It beats me how I ended up on their mailing list, but I got a Brigade Quartermaster catalog in the mail and it contained a few items I've never seen before and really don't know how to evaluate:

-a 45/32 degree sleeping bag that allegedly packs down to 6.5x6.5. I've seen Snugpak at the UK military, and while serviceable, it never struck me as particularly lightweight or packable.

- Stabilized oxygen water purification. What on earth is this in the first place? The obvious downside seems to be that 2oz only purify about 16 gallons or really dirty water.

- A cheaper UV purifier that inexplicably seems to need 15 minutes per bottle.

- The Survival Straw. Looks like a heaven-sent for just in case trips, but "The improved and patented 100% KDF alloy media (not silver or carbon) destroys more than 99.9% of harmful microorganisms." inspires as much confidence as "bacteria and viruses like E. Coli, Giardia lambli cysts, Cryptosporidia, Algae mold and fungi." Maybe I'm splitting hairs, by none of the listed is a virus, and Giardia, Crypto, algae, and fungi are not bacteria.

I don't think I intend to buy anything, except maybe the straw, but I wonder if anyone her has any of these and can shed some light on them.