Archive for May, 2009
Preparing for the Big Storm
Even though we’re entering into spring and the weather seems to be improving by the day, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t the possibility for a few last season storms. If the wind starts blowing and the sky looks threatening, make sure that you’re as prepared as possible for a power outage. If it’s a substantial storm, be prepared for up to a week without power. While this is probably overkill, it’s always good to be over-prepared rather than underprepared. As such, always have fresh water and canned food at the ready.
Also, always make sure that you have plenty of candles and alternate light sources on hand. Whether you have Fenix flashlights or any other brand, make sure that the flashlights are dependable and that they’re stocked with fresh batteries. There’s nothing worse than realizing ten minutes into a power outage that your flashlight is going from dim to out. And for the more serious storms, also make sure your first aid kit is fully stocked and accessible.
Tactical Gear / Thigh Rigs
When it comes to tactical gear, nobody agrees on every little thing. And difference of opinion is found among members of SWAT teams and Spec-Ops units as well. Navy Seals favor the SIG p226,the D-boys opt for customized 1911s.
But when it comes to holsters for their Kimbers, Springfields, SIGS, & Wilson’s, the one piece of gear that every group agrees on is the Safariland Model 6004 tactical thigh holster.Safariland owns the tactical thigh market. If you’re on a team, you’re tightening the straps of the 6004 around your quads.
Why such dominance? Two words — Bill Rogers. The former FBI agent made the 6004 with a host of features making it totally crush-proof, waterproof, corrosion-proof and, yes, even GI-proof. The newer versions of the 6004 are designed to mate with the holster interface rail of a SureFire-dedicated handgun WeaponLight. SureFire’s handgun light features a trigger guard-mounted adaptor rail for the light to attach to the pistol. Incorporated in the adaptor are a pair of holster interface rails, or wings, that mate with corresponding slots inside the 6004. The advantage to this system is the handgun can still be re-holstered, even without the light in place.
The holster interface keeps the gun from flopping around in what would become an otherwise overly-roomy rig for a light-less pistol. The 6004 also incorporates one of the simplest, fastest and secure retention devices in the thigh holster industry. There is a molded sight track in the holster to prevent the front sight from snagging. The holster itself attaches to a contoured thigh pad, which in turn cinches to your leg with two adjustable, elastic straps. The entire rig suspends from your belt with a length-adjustable, Velcro®-backed strap.
The holster is made with Rogers’ most significant contribution to holster technology, the Safarilaminate method of bonding an inner piece of suede to an outer shell of tough, durable Kydex. The holster also boasts an adjustable retention screw.
In summary, the 6004 is one of the toughest, safest, fastest, most secure tactical thigh rigs available in the tactical gear industry.
Kershaw knives “Speed Safe” Assisted Opening Knives
Custom knifemaker, Ken Onion, began his quest to design the perfect knife as a Marine machinist. After years of researc
h and development he created his first Speed Safe knife. Today, Ken designs a custom selection of knives for Kershaw both with the patented Speed Safe torsion bar system for assisted opening and without. His personal involvement ensures each Onion meets his high standard for quality.
What is Speed Safe? It is the patented, assisted opening system built into many of Kershaw knives best selling Ken Onion knives. Speed Safe assists the user to smoothly open the knife with a manual push on the blade’s thumb stud or index open system. The index open uses a protruding portion of the blade’s finger guard to give the user an alternate to the thumb stud. The user manually pulls back on the protrusion with the index finger to open the blade.
The heart of the Speed Safe system is its torsion bar. Closed, the torsion bar helps keep the knife closed, preventing it from being opened by gravity.To open the knife, the user must apply manual pressure to the thumb stud to overcome the resistance of the torsion bar. After the blade is out of the handle, the torsion bar moves along its half moon track and takes over. The blade opens smoothly and locks into position.
Don’t Scrimp on the Knife
Whether you’re an avid hunter or a general outdoorsman, it’s important that you have a high quality knife that you can take on your various outdoor ventures. The uses for that knife can vary greatly, but every outdoorsman will tell you that a knife is indispensible in the wilderness. Just take the children’s book “Hatchet.” It wasn’t far off when the main character was able to survive in the Canadian wilderness simply by having a trusty hatchet at his side.
And while you probably won’t have to rely that heavily on your knife, it is nice to know that you have a high quality product to help you in the wilderness. When picking out your knife, make sure that you go with a company that has a lot of experience crafting knives. A new company might not be able to deliver the expertise that an established company can offer. So if given the choice, it’s best to purchase Buck knives with over 100 years of service than some fly by night knife company.
Maglite flashlights
Maglite flashlights are incredibly sturdy and durable flashlights. They can be used for a variety of activities: hiking, camping, fishing, rescue operations and combat operations. I have used my Maglite in outdoor activities so many times and it has never broken.
Maglite flashlights are able to survive severe impact and are vibration proof. In addition, a Maglite is durable and heavy enough to break a window should you need to escape from your car due to a wreck or rising water, but you can’t open the door or get the windows down.
Innovations Of LED Flashlights
More than a decade ago, LEDs (light emitting diodes) were not commonplace in flashlights, but as technology advanced, LED flashlights are now some of the most common. The standard LED flashlight has significant advantages over the standard bulb flashlights. For example, an LED flashlight puts out a significant amount more light. The LED appears more luminous, and can brighten up a space like no standard bulb flashlight can. In addition, LED flashlights don’t generate as much heat, last longer, and are more resistant to trauma and damage than a standard flashlight bulb. LED flashlights are ideal for camping, backpacking, law enforcement, power outages, and even professionals like plumbers and electricians.
These days there’s little reason to carry a standard bulb flashlight with LEDs available on the market. In the future, standard flashlights will no longer exist and will be thought of as antiques more than tools. Because the technology has now existed for a while, LED flashlights are also quite affordable.