The Very Best Thread

One of the Overland Portal guys hooked a few a these in series and used them for an emergency welding setup.

mitherial said:

I keep Costco lithium jump starters (exact brand varies) in all my vehicles and have used them a few times (though ironically, not yet on the Defender). They work great—much easier than running traditional jump cables—but you do need to recharge them 2-3 times a year or they will eventually go flat.

https://www.costco.com/.product.100813421.html

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I've used mine several times and love them--although mine are Gooloo and I am a big fan of their particular products. You can find good deals on Amazon if you are patient. This one is currently 40% off... https://www.amazon.com/GOOLOO-GP400...tomotive&sprefix=gooloo,automotive,111&sr=1-3

I don't need another...all my cars currently have one!

ionfender said:

Does anyone have recommendations for a battery jump box? Primary use would be jumping starting a vehicle in off-grid/remote locations, so I need it to work when called upon.

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I've had good luck with the NOCO Lithium jump packs. Regardless of brand, I'd go for a lithium pack - compact yet powerful. Used mine many times. Most of them can charge other devices or serve as a flashlight in a pinch as well.

If you want something reliable, you need one of those big old style ones. The micro jump boxes are awesome, but I’ve seen dozens of them fail. I’ve had my Snap On one replaced under warranty, and rebuilt a second time (they just replaced it). My experience has been that they work great and then just stop working all together

We have a Gooloo cult following here, as they are pretty nice, especially for the price. If I had to truly rely on it, I'd go with what @erover82 said, and get a noco or similar that may be more reliable, but like 3x the cost at least.

Time to talk pants now that fall is right around the corner.

I wear through clothes pretty quickly. I think between riding a motorcycle a lot, working in the garage, camping, fishing, hiking, etc. my clothes get worn out pretty quickly. I have liked Dickies pants because they are fairly inexpensive and I like the fit but after wearing out so many pairs I decided to start looking elsewhere. My first stop was Edgevale and I bought a pair of their Foothill pants:


These have been great, my biggest gripe is they didn't come in the length I needed so I had to order them a little long. I will probably end up hemming them. I really like the material, a pretty light ripstop fabric but seems very durable. I did get some grease on them that I have not been able to wash out which is kind of a bummer. They are lightweight enough that they wouldn't be too hot in the summer. I made the mistake of wearing them while TIG welding and now I have a small burn hole right in the crotch. Luckily it is very small but I will definitely not make that mistake again. The back pockets are enormous, each one goes from the middle seam in the back all the way around to the seam on the side. That is not necessarily a negative but sometimes my wallet does move around a lot. The back pockets do have velcro to keep them closed but my wallet can still fit through one side even when the velcro is closed, but they are really deep too so I haven't had issues with my wallet coming out on its own. I really like the fit, fairly slim fit but definitely not "skinny". I was thinking about getting some of their Cast Iron Stretch pants but they are pricey and are not made in the US like their older Cast Iron pants were so I am not sure if I will. Plus they are out of my size right now.


Next, I wanted to get some work pants that I could wear in the garage or when I am on my motorcycle, or just around town in the winter. I came across 1620 and decided to get a pair of their double knee utility pants.


I am a pretty thin guy and prefer slim or sometimes even skinny fit pants. These pants felt enormous. Like I was wearing clown pants. I loved everything else about them but just could not get over how poorly they fit me so I sent them back. Luckily, right after I sent them back they released a "slim" version so I ordered a pair. I haven't really had a chance to wear them yet but these pants look incredible! I love the fit and the material feels bomb proof. They custom cut them to whatever length you want which was awesome. I wish they came in khaki color but I like the granite too. These were a little pricey but I am hoping they will last me many years, and they are made here in the US. I also bought a work hoodie from them that I love.


Next, I wanted some lightweight pants for hiking and fishing (wet wading) in the summer and for wearing around town in the cooler months. My brother in law had some of these pants from 686 so I decided to try some


So far they have been awesome. I took them camping and rafting this summer and they have held up great. Nice and lightweight, they dry really quickly too. They have a drawstring in the waist which is nice if you don't want to wear a belt but they also have belt loops. These are great for summer camping in the higher altitudes where it is hot during the day and cold at night. They are also great for wet wading in rivers/streams in the summer. I'll have to see how well they hold up, the material feels pretty sturdy for how lightweight they are. I definitely won't be welding in these though They come in a ton of different colors and they have 2 fits, relaxed and slim. I of course went with the slim and they are perfect.


Anyway, just thought I'd share the results of my quest for some better pants. I would love to hear from you guys about any pants you have found that you like.

I like mountain khakis

I just bought 2 of these. While I do not camp I saw a FB add for these shining over a Traeger grill. So naturally I bought them. I had a working light hanging out of my 2 story window which worked except for the fact that 1. I partially blocked the light and 2. The window was open and smoke/smell would enter the house.

These lights are pretty bright.

Great bespoke jeans and pants for those near Texas, including duck canvas and twill. Slow, but worth it. Did I mention slow?


For motorcycle and welding he has some elephant denim options that are the thickest denim available anywhere

evilfij said:

I like mountain khakis

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Thanks, I have heard good things about these. A fly shop near me sells them so I might need to go try some on.

jymmiejamz said:

These Snap On flush cut side cutters are the best I’ve used. They are incredibly sharp after years of use in the shop and essential when cutting zip ties flush. I can’t stand getting cut by zip ties. For normal side cutters, I like the long Snap On ones and also the long Knipex ones.



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Just want to follow up with this post. Bought a Knipex pair of flush cut pliers a few months ago and they already snapped in half. The Snap On ones are much older and have been used way more , and are still going strong.

jymmiejamz said:

Just want to follow up with this post. Bought a Knipex pair of flush cut pliers a few months ago and they already snapped in half. The Snap On ones are much older and have been used way more , and are still going strong.

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That sucks. What were you cutting? I use that style exclusively for zip ties.

evilfij said:

That sucks. What were you cutting? I use that style exclusively for zip ties.

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Cutting wire and hit a piece of solder. I cut solder all the time with the snap on ones. I know they probably aren’t meant for that, but was still surprised to see it.

Ah. I have never used them for actual wires. Maybe for very small control wires like a thermostat or circuit board, but I don’t do that kind of work.

All that being said, I have moved on to this style for zip ties. They are not quite as flush as the other style that are expressly for flush cutting plastic, but I like the spring in the handle.

I don’t think I’ve had better canned tomatoes. SMZ are the second best I’ve had, but these are next level. After SMZ I like Mutti and especially the Mutti canned cherry tomatoes

I forgot about this until I installed one yesterday in a bathroom and saw this thread. I have them in most of my showers now. There are a number of varieties (finishes designs), but you want the 8 jets and solid brass. Here is the kicker, unlike pretty much every other showerhead, you can unscrew the back and remove the restrictor plate. Knocking them out does not do much on the cheap shower heads. Removing it on this style of speakman, depending on your water pressure, will give you a ridiculous flow and the silicone or whatever they are jets won’t like hard water stick to them. The chrome is also really excellent. Somewhere I have a video of my shower filling a 5 gallon bucket in like 30 seconds (this is with a pressure tank and 1in feed lines, but even in a normal shower it’s like 2x every other showerhead I have used). If you shop you can probably do even better on the price.



PS fun fact, I tried to buy the speakman mansion in Delaware almost a decade ago. It was pretty cool, but I got outbid. :-(

evilfij said:

I forgot about this until I installed one yesterday in a bathroom and saw this thread. I have them in most of my showers now. There are a number of varieties (finishes designs), but you want the 8 jets and solid brass. Here is the kicker, unlike pretty much every other showerhead, you can unscrew the back and remove the restrictor plate. Knocking them out does not do much on the cheap shower heads. Removing it on this style of speakman, depending on your water pressure, will give you a ridiculous flow and the silicone or whatever they are jets won’t like hard water stick to them. The chrome is also really excellent. Somewhere I have a video of my shower filling a 5 gallon bucket in like 30 seconds (this is with a pressure tank and 1in feed lines, but even in a normal shower it’s like 2x every other showerhead I have used). If you shop you can probably do even better on the price.

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PS fun fact, I tried to buy the speakman mansion in Delaware almost a decade ago. It was pretty cool, but I got outbid. :-(

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Haha, funny you say that. I have a ~25+ year old speakman showerhead that I've brought with me on every move since I acquired it.

jymmiejamz said:

I don’t think I’ve had better canned tomatoes. SMZ are the second best I’ve had, but these are next level. After SMZ I like Mutti and especially the Mutti canned cherry tomatoes

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This thread just got good again.

teledan said:

Time to talk pants now that fall is right around the corner.

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I found a new brand that I like. I did my time with Mountain Khakis and then they went to crap. Then went to Prana stretch Zion pants but those melt on the exhaust when I ride my dirt bike. I was browsing at REI last fall and found these:


Sadly, REI stopped carrying them so I have no idea where to find them locally, but I love them and bought three pairs.

Who makes the very best wool flannel shirts? I bought a Pendleton on the advice of someone and this thing smells like a barnyard no matter how many times it's washed. Much different from my experience with Smartwool merino wool. It also has strange horizontal buttonholes and is scratchy. Thumbs down, need a new brand.