Gear Reviews

Summer is here and it’s hot. Temperatures in the 90s and 100s have been common recently. Besides shade and water, what do we need in weather like this? Shorts. We need shorts.

The Baldr lineup from Olight has received mixed reviews. When they told me they were announcing a new Baldr model, I was hoping they fixed some of the shortcomings of the previous versions. A week later the new light showed up at my door. Opening the package revealed the new Baldr-S laser/light pistol light.

This is not the cheapest sling I have ever seen. And this isn’t made in some Chinese sweatshop from leftover Nike scraps. Every product I have ever owned from Armageddon Gear is as tough as nails. If you haven’t tried them out, this sling is a great place to start.

I cut my teeth with an ACOG on an M16A4 and have always appreciated the simplicity and design of a good prism optic. As such, when Vortex released the latest Spitfire HD Gen 2 models, my ears perked up. Emails were sent, and Vortex happily sent me a Spitfire HD Gen 2 5X optic.

Red Balloon Industries found a niche that has made them very, very popular. They became the guys that would do things others would not, and at a very reasonable price.

The Ontario Knife Company, OKC, known around the world for their fighting knives and rugged tools, is now taking orders for their new Retractable Bayonet.

An odd part of this job is when we take a look at absolutely new brands. Not because we don’t like to see new things, but because of the responsibility that comes with it. If you send me a piece of junk, I am going to tell you your baby is ugly. And I’m going to tell all of our subscribers your baby is ugly. And that is never fun. But for this week’s introduction to some new toys, I had no hesitation at all.

The upside is simple and straightforward, for around $150 (MSRP), you get a mean-looking axe that will last you the rest of your life — one that in a pinch can be used for a multitude of tasks, including keeping horned-up predators away from those under your mantle of protection.

The new Leupold VX-3HD riflescope is, according to the author, the best VX-3 scope made to date, offering better resolution, clarity, and contrast in a light, rugged and affordable package.