Review: Platatac - FAD Carrier

FAD carrier pic from Platatac's website, FAD in place

A little while back I went in to Platatac asking about how I could mount my Fiskars log-splitter to my kit when I was camping and tramping. I tried out their exceptional (but not quite fit for my purpose) FFE Holster. One of the other suggestions was to use one of their other pieces of kit, the FAD Carrier. Designed to carry a First Aid Dressing kit, this lightweight platform was easily re-purposed to suit my need.

I love it when a plan comes together.


The key to this piece are the webbing eyelets that are found at each corner, two to each corner in fact, one "inwards" and one "outwards", mounted to a light nylon panel with two sets of PALS/MOLLE straps on the rear.

In the unadulterated original format, a length of shock cord is cris-crossed through those eyelets, with a cord-lock to cinch it tight. This enables the user to stow a FAD securely and yet readily accessible at a moments notice by simply grabbing and yanking it free. Crucial for when saving seconds mean saving lives.

You can see here the twin webbing eyelets which I have rethreaded with a length of paracord as I found for my purpose, the shock-cord was too springy, under the weight of my axe. Looped paracord, held in place by those eyelets did the job perfectly.

The whole thing doesn't measure more than 8 cm (3") to a side, and given the placement of the eyelets, can be rigged horizontally or vertically, to suit your need.




A quick look at the rear shows the PALS/MOLLE panels that are ubiquitous to all of Platatac's gear, with its 2 channel, 2 row configuration.

Whilst a little tricky to get affixed, at this short a length, once attached this is a rock-solid platform.

In fact, the carrier was so solid, that I wanted to give it a try in a slightly different configuration, as a mounting system for my much loved Zombie Tools Deuce sword.

You may recall I showed off one carry option for the Deuce in my Apocalypse Equipped; No, Really Mayan 2012 non-event post, where I had it lashed through an eyelet to my 215 Gear sling but I found that the Platatac FAD worked a treat.




 The eyelets of the carrier matched almost exactly with the eyelets in the scabbard of the Deuce, and when lashed in with the same paracord I had used to secure my axe, I found that I could create a PALS/MOLLE fixture to my scabbard in up to six points along the scabbard.

This meant that I could wear it on a belt, lash it to my rig, or a pack, or pretty much anything with 2x2 PALS/MOLLE. The same would go for any other kit y0u needed lashed.

So, from a tiny piece of kit, so many opportunities arise. I really like this, and it was such pure chance that just by talking out what I wanted to do, the idea came to use the FAD carrier.

Brilliant!

Review: PM leather - Hobble Belt

I little while ago, I was making eyes at a new tactical belt that had come up in my feed, and a friend of mine, Peter Martin, of PM Leather called me on it, "why not Zoidberg?" style. I was all for it. PM Leather creates a range of bespoke leather belts, accessories and such kit. I was delighted to receive a belt tailored to my measurements, and gave it a workout. The belt arrived in black, with aluminum rivets and steel furniture.

The heavy, 38mm (1.5") wide, 3mm thick belt leather is split into three distinct regions: the buckle section, the hobble section, and the tail. This is what makes the PM Leather hobble belt something special, as far as belts go.

The tail section features punched holes all the way along its length which comes in handy when the belts second use comes into play. More on that later. The tail joins on one side to the hobble section with a double riveted fold that wraps the butt end to a squared steel "ring" hardware. This bridges the tail to the hobble-section, which is a short length of leather, itself double riveted SR each end, joining at the other side to another of the square rings, and from then, on to the buckle end. The buckle is again, of hefty steel construction, along with the keeper, giving you a sturdy set of furniture and a very clean finish. The rivets are ground down, giving a rough and ready look, with very little chance of snagging due to their low profile.


The square rings offer two very useful hard-points for attaching carabiners, key chains, and looping cords through. I constantly fixed one end of my paracord multi-tool lanyard to it, Usually on the front ring, but depending on how the belt loops of the pants or kilt I was wearing sat, or having a higher or lower profile to my outfit, this was easy to swap as needed. The square rings are occasionally too large to feed through belt-loops, so some adjustment to wear might be necessary on some clothes (skipping that loop, for example.

I was also able to mount several different PALS/MOLLE pouches to the belt, which I fixed in place by feeding twin tabs on either side of a belt loop, and fixing it through a double loop of PALS/MOLLE, given the belts 1.5" width, this made for a pretty good fit. The belt was stiff enough to not sag terribly under the 1L SIGG bottle I slung in a Platatac FUP pouch whilst strolling about.



Here is where this belt shows its darker secrets. Those square rings and the hobble-section allow you to feed the tail through to form two or three loops that give you some very interesting shackle/manacle options from an otherwise innocuous piece of clothing. You can see now why the tail-section has holes punched all the way along its length; to allow the shackles to be drawn tight one pretty much the skinniest of wrists. the excess belt feeds through the buckle and then the keeper, but as you can see above, it can even be fed into itself.



Having that middle hobble section available, also means the belt can be used to create a pillory-style binding, but wrapping it around the neck of your target, in the forwards position here, but works in reverse if the hands are behind the head.  (I can almost hear the banjos playing).

As well as working on hands and heads, the hobble belt can be used explicitly as its name suggests, as a hobble. Obviously, this is only effective when the belt isn't or can't be undone by the wearer, but then again, this wasn't designed to be a high security option. Dangling by the ankles Hoth style would probably do the trick.

As far as innocuous, cool looking and rugged goes, this is some pretty slick action right here. I like mine, and have found it to be an amusing surprise to pull out when someone might least expect it. Make sure your clothes fit well, though, before whipping it out to bind someone, pants around ankles are just as hobbling!

Review: Ranger Eyes

I've been fascinated by glow in the dark products since I was a little coyote pup, and have had no end of fun with them. From ceiling stars to a Swiss Army Knife, I'm a sucker for that pale green glow. I've passed this joy on to Triceratops Girl, who got a SARGlobalTool Moon Glow disk for Giftmas, to go with her dinosaurs. Then comes the Ranger Eyes / Cats Eyes patches concept. Traditionally I've read, Ranger Eyes have been used to help identify friend from foe during night missions, before the prevalence of IR NVG and reflective tape and certainly in lower-tech and power consumption conditions, (and where legally difficult to obtain) there these patches make it easier to follow members of your group under the cover of darkness.

I thought I might quickly showcase some of my collection of ranger eye patches, which I exposed to the Australian summer sun for about 2 minutes (rather than the recommended ten) to take these quick shots in the equipment closet at work. At the top left and right, my Giftmas present ITS skull logo patches. These were a lot thinner, and made of a white rather than green glowing polymer. The didn't quite have the intensity of the other patches, but that's a good thing some times. in the center, the HorNest logo patch which was larger, and by far the brightest. In the bottom corners, the TAD logo and DogPatch Ranger Eyes. I lost one Dog Patch x-bones patch somewhere along the lines, but I really like these little guys.

I currently have the HorNest patch on my 215Gear Ultimate Riggers Belt, the ITS patches sitting on the ZuluNylonGear CAOS Admin pouch which in turn rides atop my BullockEcho daypack, giving me another piece of "see me walking" visual aid from behind. The two TAD patches ride on my 25th Anniversary Platatac Cap and again, give me some "out and about" visual options.

I've found these patches really good when I have stayed over at friends and needed to find my gear (or my pants) in the dark, late at night, or early in the morning .....

Review 5.11 Tactical - Taclite Pro Pants

Here are the pants I mentioned in my belt post recently, these are the 5.11 Tactical Taclite Pro pants, that I picked up form LA Police Gear, online. I got them in their mid-grey "Tundra" and the light sand "Coyote" colours. These are some pretty feature packed pants, and quite comparable with the Blackhawk Performance WarriorWear pants i reviewed not long ago. These are made of a lightweight 65% polyester and 35% poly cotton ripstop material, which have been treated with HT Teflon® Wear Resistant Finish for stain and soil resistance. Tefglon pants, how cool is that? Actually, its very cool. I've been sprayed with water and food several times thanks to the combined efforts of Tactical Baby and Triceratops Girl whilst in these pants and they have beaded and wiped clean on almost all occasions with ease. Water droplets just bead and roll off.

 Very impressive. Apparently that same Teflon® coated fabric dries 25-40% faster than untreated fabric,something I also put to the test recently as I sweated through several days of 39oC Influenza fever. These pants were actually comfortable to be in.

Lets have a look at the pocket options. On the right face, a reinforced open knife pocket graces the front of the thigh, ( keep my Gerber multitool on a lanyard in it) The left thigh features a hook-and-loop closed pocket, big enough for an iPhone or possibly a magazine. Two standard bellowsed cargo pockets sit down the thigh, also with hook-and-loop closures.

There is a brass clip D-loop on the front right belt loop, good for keys, phone or lanyards, I've found. The front hand-pockets are deep and well angled, and also feature reinforcing to protect against fraying from knife or flashlight clips that may be attached here. The pants themselves close with a press-stud snap, a hefty zipper and an internal button.

At the back you can see the hook-and-loop closing rear "slash" pockets. I'm really digging this style of pocket, over the more traditional "up and down" style. It gives me easy access for stowed items quickly and securely.Also on the back right side is the long reinforced cotton webbing utility strap, which would be a great place to sling items such as my Dead-On Super Hammer.

A couple of other really good features are the double knee and seat reinforcements. The knees have an internal inward facing pocket to allow knee pads to be added. The fully gusseted crotch is also a godsend, it allows for full range of movement, especially for us long-legged critters. Behind the belt line are a couple of built in elasticized patches on the waist, which give the pants a stretch point when bending,m kneeling or crawling, whilst not interfering with the sizing or comfort of fit. The belt loops are wide and broad, taking the 1.75" TDU Belt by 5.11 Tactical perfectly. The one problem I had with these pants were that the Coyote pair were somewhat TOO rugged on the inside seams, as I "go commando", this led to some uncomfortable chafing and me having to resort to boxers for a little while. I presume this is just due to their newness, as my other pair which I wore in a bit more, same sizing, gave me no problems.

Review: 5.11 Tactical - TDU belt 1.75"

A quick one today. I got some pants from LA Police Gear recently, and a tasty treat was thrown in with each pair, a colour matched belt! At first I was skeptical. The pants themselves were already on special, what kind of belt would just be thrown in for free. Well, let me show you the TDU Belt from 5.11 Tactical.

The belts are 1.75" (about 45mm) wide and made of a really heavy nylon webbing, stiffer and thicker than seatbelt material. A very sturdy polymer buckle sits low and flat, with only a slight tab protruding from the belt-facing side. Being a non-metalic polymer, this buckle will be metal-detector safe, meaning it's one less thing for me to take off when I visit an airport. I have yet to fully field test it with my partners, but initial studies indicate that being of a more traditional style, it not as tricky as a Cobra buckle to undo at first pass.

The webbing is triple stitched, with a broad bartack, giving it a stiff connection to the buckle, without adding any more bulk. The tongue of the belt is heat-cut at an angle, for easy feeding through the buckle, with plenty of slack at the size I have to double-back for extra security, a habit I picked up both in SCUBA and rock-climbing.

This is a lightweight but very sturdy belt, simple in the extreme and made to last. Even though I've had no problems going through metal detectors with my Ultimate Riggers Belt, the all-plastic look of this one would make it less of a drama.I'm really happy with this, and it (and its tan-coloured counterpart) give me a couple more belt options to add to my collection. Having your pants fall off at the wrong time is BAD for survival.

Review: Schrade Army 10 Knife

I had the good fortune to get my hands on another knife to add to my collection. I've been quite busy at my day-job shunting pixels and yelling at vendors about patient safety to do much writing, but it's remarkable how a piece of good steel in the hand makes one feel better. So, in this blade, I am trying to recover my mojo, as it were, and get back on the horse so to speak. Without further ado then, let me present the Schrade Army-10 Knife which was sent to me from the folks at LEGear.

This is a fighting knife, branded as being "US Army" by Schrade which is cool, and I can totally get behind that, it fits both my accent and heritage, being a (dual-Australian/) American citizen and my father having been A US Army veteran (Vietnam, 1969-70) so, as you might imagine, I have a soft spot for the Army. However it's branded, it's the mettle of the metal that I'm most interested in, however.

Lets go into that shall we?

This is a moderately sized, fixed drop-point blade which measures in at 26cm (10.4") of which 14cm (5.3") is the plain edged blade. It masses in at 280g (9.9oz). Comparing that against the KA-BAR Zombie Killer "Death" Dagger with it's 21cm blade, 35cm overall and 340g in mass you can see that it is a far more wieldy blade. especially if you plan on strapping it to your person.

The metal of the blade is a 1070 High Carbon Steel, which is a tough, hard steel, and is commonly associated with hard-use applications like machetes and the like that can and will take a lot of rough use and abuse such as battoning and chopping. The handle material is black Kraton which is a synthetic rubber, and is springy and soft to the touch. The handle is bolted to the full tang with 4 hex-bolts, and leaves the spine of the tang exposed. I read some comments in researching this knife that the Kraton seemed "flimsy" and "rubbery" but I think this must be from folks used to G10 scales and the like. I found it married to my grip really nicely. The lanyard hole was nicely placed too, recessed from the Kraton.

The back of the tang features 5 crenelations that sunk below the spine and the handle, leaving it flush with the back of the blade, making it snag free, but by virtue of the rubbery Kraton, a good positive grip can be achieved without needing to tense the hand unduly. I was always taught to hold a handle fairly, but without choking it, whether it was a knife, golf-club, sword or whatever. Finesse comes from controlled motion, and a clenched fist is a ridged one.

You can see here the sculpting that is present in the Kraton on the back of the grip, as well as the "US Army" logo and decal on the side of the blade. Which was pretty, and unobtrusive printed on top of the black Teflon coated surface of the blade.

Those sculpted regions in the back of the handles marry up to a reverse grip really well, and the cutout for the lanyard hole in the butt of the knife is still nicely exposed in this grip.

In a forwards grip, the finger notch sits nicely between index and middle fingers, with a raised guard to stop fingers sliding forwards, and again ,that set of crenelations to rest a thumb grip on.

The nylon sheath has some features worth mentioning too. The primary belt loop opens up with a broad hook-and-loop band, meaning you wouldn't need to undo a belt to put it at your waistband. A thigh loop set of lanyards and cord couple this to keep it from flapping on the bounce. A press-stud closing PALS/MOLLE band, and corresponding loops give a downwards-draw carry option. the metal loop at the bottom of the PALS band was a mystery to me though, another attachment point? I don't know. It moved independently to the PALS/MOLLE strip.


The front side of the sheath carries a secondary, Fastex style clip closing pouch, with is attached to the main sheath by both a long and broad hook-and-loop field, but also by the straps that wrap around the sheath to form the PALS/MOLLE loops on the back. Having this pouch being removable, gives the option of either stripping it off (at the expense of loosing a layer of additional stability when MOLLE-bound), but also allowing that secondary pouch to be flipped so it opens "upwards" in the event the blade is worn "downwards". That was quite a clever addition. The materials of the sheath are adequate, but not exceptional. There is only one main press-stud closure for the blade, meaning it is not "jump-ready", but as I'm unlikely to be "Airborne" tabbed any time soon, this isn't really a concern for me. The closure does have an odd extra hook and loop layer to it, presumably to adjust the tightness of the closure, but I cant for the life of me think why the trouble was taken, and a second loop wasn't added.

All in all, this is a really nice knife, and I am very glad to have gotten my hands on it. Not the bestial monsters that the KA-BAR Zombie Killer knives are, this is a mid-sized blade for serious working people who need to get a job done, but space is at a premium.

I think I will be adding this to one of my chest rigs and experimenting with how best I want to carry it, because I certainly do want to. Often.

Review: Arc'teryx climbing harness

I've been a rock-climber, off and on, for almost 20 years, in the indoor-wall sense, but have been a boulderer and a scrambler for my whole life. If there is a tree I want to be up it. If there is a cliff-face, I want to go down it. If there is a second story patio, well, you can fill in the rest ... Whilst I was at uni, with my first real job giving me a taste of financial independence, I saw a piece of kit that has been with me since then, and has literally been a life-saver. This is my climbing harness, by Arc'teryx.
Like a lot of my gear, it seems that this particular model has been superseded but don't let that daunt you, it doesn't bother me.

Lets have a look at what goes into a climbing harness. There are three main components; a reinforced padded waist-belt, leg loops and a connecting loop. The waist-belt is sometimes called a "swami-belt" and in this case, features a wide padded belt, which is surrounded by a webbing band, stitched heavily, and buckles to one side of the middle. Like a Riggers Belt, it has a wide loop sewn into it, through which the connecting loop is found. A series of plasicised loops around the back and sides act as attachment points for accessories. The leg-loops have retention tapes that attached to the beck of the belt and in this case, another heavy webbing loop is found at the back.

The leg-loops are similar to the waist-belt, in that they are padded and reinforced, and feature a tear-drop shape, rather than a full circle, as in climbing when your body's weight is supported by these three belts, cutting off blood supply, or restricting movement is a real hazard. The leg-loops run up, through the connecting loop and form a continuous belt supporting both your legs. I think I may have outgrown this particular harness, as whilst it still does up securely, the padding no longer quite meets in the middle as it did when I was a gaunt student and I have filled out into my more mature body. I'm still confident in its ability to do what I need it to, but I think if i get back into regular climbing, I'll need to find myself a new harness.

I will however be looking at the new Arc'teryx range to furnish myself with, as this is a belt I have put to the test, and bounced back to tell the tale. At the very least, it will remain in my preparedness kit, along with rope, carabiners and a figure 8 descender, for times when I need to get up there, get down there, or stay right where I am. Few things give me as much sense of security as well made climbing gear when my life is on the line. Literally.

Review: 215Gear Ultimate Riggers Belt

I've been wanting a decent, MilSpec belt for some time now. Something I could wear day to day, and not look like too much of a dork with metal grommet-ed webbing everywhere. I frequently carry a number of things on my person, often on my belt. Drink bottles, hammers, axes, phone, small satchels, my coyote tail (no, really). All kinds of things, time to time. I'm very fond of going "hands free", and having a belt dig into my boney hips one too many times led me to do some research. I managed to find something that fit not only my aesthetic visually, but also met my desire for a rugged, dependable and multipurpose item. A Riggers Belt.

Following a link I saw online, I was lead to 215Gear, who's Retention Lanyard I reviewed recently and settled on their "Ultimate Riggers Belt" over the slightly less awesome but still impressive looking "Enhanced" version. Both belts are made from parachute quality webbing, and "7 Class sewn" throughout. The webbing is doubled for most of the belt, and is adjustable via a full width and very long hook-and-loop band which feeds through the male end of the very spiffy anodized aluminium "Cobra Buckle" which has a quick release safety lock, which if I read correctly, has a 9kN rating by itself, with the whole belt rated at 18kN. (NB if you are baffled by what all these load ratings really -mean- have a read of this document, essentially, anything more than 12kN is going to mess your body up, but the belt will hold). That's good enough for me! It should be good enough for anyone who doesn't have a T-800 endoskeleton. 

Apart from the awesome buckle (which I feel the need to add, has confused some testers when trying to undo it), being a Riggers Belt, it features a bunched loop hole for use an an attachment and anchor point for a carabiner for a Retention Lanyard, accessories, or in a pinch, an emergency rappelling/belay point as demonstrated by the awesome team at ITS in this clip. 

The only drawback I have found with this belt is that the buckles are quite wide, and I've had trouble wearing it with some pants with sewn on loops. I -could- detach the male end buckle and feed the belt, reattach it and off I go, but its just been too much effort. Similarly, the belt is too wide for my multitool pouch's belt-loop, so I have to pocket that when I wear this belt. Again, I -could- adjust, just laziness on my part. 

Awesome, awesome piece of gear. I'd stake my life on it. I probably will, soon enough.