Author: Jack Bogart

A climbing rope made entirely from recycled materials has no business handling this well. The Mammut Crag Recycled 9.8mm Dry Rope ($200) looks and feels surprisingly similar to some of the thinner ropes I already own. That caught my attention because it had been a long time since I’d been interested in using a 9.8mm rope. The more experienced I became as a climber, the lighter I wanted my ropes to be. Lighter and thinner ropes have several advantages. They’re easier to feed out of a belay device, faster to clip, and lighter to carry. But they lose points in…

Tragic news has come from the 12th-highest mountain in the world. An avalanche swept down Pakistan’s Broad Peak just as a large climbing group was on its way to the summit. At least 10 people were hit by the avalanche, including Nirmal “Nims” Purja, a well-known mountaineer who was leading an Elite Exped team. At least two climbers died in the avalanche, according to the Alpine Club of Pakistan. The rest remain unaccounted for. However, several news outlets, including the BBC, have reported that four climbers from the team were already confirmed dead. Details about the status of remaining climbers…

By Joe Kurtenbach Posted in #Gear In today’s article, Joe Kurtenbach reviews the Fiocchi Hyperformance SBR Enhanced ammunition. The tested load, the .223 Rem. 77-gr. hollow-point boat tail (HPBT), was provided by the company for this review. “It’s about the most accurate AR ammo I’ve ever tested,” I said to Matt Gann, manager of 340 Defense near Charles Town, West Virginia, as I walked toward the office from the range. I’d just concluded performance and gel penetration testing on Fiocchi’s Hyperformance SBR (short-barreled rifle) Enhanced 77-gr. hollow-point boat tail (HPBT) .223 Rem. ammunition and he’d just asked…

Federal just gave Creedmoor its man card with 6.5 Creedmoor +PEAK. Here’s what you should know about it.In June of this year, Federal introduced one of the most significant advancements we’ve seen in metallic cartridges since maybe … well, forever. Their new +PEAK loads for the 6.5 Creedmoor have given that cartridge somewhere between a 250- to 300-fps velocity boost. Granted, we’ve seen what are commonly called “+P, Superformance, or Lite Magnum” ammunition advancements before, and all those loads offered a slight velocity advantage by virtue of the use of more or different powders.However, +PEAK ammo not only provides a…

Watershed Launches Instagram Account In order to reach end users with product information and updates, Watershed has launched a new Instagram account. They will share mission applications, field testing, product updates, trade show appearances, and stories from the men and women who depend on their gear when failure isn’t an option. With over 40 years of industry experience, Watershed has been designing and manufacturing waterproof bags for U.S. and Global SOF since 1998. Their Maritime Backpack Suite is part of USSOCOM’s SPEAR Program. The new account can be found at @watershedgov. Please follow and share. This entry was posted on…

Friday Focus: LASERFRAME Double Speed Reload Pistol Magazine Pockets When the reload has to happen fast, the magazine pocket has to get out of the way. The FirstSpear LASERFRAME™ DOUBLE SPEED RELOAD PISTOL MAGAZINE POCKETS are built on the same proven architecture as the FirstSpear M4 Speed Reload Pocket, now purpose-sized for Glock pistol platforms. Available in two variants, the LaserFrame Double G17/19 carrying two 17-round magazines and the LaserFrame Double G22/23 carrying two 15-round magazines, both deliver lightweight, durable construction with quick access and smooth magazine transitions when speed matters most. Features: LASERFRAME™ TECHNOLOGY — LIGHTWEIGHT AND DURABLE CONSTRUCTION…

According to a document shared by the Instagram account @tropiclightmeme, along with the following message, the US Army has added another authorized skill tab for graduates of Jungle School. Previously it was only authorized or wear in USARPAC. According to the authorizing memorandum, award of the Jungle tab is retroactive to graduates of Jungle Operations Training Center in Panama as well as the school in Hawaii. The memorandum was digitally signed on 22 July, 2026 by Jules W. Hurst III, the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Manpower and Reserve Affairs). Is the Arctic tab next? “We always said you’d hear…

DETROIT ARSENAL, Mich. — It is crucial that the capabilities our warfighters receive to fight and survive meet the current threat environment. Their input in the development of such systems can help lead to a capability that meets their needs when they need it. With that in mind, Portfolio Acquisition Executive Marine Corps Program Manager Light Armored Vehicles (PM LAV) conducted an Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) Marine Touch Point (MTP) at the Ground Vehicle Systems Center in Detroit Arsenal, Mich., June 10 – 11, 2026.  The ARV program is executing under the Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA) pathway for rapid…

AWARD SUPPORTS TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF BLACK WIDOW AS A POTENTIAL SUCCESSOR TO THE AIR FORCE SECURITY FORCES’ CURRENT TEAL 2 FLEETSALT LAKE CITY, July 30, 2026 — Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCAT) (“Red Cat” or the “Company”), a U.S.-based provider of advanced all-domain drone and robotic solutions for defense and national security, today announced that its Teal Drones subsidiary has received a $2.49 million firm-fixed-price contract from the U.S. Air Force for Black Widow™ small unmanned aircraft systems, training and related support. The award includes Black Widow systems, train-the-trainer support, batteries, spares and shipping. According to the…

Jack Wolf Knives is back on that fixed blade grind with a new batch of the Collusion from JakebCreates – this time with a domestic manufacturing twist. It’s been interesting to watch Jack Wolf evolve over the years. Way back in 2022, we spoke to Jack Wolf founder Benjamin Belkin, who sang the praises of traditional slipjoint knife design – and announced his intention to contribute to that genre with his new company. Ever since then, Jack Wolf has rolled out a steady stream of enthusiast-grade slipjoint designs that riff on the classics of yore, but dress them up in…