Author: Jack Bogart

On paper, the Nodus Nomad sounds like a practical field watch at a good price. With dual time, compass functionality, a reliable Seiko movement, and 100 m of water resistance, I was intrigued. But the shimmering, sand-colored dial is what really drew me in. I connected with Nodus to arrange a demo. Before I ever got one in my hands, the Nodus Nomad GMT watch underwent extreme testing. At least that’s what the brand claimed, noting that 15 explorers wore prototype Nomads across two weeks along remote terrain, “enduring 124°F heat, violent sandstorms, and wet desert conditions with no logistical…

Just a few months from now, California’s mountain lions will finally have a safe way to cross one of Los Angeles County’s busiest highways. The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is a vegetated overpass connecting the isolated Santa Monica Mountains to the south with the Simi Hills on the other side of Highway 101. When finished in November, it will be the largest such crossing in the world, offering safe passage to many species that frequently die trying to cross the highway’s 10 lanes of traffic. Bobcats, grey fox, and mule deer will all likely benefit, but the mountain lions benefit…

Wave Relay® MANET as preferred network for Atlas UAS, Mako and Mako Lite USVs NEW YORK – May 5, 2026 – Persistent Systems, LLC (“Persistent”), a leader in advanced networking solutions, announced today that AEVEX, a defense technology company providing autonomous unmanned systems and mission solutions for U.S. and allied customers, has joined Persistent’s Wave Relay® Ecosystem. AEVEX is integrating the Wave Relay® MANET into its Atlas unmanned aerial system (UAS) and its Mako and Mako Lite unmanned surfaced vessels (USVs).   • Atlas is a Group II UAS supporting ISR and precision-strike mission variants;   • Mako and Mako…

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s official hunting and fishing access order is now at the center of a fight over local hunting restrictions in National Park Service units where hunting is already allowed. Burgum signed Secretarial Order 3447 in January 2026, directing Interior agencies to expand hunting and fishing access, remove unnecessary barriers, and ensure consistent policy across department-managed lands and waters. Now, an April 21 internal memo and park-by-park spreadsheet have raised questions about how that order will apply to local hunting restrictions created by park superintendents and land managers. Interior and the National Park Service haven’t publicly posted those…

With the onset of warm weather, bears are fully out of hibernation, and that’s already spelling trouble in one of America’s most iconic national parks. On May 4, two hikers sustained injuries from a bear in a popular area of Yellowstone National Park. What Happened According to a press release from the National Park Service (NPS), two hikers were on the Mystic Falls Trail, a well-known hike near Old Faithful. They had an altercation with one or multiple bears, and emergency services personnel responded. Park staff are actively investigating the incident. As a result, staff temporarily closed several areas of the…

Amsterdam, The Netherlands – 4 May 2026 – DroneShield (ASX:DRO), a global leader in counter-drone technology solutions, along with Terma, a leading defence and aerospace company, announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), to establish a strategic collaboration focused on advancing layered counter-UAS capabilities. Both companies bring complementary, mission proven counter-UxS technologies to the collaboration, including AI-enabled UAS detection, electronic warfare systems, and command?and?control software. The MOU establishes a structured framework to validate, build interoperability, and operationalise complementary counter-UAS capabilities, with the objective of coordinated market engagement between DroneShield and Terma. This collaboration also provides a pathway for customers…

Whether you’re out for a casual stroll or tackling 20-mile days, the best men’s hiking pants are your primary line of defense. These slacks combine rugged durability with dynamic stretch, managing your sweat on hot climbs while still fending off light rain and heavy brush. To hone the current rankings, lead testers Rob Simpson and Ryan Kempfer put nine men’s hiking pants through a 10-month testing cycle. From Baja desert trails to the rainy Alaskan coast, we logged 300 miles and 30,000 feet of vertical gain to find the best men’s hiking pants. We crowned the Outdoor Research Ferrosi Pants…

I was on the second day of my Canyonlands backpacking trip, and I didn’t have a small daypack. This forced me to use my massive 60L Mountain Hardwear Alakazam for just a few snacks and supplies for a day hike to Angel Arch — an absolute overkill for the trek. But when I closed the roll-top and cinched the brand’s patented GiddyUp Compression System, I was shocked. The ultralight pack “shrank” to a reasonable size for a short hike. Alakazam. It was like magic. Mountain Hardwear (MHW) released the Alakazam pack in spring 2026, and I tested an early prototype.…

Prepare yourselves: not two weeks since the release of the April Buck of the Month, the May BotM has landed. It’s another special version of the Range Elite, albeit with a color scheme that is a subtle homage to a little-known science fiction franchise. Yep, it isn’t common to see back-to-back Bucks of the Month like this; usually the company gives each release a little more elbow room, but May is a special month, and the 4th of May is a special day. “May the 4th” is dedicated to fans of Star Wars, and the knife world has always had…

Award establishes Switchblade 400 as key component of Army’s enduring next-generation loitering munition program ARLINGTON, Va.– AeroVironment, Inc. (“AV”) (NASDAQ: AVAV) today announced that it has been awarded a prototype agreement from the U.S. Army for the Low-Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) program to support the rapid development, delivery and testing of the Switchblade® 400 loitering munition. The award establishes Switchblade 400, AV’s medium-range, man-portable, anti-armor loitering munition, as a key component of the Army’s LASSO program, supporting the service’s modernization priorities for rapidly deployable, precision strike capabilities that can operate effectively in contested environments. “This award reflects the…