Category: Gear

What we know for sure about the new Chinese J-20 stealth fighter jet is subject to some debate.  We know that, according to claims within the Chinese government, that it was designed to compete directly with the latest in American fighter jet technology: the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.  Outwardly, its appearance resembles […]

The Marine Corps Jungle Warfare Training Center in Okinawa Japan had to be one of my favorite deployments. Learning how to operate and survive in a jungle environment is vastly different than a desert or woodland environment. There are also threats native to the jungle that you must be aware of. I remember attending a […]

With the renewed popularity of the combat shotgun, there is a recognition of the need for  good sights to engage targets at range more accurately. The golden bead that the classic hunting shotguns came stock with are fine for up close fighting and breaching shotguns, but are all but useless at range with slugs. I […]

“Ops are pushed 1 hour, remain on station.” My PRC-152 spit this information out matter-of-factly as wind and freezing rain pelted me and my crew of Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) members on the top of a mountain. These TACP’s were going through a Combat Survival and Evasion course and I was their instructor. They […]

I’ve never jumped on the band wagon of tactical pens. Yes they look cool and could do some damage in a self-defense situation, but I’ve always had a hard time justifying the cost. Why would I spend $70+ dollars on a pen when I’ve already got a blade and flashlight on me that could be […]

I’m an active duty service member in the United States Air Force. On base, I’m very restricted in what I can carry which I’ll be delving into in another article. When I’m not on base, my every day carry (EDC) focuses around the set of skills that I have learned as a Survival, Evasion, Resistance, […]

We’ve done a few EDC articles in the past where we covered the basics. Those basics typically included: a knife, handgun, and light. In this article we’re going to discuss the importance of always carrying a blade, knowing how to strike with the blade, and where to strike. Again, as with most things EDC, the blade […]

If it moves it can break! That is a basic principle of engineering. Moving parts are vulnerable to forces applied to any of the non-fixed parts. Folding knives have a hinge; they are made of several parts: the blade, the handle, the locking mechanism and probably some type of release switch and/or lock. A fixed […]

There was a wild squeal as gears shifted before the ramp to the C-130J opened, my peltors clicked out for a moment blocking the sound and all at once I felt the pressure change against my skin and deep inside my ears. The loud drone of the engines filled the inside of the aircraft as […]

The U.S. Air Force is turning obsolete F-16 Fighting Falcons into target practice, a longstanding tradition as older planes age out. The dronified F-16s will be used to test new weapons, including the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The Air Force had previously relied on F-4 Phantoms turned into target drones, but the supply of obsolete […]

Everyone, civilian or military, who enjoys weapons loves to trick out their gun. We all have personal preferences to how we set up our firearms to cater to our own style of shooting. Maybe it’s technique that dictates specific placement of certain mods, it could be purpose-driven reasons for particular accessories, or maybe it’s just […]

When it comes to pickups, the standard attitude is, go big or go home. Huge knobbly tires, bullbars, spotlights, winches—even if they’re unnecessary. Look at Ford’s F-150 Raptor (not just leaner, meaner!), Toyota’s Tacoma TRD Pro (not afraid to show off its wild side!), or Nissan’s Titan XD Warrior concept (37-inch tires!). Now, General Motors is back at […]