Popular Mechanics - USA (2019-05)

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@PopularMechanics _ May 2019 71

A) COUNCIL TOOL

HUDSON BAY CAMP AXE

The two-pound head, forged from

tool steel and outfitted on a 28-inch

hickory handle, is great for chopping,

splitting, or hammering pegs and

stakes. The slighter size means you

won’t mind swinging it all day. $62;

counciltool.com

B) HEAT STREAMER

SOLAR WATER HEATER

Mount this system for a low-effort,

consistent source of hot water. Vac-

uum tubes and copper pipes combine

to heat water at a rate of 165 watts.

That means it can bring five gallons

of room-temperature water to 122

degrees in just four hours. $250; solar-

water-panel.com

C) GIVE’R WORK GLOVES

Insulated leather gloves ready for any

job in any season—even the wet ones,

because these are 100 percent water-

proof. Forty-gram Thinsulate insulation

keeps you warm in winter, but won’t

overheat in summer. $114; give-r.com

D) LEHMAN’S

BEST HAND WRINGER

Dry your clothes quickly, without an

electric dryer. Just put your clothes

in, crank the handle, and the water

squeezes out. Clamp it right onto round

or square tubs so the water doesn’t run

everywhere. $200; lehmans.com

E) HEADSPIN

CONVERTIBLE LIGHT

The Headspin light’s magnetic connec-

tion means you can stick it to a chunk

of metal in your work space, put it on

a headlamp or flashlight mount, or use

the bike mount for attaching it to han-

dlebars, rails, and even walking sticks:

400 lumens, 40 hours run time. $200;

headspinoutdoors.com

F) SABERCUT

HAND-POWERED CHAINSAW

This 24-inch blade chews through

logs and branches without the weight,

noise, and fuel needs of a traditional

chainsaw. Its small size means you can

also use it in spaces where a classic

chainsaw might not fit. $30; REI.com

G) ADVANCED ELEMENTS

SUMMER SOLAR SHOWER

Fill the three-gallon sack with water

and leave it in the sun. The solar panel,

reflector panel, and insulation panel

work together to heat the water up

and keep it hot. Hang the bag, turn on

the showerhead, and get clean. $25;

advancedelements.com

H) ETÓN FRX5 SELF-POWERED

WEATHER ALERT RADIO

Receives AM/FM/NOAA radio bands

so you never miss the information

you need. Bluetooth connectivity

means you can use it to listen to your

favorite tunes when you aren’t

checking on the weather. $100;

etoncorp.com

I) CARHARTT

FULL SWING CRYDER JACKET

A tough, water-repellent jacket with

stretch panels in the elbows, back, and

sides to give you full range of motion.

Rib-knit cuffs and draw-cord hem at

the bottom help keep out the cold.

$150; carhartt.com

J) GOAL ZERO

LIGHTHOUSE 400 LANTERN

Charge it with the hand crank or plug

the USB into one of Goal Zero’s solar

panels. A 4,400-milliampere-hour bat-

tery gives you plenty of 400-lumen

light, with extra power for charging

phones, tablets, and whatever else you

need. $70; goalzero.com

K) BALL JARS

Keep your veggies, pickles, and sauces

ready to eat year-round. Prices vary by

size; available at most grocery stores.

L) S TA N L E Y C L A S S I C

VACUUM FRENCH PRESS

This 48-ounce, double-wall-insulated

French press means your brew will

stay hot for hours after you’ve taken

your coffee off the stove. One other

benefit: Coffee that’s not on the stove

is also coffee that won’t get burnt.

$65; stanley.com

M) CO MM A N D E R

FREIGHTER FRAME

A pack frame for hauling whatever

you need, even if it doesn’t fit in a

traditional bag. The lashing straps

plus a freighter shelf mean that if you

can handle the weight, you can carry

it. Padded waist belt and shoulder

straps keep you comfy. $130; alps-

outdoorz.com

IN DC SYSTEMS, current flows in only one direc-

tion, and at 12, 24, or 48 volts, instead of the 120

volts you’re used to in a typical home. Solar panels

feed a battery bank and the bank supplies the load, whether that load

is a small DC refrigerator, lights, or whatever. Generally speaking,

all DC appliances, light fixtures, and bulbs are specialty products,

so they’ll be more expensive than what you’ll find at a hardware

store. Be aware that DC wiring and components are different

from AC. Most DC systems operate at a significantly higher cur-

rent, sometimes ten times the current you’d need for 120 volts AC.

ALTERNATING CURRENT, or AC, f lows in one

direction, then reverses, over and over, at a cer-

tain rate called hertz. AC is the power of choice

on the grid because it’s less wasteful to transform it. It can be

transported around the grid at massively high voltages (and com-

paratively lower current) and then stepped down at a substation

and then stepped down again at the power pole right outside your

home. With AC, all the wiring and everything you need down-

stream from the inverter is pretty much what you would have in

a regular house.