A Word on A-TACS

The A-TACS camo pattern has been in development for a some time, but they are just now starting to gain the momentum and popularity that they deserve. They were testing the A-TACS about the same time as the multicam, and as we all know multicam was chosen. They did this because the multicam will work in a larger array of environments as opposed to the sand washed looking A-TACS. If they are utilized in the right environment, however, the sand pattern can make its wearer almost invisible.

When it was first developed, the A-TACS came in one color pattern, desert. While it worked great in desert environments, if the wearer patrolled into an area with any vegetation, they would be obvious for everyone to see. The solution was to incorporate some green into the pattern. This produced the Foliage Green A-TACS. This pattern is the exact opposite of the Desert A-TACS because it will work wonders in an environment with vegetation, but not in the desert.  

Finding a camo pattern that will work in every environment equally is next to impossible. The A-TACS’s most prevalent weakness is that they are terrain specific. Don’t let this discredit what the A-TACS have to offer. If you are working on a border between a desert and a jungle, wear multicam. If you know the type of terrain you will be dealing with and have no expectations of leaving that environment anytime soon, choose the appropriate A-TACS camo.

As much of a fan as I am of A-TACS, I’ll admit that there is still some development that needs to be done before this type of camo can reach its true potential. It is certainly a step in the right direction and it is exciting to see the avenues that we are beginning to explore in our choice of camouflage.

Ceramic Vs. Metal Plates

There's no telling when a fire fight might break out, and being prepared is what will give you the advantage and the ability to go home that night. The best course of action is to avoid getting shot, but should that happen, you want to be wearing some body armor. It comes down to 2 choices, ceramic or metal plates.

Ceramic plates are the most common form of armor you will see. These plates can offer you level 4 protection at a fraction of the weight of their metal counterparts. This is a big benefit when you might have to be humping into your destination with a ruck and other gear. If a fire fight does erupt, they allow for you to be much more maneuverable. The downside to these is that they shatter should they get hit, sometimes even if they are dropped on the floor. That being said, they will take a round or two but after that you are vulnerable. Also, they are bulky which means that it could cause some gear issues if you are not use to it.

Metal plates are the exact opposite in almost every way. They are slim, but heavy and harder to maneuver in. The primary benefit to these plates is that if you are getting lit up, which is not desirable or recommended, they will be able to take multiple rounds depending on the caliber. The drawback to these, however, is that should you get hit, the round can potentially fragment and shoot up to your face or lower extremities causing damage or possibly death.

The best course of action is to not get hit, but should that happen, you want to have the right equipment to get you out of that situation in one piece. Given the choice, I will always choose ceramic plates over metal. My intentions are not to get hit, therefore I don't need a heavy metal plate that can take a lot of rounds. I would much rather run with the ceramic and should I get hit, be able to bounce back and move quickly to cover.

Using Binos for Recon Photos

When your task is to go out and recon an area or a particular target, the best information you can bring back is in the form of pictures or video, so naturally you would bring a capable camera. What if you stumble upon intelligence all of a sudden and you don't have a camera and the the distance is too far for you phone to take a picture? If you have a phone and a set of binoculars, you are in luck! Here is a technique that will blow your mind and will enable you to gather intelligence like never before.

All you have to do to get a picture from a great distance with you phone is to hold your camera lens up to you binoculars. This will enable you to take a picture at distance without having to carry another bulky piece of equipment like an actual camera. If you are an iPhone user like me, you know that its camera takes pretty good pictures, and speaking from experience, it works incredibly well for this technique. Here is an example, I took this picture of a suspicious character from about 300 yards away...

As you can see, the clarity is pretty good, but you still have to deal with the black outline. Not a big deal, but the other great benefit of this is that you can magnify the picture on you iPhone and you will have this instead...

Not bad for being approximately 300 yards away! You can further improve this technique by using a spotting scope instead of binos. Along with pictures, you this method also works equally as well for video.

I've researched this technique a little on the internet and I came across a piece of equipment that will make this easier. Meopta MeoPix iScoping Adapter for the iPhone 4 and 4S allows you to connect your iPhone to binos or a spotting scope. This way you do not have to manage two elements at once. I have not been able to try this device yet, but I am hoping to soon so that I gave give it a thorough field test.

This is an example of how innovation can allow you to be more proficient at preforming recon. Intel can present itself at anytime and you may not always be prepared for it. If you did not bring a camera with you, this is a great method that doles not require any more equipment than what you would usually carry. Give it a try and see what you think.

The Invaluable Dump Pouch

If there is one piece of equipment that is overlooked, it is the dump pouch. This simple, yet potentially vital piece of gear adds a storage compartment to your person when cargo pockets just won't cut it.What is it good for you might ask? It is good for any number of applications whether it be on the range or in the field. It's not flashy, it's not sexy, but it is very effective for its purpose and it can make your life a whole lot easier when you least expect it. Here's how...

Let's say you are in the field. You have your hooch set up, you are feeling comfortable, then all of a sudden hell breaks loose and you have to evacuate your site fast! You don't have time to pack your ruck up, but fortunately for you, there's a dump pouch resting on your belt. You open it up and throw an MRE in there, along with extra mags and some 550 cord. With these items, you are prepared to survive a little while longer until help arrives. Without the dump pouch, you would be forced to carry any extra items in you hands. Not very effective for a hasty retreat. Of course, where you will probably find yourself using a dump pouch most is at the range. These little guys are handy for holding all your extra magazines so you don't have them clunking around in your cargo pockets.

All a dump pouch consists of is a pouch that can be rolled up and buckled so that fit on your belt without taking up much space. A lot of manufacturers make versions of this, but the most popular is Maxpedition's dump pouch. It's small when rolled up, so it won't get in the way of your movement, or get caught on branches if you have to negotiate brush. Should you need it, simply undo the velcro and the pouch will unroll. When the items are in the dump pouch you can secure it with the elastic strap at the top to keep the contents in. When you want to store it for later use, just roll it back up and redo the velcro tab.

You can find many more uses for a dump pouch when you start finding how annoying those extra odds and ends feel clunking around in your cargo pockets. Like I said before, they are not sexy, so don't expect to see these being worn in the next great action flick. For the real operator, however, you will find these to be an invaluable piece to your gear set up. If for nothing else than to have just in case you need to move locations quickly and don't have time to gather up all your gear. Stay safe out there!

US Standard Issue

Perhaps one of the greatest hook ups you have if you are active military or employed by a federal officer is your access to US Standard Issue. I have bought many products off of this company, and I have always been happy with my purchase.

For those of you who have not experienced the joy of belonging to US Standard Issue, you are missing out! What they do is offer Oakley products such as sunglasses and boots for a huge discount, most of the items on the website are as much as 50% off. It is a great place to go if you are looking for quality products but don't want to pay the retail price. I have bought a couple pairs of sunglasses from them and they have lasted me 3 years of hard use. If you scratch up your lenses, you can buy a new set to plug into your existing frames. They also offer the Oakley hard knuckle gloves in black and tan. I used these gloves all up until I got a pair of Wiley-X, and I'm thinking now about going back to the Oakley's because the quality is obviously better.

In order to sign up for their program, you have to submit a photo of your military ID or credentials along with a quick application. They will review your submission and if you qualify (anyone with these forms of ID will,) you will be granted access to their site. Until you are approved, you can view their inventory, but not the price of the items. Other rules apply with membership to the program such as not making a purchase to give as a gift.

I give Oakley my respect for giving men and women, who put their lives on the line for this country, a program that offers them quality for such a large discount. This is a great program if your department is not provided with the quality equipment you want or need. If you meet the qualifications for this program, I highly encourage you to check them out and do yourself a major favor by not paying out the rear for equipment you need.

Moral Patches

By now I'm sure you have seen someone wearing a moral patch. Yes, I'll admit that I have a few of them myself, but I never wear them out in the field. Moral patches are funny around the other guys in your team, but when the higher brass shows up you have to scramble to take one or all of them off. Are they really worth having?

I picked up one patch that simply said, "Embrace The Suck." To my surprise, I found those words repeating themselves in my head during one of our smoke sessions. It made me actually try to enjoy the physical punishment my body was experiencing. Of course there was no joy to be found, but in that sense, it was a moral booster.

Other moral patches have much less of an effect, and only amount to a small chuckle. If they work for you though, who is to say that they are wrong? Afterall, the battle is won and lost with the mind. If this little patch gives you the boost of confidence you need, then so be it, wear the darn thing. Everything is what you make it to be.

A Quick Blurb on the CDI Factor

The best marketing tool that tactical manufacturer's have on their side is the CDI Factor (Chicks Dig It.) This isn't so much because women are actually turned on by your new PVS-14 mount or your cool new FastMag holster, but it the way that it makes a lot guys feel when they strap on new gear. You probably have a guy on your team who's ego seems to expand with his gear. If you would, allow me to break down this phenomenon.

CDI is the mojo that drives most guys to go out and get the flashiest gear they can find because it will make them look "cool." It's amazing what a new IR strobe can do for some guy's self confidence, and if that same IR strobe is seen being worn in the next Hollywood blockbuster it's a done deal.

One year the higher ups got a case of CDI and got my team Benchmade Infidel knives. Don't get me wrong, it is a very nice knife, but for our purpose it just became an expensive letter opener because it has no use in the field. I know that they felt it would be a cool tool that would fit in a specialized team, but what we needed was practicality and not "cool."

Another item that I see being used for the CDI Factor is drop down holsters. These are a great tool when they are used correctly, but look around and see how many guys drop it a little too low. Really, do you have to draw from your knee? Drop downs were designed to be used if your gear set up does not allow for a conventional hip holster. When you drop it down too low, yea it looks more bad ass and you get CDI points, but it inevitably slows down you draw time. I'll take a CDI point reduction for functionality.

Next time you go gear shopping because you have that itch, be sure to take a moment and reflect on your possible purchase. Ask yourself, "Is this item going to make my work life easier, or will it just be used for CDI." If it does both, then great! If not, and it is only serving your CDI fascination, you might want to hold off and let the buzz die down before you go throwing money away.