Author: Jack Bogart

I’ve spent decades on alpine, Nordic, and backcountry skis, but a couple of years ago, when I first clicked into skate skis, I was a beginner all over again. Skate skiing felt twitchy, technical, and humbling, reminding me how hard it is to start something new. It also physically kicked my butt. I consider myself in good shape, but those first sessions left me breathless and sore in places I didn’t expect. When I began testing the Fischer Aeroguide Skate 85, I had only skate skied a handful of times. I wasn’t strong, efficient, or smooth. After using these skis…

Boker’s dropping a heavy duty outdoors fixed blade next month. It’s called the Sledgedog, and has a build designed to be rugged enough to live up to its name. Any time you swing by KnifeNews, you’re guarunteed to learn something about cutlery – that’s a given. But we like to make sure to educate readers in other ways too, and today we’re offering, completely free of charge, a brief lesson in linguistic history. Did you know that the word “sledge,” as we see it in this knife’s name, is an alternate, typically British English way of saying “sled?” Well, now…

I stared into the bed of my pickup — loaded with two suitcases of clothes, essential outdoor gear, pet supplies, kitchen necessities, and a mountain bike — and saw a small open plot of real estate. I’d loaded up with everything I absolutely needed for a cross-country move and had room for one small luxury. Ordinarily, a background yard fire pit would be out of the question. In fact, it would be the first thing on the gear chopping block. But I sized up the PACKFIRE carrying case — a hard-sided backpack the size of a standard carry-on — and dropped it squarely into…

Mission first. Gear second to none. Direct Action introduces the Core Assaulter Setup – a reference configuration designed for frontline operators without a dedicated specialist role, operating in full kit under changing operational tempo. This setup is not a universal solution or the only correct configuration. It’s a reference built to demonstrate system logic, capability, and versatility: load carriage, access, control, and speed. The setup can be stripped down for low-profile operations, expanded for longer missions, or adapted to unit SOPs and team standards. One principle remains constant: the gear works for the operator, not the other way around. Built…

Mercedes-Benz is about to launch the luxury van space in the U.S. Overlanding and camper vans, especially built on the 4×4 and AWD Mercedes-Benz Sprinter platforms, are nothing new. But it’s tough to call even the best-equipped Sprinter luxurious unless you’re comparing it to a tent. The new Mercedes-Benz VLE looks to fill that gap with an electric van. Van & Style Don’t Quite Work Together This van won’t win many points for exterior style. It’s clearly meant to be a van through and through, with the very square shape that demands. Benz has tried to make it more stylish…

Improving your Kalashnikov’s trigger with the Geissele AK-X.One thing AK shooters and admirers will never stop talking about is durability.Well, duh. The AK-47 was designed to be used by peasants; simple and strong were built-in.So was the crappy trigger.If you want to keep the peasants from accidentally shooting each other while assaulting the fascist positions on the Eastern Front (did the Soviets call it the Western Front?), you give them a trigger with a lot of travel.A lot.That runs counter to the way we in the West viewed rifles—something you use by aiming and pressing off a shot.What to do?Just…

Field watches are the functional workhorses of the horology world. But they tend to be, well, drab. The Benrus #3061 BOR flips that script with one of the most eye-catching designs of any field watch I’ve tested. If stealth is your aim, just move on from this sparkling gem. But if you love the modest scale of a 39.5mm case, 24-hour timekeeping, and field watch simplicity in an absolutely beautiful Swiss-made package under $2,000, the Benrus #3061 is an unexpected choice that brings a lot of history to the wrist. In short: The Benrus #3061 BOR ($1,995) brings more than…

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — A modular drone case conceived by two 82nd Airborne paratroopers is heading into production eight months after being a runner-up at the XVIII Airborne Corps’ Dragon’s Lair competition on June 25, 2025. This rapid turnaround from idea to production demonstrates the success of Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll’s Transformation Initiative, which simultaneously increase warfighter lethality and accelerates the Army’s acquisition process. Spc. Alexander Soto, a paratrooper assigned to the 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, noted the reoccurring problem of drones being broken during airborne drops and rigorous field exercises. “We needed to be able…

In Southern California, a legal fight is brewing between environmentalists, Native Americans, and mining interests — and it’s all happening on one of America’s newest public land areas, Chuckwalla National Monument. The outcome of this lawsuit will touch at the core of the federal government’s ability to designate and preserve public lands. What Is Chuckwalla National Monument? This 740,000-acre area comprises five distinct land parcels near Palm Springs and Riverside, Calif., bordering Joshua Tree National Park. Located at the intersection of the Mojave and Sonoran deserts, this mountainous region is home to many rare and endangered species, including the desert…

By Will Dabbs, MD Posted in #History I have a great friend named Sario who captured some of the first Kalashnikov rifles encountered in Vietnam. Sario just happened to be one of the first Green Berets in the Army. While today he’s a fit, vibrant, jovial man in his 80s, back in 1965, he was a Special Forces advisor running patrols with the Montagnards against the Viet Cong during his first of three combat tours downrange. On one particularly memorable outing, Sario’s patrol was ambushed. His vicious tribesmen fought their way out of the kill zone and…