u/Accomplished-Debt116

Streamlight officially says the Sidewinder Compact III can run on either an AA or CR123 battery
The Sidewinder X can take 2 AA batteries or CR123 or the SL-B9 16340 rechargeable battery

From what I understand these two lights probably use the same or at least a very similar driver circuit
So theoretically it should be able to handle something around 1.2V to 6.6V
So Im curious if anyone has actually tried running a 14500 or 16340 in a Sidewinder Compact III

I know Streamlight doesnt officially list them as compatible but Id really like to hear some real world experience
Did it work fine?
Any issues with heat output or the driver?

Gear looks so good when it’s soaked in the rain
And since it’s made of MagnaCut steel
I don’t worry about it👌

The Niukka actually works really well as a diaper bag
It fits all my regular EDC gear
plus all the essentials for my newborn.

I even added a helmet holder to carry wet wipes and keep them easy to access

Since this backpack has officially taken on diaper bag duty
I guess I have a pretty good reason to get another backpack now… maybe a Kahakka. 😂🤣

I upgraded the strap on my Granville Shoulder Bag
The original strap is a bit too thin and narrow
Once the bag is loaded up
it tends to dig into my shoulder and becomes uncomfortable after a while
Most aftermarket straps use plastic or metal buckles
but I wanted to keep Arcteryx’s original strap attachment system
So I replaced the shoulder strap with the Condor Speedy 2-Point Sling
which is designed for carrying a rifle

The Quick-Adjust pull tab works surprisingly well for a messenger-style bag
It makes adjusting the strap length quick and it’s much more comfortable to carry

This sling was originally designed for carrying a rifle
it comes with a lot of extra long straps
To solve that
I made a pair of elastic keepers to tie everything up

The next thing I want to improve is the bag’s overly minimal internal organization

Really want to laser grind my large sebenza
But don’t know which pattern suits it
This skulls pattern is inspired by early version of Triple aught design (back when people called it TAD gear

What do you guys thought?

I picked up a Salt Native 5 on the secondhand market.
(For reference $90 is a really good deal
(￣∇￣)

The linerless construction makes it incredibly lightweight
Really surprise that this knife doesn’t have brass washers
and the bright color just makes me happy

This is also my first Spyderco in Magnacut
A friend showed me a sharpening trick: use a 400-grit stone on one side and a 1200-grit stone on the other
It creates a subtle micro-serration along the edge, which really bites into smooth surfaces like tomato skin or plastic wrap
I’m really enjoying using it

Looks like there isn’t much discussion about this bag on the forum, so I thought I’d share my experience with it

first it basically looks like a smaller version of the Granville 30 with shoulder straps.

Specs:
8L capacity
Fully waterproof
Magnetic lid
Organization is very minimal
There’s only a single elastic pocket inside and no other internal compartments

One thing worth mentioning is that there’s no padding on the bottom of the bag
so if you’re carrying a laptop or an iPad
I’d recommend adding some extra protection

For me the size is just about perfect for everyday carry
It easily fits my electronics an iPad mini, a water bottle, and even a lightweight jacket.
I also tried using it as an outdoor sling bag, and honestly it works better than I expected.

But the shoulder strap isn’t really designed for carrying heavier loads it bites my shoulder after an hour
I guess I’ll have to give up the idea of carrying my RMJ hatchet around the woods with it