Dates Zed's Bunker will be Closed

Hi, please note that Zed's Bunker will be closed between the 13th December 2009 and the 7th January 2010 (both dates included) I will be exploring Ethiopia on those dates. Therefore, if you think that you will need anything during that period or if you would like to do any Christmas Shopping please contact me before those dates.

Our Website has Moved

Our site has moved to www.zedsbunkermalta.webs.com. Its got the same useful info and specs as well as prices of most of the items we stock.

CRAZY SUMMER DEALS AT ZED'S BUNKER

We have some great deals on right now at Zed’s Bunker. We are offering discounts of 10%, 20% and even 30% on most of the items in stock. Yes, that’s right, discounts of up to 30% on lots of the items we’ve got.

Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to get our great gear for even less this summer. Send an email (zedsbunkermalta@yahoo.co.uk), and come down to Zed’s Bunker to see what great deals we have.

Loads of Stuff for Summer in Stock

We have recently stocked up on items especially useful for summer, including:

• Boonie Hats,
• CamelBak,
• T-Shirts,
• Shorts,
• Hats,
• And much more.

These pieces of kit will help you enjoy the outdoors more safely and in more comfort this summer.

If you would to come and take a look please email on zedsbunkermalta@yahoo.co.uk.

Swiss Army Knives

The pocket knife is one of the most important pieces of equipment that you will ever own. Here at Zed’s Bunker we really believe this, and that is why we supply Original Victorinox Swiss Army Knives. A Victorinox Swiss Army Knife is there when you need it. It is a combination of solid hand tool and inventive creativity. Its origins lie in the Soldier's Knife delivered to the Swiss Army in 1891. This led to the Swiss Officer's and Sport Knife that gained world fame as the Original Swiss Army Knife. A characteristic feature of the Victorinox Swiss Army Knife is its multi-functionality, which makes it indispensible for many of life's situations.

We supply a variety of Swiss Knives, including the Victorinox Rescue Tool which was the Knife of the Year in 2007 and the Victorinox Swisstool Spirit which was voted the best buy in multitools on the Mail On Sunday Live Magazine in 2007. If you have any questions on pocket knives or if you’d like to come and take a look at them please email us on zedsbunkermalta@yahoo.co.uk so that we can set an appointment.

Making Shelter using a Poncho

The military poncho, with hood, is made of coated nylon cloth and is waterproof. It is roughly rectangular in shape. The hood and the opening for the neck are located at the center of the rectangle. Drawstring's are provided at the hood and waist.

Various types of shelters and lean-tos may be made by attaching ponchos to trees, tree branches, bushes, sticks, or poles. Always dig a ditch under the eaves of the shelter to drain off rainwater which drips from the edges of the poncho. A number of ponchos can be clipped together to build larger shelters. A few shelters are shown here, but there are many, many more which can be made.

Ponchos are lightweight and multi-purpose and can also be used as a rain garment, sleeping bag and emergency stretcher.

Zed’s Bunker supplies original military ponchos at excellent prices. If you have any questions on ponchos or if you’d like to come and take a look at our ponchos please email us on zedsbunkermalta@yahoo.co.uk so that we can set an appointment.

HOW TO JOIN OUR MAILING LIST

Please send us an e-mail on zedsbunkermalta@yahoo.co.uk if you would like to join our mailing list and receive e-mails with news and updates from us. Type ADD ME TO YOUR MAILING LIST as the subject, and I WOULD LIKE TO RECEIVE E-MAILS WITH NEWS AND UPDATES FROM YOU in the e-mail. Then type your name and surname.

CARING FOR YOUR FOOTWEAR

Laces
Remove laces from boots - these can usually be washed in the washing machine. We recommend putting them in a mesh wash bag to keep laces from wrapping around other items.

Insoles
You can also remove your boot insoles and let them air out, hand wash or sprinkle them with baking soda, and air dry. We do not recommend drying them in a clothes dryer or any other high heat source.

Before you begin cleaning the leather / nylon remove excess dirt such as mud and sand with a soft brush.

Nylon Uppers
The nylon panels of your boots can be cleaned with a small amount of mild detergent and water, such as diluted dish washing liquid, or a commercial nylon cleaner, such as an athletic shoe cleaner. Gently wash nylon with the cleaning solution and a soft brush. Rinse surface carefully with clean water. Do not soak your boots with water. Allow boots to air-dry thoroughly.

Leather
Most of our boots with a full-grain non-suede leather toe are uniform code and polishable. Use a high quality leather cleaner on the leather panels to remove dirt and scuffs, followed by a high quality polish for a shiny appearance. Be sure to apply the polish evenly with a brush or soft cloth. Once polish has dried buff to a shine using a brush.

Allow boots to dry completely before replacing laces and insoles.

If you have any questions o boot cleaning or if you’d like to come and take a look at our boot cleaning kits please email us on zedsbunkermalta@yahoo.co.uk so that we can set an appointment.

How to choose a Head Torch

The main considerations are power, weight, battery life and cost.

Power - Think what you will use the lamp for and what will be the maximum distance that you will want the beam to reach. If you do a lot of night navigation you will want a good beam, but for general camping then it is not really necessary. Power is very closely linked to battery life, longer beam means more battery drain.
Battery Life - Battery life is more of an issue for those going on long trips where fresh batteries will not be available than those weekend camping. Long trips require an energy efficient lamp. Replacement batteries cost money so burn time is a factor although this can be greatly reduced by the use of rechargeables.
Weight - Adventure racers and climbers will be looking for the lightest lamp that fulfills their needs whilst car campers will not be as concerned with weight.
Cost - Everybody cares about the cost, and hopefully you will get the right features for your budget by reading this.

As a main, general purpose, torch we recommend Petzl LED head torches because:

• Petzl invented the first headlamp and they are the pioneers in this field,
• The main advantage of a headtorch is that it is hands-free and that the light is oriented in the direction that the wearer is looking,
• LED torches give a very long battery life and the LED’s are extremely long lasting,
• These torches are very lightweight and fit over your head and also over helmets,
• They are water resistant,
• They offer variable power levels so you only use the light you need thus prolonging battery life,
• You also have a strobe function to use in case of emergency.

Zed’s Bunker stocks a variety of head torches. For more information or to come and see them contact us on zedsbunkermalta@yahoo.co.uk.

A FEW PRACTICAL TIPS FOR HARNESSES AND CLIMBING

Climbing harnesses are actually quite simple pieces of equipment, easy to use and quite safe if used correctly. A safety routine will help you to avoid mistakes.

Checking the buckles
Always check the buckles when you’ve put the harness on to make sure they are correctly connected and closed. Double-pass buckles are only safe if they have been doubled back. A Danger stamp on harnesses acts as a reminder. A sufficient amount of webbing must stick out the other side of the buckle. Some harnesses have a stitch in a contrasting colour showing if you have enough extra. Check adjustable leg loops to see that they are sitting correctly and that the buckles have been threaded correctly.

Tying in
Always tie yourself directly to the rope; don‘t use karabiners, which will put another element into the system. Thread the rope through both tie-in loops: on the waist band and also on the base of the leg loop. This gives redundancy and also gives a better hanging position. The belay loop (used when clipping on any abseil or belay devices) can lose strength due to abrasion and age, and should be checked regularly for wear. The harness should be replaced immediately if there is any sign of deterioration.

Sometimes the tie-in knots are clipped with a locking karabiner to the belay loop. Always use a locking karabiner with a double closure system.

Partner check
Stress, crowds and routines pose the biggest dangers for making mistakes when tying in or inserting the protection. That is why a routine partner check helps. Take half a minute to check yourself and your partner: are all buckles closed? Tied on correctly? Knots tight enough? Safety devices clipped on properly? Karabiners locked? Safe climbers always keep an eye on their partner to make sure he or she is paying attention.

Fall training
Falling has to be learned. Practice the right falling techniques in a gym or on a safe route, so that you do not have a fear of falling and will react correctly should you fall.

Preparation
For your fall training choose a quiet place with enough space for your belay partner and also good safety points. For your first attempts at a fall you need a fall friendly site: vertical or slightly overhanging without the danger of hitting anything. When falling, make sure you have enough distance from the ground and give yourself more than enough fall height.

Fall
Push yourself gently away from the wall on all fours, so that you do not slide along it, but also don’t crash into it by doing a big arc; you can practice when you are top roping (jump down with a slightly slack rope). Make sure you are in the right position: upright, tight stomach muscles, slightly bent over, legs slightly apart and towards the front, knees slightly bent, both hands holding the rope at the tie-in knot. At the moment of braking let the rope go and the impact on the wall is evenly caught on all fours.

Belay training
Fall training is also belay training for your partner: Through soft belaying he reduces the impact. He goes into a slight crouch and then stands up straight to hold the fall; heavier belay partners have to actually jump in the air. For lighter belay partners (about 20 kg+ difference) we recommend anchoring the belayer.


For more info and tips on using harnesses correctly pls contact us on zedsbunkermalta@yahoo.co.uk. We will do our best to try to asnwer any questions that you may have.

Some tips on Face Paint and Personal Camouflage

Camouflaging your face

1. Get some face paint - the colors need to match those of your environment.
2. Pick the colours you'll need to blend in to where you will be hiding. In forests use green, black, and brown, in deserts use tan, brown and light green and in snow; use grey, green and white, in an urban environment use brown, black and grey.
3. Cover your face in a base of paint so that if your face rubs on something you will still have the main colour. For the base use the colour that best fits the environment, such as green in woodland.
4. Now add dark colors to the shiny areas of the face: forehead, cheeks and nose.
5. Add light colors to the dark areas of the face: under the eyes, under your nose and under your chin.
6. Once this is done paint a disruptive pattern on your face such as somewhat vertical or horizontal lines.

Remember to:

• Camouflage your lips, they're pink! (Don’t forget your neck, ears, hands and any other exposed skin).
• Avoid creating a pattern. Remember, the point is not to look "cool" but to hide your face. Warpaint is for attention, camouflage is for blending.
• Practice in front of a mirror a few times before you do it for real so that you know what you're doing.
• Have a buddy or a mirror to help you out.
  

The 5 S’s and M of Personal Camouflage

1. Shape – disguise your shape and watch out for shine (such as skin and equipment).
2. Shadow – keep in the shadow of a bigger object.
3. Silhouette – avoid skylines and leaning out of doors or windows.
4. Spacing – keep spread out, but not too regularly.
5. Surface – don’t look different from your surroundings.
6. Movement – move carefully and avoid sudden movements

Remember that you must see without being seen. Keep in mind that Sound and Smell can also give away your position. You need to blend in with your surroundings – if they vary so must you. Don’t use isolated cover – it stands out.

We stock a number of items related to camouflage such as face paint, scrim nets, spandoflage, camouflage clothing and much more. If you would like to coma and have a look at these items please email us on zedsbunkermalta@yahoo.co.uk so that we can set an appointment.

How to get to Zed's Bunker

Our shop opens by appointment. This allows us to set a day and time which is convenient to both us and our customers, and also allows us to give our customers the individual attention they deserve. To make an appointment all you have to do is email us on zedsbunkermalta@yahoo.co.uk. We will reply so that we can set a date and time and also to explain where the place is.

Cleaning and Maintenance of Your CamelBak Hydration System

CAMELBAK PACK CLEANING
Cleaning your pack really depends on how dirty it is and how you want to clean it. If it is really dirty you may soak it in a tub or bucket or you could place it in the bathtub. If you want to wash it in a washing machine we suggest using mild soap and a delicate cycle. Turn your pack inside or place it in a laundry bag that is used for delicate items.

Some info about the Original SWAT Boots we get

In creating the Original SWAT brand, comfort and performance were the objectives. The key elements of Original SWAT boots are:

The Last
All Original S.W.A.T. footwear has one common root; they are all made on the same boot last. The last is the “form” around which the boot is constructed. It gives shape and structure and contributes significantly to the fit and comfort of the boot. Our last was developed using the most modern computer-aided-design technology. This modern approach has enabled us to most accurately reflect the needs of today’s end user. Some products that are offered by older traditional manufacturers are using lasts that have not changed since the 1940’s. Since that time, the weight and foot shape of the average person have changed significantly. To provide the correct level of comfort and support, the last needs to be of a modern shape and design.

The Materials
The quality of materials and components makes a difference in performance & durability. High performance linings are important as they have to wick significant amounts of moisture away from the feet, approximately 1 pint every 3 hours. The appropriate use of 1000 nylon and breathable full grain leather facilitate this process. The heat formed heel counter is the most important component, ensuring the stability of the foot, and preventing slippage laterally and lengthwise. Lack of stability is the major cause of fatigue and injury.

Shock Absorption Capacity
In a standing position, 50% of our weight is on the heel; this is increased by a factor of 3 or 4 when walking or running. Shock absorbing materials can therefore play a big part in preventing fatigue and injury. There are several types of materials that can be used for shock absorption. We currently use compression molded EVA. Compression Molded EVA is an inch of closed cell foam-injected under pressure. This by far is the most durable and effective material that we use for shock absorption. It does not hold memory and gives the wearer total foot support. This cushioning system is used in many different black boots as well as athletic shoes.

Support
Support comes from a riveted sandwich lasting board that contains a steel or synthetic shank, providing both torsional and arch support, which are important where foot strike angles are uneven and extra weight is being carried. A removable contour molded innersole complete the support process, ensuring that the smaller muscles of the foot do no have to work excessively under extreme performance conditions.

Lightweight
Being obsessive about weight will generally lead to a reduction in durability. The art is to maximize strength to a point that it adds no extra weight. Simultaneously to create a balance between all components that will enable them to wear at approximately the same rate as excessive durability will cause an increase in weight.

Welcome to our Blog

Hi,

Welcome to our blog. We have decided to set up this blog to keep people updated on what's happening at Zed's Bunker. Posts will include news on new stock, any offers we may have and also other useful information such as technical info on the equipment we stock.

For those of you who are new to Zed's Bunker here's a little about us. We supply army surplus, military, camping and outdoor clothing and equipment in Malta. We provide high quality products and service levels and use our experience (gained in participating in outdoor activities in 5 continents) to provide our customers with good information and recommendations.

Regards,

Zed