Author: Jack Bogart

In 2017, back-to-back hurricanes ravaged Virgin Islands National Park in the Caribbean, destroying structures, docks, and campgrounds. Since then, the National Park Service (NPS) has been trying to restore the facilities in the Caneel Bay area of the park. It’s spent years outlining plans to find a hospitality company or concessionaire willing to take on the lease and all the construction and costs reopening would require. The NPS recently put out an open call for proposals to lease the land. The document would give the eventual leaseholder carte blanche control over wide swaths of public land, prioritizing the developer’s potential…

Search-and-rescue (SAR) teams prepare for all kinds of emergencies, and they frequently risk their lives to help those in need. But one Colorado SAR team couldn’t hide its frustration this week after responding to an SOS from a solo adventurer. A BASE jumper issued an SOS signal on Monday after taking a big fall, claiming serious injury. But when help arrived at the remote locale in a complicated — and expensive — rescue operation, the BASE jumper changed his mind and refused assistance. In a rare rebuke, local authorities said the man’s behavior showed “a profound lack of respect.” What…

While travelers focus on national parks, big crowds can easily frustrate ready adventurers. Fortunately, there’s a wide-open alternative beyond terra firma. Consider the Marine Protected Area (MPA). While the U.S. boasts 85 million acres of national park land, it has more than 750 million acres within those MPAs. Essentially the aquatic version of a national park, these oft-overlooked conservation zones encompass vast tracts of pristine ocean and coastline. And even though there are nearly 1,000 MPAs in the U.S., many Americans don’t know about them. Fortunately, that’s starting to change — and not just among potential visitors in the general public. Nonprofits and…

From the archives: RECOIL Magazine Issue 19, July/August 2015Photos by Kenda Lenseigne GOOD THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES What’s in the box? Camera equipment, tools, an extravagant lunch for you and that girl you’ve been trying to impress? Certainly nothing about it screams, “Insanely accurate sniper rifle that will quietly shoot the ’nads off a gnat at 800 yards.” Accuracy International has been around for four decades now, representing the last vestiges of a once-thriving gun industry in the country that used to be Great Britain. If you’re not familiar with names like Armstrong, Vickers, Whitworth, and BSA (no, not…

Tactical knife legend Laci Szabo has contributed a new model to the 2026 TOPS lineup. It’s called the Shirodagga, and in addition to a memorable name it aims to give users a self-defense option that is bigger than a backup knife, but smaller than a full-size tactical blade. Szabo’s reputation in the knife world is built upon decades of practical, experience-informed tactical knife designs. His most famous production piece is probably the Spyderco Szabo folder, but he has also partnered with custom makers to realize a number of other designs – all focused on the tactical/fighting/self-defense corner of the market.…

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. – Marking the latest milestone in its history, the Army has expanded the capabilities of the M139 Volcano System with the first remote firing of the Autonomous Volcano next generation obstacle emplacement capability. The demonstration took place at Camp Grayling, MI on May 19 during three days of hands-on training and included distinguished visitors from the United Kingdom’s Assistant Head Ground Maneuver Directorate – Col. James Fern, the Engineer Commandant, Col. Tim Hudson, and Future Capabilities Director, Col. Hector Montemayor. The Autonomous Volcano system uses the reliable M139 Volcano mine dispenser, which can lay up to 960 mines…

Like most other outdoor activities, cycling has boomed in popularity since COVID, and the numbers keep rising. Data shows that around 35 million Americans cycle regularly. In some areas, like the Twin Cities, over 40% of the population rides frequently. Supporting cycling use on public lands, however, can be tricky. Designated wilderness areas do not allow any form of mechanical transport, and cycling can conflict with other trail uses such as horseback riding. In an effort to increase opportunities to use bicycles on public land, the Interior Department will develop specially designated long-distance biking trails from either existing or new…

Support us! GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More For nearly 2 decades, Kiprun has been gaining fans as the dedicated, in-house running line of French sporting goods retailer Decathlon. The farther you travel from France, however, the less likely you are to have heard of the brand named for the frequent marathon cheer to “Keep Running.”  Now the athlete-engineered shoes that benefit from Decathlon’s backing will finally be available in the U.S. American runners can experience this beloved shoe line that’s dedicated to making a better product — packed with premium performance…

ANKARA, Türkiye, July 7, 2026 – During the NATO Summit Defense Industry Forum, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and Rheinmetall announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that addresses the immediate demand for locally produced munitions in Europe. With the support of the United States and German governments, the agreement marks the next step toward establishing a joint venture to create the first European centre of excellence for the manufacturing, integration and distribution of ATACMS across NATO and allied European forces. “This partnership marks a watershed moment for European security and allied industrial cooperation. By combining Lockheed Martin’s unmatched…

Bear-safe storage is an absolute necessity when headed into certain parts of the backcountry, but as someone who doesn’t go into bear country much, my primary concern on backpacking trips is always rodents and other critters. There’s nothing worse than waking up to find that a squirrel has gotten into your food bag and made off with your precious snacks. Classic bear canisters provide protection from both bears and critters, but they’re heavy, bulky, and take up way too much valuable space in packs. Luckily, there’s a new solution on the market. Adotec recently released a soft-sided food storage bag…