Hazard 4 had an impressive showing of new bags, apparel, and accessories at this year’s SHOT Show.
Poncho Villa
The Poncho Villa is made from a water-resistant, breathable softshell fabric with 100% waterproof seams throughout. It has large Velcro panels on the front and back for agency identification, as well as smaller panels on the shoulders and head-back. Large perimeter grommets allow the Villa to be hung as a tarp. A generous fit easily encompasses packs, bags, head wear, and other gear, and side snaps and a front to chin zipper allow the wearer to close the edges and neck in severe weather. The entire poncho fits into its own vented front pocket for storage.
We reported yesterday on Recoil Magazine and mentioned that the website was down. Turns out they are planning for it to “go live” on March 1ST if all goes as planned. In the meantime, if you want to keep up with this excellent new magazine, follow them on Facebook. Pretty sure you’ll be glad you did. Please let ’em know Tactical Fanboy sent you. You can also keep an eye out for them if you’re wandering SHOT, they’ll be around.
Two new products on display at EOTech’s booth attracted my Fanboyish tendencies. The first was the MW3 Holographic Hybrid Sight II. The MW3 sight is composed of the EXPS2-2 holographic sight with 2-dot reticle combined with the G33.STS magnifier. The MW3 logo is clearly displayed on the side of the EXPS2-2. Like other kits in the Hybrid Sight family, the Quick Switch to Side (STS) mount allows the operator to disengage the magnifier with a simple lever flip, then snap it back into place as needed.
The other product is the XPS2-Z Zombie Stopper Holographic Weapon Sight. The main feature that differentiates this sight from the standard XPS2 is the use of a biohazard symbol as the target reticle, which features a 65 MOA ring with a 1 MOA aiming dot. The reticle is also displayed on the top of the sight in white instead of red. Additionally, the final product will feature a stylized Zombie Stopper logo on the side of the sight. At the very least, it’s a relatively unique concept; no other company, to my knowledge, has done a zombie themed reflex sight with a biohazard reticle before. It’ll be available in April of this year with an MSRP of $559.
Tactical Fanboy staffers met Jerry Tsai today at the SHOT media range day. Mr. Tsai is the editor of the new RECOIL magazine which looks very nice. That might at first evoke some skepticism. Another firearm-related magazine? Is this another example of gun-and-knife-centric tactiporn? The short answer is no, it’s not – this first issue is really nice, and we’re looking forward to future issues. This won’t be your standard magazine. It isn’t aimed at cops or SWAT guys or grunts. It essentially celebrates what it calls the “gun lifestyle” and it does a pretty damn good job of it. This isn’t directed specifically at folks who use the gear on the job every day. As the editor says, “…a magazine that encompasses modern firearm lifestyle and embodies many elements of our industry: guns, gear, technology, shooting sports, training, outdoor life and personal defense.”
Some examples of the content:
Mesa Tactical’s Benelli M4 (The Founder of One of the Most Progressive Shotgun Accessory Companies Outfits His Personal Shotgun)
Night Vision 101 (See What Goes Bump in the Night) A primer on how NODs work.
Bugout Truck (Escape the End of the World or Just the Daily Grind) Whether you’re fleeing a natural disaster or an all-out zombie infestation, a properly setup truck can provide the key to survival.
Watch Buyer’s Guide (Rugged Watches That Keep Much More Than Time)
Tactical Firearms Training and Redback One (What can you expect? Why should you give it a try?)
That’s only a very limited look at what’s in this magazine…there’s a lot more. Right now the website doesn’t appear to be working (it’s listed as http://www.recoilweb.com). That may be temporary, we’re unsure, but check on it periodically. We really think it’ll be worth your time.
The MKA 1919 is a Turkish made 12 ga shotgun imported by RAAC. It’s modeled on the AR-15 platform in both appearance and the location and function of the safety and magazine release. The model I tried at Media Day was a variant modified for competition purposes. It features a flat upper receiver with an EOTec sight, collapsible stock, modified barrel and choke, replacement pistol grip, enlarged charging handle, and enlarged mag release. Additionally, it also had a 10-round extended magazine. It’s dubbed the ‘Zombie gun’, due to its paint job.
Despite being chambered for 12 ga shells, it was practically recoilless. Definitely a good choice to consider of you’re looking for an accurate and comfortable semi-auto shotgun.
The MKA 1919 is a Turkish made 12 ga shotgun imported by RAAC. It’s modeled on the AR-15 platform in both appearance and the location and function of the safety and magazine release. The model I tried at Media Day was a variant modified for competition purposes. It features a flat upper receiver with an EOTec sight, collapsible stock, modified barrel and choke, replacement pistol grip, enlarged charging handle, and enlarged mag release. Additionally, it also had a 10-round extended magazine. It’s dubbed the ‘Zombie gun’, due to its paint job.
Despite being chambered for 12 ga shells, it was practically recoilless. Definitely a good choice to consider of you’re looking for an accurate and comfortable semi-auto shotgun.
At this year’s Army Navy Military Expo, Tippmann Sports has on display their line of officially licensed U.S. Army paintball markers and accessories. Shown above in descending order are the:
Project Salvo Tactical Edition
– .68 caliber marker
– AR15 style 6 position collapsible and folding stock
– AR15 style shroud with picatinny rails
– 11″ quick thread barrel
– Removable and adjustable front and rear sights
– All aluminum die cast receiver
– Stainless steel gasline
– High performance in-line bolt system
– Quick release feeder elbow
I’ve been meaning to write about these guys for a while now. SHOT Show and assorted other real world inconveniences (however much fun, and however much cleavage has been involved) has gotten in the way. Let me just throw up some pictures for you to check out and suggest you investigate further via their website and Facebook. There will be plenty more to follow, but this guy’s work is just too bad ass to not at least pique your interest now. (This ‘hawk, by the way, is for sale now.)
I’m gonna send him a whole passel of magazines (yes, I said passel) to paint up for me. When I do, I will look way cooler than the law should allow. He’s less than a day’s drives away from me…I may just head over there and do a whole article about his shop one of these days, if you want.
(Yes, I know I may not actually need a bad-ass looking tommyhawk, but if I had one that looked like that I’d be wishing for a zombie apocalypse every day so I could use it.)
Hat tip to the Mad Duo, who’ve been on me to talk about these guys for a while.
TFB Knuckledragger: Check out this 'hawk from Hillbilly 223
One of Hillbilly 223's knife coats.
Who is TFB Knuckledragger? He’s part of the team. Vetted by Soldier Systems Daily staff, approved by Tactical Fanboy actual, well liked by Jack Bauer, Raylen Givens, Bob Lee Swagger and Gogo Yubari. Grant him your full attention.
There’s an organization based out of Chicago (though it has members across the country) called the Women’s Tactical Association.
Women's Tactical: Athena Logo
Members are mostly (though not all) law enforcement officers and military personnel. What’s interesting about these ladies is that they are able to maintain their femininity without giving up the ass-kicking capability you’d expect of an organization that includes NPRC (National Patrol Rifle Competition) shooters, specialized LE units, drug task force officers, etc.
If you’re at SHOT this week, watch for the three attractive (but dangerous) females wearing WTA apparel and get one of these patches (it’s a female shooter silhouette, appropriately labeled the Athena logo). If you know a female who is serious about improving her skills and is less worried about breaking a nail than she is about reducing her reload time under fire, then steer her towards the WTA (they are also on Facebook).
Note: we’re not interested in any stupid or inappropriate comments. These ladies are professionals and are our friends. If you want to remark on the fact that they all seem to be pretty as well as tactically proficient, well and good. Keep it classy, be respectful and don’t show your ass. We’d treat your friends and your sister the same way.
Tactical Fanboy: A member of the Women's Tactical Association.
These Woodland-esque camouflage-printed sneakers by Upper Echelon Shoes feature a side zip, rubber sole, and padded insole. They also feature ‘gold’ chains that lay over the laces, which, depending on taste, may be a positive. If not, then a good pair of wire cutters would remedy that design choice real quick.
Sneaky Studios has designed a line of Star Wars themed target range posters. Characters include the Rancor, Darth Vader, a Stormtrooper taking Princess Leia as a hostage, and of course the man himself, Boba Fett. Each poster is a high-quality digital print on 220gsm premium paper stock, is signed by the artist, and will run you $35 a piece, so you might not want to plug holes in the originals. Luckily, this is exactly what local print shops (or office supply stores) exist for, right?
Casio’s latest offering in the G-Shock line of watches is the GB-6900. It’s the first in the line to use Bluetooth Low Energy Wireless Technology, which is really Newspeak for this thing will be studying your daily habits to better plan the eventual machine takeover. All joking aside, it’s a pretty useful bit of hardware.
It connects to most smartphones to automatically adjust and correct its own display time and includes an alert signal that notifies the user of incoming calls and messages. Any ring alerts and vibration can be stopped by tapping a button on the watch. Similarly, phone alarm and vibration functions can be activated with a button press if the phone is misplaced. The Bluetooth signal features a data transfer rate is abound 1 Mbps with a signal range of 2m and a 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard.
As a watch, the GB-6900 isn’t too shabby either. It has five independent daily alarms, a stopwatch, countdown timer, and display options for 35 time zones in 100 cities, including Coordinated Universal Time and the option to enable Daylight Savings Time. Like other G-Shock models, it has a shock-resistant body and is rated for immersion up to 200 meters of water. A battery life of approx. 2 years is provided by a single CR2032 disk battery, assuming the communication function is used for only 12 hours per day. It’ll be available in Japan in March. The USA, and presumably everyone else, will get it by the end of the year.
I’m not gonna lie. At first, my interest was purely in the property rights this company was carrying. A Boba Fett Return of the Jedi edition MIMOBOT USB drive? Hell, yeah! But, Mimoco has come up with a useful tool in their MIMOMICRO card reader/USB drive.
MIMOMICROs allow for easy transfer of data stored on microSD cards. You know, the really small ones that almost always require an adapter since barely any computers on the market accept them as is? My camera takes them, and in case you couldn’t tell, I’m not a big fan. You simply insert the microSD card into the device, then flip out the USB plug. Simple and fast usage of the normally pain-in-the-ass microSD. Plus, Batman and Darth Vader make everything cooler. The MIMOMICRO line will be available March of this year.
The Acousticom Sound Egg is a total immersion entertainment chair lined with ‘Acoustic Isolation Foam’ that keeps out external noise while five full-range speakers and a 10-inch sub woofer deliver 5.1 HD Surround Sound to the user. Each Sound Egg is highly customizable, with options for an attachable arm with a tv/monitor, tablet/laptop, or mouse & keyboard mount, colored leather or vinyl padded covered seats, cup holder, and 11 foam colors. Standard shell colors are black, red, blue, tan/beige, green, gray, LCD chocolate, dark green, and yellow, although a color matching option is available if requested. Available direct from the manufacturer or from Amazon.com.
http://www.soundegg.com/
http://www.acousticom.com/
If you live anywhere near Atlanta, you might want to check out SS Airsoft’s indoor battlefield. It looks awesome. According to the news article we read, “SS Airsoft is a 14.000 ft² airsoft-dream. They offer you a unique field with light effects, fog and an unbelievable setting. Recently Brain from Echo1 visited this field and made a video that will provide you a great overview off the game area.”
Seriously, the attention to detail in this place is astounding.
This the video they’re talking about:
Tactical Fanboy: a view of the SS Airsoft Arena near Atlanta.
CTA Digital Inc. has released a line of officially licensed U.S. Army video game peripherals. Seen above is the Elite Force Assault Rifle (US-EFR). Modeled after an M4 Carbine with an EOTech holographic sight (“modeled after actual military equipment”), the Elite Force controller has every button featured on a standard DualShock 3, including the rumble effect, and connects to the PS3 using Bluetooth. The ‘barrel’ can also be removed from the Elite Force and replaced with a Move controller, turning it into a navigation controller. The controller is powered by two (2) AA batteries. Available in digital camouflage and in Olive Drab with green-grey furniture as the ‘Commando Assault Rifle’ (not pictured).
Also available is the U.S. Army Universal Gaming Headset With 3D Effect (US-UGH). The Universal Gaming Headset connects to a monitor or sound system via RCA stereo jacks (red and white cables) and directly to your console or PC via USB. This allows you to independently adjust in-game and chat volume using the in-line controller. A ‘3D Sound’ button takes advantage of the triple drivers in each ear cup to deliver realistic sound based on volume and location in-game. Other features include a 14ft cable, removable microphone, and padded ear cups.
Why she says it’s better than Portal 2. We love Veronica Belmont, and we agree with her.
Here’s an excerpt:
1. Yeah, I loved Portal 2. The first time I played it. When it was called PORTAL.
2. Oh, you like your little puzzles, do you? I like slaying dragons using massive fireballs and wielding blades imbued with ice and FEAR. Also, you think running around variations on the same room over and over is exciting, Kiala?? I think your brain was in stasis too long.
I am about to stab you in the head
3. If you’re bored walking through the (scenic and gloriously rendered) mountains, let me introduce you to a friend of mine: Skyrim Murder Bear. He’s been looking forward to meeting you.
XShot is a company that deals in tripods and other camera mounts. The product shown in the picture above is the XShot 2.0 Camera Extender. It features a universal tripod mount and extends the reach of the camera by 37″, making it perfect for group photos and self-portraits, along with any other situations where an extended camera reach would be useful and/or appropriate. The Pocket XShot Camera Extender, a similar product, features a reach of 30.5″ and can fit into a pocket or purse when retracted. XShot also offers iPhone cases with a detachable tripod adapter and a swivel that allow the user to quickly switch from portrait or landscape views, along with the XShot Kayak Mount, perfect for Kayakers and Kayak fishermen.
Lifeproof is a company that makes highly durable iPod cases that are designed to be water, dirt, snow, and shock proof. The cases feature a polycarbonate frame, scratch-resistant waterproof screen protector, shock absorbing elastometer, shock absorbing rear Polypropylene cover, and shock absorbing perimeter O-ring. They are built to MIL-STD-810F-516.5, meaning they have been dropped on all surfaces and edges onto concrete from a height of 2 meters without any decrease in performance from the device. Additionally, Lifeproof-clad devices are rated for immersion up to 2 meters of water and are low profile, with a main body depth of 10.8mm, only 1.3mm thicker that the phone itself. The case currently available is only compatible with iPhone 4 and 4S, although, according to the show rep, an iPad case will be available roughly six months out.
SkunkJuice earbuds and over ear headphones use magnets in lieu of an entirely cord-based connection. The headphones are separated into two parts, the phones and the jack, that also allow the use of up to three additional connector pieces. These allow other users to bridge into the connection, allowing a small group to effectively share a single music player. This particular connection method also helps to limit any damage that could occur with yanking or pulling away with a standard cable. Pretty useful if you’re rough with your earphones, or just happen to walk away from your electronics with your earbuds still in.
Popular Airsoft has narrowed down it’s nominees to five (5) per category for the 2nd Airsoft Players’ Choice Awards. They are giving you until the end of January to select the winners, and they are urging finalists and their supporters to rally up and gather as many votes as they can to be finally chosen as winners.
From their website:
“As for our dear Popular Airsoft readers as voters, we have prepared some raffle prizes for lucky draw winners for the voting period. Prepared by our Main Presented, Edgar Brothers Airsoft Division, and even sweetened by Gunfire Poland, here are the prizes waiting for you:
1st Prize: Magpul PTS AKM Masada MOE* 2nd Prize: Magpul PTS MOE Stock (Choose the colour you want) 3rd Prize: 1 Box of Magpul PTS Beta Project 75-round Magazines (5-Pack)”
What is not to love about bacon? Nothing. Bacon comprises all that is wonderful in the world (well, most of it). Now you can have it for your alone time and your significant other. It could conceivably be handy when you’re deployed. (If you’re a Corpsman, doc, PJ or other health care professional, you might also check out the Mad Duo‘s report on Bacon Bandaids.)
From the manufacturer:
“J&Ds baconlube is water-based, proudly Made in America and is the gold standard of meat flavored massage oils. We only made a very small quantity of this pork flavored nectar and it’s available while supplies last.
What started as an April Fool’s joke is now a REAL product thanks to the thousands of people that emailed, harassed and sent us highly explicit explanations of what they would do with this (thanks for that).
Just Keep It Sizzlin’ with baconlube. They’ll be bacon for more.”
I am about to stab you in the head
