Found on the southeast side of Alaska, surrounding the Alaskan capital of Juneau, the Tongass National Forest is the largest in the United States — measuring up at a whopping 16.7 million acres in total. Named for the Tongass Clan of Tlingit Indians, this vast expanse of natural beauty is home to a huge variety of flora and fauna, including bears, wolves, moose, bald eagles, and even supports aquatic mammals living off its shores. But not all is hunky-dory in Tongass, as encroaching human populations — including over one million visitors each year — and industrial logging pose a huge, growing threat to the health of the whole landscape. In fact, only around 241,000 acres are protected by the Forest Service from logging. It’s with this in mind that we’ve put together this week’s everyday carry pocket dump — a collection of forest-inspired gear to help keep you ready for any adventure and get you thinking about the long term effects of the choices we as humans make on the environment. Travel smart, stay informed, and always be prepared.
Gerber Tri-Tip Mini Cleaver
It’s not often we come across fixed blades we’d consider carrying in our EDC, but the Gerber Tri-Tip Mini Cleaver certainly fits the bill. At just 5.75″ in total — with a stout 2.875″ 7Cr17MoV steel blade — this is a pocketable cutting tool that’s got plenty of punch. That’s aided by a grippy textured aluminum handle and an included molded polymer sheath.
Hinderer Knives Investigator Tactical Pen
Equipped with a Fisher Space Pen cartridge — which allows it to write upside down, underwater, or in zero gravity — and a total length of 4.375 inches, the Hinterer Investigator tactical pen is a perfectly pocket-sized writing utensil that’s built to take a beating. It’s crafted from anodized aluminum, comes with a screw-on cap, and has a pocket clip for easy, organized hauling no matter the adventure.
SOG Dark Energy DE-06 Tactical Flashlight
One of the toughest and most powerful tactical flashlights on the market, SOG’s Dark Energy portable torch packs a wallop. That includes an output of 687 lumens, a toothed bezel for self-defense capabilities, five separate lighting modes, and a battery life of up to 97 hours. Better still, it has a waterproof rating of IPX7, so you can even dunk it and it will keep right on working.
Unimatic U1-DZN Watch
Limited to just 500 examples, Unimatic’s Italian-made U1-DZN watch is like a hybrid of a field watch, dive watch, and GMT watch — boasting much of what makes each of those categories great. That includes 1,000 feet of water-resistance, a mono-directional rotating bezel, a DLC-coated stainless steel case, and a sturdy nylon NATO strap. And, to wrap it all together, it boasts an automatic movement that will keep right on ticking forever.
