by Scott Smith | Contributing Editor
Every 3i holster is handmade by the shop’s skilled craftsmen to ensure each customer gets exactly what they need and want.
After the holiday rush is over, in many parts of the country hunting season is over; we sit and ponder how to sell those gift cards we received. This is a good time of year with many places having items on clearance while others have new products starting to filter in. Either way you win; with good deals on last year’s closeouts or you will be the first to have the newest gear.
The first item is one of those that shooters always need: holsters. While shooting The Buckeye Blast, USPSA Ohio State Championship, several competitors had holsters with the coolest Kydex colors and patterns. Over the years I thought I had seen all the holster patterns you can find. Well, as usual, I was wrong.
3i’s pancake holster in Kryptek Pontus for Canik TP9SFx and custom “Blue Line” for Sig P320 X5. These holsters are the epitome of art and function.
The company behind these holsters is 3i Holsters (Phone: 740-221-4155; Online: 3iholsters.com). 3i is a proverbial small town USA company in Zanesville, OH, and it’s pretty much a family operation. The shop sits off the beaten trail, but can be found. However, you are more likely to find them at a gun show, at a match or through the growing number of shops in Ohio that are stocking dealers. Fear not, Scott Frank, the head honcho, will take care of you folks not in the area.
When I say take care of you, 3i does just that. Each holster is built one at a time by one of the shop’s employees. Before you shrug and say big deal, I mean each holster is made with care. Every holster is checked for fit, to ensure the edges are radiused and polished, all the attachments are secure and that the holster or mag carrier is as close to exactly what you want as possible.
I had holsters made for my Sig P320 X5 and my Canik TP9SFx. For the X5 I told Scott to have his way with the holster. The only criterion was it in some way has a thin blue line. What I received is a vertical drop multi-layer paddle holster. Not only was the black and blue line there but the thin blue line law enforcement flag leads the way on the holster. I was truly amazed with this holster.
For the TP9SFx I wanted bright and catchy. A straight drop pancake style holster in Kryptek Pontus. I have not been a fan of pancake Kydex because so many are too boxy or wrap too far around the hip; making them uncomfortable. The mold 3i seems to be designed for real men, not skinny teenagers. To make the holster fit better, the belt loop was set high on the holster so it rode lower. This made it easier for me to draw.
The X5 holster was finished when I arrived, to make the surprise complete and because forming the layers would have meant Scott was building the holster until midnight. We did go through building the Canik’s holster to see the steps, the same steps every holster gets from cutting to molding to inserting the hardware to polishing and radiusing the edges. While having my holster built, I watched the crew building other customers’ holsters exactly the same way, paying attention to each detail.
Having seen several competitors putting 3i holsters through their paces at the Buckeye Blast, I knew they were fast and had good retention. Little did I know they were made with such painstaking care. From what I have seen, every holster gets the same care and love. 3i Holsters start at $47-$50 and the sky is the limit.
To see 3i’s creations look on Facebook for 3i Holsters. You will see if you can dream Scott and 3i will build it.
MTM Case-Gard’s 4 Can Ammo Crate in the crate and open to show just how much these four ammo cans will hold.
When it comes to a company that has been around for years but still keeps bringing innovations to the market consider MTM- Case-Gard (Phone: 937-890-7461; Online: mtmcase-gard.com). MTM started making plastic ammunition boxes. From there they have brought polymer “50/30 Cal” ammunition boxes, tables, buckets, you name it. I have been using numerous boxes from MTM for nearly 20 years; aside from some scuffs and stains you would never know the mileage and hundreds of pounds of ammunition these cases have held.
This past year I found the latest in the Ammo Crate family; the 4-Can Ammo Crate. As the name implies this is 4 cans held together by a crate. I found this to be a nearly perfect three gun crate. One ammo box will hold approximately 150 shotgun shells, 500 9mm, 300 .223 Rem. The remaining box carries 00 Buck, rifled slugs and other kit needed for 3-Gun competition. The entire crate fits well under the bed of my RV or in my match cart for easy storage and transport. When the rain is nearly a monsoon, these individual boxes have O-ring closures to ensure your ammo and kit stays dry or out of the elements. You will find this to be the best $29.99 you can spend.
FrogLube’s solvent and paste CLP. This system will help you to clean your firearms quickly for them to function in whatever Mother Nature throws your way.
Over the winter with cold, wet and snow it’s a good time to clean firearms. Frog Lube (Phone: 855-376-4582; Online: frgolube.com) has been rapidly making inroads across the spectrum of competition shooters. My best bud has been using it and cannot say enough about it. Many other folks whose opinions I trust around the country rave about Frog Lube.
Unlike many other cleaning products FrogLube is bio-based from food by-products. This means it is not caustic to skin or clothing. While you do not need them because of the carbon fouling, wear gloves. To many the best thing about FrogLube is the “minty” smell that should reduce complaints when you clean your firearms.
When using FrogLube you have to use both the solvent and lubricant. Unlike petro based products where you can mix and match; with it being bio-based you have to use both parts of FrogLube. The solvent is $19.99 for 4 ounces and the paste CLP is $19.99 for 4 ounces.
The first time you use FrogLube, apply the solvent and let is set, 10 minutes seems to work pretty well on crusty AR15 bolts. Once you have the parts clean then you can lubricate it. FrogLube’s online videos can show you the ins and outs. The paste works well for all firearms, but is works very well for firearms that are not shot that often and sit in the vault. The paste stays where you apply it with minimal evaporation. My best friend of 30+ years tells me the more he uses FrogLube the easier cleaning is and the action “felt smoother. After all these years, I trust his opinion; especially when it comes to cleaning firearms. Unlike the author, his best friend actually cleans his firearms regularly.
Propper’s RavTec easily accommodates a double layer Cobra belt from Tuff Products. You can also see all the pockets to secure your gear.
Our last items are from Propper (Phone: 866-433-9690; Online: propper.com). Propper has been manufacturing uniforms for military and first responders for 50 years. I first learned of Propper several years ago when I purchased one of their reflective hi-visibility duty jackets, that served me on patrol for years. The last few years this company has been offering more pants that while targeted for duty, make great range, casual pants for shooters.
Propper sent us the RevTac and Kinetic. Both models are available for men and women in a variety of colors; black, coyote, LAPD navy, charcoal, khaki and OD. Both pairs pants offer shooters, outdoorsmen; pants with the latest in fabric technology at an affordable price.
First up is the men’s RevTac. These pants are 65/35 poly cotton so they fit well and look good. Propper pays a lot of attention to the elasticized waist of the RevTac from snap close French fly to the silicone band. Something not found on many pants the silicone band helps keep your shirt tucked in to keep you looking good. This is more important to shooters to keep your shirt out of the way of you holster to prevent your shirt from interfering/blocking the holster while holstering. With striker fired pistols this can cause many of the negligent discharges we see.
For comfort these pants have a gusseted crotch. Most pants are simply seamed; this is what causes binding when kneeling, sitting or other dynamic actions. The diamond gusset eliminates this and also gives you better airflow which will reduce sweating and ultimately chafing.
Shooters and outdoorsman like pockets and there are plenty of them on these pants. You have traditional front slash pockets and rear patch pockets that have a hook/loop closure to help secure wallets, ID, etc. On the left leg
There is a small flap cargo pocket to carry items like keys or pistol magazines. Lastly there are flap covered cargo pockets on each thigh that lay flat to look good but are large enough to stuff a lot of gear including AR magazines.
Lastly the legs are roomy and comfortable. You will find the double layer knees have an interior opening to accommodate knee pads. This is a nice feature for action shooters so you always have knee pads, ensuring comfort if you unexpectedly need to take a knee on a stage.
I have worn these pants for a few matches and road trips. They are comfortable for extended time behind the wheel and launder well after a long major match. After several wash/dry cycles there has been no shrinkage and they still are true to size. At $49.99 these pants are a great value.
Propper sent us the ladies Kinetic. These pants are the flagship pants of the Propper line. What sets these pants apart from other pants is the material, NEXStretch 2-way mechanical stretch fabric. When wearing them you can feel the pants “give” and move with you. Unlike other BDU style pants that are stretchy Kinetics do not look like a pair of well used sweat pants after several wash/dry cycles.
You can see all the pockets Propper gives shooters in this photo of the ladies Kinetic in charcoal.
The 79/21 poly cotton blend has a DWR coating that helps prevent stains. This coating also helps shed water and perish the thought, the occasional spilled drink. Shooters will appreciate the DWR coating to help prevent the stain that seems to be inevitable where your holster and magazine pouches are carried.
Kinetic pants have loads of pockets. The front slash pockets have a large flat at the bottom of the slash so you can carry a clip-it knife and not have the knife dig into your hip/thigh. In front of these pockets are small vertical slash pockets that look small but will carry an AR magazine or smart phone.
The rear slash pockets, like the thigh pockets, have hook/loop closures to ensure whatever you stow in them is secure. While unobtrusive the thigh pockets will carry 30-round AR magazines in individual pouches so they do not rattle. You will find the front corners of these pockets are reinforced to prevent a blow-out.
Unlike many ladies pants the Kinetics legs fit women and do not look like stove pipes. Like the RevTac the crotch has a diamond gusset and the knees are double layered with knee pad pockets.
Combined with the NEXStretch fabric Lisa tells me these pants are one of the best pants she has worn in the field with FEMA. They are true to size in the waist and length. The weight of the fabric is comfortable even in the oven-like conditions of California where she has been deployed to help with recovery from the fires. The DWR fabric has ensured the grunge from the fires has not stained the Kinetics where other pants have succumbed to the soot, ash and dirt sludge created when it rained. At $54.99 they are competitively priced, but the features of these pants make them worth every penny.
Hopefully these items will give you some ideas on how to spend your holiday money to get ready for the New Year, or to fill some last-minute Holiday gift requirements. We will see you out and about in 2018. Even though it’s winter, get out to the range; shoot straight, shoot safe and have fun. It keeps us sane.
