Author: news

For more than a decade, we have shouldered close to 50 different rain jackets in just about every name for rain. We’ve pulled together everything from jackets for bumping around town to the most ultralight shells for thru-hiking and even techy rainwear for trail running, cycling, and climbing. Senior Editor Nick Belcaster leads our efforts and never lets a good rain shower go to waste. During our testing, we aimed for the worst weather windows to challenge the waterproofing, livability, and rough-and-tumble durability of these jackets. We paid close attention to performance over entire seasons, and if the weather failed…

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNS) — As the sun set over the Yokota Air Base flightline, four C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron revved engines in preparation for a routine, yet convincing, demonstration of world-class agility, Feb. 6. This night time sortie – also known as a night tac – would take aircrews over the Mount Fuji drop zone for the swift and synchronized delivery of container delivery system bundles and heavy equipment. “This particular one was a multi-element formation lead flight,” said Capt. Zachary Norton, 36th Airlift Squadron C-130J pilot. “We also trained on airdrops, so…

We hit 2025 running this year, with SHOT Show itself and a stream of new releases and announcements following in its wake, right up to the current day. Naturally we missed a few late 2024 releases so, when we get the chance, we want to highlight them. One such release is the MiniSada, a modified, smaller version of the Slimsada. The Slimsada debuted in the fall of 2022 alongside a couple of other models. Gerber’s line can be split roughly into budget-oriented and premium folders; the Slimsada was an entry into the former category. It offered users a modified sheepsfoot…

HK-USA has updated its VP9 pistol series with the VP9A1 line, here we take a quick look at what’s new.The VP9 series of pistols has grown to be a very popular defensive handgun option since they were released 10 years ago, but now HK-USA is updating the line as the VP9A1. Featuring the full-size VP9A1 F and the compact VP9A1 K, the upgraded family of pistols sports several improvements throughout that should have fans of the original VP9 excited.The VP9A1 F with a Holosun SCS.Firstly, the VP9A1 F has a 4.53-inch barrel and a 17-round capacity while the VP9A1 K…

Saint Javelin x keep – Arakawa Mini Slingpack In case the company name didn’t make it glaringly obvious, the Arakawa Mini Slingpack is made in Ukraine. Screenshot Created in collaboration with keep a Donetsk-born, Kyiv-based brand, is made from Cordura and includes an internal organizer. It’s also got a waist belt, top grab handle, zippered main compartment as well as a zippered external pocket and water bottle pockets. www.saintjavelin.com/en-us/products/arakawa-mini-slingpack-saint-javelin-x-keep This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 12th, 2025 at 22:00 and is filed under International, Load Carrying. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.…

From the car to the cliff, a good pair of approach shoes can help you reach your rocky objective in style. Approach shoes combine characteristics of hiking boots and climbing shoes to create versatile footwear that excels in rocky terrain. To create this roundup, our team of expert gear testers wore dozens of different approach shoe styles and made meticulous notes about the pros and cons of each. Lead author Austin Beck-Doss is based in Lander, Wyo., where steep muddy treks to sport crags and long slogs to alpine routes provide the ideal approach shoe testing ground. Also contributing is…

Every assisted braking device (ABD) can inadvertently lock the rope to varying degrees when quickly feeding out slack to a lead climber. Petzl has mostly solved this dilemma with the NEOX. When an ABD locks a rope when the belayer feeds slack rapidly (“short roping”), it’s actually doing what it was meant to do. Most ABDs have some sort of prescribed method that the belayer uses to overcome the potentially life-saving mechanism. This usually involves the brake hand, which has to maintain control of the brake strand of the rope simultaneously. Petzl’s almost universally loved GriGri has one of the most…

POOLER, GA. – Blue Force Gear, Inc., the world leader in load carriage equipment, announces the Battle Belt Hanger for sale on their website. This simple product solves a universal problem: what to do with your battle belt when it’s not in use. The innovative BattleBelt Hanger provides proper storage and extends the life of duty belts and attached gear. The patent pending Battle Belt Hanger was released during SHOT Show and displayed in the Blue Force Gear booth. Specifically designed for the Blue Force Gear CHLK and GRID Belt systems, it seamlessly holds a range of duty belts so…

The super shoe revolution in trail running is a few seasons old at this point. Where all roads lead to Nike’s Alphafly with a handful of worthy number twos, there’s still no one defining super shoe for the trails — the type where if you line up in anything less, you’re sacrificing first place. Because of its unfortunate pandemic timing, you might have overlooked the fact The North Face was the first to put a carbon plate in a trail running shoe with its original Flight Vectiv. This rush to be first represented a two-pronged attack by The North Face.…

Benelli is launching five new Nova 3 Tactical 12-gauge shotguns. These new Nova 3 Tactical pump action shotguns can handle up to 12 gauge 3-inch shells through a 18.5-inch barrel. Three of these models have fixed chokes, either cylinder or modified, while two take screw-in chokes and ship with Benelli Modified chokes. Four out of the five models have a four-round tubular magazine capacity, and the fifth model holds seven shells. Available finishes include black anodized or black MultiCam. As a defensive tactical shotgun, the Benelli Nova 3 Pump Action series comes equipped with a front-sight post and a rear…