It occurred to me that some or all of you are coming to this blog via a variety of paths. In case you fancied following my posts via alternate means here are a couple of alternate means to stalk me:
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A place for me to review the various rugged, nifty and needful kit that I've accumulated, for every-day preparedness in the event of accident, disaster or world-shifting end-times Apocalypse, be it zombies, triffids or Mayan divide-by-zero errors.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Review: Platatac - Harry 1.2 Softshell Jacket

Winter rolled around with alarming speed this year, I felt and I am remarkably displeased with this situation. Winters in Melbourne are typically blustery, damp and cool. It rarely drops below freezing, but we do have some frosty mornings and bitter nights for sure. The time came around when just layering jumpers simply didn't cut it, to either shrug off the rain or cut the wind. I've enjoyed wearing my Microfleece Half-Zip coupled with either my kendo club vest, or any one of my salvaged jumpers but the combined wind and wet have left me unhappy. So, when the opportunity arose to upgrade my winter-time wear, I jumped at it. What I'm sporting here is the Platatac Harry 1.2 Jacket, my new best friend in winter. This is the XXL in BRO Olive, which blends nicely with my other things, and avoids "Melbourne Black" an aesthetic choice.
What can I tell you about this jacket...? Firstly that it is solid. Not heavy, because it's not all that weighty. Not stiff or bulky, because it's neither of those. It is solid. The fabric has a really "present" feel, unlike the feathery polarfleece jumper feel that I am used to.

The outer material is densely woven and has a leather-like heft. I was immediately impressed by this. My usual winter-time option is my Matrix-style floor length leather coat, so I appreciate the solid feel without the weight of all that leather.Secondly, I can tell you this about the construction: It's rugged, and tough. I don't tend to be gentle with my clothes, they get tossed, dragged, stuffed and trodden on. Tactical Baby and Triceratops Girl are always hanging off me, climbing over me and generally using me as a staging / feeding platform. Water resistance I've tested, having trudged around in the rains a few times, and been very happy with how dry I've stayed. The best part has been the wind-stopping. Putting this on, you are instantly cocooned in a double layer of that densely woven nylon and a polarfleece liner. I've had snow-jackets that haven't been as toasty. Speaking of which, it is also flash/flame resistant. Good for Flamin' Moe's, campfire mishaps and for those putting their very only body in harms way. It's also feature packed.
There are three distinct sets of pockets, each recessed under a fold of the outer layer: The first pockets are the regular "jacket-hand warmers" and are exactly what you'd expect. Zippered, deep enough to shove your hands in, wide enough to accommodate the cuff of the jacket (avoiding that "ride-up" effect) as well as having space to stow every-day items like keys, gloves or whatever. A bonus feature is that they are fully backed. No thin nylon mesh leaving a wind-penetrating hole into your cocoon of warmth!
The second set of pockets are a pair of nicely tailored bicep-pockets. Not only are these angled for ease of use by the wearer, but also angled so you don't need to keep stuffing items back in if you happen to leave them unzipped. The cavity is roughly the size of a CD, and is cut such that the lines of the pocket are obscured and blend into the lines of the jacket. A loop field at the upper edge of these pockets adds to that, whilst giving a couple of spots for adding your favorite, or needful patches. Here's one of my TAD Spartan mountaineering patches
Each arm-pit features a double sized zippered vent, which I must say, is an AWESOME addition. Being able to open up a little and vent, whilst still keeping your front zippered up is a great boon, allowing you to regulate temperature whilst keeping your core dry. It also means I get access to the contents of my holster harness whilst keeping my front zippered up. I don't know if this would be of any use to the "concealed-carry" types out there, but it means I can grab my Myki train-card without having to get a chest-full of drizzle.
You can see here that the sleeve/torso junction is well gusseted leaving plenty of mobility, without either bunching up when arms arm lowered, and not making the waistline ride up when giving a "French Salute". Having your arms free to climb ladders, scale fences, lay prone and outstretched all whilst not exposing your belly and kidneys to the elements, or exposing my under-layers to the elements is very desirable. The bottom hem of the jacket features two adjustable drawstrings to further tuck in your parts. The wrist cuffs are hook-and-loop cinch-able, to close off the elements as well.

Where are those third sets of pockets you ask? I didn't forget. They're hidden, concealed in the hemline of the main zipper at pectoral level. This is a great place for my iPhone, I've found, but could just as easily hold ID, passport, a billfold or a a nasty surprise item like my SAR comb,these pockets accommodate a CD case easily, to give you an idea of the dimensions and are cut such that the contents don't bulge or "hang", divulging the position of your hidden goodies. As with the bicep and hand pockets, the pocket lining is fully covered by the polarfleece internal layer of the jacket.
The main zipper line is double ended, and features a chin to hemline tongue to block wind and wet incursion, giving you plenty of ability to rug up, the double ended zipper gives you access to your beltline or regulate temperature. I have had a few issues with lining up the two zippers, but I seem to always have that when it comes to double-ended zippers, but that is really my only point of contention with this jacket as a whole. There aren't any internal pockets, but given how I layer my tops and pockets, this isn't an issue for me. I always have my Holster-Harness on, which is all the internal pockets I'll ever need. This jacket really makes winter go away. Now to do something about my legs!
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Re-posters, thank you!
Over the last little while, I've been reaching out to some of the supplier and distributors of the kit that I collect (and have been reviewing) and I wanted to take a moment to give a shout out to those folks, explicitly, as a thank you, and a heads-up to you my readers.
First up, I'll point you to my fellow blogger, and gear-fancier, Ninja Space Monkey who has a great eye for the shiney, pointy and awesome that breaks ground on the internet; More than once I've read one of his posts and said "cool, I want one!" and its been a pleasure to exchange some data-packets in that regard. You can read up on what he has to say and woot about here:
http://ninjaspacemonkeys.blogspot.com/
Next up, my favourite patrons of pantsless-mens wear, the lads (and lasses) of Utilikilts, who produce Seattle finest export, the Utilikilt, in all it's many-splendid styles. I have several these days, and can't seem to have a day go by without someone complementing me in them, or at the very least, asking if my legs are cold, or what I wear UNDER my kilt. (The answer is always, "boots" ). A quarterly publication from Utilikilts came out recently with one of my reviews, and they may yet have some of my pictures too, so be on the look out, and revel in the FREEDOM that comes with a kilt, for pants are tyranny!
http://www.utilikilts.com/2012-spring-anti-catalogue/3/
I was fortunate enough to be in touch with someone from marketing at LEGear, following a review of some of their stock, and they posted my review on their Facebook page, which was ace. I look forwards to hearing more from these guys.
http://www.legear.com.au/
http://www.facebook.com/LEGEARAustralia
Lastly, the good folks at Platatac and I go way back. Back in the late 90's I was working just around the corner, and was a frequent window-shopper, and occasional crazy-cool item buyer (the retail guys probably still remember me as "the boar-spear guy"). Since I've been writing this blog they've been great about helping me out with advice, and kit suggestions, hooking me up with some super deals and posting my reviews on their Facebook page as well.
http://www.platatac.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/PLATATAC/385059649151
So, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who's been following, re-posting and commenting. I really appreciate the support for my crazy little blog and my desire to share the joy of getting ready for whatever may come!
First up, I'll point you to my fellow blogger, and gear-fancier, Ninja Space Monkey who has a great eye for the shiney, pointy and awesome that breaks ground on the internet; More than once I've read one of his posts and said "cool, I want one!" and its been a pleasure to exchange some data-packets in that regard. You can read up on what he has to say and woot about here:
http://ninjaspacemonkeys.blogspot.com/
Next up, my favourite patrons of pantsless-mens wear, the lads (and lasses) of Utilikilts, who produce Seattle finest export, the Utilikilt, in all it's many-splendid styles. I have several these days, and can't seem to have a day go by without someone complementing me in them, or at the very least, asking if my legs are cold, or what I wear UNDER my kilt. (The answer is always, "boots" ). A quarterly publication from Utilikilts came out recently with one of my reviews, and they may yet have some of my pictures too, so be on the look out, and revel in the FREEDOM that comes with a kilt, for pants are tyranny!
http://www.utilikilts.com/2012-spring-anti-catalogue/3/
I was fortunate enough to be in touch with someone from marketing at LEGear, following a review of some of their stock, and they posted my review on their Facebook page, which was ace. I look forwards to hearing more from these guys.
http://www.legear.com.au/
http://www.facebook.com/LEGEARAustralia
Lastly, the good folks at Platatac and I go way back. Back in the late 90's I was working just around the corner, and was a frequent window-shopper, and occasional crazy-cool item buyer (the retail guys probably still remember me as "the boar-spear guy"). Since I've been writing this blog they've been great about helping me out with advice, and kit suggestions, hooking me up with some super deals and posting my reviews on their Facebook page as well.
http://www.platatac.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/PLATATAC/385059649151
So, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who's been following, re-posting and commenting. I really appreciate the support for my crazy little blog and my desire to share the joy of getting ready for whatever may come!
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Review: Drop Leg Holster

As far as a piece of rig goes, its a pretty standard setup as far as I can tell. It follows the same pattern as my 1/2 Leg rig in that it has a vertical belt strap and two thigh straps. A magazine pouch sits just at the forward facing edge of the holster, with a hook-and-loop closure flap.
In this rig, all the key components are adjustable. The top of the belt strap ends in a broad 50mm hook and loop belt-loop, with a hoop of elastic webbing to give some shock absorption and give for the wearer. A wide Fastex type buckle about half way down gives a fast-on/fast-off option for those times where you need to shake a leg, so to speak, and a thigh-rig gets in the way. At the bottom of the belt-strap is another adjustable hook and loop closing webbing section, which is fixed to the main body of the holster by a plastic hardware loop, again adjustable by hook-and-loop.
Two thigh straps are sewn-in to the back of the holster directly, and following the same pattern as the belt-strap, and features an elastic webbing section, at the body of the holster, with a Fastex style clip. The webbing strap is adjustable with a plastic slide. I found, even with my fairly slim thighs, this was a tight fit. Someone with larger thighs would have considerable trouble wearing this particular model.

The holster section itself is also highly adjustable: Internally there are two strips of hook-and loop, one of which makes up one half of the closure system, the other is positioned such that the loose webbing strip (somewhat obscured by my fingers here) can be affixed to it to cradle the barrel of the holstered pistol. At the top of the holster you can see the webbing tabs with a press stud, for securing the carried pistol. Mine is faulty, and will not "snap" closed. Sign of the low-quality knock-off that this piece is. It also seemed a little "small" and may not accommodate a real pistol, or at least not one with a lighting system.

The holster closes with a three-piece hook-and-loop seam, in which a middle layer (the left side) loops around to the right, and is covered by the long strip of hook-and-loop held out in this picture. This gives a very secure and form-fitting carriage, and the holster is complete.
From this position you can also see that the security-snaps are also adjustable.
All in all, I was happy with this addition to my collection, for what it cost me and what I will be using it for, I will get my money's worth. I would not recommend it however for someone who was going to stake their life on their equipment however. It may well have been made off a good pattern and I like the functionality, the ability to widely adjust its layout and "fit", but this is a theatrical quality piece at best.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Review: Platatac Bullock Echo daypack


The first thing you need to know is that the Echo is not a stand alone "pack" in its own right, in that it lacks it's own shoulder straps. This isn't as much of an issue as you might imagine, as long as you are aware up-front, and the Platatac retail it's will clue you in right away. The reason this isn't a problem is because of the vast array of attachment options built into the pack, and the option of attaching a separate shoulder straps (as seen in the Kilo Med Pack). Looking at the back of the pack, you can see that it has two 5/7 row deep PALS/MOLLE channels spaced to fit onto a 4-channel wide set of webbing. This is what I use, but I'll get to that later. It also features plastic loop-hardware at the top and bottom corners to attach those removable shoulder straps I mentioned earlier. Six plastic D-loops give even further lashing options. The back of the pack is the same Airmesh material to promote cooling and airflow, and you can see the reinforced webbing drag/carry handle at the top of the pack clearly here too.

Note the six cinch-straps (two bottom, two top and two towards the top just above the side pouches.
Lets have a look at the front of the pack. The sloped "kidney pocket" at the front of the pack would be perfect for big, wide angled goggles. I keep my battered old first aid kit , and a poncho in mine. A large loop-field gives lots of patch real-estate, and the three sets of elastisied loops are perfect for cyalume sticks. The zipper is shielded by a lip of the material above, a clever afterthought.



I can tell you, from kendo, pulling a cold, clammy, sweat soaked helmet on the morning-after is never a good thing. The side-cinch clips can also be attached to the top-cinch clips, to stow contents of the helmet-carrier pocket, by putting that "kidney-pocket" MOLLE flap flat, as opposed to upright. Very clever design. Never ones to waste real-estate, the inside of the "helmet-carrier" is lines with 4 rows of 6 channel PALS/MOLLE webbing. You can see that I use mine to stow my camping cutlery and my metal chopsticks. Day to day, this is where I stow my CSI folder, and loose paperwork I "file" and often, the book I'm reading at the time. As well as the mesh-lined pocket, and the webbing, there is also a full sized zippered pocket as well. A second loop-field tops the back-side of the "helmet-carrier" area, which you can see I've migrated my AFT Angry Ranger patch who is part hero/part role model for me, and a Triple Aught Designs Dog&X-bones glowing rubber Ranger Eyes.

Now on to the "main pocket" of the pack. This tall pocket has a zippered closure that runs the length of the domed top of the pack, but not down the sides, giving a mouth-type access to the internal areas. This means two things; items are unlikely to spill out the sides, but you need to dig to get to the bottom if it's full. I'd much rather dig than have my gear either spill out all over, or the zipper failing, and the bag being useless. With a 4/5 closed pocket, this isn't an issue. Inside are two zippered compartments, one over the other, on the front-side face, and an elasticised Internal Bladder Sleeve, which is a great size for an iPad, as it happens.There is a drainage grommet in the bottom of the pack, and the internal stitching is all top-notch. The seams are taped, bartacked and as with all the Platatac packs and pouches, is make up of the same 1000d Cordura. It's probably well worth noting that as well as the elasticised Internal Bladder Sleeve, there is also a hook-and-loop fastening back pocket, which is where I would be putting a hydration bladder in this pack, although it could also be a place to stow items you want kept extra secure and out of sight.


At the sides of the pack, are two additional zipperable pouches, each featuring a three row, two channel set of webbing. These pouches are great for all kinds of accessories, I have my needful tools in one, and lights and compass in the other. I put my faithful SIGG bottle FUP pouch on one side, and the Half-Med kit pouch on the other. These twin pouches feature zippers with the similar philosophy of the main pocket: not all the way to the bottom. They won't spill your needfuls if you forget to zip them back up, with a sizable "cup" being left un-zippered at the bottom of each. They also each feature a drainage grommet, for those times when you find yourself taking a fully-laden dunk. You can note at the bottom of this pic, the shoulder strapping fed through the plastic loop.

I fed the shoulder straps of the Alpha through the bottom plastic loop of the Bullock Echo, to give it a little bit more cohesion, and so far, its been fairly comfortable.
Best yet, the Bullock Echo holds all my stuff! I down-sized, removed duplicates and the unnecessary, pairing back to just the useful and needful. Here is my usual load-out, just out of interest:
So, in summary, I'm really happy with the Bullock Echo. It has pretty much solved my day-pack requirements, it has an impressive carriage capacity, modularity and the same ruggedness I've come to expect of Platatac kit. Not having been able to get my hands on a set of those removable shoulder straps is something to look at down the track, and I think I can see the advantage in a set of the zipperable MOLLE panels that enable rapid transfer of one pack (like my MEOP Medic Pouch) to another, either to the Alpha, or onto the back of my MAC Armor Carrier, perhaps.
Labels:
bag,
bug-out-bag,
Cordura,
EDC,
Fastex,
hook-and-loop,
hydration,
pack,
PALS/MOLLE,
Platatac,
pouch
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Home Front: Book Learning - homesteading




So, for those of you who didn't grow up on farms, or had parents, or grandparents who taught you all "the old tricks" but still want to be able to do all the "old timey" for when you can no longer just order a pizza delivery online, or duck to the 7-Eleven for that whatsit, I heartily recommend finding yourself a selection of "how-to" book, comparing, contrasting, and trialing out their techniques, suggestions and finding what works for you, and your situation, before there is no choice. It's fun, informative and very satisfying.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Review: SpiderFire Infrared X6V-IR
A while back I reviewed my Yukon NVMT 3x24 nightvision scope but didn't manage to take any pictures of it "in use" as I couldn't manage to work out how to get my iPhone to do a macro-enough capture of the display. However, Omega loaned me her Nikon d3100 and with two tripods and some jiggery-pokey, I managed to capture some images. Sure there is a camera adapter but all I wanted to do at this stage, was demonstrate the features of my new flashlight, the SpiderFire Infrared X6V-IR which apparently is fitted with an IR 3W CREE LED. I set the scope up in my hallway, and adjusted as best I could to do a "down the barrel" set of photos to demonstrate both the flashlight and the Yukon scope. Actual view of my long hallway is much clearer through the scope, its a camera focus issue.
The light is powered by two CR123 cells and when viewed from anything other than an acute angle, there appears to be no discernible visible glow. At acute angles the emitters are a strong deep red, and can generate a recognizable red flash when looking "down the barrel" to an observer downrange. This caused me some trouble, which I'll get to later.
So, some further testing: My hallway is around 10m long, to give you an idea of the scale here, and again, the poor-focus is my inability to photograph the internal screen of the Yukon, rather than the optics of the Yukon itself. Compare the top picture which is the passive view of the hallway, with this one, where the internal IR illuminator of the Yukon is on. The beam is tight and bright, and when viewed directly puts a nice ~1m circle in the center of the field of view. As I previously reported though, both the scope and its internal illuminator have indicator lights which essentially shine directly into your off-scope eye and also drains the single CR123 battery in the process.
Last time I used my Yukon at Stargate Lasertag LRP, I had also wanted to have an additional source of IR illumination, not only to boost the range, spread and brightness of what my Yukon can discern but also to have a light I could set up AWAY from my position. As stated, when active, the IR lights cast no visible beam, but the actual emitter was visible and brought unwanted attention to my position. In future, where possible, I hope to set the SpiderFire up at a pinch point, and stand-off, gaining the benefit of a passive scope, with the added illumination in a dark place of my choosing.
IR is an interesting technology, night-vision is an all-around awesome concept, and I wish that more goodies were available for me to order to play with. The SpiderFire certainly makes a good start in this, and definitely adds to the ability and depth of penetration into the murk in very low light and total darkness situations. When all the lights go out, I'll be glad for the ability to see into the Abyss, without the Abyss being able to look back at me.
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