Author: news

Massif Combat Sleeve – ATAK (Non-FR) One of the items I discussed at SHOT Show but did not take photos of is the new Combat Sleeve from Massif. There are plenty of half jackets in the market but this one stands out because it has been adapted to the adoption of ATAK. This non-FR garment is a cropped jacket that integrates with body armor as well as chest mounted End User Devices and can quickly be donned and doffed. It includes a stowable helmet compatible three-point adjustable hood and built-in stuff sack for portability. The fabric is an encapsulated durable…

NODBOX BNVD Case I first saw the Dev Cell NODBOX during last year’s DSEI in London. Platatac had a prototype at the show and I ended up getting one of the production versions right before SHOT Show. NODBOX is an injection molded clamshell case for the AN/PVS-31A & C night vision goggle. Versions for other models are coming in the future. Impact and crush resistant, it is made from injection-molded nylon with a bungee to hold it closed. The sample I had seen had more of a spongy feel to it but the production version is more rigid and quite…

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNS) —   U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron supported a multinational airborne operation Jan. 17, at Ojojihara Training Area, Miyagi Prefecture, marking the first Japan Ground Self-Defense Force-hosted multinational airborne exercise conducted on Japanese soil. The operation built on the momentum of New Year Jump Indo-Pacific 2026, which included participation from 14 nations, and served as the tactical phase of a broader training series designed to enhance airborne operational capability and interoperability among allied forces. While NYJIP26 at the JGSDF’s Narashino Training Area in Chiba Prefecture earlier this month was conducted as a ceremonial…

The new manual-transmission car is a rare breed these days. We know that you crave the connected feeling you get from your car (or truck or SUV) when rowing through the gears yourself, clicking between cogs, and telling the vehicle exactly what you want. Getting that in a new vehicle, on the U.S. market, isn’t easy these days. Toyota has teased a stick-shift EV, but I think that we’re quickly reaching the end of the road for rowing your own gears and brand-new existing in the same ride. The average commuter in their silent electric wonder won’t mind, but we still…

California’s Catalina Island is home to many unique species of plants and wildlife, but one of the island’s animals has posed problems for years. Since mule deer were brought to the island in the 1930s, the population has exploded, and thrown the ecosystem out of balance. In response, the Catalina Island Conservancy (CIC), the nonprofit that manages the land, proposed to kill all of the island’s deer. This week, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) approved the plan, and hunting will begin this year. History of Deer on the Island Deer are not native to Catalina, and neither…

Lindsey Vonn is holding onto her dream of competing in the Olympic Games one last time with an iron grip. On Friday, Jan. 30, the 41-year-old ski racer crashed during a World Cup race at Switzerland’s Crans-Montana resort. She was airlifted to a hospital. Doctors determined she had ruptured her ACL, bruised a bone, and had meniscal tears — all just 1 week ahead of the Milano–Cortina Games. But despite the seriousness of her injury, Vonn took to social media on Tuesday, Feb. 3, to let the world know she hasn’t given up. “After extensive consultations with doctors, intense therapy, physical…

Whiskey TwoFour’s Slick Back Panel 14 for Spiritus Systems LV-120 Plate Carrier WTF’s slick Back Panel 14 for Spiritus Systems LV-120 plate carrier features a 1.5″ x 6″ loop field with ample real estate for IFF, morale patches, and similar while Six (6) nylon webbing loops offer lashing points for optional shock cord. To discourage accidental separation from the carrier, the back panel’s zipper pull tabs tuck securely and silently into milspec elastic loops at the base. Laser cut VELCRO Brand ONE-WRAP minimizes weight and offers a secure connection to the LV-120’s loop field. Zip-On Back Panel 14 for Spiritus…

When you hear the phrase “national park,” I generally imagine towering mountains, pristine lakes, and stunning landscapes, all with miles of hiking trails. A downtown block with paved walking paths and views of skyscrapers doesn’t come to mind. And yet, that’s precisely what comprises America’s smallest (and, in my opinion, most absurd) national park: Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis, Mo. I’ve lived in St. Louis for nearly a decade, and the fact that the Arch is a national park has always struck me as strange and somewhat ridiculous. The area is small and unimpressive, and isn’t naturally beautiful…

A PLETHORA OF OPTIONS, FROM SHOTGUNS TO HANDGUNS. Narrowing down the best gun for home defense can feel overwhelming. Between the advice at the gun store, the people online, and your friend’s brother’s buddy who used to be a cop, it can feel like too much information. To avoid adding to that noise, we’ll keep this short and simple. Covering the pros and cons of the major platforms while giving some recommendations for specific models to take a look at. EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON YOUR SITUATION There is no one-size-fits-all answer to defending your home. Differences in budget, local laws, personal…

As the pandemic backcountry boom fades to a distant memory, ski brands have been focused on making all-mountain skis that attempt to fill the “one-ski quiver” fallacy. This shift from specialization to versatility has driven the rollout of dozens of skis that can allegedly handle it all — groomers, variable conditions, park sessions, and off-piste terrain. If this sounds too good to be true, you’ve come to the right place. The latest 4FRNT Renegade bucks the trend, focusing on just one thing: maximizing powder turns. Let’s start with the obvious: Renegades are reverse camber (sometimes called full rocker), which, in…