As you can see from the above photo, most of my “grab-n-go oh-crap” gear is focused on defense and survival. What you can’t see are the large utility pouches that are mounted on the back of the vest. Two large utility pouches are mounted onto a hydration pouch, so water is available plus the requisite storage space for some other necessary “comfort” items which we’ll discuss further below. First… the tools of the trade.

While I freely recognize that the AR-style rifle is the dominant defense long gun in our country today (in a variety of calibers), I’ve opted for my shotgun instead. Why? Hmmm… Pure and simple versatility. While the AR-rifle is more than sufficient for defense and hunting (depending on the caliber) and a LOT of ammo can be carried, unless you have specialized ammo it won’t defeat armor and finding .223 / 5.56mm ammo may prove difficult given the current state of the ammo industry. I haven’t been able to find it or .45ACP ammo on my dealer’s shelves for several months. He sells it faster than he can get it in. 12 gauge, however, is abundant simply because SO MUCH is manufactured.

So, that’s my Remington 870 with a 20.5″ barrel. The accessories are the extended magazine tube (total capacity 7 rounds), the SureFire 918FA lit fore-end, a side-saddle shell holder on the receiver that holds six more rounds and the Knoxx Stock with Power Pack that adds five more rounds while reducing felt recoil. I keep the tube loaded with PolyShok IRP ammo because it can be used for defensive purposes with minimal concern of over-penetration. Thanks to its design it’s very accurate and low recoil. Adding in the recoil reduction of the Knoxx Stock and I feel like I’m shooting .223 again. In the side-saddle shell holder is six more rounds of PolyShok for a total of 13 in/on the gun. In the Power Pack are three slug rounds and two 00 rounds. I wanted the slugs because I don’t think PolyShok is proper for hunting but slugs will take down all sorts of fair sized game. The 00? Just because. If I’m hunting and the game is more likely to be smaller game or turkey (or something similar) then the 00 would be more appropriate.

The shotgun is laying on top of the vest (which, again, we’ll discuss further down) and below that is my holstered Glock 19 9mm. On the same holster platform (a Level III SERPA from BLACKHAWK!) are a Cold Steel Recon Tanto knife and a Night-Ops Gladius flashlight. My choices in handgun (from what I have in my safe) were:

• Springfield Armory 1911
• Glock 19 9mm
• Browning High Power 9mm
• Kahr CW4543
• Beretta .380ACP

I dismissed the thought of the .380ACP immediately. As an “only option” defensive handgun it lacks both delivered energy and capacity (8+1). The Kahr was removed from consideration because of capacity mixed with the number of magazines I have available. While I consider the 6+1 capacity acceptable for defensive use, I only have three magazines for the weapon and no “tactical” type holster. The Browning High Power was dismissed because I only have one magazine for it. My choice, as usual for such considerations, boiled down to 7+1 Springfield Armory 1911 .45ACP or 15+1 Glock 19 9mm. I have a half-dozen magazines for the 1911 but I have ten for the Glock. I have (currently) a limited supply of .45ACP but about a case of 9mm. I have a sufficient supply of 9mm jacketed hollow point ammo to load all the magazines and have some left over on top of the nearly full case of ball. I don’t have a Level III holster for the 1911 – only a Level II. Add it all up and the Glock 19 got the nod for ammo carry capability as well as security in the holster.

While the Recon Tanto isn’t my first choice in field knife, it wouldn’t be the only knife on my person. It would essentially be an abuse blade and it’s already mounted to the holster platform so I wouldn’t waste time changing it. The Gladius flashlight is my favorite multi-purpose flashlight due to its size and versatility in function. Now… let’s get into the vest.

In the top photo you can see four pouches and one pistol magazine carrier mounted on the vest. That’s how it was when I pulled it out of my closet and how it sits in there as I type this. In the photo the far left large utility pouch is filled with first-aid materials. Gloves, a tourniquet, two pressure bandagesa, some QuikClot, a micro-shield mask and a few other odd assorted items. The shotshell pouch holds another 17 rounds of 12g ammo. There are 11 more rounds of PolyShok and then three and three of slug / 00 respectively. While that’s not a lot of ammo for the long gun, as I discussed above, 12g ammo is readily available from many sources and let’s be honest: if you hit a bad guy ONCE with a 12g round, usually the fights over. The pistol magazine carrier holds a spare mag (more would be in my pockets and on my belt). I need to add at least one more; possibly two. The far right pouch is designed as a flashlight / handcuff pouch. I have a backup flashlight in there (Insight Tech Gear HX120) and, in the “handcuff” pouch, a SureFire Spares carrier that holds six more batteries. Both flashlights are LED driven and use CR123 3V batteries. What I don’t have is a spare lamp, but LEDs are hard to break. The last pouch (that you can see) is the small green one above the pistol magazine. It was designed as a GPS or small radio pouch but I tend to use it to hold my cell phone (for however long it would work) or a compass.

Now… on the back. As I mentioned there is a hydration system. It’s the 100oz HydraStorm from BLACKHAWK!. I don’t typically keep it filled but I DO always keep it clean and dry. It can be filled in short order on the way out. Mounted onto the hydration pouch are the two large utility pouches I mentioned above. The bottom one holds my emergency shelter: a poncho, four aluminum stakes and a couple lengths of 550 / paracord (there’s about 25′ wrapped onto a cut paint-stirrer shown in the photo). That poncho can be formed into a number of different kinds of shelter but doesn’t weigh much or take up much space. Of course, if you store it wet and never clean it, it doesn’t smell pretty either (remember that if you’re buying surplus kit).

In the top pouch holds four things:

1. Food: three packages of Hoo-Ah Bars.
2. An emergency “space” blanket
3. A SteriPen to purify water
4. Fire starter kit

The Hoo-Ah Bars aren’t a lot of food, but in emergency situations, properly rationed, they are sufficient to sustain me for three days. The SteriPen allows me to purify more water as I need it. The emergency space blanket offers me warmth under my poncho shelter. For cooking and/or more warmth a fire is required. My fire starter kit is comprised of ten strike-anywhere matches with the heads dipped in wax to protect them from moisture and then the ten of them wrapped in plastic wrap. Also included is a small waterproof container that holds six cottonballs saturated in vaseline. Obviously these are consumable items I’d have to replace as I used them and continued to move.

So, a different challenge put forth; a different emergency condition emerging. Grap and go. That’s what I’d grab. I’d arge that grabbing my Bugout Bag (which is on the floor in my closet right beneath where that vest hangs) would be easy, but I wasn’t the one who set the conditions for this mental challenge.

Stay Safe!

I should start out by admitting that I have a bias toward the Government Model 1911 pistols. Although my first handgun ever was a revolver, when I enlisted in the Army we were still carrying the venerable 1911 .45ACP government model and it will always hold a dear place in my heart. That admitted, it was two and a half decades ago and even basic 1911 design has changed significantly since then. Now there are a number of designs that use double-stack magazines, have passive firing pin blocks and polymer frames. Anytime you increase your capacity but reduce your overall weight you’ve accomplished a good thing in my book. That cartridge capacity is why I brought those design changes up. One part of the seemingly endless debate is that contemporary 9mm handguns hold 15 or more rounds in their magazines. Heck, even the midsize Glock 19 holds 15+1. On the other hand, the Glock 21 holds 13+1 of .45ACP. Is 16 rounds of 9mm better than 14 rounds of .45ACP? I believe that either would serve you well.

But what would a minimum number for magazine capacity be? My Springfield Armory 1911 is “traditional”: 7-round single stack magazine and no passive firing pin block. 7+1 was always good enough for me when I was in the Army but that was before there were so many other options available. To make matters worse, the mid-80s saw the evolution of the .40S&W round which seemed an almost happy comproimse – the best of both worlds. Did I think so? In a word… NO.

As I understand it, the .40S&W was an evolution of the 10mm which ended up nearly mimicking the .45ACP – but not quite. In the early ’70s the 10mm was created and put into the infamous Bren Ten. Looking much like a CZ-75 on steroids, the Bren Ten was Don Johnson’s original gun in the “Miami Vice” television show. But the Bren Ten manufacturers had a hard time making enough magazines to keep up with weapon production and the weapon ultimately failed. Many other companies tried to make guns that would hold, fire and handle the powerful 10mm round, but many also failed. Eventually Smith & Wesson made a stainless steel pistol – the 1006 – that fired the 10mm round. The weapon was fairly well accepted but the recoil proved too much for some shooters to handle. The FBI – users of the Model 1006 – inquired as to the possibility of downloading the 10mm round so that it would recoil less. The 10mm FBI load was developed. Then some smart engineer some where realized that for the amount of powder that was being used in the downloaded 10mm rounds, the case could be shortened. The internal chamber pressures created by the shortened case wouldn’t be unmanageable – and the Smith & Wesson .40 cartridge was born: the same bullet diameter as the 10mm but with a case length short enough to be put into a standard double stack 9mm grip.

Now, the beginning basis of the debate about which was the better cartridge – the .45ACP or the 9mm – centered around the value of “big and slow” versus “small and fast”. No one really worried about “big and fast” because recoil and internal pressures in pistols just didn’t make “big and fast” a realistic possiblity for the average cop – and that was the market these weapons were being developed for. So it only made sense that if relatively big and reasonably fast could be created then the argument would be rendered moot, right? Wrong.

I remember some of the original .40S&W loadings being in the 185grain range – which was the same as the light .45ACP loads. Further, that .40 185g bullet was being pushed out at about 1,000 feet per second and sometimes a little faster. So what people thought was that the .40S&W was going to be the equivalent of a light .45ACP – but you could get a lot more of them in the gun. What could be better?

Well, let’s be realistic: the .45ACP and the 9mm aren’t going away. The .45ACP has been around for well over 100 years and was the military standard from 1911 to 1985. In 1985 the standard was changed to the 9mm to be in compliance with NATO. The 9mm round has been around as long as – if not longer than – the .45ACP but was largely a European cartridge. It didn’t get significant usage in the United States until the late ’50s and early ’60s. And even then, pistols were just beginning to make some headway into the law enforcement market. Revolvers were still the end all be all.

So, even as recently as the late ’80s, the argument still raged but with an added answer: the .40S&W as the compromise. You didn’t have to pick .45ACP or 9mm… the .40S&W gave you benefits of both: larger bullet, not as slow speed as the .45ACP, and a higher capacity – although not quite that of the 9mm. Then Glock got on the scene and all of a sudden you could get a 15-round Glock Model 22 in .40S&W that was the same size as your Beretta 92F in 9mm. Oh, and by the way, that Beretta 92F, also known as the M9, carried the same number of SMALLER bullets: 15+1.

Of course, Glock came out with the .40 caliber Model 22 AFTER they had released the Model 20 in 10mm carrying 15+1 and the Model 21 in .45ACP carrying 13+1. Still, for whatever reason, actual shooting data was still showing the .357Magnum round – a 125g JHP bullet fired from a 4″ barrel going about 1,400 feet per second – was still the best manstopper around. Enter the engineers at Sig Sauer…. otherwise known as SigArms – and the .357Sig was born. By using a specially formed (NOT necked down) .40 caliber case they could support a .357 bullet and push it out of a pistol at that 1,400+ FPS speed. Further, since the case used was the same base dimensions as the .40S&W cartridge, you could get the same magazine capacities as .40 caliber pistols. Now, however, you could get .357Magnum performance in that pistol. Oooh… Ahhh… I have to be very clear on this point: the .357Sgi brass is NOT simply necked down .40 caliber brass. Due to the internal pressures generated by the .357Sig cartridge, different specifications exist for the .357Sig brass. (Thanks to a reader for correcting me on this)

Now the final step in compromise has been taken but it wasn’t, I think, what many expected: The good folks at Glock realized that modern metallurgy and polymer design processes created the possibility of putting a .45 caliber cartridge into a frame that was the same circumfrence of the 9mm and .40 caliber weapons. By using the double stack magazine and shortening the cartridge case some 2mm, the .45GAP was born and the Model 37 gives you a 10+1 capacity. Now you don’t have to compromise on the .40S&W: you can have the .45 performance in a 9mm size gun. The only loss you experience is ammo count: 17+1 in the 9mm versus 10+1 in the .45GAP.

So how many bullets do you really need in a gunfight? Well, as many as I can have of course. Seriously, statistics show that the average police shooting involves less than five shots being fired. Knowing that, do we really need 18 rounds in our pistol? I still want all I can have, but if the ONLY thing stopping me from getting a Glock 37 is that it has 7 rounds less than the G17 in 9mm, then I might need to reconsider the value of those 7 bullets.

Does this in any way end the oldest debate in firearms? I don’t think so. That said, I think we’ve learned all the ins and outs of the .45ACP And the 9mm. They’ve both been around for more than a century. I’m pretty sure we’ve got them figured out. The .40S&W is just over twenty years old. The .357Sig and .45GAP are both younger than that. It will take them a long time to become as comfortably accepted by mature shooters as the .45ACP and 9mm already are. In the meantime, I’ll continue to shoot my Government Model 1911 and my Glock 19 and happily debate which one I prefer most: old, big, slow and reliable or new, small, fast and reliable. Either way, RELIABLE is what I count on and value. You?

BE SAFE!!!

The SWAT Tourniquet or “SWAT-T” is a new design to me. Most tourniquets I’ve had experience with have a cloth strap of some kind with a device for lacing the ends together securely and a windlass for tightening it down. Ultimately the goal is to cut off blood flow in whatever extremity below the tourniquet point – hopefully two inches or less above the point of severe bleeding. So, when I was introduced to the SWAT-T I was kind of surprised and had to do some more studying.

Designed by a veteran Air Force Pararescue Journeyman (more commonly called Para-Jumpers or PJs) the SWAT-T was designed for use as more than a tourniquet. Since rescue personnel often have to carry all of their medical kit as well as their survival gear (and gear for downed personnel), carrying less gear that does more is always a good thing. The caviat to that statement is that the less gear has to do more things as well as the separate pieces of kit that are replaced. A tourniquet that doesn’t cut off blood flow does no good… and really isn’t a tourniquet. Understand this before I go any further: I do not have a doppler device to test this tourniquet as it could be in a hospital setting. The proper method is to actually apply the tourniquet to a thigh (or lower) while using the doppler device to “listen” for blood flow in the arteries below the tourniquet application point. Since I don’t have the doppler equipment I had to use a stethoscope and more subjective input: how well the tourniquet made my leg go numb when applied.

So, happy happy, joy joy, I unpacked my T&E SWAT-T and applied it over a pair of jeans to my right thigh. Now, as to how tight to make it: the designers were pretty smart in that the proper tension is visual instead of felt. The medic applying the tourniquet can’t feel how tight it is. If you’re applying it to yourself after an injury I would think that everything pretty much feels the same: it hurts like hell. The SWAT-T has a diagram on it that is a collection of rectangles stacked like a checker-board, and a bunch of diamonds inside ovals. Here’s the thing: when you stretch the SWAT-T out to apply proper pressure as you wrap it around the limb, the rectangles become squares (a real checker-board appearance) and the diamonds in ovals become squares inside circles. The differences are clearly displayed in the picture above.

So, I stretched, wrapped and tucked just like it says. The tucking was the hard part because when it’s stretched enough it’s damned difficult to get the end tucked in without pinching the crap out of yourself. However, that’s better than the option of bleeding to death and may be due to my lack of application experience. Remember, I’m not a medic. I’ve had my share of advanced first aid training, but I’m not an EMT, Combat Medic, or Paramedic. Using the visual guidance as described above I got the tourniquet applied and waited a few seconds. With the stethoscope I listened for blood flow sounds below my knee and could find none. I also noticed that my foot was going numb pretty quickly. Definitive test? Nope. Good enough for me? Yeah. I’ll keep a couple of these in my survival first-aid supplies.

The SWAT-T is also designed to serve other purposes. By wrapping it not quite so tight it can be used as a pressure dressing (wrapped over gauze) or as an elastic bandage in replacement of an ACE-bandage. Again, versatility matters.

The second item on my list is the QuikClot Combat Gauze from Z-Medica. First introduced in December ’07, the gauze represents a new delivery “system” for Z-Medica’s hemostatic material that causes fast clotting even where heavy bleeding is involved. As a gauze “wrap” measuring four yards long by three inches wide the material can be used by inserting it into penetrative wounds or as an additional blood stopper by wrapping it around a wound. The published material from Z-Medica says that the gauze does not cause heat in the process of working which is notable as an improvement over the original QuikClot material.

Again we see where versatility increases the value of a product. By having the hemostatic agent packaged in gauze form, it can be used as more than just a simply clotting agent for insertion into major wounds, or as only a gauze. In this case, in one package, you get both. That’s a versatile package I’ll enjoy having in my kit!

Stay Safe!

Let’s get the basic stuff out of the way first:

• Closed length:          3.6”
• Overall length:          5.8” (opened for use of pliers)
• Weight:                      8.3 ounces
• Steel type:                 7Cr17

Tools included:

• Needle nose pliers
• Regular plier
• Wire cutter
• Phillips screwdriver
• Slotted screwdriver
• Partially serrated Tanto style blade
• Strap cutter

Every tool that folds out of a handle has its own liner lock device making it more secure for use.  The metal framed handles have G-10 scales for a more comfortable and secure grip.

The Bullrush is packaged with a black nylon carry pouch that can be worn vertically or horizontally and can be mounted on MOLLE if need be.  I like that they designed those mounting options into the pouch.  Some manufacturers build a decent tool but then cut corners (and related costs) when it comes to the sheath or pouch.  Gerber did not and the result is a pouch that you can carry in whatever manner is most convenient for you or that conforms to your situational needs.

There are two design features about this multi-tool that I like; one I’ve seen before on their Crucial multi-tool, but the other is new to me.  The one I’ve seen before is that all the tools stored in the handles can be opened without having to fold the tool open.  Although the tools are stored (obviously) within the handles, they’re set to fold open while the tool itself remains folded shut.  You only have to fold the whole too open if you want to use the pliers or wire cutters, and if you do then you find that second design feature I like: The spring loaded feature.

One of the biggest challenges, at times, to using a multi-tool is that all the pivot points are so tight and stiff that it’s as much work to OPEN the pliers as it is to hold them closed.  The Bullrush has a spring-tension feature which holds the pliers open unless you apply positive squeeze pressure to close them.  I like that.  It simply makes the tool more convenient to use.

Designed with rescue/public safety workers in mind, the Bullrush includes a strap cutter as one of the fold out tools.  In testing, I was able to pull that strap cutter through some one-inch straps I had on hand (amongst all that junk in my shed that I keep just for these tests).  I did not have any seatbelt straps to test it on but the results of my tests on the one-inch material I had lead me to believe that the cutter would handle seat belt straps with ease.

The knife blade measures just about 2.25” and a little more than one inch of that is serrated.  It is easily opened by way of a thumb “stud” that is pinned on.  It is designed for right handed users, by default of the tools structure, but that meets the need of 92% of the population and I can’t believe that sales for left-hand-specific tools would ever justify the cost of mirroring all the machine tools necessary to make such.

I put the knife blade through all my normal cutting tests.  I tested it on that same one-inch nylon strap material as I did the strap cutter, plus I tested it on string, twine, paracord, ½” cotton rope, some of that ugly yellow plastic rope and various strengths of fishing line.  Like every other blade I’ve tested, it took a couple pulls on that ugly yellow plastic stuff, but it cut cleanly through everything else.  Although the overall length of the grips is just over 3.5”, it still fills the hand nicely and provides an adequate grip for cutting chores.  There is a slight curve to the overall shape of the tool and that serves, ergonomically, to increase grip security as well.

MSRP on this tool is $69.  The cheapest online price I found via a Google search for “Gerber Bullrush” was $64.95 and, when you add on shipping and handling, that brings you right back to the MSRP.  It’s well worth it in my opinion.  My only criticism of anything related to this tool is the white/silver stitching on the otherwise all-black nylon pouch that identifies it as a GERBER product.  I understand the branding intention but the old-world cop in me thinks any pouch on the gunbelt should be all black.  Were I to put this on a gunbelt, I’d use a black permanent magic marker to darken those letters.  Otherwise, I give the tool and its pouch two-thumbs up.  It’s got what you need in the most common tools incorporated into a safe, comfortable and convenient design.

The Uppercut double-edged punch dagger is a small package of wicked sharp edged tool.  I know there are still a lot of people in the law enforcement industry – and other warrior services as well – who feel that boot knives, hide-away knives, and other such tools don’t have a place in the profession.  I think that the circumstances weigh greatly on that decision and would rather have such a tool available just in case I need it, rather than needing it but not having it available.

The Uppercut sports a 2” double edged blade in front of and centered in a 3” wide grip handle.  Overall length for the tool is 4”.  The polymer sheath has a removable clip that is angled right and strong enough so you can attach it to your belt, boot, etc.  If you remove the clip you can lace the sheath onto a cord or attach it to a vest.  The knife is held into the sheath by way of two plastic “arms” at each side of the sheath’s mouth.  When you push the knife into the sheath (being careful to keep it centered and straight) it “clicks” in and is held pretty well.  It takes a good amount of intentional pull to get the knife out and an equal amount of careful pushing to get it firmly secured back in.

Now, as I figured out how to test this smaller knife I realized that its primary purpose, based on its design, is “aggressive defense.”  Let’s face it: a punch dagger is used to get someone to back up off of you when lethal force is justified and they’re within arm’s reach.  Yes, absolutely you can slash back and forth (and my opening testimony shows it’s quite sharp enough to do some serious damage) but even the design designation “punch dagger” makes it clear that you position it centered in your hand, point toward the enemy and PUNCH.  Two inches of blade is more than enough to cause mortal injury.

But what if you have a more mundane cutting chore that you need to handle and this little blade is the only tool you have to perform it with?  I kept that thought in mind as I headed out to do my normal cut testing.  I pulled out my usual assortment of “stuff” that included fishing line, twine, string, paracord, ½” plastic (that ugly yellow) “rope,” some 1” wide nylon strap and, just because  found a length of it, some 11mm kern mantel rope.

Holding the knife as it was designed to be held, I was able to cut through most of the materials in a single pull.  The 1” nylon strap and the ugly yellow rope took a bit more work but were still cut cleanly in the end.  After that I did some minor “punch” testing with it, holding it tightly and stabbing a log from our firewood pile.  I learned two valuable lessons here:  first, make sure when you grip the knife to punch with it, the fingertips of your hand press the handle into your palm and don’t rest between the end of the handle and your palm.  On impact, if your fingertips are in between, they get pinched.  Second, grasp it tightly.  You might / will experience some minor impact bruising on the back of your middle and ring fingers where the “hilt” of the knife pushes on them at each impact, but holding it loosely only makes that worse.

Finally, I wanted to see if it could be used for other cutting chores; more fine work you might say.  What I found was that by holding the knife with my index finger and thumb positioned on either side of and at the back of the blade, the rest of the handle in my hand backed up against my palm, I could almost use this knife like a scalpel.  Shallow and careful cuts were easy, but I also could have used it in this way to cut food if need be.

Off-body carry of a handgun – usually in a bag of some sort – isn’t the best option in terms of preparedness — you give up some weapon security and access time.  But it is necessary on occasion.  Sometimes the only other option is to not have a gun handy at all, and in some parts of the world, it may give you the option to suddenly “lose” an incriminating item (this, of course, isn’t an issue for law enforcement personnel state-side, but it is relevant to other folks).  Similarly, covert long-gun carry is really only practical in an off-body bag, whether the weapon is broken down or intact.  Often times this is a necessity for the good guys in populated and/or hostile territory, such as Bogotá, Columbia or Cambridge, Massachusetts.

So good, purpose-built, quick-access, covert carry weapons bags and packs are a necessity in the inventory of a well-rounded, well-prepared armed professional.  I’ve been railing lately (here and here) about how, until recently, the so-called “discreet” bags on the market were not really.  Yes, they weren’t covered in MOLLE/PALS (usually), nor were they shaped like the gun they held.  But they hardly disguised the fact that a gun-sized object was inside them, and the fact that they were inevitably in the tactical colors of tan, black or OD only added to their lack of effectiveness.  They were plain and, OK, maybe more “discreet” than the usual alternatives, but they were not covert.  They were not “invisible.”

And invisible is what you want to be.  Not only in the sense that no one will see or suspect a weapon in your bag or pack, but also in the sense that no one will even notice it or you.  You, and the things you carry, want to be “gray” — not in color but in that you want to blend into the scene.  You don’t want second looks, even from other cops (if I want another cop to know that I’m armed, I will be the one to tell him or her!) and certainly not from the bad guys who are pretty good at spotting this sort of thing.  Whatever you are carrying your gear in should look like something that’s carrying books or gym clothes or something otherwise innocuous.  (This rules out guitar cases, camera bags, and other weapons packs disguised to look like they are carrying high-value items, since these would actually invite attention and theft.)

Well, 2013 seems to be shaping up as the year where weapons-specific “beyond discreet” bags are coming in to their own.  There have always been some of these items on the market, but now the major manufacturers are putting a focus on them.  Blackhawk has recently introduced an entire line of them – their “Diversion” line — and we look at four items from that line here.

Diversion Carry Racquet Bag

The Diversion Carry Racquet Bag looks like any other generic tennis racquet bag that you’d see on the street or in a car.

It has been a long-time trick of the trade to carry a folding rifle or other items in a tennis racquet bag.  This was hardly an ideal solution, though, since these bags tended to be fairly thin and thus 1) not support the weight of the weapon properly, and 2) let the weapon print through the bag in a way that a racquet didn’t.  The Blackhawk Diversion version, however, is purpose-built to carry a weapon and both support and distribute its weight properly.  It has a thick padded interior with a removable, thick, padded length-wise divider.  These liners are loop-lined and will mate to hook-backed holsters, pouches, and so on.  It will accept a weapon (or components thereof, if you break down a rifle) up to 28-inches in length.  The exterior is made of substantial 420/500 denier nylon (depending on the color), and the main compartment is zipper-accessible.  There is also a flat exterior pocket for small items.

Essentially, this bag just looks like your basic no-name tennis racquet bag, one that doesn’t even seem to hold high-value racquets.  Moreover, if you get the bag a little dirty, it will “blend” even more into your scene.

It will even hold and carry tennis racquets!

Diversion Work Out Bag

The Diversion Workout bag looks like any another gym bag…

What’s more innocuous than a gym bag?  These days, even very large gym bags are normal.  Of course, many of us for years have carried weapons and tools of the trade in ordinary gym bags, but this was always a sub-optimal solution. These too weren’t built to distribute and support the weight of a long weapon, they “drooped” oddly when one was in it, and they didn’t disguise the fact that something as large as a rifle or shotgun could be within.  Blackhawk’s Diversion Workout Bag solves these problems.  This 420/500 denier nylon bag is multi-colored, which breaks up its visual length.  It’s two end pockets can be used as pockets or their inside wall can be sipped down to extend the length of the main compartment.  Employing this methods, long guns or broken-down components of them up to 29-inches can be stored carried with their weight properly supported and their outlines hidden.

The Diversion Board Pack appears to be just another skateboard type pack…

The top-access main compartment is loop-lined and comes with a quad-folded padded insert that attaches to the loop lining.  This insert provides five secure, separate, padded length-wise slots for your weapons or gear.  Two flat exterior zip pockets and a hefty carry strap round out the deal.

Diversion Board Pack

Large packs aren’t at all uncommon in polite society nowadays.  If you see someone with one on their back, you naturally assume that the bag holds a athletic/sporting gear.  Maybe a skateboard, maybe climbing gear; heck, I spent a lot of time training dogs these days, and all my training gear would fill a large pack.  So yeah, they blend.  And this one can also covertly and securely hold a 29-inch weapon or weapon components.  The Diversion Board Pack has a single large interior compartment.  Both fore and aft sides are MOLLE/S.T.R.I.K.E. ®  lined, and a nice muzzle pouch is provided that attaches to the webbing and secures and protects the pointy end of the gun.  Blackhawk also includes a couple elasticized retention straps for securing your weapon to the webbing.  There is a hook & loop attached/detachable, full-width, padded liner if you want to carry multiple items.  Again constructed of 420/500 denier nylon, the Board Pack has side bottle pockets and three horizontal front straps for capturing other items.

Diversion Carry Backpack

Everyone carries a daypack: kids, teenagers, young adults, middle-agers, geezers; punks, drug dealers, professionals, and blue-collar workers.  Nothing “disappears” line a daypack.  You

The Diversion Carry Pack comes in several colors, and doesn’t look any different than the hundreds of day packs that you pass on the street every day.

probably already use one frequently.  Of course, you can stick a handgun (in a holster!) in any day pack, but purpose-built packs like this one have internal holster arrangements and access mechanisms.  From the front moving to the back, the Diversion Carry Backpack is much like any other practical pack on the market.  There’s an overflow compartment on the front for soft items, and two smaller, side access flat pockets in front of that, and a larger flat pocket between the two.   At the top front is an admin pocket for the usual do-dads.  The main compartment is  a full length/width affair with a padded back panel, so it’s suitable for carrying a laptop.  The rear compartment is also full length/width and padded, but contains two  loop panels on the rear for attaching hook-backed pouches and holsters.  The bottom loop panel is situated on a half-moon section that  zips out from the bottom rear of pack, thus also providing weapon access from that location (if you’re flexible, you could access a handgun from there while wearing the pack.  This is a pack that will truly be un-noticed anywhere.

All of these Diversion bags are available in multiple color combinations, and it’s worth  noting here that these different colors are used to implement a camouflage technique known as “boundary disruption”.  That is, the eye is drawn to the lines of the color boundaries, and not to the overall shape of the bag nor to any potential weapon printing.  In addition, the colors make the bags look more sporty than tactical.  Also, the 420/500 denier nylon used in these items feels very substantial – I had to check the specs because I initially thought a much heavier material was used.

All in all, these excellent quality Black Diversion bags will make 2013 the year of “beyond discreet.”  They will be popping up everywhere…and you won’t notice them!

Now just so you understand some of my comments below, I’ve tested this knife by carrying it daily for about the past five months.  I typically carry two “pocket” knives – one clipped into each of my front pants pockets.  I consider the right side knife (my strong side since I’m right handed) the most commonly used “utility” knife.  It’s the knife I use to cut everything and anything and wash every other day or so.  The left side pocket (my support side) knife is my “get off me knife.”  It’s the knife I carry purely for self-defense usage.  As such, and being accessible to my left hand, the easier it is to secure and open, as quickly as possible, the more I like it.

Some knives are made specifically for right- or left-hand carry, the Emerson Commander models being an example.  The grips are actually milled so that the liner lock can be disengaged with the thumb of the intended hand and the clip is mountable only on one side forcing a carry location on a given side of the body.  For that very reason, I’d had some trouble replacing my last left-side get-off-me-knife after I had given the one I had away as a gift.  Enter the BHB30.

With a blade length of 3.25” and an overall open length of 8.125”, the BHB30 is sufficiently sized to be more than effective as defense tool without being so big as to make it uncomfortable or inconvenient to carry.  The blade edge is available plain or partially serrated; my test/carry model has a plain edge.  The blade itself is made of 440C stainless steel and has a “stonewashed matte” finish.  I think that’s what we used to call “brushed steel.”  The blade locks out, when opened, via a sturdy liner lock and the disengagement of that liner lock is the only thing not ambidextrous about this knife.  As you look down into the center of the knife, while it’s locked open, you have to push the liner lock from right to left to disengage it.  This is more easily accomplished with the right thumb than the left (my experience).

The handle is a combination of stainless steel liners (420J) inside of injection-molded nylon slabs.  The grip slabs are textured to increase grip security but are overall a little slicker than I like.  That said, where the liner lock is located the grips are milled/shaped to get a good grip with your index finger and the handles taper toward what would be the pommel.  Overall the grip “feel” is sufficient though I had some original concerns about grip security in wet or slippery conditions.  More on that in a bit.

The knife is an “assisted opening” design.  Using either thumb to open it by pushing on the ambidextrous thumb stud means pushing the blade out to about a thirty degree angle.  At that point, give or take a degree or two, the stored spring tension swings the blade open the remainder of the way, locking it fully open with an authoritative CLICK.  I especially like the assisted-opening feature since I carry the knife on my support side and it’s a lot easier to open left-handed than other knives in my experience.

Finally, the knife can be carried left side or right side, tip up or tip down.  The steel clip is attached to the knife via two Torx screws which are tapped all the way into the steel liners – not just the nylon grip slabs.  This matters.  Not only does it allow you to carry the knife right side or left side but also above the waist (tip down) or below the waist (tip up).  Think about this as it relates to your hand position on the knife and how you manipulate the knife to open it after drawing it.

Testing: Like all other knives I test this one went through the backyard shed challenge.  I went and pulled out a bunch of stuff to cut that included what I had from fishing line to nylon webbing.  Since this is a folding knife it didn’t get the “chop up the plastic construction bucket” test.

The knife cut cleanly through everything I tested it on.  The fishing line, string, twine, paracord and ¼” rope it pulled through with a single, relatively easy, swipe.  The 1” nylon webbing took a little more strength but the knife still cut through with a single pull.  After testing it thus, I took it inside and washed it and let it sit to dry.  A day later it was dry with no sign of rust spots on it anywhere (which was what I was looking for since it’s stainless steel and shouldn’t rust).  That evening I used it to cut my grilled chicken for dinner and it did that equally as well as it cut the string/line/twine/cord materials the day before.

Then I thought about my earlier concerns on grip security.  As I mentioned, the grip slabs felt slick to me but I noted this when my hands were dry; very dry; middle of winter zero humidity dry.  So I took the knife back outside and, with it open, ran it under water to get my whole hand and the entire knife wet while it was closed.  I wanted to see if holding onto it while opening it was as easy wet as it was dry.  It proved to actually be easier, as did all of the cutting tests.  The little bit of moisture actually increased the tackiness I felt on the grips so that the knife felt more securely held in my hand.

Okay, so that was water. What about something slicker, I wondered.  Folding the knife back shut I grabbed a quart of 5W-30 motor oil out of my shed.  Now folks, it’s winter.  Daytime temps when I was doing this were just below 40F.  That oil was THICK.  I poured it over my hand and the knife and let it drip off (yes, I did this over a bucket and recaptured the oil for you environmental aware folks who might have been concerned I poured oil onto the grass in my backyard).  With a nice coating of oil all over my hand and the knife I went and did the cut tests again.  Everything was still as easy and the grip still felt secure.  The 1” nylon webbing required more strength to pull through, as it had on earlier tests, and I found myself holding the knife tighter; squeezing it tighter to insure that it wouldn’t slip as I cut through the webbing.  There was a little bit of a challenge there balancing security of grip against the amount of force I could put to cut the webbing – but it could be done.  Dish soap and hot water cleaned off both my hand and the knife and, now that it’s dry again, it’s back in my left side pocket where it will be carried daily until I have to replace it.

All in all this knife is a good specimen of what I’ve come to expect from Blackhawk products.  It looks good, carries well and performs as required.  On the Blackhawk website the MSRP for this knife is $139.99.  A quick Google search for “Blackhawk bhb30” found me several priced as low as $96.99 so do your homework before you buy.

Specifically this is the Manix 2 Lightweight folding knife.  Its evolution traces back to the original Spyderco Manix released in 2004.  In 2006 the full-sized C95 Manix spun off a smaller version call the C101 which was essentially the full size Manix shrunk to a handier size package.

The original Manix 2 featured full stainless steel liners, G-10 handle scales and used Spyderco’s proprietary Ball Bearing lock mechanism (see more on this below).  The next generation of Manix 2 (this one) saw the handle slabs changed to fiberglass-reinforced co-polymer (FRCP), a lightweight polymer used as the base for the handles with a steel insert to support the lock mechanism.

Those lighter weight black handle slabs were put on either side of a flat-ground CTS BD1 stainless steel blade with a leaf shaped profile.  (Handle is available in blue on the C101BL2 model.)  When locked open, the spine of the blade and the curve of the choil line up perfectly to flow into the shape of the grips.  The grips themselves are ergonomically shaped to fit a medium sized hand and where the friction ridges stop on the spine of the blade, there are friction ridges molded into the grips so you can index placement of your thumb if you have to press into cuts.

The Manix 2 has a three-inch plain cutting edge on a blade that is 3.37” overall and does not have any option for a partially- or all-serrated edge.  Closed the knife measures 4.66” and locked open it’s just over 8”.  The blade thickness is 1/8” (0.125”) and the knife weighs 3 ounces (from published material. I don’t have a scale that precise).

The stainless steel clip is skeletonized to help reduce the weight even further and is reversible so you can set the knife up for right or left pocket carry.  You cannot, however, put the clip on the pivot end of the handles, so the knife is best suited for below-waist carry.

Now I could try to explain the Ball Bearing locking mechanism but it’s easier to let Spyderco do it.  Here is their explanation directly from their site:

Linking the blade and handle is Spyderco’s patented Ball Bearing Lock mechanism. This high-strength lock consists of a ball bearing nested within a durable textured polymer “cage.” When the blade is opened, a spring-loaded steel plunger drives the ball bearing forward to wedge between a ramp on the blade and an “anvil” in the handle’s steel insert. Drawing the caged ball bearing to the rear releases the lock and allows the blade to close smoothly while keeping your fingers safely away from the sharp edge. Smooth, strong, and easily operated, like the rest of the knife’s features, the Ball Bearing Lock is also completely ambidextrous.

Long time readers know that I don’t report on any knife without at least making sure it cuts.  The Manix 2 got the same appropriate testing as other knives I’ve tested.  From collection of junk in the shed came string, twine, fishing line, 1” nylon webbing, and some of that that ugly ½” yellow plastic rope.  It cut through everything neatly and I was quite impressed with how easily it cut through the nylon web strap.  It did take two passes to cut through the ugly yellow rope but the cut was clean.  After all that (and being washed), it even cut my grilled chicken with ease.

MSRP on the Spyderco website is $124.95.  A quick Google search found the Manix 2 available for as low as $71.84 (not including shipping) so do your homework before you buy.

I’m sure most of you have heard of GORE-TEX®.  It’s a lightweight, water proof, wind proof, and breathable fabric used in high quality outerwear, foot wear, and various other items to keep you and your gear dry.  The company that produces it is, W.L. Gore & Associates Inc. and another one of their products is called WINDSTOPPER®.  Gore recognized the need to create a new option for procurement of quality duty outerwear for smaller agencies and individual officers.  Some outerwear with GORE™ materials can be prohibitively expensive for the individual officer or even a small police agency to buy through traditional channels.

Gore teamed up with certified manufacturer, Forum Industries in San Antonio, Texas to make two new high quality patrol jackets and that’s exactly what they have delivered.  This article is specifically for the WINDSTOPPER® Patrol Soft Shell from Forum Industries.  The other jacket they came up with is the GORE-TEX® Lightweight Patrol Shell and both are initially available in navy blue and black.  (Brown and olive drab are coming soon for the GORE-TEX® Lightweight Patrol Shell and other colors are being considered for the WINDSTOPPER® jacket.)  Look for an article about the GORE-TEX® Lightweight Patrol Shell also from Forum Industries soon.

The WINDSTOPPER® Patrol Soft Shell has quickly become one of my favorite jackets.  The outer shell is a stretch nylon and the backer/liner is fleece.  One thing I really like about the fleece backer is it covers the entire inside of the jacket to include the sleeves and collar.  While the fleece lining helps when temperatures drop, proper layering will help you stay warm without the need to wear a bulky jacket that makes you look like the kid in “A Christmas Story.”

The outer shell is treated with Gore’s “durable water repellent” finish.  This treatment provides the water beading properties.  Water will bead up on the shell and can be wiped or shook off.  Don’t let this special coating prevent you from washing the jacket when needed either.  Gore actually recommends washing the jacket if it becomes soiled by dirt and grime.  Contaminates can degrade the beading properties of the finish.  Machine wash and dry the jacket and the water resistant properties return with no issue.

Regardless, the ability of the jacket to keep the wearer dry is due to the WINDSTOPPER® membrane.  The cuffs on the wrist have hook & loop type adjustment.  The zippers on the jacket were selected because of their water resistant qualities as well as being anti-glare which was specifically requested by users in the field.  The jacket is offered in an “Ike” length and a standard length.  The Ike sits right at or just above your gun belt while the standard length goes below the gun belt.  The standard model has side zippers and button closure elastic tabs to wrap under and behind your holster to keep the side of the jacket secure and out of the way.

The WINDSTOPPER® Patrol Soft Shell has four pockets.  Two fleece lined hand warmer pockets and two breast pockets that are also fleece lined.  All of the pockets have zipper closure and the pockets are sewn in too place to prevent pulling the pockets inside out.  There is a bottom hem draw cord adjustment that can be drawn tight on the left and right sides near the side zippers.  I personally cut the cord out because I have seen too many negligent discharge reports over the years caused by draw cords getting caught in triggers.  I advised Gore of my concerns over this and they are exploring different options for either securing, relocating, or discarding the cord all together.

This leads me to customization of the jacket for the officer or the agency.  The base line jacket can have badge tab, name plate tabs, shoulder mic tabs, etc.  The best part is Forum Industries will do that on an individual basis.  You don’t have to make a bulk order to get the extra features.  They will also sew your agency patches on the jacket for you at their factory.

Click here for more products using technology from Gore.  The WINDSTOPPER® Patrol Soft Shell can be purchased directly from Forum Industries and the MSRP is $175 or $185 depending on the length you prefer.

From the team of RAT Cutlery and DPx Gear comes the H.E.S.T. knife. HEST is the acronym for “Hostile Environment Survival Tool”. RAT stands for “Randall’s Adventure & Training”. DPx alludes to the knife serving best in the world’s most “Dangerous Places.” I’m not quite sure why the X was added, but I THINK it means “extreme.” All that laid out, I was slightly surprised to get such a small knife designed as a survival tool. Of course, I had to test it, learn about it and so on. What I’ve learned is interesting and I’ll share it with you.

Shown with and without grip scales, the RAT HEST knife is small but competent.

According to the information disseminated about it and available online, the knife is manufactured from 1095 steel hardened to a measurement of 57-58Rc. The entire length of steel, with the exception of the sharpened edge, is powder coated black and it’s one of the most evenly applied, fine finished powder coating jobs I’ve ever experienced. On the left side is laser engraved the DPX Gear logo and on the right side are the initials of the designer, Robert Young Pelton (RYP). The scroll is fancy, as if he’d written them on there himself. Near the pommel on one side is “RAT – USA” and on the other, “H-E-S-T”.

As I measure it the overall length of the knife is 7.625″. Blade width (all but the front 1.25″ of the knife) is a full 3/16ths of an inch. The blade accounts for 3″ of the overall length leaving the handle at just over four and a half inches. The grip is fairly ergonomic with a nicely integrated finger groove near the hilt. The sharp projection you can see at the pommel is an intentional design feature put there to serve as a pry bar. In my case, due to my medium sized hands, as I hold the knife I can just feel that pry bar pommel projection on the side of my pinky.

Look carefully and you can see that what there is of a hilt is just slightly off perpendicular with the line of the knife, leaned forward at the spine. This is very common in modern knives and RAT/DPX took advantage of the slant to put ridges in the spine. The ridges indicate thumb placement so you can index your grip to press into cuts. Immediately forward of the hilt in the spine is a bottle opener. (I have to say, this is one of the coolest “church keys” I’ve ever seen) At the base of the sharpened edge is what we would normally take for a choil but in this case it was designed deep to serve as a wire break notch as well. There are three lashing holes designed into the knife: one centered just behind the hilt and two at the pommel.

Author’s Note: In the past I’ve had email exchanges with folks about using a survival knife as a spear point. As this is something I’ve always wanted to at least have as an option, most of those I’ve communicated with felt it was a potential way to lose the knife. Instead, they suggested just sharpening to a point whatever stick I’d be using as the spear handle. Their argument has merit, but I still appreciate having the option, so this is a design feature I especially appreciate.

The handles feel like linen micarta, and thanks to the texture they look both OD Green (or close to it) and khaki or tan at the same time. The “high points” in the texture look green… the grooves or weave appears tan. The grip slaps are just thick enough to feel comfortable in my hand and, when combined with the shape of the handle, provided a secure grip even as I tested it under wet conditions. The grip slabs can be removed with a regular screw driver and there is a hollow space between them to store emergency supplies as shown in the top picture (not included with the knife kit). We will circle back to this farther down in a moment.

Versatility in carry options is another strength of the RAT HEST

The knife is delivered with a kit that includes:

• HEST Knife
• Kydex Sheath
• Paracord and Cord Lock
• MOLLE Lock Kit

The knife speaks for itself. The kydex sheath is a minimalist design that covers and captures the knife all the way to the front edge of the micarta grip slaps. Using the instructions available on the back of the H.E.S.T. instruction sheet (acrobat required) you set the sheath up to carry the knife horizontally or vertically on your belt or on MOLLE webbing. Using those directions you can attain any one of the described carry positions in the photo you see here. Click on it for a larger view.

Now, let’s circle back as promised to talk about the grip slabs and the storage within. I think it’s a fantastic idea to have storage within the grips. I like that they can be removed easily with a slotted (regular) screw driver. If you keep a relatively small length of strong fishing line inside that space then you also have what you need to tie the knife into a spear handle – and if you have the handle prepared properly you can minimize the chance of losing the blade as discussed above. So, the only thing you need that isn’t provided in this kit / system is a slotted screw driver.

Sure, plenty of folks have a multi-tool with them when they’re out in the field, but I’m going to try to find a way to attach a piece of a properly sized screw driver to this sheath kit, even if I have to duct tape it on. I’d prefer for the kit to be independent of the need for a non-attached tool to take full advantage of the benefits it offers.

That out of the way, let’s look at performance. Out back I went… string, twine, fishing line, 1/2″ cotton rope, 1/2″ ugly yellow nylon rope, pieces of an old 5-gallon plastic construction bucket, some nylong webbing and more. The H.E.S.T.’s edge was delivered sharp and it held the edge well. Because of the 3″ length of the blade there’s not as much room to “pull through” a cut as you have with longer blades, so the edge itself has to do the cutting work with more pull, less slice. The H.E.S.T. performed well, cutting through everything with a single pull (the ugly yellow nylon rope took a HARD pull, but it still did it).

Because of the size and balance of the knife it’s not a good tool for chopping but I had no issues shaving off decent size chunks of the plastic bucket. Just as a matter of curiosity fulfilled by doing, I used the knife to prep some branches and limbs that had fallen off my trees in recent storms. I shaved some tinder and cut some smaller kindling to build a fire. No problems there at all. After cleaning the knife I used it to cut up my lunch (leftover turkey from Thanksgiving) and to butter my biscuits. After that I washed it again and it’s tucked safely back into its sheath.

Overall, out of ten, I’d give it a rating of 8.5. It’s at a disadvantage where survival tools are concerned because of its size. That said, it’s smaller size and lighter weight are also strengths because a person would be more likely to carry it constantly and have it with them than a comparable knife with a 6″ or 7″ blade. For design, finish and utility I give it high marks. For sheath versatility more high marks. In all, it’s a knife I’m glad to be adding to my kit.

Pricetag on the DPx Gear website is $139.98 and it shows the knives SOLD OUT. A quick Google search found me the knife elsewhere for $88.50. As always, search around and you can find a good deal. The knife is worth it’s retail price of about $140, but save the few bucks if you can.

Stay Safe!