Chase Tactical has already discounted all of their Warrior Assault Systems gear in order to make room for their own line of USA made tactical gear. Now, they are offering an additional 10% off the already discounted price! Just use code WAS10 at checkout. Sale ends 7/23.
TOPS Knives has released their new Backpacker’s Bowie and it scores some major nostalgia points with me. When I was a teen, a good friend of mine had a Jet Pilot Survival Knife that I thought must have been the coolest knife in the world. The blade shape and grind of the new Backpacker’s Bowie bears a strong resemblance to that iconic knife.
When I am backpacking, I want a knife that is stout but not dead weight. The Backpacker’s Bowie weighs in at just over 7 ounces. It is stout enough to help with emergency tasks like wood processing and shelter building. It is also useful in camp with its built in pot lifter notch so you won’t have to wait for an emergency to use it.
From TOPS Knives:
Bowie knives have long been popular among knife enthusiasts. They are versatile in a wide range of uses. Most Bowies are larger knives, however. TOPS set out to make a shorter version that even a backpacker would carry (every ounce counts). The result is a 4” blade that could be the most important piece of kit that goes on the backpacking trip. Aside from the normal uses a knife affords, the notch on the spine is for breaking wire or pulling a pot out of the fire and the swedge can be sharpened upon request. The Backpacker’s Bowie, because you should always carry a knife.
Pick up the Backpacker’s Bowie from a TOPS authorized dealer or directly from TOPS at www.topsknives.com/backpacker-s-bowie
Specs:
Overall Length: 8.25”
Blade Length: 4.5”
Cutting Edge: 4.13”
Blade Thickness: 0.16”
Blade Steel: 1095 RC 56-58
Blade Finish: Tumble
Handle Material: Green Canvas Micarta
Knife Weight: 7.2oz
Sheath Material: Black Kydex
Sheath Clip: Rotating Spring Steel
If you are reading this blog, it is probably safe to assume that you enjoy a lot of same pursuits that I do and a lot of those pursuits, like shooting, training, and hiking, happen outdoors. If you enjoy these activities, you know the importance of hydration. No one wants to get sidelined on a hike or feel wrecked on day two of a carbine course because they didn’t monitor their hydration. You can’t get that lost time and money back.
I used to play organized sports year round and I drank a lot of water to try to stay hydrated. However, I still found myself dizzy with headaches, cramps, and sick to my stomach on a regular basis. That was likely because I was taking in too much water without also being intentional about adding nutrition and electrolytes. I added sports drinks to my hydration regime which helped dramatically.
As I have grown older, I’ve become more conscious of the amount of sugar that many sports drinks contain (especially when you are drinking them one after the other) so I started looking for a way to add electrolytes while reducing my sugar intake. That search lead me to a number of products that work very well but the one that has been the most convenient is SaltStick Electrolyte Caps.
Basically, these are capsules that contain an electrolyte mix that mimics the types and amounts of electrolytes actually lost in sweat during 30-60 minutes of strenuous activity. I like to take one with my first drink of water and then take another every hour or two based on my activity level and how much water I am taking in. Since SaltStick Caps contain only electrolytes (no other nutrition or sugars), I am able to keep my electrolyte intake and nutrition intake separate which makes it easier for me to keep track. I make sure I am drinking water and periodically adding solid nutrition like fruit, nuts, granola bars, etc. and the capsules handle the rest.
I don’t have any quantifiable lab results but I can offer some long term anecdotal evidence. These capsules have worked for me for more than 3 years. I deal with temps in the 90s and humidity below 20 percent during the summer months. If you hike, run a chainshaw for a few hours in protective gear, or do some training on the range in that kind of weather… you will need to be on your hydration game. I have not had a single dizzy/headache episode since I started using SaltStick and, for me, that is really saying something.
I should also mention that at a cost of about $.20 per capsule (when you buy 100 at a time), they are less expensive than pre-mixed sports drinks! In my experience, they work better. You also don’t need to clean them out of your bottles and hydration bladders like sticky drink mixes!
I have only used the regular SaltStick caps but they also make SaltStick Plus cap which have some caffeine and SaltStick chews. I have never found SaltStick locally which is kind of a bummer but they are readily available online. I have purchased all of mine from Amazon (affiliate link): SaltStick on Amazon
If you like guns, you probably think the North American Arms Mini-Revolvers are cool. If you don’t think their new Mini-Shadow versions are even cooler, check your pulse.
The Mini-Shadow version of the popular Mini-Revolvers features a durable black PVD coating with black rubber grips. These Davidson’s exclusives are available in .22LR, .22MAG, and the 22MS Conversion (comes with cylinders for both .22LR and .22MAG). They can be ordered now on the Davidson’s Gallery of Guns website.
The Pack Strop from Sagewood Gear is a compact, double sided strop. As you might guess from the name, this compact strop is designed to be easy to carry in a pack for use in the field. It is about 5.5″ x 1.25″ in overall size and constructed from 1/4″ Walnut oiled wood with 6 oz leather pads.
The Pack Strop is available with bare leather or pre-loaded with black (aggressive) and green (fine) stropping compound.
