch above average at 3.5; 

• The choice of lightweight imported-material for the sheet made it ideal for my own brand of outdoors activity. The best choice. That goes too to the threads used to stitch it all together. Material is fine at 4.5; 

• Do we need to wrangle about the price? Come on. It is just P900. Show your support for local products and business. Cost is best at 5; 

• If you cannot set this up properly then there must be something wrong with your eyesight? User Friendly is absolute at 5. 

Overall, the APEXUS Parawing Canopy Sheet has a Satisfaction Rating Average of 4.375, which does not surprise me, even though that is a local product. Personally, this is an excellent shelter to acquire and to camp ruggedly with or on an ultralight backpacking. It is also a good complement for your tents to add more layer and protection from rain and cold. Likewise, as a canopy to shield your cooking.

Apexus Outdoor Equipment, the maker and distributor of the APEXUS Parawing Canopy Sheet, is an independent manufacturer built around 100 percent Filipino capital. You may call their contact number listed as 0919 460 7150 or send a message through their Facebook Page for orders and inquiries. The APEXUS Parawing Canopy Sheet is sold and available online at Shopee Philippines. 

2021-016 | TRANSCEND STOREJET 25H3 EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE

AFTER RECEIVING MY SEVERANCE pay from a company, I shopped for an external hard drive last December 28, 2015 so I could transfer my computer files in my workstation into my own personal computer. It did not take long for me to find a familiar computer store in SM City Cebu and asked for something which has 250 Gigabytes.

The store does not have the item I asked for since that kind was already obsolete and they do not have any more in their stocks. Not even one with a 500GB. What they have were different brands with one and two Terrabytes storage space. They were quite expensive and so I have to settle for the smaller hard drive and the cheapest brand.

 

So I bought myself a TRANSCEND StoreJet 25H3 external hard drive with 1 Terrabyte (roughly 1,000GB) of storage space and began transferring my files before I end my employment on the last day of 2015. The blue pilot light blinked as I plugged the USB into the PC port. The internal mechanism whirred and vibrated as it came to life.

The one I bought was the last of its stock in the store and I brought home with a purple color. What I noticed about the outer jacket is that it is made of silicon rubber. Upon reading the packaging, the TRANSCEND StoreJet 25H3 is designed and made to survive rough handling and accidental drops. It is a product which the maker tout as military grade.

The maker claims that their external hand drive features a three-stage shock protection system that meets US military drop-test standards to fully protect data stored on the drive. The three-stage shock protection system includes a silicone rubber case, an internal shock-absorbing suspension damper, and a reinforced hard casing.

 

I was surprised at the speed with which I transferred my files from the workstation PC to the TRANSCEND StoreJet 25H3 and, later, to my home PC. The effort was possible because the external hard drive is equipped with their USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface, providing lightning-fast transfer rates of up to 5GB per second. 

The TRANSCEND StoreJet 25H3 is equipped with a one touch auto-backup button that instantly backs up your data with just one press, courtesy of the TRANSCEND Elite software which you would have to download. The button also enables you to reconnect the hard drive to your PC without the need to unplug and reinsert it. 

TRANSCEND Elite is an advanced data management software package compatible with Mac OS, Windows and Android; developed for use with TRANSCEND StoreJet 25H3 and other Portable SSD products. It performs instant backups and scheduled backups. Switch on/off OTB to allow the one-touch backup function.

The software restores from any point on the backup task list; protect files with powerful 256-bit AES encryption; decrypt files encrypted by TRANSCEND Elite; back up files from Google Drive or Dropbox to a Transcend storage device; and lock and unlock the entire portable SSD and portable hard drives. 

Transcend’s external hard drives are built to the highest standards and rigorously tested, offering outstanding quality, performance, and reliability. Transcend products both look after your data and complement your good taste with the following specifications:

APPEARANCE

Dimensions: 131.8 mm x 80.8 mm x 16.3 mm (5.19" x 3.18" x 0.64")

Weight: 191 g (6.74 oz) 

INTERFACE

USB Type: micro USB to USB Type A

Connection Interface: USB 3.1 Gen 1 

STORAGE

Capacity: 1 Terrabyte

Storage Media: 2.5" HDD 

OPERATING ENVIRONMENT

Operating Temperature: 5°C (41°F) ~ 55°C (131°F)

Operating Voltage: 5V 

Note: Transcend Elite software is required for One Touch Auto-backup and AES encryption functions. 

WARRANTY

Certificate: CE/FCC/BSMI/KC/RCM/EAC

Warranty: Three-year Limited Warranty

Warranty Policy: Drop test is based on U.S. military drop-test standards MIL-STD-810G 516.6, and performed in non-operating state. This does not guarantee the invulnerability of this product under any circumstances. 

SYSTEM REQUIREMENT

Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7. Microsoft Windows 8. Microsoft Windows 10. Mac OS X 10.7 or later. Linux Kernel 2.6.31 or later.

 

TRANSCEND StoreJet 25H3 has had consistent favorable reviews from credible technology websites and is bestowed the Good Product Award from Instalki of Poland in 2016; Editor’s Choice and Best Value from Proclockers of the United States in 2015; and Medalla de Oro from Professional Review of Spain, also in 2015.

My TRANSCEND StoreJet 25H3 external hard drive has been with me for five years now and it is my backup storage of my personal files as well as a storage library for my selected movies which already account 260GB of space. It delivers without fail despite the few times it was mishandled.

The only thing I wished is that Transcend could have supplied a much-longer USB cable. On the whole, I am fully content of my external hard drive which is lightweight, rugged but soft to the hands and performed well beyond my computing needs. The TRANSCEND StoreJet 25H3 deserves this review, however late, and I hope this would guide end consumers.

Photo Nr 1 and Nr 2 from Transcend Official Website