Author: Jack Bogart

It all started with the chirping of a mountain critter. Ten years ago, Washington native John Soltys was hiking with his two young daughters in Mount Rainier National Park when they heard the eep eep of pikas, a small mammal beloved by climbers and hikers. “They wanted to do nothing else but try to take pictures of the pika,” Soltys told GearJunkie. A computer engineer with a long scientific background, Soltys wanted to encourage his children’s curiosity. So he did some research and discovered American Scientists, a nonprofit based in Bozeman, Mont. The group trains volunteers to gather data that…

Wilson Combat has just launched the BULWARK, the company’s first internal hammer pistol.Wilson Combat’s staple product has always been 1911-style handguns, which, naturally, featured traditional external hammers. Now, the company has made a great departure from its norm with the new BULWARK, a double-stack 9mm midsize pistol that utilizes an enclosed internal hammer-fired operating system.Wilson Combat says the thought process behind the BULWARK’s internal hammer was to get the best of both worlds: the excellent trigger of hammer-fired pistols with the snag-free profile and protected action of striker-fired pistols. Speaking of triggers, the BULWARK features a 1911-style sliding trigger with…

By Tom Laemlein Posted in #History In early 1918, as the American Expeditionary Force prepared to face battle-hardened German troops in France, the bayonet was a vital component of the Doughboys’ combat equipment. It is difficult for many people today to understand the importance the U.S. military placed on “cold steel” during the Great War. Beyond the material components of a long blade fixed to the end of a battle rifle, the American concept of bayonet fighting was as much spiritual as it was physical. This feeling is described in the U.S. Bayonet Fighting Manual, prepared at…

Wing Group Showcases Integrated Maritime and Survival Systems at SOF Week 2026 The Wing Group is out in force at SOF Week in Tampa, with the Mustang Survival trailer located in the outdoor pavilion at booth 4313, Wing Inflatables on the pier at docks 26/27, and additional presence inside the convention hall alongside SOAL Marine and Kraka at booth 2500. Wing partner brands and products can also be found throughout the event across multiple exhibitor locations.  The portfolio spans combatant craft from Wing Inflatables—currently fielded by U.S. Army and Naval Special Warfare units—alongside aviation-grade life rafts from Patten, and flotation and technical apparel from…

H. Clay Aalders is a lifelong edged tool user. He spent the past 20 years as a woodworker and fishing guide in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Idaho, and Tennessee. While guiding in Idaho, Clay worked part-time writing for a local newspaper, and upon moving to Tennessee began writing for the blog The Truth About Knives – spending his last 5 years there as Managing Editor. His background is in fixed-blade hunting and bushcraft knives, but has jumped into the world of vintage slipjoint collecting with both feet since coming to work at Knife Magazine. Clay’s primary role is as Digital…

Beyond Clothing has introduced the Chosin Collection, a fourpiece L8 Extreme Cold Weather (ECW) system designed for operations in extreme cold environments where prolonged, stationary exposure makes heat retention crucial for survival. While the ECWCS 1-7 Layering System provides scalable protection across a broad range of conditions, it is not appropriate for sustained static exposure in the Arctic or High North Environments. The Chosin Collection was developed to fill that capability gap with additional insulation and protection for extended cold weather operations. Above: By Photo by Corporal Peter McDonald, USMC – [1] (originally uploaded to en.wiki by Raul654), Public Domain, commons.wikimedia.org/w/index The…

TWINSBURG, Ohio — UNIT Solutions, the developer, manufacturer and distributor of the UNIT4 Training Rifle and UNIT9 Training Pistol, today announced the launch of the UNIT9 Compact non-lethal pneumatic pistol, a precision-engineered training system built to the exact weight, trigger feel and manual of arms of a duty-size pistol. Available beginning May 1, 2026, the UNIT9 ships directly to buyers without an FFL transfer, having been classified by the ATF as a non-firearm. Designed for military, law enforcement and civilian shooters who demand training fidelity without the logistical overhead of live fire, the UNIT9 fires 8mm marking, non-marking or blank…

More than 700 paratroopers assigned to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division, executed a historic company live-fire exercise at the Infantry Squad Battle Course at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, April 27-May 8. The event marked the brigade’s first exercise incorporating friendly kinetic and strike small unmanned aerial systems with paratroopers employing first-person-view drones to strike simulated enemy positions and defend against live adversaries in the form of drones. “This was the first time our companies had organic FPV drone pilots executing live-fire strikes on critical targets,” said Army Capt. Ian McKibbin, lead range safety officer and member…

After waiting for its chance for nine years, the TOPS Badger Creek has hit the shelves at last. It’s an outdoors task-smasher with a bold blade shape rendered in an unusual – for TOPS – stainless steel. The following bit of news will not surprise you: TOPS CEO Leo Espinoza likes big blades. His is the creative mind behind such monstrosities as El Chete and the Tundra Trekker, and while the Badger Creek is not in the same size class as those pieces, Espinoza gave it a similarly striking profile as its older, bigger siblings. The Badger’s 6-inch blade is…

LONDON, U.K. – Team LionStrike—the strategic collaboration between GM Defence, BAE Systems, and NP Aerospace formed to strengthen the operational readiness of the British Armed Forces with safer, more capable, and cost-effective light utility and tactical vehicles—announced today that its proposal to the U.K. Ministry of Defence for the Land Mobility Programme will now include the Chevrolet Silverado HD – one of the most high-performing vehicles ever built by General Motors. The Silverado HD will be shown today at Team LionStrike’s “From Proven Heritage to Present Power” event at the prestigious Royal Hospital Chelsea. Equipped with a 6.6-litre Duramax turbodiesel…