By Scott Smith | Contributing Editor
While working on this article it is hard to believe we are thinking about graduations and Father’s Day. We just had a foot of snow, its thirtyish raining, and the weather folks say this could be the weather for a couple more weeks. I looked at that calendar to ensure it is late March and it is. Hard to ponder gifts for grads and dads for shooting, hiking season or RV season. However, we will look at a few items that will be good for those dads or grads that live in the great outdoors.
Lowa’s Aerox GTX Mid (men’s) and Lo (women’s) showing the Monowrap and aggressive Surround Trac sole. These ensure you have a supportive stable boot in the muddiest of conditions.
The upside of this nasty weather is it is ideal for checking out new waterproof boots from Lowa (Phone: 877-307-7277; Online: lowaboots.com). Lowa’s latest boot is the Aerox GTX Mid & Low. These boots are in their “All Terrain Sport” line. To shooters that means they get a boot that feels like a running shoe with the support and stability of a boot. The stability of the Aerox comes from the Monowrap Stability Frame. You can see the wrap running from the laces into and the midsole. Lowa has used this system on other models of boots and I can tell you from experience that the Monowrap works. It is supportive enough that Lowa uses it several boots in their duty line, including their hugely popular Zephyr and Z6S series which meet the demands of troops in harm’s way.
Unlike other manufacturers in this class of boot, who use EVA which will compress and lose its shock absorbing capabilities; Lowa uses an injected polyurethane midsole that gives you long term lightweight shock absorption. I have been wearing other Lowa boots with this midsole for at least three years and they are still as comfortable today as when I put them on. Some of that comfort comes from the flexibility of the slip last which does not fatigue your feet when running or walking. Lowa further enhances the shock absorption with Surround Channels strategically located throughout the midsole. These channels run completely through the midsole acting like miniature shock absorbers.
If you want innovation, Streamlight’s Poly TacX with USB Battery is it. It makes sure you have an affordable long lasting multi-function light.
What sets the Aerox apart from all other members of the ATS line is the outsole. Lowa calls the outsole “Surround Trac.” This sole pattern consists of a hexagonal pattern under the ball and heel of the foot with chevrons on the outer edges. Because it is a large pattern it self-cleans mud and snow while giving excellent traction in both wet and dry conditions. These soles wear as well as they do because they are Vibram built, unlike those on the shoes of cool kids on the range.
The Aerox has a couple of other things going for it over other popular shoes you see on the feet of action shooters. Since we shoot in all conditions, I want my feet dry; Lowa ensures that using real Gore-Tex. Some folks prefer an ankle high boot, Lowa offers men’s and women’s models. The ankle area is lined for comfort and breathability. Lowa uses a real shoe lace not a string. Believe or not this simple item ensures your foot is laced in and secure in the boot. Lastly there is a double tongue, the outer is fully sewn to keep debris out of the boot and the inner is padded for comfort. The last intangible is Lowa boots are built in Slovakia or Germany where they know about hard use boots and they survive the mountains of Europe and Afghanistan. If you are going to spend $220 or $240 you want to ensure you get what you pay for.
Hearing Protection
Safariland’s Liberator HP electronic hearing protection. You can see the protected windscreens and easy access push button controls.
The other area I look for the most protective piece of kit I can find is hearing protection. I have significant hearing loss and tinnitus from my days in the Army and USAF Reserve. Back then high tech hearing protection was the disposable yellow foamies. While they worked if you took time to properly insert them, in a tactical environment you never kept them in because you could not hear commands or they came dislodged just from movement.
Today that has changed. You will rarely see a photo of a trooper without electronic hearing protection and a boom microphone for clear communications. One of the leaders in this end of the industry is Safariland. This past year Safariland Group (Phone: 800-347-1200; Online: safariland.com) introduced cutting edge digital hearing protection. New for 2018 is the Liberator HP.
The Liberator HP is one of the most comfortable headsets I have worn. One of the reasons for this is the headband is wrapped with a soft material cover, not a vinyl wrap. The other is the gel ear pads. Unlike foam ear pads, these do not put pressure on your ears/shooting glasses; which gives you a headache by the end of the day. With the winter-like weather we have been having I got to try them in conditions that should have had them be stiff, itchy; generally uncomfortable and they weren’t. The easily replaced ear cups remained soft and pliable. This is a sign of a well made headset.
Safariland introduced another breakthrough with the Liberator: the dual power option. This hearing protection will run for about four hundred hours on either AAA or a CR123A battery. The compartment is on the right ear with the hinged cover secured with a small screw.
Another feature that was improved on the Liberator is the microphone. Over the years I have had an untold number of windscreens come off them. Until now they all just are stuck on. Safariland actually protects the wind screens with a soft polymer cover. It’s a great idea, because without wind screens electronic hearing protection will drive you crazy.
The last improvement Safariland made was to use push button control on/off and volume buttons. They are on the left earpiece. The rear button is on/off with an audible beep when turned on or off. The volume also returns to the last active setting, which is great. It gets annoying adjusting the volume and having it blare at incredibly loud settings when you rotate the volume control/switch.
Safariland’s Liberator HP is not cheap. The MSRP is $259.99. However, what is your comfort and hearing worth? How much is all day comfort worth? If you use your hearing protection professionally, you can contact Safariland to get a push to talk system to match your radios. I assure you these will be my hearing protection of choice; I lost enough of mine flying in C130s and being around artillery throughout my military career. I cannot afford to lose more.
Let there be light
For those who need a versatile light the Dualie USB is it; with a spot and flood light all in one light.
Those of us who spend time on the range or in the great outdoors can always use flashlights. Given a choice I prefer rechargeable lights. Streamlight’s (Phone: 800-523-7488; Online: Streamlight.com) Dualie made huge progress in this portion of the industry with USB chargeable lights and batteries. For Dads and Grads we are going to look at the Poly TacX USB and the Dualie Magnetic Rechargeable Lights. The Poly TacX has an MSRP of $90, you can find it under $50 online; while the Dualie has an MSRP of $100 and you can find it online under $60. Both lights are waterproof for 30 minutes in three feet of water; a feature you do not find at these price points. This also makes them ideal gifts.
Let’s look at the Poly TacX first. This light will operate on Streamlight’s USB Battery or two CR123As if you use up the charge. At first glance the Poly TacX looks like any other Poly Tac light that is until you look at the battery. At the positive end of the battery you will find a port for a Micro-USB cable (supplied). When I received our test sample while charged enough to function it needed another five hours to get to full charge. This revolutionary battery can be purchased separately for $20 for a single or $40 for a pair.
Adding to the Dualie’s versatility are the dual position magnets so you can mount the light on any steel object.
This light is very useful for outdoorsman because it has a removable clip for easy carry, multi-function (low/med/high/strobe beam) and a 34-hour runtime on low. If you need to run it on strobe you have eight hours or just less than four hours on high. On high you have 600 lumens; on low there are 35 lumens. I prefer the polymer body for my pack over the aluminum for because in cold/heat the polymer does not conduct felt temperature as much. I have used one version of the Poly Tac series of lights both on duty and in the field since I received my first one back in 2009. Putting my trust in them to protect myself and others is the highest praise I can give the light.
Another USB chargeable light is The Dualie Rechargeable. This light gets its name from its two lights. The main beam is a spotlight with 180 lumen output running for seven hours or a floodlight with 105 lumens to light a work area for over thirteen hours. If needed as a locator beacon with both lights on, you have a total 275 lumen output it will run for just over five hours. When operating in dual beam mode both lights meet so there are no blind spots should to light your feet and direction without blind spots. What I like about this light is each light is controlled by its own switch, so you do not have to play guessing games with how many times do I push a button if you are out in the cold trying to change a tire or searching for items or people.
Aside from its dual beams, the other unique feature of the Dualie is the clip with dual magnetic base. While it might seem like a small thing you can stick this light on the fender or hood if you are jumping a dead battery or need your hands free to reload magazines, do paperwork or, if need be, dress a wound. I have found these magnets also help sorting empty brass from steel cases. The clip allows you to hang the light on your pack or belt. Unlike a lot of clip lights the Dualie stays where you clip-it thanks to the prongs on the clip. Streamlight ships the Dualie with a wall mountable charger and cable.
When charging either the USB Battery or the Dualie you will see a bright red LED. Once fully charged it turns green. Streamlight says the USB battery can be charged up to 500 times while the Dualie up to 400. This will be a huge cost savings over replacing a pair of CR123As in your flashlight. The USB chargeable lights are yet another way Streamlight is giving you the latest in lighting technology. Both the Dualie and Poly TacX will serve whoever you give them to for years to come and remind your loved ones you want them safe on the darkest of nights.
Storage Solutions
When you need to keep your 9mm and .223/5.56 ammunition secure and organized MTM Case-Gard’s Ammunition Racks are the answer.
Another company that is not content to rest on its laurels is MTM Case-Gard (Phone: 937-890-7461; Online: mtmcase-gard.com). MTM has been innovating ways to carry gear and ammunition for as long as I can remember. In 2018 MTM continues that with their Tactical Pistol Cases and Ammunition Racks.
Over the years I have used many different methods to carry ammunition for matches, training or traveling to a shoot with friends out of state. I have used zipper close bags, peanut butter jars and even MTM’s ammunition boxes dropped into a travel bag. Inevitably ammo ends up though out the bag or worse. This is especially true at matches or training in bad weather.
The Ammunition Rack holds either 9mm or .223/5.56 boxes and keeps them from sliding around. The 9mm Ammo Rack will hold 400 rounds and the .223 will hold 200. What I like about these racks is you can move the shelves so you can have a mix of 9mm and .223. For 3-Gun matches I set mine up to carry 200-9mm and 100-.223. These racks will fit perfectly in my cart and keep everything from sliding around. Since it’s generally nearby, I keep another Ammunition Rack in the truck so it is out of the weather. If more ammunition is needed, I just walk back to the truck and swap out empty boxes. The 9mm Ammunition Rack is $15.99 and the .223 is $13.99.
The padded interior of MTM’s Tactical Pistol Case 3 will keep your pistols and spare magazines protected from the elements.
Another of MTM’s boxes this year is the Tactical Pistol Case (TPC). This case can hold 3, 4 or 6 pistols. What the TPC is, is one of MTM’s Dry Boxes with a die cut foam insert to hold your pistols and extra magazines. The foam is mil-spec closed cell foam to keep the padding from absorbing moisture, which we know creates rust. The other benefit of the foam is you can wipe out dirt and dust.
Another good feature is the three-point lockable lid. As much as it pains me to say it, if you are not the only person on the range, securing your firearms is a good idea. There have been numerous cases of folks having firearms walk away. With three lock holes you can lock the case shut and lock it to the bench.
To meet my needs I chose the TPC3, to keep my match pistols secure when traveling. This will give me a slot for my primary pistol and a back-up in case something goes wrong, as well as a spare pistol like a 1911 or Glock 17. I carry that in case someone else who does not have a back-up has issues with their pistol. Over the years, I have seen numerous shooters be thankful other competitors have a spare to let them finish a major match.
There are three lock points to help ensure your pistols are truly secure
You will find the TPC3 online for $27.99, the TPC4 for $34.99 and the TPC6 $42.99. Not only is this a good deal to ensure your pistols stay secure, but the case also makes a good table, a seat or a step stool in a pinch.
Hopefully we have given you a few good ideas for gifts for Father’s Day or graduation 2018. The items we looked at here will serve outdoorsman and shooters alike for years to come. Your friends and family will think of you when they use them. After gearing up dad or the grad, get them to the range. Shoot straight, shoot safe and have fun.
