This isn’t your typical Kit Up! post by any stretch of the imagination. However, I’ve found sometimes the oddest things have a certain appeal. There are two pieces of kit that received rave reviews from some fellas at COP Herrera and another location were an electronic kettle and this thing – the Travel Halo. I’m guessing some of you reading this can understand why.
Originally created last year after an Indiegogo campaign, the Travel Halo is designed to make it easier to sleep sitting up (and, by default, in other contorted positions). Set aside the obvious benefits if you’re stuck in a C-130 or a C-17 for a flight halfway around the world, this could be another sort of beloved snivel kit entirely.
The Travel Halo doesn’t act as just a pillow, it provides stability for your head, with an optional piece to shut out the light.
Ok, first off, London Bridge Trading Company is a great company and most of their stuff (have to be honest here) is made in the USA. Loren is the COO of LBT, is a solid dude and also a former Command Sergeant Major. I first met him out in VA Beach a few years back working with a company I’m a partner with a company called Neptunic Technologies. We were talking textiles and we hit it off right away over beers. It’s always nice to see a guy with operational experience at the helm of a company like this. [click to continue…]
Keeping with the spirit of next generation vehicles, for those of you that know, Jeep and AM General are in a cage match over the next generation military vehicle. While this is big Army, Jack had a good SOCOM post back in July you can check out about Jeep vs. Flyer. I’m personally not a fan of the Hummer. Big, clunky, expensive to repair and sticks out like a turd in a punch bowl in any Area of Operation. I hated driving the Hummer when I was in Afghanistan and much preferred the Toyota Hilux four-door. [click to continue…]
We got some of the new 5.11 RUSH Delivery messenger bags to check out nearly a month ago and haven’t been able to get to them until now. Warrior Expo East, the FBINAA Conference, then New Breed of Warrior and of course frequent efforts to support single dancing moms with dollar bills in between have kept us really busy—what’s interesting, though, is we’ve seen these bags at all of the conventions (and at least one place with the single dancing moms).
This will be just a first look, not a true review. We’ve got them going out to different members of the review team, so it will be at least a month before we get solid feedback from them. We’ll advise when that eval period is complete.
So, this Tactical Messenger Bag looks to be a well thought out piece of kit. It’s obvious a lot of thought went into the design and they’ve made allowances for about every conceivable need someone carrying such a bag have. In fact, that was our initial hesitation—it seems like there might actually be too much to it. We have no doubt that some less organized folks (not you, Christian) might actually find the thorough and proficuous construction to actually be something of a drawback rather than a benefit. (Note: grunts, here ya go.) 5.11 Tactical bills them as “Business Tactical” on their website and the description seems to fit.
The bag has a padded 17” laptop compartment, into which we easily fit a 15” laptop and cooler base. Not sure if it would accommodate something as large as a Toshiba Satellite, but we’ll try it. There’s a double-secured back pouch (Velcro and strong ambi zippers) to address concealed carry and retention. Even if you’re not into carrying a weapon away from your immediate control, it’s lined entirely with Velcro for easy modularity (plenty of space for mag or cuff pouches or whatever, so you have ample reloads for any unexpected festivities). There’s a loop on the rear of the bag you can slide over an extended suitcase handle and expandable, cinched mesh-lined pockets that will hold a liter bottle on each end. There are a number of other useful features culled from both traditional tactical bags and “bicycle messenger” courier type bags. For instance, a place to hang reflective streamers so you can accessorize the reflective PT belt we all know and love.
This thing has a lot of space. It’s more organized than a drag queen’s closet, with 20 pockets and pouches and plenty of MOLLE/PALS real estate (Brian van Hoose actually says it’s a Mega-capacity storage device). Frankly, if you stuffed it completely full of everything it could hold, you’d wind up wanting to switch to an assault pack or small ruck anyway. Guess it all depends on how tightly you pack and how much pogie bait and ammo your standard business tactical loadout requires. 5.11 Tactical’s Dave Rhoden (whom you may recognize from his brief cameo on Glee, or when he won the Wafa Wafa Desert Rucksack run two year ago at Moses Lake) explains the RUSH Delivery features in this video.
Kit Up! contributors Swingin’ Dick Kilgore and Jake “Slim” Call (the Mad Duo) are tactical celebrities of the action figure world whose humility and scalpel-like wit have been called the “editorial equivalent of a .308 boat-tail to the head”. They’re an amalgam of several operators from different backgrounds representing a wide range of tactical experience.
Sorry for going dark for a few weeks, I’ve been working my day job and finishing up writing assignments I was on deadline to complete and I’m finally up for air.
Given the complex and dangerous world we live in today I wanted to share a book a good friend wrote regarding personal risk mitigation. Clint and I served together in the SEAL Teams and he has since gone on to do great things inside the government security world. His book has been in print for a while but is gaining major traction outside government and I know that several major news publications (WSJ included) are putting his security philosophy to work. I’ve read it cover to cover and have given copies to anyone I care about that travels. This is directly applicable to the warfighter and I would definitely recommend the book for anyone else who travels internationally. Read it and be the Sheepdog! Enjoy. -Brandon
The Book
Escape the Wolf mitigates risk by preemptive threat assessment, recognition and avoidance for companies and government agencies whose employees travel internationally. Business is global. Escape the Wolf delivers an end-to-end solution to keep employees safe and aware of travel risks no matter where they are in the world.
Blend into the local culture more effectively using these insights on cultural practices, traditions and customs. In Escape the Wolf, travelers learn how to recognize, assess and avoid threats ranging from common crime, illness, natural disasters, corporate espionage, or even terrorism using Escape the Wolf’s proven Total Awareness℠ System.
learn how to avoid being a “walking target”
gain new confidence when venturing into unfamiliar territory
identify, avoid and minimize threats, and learn how to escape from threatening situations
know the key steps to take before you even set foot outside your front door
This could be a sweet piece of kit. Last week Ben Brooks from Tremont Electric stopped by Military.Com’s offices to give us the download on the new nPower PEG – a light-weight, portable generator for powering your smart phone and other hand-held electronics.
The nPower PEG uses what’s known as passive kinetic energy charging technology. You throw it in your pack and it generates power from your movement, whether you are walking, running or performing other physical activity. Then you hook it up to your gadgets with a USB cable when you need extra juice.
The Marine Corps and the Army plan to test it out as a possible solution to their power-management woes.
Christian is currently testing one out on travel and plans to post a review at a later date. Check out this Military.Com video starring Christian and Ben discussing the nPower PEG.
The guys at Nemo are always up to something cool. This is an OGA on-the-belt, cell jammer pouch that Christian first reported on. Having worked with the OGA in northern Iraq, I can tell you that having something like this is crucial. I would even buy one for personal use (especially on my China visits). Very cool and worth a second look.
This isn’t your typical Kit Up! post by any stretch of the imagination. However, I’ve found sometimes the oddest things have a certain appeal. There are two pieces of kit that received rave reviews from some fellas at COP Herrera and another location were an electronic kettle and this thing – the Travel Halo. I’m guessing some of you reading this can understand why.
