hat-tricks!

Just the Tip: Hat Tricks

Hats. Pretty ubiquitous. Be it the classic Stetson of the cowboy, the sand, maroon or green beret of the bad-ass snake-eaters (colours depending on your nationality), the Akubra with corks and/or crocodile teeth of the Aussie bushman, or the perfectly curved and patch bedecked ball cap (or patrol cap) of the seasoned operator. These are often underutilized pieces of kit.








So, hats! They're not just head coverings and eye shields. Read all about it here on Breach Bang Clear

Boots On, Eyes On: Glovax MP Magic socks

Everyone loves a good pair of socks. Your feet will not only thank you, it can literally put a pep in your step and make a difference in your effectiveness.
Regular socks, be they woolen, cotton or more exotic materials like bamboo, are a big step up from nylon or acrylic blend, especially when it comes to smell. However, science has advanced and offers some other alternatives.
After a sweaty workout, long travel, or in the morning, you'll definitely appreciate the difference a pair of clean dry socks makes, even more so if they're comfortable and not stinky. Speaking of comfortable, non-stinky socks, the clever minds behind Glovax gloves would like to introduce their MP Magic socks, which they claim are the "world's best odorless socks".

These socks are made from some very unique materials. The fabric is infused with not one, not two, but three antimicrobial metals: silver, copper, and zinc, because multiple metals can kill multiple types of odor and disease-causing microbes. Silver is known as a great antibacterial meta used in everything from bandages to homeopathic potions, copper can also kill bacteria and is a key component of many enzymes, and zinc can reduce bacterial loads and thus odor too!
This three-metal-infused technique takes existing techniques to the next level by layering them for increased coverage and effects.
I wear boots all day, every day, which is pretty rough for any sock. I hike, train and work in my boots. During winter, I like to leave my socks on because I'm very tall and my feet stick out of the covers. Even with daily sock changes and foot washing, that takes a toll. I received a pair of these socks and decided to try out the same pair for a week to see how they'd hold up. I chose the ankle socks because I was purely interested in the foot effects, and they were great!

With these functional fabrics, you can take off your shoes without any hesitation over worrying about their smell. After a week's worth of almost constant wear, including a four-hour hike and a few hours of Viking training, my feet felt great and smelled pretty good too. The socks are breathable and even when my feet got hot and sweaty, a quick pullout and wave-around both cooled and dried them. I think that comes down to the metal infusion of the fabric, but the design and cut of the sock certainly come into it. More than just a modern miracle textile, Glovax specially designed the socks at the toe and heel area to perfectly match the human foot shape, which makes that part super breathable and durable!

With their metal-infused fabric, these socks are designed to transfer heat more efficiently and be more durable! Odorless, comfortable, antibacterials, super durable and breathable, I gave them a pretty solid thrashing and they bounced back well.  They work well as advertised, and are comfortable and resilient day after day.
OF NOTE: The Glovax team just finished a campaign about a set of rugged cool work gloves which are also well worth checking out.

Review: BladeTech TEK-LOK Belt Clamping Unit

When it comes to keeping extra gear on my person, and I am not wearing one of my PALS equipped belts, like the subtle SICC belt or the more hooah Condor GEN1 battle belt there are times when you still want to have a well mounted piece of gear, with a more regular belt, even if its the dual-purpose PM Leather hobble Belt ...

When you want to mount carry something with any really weight on a belt, there are really two things that you need to take into account, the strength and stiffness of the belt, and the weight, and method of use  of the item to be carried.

A stable platform, such as that produced by Bladetech in the TEK-LOK belt clamping unit. This is a high density polymer belt clip that allows the user to fasten virtually any kind of load to a regular belt.

The principle is simple. A clam shell hinged design allows the user to quickly and easily slip the mounting over a belt in place, and closes at the bottom, with first a pair of pinch-to-open horns and then a latch that folds up and around, locking the horns from pinching open, both of which are held against the body when worn, keeping them protected from any conceivable accidental release. Inside the clip there are a run of holes cut into the back face, into which two rubberised spacers which can be placed at a variety of spots in order to give the best hold on the belt, as well as eliminating slippage or wobble.

The business side of the clip however is the the flat faced plate which is dotted with a 3 x 3 grid of holes, through which rivets, screws and bolts can be threaded and fitted to the eyelets fitted to many of the  holsters, magazine carriers, phone holsters, knife sheaths and many other types of accessories that you will want to fit to belts and carry around with you. The inside face is recessed so your boltheads don't interfere with the belt, and ensure a safe and secure connection.

With bolts, and rubber spacers you can affix in many different combinations to allow you to set up whatever you are carrying to suit your needs, space and usage you had in mind.

The inner face of the TEK-LOK is slightly curved to marry with the body contours, the width of the top edge of the clip means it offers a stable platform, which as the load increases, becomes more and more important. I set mine up with my HHA ASOT-01 knife as an example and it ran really nicely.

One thing you'll find though is that you are at the mercy of the holster, sheath and carrier manufacturers, as the holes in the item to be mounted will determine how and where you can use the TEK-LOK, so bear that in mind, and if possible, try before you buy to ensure you get a good fit!

Review: Propper - Genuine Gear Pants

It's been a while since I've covered a non-pouch, non-gadget, so I thought I'd cover one of my other staples. PANTS. Generally, I subscribe to the philosophy that "pants are tyranny"

I wear a lot of cargo-style pants, almost every set of pants I own in fact, not to mention my collection of cargo and tactical kilts. So when it comes to new pants, I have a few requirements and points I look for. I need to have cargo pockets that let me stow my iPad Air, at a minimum. I go to a lot of meetings, and use my technology heavily, but also like to go hands-free as often as possible.

It also helps to have copious loot storage when it becomes necessary. Snacks, shiny and pointies, discarded kit, whatever. Big pockets are a must. I also want strong crotches, as I seem to tear mine with alarming propensity in some pants, so good gusseting is important. The Genuine Gear pants certainly met my needs.

The military-inspired construction and fit of the Genuine Gear pants pulls from some pretty classic design elements. A zippered fly with button closure sits over the reinforced seat, as well as having all the seams, inseam, outseams and seat seams being "felled" which is to say double stitched. This makes them pretty sturdy. There are six pockets in the design, regular front pockets, twin button-closure back pockets with button flaps, and two large cargo pockets with double button flaps.

The bellowed pockets also feature drainage pockets and the pocket flap seams are fused for clean, professional look, however, I wasn't all that impressed with the outcome, as the flaps didn't sit flat.

In fact, the pants are billed as fade, shrink, and wrinkle-resistant, but I found them to take wrinkles quite easily and made them a little higher maintenance than some others I've reviewed. The ripstop material however, was quite resilient, and have both kept their colour and shape very well, and have resisted wear handsomely. They also feature adjustable waist tabs for secure fit which are a nice addition, as well as durable tape drawstring leg closures to keep rainbows, carnivorous cursed scarab beetles, dust and grit out of your pants.

The belt loops were a little narrow, which is probably the weakest point with these pants. I personally prefer thicker beltloops with more reinforcement sewn in, but they are still fully functional.

The fabric is very comfortable, and hasn't chafed or pinched on the inseams like I have had other pants do on occasion, so they have been comfortable for long hikes and adventurous clambouring.

They fit well, and were it not for the less than wrinkle-proof effect, I'd be over the moon with these, but on the whole, they are totally adequate, and robust enough for both outdoorswear, adventure and regular wear.

Review: Scrubba washbag

I was lucky enough to be given a new piece of camping and travel gear for my birthday and I've finally gotten around to writing it up. I took it with me to Bali on a recent holiday, although it didn't get a very thorough workout there. This is the Scrubba washbag

The Scrubba is essentially a dry-bag which has been fitted with an internal washboard surface, a viewing window and an air vent, in addition to the watertight bag and roll-top closure

As a modern and convenient take on the old fashioned washboard, the Scrubba wash bag enables you to achieve a machine quality wash in just minutes. I wanted to give it a fairly good test, so I found a couple of t-shirts with some pretty suspicious and gross stains, and a couple of pairs of socks to give a good indicator of what it is capable of, and a standard travel-load of washing.

The Scrubba is pitched as perfect for holidaymakers, business travellers, backpackers or even for washing gym and cycling gear. The bag weighs less than 145g and folds to pocket-size, as with any dry-bag, making it small enough to take anywhere. I used it as a wet-clothes pack when on the last legs of our Bali trip, to stow Tactical Baby and Triceratops Girl's beach clothes before we headed off for the airport.

Here's how you use the Scrubba for its designed purposes:

1. Fill: It takes about 2L of water, on top of clothes, to do a full wash. Add water, cleaning liquid and clothes to the Scrubba. I used dishwashing soap, just a quick squirt, on top of my load, and the wash bag was at about 20-40% capacity. I used the printed-on guidelines, and with my two-shirts, two pair of socks load, I felt I had a good sized volume

2. Roll & Clip: I removed the excess air from the bag by scrunching it down, then rolled down the top around 4-5 times to get a good tight seal, and then clipped the ends shut, as you would with any dry-bag.


3. Deflate: By opening the nipple cap and squeezing the valve, as you would on any set of arm floaties, inflatable sheep or camping mattress, you need to expel all remaining air from the Srubba wash bag. This gives you a good working volume with which to scrub your clothes. Too much air leaves the bag inflated like a bag balloon and makes it hard to work the clothes. Too much water can have a similar effect, but less noticeably.

4. Rub: By pressing down and rubbing clothes against the Scrubba’s unique internal flexible washboard, which is a moulded-in set of nipples set into the back wall of the bag. Rubbing for 30 seconds gives you a quick traveller's wash and going for around 3 minutes should do for almost a machine quality wash. I wondered how my fairly scungy shirts and socks would fare, and was not surprised to see the water darken and grey-up. There was surprisingly little froth, probably due to the lack of air in the well vented bag.


5. Rinse: Uncliping and unrolling the Scrubba’s seal is as easy as it is to roll up. Removing dirty water from the Scrubba is as simple as carefully up-ending it to mouth it from the wide-mouth opening. I took care to retain my freshly washed clothes, and not dropping it in the dirt again. I wrung out my clothes to remove as much of the grey-water, and then tossed them all back in. I rinsed the clothes with another couple of Liters of water in the Scrubba and gave it a good shake, with the roll-top closed but not evacuated of air, and again poured it off, and wrung out my clothes. You could just as easily rinse them under a running tap or shower, but I wanted an all-in-the-bag method.



I hung my freshly scrubbed clothes out, and left them on the line overnight. In the morning, I was pleased to find not only did my shirts and socks look much cleaner, but they also smelled much better. The Scrubba bag had certainly worked well enough for a travel, camping or survival setting. I might not want to do my next job-interview in a Scrubba-washed suit, but if I were traveling and spilled cooled monkey brains down the front of my dress-short, I might certainly look to pull the Scrubba out to set me fresh for my next engagement.



Well worth looking into if you're either traveling off-grid, or frequently grot yourself up. I'm thinking it would make my next Tough Mudder trip home a lot cleaner!

Wish-Lust Review: Defence Systems Australia cut resistant clothes

My favourite vendor at the Australian Security Expo was Defence Systems Australia, which probably comes as no surprise.

Defence Systems Australia (DSA) is an importer and retailer of innovative law enforcement and security products from around the world, specifically catering to the law enforcement officer. Rather than the usual tactical type gear that I have come to love, they cover some of the less glamourous end of it all, mostly suspect and prisoner related items, to protect the officers from things like stabbings, biting and less savoury attacks like spitting and the like. That might sound a bit off-topic for a blog lke this untill you consider the old stand-bys of zombies, plagues and civil unrest. Having a less tactical layer that offers significant protection is well worth looking into, which is why DSA caught my eye.

The DSA supplies the personal safety products specifically catered to the Law Enforcement Agencies, Security, Military and State and Federal Government Agencies.

They offer a range of slash and stab resistant clothes, covering a range of sensitive and at-risk areas, such as:

•Our throat, which harbours the carotid artery is certainly among the most at risk locations of our body. A cut through the carotid artery would most likely result in death. Our slash resistant turtle neck jacket or sweatshirt would protect this area.

•The radial artery can be found in our wrists, which often is subject to cuts during self defense or whilst protecting our face.
•The femoral artery is a general term comprising a few large arteries in the thigh. Cutting of the femoral artery would lead to a massive loss of blood within e very short period of time.
•The axillary artery is a large blood vessel to be found under your arm pits.

These clothes are built to the following standards, which meet or exceed ISO, ASTM and EN ratings for cut, and tear resistance:

ISO 13997:1999 Blade Cut Resistance Level 5 22Newtons: Cut Tex® PRO +27.8 Newtons
ASTM F-1790 Blade Cut Resistance Levels 4 1500-3499 grams force: Cut Tex® PRO 2580 grams force
EN 388:2003 Tear Resistance Level4 70+Newtons: Cut Tex® PRO 398.5 Newtons

DSA also offer a range of bite-rated protective overclothes, such as bracer-sleeves and a very clever over-the-shoulder set of sleeves. Well worth a look in if you are faced with, or can expect to be faced with biting hazards.

I'd be very keen to get a set of stab and slash resistant clothes, primarily because I often do some foolish things with long bladed shiny tools, like the Cold Steel Gladius, my very much beloved Zombie-Tools Deuce sword and the extremely useful and effective Boker Tomahook. Anyone who works with and swings big blades, or even small ones, knows there is aways a risk of cutting yourself from a bounce-back.

Those who work in offensive, dangerous environments like prisons, crowd control or event security would do well to have a layer of protection that they can wear as everyday clothing and protect their vitals, whilst still being able to go about their normal duties.

Check Defence Systems Australia out if you are in the market for bladed penetration protection.

They also have a range of body cameras to check out ...

Review: Propper - Packable Full Zip Windshirt

Just in time for the Antarctic Vortex, first published in BreachBangClear: 

[EDIT] Now on the front page of Propper's website as "in the news"!
 
In my recent bundle from Propper, there was a lightweight shirt that caught my eye, and I've had some time to give it a good trial and can report back on it. Winter has rolled around here in Melbourne, and we get a fair share of wet and windy days. It rarely drops below freezing, due to the local geography, but we do get some cold weather from the Southern Ocean which can roll in unpredictably. Melbourne has a reputation for having Four Seasons in One Day, Crowded House even wrote a song about it. I hate umbrellas. Really, with a passion. Being as tall as I am, I'm forever being jabbed in the eye by them when the scurrying masses are running for shelter. 

So when I'm not restraining myself from throat-punching the perpetrators, I prefer to feel superior by wearing and carrying wet-weather gear for the occasional flurry.

Propper have catered to this nicely with their Packable Windshirt, which offers offers lightweight wind protection whenever you need it. This lightweight garment has to look of a jacket, but feels like a light shirt, due in no small part to the silky 100% polyester it is constructed from. With a Durable Water Repellant (DWR) surface finish, partially due to a surface coating, and partially due to the material and weave of e surface layer, I found that light to medium sprinkles were shrugged right off. Better yet, that weave stopped medium to strong gusts of wind dead. I was pretty impressed with that, given how lightweight it was.

Usually with this kind of wind stopping you either end up with a plastic-bag feel, or a Siege of Stalingrad feeling heavy coat. Amazingly, this had neither, I was hen suspicious that it would be a steam-trap, but somehow they've found that magic balance of permeability and breathability. This is helped along with the honeycomb-mesh pattern inner liner. This liner runs throughout the windshirt, and adds no appreciable bulk. 

Twin hand pockets with reverse sewn zippers grace the sides, with rubber-covers toggles and are silent operating, and a single pectoral pocket big enough for a phone, note book or in a pinch a STANAG magazine, but the heavier the load, the more it sags. A pretty spacious hood is stored in the neck seam, and is elasticised in a couple of spots to ensure a snug fit. I mostly kept the hood stored, and found that bulk added a nice snug seal around my neck, trapping heat in and keeping dribbles out. 

The sleeves have elasticised cuffs, to shut out the elements, which aren't my preference, but certainly work well enough. With arms as long as mine, I found that the Medium wasn't quite long enough, although the body-fit was good, so it meant that to feel comfortable I had to push the sleeves up. That or have half my wrists dangling free, and the shoulders dragging. For longer wearers, opt for a bigger fit.
The main front zipper is likewise a reverse zipper design, with the same rubber toggled zipper-pull, and has a overlap panel running its length to eliminate any wind chill through that seam. That's something that makes a lot of difference to me, and is also carries over into the design of the bottom seam of the windshirt, which is generously long, especially useful for us long-bodied types, and much like a cyclists shirt, ensures good coverage when you're crouched over. No more chilled kidneys! The main zipper is also double-headed, so you can upon the windshirt from top or bottom, meaning you can access belt-worn gear without exposing your chest to the elements, or from the top down.

One nice feature is that the windshirt comes up with its own storage pouch, accessible via a quite unobtrusive zippered pocket in the small of the back on the outside, you could also use this as an extra storage compartment for paperwork or what have you, as lon as you don't mind it being out of line of sight. The whole windshirt folds in on itself easily enough into that pocket, although I think I would have preferred it to have done so from the inside out, rather than outside in. Once packed up, it is a fairly small, and springy bundle, which I've used as an impromptu pillow and gear-rest and the whole thing fits into a cargo pocket easily enough, or jammed into the bottom of a pack. 

The cut and look of the windshirt is pretty neutral, no loop fields on shoulders or chest, no pen holders, or any external features other than the single pectoral pocket and two hand pockets, is is a pretty innocuous looking garment, perfect for being they grey-man in the crowd, albeit in black, coyote or olive. 

https://www.propper.com/mens/outerwear/proppertm-packable-full-zip-windshirt.html

Review: Platatac microfleece Sniper pants

Here's a very simple post for a very simple product. It's winter here in Melbourne, and you may have gathered that whilst it's actually pretty mild here (today it got down to 7oC (that's 44oF)) so it's not like we have to contend with ice, snow or sleet very often at all, but I still don't like it.

If you've ever had call to stand around in wet windy winters, you may well appreciate having a good base-layer. These are the Platatac Microfleece Sniper Pants.

Cut generously from a 100 wt Microfleece, with an elasticised waistband that at small size sits at 26" relaxed and 51" fully expanded, and all the way up to 38" and 81" fully expanded in the XL size. These are currently offered in khaki and black, although I have a set in dark green from the early runs as well.


Nylon stretch foot loops help to keep the pants from riding up and secured on your legs. I've worn these whilst up at the snow, and also when I go out kayaking but the keen eyed reader may have also seen me donning them when out hammock-camping.

 The elastic waistband isn't really there to do anything more than keep them on your hips, but does so admirably, and I've not had any problems with it digging n, even with a battle belt or pack strap around my waist, over pants in my low key adventuring. They are the perfect companion to the Platatac Half-zip Microfleece tops too.

The leg cuffs do a great job of keeping the pants from riding up, especially if you find yourself crawling through the brush, or legs-up in a hammock, a very desirable trait when the temperature drops and you want to regulate your temperature evenly. IT is light and silky enough so as to not affect socks or boots when on your feet, and don't give rise to hotspots or chafing.

One thing to note though. Microfleese does not wick. These get sweaty and slick if you build up some heat, and can be uncomfortably steamy as a result in some situations. This is especially important if you're expecting to be out where you might re-chill.

They are quick drying though, which is one reason I choose to wear them when I'm out kayaking.
I don't mind getting wet, but no one wants to stay wet. Especially in the cold.

If you find yourself in the market for a light, warm set of underlayer bottoms, you might do well to keep something like these in mind. If you find yourself laying prone, still and running silent whilst stalking prey or providing overwatch, you might well want to add a little comfort to your operation.

Review: Propper ICE Polo

As first seen on BreachBangClear!

As part of the batch of awesome goodies I received from Propper, along with the Liberty Bottle and some other cool items.

I wear polo shirts every day to work, and as I like to say disaster doesn't wait till after hours and weekend.  I like to slot in as much rugged kit into my everyday workwear as I can, whilst still staying within the limits of acceptable dress at work, so having some technical clothing in non-military cuts is quite a boon for me.

The Propper ICE Performance polo does just this, with a classical polo-shirt look that can still be packed full of features.

Made from an "advanced wicking fabric", made of 94% and 6% spandex, it dries 125% faster than cotton, 30% faster than traditional polyester. Pretty awesome. This is apparently fade, shrink and wrinkle resistant. It certainly is wrinkle resistant. I've worn and laundered this a number of times, slept in it and generally treated it shabbily, and it has bounced back every time.

Extended length for tucking into pants means no worries of it coming untucked and unprofessional looking, whether you are in the ceiling, or hopping out of a vehicle.  It has a sleek, smooth finish and is very comfortable to wear. It feels pretty weird for a shirt though, more like a swim-suit. That might be an issue for some people.

Part of that comes down to the 100% polyester gusseted mesh underarm which increases both ventilation and range of motion. These are made from and are colour matched so well I had to go back and check they were there. Hidden button down collar stays provide a clean, professional look, with no risk of an unexpected popped-collar douche effect.

However, not being just another polo shirt is where these come into their own. Hidden-in-the-seams pockets function as mic clips on both shoulders (I attached my 5.11 ATAC A1 flashlight on one, hands free illumination!)  and sunglasses loop under the placket which I attached some ID to, showcase the options here.

Even better, there is a two-channel pen pocket on the left shoulder, handy for us righties, but very useful for anyone who needs to have a pen handy, and not in the depths of a pants pocket.

This is a great shirt. Rugged without being barracks-wear, functional without being too tactical-chic, it lets me have a few tricks up (or on) my sleeves.

Review: Propper - STL II pants

As first seen on BreachBangClear ..... I really love being able to write for these guys, and upcoming articles for RecoilWeb too!


Here's another great piece from Propper's new line-up, the redoubtable  STL II pants, that came in my haul of Propper loot, along with a Liberty Bottle , the ICE polo shirt, (http://www.epropper.com/p-105-ice-mens-performance-polo-short-sleeve.aspx), their Gen Multipurpose Bag (http://www.epropper.com/p-217-gen-multipurpose-bag.aspx) and a 720 Belt (http://www.epropper.com/p-225-720-belt.aspx) all of which have reviews pending. Watch this space.

Here is what I can tell you about the STL II pants. I've reviewed some Propper pants before and appreciated the comfort and wearability of their design, construction and durability. The STL II's are no different. Made from a 97% nylon and 3% spandex, it has a generous cut and all the hard wearing seams are reinforced, and flat-finished, giving these pants a very comfortable fit. http://www.epropper.com/p-148-stl-ii-pant.aspx

The fabric is soft, breathes nicely and light, a far cry from my old canvas type cargo pants of yesteryear. I wonder how hard-wearing they will be in the long term, and whether they need to fall in the "slacks vs overalls" category of rough-use. I have a feeling running through acacia thorns wouldn't be a lot of fun in these.

On the upside, they feature gusseted crotch allows greater range of motion as well as giving pinch free fit for those of us who go-commando or even sport some jewelry ...

An interesting feature is that the bottom of the legs have a zippered expandable opening, for fitting over boots, as well as a reinforced "kick-panel"  to take some of the brunt for those who punish their back hems a fair bit.

The front pockets feature a reinforcing strip, for belt-clips of knives or key-holders, and are both deep and well lined. No holes poking through or awkward bulges with these. The thigh-pockets are zippered and discreet, as are the rear-pockets. A pair of looped fabric bands on the front two belt-loops

You might notice that I have stuffed my iPad Air into the thigh-pocket. A tight fit, but I'd call that a success, in my "can I pocket my iPad" criteria. This also further demonstrated the clean and subtle lines of these pants. When closed off, there are no bulging baffles or overtly "cool-guy" flaps on these pants. Perfect for blending in with the regular folks out and about, in the office, or in my day-to-day case, in hospitals and giving presentations in board-rooms, without making security nervous.

As Propper themselves state, you'd have to look twice at these pants to spot their tactical features.

Speaking of which, there is even a secret 12cm x 10cm pocket, in the back waistband seam.  Its big enough for me to stash my passports, or a phone, and when coupled with a pair of belt-pouches, is pretty much invisible.

For pants as cleanly cut as these, I like that they still have the "secret-squirrel" feel of their tactical ancestry.  As previously mentioned, they feel more like slacks than combat-pants, that is a plus and a minus, depending on how you look at it.

Home Front: LEGear - 5.11 concept store

One of the places I look to for my kit is LEGear, an online store for Law Enforcement, Military and Outdoor products in Australia and New Zealand, who refer to themselves as a  “One Source – Total Solution Provider” for government needs. In June they opened a third brick-and-mortar store, this time in my home town. 

In both a soft-launch and grand opening, the good folks from LEGear, opened their doors and hosted a BBQ, as well as spending time answering questions about their stock.  

I have covered a bunch of kit I've bought from and/or received for review from LEGear before, such as my much loved First Spear Oagre vest, a pair of Blackhawk pants and shirt. I sought out the LEGear team at the SSAA SHOT show and met up with the folks from Fenix through them. 

It turns out that the Melbourne LEGear store is also a 5.11Tactical  Concept store.
Avid readers will also recall that I have a soft spot for 5.11 gear as well, with a collection of their ATAC A1 flashlight,  the CUB Karambit and several different styles of their pants. I also got to meet 5.11 CEO, Tom Davin, who was responsible for the Tactical Kilts going into production. Was a real treat to talk to him, and even got to put in a request for Kryptek as the next pattern choice they might look into.

So, all you Melbournites interested in the full range of 5.11 Tactical gear, from boots to bags, belts and clothes, as well as Fenix lights, and Benchmade blades go check it out! 

A full range, all the colours and sizes on hand.

Boots, Boots, Boots.

Nukes, knives, sharp sticks ....

Review: Platatac Punisher 2014 CUS Shirt

Here is one of my favourite go-to shirts for when I have some serious adventuring to do. This is the Platatac Punisher Cool Under Shirts 2014 edition. I got mine in the 3-pack bundle, which means I can shirt-up and stay stink free for days at a time.

The shirts themselves are made from Drytech polyester and are designed to be worn under body armour, as a work-out shirt or whatever close fitting base layer you might need. Ive covered this kind of garment before in the Blackhawk! shirts and the Under Armour shirts. These kinds of materials wick moisture away from the body, helping keep you cool and also quick drying. I certainly gave this a test this year in both the Tough Mudder, and on my recent trip to Fiji.

There are even mesh panels under the arms to help with airflow, which really comes in handy if you are wearing a vest of some kind (be that a plate carrier, LBV or BCD/PFD) especially in a hot and or wet environment.


Decked out with Kryptek patterning printed onto the right sleeve, and fitted with a broad swatch of loop-field on the left, the tan material with subdued ANF for the platypus skull filler make this a cool-guy shirt that does its job. The back is printed with shout-outs to the major lines Platatac works with.

I've put this shirt through some pretty strenuous work; it's my running shirt, my Tough Mudder shirt, I wore it jetski-safariing and snorkeling. I've found it to be light, warm when needed, cool when needed and certainly quick drying.

I really liked having a loop-field to attach items from my ever-growing patch collection.

If you have need of a slick, comfortable and hard-wearing body-hugging shirt, you should totally give the CUS a try. Coyote adventure tested!

Review: DRIFIRE Lightweight Long sleeve tee

The weather has turned here, and it's been time to break out the longer sleeves. My first selection, was this light but warm number from DRIFIRE, the Lightweight long-sleeve tee from their Layering Shirts and Tops range.

I got mine in XL, because of my super long arms, but was pleased to find it didn't swim on me, I assume this is due to the skin-snug fit they generally get worn with.

Some of the nice features of this shirt are that the ribbed collar maintains its shape, keeping it high and snug, without being constrictive. The soft fabric has given me no troubles with chafing, no matter what I've been doing, or how I've been layered.
Better yet, the antimicrobial blend of fabrics is designed to resist odor (proven after several days camp-side wear). It is also moisture-wicking and fast-drying, not through any coatings or washes, but through the propriety materials used. they wont wash out, or wear out.

Best yet, DRIFIRE gear is made with no-melt, no-drip fabrics, so apparently they will not melt or fuse to skin when exposed to flame or fire.  This is excellent, as I really do not like being on fire. It's one of my least favourite things. Fire resistant clothes. This is a feature I'm willing to stake my skin on. Hopefully not one I'll put to the test though.

The seams are well placed, and flat woven, which also cuts down on the chafing risk, especially when laden down with pack straps or under a plate carrier.

For a long sleeve  street-wear alternative to my other regular stand by, like the Truspec combat shirt or the short sleeve UnderArmor shirts I really like this shirt. Feels like a soft cotton tee, wears like a performance garment.

Update: 5.11 Tactical - TDU Kilt re-release

The good folks over at Soldier Systems have reminded me (and now from me, to you) that 5.11 Tactical have re-released their Tactical Kilt.

I love mine, in fact, I'm wearing one right now. I brave both weather and the harassment of the ignorant (and actual Scots) to be comfortable and bad-ass. Pants are tyranny and I love freedom. Don't you?

Check them out at:
http://www.511tactical.com/kiltoff
http://www.511tactical.com/tactical-duty-kilt-134360.html
and hopefully on http://www.511tactical.com.au/ soon

Available with the following colors: Khaki (a greenish brown), Coyote (a tan brown), TDU Green, Tundra (a deep green), Charcoal, Dark Navy, Black, original MultiCam, and Realtree Xtra and in sizes 28-54.

If that wasn't cool enough, 5.11 are also donating $10 from every kilt sold to FBINAA and We Salute You Veterans.