Review: Hazard4 Labs: LaunchPad iPad sleeve

I've been keeping an eye on the upcoming products from Hazard4 Labs, who made the replacement to my old harness, the  RG harness that I keep the majority of my EDC in.  

They have finally released their Poncho (review coming soon!)
and I got one of these very cool cases thrown in for good measure, along with another item, which I have not yest started testing.

This is the LaunchPad iPad sleeve.

Made to fit the iPad 1 and iPad 2, with an internal capacity 28.5cm x 21 cm (11.1" x 8.2"), the sleeve is constructed from an Invista® 1000D Cordura, giving it a very rugged and scuff resistant exterior. The interior is lined with a faux-suede material which has been quilted over an internal padding material.

This gives a really nice body to the sleeve, and not only provided non-slip carriage for my iPad, but also proffered a not inconsiderable level of bump, drop and scratch protection to it. 

Two grometted (and screened) air-vents prevents that puffiness that padding can get from time to time.

 I'm not overly precious with my technology, as my collection of screen-guards and cases will attest. I've found that my iPad screen has taken several rough trips when I've over-packed my Bullock Echo daypack, with my iPad sitting loose in it's helmet carrier section. 

Exactly the kind of abuse the LaunchPad will protect it from.

The internal closure is from two patches of hook-and-loop, which features cleverly recessed hook-fields, really improving the sleek lines of the sleeve. The main closure is provided by a shock-cord loop, with a sewn-webbing pull tab, that is fed through an eyelet in the lid, and hooks around a plastic tri-glide buckle.
 
The back side of the sleeve brings its own set of goodies. Four rows of six channel PALS/MOLLE line the back, with the top three rows sporting loop-fields between them, for ID patches (or in this case my ITS Tactical membership tab). The idea being that you can attach accessory pouches to the sleeve (for chargers and cables, or whatnot) or mount the whole sleeve to something with PALS/MOLLE strips like the MOLLE Stix, Blackhawk S.T.R.K.E. speed clips or the like. I could see this on a pack, or the back of a plate carrier. 

At the bottom left of the back of the sleeve is the final feature, the steel "carbine type" triangular gear loop for attachment of a carabiner, keychain, or wristloop. I haven't yet hooked anything to it, still looking for the right combination, but it's a really thoughtful addition to an elegantly constructed and designed tablet storage sleeve. 

The sleeve isn't water or dust proof, but it does offer almost total coverage, and the Cordrura is water resistant, at least. Consider it a 3-season tent for your tech.

Review: ThinkGeek - Pocket Chainsaw

For my last birthday, I did my family a favor and purchased a bunch of my own presents. I'm notorious for having already picked items off my own wish-lust-lists.

Think Geek has been a good source for gadgets and gizmos to feed my need, and this year was no exception. The difficulty being getting items that can be shipped to Australia, as they have started restricting items based on, well, "pointiness" as far as I can tell. The UC M48 Ranger Hawk,KA-BAR Zombie Killer knives and even the Dead-On Annihilator Superhammer available through Think Geek are not for export to Australia. Sad-making!

However, one of the pieces of kit that IS still available, is this, thePocket Chainsaw.

I have covered my Wire Saw's previously, which are a gorgeous bit of kit to have stowed away in a Bug-Out-Bag or camping set, but there are times when you really need a bit more bite.

I've never been very comfortable with powered saws, (even when Picatinny-rail mounted...) because of the risk of kickback as seen in Dawn of the Dead and described to me by a variety of experienced wood-cutters (not all of whom had all their fingers). I can and have used chainsaws, I just prefer non-powered tools to do the job. Slower, I know, but unless I needed to do a lot, and often enough to become familiar and proficient again, I'll stick to hand-tools.

This pocket chainsaw fir my need perfectly! Made of high strength, heat-treated steel which has been coated for rust resistance and smoothness of cutting action, it comes with bent rings to hook through the lead ends of the chain, and corded plastic handles to ease the cutting action, and increase the draw and reach of the saw.

The 70cm (28") saw features 124 bidirectional teeth, capable of cutting in both the forwards and backwards draw, and the beauty of this piece is that when you are done wit hit, it rolls up into a coil that fits int its own carry-can, along with the welded loop-hooks, and the whole package weighs only 140g (5 oz)

It comes with two molded plastic handles with cord loops,  which I fixed to the loop-hooks with a larks-head hitch. The loops and handles added about another 50cm or so of reach, as well as keeping my knuckles clear of both saw and log.

We had some pretty damaging spring wind-storms here, and my partner Anastasia had a largish gum-tree branch fall on her shed, which seemed a perfect chance for me to finally get to use some of my newer acquisitions.

I chopped the smaller limbs with my
Ranger Hawk, as will as its big brother, the M48 Walking Axe which packed considerable wallop for such a small cutting head. Both bit faster and deeper than my usual go-to Fiskars Log Splitter. However, when it came to cutting through logs, after I had trimmed the branches off, it was time for the saw to do its thing.

click the picture to go to ThinkGeek store!

I didn't stop to measure the diameter of these limbs, but they were at least 20cm. Bigger than my skinny little thighs, for sure.


The saw bit in fast and made quick work of the first third of the log, but I found that a comfortable, narrow shoulder grip tended to cause the chain to bind up, leading to me needing to take a very wide stance to effect my cuts.

Once I cleared the hard core of the branch, I was a matter of raising the ends, so that gravity would force the log open, to reduce that binding. This was because I was cutting "up" standing over the log. Pulling "down" and cutting a suspended branch would have been much easier, but dangerous.

When I was done, the loop-hooks simply disengaged, I unhitched the handles and stowed the coiled saw and loop-hooks in the pocket tin. The handles had to be stowed separately. This was an excellent, easy to use and practical addition to my car-kit, ready to pull out and cut up road blocking obstacles without the need for fuel, and storage space.

 

Here's just a quick picture of the M48 Walking axe, hanging off the largest of the limbs I cut with it, in-situ. The para-cord wrap on my M48 Ranger Hawk completely unraveled whilst chopping, which was very unsatisfactory. I will eventually re-tie it myself.

The folding pocket chainsaw worked tremendously well, silently, and quickly. 

Review: Peruvian Fleece Cap

So, I've made no bones about my disdain for winter, and am always on the look out for more cold-banishing gear to add to my collection. This winter I added some long Nomex gloves to couple with my Harry 1.2 softshell jacket. However, I wanted something to keep my head snug and toasty. When in Canada I often wore a tuque and when living in England I had a hunting cap with ear-flaps so when, I saw these come up on eBay, I got a set for myself, and one for Omega too (who is still acclimatizing to Melbourne from Brisbane, 5 years on)

This is apparently a "Peruvian Wool Fleece Cap" patterned after the traditional Chullo. Im pretty certain it isn't wool, so lets just say that it is fleece. The cap is topped by six triangular sections, much like most fabric hats, but is edged with an asymmetrical band that includes the "ear-flaps". A cord-locked drawstring is sewn in to assist with retention, and to keep the flaps tucked up to your chin in especially chilly conditions.

I tend to roll the ear flaps up and cinch the drawstring in a little, because I like to hear my surroundings more clearly,

However, when up at the snow, or in just a bitter wind, I am only too happy to protect me delicate flesh and roll them down. 

The snug fit lends itself to sitting under a hood, such as in my Harry 1.2 jacket, or even under a helmet, such as my Ops-Core knockoff bump helmet.

Thankfully there have been few days this season where I've felt like I've needed this cap, but I am vey glad to have it, packed and ready, for when I did. A great camping and wilderness survival addition. 

I'm thinking of doing Halloween as Angry Finland...

Side note, my mother had kept my ear-flap cap, I passed it on to Tactical Baby ... RLTW!

Review: Platatac - Leg Rig

I was looking over my collection of gear and realised there were a couple of items that have quietly gone un-reported, little pieces that seemed to take a back seat over their flashier cousins, and I wanted to give them some web-space too


I've shown this piece, in use, a couple of times, in my "No, Really" post, and coupled with its usual attachment, the Young Guns belt. However, it deserves it's own review. This is the 3/4 Leg Rig by Platatac.


I've covered a drop-leg holster in the past, and I have to be honest, they bring out the Han Solo in me ...

This was an early model of their now more mature Leg Rig but it serves me just fine. The three main features of the rig are: a  3 channel by 3 row PALS/MOLLE field, which is built on top of a 1000d Cordura with a stiff plastic reinforced backing platform.

Twin straps wrap around the thigh, and are half elasticized and half webbing backed with hook and loop. This gives you two different ways that you can adjust the fit, as well as it having sufficient flex to accommodate the changing dimensions of the thigh whilst running, climbing or scrambling. Anyone who has worn a non-elastic cuff whilst doing any of that kind of thing will tell you, its no fun. Two bands divides the load, and gives you a better fit to the shape of the thigh.

The "inside" of the rig shows us the way the mounting strap attaches, with a hook backed strap and a loop-faced side on the inside, to avoid abrasion. This gives you a really wide latitude for adjustment up and down, to ensure the best fit for your rig.

This was really good for me, as I have really long skinny legs, getting a thigh rig to sit right can be a real pain for me.  The thigh straps are free-sliding, and run through the middle of the rig, meaning you can customize the buckles and which thigh you wear it on to suit your need.

On top of the mounting strap, connected to a slider ring, is the belt clip. With both a hook and look backing, and two press studs, the belt clip not only bites down hard, and is adjustable for different bet sizes, it can also be woven into the middle of a riggers belt such as the 215Gear Ultimate for an extra secure and non-slip fit.

You can add any PALS/MOLLE capable item to the rig, I usually wear mine with my Drop Gas Mask bag as a dump-pouch, but could just as easily fit it with any 1, 2 or 3 channel PALS/MOLLE kit I wanted. The newer Platatac leg rigs are 4x4, giving the wearer a little more real-estate to mount on, but i have skinny thighs, and plenty of pockets already. I've been considering getting another, in the "more subdued" black to wear out and about, I've had similar rigs in past, but my colour pallet has lightened over the years...

Review: Spyderco Byrd - Harp tool

A very touching gift was given to me recently, for an anniversary, and because my tastes are well known, it was something i wanted to blog about!

This is the Spyderco-Byrd "Harp Tool" so named because of its resemblance to the musical instrument in its layout.

The tool consists of a C shaped bar of steel, filled with eight separate tools, held in place by a pin under tension from the ring itself. The tools in the array are  held in place by having a ridge and slot on alternate faces, such that the tension "snaps" them in place.

Available tools are: a flat-head and Phillips-head screwdriver, a  punch/awl, a gimlet (I had to look that one up, but it is a small hand drill) , a wood-saw, corkscrew (always a favorite and plain essential if operating in the European AO), a light-use file and a small/"large"-head hammer that doubles as a bottle cap opener.

Lacking a knife, this is definitely a secondary tool-kit addition, but you can never have too many tools stashed away. The tools are all functional enough to get little jobs done, but are obviously not up to a lot of hard labour, especially given the ridge-and-slot locking design. I'm not sure what I would use the hammer for that I wouldn't just use a rock for, but For Want of  a Nail...


With an overall length of 16.5 cm (6.5") and a closed length of 9.5cm (3.75") and weighing only 117g (4..6oz.) this is a light weight addition to a pack, picnic basket or glove box. That's where I will be stashing this little guy, perfect for a three hour tour.

Guest Submission: hardware conversions

One of my old friends and readers shot me a message a while back saying "I went to Bunnings (read: Home Depot, USAnians) and got a bunch of things to try out for the Apocalypse ..." and I thought it was high time that I gave them a bit of a write up. This is a decided departure from regular store-bought "tactical" gear, and look towards what "found items" might be converted into impromptu hand to hand weapons.

Such as this driveable post-socket spear which is lashed to a whittled post, and lashed on with leather strapping. With some rudimentary sharpening this makes a big two handed spear / axe / mace. These can be found holding up many street signs, fence posts and the like, and once pried from the ground make quite a formidable hand to hand weapon, or even giant ballista bolt head.

The second piece was a fence-post-topper, the kind of thing you see decorating fancy fences which my friend decided would make an excellent mace-head.

I've got to admit, whenever I pass a wrought iron fence, especially old, cracked or loose, I wonder how easy it would be to wrench a length free, and use as an ad-hoc melee weapon. This example is mounted to a long bolt, but could also be mounted directly to a post. I'm thinking the threading might lead to a weak point, especially under the heavy impacts a mace might expect, but hey, this is impromptu at its best. Use what you have, when you have nothing else, and Adapt, Improvise, Overcome. Thanks Karl!

Review: UVPaqlite

I had a comment left for me by a reader on my Facebook page (g'day LCpl Thralls!) following on from my Lazerbrites post I dropped by UVPaqLite to check out their glowsticks.

I'm a sucker for lights, as my regular viewers would know, and have an enormous affection for glow-in-the-dark products, having decorated many childhood bedrooms with constellations and have expanded that into my adult life with the SAR GlobalTool Moon-Glows. I was impressed by the range of rugged, practical items that UVPaqLite had on offer, and snapped up their mixed collection Scout Pack.

 I put my Moon-Glow down beside the collection for a comparison as well as a wrapped cyalume stick, for scale. I super-charged all of these with my Jil-Lite Jenyx UV torch

The scout pack consists of four different elements; the UVGlowStik, the 6" ToobLite, a UVO ring necklace and the flexible signature UVPaqLite sheet. 

The UVGlowStik, ToobLite and UVO are solid pieces, consisting of solidified clear epoxy, in which crystals of
glow-in-the-dark strontium aluminate are suspended. Being solid-state, these pieces can be cut or drilled and can also be taken to ANY depth. 

Unlike traditional GITD products, the large crystals are clearly visible but apparently this large granularity increases the brightness, duration and speed of charging, they certainly appeared to do so.

The 4"x1/2" UVGlowStik is not quite as bright overall as the 6" ToobLite, but is "ruggedised", lacking
the tube, plastic cap, and key chain ring of its larger cousin, but features a drilled lanyard hole.

Swiped from UVPaqLite webpage.

The UVO is 1.75" in diameter, and comes in both the traditional greenish GITD hue, but also in their "Ice Blue", but subtly adjusting the chemical composition of the crystals. Spinning the UCO on its lanyard produces a signalling method of contrasting of light and movement which would make it easier for rescue crews to see from the air.

The UVPaqLite flatpack is a vacuum sealed roll-able, stuff-able, pouch measuring 20cm x 15cm (8"x6") and weighing only 36g (1.3oz) and can be dangled or laid flat to provide a tents forth of illumination all night long.  Better yet they have an essentially infinite shelf life, unlimited recharge cycles. Perfect for a disaster, where resupply, or even infrastructure is doubtful.

I found that the whole set could be exposed to electric room lights for "getting ready for bed" durations, and still be visibly glowing in the pre-dawn gloom, when Tactical Baby comes calling. Daylight exposure for just a few minutes makes them light up visibly even in lit environments, thanks broken ozone layer! UVPaqLite suggest that they would still be visible as markers even after 4 days of cave-darkness. These are super cool, and I think I will be adding more to my collection as soon as budget allows, great gift ideas are forming ...