Sunday, November 21, 2010

Midwest Synthetic Leather Palm Gloves













Why Synthetic Leather you may ask?

This question is best answered by stating the problems with real leather or any animal skin gloves or clothing.

One of the biggest problems we have all experienced is Glove Shrinkage whenever a leather glove gets wet... and it takes days to dry out again.

One of the best attributes of Synthetic Leather is - it does not absorb moisture like genuine leather, rawhide, goat skin, or any other kind of animal skin... therefore ... (no shrinkage), (no staying wet for days.

I have found Synthetic Leather is most often tougher and more durable than genuine leather or any kind of animal skin gloves.

Additionally... Synthetic Leather Gloves are usually thinner and more pliable than animal skin gloves... which as we all know makes for better dexterity (too thick or stiff means loss of dexterity).

Midwest Everyday and Driver's Synthetic Gloves feature - Synthetic Leather palm, fourchette fingers, spandex back, reinforced sure grip patch on thumb with a Velcro wrist enclosure.

Midwest Shooter's Camo Woodland Synthetic Gloves feature - Synthetic Leather palm and fingers with sure grip webbing, neoprene knuckle strap, fourchette fingers, Velcro wrist enclosure, hook and D-ring which is designed specifically for shooters.

For me, I will never purchase another pair of genuine leather or any other animal skin gloves or clothing again. Synthetic Leather is that good... and is usually cheaper to boot.

Shooter's Glove - Model: 396

Features

  • With sure grip webbing
  • Neoprene knuckle strap
  • Fourchette fingers
  • Velcro wrist closure
  • Hook and D ring
Driver's and Every Day Work Glove - Model: 349

Features

  • Fourchette fingers for comfort
  • Spandex back
  • Reinforced sure grip patch on thumb
  • Velcro wrist closure


Overall Rating: 4.9 out of 5



Midwest Synthetic Gloves are High Value, Tough, Pliable, Breathable, Durable and will not shrink when wet or retain moisture like genuine leather or other animal skin gloves or clothing.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

5.11 TacLite Pro Pants

5.11 TacLite Pro Pants are the very best tactical, survival, hunting, fishing, sports and all-round every day pant I have ever owned. Great Pants..!

Fashioned after 5.11's traditional 5.11 Tactical pant, the new 5.11 Taclite Pro Pant features a lightweight poly-cotton ripstop fabric and a fully gusseted crotch that allows for full range of movement.

These pants have pockets located for easy access to all of your gear. An external knife pocket on the right front side. Also note the Supplex® nylon reinforced pocket corners that inhibit wear from your clipped knives.

Two cargo pockets are located on both thighs and a magazine/cell phone pocket is located over the left cargo pocket for quick access with your off-hand. The magazine and new knife pocket are reinforced with 100% Cordura nylon.

They have kept the traditional slash pockets in the rear along with the web strap found on the 5.11 Tactical Pants.

They utilize Velcro® closures on the flaps all resulting in a more streamlined look. Seat and knees feature double layered fabric and incorporate a pocket for insertion of foam knee pads.

Made of lightweight 65% polyester and 35% non-fading polycotton ripstop, you have a pant that is extremely functional and maintains a neat, clean and professional look. 5.11 also treated the pants with HT Teflon®

These 5.11 TacLite Pro pants have all the inheriting features from the military BDU/ABU/ACU, battle tested.

Stitching throughout the 5.11 TacLite Pro is precise, overrun free, and features 48 bar tacks in stress areas.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5


Also see:
Taclite Pro Pants Womens Black 4L
Taclite Pro Pants, Women, Dark Navy, 4R

5.11 Tactical Field Ops Watch Style # 59245












Ok - just keeping it real... I have to give a disclaimer - I am reviewing this watch due to multiple requests and most of the hands-on and durability data comes from several friends of mine in various Military and Police units who have used this watch extensively and are highly impressed. I have not purchased one for myself although if I was in the market for a well designed, very tough and durable Tactical, Survival, Hunting, Hiking, Sport and Range watch for under $200.00 - this would be the one. Most other comparable watches in this category will run you around $400.00 and up.

The first thing I notice and what many others have commented on, is the size of this watch. It will not fit under the cuff of most long sleeve shirts. This is easily remedied by
strapping it over your shirt/jacket sleeve. No problem, 5.11 thought of that - it comes with an extend-able strap to facilitate wearing the watch over a pair of wrist-length gloves. Similar to how a scuba diver use their watch. Lets face it, this is not a dress watch. The 5.11 Tactical Field Ops Watch Style # 59245 is a Tactical, Survival, Hunting, Hiking, Sport and Range watch.

One of the features I find useful is the digital or analog read out. The only problem reported with the analog mode, is
that the ballistic info shows up on the digital display, which is behind the analog watch hands. This means, if it's between 4 and 8 o'clock, or near the bottom of the hour, the hands obstruct the view of the digital readout. Minor issue in my view - just keep in mind you will have to switch to digital mode when at the range or when needing the ballistic info.

The 5.11 Tactical Field Ops Watch comes with the field-proven Sureshot™ ballistic calculator, a digital compass and traditional features: day, date, three time zones, alarm, chronograph (1/100th, lap time), countdown timer, and hourly chime. The Observer features a high-density poly-carbonate molded body, with an extend-able strap to facilitate wearing the watch over a pair of wrist-length gloves. A turn-able bezel face with directional markings can be adjusted to monitor your time. 5.11 offer this watch in three colors (Black, OD Green and Coyote Brown).

"When you're using a long gun, it's essential to hit the target. As you start to go out to distances over 300 yards, being able to hit that target becomes a science. The 5.11 Watch is a GREAT tool to help you dial in your dope, and make every shot count. Simply program in some numbers and push a button - the watch does all the calculations for me. It is easy to use and makes my part of the job a breeze. Ive used the watch for almost a year now with great success."


Field Ops Watch (New Design) Description:
  • High-density polycarbonate frame
  • SureShot® ballistic calculator
  • Polyurethane wrist band
  • Digital compass
  • Digital readouts
  • Omni-directional bezel
  • Backlight
  • Water resistant to 100 meters
  • Optional extended band for wearing the watch over gloves or clothing
  • Day, date, 2nd time zone, alarm, chronograph, countdown timer, hourly chime
  • Countdown timer features an audible tone every minute
  • Two year warranty

Once again, innovation is the “watch” word for 5.11 Tactical Series. When 5.11 set out to design a watch they wanted one that would truly serve the needs of law enforcement and military professionals. The Field Ops watch has all of the features needed for day to day activities and includes the 5.11 revolutionary SureShot® calculator. In a partnership with Horus Vision, makers of proven long-range ballistic software, brings sophisticated point of impact software to the 5.11 Tactical Field Ops Watch. It gives you the ability to input thirteen critical variables needed for long range shooting solutions quickly and easily.

The shooting solutions are provided in Mils, True Minute of Angle (TMOA) and Shooter’s Minute of Angle (SMOA). And that’s not all, this rugged watch can take a real beating. 5.11 beefed up the Field Ops Watch pins to stand the strain of a wrestling match, sealed the watch for 100 meters of water resistance and given you a switchable backlight so you can see your data when you need it and turn the light off when you don't.

Functionality
The 5.11 Field Ops Watch has all the features you’ll need for work and play. 5.11 has included digital day and date, and two digital time zones. Along with an audible alarm, there is an hourly chime, a countdown, timer and you can check your lap times with a digital chronograph. 5.11 has included an omni-directional bezel along with a backlight.

5.11 Tactical Field Ops Watch also has a fully functional digital compass which can be adjusted for true north readings. My friends who use this feature all the time say it is spot on and highly reliable.

And last but not least, the 5.11 Tactical Field Ops Watch come with a full function ballistic calculator. The SureShot® calculator accepts thirteen critical shooting variables to give you point of impact shooting solutions out to 1000 meters. Input your known ballistic data (bore height, ballistic coefficient, muzzle velocity and zero range), then add your environmental data (range, temperature, altitude, inclination) and the SureShot® calculator will give you a shooting solution in MILS, TMOA or SMOA - in as little as 15 seconds (try looking all that up and figuring it manually in 15 seconds). You can even get your solution in clicks for both windage and elevation.

The calculator is very easy to use. My friends enter most of the variables into the watch before going out to the field or on a mission.

Durability
The 5.11 Field Ops Watch has a high-density polycarbonate case which is lightweight and very tough. My friends report dropping, smashing, bumping and any other kind of abuse you can think of - and still not a scratch. The mineral glass crystal face is scratch resistant and reduces glare.

Here is a big feature in the 5.11 Field Ops Watch for me. 5.11 beefed up the watch pins to secure the watch to your wrist in even the most arduous activities.

After months of day-in day-out use, all my friends give the 5.11 Field Ops Watch - two thumbs up..!


Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5








Saturday, November 13, 2010

Quark QTAA2 Turbo AA2 206-Lumen Cree XP-G R5 LED Flashlight Model: QTAA-2

This is an exceptional Tactical Flashlight or even just a keep in the car, or ladies your purse for emergencies flashlight.

It's tough, durable, lightweight, easy to use and yes it's waterproof. Model: QTAA-2

I've used mine in the rain and even dropped it in the lake. Oops - and it's still functions properly. A friend of mine even dives with it.

The Quark Turbo features a larger, deeper reflector than many of the earlier flashlights (ie. Mag, Fenix, SureFire) for improved throw up to around 100 yards! Yes that's 100 yards - believe it.

This sub-series operates the same as the Tactical sub-series: with a significantly different UI than the regular Quarks. This UI allows the user to program both primary and secondary outputs.

Operating the Quark Tactical is simple. Insert the battery with the positive side (+) towards the head. Make sure the head and tailcap are tightened, then depress the tailcap button fully so that it "clicks" and the light turns on.

You can also press the tailcap lightly (you don't have to "click" it on) to activate the light momentarily. This is known as the momentary-on feature. The Quark Tactical can memorize any two modes of output, from its eight total modes, to be instantly available.

These two memorized modes are accessed by either tightening or loosening the head (for example, tight can be Max, and loose can be Low).

Programming Modes: To have your Quark Tactical memorize a different mode, turn it on and loosen the head by a half-turn. Then, tighten the head at least four times rapidly (twisting it tight, then loose, then tight, etc., four times). After the fourth time, leave the head tight or loose depending which position you want to program. After three seconds, the light will flash, signaling it is ready to be programmed.

Cycle through the eight available modes by clicking the tailcap off and on. The mode sequence is as follows: Moonlight, Low, Medium, High Max, SOS, Strobe, Beacon. Once you find your desired mode, leave that mode on for ten seconds and the light will flash again, confirming that the mode has been memorized. To cancel programming before it flashes, turn the light off for three seconds.

Moonlight mode: One of the best modes for and Tactical and/or Survival flashlight to preserve your night eye - vision preservation (.2 Lumens)

Stands on Tail (candle mode): Campers and Survivalists - you will love the fact this flashlight has a recessed switch base allowing you to stand the light on its' end giving plenty of light in the tent or for map reading.

Quark QTAA2 Turbo AA2 206-Lumen Cree XP-G R5 LED Flashlight Model: QTAA-2

Product Details

Model: QTAA-2

Features

  • LED Emitter: Premium Cree XP-G R5. Strobe: Strobe, S.O.S., and Beacon flash modes.
  • Output: Maximum - 206 lumens; Moonlight - 0.2 lumens.
  • IPX-8 Waterproofing. Runtime: Maximum - 1.3 hours; Moonlight - 30 days.
  • Powered by: 2 AA batteries (0.9V~4.2V total) (included).
  • Includes: lanyard, holster, handgrip and spare o-ring.
Model: QTAA-2

Overview / Main Features

Power: Two CR123A Batteries (3.0V~9.0V)

Output: Maximum - 230 lumens; Moonlight - 0.2 lumens

Runtime: Maximum - 1.8 hours; Moonlight - 30 days

Strobe: Strobe, S.O.S., and Beacon flash modes

Model: QTAA-2

Specifications

  • Powered by: 2 CR123A batteries (included)
  • LED Emitter: Premium Cree XP-G R5
  • Voltage range: 3.0V ~ 9.0V
  • Dimensions
  • Length: 4.5 inches
    Diameter: 0.86 inches
    Weight: 1.8 ounces
  • 5 Current Regulated Output Levels
  • 3 Flash modes: Strobe, SOS, Beacon
  • Square threads for lifetime smooth operation
  • Type III Hard Anodized finish
  • Fully knurled
  • Reversable/Removable Clip
  • Flexible & secure hand grip accessory
  • IPX-8 Waterproofing
  • Impact-resistant glass lens with Dual-coating - sapphire coating on the outside and anti-reflective coating on the inside for optimal efficiency and durability.
  • T-6061 Aircraft-grade Aluminum Body
  • Stands on Tail (candle mode)

Typical Output Levels and Runtimes + (LED drive current)

Moonlight: 0.2 OTF lumens for 30 days, (1ma)
Low: 4 OTF lumens for 5 days (10ma)
Medium: 22 OTF lumens for 20 hours (50ma)
High: 85 OTF lumens for 4.5 hours (250ma)
Max: 230 OTF lumens for 1.8 hours (990ma)
Strobe: 230 OTF lumens for 3 hours
Beacon:0-230 OTF lumens pulse for 23 hours
Model: QTAA-2

Operation

Operating your Quark flashlight is simple. Make sure its batteries are inserted with the positive side (+) toward the head. Ensure the bezel (the 'head' of the light) and tailcap are tightened, then depress the tailcap button fully so that it 'clicks' and the light turns on.

The two most commonly used modes are Max and Moonlight, the highest and lowest modes. To access Max, you simply tighten the bezel. To access Moonlight, you just loosen the bezel a half-turn. That's it.

You can also cycle through the Quark's other modes just as easily. Lightly depress the button momentarily (you don't need to 'click' it off) and the output will switch to the next mode. The mode sequence is determined by whether the bezel is tightened or loosened:

Loosened Bezel: Moonlight -> Low -> Medium -> High -> SOS -> Beacon

Tightened Bezel: Max -> Strobe

Once the Quark has been turned off for at least three seconds, it will revert to the first level of output in the sequence, either Moonlight or Max.

Model: QTAA-2

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5


Quark QTAA2 Turbo AA2 206-Lumen Cree XP-G R5 LED Flashlight Model: QTAA-2

UTG Low-Profile Deluxe Universal Picatinny & Swivel-Stud Bipod Model #TL-BP69ST


If you are looking for an adjustable, lightweight (11.3oz), rugged and low cost Picatinny rail attached bipod, with no adapters needed - This is the one.

Most other bipods are 16oz and up, and require additional parts to attach which will add even more weight. Bad idea - keep it simple.

UTG Low-Profile Universal Picatinny & Swivel-Stud Bipod Model #TL-BP69ST

I and my friends have used and abused this bipod and it has not failed us even once.

It attaches to your front rail with a simple screw on attachment (be careful not to over-torque the screw, although this bipod is one of the best I have used, it is made of aluminum (type unspecified).

If you do not need the mount to swivel, and most do not - you can use a little Loc-Tite on the screw when installing and it's not going anywhere. Keep in mind, after you Loc-Tite the screw you will lose the swivel function.

Part of its' durability is due to the well designed legs and feet. The feet are of a sled design and are reversible. The sled feet reduce wear and tear on the bipod as well as the shooter and makes for a fast, smooth deployment and recovery.

I have seen and used other static feet and rubber feet designs tear apart and bend with very little use. They can also be very rough of the shooter.

An additional advantage to the sled feet design is "no dig-in" when deploying which if you are not prepared can be very dangerous and very painful. In a Tactical or Self-Defense scenario the extra time needed to deploy a static design may cost you or a loved one their life.

The sled feet design also speed up recovery, again saving valuable time in a Tactical or Self-Defense scenario.

Faster deployment is further enhanced with UTG's "Posi-Lock" buttons which lock solid (no leg compression even with extended use).

There is a locking button on each leg. You have to push it down (that is, toward the ground), not in, to swing the leg out. The leg length is set by unscrewing the knurled section, which allows the lower part of the leg to slide up into the upper part. Once the length is properly set, tighten the knurled section firmly--the leg will stay set even if slammed down on the ground.

Another durability thought, this bipod doesn't have the exposed springs like many other designs. Maybe it's just me, but I don't like digging mud and debris out of the springs. Exposed springs could even be a failure point down the road.

The adjustable height is perfect. I've seen this bipod used on all types of AR/M4s and even AK-47s with 30 round mags. No Problem

Thank you UTG for doing it right..!


UTG Low-Profile Deluxe Universal Picatinny & Swivel-Stud Bipod Model #TL-BP69ST

  • Color: Black
  • Brand: UTG
  • Model: TL-BP69ST
  • Released on: 2009-10-14
  • Dimensions: 2.00 pounds(11.3oz)

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5



UTG Low-Profile Deluxe Universal Picatinny & Swivel-Stud Bipod Model #TL-BP69ST

  • Color: Black
  • Brand: UTG
  • Model: TL-BP69ST
  • Released on: 2009-10-14
  • Dimensions: 2.00 pounds(11.3oz)


UTG Bipod, SWAT/Combat Profile, Adjustable Height, Rubberized Stand Model #TL-BP28S


  • Brand: UTG
  • Model: TL-BP28S
  • Released on: 2009-10-14


Leapers UTG Shooter's Bipod w/ Picatinny & Swivel Stud Mount Model # TL-BP28S


  • Leapers UTG TL-BP28S
  • High Tech Durable Aluminum Construction
  • Clever Picatinny & Swivel Stud Mounting System
  • Unique Posi-Lock Feature to Prevent Tipping
  • Height Adjustment 6.2"-6.7". Leg Adjustment 6.7"-7.5"






Sunday, November 7, 2010

Sightmark Triple Duty Universal Laser Bore Sight - Self centering with retractable arbor SM39024

Sightmark Triple Duty Universal Laser Bore Sight - Red or Green Laser - Self centering with retractable arbor SM39024 (Red Dot) or SM39026 (Green Dot)


Sightmark Triple Duty provides the most convenient and accurate method for sighting in rifles and pistols that I have every used.

Unlike many others my friends and I have used and mistakenly purchased - this one is Truly UNIVERSAL. It fits all types of rifles and pistols (Calibers .17 - .50). Simply place the arbor of the boresight into the barrel of your weapon; the base will attach magnetically with the retractable arbor centering the boresight automatically.

A red or green laser dot will show exactly where your gun is aiming making it easy to sight in any scope without firing a single shot. It attaches magnetically, and will self center if your purchase the auto centering model SM39024 (Red Dot) or SM39026 (Green Dot).

Then you can Live fire to fine tune the weapon being sighted in order to compensate for inconsistencies, such as bullet drop due to distance.

This Sightmark Bore Sights are easy to use and will quickly save both time and money by avoiding prolonged live fire tests at the range.

It even comes with a lightweight carrying pouch to protect the bore sights for convenient use in the field. The Sightmark Universal laser bore sights are protected by a Limited Lifetime Warranty.

Don't waiste your time or money on any other bore sight... this is the only one you will ever need.



Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5



  • SM39024: Sightmark Triple Duty Universal Laser Bore Sight - Red Laser - Self centering with retractable arbor
  • SM39026: Sightmark Triple Duty Universal Laser BoreSight - Green Laser - Self centering with retractable arbor