Review: Hardcore Hardware Australia - TWI-02

I signed up for, and was one of four winners in a Hardcore Hardware Australia Facebook competition to take home their new and improved Tactical Writing Implement, the TWI-02. His has been a nice addition to my tactical pen collection. Currently I have the Cybernetic Research labs Tactical pen in my Hazard4 harness, and the Ti2 magnetic pen as part of my daily pocket collection the HHA TWI-02 is a very substantial competitor to what goes in my EDC.

The shaft of the pen is constructed from 6000 series, non-reflective, black anodized aluminium for extreme longevity and wearability, and features a recessed crown for positive thumb control with integrated steel pocket clip. The crown recession is via a series of stepped rings, which gives a very nicely textured grip, without leaving sharp edges to catch on anything. It is 147mm (5.78") long and 14mm (0.55") at its widest, and weighs in at
51g (1.8oz).

At the opposing end of the capped pen, they have incorporated a 46-48 HRC steel ‘ball’ tip for emergency glass breaking and impact applications. 

I've pounded a few things with this, and so far it's held up very well to my tentative testing, with no damage to either the ball, or the housing on the body of the pen. The cap screws down onto the body of the pen at the writing end, giving a very secure connection for when you want to deal out some percussive or pressure point based persuasion, but HHA avoid putting machined threads on the "outside" of the pen, by having a "clip-on" connection when you use the writing end.

There is an O-ring at the writing end to give a full seal making it completely waterproof when the cap is screwed down.

Knurling at key points along the pen aids a positive grip, as does the differing profile through the piece. Coupled with the recessed crown, you can get some really good gripping angles from this, whether you are writing or using the glass-breaker.

A steel clip fixed onto the side around the crown end of the pen is well sculpted and gives a really positive grip to a pocket notepad or wherever you stash your pen.

When it comes time to replace the refill the TWI-02, it will accept standard Parker and Fisher Space Pen refills, but for the life of me I haven't yet worked out how to do this. I think it must be the very tight tolerances that it is put together with, and I'll have to get in touch with the HHA guys when I run out of ink. 

Putting the TWI-02 up against a couple of my other "tactical" pens, the Cybernetic Research Labs pen
and the Ti2 Techliner pen the TWI-02 certainly comes up on top when it comes to imposing presence and size.

I had one attentive reader noted in my Sneak Peak post that the TWI-02 looks considerably like one of the Boker tactical pens and whilst they are very similar I don't think the resemblance is anything other than coincidental, the Tactical Pen world isn't very big.

I really like the feel of it as a pen, and also as an impact tool.

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.

Wish Lust: Total Comfort Medical kneepads

I got an email from Joe Johnson, President and CEO of Total Comfort Medical got in touch with me. Joe had worked with Stephen Walden of Bosse Tools and remembered the Wish-lust article I did on the Ergonomic Shovel that Bosse Tools (I didn't happen to back that one, mostly due to the hefty shipping rates to Australia from the rest of the world) and wanted to get my opinion on his new product design.

TCM has developed a flexible kneepad, for use gardening, at work or at other activity you might be putting your knees through some hefty activity. 
I wear kneepads when ever I am adventuring, such as Tough Mudders or laser-tag events and mostly wear my now battered Blackhawk! kneepads, so it would be excellent to have another option, perhaps even a less-high-impact version, to better blend in or go unnoticed.

 
 The TCM pads are constructed with one inch thick foam core composed of two different layers. The top layer of padding is a real memory foam that contours around the knee of a user. It provides a soft point of contact that absorbs the initial pressure of your knee. The bottom layer of padding is an energy dispersing foam. This layer provides a sustained level of support.
The outer layer of the pad is a wicking fabric that is water resistant, oil resistant, and chemical resistant, meaning you’ll always stay dry and protected.

The knee pads are durable and weather resistant, you can use them inside or take them outside wherever your work requires. They have a hook-and-loop strip closure system, but have a wrap-around ergonomically designed curved strap that has been planned to prevent any pinching or binding behind your leg.

This has long been the bane of knee pads in my experience, and I have had some bad times going for long runs with pads on, so I look forwards to putting this design through its paces too.


Stay on the look out for these kneepads from TCM, I'll let you all know when they are available, and I've had a chance to put them through their paces.

Review: Hardcore Hardware Australia - LFK-05

It was my birthday recently, and I was lucky enough to receive (from my mother, no less) this very nice piece from Hardcore Hardware Australia. This is a first because as far as I can recall, this is the first weapon gift I've received from her in all my 39 years. I guess she thinks I'm mature enough for cutting implements now...

I gifted Omega a HHA LFK01 knife for her birthday a couple of years ago, and it has featured as an accessory for numerous outings and adventures, be it wilderness or as a playtool for clubs that would give Mr Grey reason to pause. However, it took some time for me to get a HHA blade to call my very own, so I'm very leased to show off this, the newly released LFK-05.

I did a Sneak Peek piece on the new series, and their badder brother, the ASOT-01.

The LFK Series tools are designed primarily as overt carry, easy to reach back-up knives. These aren't thigh-sized jungle-slashers, these are close in and personal tools for when you need something small, shard and hardy.

Made from the same 6mm (0.23") D2 tool steel, as the original LFK-01,  with full tang construction  and a robust Teflon coating the blade isn't wrapped with paracord as previous HHA blades but is instead
nonslip, ergonomically carved , G10 handle scales offering a positive and comfortable grip, and are secured with Torx screw.

The neck of the blade features a grove for your leading (or little finger, if you are reverse gripping) and the spine features a broad sweep of jimping for secure thumb pressure. The spear point design offers exceptional strength, yet allows optimal maneuverability and edge-on geometry.

You can see the pronounced glass-breaker point at the rear end, which also features a lanyard hole as well as full beveling to remove any sharp corners.  Weighing in at 171g (0.37lb), this little knife only measures 172mm (6.77") in overall length, 70mm (2.75") of which is blade. The whole piece is only 45mm (1.77") at its widest.

Due to its size and weight, the LFK is an ideal choice where space on an assault platform may be limited, on a belt where bigger blades might be "too much knife". These heavy-duty blades also bridge the gap where full-sized, fixed blade knives may be unmanageable, and a folder a poor compromise. I prefer fixed blades to folders in most situations, and having a small fixed blade is something I find desirable.
I put up the LFK-05 against the LFK-01 here, as well as the comparably small but chunky MSM001 KA-BAR knife.

The blade is treated to a rather stiff
58 – 60 HRC which, thanks to the tool-tough D2 steel should put this in good stead for any task you care to throw at it.
 
The LFK-05 is friction locked in a smartly moulded Kydex ambidextrous sheath. A set of eyelets around the edge of the sheath allows it to be fitted with a Tek-Lok™ mounting system for belt carry, which can be customised in vertical or horizontal positions. 

Those eyelet holes along both sides of the sheath facilitates alternative attachment to the body or gear via paracord or cable ties, although I've found the friction lock too secure to work as a neck-knife, without wanting to give myself whip-lash. 
One thing I've found is that the fat-body G10 scale handle is not quite right for my bare hand, the gaps for finger grips and the finger grip at the neck don't quite mesh, just due tot the size of my hand. When gloved this is less noticeable, but something to note.  I didn't have this issue with the cord-wrapped LFK-01, however, it is not a big enough problem for me not to love it. 

This is a rugged knife, nicely sized for belt wear, and fitting to any number of spaces on a harness, pack or where-ever you might find yourself in the need of a solid blade in a little package.

Review: 20oz Yeti rambler

 I got a care package from BreachBangClear and Propper, which included some fine pieces I'll be covering over the next little while. One of the first in the new bath of things is something near and dear to my heart. I'm a big tea-drinker, all kinds, but strong dark and sweet is my preference. It comes from traveling so much.

It can be hard to find good coffee, but pretty much everywhere you go in the world, there is good tea to be found. But better than hot, dark and sweet, is HOT. Lukewarm drinks are a hardship that we can do without. Let's not even get started on lukewarm COLD drinks.

There are few things as satisfying as a frosty bubbling beverage after a hard day's toil, but no one wants the cold wet perspiration that you get on the outside of regular cans and bottles.

The clever folks at Yeti took that age old problem; cold drinks getting warm, and hot drinks going cold to heart, and took it to task. This is the Yeti Rambler in its 20oz size. Because when you are baking out in the sandbox, all shiny and chrome, or chilling with your friends on the icepack, you want to keep your beverage at optimal enjoyment temperatures, for as long as possible.

Double walled vacuum sealed Dewar vessels have been around since 1892, around the same time as the venerable Winchester lever action so Yeti have had 110 years of refinement to come up with this iteration.


The Rambler tumblers are over-engineered with kitchen-grade 18/8 stainless steel (18/8 for its composition of 18% chromium and 8% nickel.) and double-wall vacuum insulated. There's a thin seam at the bottom of the outside, and a lip inside the tumbler to fit the lid to, but otherwise a smooth and easy cleaning cup with no give to the walls. It's a really solid design.

Note to the avid reader: do NOT BBQ your Yeti, they're insulated

The lid that keeps your drink in its place is easy to clean, dishwasher safe, shatterproof and crystal clear so you know exactly how much of your drink is left. The silicone rubber gasket keeps it fitting snugly into the cup, and I've not had any spill problems with the seal. The drink hole is a decent size, and there is also a breather hole. The clear lid does fog up with steam from a hot drink, and some might not like that, but it's a good indicator that the drink is still hot. There is no seal for the drink hole, so some sloshing may occur. It fits nicely in the cup-holders I've used it in, but the same problem of over-flow from the always-open lip occurs.

I made my self a tea as I sat down to watch Fury (best job I ever had) and as the credits rolled, 135 minutes later, my tea was still hot. In fact, I've burnt myself a few times having made myself tea and left it in the Yeti, because it is insulated so well.

So overall, a great design, with a couple of provisos. Watch out for sloshes and remember hot drinks are hot!

Sneak Peek: HHA PEN and knife

Last week I became the proud owner of two new pieces from knife and tool manufactures  Hardcore Hardware Australia. 

My mother broke a 39year old rule of hers and bought me the very first knife, this lovely LFK05.

I was also one of five winners of a competition HHA ran, and received a TWI02 in the mail. 

Stay tuned for reviews in the next little while.