K&F Carbon Fiber Tripod

I don't do a lot of photography that involves the use of a tripod, but for the few times that I do, it makes sense to have a decent tripod.  Up to now I've been using a cheap tripod by Rayovac (yes the battery company).  I don't even remember where or when I go it.  It does the job but one of the feet finally broke off and I decided to replace it with something better.

I did a decent amount of research and decided on the K&F Concept TC2534 Professional Carbon Fiber Tripod.  It was reasonably priced (before rush delivery and a delivery fee from the hotel to which I had it delivered).

I got it for a trip to Las Vegas, and more specifically to Red Rock Canyon, where I had hoped to take sunset photos and possibly do some night photography.  Unfortunately there were too many clouds for decent photos, but I was able to play around with the tripod.

Setup is pretty intuitive and easy.  One thing that was interesting was that aside from a panning action, all of the head movement is locked by one mechanism.  Not sure if I like this or not, but it seemed pretty easy to control and maintain.

One thing I haven't tried is using the removable monopod.  One of the legs can be removed and used as a monopod, which is a pretty cool idea.

Overall, this tripod seems to be a sturdy, lightweight accessory.  It also packs down pretty well.  Collapsed and in the case, it fit inside my Tactical Rush backpack, albeit without room for a lot of other stuff.  The point is, it's a pretty compact tripod.  I easily strapped it on the outside of my backpack for the way home, and both easily fit in the overhead compartment of the plane.

If you're looking for a light, capable tripod, this may well fit the bill for you.

Update 8/30/18

I've had the chance to use this a couple times and am very happy with it.  It's easy to set up and best of all, easy to position.  As I mentioned before, adjusting the head is pretty much the only thing you need to do.

One feature I didn't think I'd ever use was the hook on the bottom of the head area.  This allows you to hang a light weight (think 10 pounds or less) to add a little extra stability.  I was shooting in an area that wasn't level and simply hanging my backpack on the tripod helped a lot.

I still recommend this tripod and would purchase it again.

G Shock GW-6900

The Casio G Shock GW-6900 was purchased to replace a Timex Expedition that bit the dust.  It didn't stop working completely, but the buttons were not always working and it had served me well for about 6-7 years.  Plus I wanted a new watch.

I looked for another Timex, but found the G Shock line while on Amazon.  I started looking around and decided G Shock was the way to go.  They're durable watches and got good reviews. 

I initially bought a G Shock with an analog and digital interface, but the watch hands covered the digital face too much.  Not the best design.

I eventually wound up getting the 6900 you see above and am very happy with it.  As you can see it's pretty beefy without being too big.  I though the digital readout might be too small, but it's perfect, even with my old eyes.  The backlight works well too.

The functions are easy to figure out and once you go through the setup, they're easy to remember.  Other cool features include solar charging, atomic time keeping (assuming you're in a location where there's a transmitter), dual time zones and several alarms.

On the subject of alarms, several reviews noted that it's a little on the quiet side.  I have not found this to be an issue.  It wakes me up everyday.

Another nice feature is that the buttons are not directly connected to the watch's electronic board.  In other words, it's engineered so that it won't easily wear out.

It's a comfortable watch and I barely notice its on during the day.  Overall, I'm very happy with this purchase and highly recommend this to anyone that doesn't need any crazy features, like compass, thermometer or whatever.  Time will tell (pun intended) if this holds up, but it's been great for the last four months.

Altama Foxhound

With the update of the Army's uniform, it was time to get some new boots.  I went for Altama, as I had such good luck with their Exospeed boots.

These boots were equally as comfortable pretty much right out of the box.  As is the case with all boots, these got more comfortable as they got broken in.  Good traction, and resistant to stains so far.

They've also held up well in the 6 months that I've owned them.  I've gotta be transparent and let the gentle reader know I don't go on long patrols or road marches with them, but do a decent amount of walking around the area I'm at.  The boots don't show any signs of stitching coming undone or other wear issues.  They're not "lightweight" boots like jungle boots but haven't noticed sweaty feet even when the temps get up to 128 F.

The only thing I've done with them was replace the laces with 550 cord.  Not that I had issues with the laces, but I have had issues with other boot laces and this seemed like a prudent thing to do before a deployment.

They clean up easily and look almost new when dry.  It was mostly a matter of getting the surface dirt off that made them look more like a light tan boot than coyote brown.

I'm very happy with this purchase and would recommend them to anyone.

Kershaw Ken Onion Blur

This is the Kershaw Ken Onion Blur.  It's an assisted opening knife, with some cool grippy material on the handle.  I opted for the non-serrated black blade.

After playing with the assisted open feature, which is lightening fast, I really liked how comfortable it felt.  The curves of the handle seem like the conform to your hand.  The blade is easy to deploy and it's a good length without seeming too big.

Not surprisingly it came razor sharp from the factory and I haven't had to sharpen it yet, although I've only used it to open boxes and such.  I like the fact that the users manual actually recommends the sharpening angle. This is helpful for me as I struggle with the correct angle sometimes.

About the only thing I question is the liner lock.  It works fine, but doesn't seem to engage the blade very deeply, as compared to my Emerson CQC 10.  I haven't had an issue with it, but I'd be careful with it if I was doing some hard work with it.

Overall a great knife.  It carries well and I don't even know it's in my pocket.  It's got enough heft to it to feel sturdy but not feel heavy.

It will be a strong competitor as my favorite knife, up against the Emerson CQC 10.

5.11 Tactical Rush 24

My TAD Gear pack has served me well over the past 10 years or so but I wanted something with a little more space and organization.  The 5.11 Tactical Rush 24 fits the bill perfectly.

The Rush 24 has about 200 more cubic inches of space and many more pockets for organization, while keeping the hydration pouch.  It of course has the ability to attach molle accessories as well as a couple velcro areas for nametapes and morale patches.

Overall, it's a great bag.  It suits my needs, is tough and handles everything well.  The only thing I miss is the straps on top of and below the bag.  They were very convenient on the Tad Gear bag, but something I've learned to live without.  The extra space in the Rush 24 almost makes up for it.

Stay tuned for more updates as I take this into the field and see how it really performs and holds up.

Out here.

Update 8/30/18

Well the Rush 24 survived a deployment, numerous trips work and hiking trips, and a 3 day trip to Vegas.  I packed light for Vegas and was able to get all of my clothes, shoes and toiletries in the bag.
The many different pockets really help organization, and the color doesn't yell out "tactical" as much as some other bags.

So far, no rips, tears or even errant strings.  This is a definite upgrade to the TAD Gear bag and am very happy I made the switch.

Tad Gear Dispatch Bag

Well boys and girls, it's been a while since I posted.  But fear not, I just received my newest package from TAD Gear, the Dispatch Bag (pictures coming soon).

I've had this for one day and really like it.  I'm not quite a TAD Gear fanboy, but they do make great stuff.  I've had the Lightspeed for about 7 years and it's held up like a champ.  It's been my daily computer bag, hiking bag, and went to Iraq for a while.  It still looks and works like new.

I expect the same from the Dispatch Bag.  I got this more to carry notebooks and a laptop.  The Lightspeed can do the same thing, and actually has a bit more room, but the Lightspeed doesn't allow as easy access to everything.  The zipper on the main compartment makes it hard to see everything down inside, whereas the Dispatch Bag is wide open.

The DB features a padded pocket for a laptop, plenty of other areas for organizing your pens and stuff, several zipper pouches and the famous flashlight cave.  That said, I have to agree with other reviews that note that the flashlight cave is a little too narrow for a normal sized hand to fit in all the way.  Anyway, it's there if you want to try to use it.  

The DB also features Molle on the front and sides and I managed to fit an OP1  pouch on the side below the shoulder strap and it works pretty well.  I started out with it on the front, but it stuck out more than I would have liked and could possibly be the difference between fitting under an airplane seat or not.

Just like all the other TAD Gear, it's built like a tank and seems to have storage in all the right places.  If you packed well, I think it could serve as an overnight bag, if you weren't travelling for more than a day.

Stay tuned for updates and pictures once I get some time and more experience with this.

Nice job again TAD Gear.


Update 9/1/2017
I ended up selling this bag.  As much as I wanted to like it, it just didn't do it for me.  I liked the organization part of it, but it just felt too bulky.  By the time you'd get a laptop, files, books or whatever other crap you're carrying around, into the bag, it's almost like a backpack.  Once it's filled up like that, it doesn't carry well.  Yes, maybe I just put too much stuff in it, but hey, that's what I bought it for.

It also doesn't have the versatility of a backpack.  Outside of an urban environment, I think this thing would be useless.  Don't even think of taking this into the "field".  I don't know why you would, but even as a day pack while hiking, I think this would be a pain to carry comfortably.

Lighthound Cree

This review is a flashlight offered by LightHound and is the Lighthound AA Tactical Flashlight, Cree XPG R5 LED.  It retails online for $21 and is a pretty good deal.  It's a pretty small light, and I've carried it in my pocket, using the clip, all day without noticing it.
I've had good luck with it and haven't gone through many batteries, although I use it on it's lowest setting most of the time.  Most of my times using it have been while camping, without much other lighting, so the lowest setting works well.  I have also used the higher settings and they do produce a good amount of light, although the throw distance isn't as much as you'd get with a higher power light.  It does a good job for it's size though.

 The Lighthound on the left, a Surefire G2 on the right.

Here are the specs:

       Mil-Spec Type III Hard Anodized finish.  

        Water proof to IPX-8 standard.

        Fully-regulated circuit

        Broad input voltage takes 1xAA (1.0V - 4.2V) *Can use a 14500!

        Orange Peel reflector for a nice flood.

        Simple operation. High (100%) - Medium (30%) - Low (1%).

    Maximum output of 230 lumens for 1.2 hours

        Tactical switch for momentary on.

        Anti-reverse protection.

        Pocket Clip

     24mm (Head), 24mm (Tail), 102mm (Length)

     105 lumens with AA

The light levels are controlled by a button at the end.  Press once for the highest level, again for mid level and a third time for the lowest level.  It takes a little practice to get it to stay on at the lowest level without turning it off, but it's not too bad.

Overall, I'm very happy with the light given the price.  I gave one to my in laws and they enjoy it too, although they just use it for walking the dog.

TAD GEAR Pathfinder jacket

I picked up a Tad Gear Pathfinder jacket after doing a lot of looking around both online and in stores.  Everything I saw was either too light or too heavy.  I wanted something for the strange season after winter and before summer.  I guess it's called spring but this year in the midwest, the weather has been all over the place.

The Pathfinder jacket seems to fit the bill perfectly.  It's a hardshell fleece that acts as a pretty decent windbreaker and is also suitable for light rain.  I wore it this morning (beginning of May) when the temps outside were in the upper 30's, over a short sleeve shirt and was very comfortable.  When the wind picked up a lot, I felt it a little, but it wasn't bad.

I chose the Pathfinder because it's got no hood and is still a pretty lightweight jacket.  The sleeves have thumbholes and the pockets feature a pass through for headphones.  Inside the zipper are loops for cord management.

Once again, I'm really happy with Tad Gear's quality and attention to detail.  It's not the cheapest gear, but so far all of their stuff has held up very well.  I would definitely recommend the Pathfinder jacket if you're in the market for something that will keep you dry and warm during the unpredictable midwest springtime.

Decal Grip

I've been in the market for new/different grips for my XD9 for a little while and found Decal Grips.  The standard grips on the pistol work well and are comfortable enough while at the range, but I wanted something with a bit more grab.  Grips that would allow me to maintain positive control even if my hands were wet.

I had heard good things on various forums about Decal Grips, and they were reasonably priced, so I decided to give them a try.  I chose the sand texture.  They're also available in a rubber texture, which I would imagine is similar to other rubber slip-on grips.

The grips come on a pre-cut sheet with directions on suggested applications.  They're made so that as many or as few can be used.  I put three pieces on each side and one in the thumb rest area on the left side.  I left off the ones for the slide and back of the pistol, as they seemed unnecessary, but it's all up to the individual.  They were easy to apply.  I just wiped down the pistol grips with rubbing alcohol, let it dry and applied the grips.

The sand texture is pretty rough, but not objectionable.  They're exactly what I want, and I have no doubt they would help my grip in the event that my hands were wet or greasy or whatever.

The grips also look like they'll stay in place for a while, or at least they better.  The glue or adhesive seems that it will stay in place as long as the grips are needed.  They are stickers though, and have that look, as opposed to one piece, slip on or replacement grips.  While they don't look bad, they don't have the factory look like some accessories.

Overall, I think these are good grips for the money.  I think I paid around $12.  I would recommend them to anyone looking for aftermarket grips.

Streamlight NF-2

You can never have too many flashlights, so I was pretty excited to see the excellent selection of lights at the troop store at Ft. Lewis Washington. Normally I just browse these stores because they're just too expensive, but I saw this Streamlight NF-2 for 50% off and had to get it.

It's a great little light, and these "tactical" lights do a fantastic job of putting out light, despite their size. I've got a couple different lights about this size, and they all use CR123A batteries. The Streamlight puts out a better, stronger beam of light than the Surefire G2, but has a shorter battery life.

Here's a quick look at the specs:
# High-intensity xenon gas-filled bi-pin bulb delivers up to 7,900 peak beam candlepower(78 lumens)
# Adjustable spot-to-flood focus
# 1.3 hours of continuous run time
# Spare bulb contained within flashlight
# Head: 1.25;" Body: .9" x Length 4.8;" Ring: 1.38"
# 4.5 oz. with batteries
# Two 3 volt CR123A lithium batteries with a storage life of up to 10 years (included)
# TactCap™ click switch for quick, easy momentary operation
# Momentary push button tailcap, which rotates for locked "on"
# Polymer grip ring adjusts to any hand size
# Removable spring steel pocket clip and adjustable wrist lanyard

Right now it's in my car, but I have taken it running on some dark mornings and it worked very well. I kind of regret not getting another one for the price. Streamlight lists this as a discontinued product but you can still get them on the internet at various places. If you have a chance to get one of this, I would recommend it.

Emerson CQC 10

I've been wanting an Emerson knife since I heard about it in a Richard Marcinko book.  I did some research and they are awesome knives, although they run a little more than I have ever spent  on a knife.   I decided to finally take the plunge and get an Emerson folder.

I got a CQC 10.   I picked that model because I wanted something with a substantial enough blade.  I had bought a different knife with a 2.85" blade, and it just didn't seem like a good, big, manly, solid knife.  It was good, but just not enough.

So anyway I got the regular blade ( a combo serrated blade is also available) and am very happy with it.  The blade measures 3.6 ".  It's a good size - not too big and definitely not too small.  It came razor sharp.  The blade has a black non reflective coating, and is made of steel with a conventional V grind.

Here are the specs:

Handles	Black G-10 epoxy / glass laminate
Blade	154 CM Premium Blade Steel
Finish	Black or Silver
Grind	Conventional V Grind

Overall Length	8.50 in.
Blade Length	3.60 in.
Blade Thickness	.125 in.
Hardness	57-59 RC
Weight	4.7

The handle is made up of a material called G-10 (An extremely durable makeup of layers of fiberglass soaked in resin, then highly compressed and baked. Impervious to moisture or liquid and physically stable under climate change.) and is just as substantial as the blade.  It has a good solid feel and provides a good grip.  It also includes a clip for your pocket and maintains a reasonably low profile.

The CQC 10 has the wave feature.  It's a little hook like thing on the outside of the blade, that's designed to catch on the pocket, as it's being drawn.  With a little practice, it's a very fast way to deploy the blade.

This is my favorite knife.  Although Emerson knives are expensive, so far I think it's well worth the money.  I purchased this online at Dave's Knife World and am equally happy with this vendor.  Dave himself takes the time to answer emails, and shipped me the knife very quickly.

After having the knife for about a month, and using it for various cutting tasks, the blade is still as sharp as when it came from the box.  Definitely worth the money, and I would recommend this knife to anyone looking for a good capable folder.
('’)

Surefire earplugs

I have no idea why I got these in the first place.  They do look cool, as far as earplugs go, and they work ok, but I think the free foam earplugs do just as good a job.

Sorry, had to get that out of the way.  The Surefire earplugs are different from others that I've seen in that they kind of are molded to fit and stay in your ear.  They are pretty comfortable for extended lengths of time, and that's their biggest plus.  The biggest negative is that they don't provide as much hearing protection.  I've repositioned them while using them, for example while at the range, and they still don't give me what I want. 

They do work pretty well in other high noise areas such as flying.  I was on  a military aircraft and wore these while sleeping, and they didn't bug me at all, and reduced the engine noise to a mild roar.  I've tried this with military issue ear plugs, and while the military plugs keep out the noise as well, they are not comfortable for periods over an hour.

The earplugs also feature a plug that can be engaged or disengaged to vary the amount of noise.  I would assume it's for times where you might need to hear someone's voice, and still keep out sudden loud noises.  I don't know.  They are also low profile, so you can get away with wearing headphones with these plugs, which is nice.

Bottom line is like I said at the beginning of this.  Get some decent foam earplugs, and you'll probably get the same result. If you've got money to burn, you may not be totally disappointed with these, but make sure you get the right size as well.  I believe these come in 3 sizes.  You can check you sizing here on the Surefire website.

TadGear EDC Fast Pack

I'm always looking for a good solid backpack that can go camping with me, go to work, and serve as an overnight bag while traveling.  I've found exactly what I need in TAD Gear's FAST Pack.

It's not just another tactical looking backpack.  It's built very sturdy, and has solid components like zippers and stiching.  I've loaded it up in the high 40 pounds and carried it with the handle.  Many other packs would have torn (I know this from experience), but this pack does fine.  I've also thrown this on my back with a heavy load and have been amazed how comfortable it is.

In addition to the construction, it has some other cool features like a compartment for a hydration bladder, a transporter tail (fold down module for securing a rifle to the pack), and a "flashlight cave".  The flashlight cave basically is a little zipper compartment underneath the pack, that allows one to access the compartment while wearing the pack.

Here's the specs from the manufacturer's website:

MILSPEC 1000-Denier Cordura Nylon.
MILSPEC High tensile strength composite nylon thread.
MILSPEC High tensile strength nylon webbing.
MILSPEC YKK Nylon Coil Zippers.
Features our Modular "Transporter Tail".
Primary zippered external Admin top pocket.
2 zippered side accessory pockets
Features single right side TAD Gear "Flashlight Cave".
Flexible HDPE removable framesheet.
Volume = 1800 cu in / 29.5 L.
Colors: Foliage Green, Multicam, OD Green Limited Lifetime Warranty.

I've enjoyed using this.  The various webbing on the outside makes it possible to attach commercial and milspec equipment pretty much anywhere.  There are plenty of external pockets and one internal pocket.

When I was getting ready to purchase this pack, I was also looking at the Kirafu line of packs, but went with this one.  I still might purchase a Kirafu for longer trips.  The TAD Gear is perfect for carry on luggage for an airplane, but if you're going for more than a day or two, it might be insufficient for everything, although I've never been known to pack light.  1800 cu. in. is  a decent amount, but it can get tight if you're carrying another pair of shoes and maybe a laptop with  a couple changes of clothes.  That said, I've used while camping to carry water, snacks and other junk while hiking, and it's been more than enough.

The bottom line is that this is a bullet proof pack, great for everyday carry situations (hence the name EDC).  I highly recommend TAD Gear.  I've gotten other stuff from them and will say they have good customer service in addition to their products.

Attention:  This item is now for sale on ebay.  Check it out at here

Altama Exospeed II Boots

Here in Iraq, we do a bit of walking. Nothing major like a patrol or anything, but enough that you need decent, broken in boots. I had a new pair of hot weather boots and a broken in pair of cold weather boots. The cold weather boots were just too hot and the new boots were killing my feet. I decided to order some different boots, so after some research, I decided to get some Altama Exospeeds II. I ordered right from the Altama website since they were the only place that could guarantee they were in stock. I emailed the customer service about sizes and availability and was pleasantly surprised at their quick response. Since these were not typical military issue boots, they recommended going off of a athletic shoe size as opposed to my issued Altama boot size.


I got the boots pretty quickly, along with my free t shirt, and was happy to find they fit well. The first day I wore them I was still happy as they felt broken in immediately. As I wore them more, they just got more comfortable.

They are fairly sturdy and breath well. The tread and sole seems to wearing well, although it's mostly sand and rocks around here. I've only been wearing them for a couple months, but I'm confident they'll last well through the rest of my deployment.

I would definitely get another pair of these boots and recommend them to anyone looking for a pair of boots that has that instantly broken in feel. I think I paid around $120 for them, which seemed like a little more than what I could find on other websites, but I got them quickly and they're worth the money. The price seemed within the ballpark of other boots of the same type. My other pair of issued Altama's are broken in now too, and I alternate boots. This works out well and my feet aren't killing me by the end of the day.

Good buy, worth the money, and good customer service.

12/16
I've had these boots for several months now, and am as happy with them now as I was when I purchased them.  They've held up well and are actually a little more comfortable as they continue to get broken in.  I had to replace the laces, but that's it.

Surefire G2

I picked up my Surefire G2 before this deployment and have gotten a lot of use out of it. I've also taken it camping and it's proven to be a great light, especially for the money.


I got it at a military post exchange for around $25, but you can probably get close to that on the internet. In stores it's closer to $32.

The flashlight is a compact flashlight (5.1" long) that will easily fit in your pocket. I bought an aftermarket holster for it that will fit on my body armor or belt from TAD Gear. The body is polymer and looks like it can withstand quite a beating. The power switch is a tailcap that can be activated by either turning the tailcap all the way, or by pressing and holding the tailcap button. I've found that by turning the cap towards the off position enough, you can effectively lock it out to prevent accidental discharge.

Both the tailcap and top, feature O rings that make it "weather proof". I don't know that I would submerge it for extended periods of time, but I feel confident that if I dropped in a pond or puddle, it would work fine.

The base flashlight comes with an incandesent lamp that puts out 65 lumens and has a run time of 60 minutes on one set of batteries. It was good, but I wanted increased runtime from my batteries so I dropped in a replacement LED bulb from Lighthound. I believe it was a Cree or Uniq. I do know that it was around $20 and well worth it. I think it puts out more light and definitely doesn't eat as many batteries. It uses two 123A lithium batteries, but can be modified to take a rechargeable battery. Surefire's website has this and other accessories for this light, such as filters and holsters.

I wrapped some 550 cord around the handle and made a little lanyard for it and I think it helps the grip a little more. I would recommend this flashlight to anyone needing a good basic durable light. It's available in 4 colors - Black, OD Green, Yellow and Tan.