By Scott Smith | Contributing Editor
While the country is enjoying the holidays, the shooting industry prepares for its annual showcase; the: the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show. Each year thousands of folks trek to Las Vegas to walk the aisles of the show to see the latest in firearms, clothing and other gear. This year we were fortunate to get a number of new items to review before the show. We’d like to thank our friends at Alps Outdoorz, Propper, Real Avid, Spyderco and TruSpec.
Alps Outdoors (Phone: 800-344-2577; Online: alpsoutdoorz.com) has been bringing hunters, shooters, campers;, and outdoors people quality innovative kit for over a decade. You will find pretty much everything you need to take to the woods or field; backpacks, sleeping bags and furniture. My experience with Alps Outdoorz has showed me it is worth every penny. I have been using one of their chairs for ten years, so I thought it was time to see what they have new for 2019.
Alps Outdoorz Crosshair folding chair is comfortable in the field, home or on the range.
Fortunately, I received an email from their PR folks about the Crosshair. This is a new armless cradle type chair. The chair is made from 600D polyester fabric and the frame is powder coated steel. This combination gives you a lightweight, virtually indestructible folding chair. Thanks to the carry case it stores easily and can easily be carried to a party, any outdoor site, to the lake or into the woods.
You will find the seat is comfortable. The seat is 24”X17” and the back is 15”X17” to give you plenty of room and support. I did not find the lack of arms to compromise this chair’s comfort. My arms were cradled by the chair and the lack of arms means you can shoot a bow or cast a rod easily while sitting comfortably. The Crosshair folds down and fits into a 6.5”X40” bag, which rides while behind a seat of most vehicles.
Alps Outdoorz builds the Crosshair with hunters in mind. You can get the chair in Realtree Edge or Mossy Obsession. The camouflage is highlighted by orange piping and frame. Some folks will baulk at the orange highlights; however in the fall Mother Nature has loads of oranges and reds in her. At $59.99 you will have a chair that will last you for many years and fits in at any outdoor venue.
When first responders and troops hear the name Propper (Phone: 800-296-9690; Online: propper.com) uniform clothing comes to mind. Over the last couple of years Propper has expanded its product line to include footwear, body armor, and bags. Pretty much you have a one stop shop for uniformed professionals.
Propper’s Expandable has plenty of room to carry your kit traveling, to the field or on duty and do it comfortably thanks to the padded back and shoulder straps.
The good thing about gear for professionals is it will endure hard use and generally will not break the bank. Since those of us who spent a lot of time outdoors always have “stuff” to carry, I thought Propper’s $99.99 Expandable Backpack would be an ideal backpack choice,
This backpack is 19”H X 13”W X 9”D (expands an additional 2” in depth) with a dual side access rear compartment for secure laptop or hydration bladder storage. There are single side pouches on each side sized to fit small cameras, binoculars, glass cases etc. The main pouch has two zipper pockets to carry items you need easy access to. The bottom pocket has an organizer sleeve and key keeper so you don’t lose your keys. Both pockets have MOLLE strips so you can add other storage pouches and hook/loop material so you can attach nametapes or other patches.
Like the small pockets, the main compartment has dual zipper closures. Inside is a mesh zipper pocket and a sleeve. The large main compartment can carry a complete scent reducing suit or rain coat and fleece jacket or food and water for a few days. With its expandable feature I found I could easily pack a couple pairs of pants, two shirts, socks and other essentials for a long weekend and have room for tourist gifts.
To ensure the pack carries well there are pack pads that are positioned such that they allow airflow. The adjustable padded shoulder straps stay put thanks to a sternum strap. Over the last few weeks I used this pack for a couple of trips to the woods to check out the fall foliage and look for deer sign. With clothing, food and water I carried about fifteen15 pounds per trip and was out for a couple of hours.
The Expandable did not shift nor did it wear me out like small ALICE packs did back in my service days. The Propper Expandable is an ideal field and travel backpack, even for those flying; it will easily fit in an overhead bin. Realizing not all folks need Multicam, Propper offers the Expandable in black, OD and coyote so it blends in with other packs. I found the Expandable to be an ideal couple day pack, I think you will too.
One of the most innovative companies to come along in a many years is Real Avid (Phone: 800-286-0567; Online: realavid.com). Real Avid has put a modern more -user -friendly spin on firearms maintenance and field care. Back in 2012 I was first introduced to their tools. It seemed Real Avid had but a handful of items, now they have dozens of tools to take care of your AR, AK, Glock, 1911, shotgun and most any other firearm. Real Avid was gracious enough to get us preproduction samples allowing The GunMag readers to have the first look at a few items.
Real Avid’s AR15 Master Armorer’s Kit has all the tools you need to maintain your AR or build one.
In 2019 Real Avid is introducing their largest tool kit; AR15 Master Armorer’s Kit. This kit will give you virtually everything you need to maintain your AR -style rifle or build your own custom AR. When I say everything, I mean everything from cleaning picks to a torque wrench to properly tighten the castle and barrel nuts.
Let’s take a look at the kit. First off is the carrying case. Unlike many kits on the market that come in a “case” that lasts about as long as the first use, Real Avid ships this kit in a case built to keep your tools properly stored for years to come. This kit was designed for the anal retentive with each tool having its own spot. Each tool locks into its spot and save except for tossing the kit, they stay in place. I feared everything would be a shambles when I knocked it off my desk chair. Thankfully, all the tools were still in place.
When you need to tighten down screws on scope mounts or anywhere on a firearm, make sure you use gunsmith drivers like this complete kit found in The Real Driver 90.
Back in May 2018 The GunMag did a review of major items in this kit: Master Bench Bloc, Master Armorer’s Wrench and Pin Punch Kit. These tools are all on my bench and get used regularly. The Handguard removal tool makes removing and installing M4/AR15 GI -style forearms easy as opening a bottle of pop. The pick set gets into all the nooks and crannies to thoroughly clean your AR.
The most unique item in the kit is the Lug-Lok Vise Block. This block fits into the barrel chamber to give you a solid base to remove/replace barrel nut work on the upper receiver without stressing the pivot pins or indexing pin on the barrel. I have seen bad things happen when you over torque these points. Note: to use the Lug-Lok, the receiver extension must be removed.
Other handy tools include Pivot Pin Tool and lock, a safety flag, front sight tool and Smart Vise Block. This block is unique because it can be tensioned to fit mag wells to reduce shake when working on the upper receiver or installing new optics. You can invert it to make installing a pistol grip or work on the lower receiver easier. Whoever you give this $249.99 gift to will think of you every time they use it, especially when it makes working on their AR easier.
If you own a Glock, Real Avid’s Glock Pocket Tool will give you all the tools you need to work on it.
Not everyone owns an AR, perish the thought; but if you are reading this, odds are you own more than one firearm. That means you need a tool kit specifically designed for firearms. Yes, you can have Allen wrenches and numerous screwdrivers from big box stores but they are not firearms specific. Most Allen sets do not fit the nuts on scopes and various firearms. Nor are screwdrivers designed for screws used in on scopes and firearms. The tools found in the Real Driver 90 are built for working on firearms not cars or around the house.
If you do not want to strip firearms screws you need bits that truly fit the screws. When I say fit, they need to be squared not tapered to the bit like wood working/mechanics tools. Square blades fill the entire screw slot to reduce the odds of stripping the head and evenly applying pressure to the entire screw head. This ensures that you apply even pressure to the entire surface area, helping prolong the life of the screws and screw holes. The same is true for Philip’s head screws. They too are generally flat at the bottom of the screw, a pointed it will slip and strip the head.
While you can buy Allen wrench sets, most are not small enough for the screws and bolts that secure scope bases and adjustment screws. I have discussed many mini red dot scopes when I cannot zero them because I forgot the OEM wrench.
When you spent any time in the woods or field a true field hatchet like Spyderco’s Genzo HatchHawk should be part of your kit.
To ensure you keep the screw blade in the slot, Real Avid has a “force assist” which is another driver to fit into the handle. This will allow you to get extra torque on stubborn screws. The main driver is lit to illuminate your immediate work area. I found this to be most useful at the range where lighting is not optimal for field repairs and adjustments. The Real Driver 90 is worth every penny of its $99.99 MSRP because it will save time and aggravation.
Real Avid’s kits generally come in a handy carrying case, but this is not the
case with their Glock Tool. It literally will fit in your pocket like a folding knife; coincidentally, it looks like a knife. The difference is the four blades are tools. There is a punch front sight driver, flat blade driver and .050” Allen wrench. The 3/16” hex wrench fits front sight nuts, while the Allen wrench tightens most aftermarket rear sights; the flat blade removes the locking block and works on adjustable rear sights, while the punch is to remove pins.
Real Glock Tool literally is a complete tool kit for a Glock in your pocket. I cannot count the number of times this $24.99 tool would have come in handy to help fellow shooters at a match or just plinking at the range. Just saving one loose front sight when it is loose will cover the cost of this tool.
Our friends at Spyderco (Phone: 800-525-7770; Online: spyderco.com) have come out with several new items too for 2019. This year the Genzow HatchetHawk was added to their tool line. This tomahawk was designed in collaboration with Martin Genzow. This is a true field tomahawk with a hammer side and a sharp canted edge blade. The head is made from 5160 tool steel for durability and ease of sharpening and comes complete with Spyderco’s trademark hole.
You will find the pounding head to be uniquely designed in that it has a slight convex profile. This will increase the life of the head when used for pounding because it will not flatten and crack.
Those of us who shoot, hunt, hike, etc. need a quality knife. The Mantra3 from Spyderco is a fine example of one. It’s lightweight and wicked sharp.
The cutting blade is also unique. With its curved profile the sharper end allows more precise cutting while the blade’s curvature gives a longer cutting surface when hacking. The bottom of the blade is hooked, allowing you to use it to pull items to you or out of the way.
Unlike tomahawks of old the handle of the HatchetHawk is virtually indestructible. The handle is polypropylene plastic injection molded over an aluminum frame. Polypropylene is strong and it dissipates impact. The aluminum core is solid while reducing weight. You can see the frame through the lanyard hole.
Whether using the HatchetHawk to cut a tree, using the full length of the handle for leverage or choking up to shave kindling; the handle just fits right. I found the Genzow HatchHawk rides well on your belt or attached to a pack via its leather scabbard. Some may balk at the $269.95 price tag but if you need a serious tool for field work, SAR or fire control this is it. I have no doubt it will last a lifetime.
Spyderco never rests on its laurels and is constantly designing or improving knives. The Mantra 3 is one example of an evolving knife. The Mantra is also one of the knives through which Spyderco gives back to the community. A portion of the sale of each Mantra goes to the Parkinson’s Foundation for medical research.
So what is a Mantra 3? This is a flipper style knife that can be quickly opened via the flipper or with the traditional “hole”. The knife locks with a compression lock in the back of the frame. This a tough durable lock that is easily and safely operated with one hand.
Spyderco uses CPM S30V steel for the 3.24” blade. This blade material is corrosion resistant, holds a wicked sharp edge and is easily sharpened. The full flat grind makes it easy to sharpen with a stone or sharpening system.
This knife carries point up and is ambidextrous. You will have a solid grip thanks to textured G10 and gimping on the back of the blade. The handle design and hump created by the “hole” acts like a blade guard to keep you from slipping onto the blade. The 7.24” overall length fits and feels right in a wide range of hand sizes and it carries well when clipped in your pocket. At $239.95 you get a lot of knife for the buck.
When it comes to innovative clothing for duty, casual, range or field wear; it is hard to beat Tru-Spec (Phone: 844-256-8435; Online: truspec.com). Not only do they offer a variety of products; shirts, pants, outerwear, but they offer a number of price points and the latest in fabric technology as well. This past year the 24/7 Xpedition Pants were introduced and are still the flagship pants for 2019.
What sets the Xpedition apart from other pants in Tru-Spec product line is the material. It is a four way stretch DWR -treated fabric that resists stains and gives you freedom of movement no matter the position you are in. To further reduce odds of pinching, the crotch is gusseted from knee to knee with a stretch nylon. This gusset also allows for better airflow to reduce chafing. Tru-Spec uses this material in the back of the waistband as well. For added comfort and fit there is a French fly with hidden expandable waistband.
No matter what you wear them for, Tru-Spec’s 24/7 Xpedition Pants are built to handle whatever life throws at you throughout the day.
Since these pants are designed for hard use the articulated knees double layer with internal knee pad pockets. The backs of the knees use the same stretch fabric as the gusset. These might seem like minor items; however they greatly increase your ease of movement over other “tactical” pants. Simply try bending any of the duck canvas pants versus the Xpeditions; you will immediately notice the difference.
Tru-Spec ensures you have plenty of pockets to carry your stuff. The front pockets are L shaped slash with reinforcements to prevent your clip-it knife from wearing a hole in them. The right rear pocket has a zipper closure while the left one had a flap closure. Each of the cargo pockets has a snap flap closure and the left one has a zipper to keep your gear secure. Both pockets have carbineer loop and a separate magazine slash pocket behind them.
You will find the Xpedition is designed to keep you cool in hot sticky weather as well. Along the seam of each cargo pocket is a zipper closure over a mesh panel. Both legs the same panel at the opening as well. This creates airflow allowing you to dissipate a lot of heat. The taper of pant legs traps a lot of heat these panels will reduce that build-up much better than rolling our BDUs up to our boot tops did in basic training.
An area often overlooked on pants it the belt loop. The loops on Xpeditions are bar tacked to help prevent them from pulling off. Loops are also placed to not interfere with placement of a holster. Many companies put a loop along the out seam, right where many folks wear a straight drop holster. There are two rear loops to evenly distribute the load and prevent your pants from sagging.
The Xpedition is available in waist sizes from 28-44 in a number of colors; navy, black, OD, khaki, coyote, charcoal and Multicam. As you can see Tru-Spec builds the Xpedition to give you the most bang for the buck. After wearing them for a while in my humble opinion they are worth every penny of the $117.95 MSRP. You will find them under $100 online.
As you can see the outdoor industry is bringing many new items to market for duty, competition, field or daily use. This barely article barely scratches the surface but it will give you an idea of the direction the industry is heading. As always get out to the range and field to shoot safely, accurately and have fun.
