SKD Tactical recently contacted us about a new addition to the Patrol Incident Gear (PIG) line of products. My ears perk every time I hear about a new PIG product as I’m a huge fan of the PIG Plate Carrier and hydration carrier which I use at work.
In addition to the Plate Carrier, hydration carrier, gRUNT modular pack, and other accessories they now have a line of gloves called the PIG Full Dexterity Tactical (FDT-Alpha) Glove.
Why add another set of gloves to the market? Well read on my friends as it will make total sense. [Read More…]
It seems I’m always on the lookout for new flashlights and lighting systems. I’ve been working on our evening shift for the last eight years and having a good flashlight is a must. Looking back at my time in the Army I often wonder how I got by with the issued “GI” flashlight. That thing was terrible!
Fast forward to today and I’ve been very happy with my Stinger DS LED as a duty light (the low light feature is great to have), but the issue I’ve always had is how to compliment a powerful duty light with a true low light option. The definition of true low light to me is a colored light with low output. Something that won’t kill your night vision but has enough juice to be workable.
For the longest time I was using a Stylus pen light and this was an OK option. I know a bunch of guys at work use those key fob type lights or carry a separate small flashlight. While all decent options, since being introduced to Princeton Tec at SOFIC last year I’ve found a great alternative.
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The history of “safes” goes back to the days of the caveman, when they attempted to keep their belongings safe from fire. Of course they didn’t have secure containers or locking devices to keep out unscrupulous cave folks. Those weren’t developed until the first “lock” that’s credited to the Egyptians. The Romans and Chinese created warded locks and the rest is history.
We wont go too in depth on the history of safes, but if you’re interested in early and mid 19th century American safes I found this website which has great information and some cool photos. For a entertaining read check out this blog post that talks about the “15 most impenetrable bank vaults”.
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We’re stoked to be releasing two Travel Bugs into the Geocaching world. This is our first series of Travel Bugs and we hope you guys/gals will get involved with moving them through their missions.
If you’re not familiar with Geocaching or don’t know what travel bugs are please check out our Introduction to Geocaching article. Mike does a great job of giving you the basics about getting started. If you are a seasoned Geocacher then you know how much fun it can be to help travel bugs along their way.
Both Travel Bugs will be launched from the UDT/SEAL Museum in Ft Pierce Florida. We started a cache named In Memory Of Our Fallen (GC37M7X ), which is right outside the entrance to the Museum and also the inscription on the ITS Tactical brick at the UDT/SEAL Museum. [Read More…]
In the past few years I’ve noticed a big surge in the popularity of hard plate carriers. Not only for the military (those have been around for a while) but for law enforcement and even civilian use.
Trying to navigate through all the companies that are now producing plate carriers can be quite a feat these days. Just Google armor plate carries and you get blasted with acronyms like IOTV, CIRAS, PIG, LVAC, BOAR, RBAV, and PICO among a bunch of others.
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Like computers and other electronic technology, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have advanced over the past few years. I won’t attempt to explain how or why LEDs have advanced, as I’m not a electronics guy and couldn’t explain wavelengths, semiconductors, quantum wells, resistor calculations, radiant flux or any other jargon.
What I do know is the LEDs that were on my Commodore 64 were dim and everything these days is super bright. For me personally it’s just like shooting; I don’t need to know how much my bullets weigh or how many feet per second they’re flying. I just need to know how to pull the trigger and get rounds on target.
There are some people, like precision shooters and snipers, who need to know that technical bullet information. If you really want to learn about LEDs I would recommend Don’s Homepage or The LED Museum for detailed explanations on LED lighting.
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So what do you with your old ballistic vest panels? If you have been in law enforcement or other occupation where you get a new vest roughly every 5 years, you probably have a couple of sets sitting around.
A few years ago I figured there had to be a way to use the panels I’d accumulated, as mine were sitting in the closet collecting dust.
Around that time I came across a video and photos of a Schertz Texas Police cruiser that had taken a bunch of rounds to the front from a AK-47. The article showed forensics photos of the trajectory the rounds took and had the officer been in the front seat he would have been killed.
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Day three started with a great conversation with “Mr. C,” the VP of Grey Aviation. It seems our article on How to Escape Zip Ties had become a hot topic with some of his colleagues. He expressed his appreciation for putting the info out there for those who haven’t been to SERE school and mentioned that he even shared the article with his sons.
We talked about US citizens going to hot spots around the world doing noble things like teaching and missionary work, and how they need this type of training also. It was great to get feedback on what we’re putting out, good or bad. It was a positive start to the day!
The amount of people on day three was much lower than the previous day, but it was nice as I was able to weave my way through the isles a little easier. [Read More…]
Today was day two of the three-day 2011 SOFIC Conference and Expo, which allows the industry to look at and discuss new products designed for the Special Operations community.
While there were many companies present that were also at SHOT Show, a lot of things here are strictly for military applications and still very hush hush in terms of technology. While I’m trying to cover as much as I can, to check everything out at a SOFIC expo you really have to be there in person.
This was my first year to SOFIC, so I dont have a base line from previous years. Walking into the show you can tell the expo is for a niche group of people as everything looks expensive! Technology was the name of the game with everything from miniaturized UAV’s to virtual reality training simulators. [Read More…]
I know some people will wonder why we’re doing another gear review of a hat, they simply sit on your head and keep the sun and rain out of your eyes. I also know certain people cringe when they see Velcro sewn on a hat. They say whats next, PALS sewn onto the sides for your IFAK?
To be honest, that’s what I thought of “tactical hats” when they started becoming popular. I figured that I could just wear my Local Motion Surf Co. hat and no one would pay any attention. It’s a different story when you have a MultiCam hat full of Pork Eating Crusader and Jolly Roger patches. [Read More…]
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