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Maximum Warrior Week 7 – Night Vision Armasight Challenge!

Posted on March 8, 2013 by Brian

Week 7 of the Maximum Warrior Challenge was crazy. Most of the challenges push the physical limitations of the warriors, but this week was more about speed and sniper skill. The participants were given a FNH SCAR-Heavy with an Armasight CO-LR Night Vision Unit. They’re placed at the top of a lookout tower and there are targets all around them. They had to complete 360 of finding and hitting targets. Pretty cool stuff.

To make the contest even cooler the winner got to take home a CO-LR by Armasight. This is a very cool scope and gives a ton of awesome performance. First, it’s a co-witness NV unit, so you actually clip it on in front of your regular daytime rifle scope to give a lot of versatility. This is especially important for soldiers like the guys competing, as they’re often engaged in missions that take place over several hours, from daylight to nighttime. While they can certainly bring along two separate scopes, they can’t really sight in a different scope when swapping. A co-witness scope doesn’t require sighting in, as your rifle scope should already be right on target. Simply clip the Armasight CO-LR on and you’re good to go!

It seems the toughest part of the challenge was finding the targets. I’ve been watching the entire challenge and the Navy Seal has been kicking a lot of butt throughout, but though he’s a talented sniper, he struggled to find the targets in order to take a shot. The winner was an Army Scout Sniper, and he seemed to have a really good handle on how to find the targets quickly and easily. Very cool to see.

Check out the pictures below and head over to Maximum Warrior to see the latest contest! Whether you’re equipped with BLACKHAWK! or Armasight, you’re sure to be a little closer to Maximum Warrior performance!

: Finding the targets was the first challenge, but using the CO-LR made it easier.

: Taking shots from on high with an Armasight and SCAR-Heavy!

: The Armasight CO-LR is a phenomenal co-witness night vision unit for military purposes!

: Now that is a beautiful firearm with a really beautiful Night Vision Unit by Armasight!

: Explosions made Week 7 even more challenging!

maximum warrior challenge featured image

What Does a Warrior Wear for the Maximum Warrior Challenge?

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Brian

Maxim magazine is running a really cool contest, called Maximum Warrior. I can’t tell you how badly I wish I could participate. I have no doubt I’d get creamed by the professionals they have competing, but just the chance to learn and develop this type of combat training would be amazing. So what is Maximum Warrior? Basically it’s a 10 week challenge with 10 different warriors. They compete against each other in combat based trials, a different one each week. These challenges test different parts of military training and expertise.

Week one covered WADI Patrol. The warriors are sent out in an ultra-light tactical vehicle with the mission to rescue a downed pilot. The pilot is just a mannequin, but the scenario is very realistic. These guys have to fight through flashbang grenades, past IEDs, smoke and they have to neutralize targets. It’s really intense, and that’s just week ONE! These challenges get more and more intense as the Maximum Warrior contestants move into more physical challenges that require all their strength, and increasingly all their cunning. I don’t want to steal all the thunder of Maximum Warrior, so definitely head over to their site to watch the episodes for the first three weeks. I honestly love that I work for OpticsPlanet, because I just spend the last 15-20 minutes enjoying every second of the Maximum Warrior Challenge!

Head over to the Maximum Warrior site to see the great videos. What I want to share with you directly are Maximum Warrior’s “What a Warrior Wears” videos. These are really cool too. They’re hosted by Karl Erickson, who hosts the show. This guy knows his stuff. We actually met him at SHOT Show. Erickson is retired from the Army Special Forces, and he’s one serious dude. I’m glad to have him be part of our Armed Forces. In the video above he takes you through some of the gear real warriors wear. He starts with the body armor and shows what soldiers place in the various pouches for maximum effectiveness. It’s cool to see how he explains the rating for the ballistic plates in the body armor. I knew those plates could take a couple hits, but they’re not going to hold up forever. I guess they can take about 10 shots. I can’t imagine being shot 10 times, but I’d be glad to have one capable of taking multiple shots.

But it’s what he packs on that body armor that really interested me. Erickson runs through magazine pouches (It’s no coincidence that Erickson is in front of a BLACKHAWK! banner, because they make a ton of great gear for real warriors, so when you need real tactical gear they’re the perfect brand to start with.) and what he puts in the rest of his pouches. This isn’t basic gear. Real soldiers don’t use pouches to carry candy bars (I’m not admitting I’ve used a pouch for this), they have explosive ordnance disposal gear and extra magazines.

This gear isn’t just good for soldiers though. I know hunters who swear by BLACKHAWK!, and if you take the no-nonsense approach that the military has you’re sure to be more successful. You might want a game call rather than explosives ordnance disposal gear, but extra mags at your fingertips is always going to help (or shells for your shotgun, etc.). Be sure to check out the video above and check out a couple teaser pics below to learn more about the competition and see what a Warrior Wears for the Maximum Warrior Challenge!

: Maximum Warrior Challenge at the Range

: Do you know your weapon? Maximum Warrior Challenge!

: Maximum Warrior Challenge WADI Patrol

: Do you think you’re tough enough to be the Maximum Warrior?

BlackHawk GripBreak Holsters from SHOT Show

BLACKHAWK GripBreak Holsters – New Leather & Nylon Holsters from SHOT Show!

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Brian

I’ve already written a bit about BLACKHAWK!’s SHOT Show gear, but one item that I didn’t really mention is their new GripBreak Holster. The video above remedies this lack of info. This is a cool new holster that’s actually quite versatile. You don’t often see this much versatility in a holster, especially one made to BLACKHAWK!‘s quality standards. The specific standard is the SERPA line. Millions of these holsters have been sold since they debuted in 2004, and people love this system. It’s easy to use, reliable and has incredible retention.

But how can you beat the look and feel of a leather holster? Simple answer: you can’t. You just can’t beat a quality leather holster for its comfort level and classic style, but there are a lot of military and law enforcement professionals today who want the leather look, but the SERPA style of retention. That’s where the GripBreak comes from. You’ll have incredible retention, yet at the same time you’ll have a VERY fast draw. The next time you’re on duty and need to draw your weapon you’ll really appreciate this.

Another thing that’s great about this new line is its versatility. The GripBreak has an abbreviated design, which means that you can use the same holster with more than one gun. You can use compact handguns, 9mm, 40 calibers and more with the same holster! That’s not something you see very often from a holster like this.

When you want the look and feel of leather but the retention and fast draw of a SERPA, the BLACKHAWK! GripBreak is the holster for you!

BLACKHAWK! Sportster Titan Rests, NEW Watches and Weaver Grand Slam Scopes!

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Brian

BlackHawk, Weaver, RCBS, Champion Traps & Targets, Federal Premium and many other brands all occupied the same area of the show on the second floor, and we head over to get the low-down on new gear from BlackHawk and Weaver.

BLACKHAWK! at SHOT Show

: BlackHawk Advanced Field Operator Watch

: BlackHawk Field Operator Watch

: BlackHawk Race Operator and Deep Sea Operator Watches

BlackHawk is finally debuting their new line of watches in 2013. We spent most of the second half of 2012 eagerly anticipating these watches, but BlackHawk had to delay them to ensure the highest quality possible. It looks like it’ll be worth the wait, as the watches looked very refined and polished. There are many tactical watches on the market that, well, you wouldn’t want to wear them to a nice restaurant. But BlackHawk has balanced function with style, and these watches will likely be a big hit with the military and law enforcement communities. Some are available now, others will be shipped in the coming weeks.

BlackHawk Sportster Titan FSX

We also got a chance to see the new rifle rests coming out from BlackHawk. We had heard BlackHawk was planning on entering the rifle rest/shooting rest market this year, and learned they intended to do so under the BlackHawk Sportster Label. Five different models will be offered, from the premium level BlackHawk Sportster Titan FXS to the simple BlackHawk Sportster Titan VR Shooting Rest, intended for ARs and varmint hunting. The construction, weight, and solidness was impressive, and it looks like the shooting rest market just became a bit more competitive in 2013.

The BlackHawk Epic Holster has all the great quality of a SERPA, but with room for a weapon light!

It wouldn’t be a stop at the BlackHawk booth if we didn’t check out apparel, bags, or holsters, and while we did spend some time with the watches we also made time for BlackHawk’s new holsters and rigs. First up was the new Epic Series. Put extremely simply, it’s a SERPA that has additional room for a weapon light. You’ll get that same snug fit you get from a SERPA, but now you have a holster to use with your mounted light. This looks like it’ll especially useful for police officers, as the Epic Series will support the Streamlight TLR-1 and TLR-2 and also the Surefire X300 and X400. Looks like we should expect the first versions for full-size Glocks by the end of March, with 1911s, XD’s and more to come soon after.

We also took a look at the Grip Rig, a smooth, fast draw holster that will be available in both leather and nylon versions in late March.

BlackHawk Versa Harness

Before leaving, we got a hands-on demonstration of the new Versa Harness. BlackHawk made this simple harness for a variety of purposes, from harnessing in your binoculars or rangefinder to attaching your Blackhawk holster and keeping your firearm close to your person. The possibilities are nearly endless, and no doubt this item will be popular with both professionals and hunters who need to carry a lot of gear as securely as possible.

Weaver’s SHOT Show Gear

Weaver Grand Slam Rifle Scope

Weaver was our next stop, and we learned that the popular Grand Slam series was being completely updated in and out this year. Available in June, the refreshed Grand Slam line will feature new improved glass, new lens coatings, finer adjustments, and a much sleeker and polished look than the previous model. The Grand Slam Riflescope line definitely needed the attention, and I expect a lot of deer hunters will be utilizing these scopes this fall. With an MSRP of around $550, they won’t be cheap, but there are a major contender in the mid-level market.

Weaver Kaspa Rifle Scopes

We also learned that the Kaspa series of entry-level hunting rifle scopes (which we covered last year right from the SHOT Show floor) will be getting a new Turkey Scope this year. This Mossy Oak scope will have an MSRP of around $259.99 and be available in June. The most interesting part of the scope is the new reticle Weaver is developing. What we saw was a prototype, but the reticle is specifically designed to highlight the vertical kill-zone on your gobbling target. It makes a lot of sense that this new reticle will help improve accuracy. I would certainly love to try it out!

SHOT Show Day 3 Video Recap! BLACKHAWK!, Barska, Pulsar & More!

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Brian

Today is the last day of SHOT Show 2013, and we’ve been working hard. Thank goodness for the adrenaline we get from seeing all this amazing new gear, or we’d probably fall over from exhaustion! Yesterday was an especially exciting day, since we got to meet with our friends at Barska, BLACKHAWK!, Pulsar and Weaver! We’ll have more in-depth looks at the gear in the video above soon, but for now take a quick peek at new BLACKHAWK! holsters, Barska‘s great new Loaded Gear Line, Weaver Rifle Scopes and Pulsar Digital Night Vision Clip On Devices! Watch our SHOT Show Day 3 Video and stay tuned for more!

Want to Learn More about the 2012 Brilliance Awards?

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Brian

There are a lot of great things about November. Football games on the weekends, Thanksgiving, Black Friday (I need a new TV!!!), the beautiful leaves falling and the chill that hasn’t turned to cold just yet. It’s a great time. It’s a time for hunters to get up early and enjoy the crisp air.

Those are all awesome things, but one of the coolest things about November is the Brilliance Awards. I spend the whole year taking a look at some of the coolest gear we sell at OpticsPlanet. GearExpert started shortly before SHOT Show, and that convention was really the first big thing I got to cover here. Since then I’ve seen many of the new products first hand, and I’ve done my best to give you all the details so you can get excited about them. In a way, the Brilliance Awards are a way for you to return the favor! The awards are broken into two parts: the first is the “Customer’s Choice” Awards, and those are determined entirely by your votes. The second part are determined by our very own experts. These guys know their stuff and help me out all the time. They also help you out, as they’re here to answer any questions when you need a rifle scope or binocular for an upcoming hunting trip.

The Customer Choice Awards are my favorite part though. We asked you to vote on the best brands for various categories. Let’s take a closer look at the brands you picked.

First up, we have the Best Night Vision Brand of 2012. There were a few strong contenders here, but you picked ATN. Not a bad choice. I wrote about ATN a few times this year. In September I gave you 5 Ways ATN Night Vision Helps You. Before that I wrote about their co-witness night vision devices. I liked those quite a bit. They’re great for those times when you already have your regular scope sighted in and don’t want to have to re-sight in for a night time mission. We also got to see some of ATN’s awesome Thermal Imagers at SHOT Show, and they were definitely a hit amongst everyone who got to see them. It’s no wonder ATN was picked as the Best Night Vision Brand this year.

For Holster Brand of the Year you picked BLACKHAWK! Another smart choice. I wrote about BLACKHAWK! Rebates, my experience with a BLACKHAWK! Sling Backpack on a Camping Trip, BLACKHAWK! Women’s Clothes and, best of all, BLACKHAWK! SERPA Holsters at SHOT Show! BLACKHAWK! is well known for their SERPA holsters, which have state of the art retention and unbelievable durability. Our product specialists like them so much they picked the BlackHawk CQC Carbon Fiber SERPA Holster as the Best Concealed Holster this year!

Next, the top Red Dot Sight Brand is EOTech. This one is no surprise, as EOTech has long been one of our top brands, and the quality of their holographic weapon sights can not be disputed. Our specialists also named their EXPS3 Red Dot Sight the top Tactical Red Dot this year! I wrote about EOTech a few times this year also, and while I loved seeing the Zombie Stopper at SHOT Show, I think Kate’s Hog Hunt with EOTech was the best post on this top red dot sight brand this year.

Rifle Scopes Do Mean Happiness

Probably the biggest winner this year was Leupold, who was picked for not one category, not two categories but THREE different categories! Rifle Scopes Brand of the Year. That one is certainly well-deserved. It’s no coincidence that when I made the rifle scope picture above I used a photo I took of the Leupold Gold Ring Scopes. But Leupold also won for Rangefinder Brand of the Year. They won this award last year as well, so their quality is as much about lasting performance as it’s about cutting edge technology. Finally, Leupold won this year’s Spotting Scope Brand of the Year Award. They showed a new Gold Ring Spotting Scope at SHOT Show that has proven quite popular. Three Customer’s Choice awards in a single year!

Meade took home this year’s award for Telescopes Brand of the Year. I don’t write a ton about telescopes here on GearExpert, but I love to see a fantastic telescope for a bit of astronomical viewing. Meade brings the stars a bit closer with their award winning telescopes!

Oakley doesn’t really need any introduction. They’re one of the most famous sunglasses brands in the world, and you selected them as the Sunglasses Brand of the Year. Their sunglasses are not only some of the best looking in the world, but they’re also designed to be super high performing. Oakley shades are used by athletes all over the world. It’s not really surprising they proved so popular for this year’s Brilliance Awards.

SOG Knives are great for fighting zombies!

SOG gets a lot of attention around the GearExpert and OpticsPlanet offices. I see these knives featured on Dvor all the time, and I’m always getting to take a look at them. SOG puts a lot of thought into their knife options, and the variety of features you can choose from really makes these knives fantastic for many different activities. They’re especially good for hunting zombies.

No doubt the Steiner Predator Xtremes contributed to their Brilliance Awards win!

Steiner won this year’s Binoculars Brand of the Year Award, and I think that has to do with their incredible durability. I got to take a look at a number of different Steiner Binoculars this year, though I’d say the Predator Xtremes were my favorite. We saw them at SHOT Show, but then I got to go hands on a while later, and they’re quite impressive. Bright, clear glass and tough construction. I loved them, and it appears you all did as well!

SureFire AZ2 on Mt. Rainier

Last but not least, the Flashlight Brand of the Year Award went to SureFire. We saw a TON of cool flashlights by SureFire at SHOT Show, and we took a closer look this summer at a few of their tactical flashlights. Our video producer Devin actually took a SureFire AZ2 on a camping trip to Mt. Rainier in Washington, and it helped him check out some maps and find his way on the trails!

From my experience, it looks like you guys made some great choices for Brands of the Year for the Brilliance Awards, but I haven’t mentioned the most important Customer’s Choice Award yet: The Product of the Year. This is the big one, and we couldn’t be happier to report that you chose our own OPMOD PVS-14 Night Vision Scope was chosen this year! This is a Gen 3 Night Vision device that comes with a head mount and can be used for a ton of different purposes. We are really honored to know that so many of you think highly of our night vision device.

There are many more 2012 Brilliance Awards winners that were picked by our Product Specialists, so be sure to check them all out to see the very best of the best!

BlackHawk SERPA Holsters at SHOT Show Featured Image for GearExpert

BlackHawk Rebate Helps you Save Some Dough$$$!!!

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Brian

We’re big fans of BlackHawk here at GearExpert by OpticsPlanet. It was just a few weeks ago that I wrote about my camping/hiking experience with the BlackHawk Sling Backpack, and I was mighty impressed. Well, BlackHawk has started a rebate promotion that makes buying a wide variety of their products a little more tempting.

As if it wasn’t tempting enough already!

First things first, take a look at the rebate form. This particular rebate is for purchases made between July 15 and October 31, 2012. But what products? Well, you can see a full lineup on the rebate form, but I thought I’d take a closer look at a few of the BlackHawk items you can save a bit more on right now.

BlackHawk Serpa Holsters

BlackHawk Serpa Holsters are very popular. When we visited BlackHawk’s booth at SHOT Show last January they ran through a lot of the features on their newest offerings, and there was a whole lot to take in! One of the main features that makes people gravitate toward SERPA is the consistency of the draw with these holsters. Like many of you, I like leather holsters, but you have to put a lot of time and effort into working the leather to make it feel the way you want. SERPA holsters always draw the same. These carbon fiber holsters are interchangeable, so if you get a new one and attach it to your belt or choose a model with a Y-harness you’ll have a familiar draw regardless. That’s a big deal, as you won’t have to relearn your draw every time you try out a new holster!

There are a wide variety of BlackHawk SERPA Holsters to choose from. Find the perfect fit for your handgun.

BlackHawk SERPA holsters also have a lot of retention features to make sure you and only you are able to draw the gun when it’s on your hip. There are different levels, but regardless of the level with a little practice it will become easy and natural for you to draw your sidearm.

If you buy one of these SERPA Holsters right now you can use the rebate form to get $10 back!

BlackHawk Nylon Hip Holsters

If you don’t want a hard molded holster like the SERPA, you can also save some money on BlackHawk Nylon Hip Holsters. The Sportster series isn’t part of this, but there are still quite a few nylon holsters to choose from. The nice thing about these holsters is you can use them for more than one gun, and they adjust so quickly and easily that it’s hardly no work at all! I included the video at the top of the page so you can see how simple the process of adjusting these holsters really is! The thumb snap can be aimed in either direction to accommodate the way you like to draw. I prefer to have my thumb go straight into my grip, but everyone is different. You get a bit more versatility with a BlackHawk Nylon Holster than with a SERPA, as those are very specific in their fit.

These holsters are already fairly cost effecient, but you can get $3 back with the rebate on BlackHawk Nylon Holsters right now. Remember that does not include the Sportster Series.

$5 back on BlackHawk Slings

BlackHawk Tactical Releasable STRIKE Sling

Since I wrote my post a few weeks back on the BlackHawk Sling Backpack I can honestly say BlackHawk knows a thing or two about helping you haul your gear. While that bag is not included in this rebate, all BlackHawk Slings are! A number of options are available for the rebate, but the one I’ll focus on is the BlackHawk Tactical Releasable STRIKE Sling. It’s a simple to use and fairly adaptable sling. The metal snap hooks work with most weapon systems, and can attach to MOLLE webbing or the STRIKE system by BlackHawk. You can detach your rifle quickly with the STRIKE Sling, so it’s a great way to improve your performance without adding a complex piece of equipment to your arsenal.

BlackHawk Apparel – Men’s and Women’s Tactical Clothes

The last category of products I want to talk about are BlackHawk Men’s and Women’s Apparel. This was another big part of BlackHawk’s display at SHOT Show, and they impressed us back in January, especially with their new women’s clothing. Tactical clothing tends to be cut the same way for both men and women, with just smaller sizes for the ladies, but BlackHawk took a whole new look at their clothes and redesigned them with the feminine figure in mind. They still have the same materials and construction as their other tactical clothes, but the fit is better suited to women now.

BlackHawk Womens Tactical Pants were designed to fit the female form better than most other tactical clothing.

You’ll get $10 back with the rebate on a number of different BlackHawk clothing options right now! Just look for “after rebate” next to the price!

That’s a lot of chances to get money back from BlackHawk, and it really just scratches the surface. Take a look at the Rebate form for all the BlackHawk Gear you can get money back on right now. Remember it’s only on purchases made between July 15 and October 31, 2012!

BlackHawk Sling Backpack – Pick the Right Bag for the Right Situation!

Posted on August 9, 2012 by Brian

An important part of any camping/hiking trip is the bag you use to haul your gear. On my recent vacation at a family cabin in Minnesota I packed a full duffel bag of clothes and toiletries, but I knew I’d need a second bag for day hikes and bringing supplies to neighboring cabins for picnics and parties. I’ve had a decent bag since college that I love, but it’s getting old and never really held a whole lot. It was intended for a few schoolbooks and pens, and not hiking supplies, so I thought I’d bring something else along this year.

Obviously, I needed a tough bag. No one wants a bag that’ll fall apart on them. We have a few brands that provide durable options, but Blackhawk has always impressed me. I’ve checked out various pieces of Blackhawk gear in the past, and not a single item could be classified as less than impressive. I’ve been wanting to put one of their bags through its paces, and not just take a quick look in the office, so I perused our various Blackhawk Bags. There are currently 78 options, which is somewhat daunting at first, but as so many of their bags are pretty specific to particular purposes I could exclude some, like the A.L.E.R.T. Bag (too big for a quick hike, though I did consider it as a suitcase. It holds a ton.) and the Tactical Long Gun Drag Bag, as I wasn’t going to be carrying any firearms.

After seeing so many options, I realized I needed to think some more about what I was looking for. I like to go for shorter hikes, and I want to be super comfortable every step of the way. I wanted a lightweight bag with good straps. My old bag is a messenger bag, so while I really liked the Cover Carry Messenger Bag I wanted to try something different.

The waist strap on this BlackHawk bag really made a difference!

The bag that finally caught my eye was the Blackhawk Sling Backpack. I’d never actually seen it in person before, but when I pulled one out I knew I had a good bag for my needs. It has a single strap, which I prefer, though for longer hikes it can get be a hassle to switch the bag from shoulder to shoulder. This turned out to not be a problem for me though, as the strap on the Sling Backpack is wide and padded. In addition, the waist strap allows you to secure the bag to your body very snugly. This eliminates any jostling or shifting. It takes a bit of adjustment though, as the waist strap can be both lengthened and shortened, as well as moved up and down along the main strap. This is nice, and once you have it set you should be good to go.

I used the Sling Bag a few different times. When I was driving up to Minnesota it was on the seat next to me, and I used it primarily for hauling snacks. I had a couple books and headphones in there as well, but I was driving so I didn’t really need access to them and they were placed at the bottom of the main compartment. The bag was perfect for quickly grabbing a snack, as it opens really wide and has easy to find zipper pulls. I could be in and out of the bag in no time without having to take my eyes off the road.

Blackhawk Sling Backpack Open with Supplies

As well as it performed as a convenient travel bag, the main reason I took it was for hiking. The Sling Backpack is fairly compact, and while it rode a bit high on my back, it was super comfortable for longer treks. I packed a few basics for my hike: water, snacks (trail mix, Rice Krispies Treats, etc.), my Streamlight ProTac Flashlight (I hiked during the day, but if I got lost or hurt a flashlight is not only helpful for finding your way around, but also for signaling for help), some bug repellant bracelets, a few first aid items and my Wiley X Sunglasses. Much of the trails I regularly hike have heavy tree cover, so I rarely really need sunglasses, but from time to time I hit the main road and like to shade my eyes.

Blackhawk Sling Backpack from behind

I set out on the trail with a few cousins, who range in age from 5 to 35 years old, and we had a great time. The air was cool in the shade. A steady, constant breeze made it difficult for mosquitoes to bother us. I hardly felt the bag after a while, and the waist strap made it easy to run impromptu races up hills or past trees. My 11 year old cousin Katie is fast as the wind (she already runs 5ks in about 20 minutes), so I needed to sprint full out without worrying about my backpack to beat her. I don’t like to lose, and she knows I won’t go easy on her.

Blackhawk Sling Backpack Strap with MOLLE Webbing

The BlackHawk Sling Backpack had a ton of room, it was super easy to open and use, and the strap was incredibly comfortable. The only thing I regretted about it was that there was a ton of MOLLE Webbing that I hardly used. The only thing I had that could attach to it was the carrying case for the Streamlight ProTac Flashlight. I always like to use every part of a bag to its fullest extent, but I really didn’t get to do much with this. If I was hiking at night I’d actually have attached the flashlight to the MOLLE Webbing that was on the main strap that came across my chest. That would put it right at my fingertips when needed.

All in all, I was quite impressed with the BlackHawk Sling Backpack. I wish I could’ve used the MOLLE Webbing a bit more, but other than that it was more than strong enough for everything I carried. The important thing to remember with this bag is that its made for speed and mobility. You can really get around while wearing it. If you need to haul a sleeping bag, lots of clothes and supplies you’ll need more room, but for everyday carry, either for school or when you want to stay mobile, the Sling Backpack is a fantastic choice.

BLACKHAWK Women's Clothing SHOT SHOW by GearExpert

BLACKHAWK Women’s Clothing Lines at SHOT Show – BLACKHAWK Tactical Clothes!

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Brian

I know all the ladies out there are going to be excited about our new BLACKHAWK SHOT Show Video! In it, we talk with Aysha Webb at about great new tactical clothes that were designed from the ground up for use by women!

The BLACKHAWK Women’s Apparel Line has all the great features and functionality of other BLACKHAWK Apparel, but the style is much better suited to a woman’s figure. They hope that the days of women being forced to wear smaller sizes of men’s clothing are behind us. You can see in the video how nice everything looks, while still maintaining performance features such as extra thick belt loops for a heavy belt and holster.

The women’s off-duty pants are very comfortable while also being durable. BLACKHAWK designed them to look great for a day in court or just casual wear, and they’re great for undercover use as well. I think the undercover nature of many of these pants is huge. Women who go undercover by want top performance might try to wear their traditional tactical pants, and they’ll stick out like a sore thumb. These new pants really compliment a woman’s figure.

There’s also a great new BLACKHAWK women’s shirt that was designed for concealed carry. It contours to a woman’s figure while not hugging so tight to the sides as to show the holster and gun. Very cool, and they look great!

This is really a huge deal for many women. Men’s clothing is designed for a man’s shape. Just because the size is smaller doesn’t mean the pants or shirt will fit a woman. In addition, having an ideal fit means there is less loose fabric, and they’ll give greater functional performance for women in the field. As Aysha is a firearms instructor, she knows exactly what a woman needs to perform at her best. There are a lot of really great features in these new BLACKHAWK Women’s Apparel Options. Check out the BLACKHAWK SHOT Show Video for way more info and to see just how amazing these clothes look!

Trevor Blackhawk Holsters SHOT Show by GearExpert

BLACKHAWK SERPA Holsters at SHOT Show 2012! BlackHawk Paddle and Belt Holsters!

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Brian

BLACKHAWK makes some of the toughest and most functional duty and tactical gear on the planet. We knew they’d be bringing some great stuff to SHOT Show, and they did not disappoint. The BLACKHAWK SHOT Show Video above is one of the most informative of our videos, because their representative Chuck Buis does an amazing job explaining the various holsters and what they can be used for. Even seasoned hunters and shooters can learn from this video interview, and that’s awesome.

Of course, because this is BLACKHAWK, you’ll get to see the SERPA holster system. This system allows you to make the same draw every time, with a wide variety of handguns. As they are spring-loaded holsters, as soon as your gun is placed back in the holster, it is locked in. These holsters are outstanding, which is why the US Marines have recently adopted them for use. If they’re good enough for the Marines, I’d bet they’re good enough for you.

As Chuck and Trevor say, BLACKHAWK is about more than just SERPA. They have great leather and nylon holsters for traditionalists and sport shooters. They have concealed holsters that are both comfortable and easy to access. Very interesting.

I’d rather you learn all the great info about BLACKHAWK holsters from Chuck and Trevor, as they’re better able to convey the amazing features on these great holsters! Unfortunately, we don’t have any footage of Trevor doing cartwheels yet, but we’ll keep bugging him. Maybe we’ll have a follow up video sometime!

SHOT Show Trijicon ACOG Scope - GearExpert.com

SHOT Show Day 2 New Products from Weaver, BlackHawk, SOG & More!

Posted on January 19, 2012 by Brian

Yesterday was crazy. We saw a ton of awesome new products, and there’s a lot of exciting things to talk about. SHOT Show has been a major success so far, and I can’t believe I’m going to get to see more of many of these products at OpticsPlanet over the next year! But enough about what I want; let’s get to the New Products from SHOT Show Day 2!

Weaver Launches High Quality Scopes for Every Budget

Weaver loves to give a great value, and one of the ways they do that is by offering a full set of features for a reasonable price. Their latest offering is the Weaver Kaspa series. We actually already have some of these great riflescopes and binoculars available at OpticsPlanet! They’re great for hunting and tactical situations, and there are a number of different magnification options, so you can find the version that’s perfect for your needs.

If you find yourself shooting in low light situations you’ll want an illuminated reticle. For this, I like the Weaver Kaspa ILL Mil Dot 10×50 Riflescope. The reticle is super easy to see, and the windage and elevation adjustment turrets are high-set for ease of use. The turrets also reset to zero so you can customize it to your specifications. Weaver has kept the quality high by making the scope waterproof, fogproof and shock proof, so you can count on the Weaver Kaspa to perform in tough conditions.

We also have the Weaver Kaspa Open Hinged Binoculars that were shown off at SHOT Show. They’re just as tough as the Kaspa riflescopes, but they have an ergonomic design to make them more comfortable for holding in your hands for hours of glassing. The eyecups twist out to make them easier to adjust and help eyeglass-wearers (me!) use them more comfortably.

All these great features, and Weaver is keeping the cost down! These new Weaver Optics are sure to be popular for hunters, birders and outdoors enthusiasts in 2012!

BLACKHAWK Brings a Little Feminine Style to Tactical Pants

BLACKHAWK has some seriously tough apparel for military personnel, shooting enthusiasts and anyone else who wants their clothes to be tough as nails. The company was started by a former Navy SEAL, and he knew that quality had to come first. It always has, but while their gear performs amazingly well and looks great, there haven’t been a lot of quality clothing options for women.

Enter the new BLACKHAWK Women’s Off Duty Pant. Are they tough? Oh yeah. These pants have been treated for water resistance, and the material will keep up with whatever stresses are thrown their way. The belt loops are extra sturdy to accommodate heavy duty belts and holsters, and the pockets have been designed to add storage without ruining the aesthetic of the pants. These BLACKHAWK pants are great for concealed carry, undercover operations and everyday use. BLACKHAWK has really given ladies a great new tactical clothing option. No longer are they limited to smaller versions of men’s clothing. These pants were designed with the female body in mind. Comfort and style has been combined for optimal performance. They look great.

5.11 Tactical Innovated Tactical Clothing with Flex-Tac Fabric

Trevor was pretty excited about the new pants shown off by 5.11 Tactical. The 5.11 Tactical Stryke Pant features the all-new Flex-Tac material, which is extra durable and will give you a performance boost as soon as you put them on. 5.11 Tactical saw that users need both a snug fit and great range of motion, but achieving this can be difficult with traditional materials. Tighter pants won’t get caught up as often as baggy pants, but you won’t be able to bend and twist as easily. That’s where Flex-Tac comes in. This new material is very strong while also being lightweight and breathable. Usually you have to accept extra heat when you add strength. Not here. And the Flex-Tac fabric stretches about 20% more than traditional materials. This means that you can have a snug fit without excess fabric hanging off the sides while still being able to squat, run, jump and twist without hindrance. My pants are always getting ripped, so I can’t wait to try out a pair of these 5.11 Tactical Stryke Pants!

We also spoke with 5.11 Tactical about the new bags they premiered, and they’re really cool, but I’m going to let our upcoming video give you all the details. Stay tuned.

SOG Knives Prove you can Cast No Shadow!

SOG makes a number of great specialty knives that add functionality to an already top notch blade. One thing I really like about some of their knives is the included LED light. This is incredibly useful for seeing what you’re cutting. It’s a great addition, but when precision is crucial, having the knife cast a shadow on your target can be problematic. With this in mind, SOG has developed the BladeLight, which comes in both a fixed blade and folding blade. What makes this light cool is that instead of having a single LED light on the side of the handle (which would cause a shadow on the opposite side), there are TWO LEDs, one on each side. This is pretty cool. If you’re out camping and need to see a little better, you’ll be glad you have one of these great SOG BladeLights.

GunVault makes Accessing Your Pistol Quick and Easy

Many people want to have their firearm close at hand in case of emergency, but at the same time they don’t want it left casually out where the wrong person might get hold of it. GunVault has a number of great handgun safes that are perfect for your bedside table, closet or under the bed. While these safes are easy to use and you can speedily get to your firearm, it can take a couple extra seconds that you might not always have. For this reason they’ve developed the SpeedVault. It’s a vertically mounted gun safe that can be accessed either with a punch-in code or a touch of a finger with the biometric fingerprint reader. Once opened, the vault pops the handgun out at a 45 degree angle, perfect for quickly grabbing in emergency situations. I’m inserting two pics so you can see the safe both closed and open. This should give you a better idea of how it works. Definitely a very innovative and useful product that I can’t wait to try out!

Our GearExpert team saw a few more products yesterday, but the upcoming videos for the Trijicon, Galco and Armalite booths will give you a better idea of what they brought to SHOT Show. Very cool stuff that you’ll need to see, especially the Trijicon SRS, which is an ACOG Riflescope that uses just one AA battery! You can see it in the picture at the top, but we have a full interview with Trijicon on both the SRS and the TARS that’ll be up in the near future, so stay tuned for more news on the latest products straight from the floor of SHOT Show!

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