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From The Field: Hybrid IFAK Packout

Friday, November 11th, 2022

We thought this recent blog post by CRO Medical was worth a share.

The CRO Medical Hybrid IFAK has been in circulation for over five years, with over 10,000 units sold. We designed this product as an improved medical fanny pack for POI care during the first ten minutes of treatment. The bag dimensions accept a six-inch ACE wrap packed vertically in the pouch. The molle wings allow two CRO Medium Bleeders to attach for expanding the kit. There are endless ways to utilize this product. Here is one medic’s approach to packing, treatment, and planning using the Hybrid IFAK.

Why is this fanny pack more valuable to a medic?

It’s compact and allows me to carry all of my lifesaving interventions that are more advanced than a teammate’s standard IFAK. These advanced interventions include diagnostics, drugs, advanced airway, and IV/IO admin. I can provide point-of-injury care for the first ten minutes of treatment and upgrade my patient’s condition as I prepare for Damage Control Resuscitation. I accomplish all of this using only my Hybrid IFAK. This product allows me to rapidly deploy treatments, only needing to drop my med bag if the patient needs blood. The integrated waist belt will let me quickly switch the Hybrid IFAK from back to front and stow it again when not used. The versatility of this product is unmatched for POI care.

What are some of the desirable features of this bag?

The customizable bungee retention in this bag is excellent. It expands your carrying capabilities on your waist instead of filling up space on your plate carrier. It doesn’t limit you to certain-sized items fitting in premade loops but provides excellent retention and easy customization. This feature is unique to CRO and found in all of their equipment. The internal vertical sleeve pockets are convenient for flatter and smaller items, as they can hold many of them, including NCDs, casualty cards, chest seals, etc. However, one of the best features is the wings on the sides of the IFAK that can fit CRO Medium Bleeder pouches or tourniquet covers.

How do you utilize this product while treating a patient?

After doing a rapid MARCH assessment or treating a casualty that is being treated by teammates already, I can quickly reach into the Hybrid IFAK and access a premade kit such as an IO, IV, or suction and pass it off to somebody to use. At the same time, I can focus on blood admin/preparation, drug admin, or preparing more advanced interventions as needed. The ability to carry medic-specific items in the “hybrid” IFAK style pouch is ideal and makes a ton of sense for medics integrated into a team.

What other uses have you found?

I had extra space in one of my Medium Bleeder pouches after packing a pulse-ox and EMMA device. I decided to throw in some basics that aren’t lifesaving interventions but still are valuable for patient care. Tape is always needed, and by running the bungee through the roll of tape at the top of the pouch, I found that it sat perfectly above the pulse-ox and EMMA to give the bag a fuller feeling. Additionally, I found room for a headlamp. Headlamps are always needed in a pinch, and if I were to only have my Hybrid IFAK on in a dark environment, I could quickly reach in and throw that on and continue patient care.

Please describe your methodology for packing this product and how it relates to the MARCH algorithm.

When building out my Hybrid IFAK, I wanted it to be more advanced than a teammate’s IFAK and have enough interventions to treat a casualty or two almost entirely without digging into my med bag. It has primary interventions for “M” in the MARCH algorithm (extra wound packing supplies) and advanced interventions for ARC (cric kit and basic suction/finger-thoracostomy kit/IV/IO, along with a premade TXA kit). It is a perfect middle-ground between an IFAK and my med bag.

What have you found while using this product while running trauma lanes?

While training, the Hybrid IFAK sits on my lower back. When I need to treat a patient, I rotate it around to grab supplies quickly, and if I’m in a secure position and can sit on the patient for a few minutes, I detach it from my waist and place it next to me or on the patient. Running slimmer mag pouches/placards makes visualizing its contents much easier when it’s on your waist. Wearing a dangler pouch below my plate carrier tends to impede working out of the Hybrid IFAK, making things a little more awkward regarding accessibility. I suggest running either a dangler or the Hybrid IFAK, but not both.

Please describe other benefits of integrating this product into your planning and treatment of casualties.

In short, the compact size and customizability of the Hybrid IFAK give me the confidence to treat one or two patients without digging into my med bag. By fully utilizing the Hybrid IFAK, I increase my maneuverability and save valuable size/space in my med-bag.

Posted in Guest Post, Medical | Comments Off on From The Field: Hybrid IFAK Packout

FirstSpear Friday Focus: Happy Veterans Day, Happy Birthday USMC

Friday, November 11th, 2022

Today we honor and celebrate the bravery, sacrifice and steadfast resolve of our veterans. We live in a unique country that is blessed with individual freedoms the rest of the world can only envy. Thank you to all that have served for protecting those freedoms. From our FirstSpear family to yours, thank you for your honorable service and to those that continue to serve, you are admired in your endeavor.

Happiest of birthdays to the United States Marine Corps. May you have many more years of service to our great nation. “Semper Fidelis.”

Here are some familiar FirstSpear faces from far off places.

We proudly employ veterans. To learn more about FirstSpear, visit first-spear.com.

Posted in Advertiser, FS Friday Focus, Guest Post, USMC, Veterans | Comments Off on FirstSpear Friday Focus: Happy Veterans Day, Happy Birthday USMC

Work Begins on Fort Bragg VOLAR-Style Barracks

Thursday, November 10th, 2022

FORT BRAGG, N.C. — The Department of Defense awarded two contracts totaling over $36 million for renovations, repairs and revitalizations to barracks on Fort Bragg Sept. 28, with a future contract for demolitions still pending.

These contracts are part of the accelerated approved funding and will focus on the VOLAR-style barracks, built in the 1970s, that were identified as unsustainable back in early August.

At that time, leadership made the decision to do an early removal of Soldiers from the Smoke Bomb Hill Barracks that were slated for future demolition and renovations. This decision started a multi-week endeavor to relocate the over 1,100 Soldiers.

“When we started the process, it was kind of like doing a jigsaw puzzle with none of the pieces having a picture,” explained Brian Adkins, the Fort Bragg Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security director. “We had over a 1,000 of pieces and no idea what the picture was supposed to look like. We had to come together with a plan to move the over 1,000 Soldiers from the affected barracks.”

The team, consisting of housing, engineering, legal, finance, maintenance, transportation, and multiple military units, met twice a day to provide updates to the process and present any issues they may have run into.

“It was a very coordinated process in which housing was intimately involved,” said Adkins. “Just for clarity, our teams are not experts for this sort of movement, but what we are good at is coordinating, synchronizing, and integrating everyone’s efforts. We continue to refine every day on where we are at, making sure to understand the full scope of it, and then trying to balance it. I mean, it really entailed not only Smoke Bomb Hill Soldiers, but every other unit on the post.”

Adkins said Fort Bragg had to consolidate service members to make space for those affected by the degradation of the volar-style barracks.

“We didn’t want to put one Soldier here, one Soldier there,” explained Adkins. “We wanted to maintain some degree of unit integrity, at least at the squad level or above.”

Adding to the challenge of keeping unit integrity, service members also have a day job – missions to accomplish and training to complete.

“In many cases, they still had deployments and we were wedging this in in the middle of that,” added Adkins. “So, it was just an enormous number of moving pieces that we normally didn’t have.”

As the power projection platform, Fort Bragg is ready to deploy at a moment’s notice and has multiple procedures already in place for rapid Soldier movement. These movements are basic muscle memory for the units and the supporting Department of Army civilians; however, this large-scale movement was a first for the installation.

But the Smoke Bomb Hill Barracks situation is more of a challenge because it is not muscle memory and involves several units include U.S. Army Special Operations Command, XVIII Airborne Corps, 20th Engineers, and Medical Command. In all actuality, all major commands on the installation were impacted as service members consolidated to make room for the service members on Smoke Bomb Hill.

Through teamwork, the units and organizations involved created a deliberate plan and a coordinated approach to tackle the barracks issue. The garrison continues to work with Soldiers in helping with the relocation from transportation, the movement of household goods to additional financial support.

In addition to the movement piece, the transportation office added stops to the free Fort Bragg Shuttle Service ensuring affected service members are able to get around post and to their areas of operations.

Adding to Adkin’s analogy of the jigsaw puzzle, the outline of the puzzle is set and now Fort Bragg is able to support the required transportation and financial assistance to fill in the big picture.

“It is our utmost responsibility to ensure [living areas for our service members] are clean, safe and functional,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Holland, XVIII Airborne Corps commanding sergeant major. “The means of how Soldiers were able to report issues are just as old, if not older, than the barracks themselves. They really didn’t have the space or ways to communicate issues to anyone other than their local chain of command on what they’re seeing in their barracks as frequently or intensively as they needed to.”

Holland added that many service members may feel nervous or fearful of talking with senior leaders but understands that each voice matters and can lead to better solutions. If there is an issue with their living or working facilities, work orders need to be submitted through the Army Maintenance website and the Fort Bragg Directorate of Public Works housing phone line, 910-396-0321.

“The culture of the XVIII Airborne Corps is the spirit of innovation — we know there is an idea trapped somewhere in that squad,” said Holland. “In this case there is an experience, a perspective, trapped in every squad within the Fort Bragg community and we want to untap that perspective as fast as possible so that we can get the appropriate resources to that Soldier — that is our ultimate goal.”

Those resources begin with the approved $105 million for fiscal year 2022 to renovate five Smoke Bomb Hill Barracks and $18 million to demolish 11 barracks from the same area, along with around 100 other facilities on Fort Bragg. Another $29 million has been set aside for other barracks around the installation.

“The Savannah District is leveraging the expertise of the entire USACE enterprise, to include Huntsville and Omaha Districts, to support Fort Bragg’s urgent effort to address the concerns at the Smoke Bomb Hill barracks complex,” said Col. Joseph Geary, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, commander. “In coordination with the installation, we provide the technical expertise and rapid contracting capability to build the quality facilities that our Soldiers expect and deserve.”

The Army has since published an Execution Order in the beginning of October directing Army senior leaders to conduct comprehensive assessments of all facilities worldwide, with an emphasis on Soldier barracks as key to the overall infrastructure. Army units will physically inspect all barracks rooms, focusing on mold and assessing any other health, safety or functionality issues that require immediate correction.

This effort is directed in preparation for the upcoming Facility Investment Plan wargame and will incorporate facility walk-throughs to validate senior leader requirements with eyes-on knowledge and understanding of needs.

The Army will then develop a comprehensive strategy for planning, programming, and addressing long-term concerns. The FIP is the Army’s planning method for identifying, analyzing, and prioritizing Army facilities investment requirements across a 10-year horizon.

The Army and its leaders will holistically address everywhere service members, civilians, and their Families work, live and train. The Army will ensure a healthy living environment for all service members eliminating any issues that are adversely affecting readiness, resilience, and quality of life.

Posted in Army, Guest Post | 6 Comments »

Open Letter from SOC-F Co-Founder David Kramer

Wednesday, November 9th, 2022

The Special Operations Care Fund
4279 Roswell Road, NE Suite 208 #313
Atlanta, Georgia 30342

In 2013 a friend in the SEAL Teams, Brett “Shady” Shadle, perished in a training accident, leaving behind a grieving widow, and 2 very young children. His death was one of a series of tragic losses, among the men whom I had the pleasure of knowing, from my professional dealings with the Special Operations Forces (SOF) units. Shady’s death ultimately was the catalyst to form The Special Operations Care Fund. The original founders, Cannon Reynolds, Dave Money, Griff Griffin, and myself, all had a desire to do something to help this community. They are a tribe of warriors from which none of us came from. However, we all understood that these men & women who volunteered to serve in the US military made our personal and professional lives possible as we raised families, grew companies, and planned for our futures.

With no set goals, other than to help those in the SOF Community, we began raising money via some very enjoyable gatherings, inviting business colleagues, peers, and friends. From our first event- a day of shooting sporting clays, eating steaks, and raising money, to becoming a sizable philanthropic organization, we grew organically at a pace that matched our external growth. From the beginning, our next steps were planned only as far as our headlights lit – and when we got “there”, we’d take stock of what the next move was. Each event we hosted often doubled the revenues of it’s predecessor. It’s staggering how big these event have become. We never could have predicted the explosion of support from so many Americans like you, that share the same passion and desire to help SOF families.

We planned these sporting clays events, special dinners, and other engagements in our spare time, running the organization out of our garages, basements, and spare bedrooms. “All-volunteer run,” was something we held close to our hearts. We all had families, careers, and hectic lives. It was extremely gratifying to connect our donors to the families they support, in an effort to raise the resources needed to help these families that gave so much, to protect the freedoms we enjoy. The time we spent away from our jobs and families seemed like the right price to pay for the life of security and prosperity, provided by the very people we help.

From the start, SOC-F had a practice of attraction rather than promotion- we never wanted to pressure people to give. We quickly understood that those who attended an event either felt the call to donate, deep within their soul, or they didn’t. Our ethos has always been to cultivate an environment where people aren’t guilted or shamed to donate. Rather, we value a heart that WANTS to give, because each person shares the same values and passion we do – help SOF families discreetley, respectfully, and in a way that reflects the same standard of excellence the SOF community adheres to, every day. As a result, many of you invited your friends, family, and colleagues to see and experience what had been created – a unique and incredible community; complete with like-hearted supporters, SOF Commandos, volunteers, and servant leaders.

Fast forward 9 years, and we have raised and granted over 10 Million dollars to support this tight-knit community. I can honestly tell you that no one in SOC-F could have forecasted this level of generosity or the fiduciary responsibility we have been entrusted with. Over time we matured and added to the Board to achieve new perspectives and a more balanced view, taking into considertion life experiences that the founders didn’t have. This process helped the organization to further develop and become significantly more effective. A few years ago, the Board started to wrestle with issues like leadership succession, strategic planning, research studies, and other large decisions. We found that two BIG questions needed answering:

#1) What do we want to be when we grow up?

#2) Is what we are doing today going to get us there?

The answer to question # 1 is: To be the Gold Standard of Veteran Service Organizations (VSO). The SOC-F Leadership wants to be the most professionally run, scalable, & quietest VSO, that excels at healing bodies & minds, saving marriages, and keeping familes together. We strive to make the kind of generational impact that will positively affect those to come.

The answer to question # 2, is: NO.

Running any organization that is going to raise and grant millions of dollars a year, can’t be operated on a part time basis by amateurs. I’ll own it; that’s what we currently are; amateurs with a huge heart to serve. We do have the wherewithal to know that we can’t achieve the future, doing what we’re doing today. We’re successful and very good at hosting events, creating an amazing culture, and developing deep & meaningful relationships. But we can improve in many areas where we are deficient- and this is what separates the amateurs from the professionals:

• Strategic planning and goal setting
• Quartely updates & communication
• Year-end re-caps & reporting
• Making sure that our supporter’s donated resources are being well utilized
• Updating the SOC-F website
• Connecting with the SOF community to socialize our programs & resources
• Finding new treatments & programs to support our long term goals

This will require us to change, and most importantly help us to reach thousands of SOF men and women and their families, who are suffering from 20+ years of war.

My family and work demands continue to escalate and take more of my time, focus, and energy. (And honestly, I love being a husband to my amazing wife, and Dad to my 3 awesome children). So, it’s with much prayer and thought, that I have decided to assume a new role in the organization and hand over the day-to-day operational duties and responsibilities to a professional that will take this amazing organization to the next level and beyond.

It is with tremendous pride that we report to you that we have hired our very first Executive Director, Mr. Jeremy Morton. If you have ever been to one of our Sporting Clays events, Jeremy is the auctioneer. He was a 1st Battallion US Army Ranger, then served at a US Army Special Mission Unit, from which he retired in 2016. Upon retiring from 21 years of military service, Jeremy joined Crye Precision, and ran their international military business. I have known Jeremy since 2008, and will tell you that SOC-F’s Gold Star and Marriage Programs would not exist without his heavy lifting during his active duty time. Jeremy and his wife, Alyssa, have been amazing friends and supporters of SOC-F since its inception. They have 2 wonderful children, that Alyssa raised while Jeremy deployed 10 times while stationed at Ft. Bragg. If ever there was a perspective this organization needs, it’s from a family who wrote Uncle Sam a blank check for 21 years.

A while back I asked Jeremy to consider running the organization. He has always had a heart to serve and knew his unique experience as a SOF Commando would allow him to reach his former mates in ways that others can’t. He and his wife prayed and wrestled with the decision, weighing their own plans and desires for a better life, and future for their children. During the process of interviewing Jeremy and several other candidates to fill the executive director position, a gracious and generous donor came forward and offered to pay the executive director’s salary for 5 years! This amazing donor understood the impact his generous investment will have on SOC-F’s ability to grow internally and externally in scale and effectiveness, while moving seamlessly from a basement-run organization to a Tier 1 Veteran Service Organization that excels at helping SOF families with respect and discretion.

Always amazed and never surprised by the generosity and graciousness of our supporters, we are incredibly excited for what the future holds for SOC-F. We thank you for the support, trust, and confidence.

As for me? I will remain on the Board, and my role, as by what an executive coach articulated, will be “Protector of the Soul.” I love that title.

David Kramer
SOC-F President

Posted in Charity, Guest Post, Veterans | 5 Comments »

US Army’s DEVCOM Chemistry lab Focuses on Energetics Innovation

Tuesday, November 8th, 2022

REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. — Thinking about a chemistry lab usually evokes visions of beakers bubbling with solutions, Bunsen burners, perhaps a giant periodic table taped to the wall. But this is not that type of chemistry lab.

The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center Propulsion Engineering Analytical Chemistry laboratory works on the Center’s stockpile reliability programs where they conduct prognostic aging and safe life assessment through disassembly of weapon systems detailed chemical analysis.

“The ammunition and explosives mission is one which spans the entire weapons system life cycle — from early research and development, to production, to sustainment and eventually demilitarization,” said Dr. Robert Little, chief for the Propulsion Engineering Division. “In each phase, there are hazards and risks to be managed. The Analytical Chemistry laboratory, and the core competencies of the trained personnel, are key elements to ensure that explosive stability and safety are maintained for fielded weapons systems in their intended tactical environments.”

Simply put, it is not enough to make sure the energetic materials — propellants, pyrotechnics and explosives utilized in weapon systems — work, they must continue to work, across many years and a full spectrum of military tactical environments.

“A rocket motor in Afghanistan, for example, is in a hot, arid climate so propellant stabilizer depletion is faster at elevated temperatures,” said Chris Marshall, supervisory chemist for the lab. “In a cooler environment it is much slower. Propellant in a TOW missile in Afghanistan may become unsafe for use and storage after as little as 10 years, if subject to solar radiation heating. In Alaska, based on a much lower temperature it may be 30 years.”

The lab team does not just work on fielded weapons systems, it also helps develop the next generation of propellants for use in solid fuel ramjet, an airbreathing jet propulsion engine that employs a continuous combustion process.

“We try to find new methods to analyze new propellant formulations — including novel energetic formulations and new energetics molecules. Research chemists will bring them to us and say, ‘How do I get the composition and ballistic properties of this new formulation?’” Marshall said.

Additionally, the lab works on missile failures.

“We may have a missile in theater malfunction, and we get samples back and we’ll analyze all failure modes to figure out what happened,” Marshall said. “Why we had a misfire, hang-fire, detonation or deflagration event. We work on failure reviews for production as well. We work with our contracting partners that make the missiles and when they have issues, this lab will partner with them, their chemists and their labs, trying to multitask issues. Since this lab has diagnostic capabilities in explosives compositions and their properties, we can do things that vendors may not be equipped to do.”

This is not the type of subject matter expertise that can be learned in undergraduate school — there is no “Energetics 101.”

“You have to grow an energetic chemist, mentor and train,” Marshall said. “There’s a lot of hands-on training — hands-on work — you can’t really teach it because you are not going to handle this stuff in school. We try to always team a younger engineer or scientist with an older, more seasoned professional to help mentor that person.”

For the Analytical Chemistry Lab team, their work gives them the opportunity to work in scientific innovation while also support not just the Army but also the Navy, Air Force and international allies.

“We know what we’re doing every day protects our service members — protects our sons, daughters, and grandchildren. We want to protect those lives.”

By Katie Davis Skelley, DEVCOM Aviation & Missile Center Public Affairs

Posted in Ammo, Army, Guest Post | Comments Off on US Army’s DEVCOM Chemistry lab Focuses on Energetics Innovation

AF provides Additional Information for Aircrew Considering flying During Their Pregnancy

Monday, November 7th, 2022

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —

The Department of the Air Force has developed several products designed to assist aircrew in making the most informed decisions about whether to fly during their pregnancy.

In April 2022, the DAF issued a clarification of policies pertaining to aircrew during pregnancy. Since then, the Department recognized the need to provide aircrew, commanders, and healthcare professionals greater awareness of and transparency around the process for submission and review of waivers to fly during pregnancy.

The Aircrew Voluntary Acceptance of Risk, or AVAR, is a three-part document (including a risk acknowledgment page, an outline of medical risks, and acceptable flight profiles) designed to ensure aircrew have access to the information that will allow them to make the most informed decisions about whether to continue flying during their pregnancy. Additionally, a set of frequently asked questions and answers were developed for additional assistance. Both the AVAR and FAQs may be found on the Air Force Medical Service’s Reproductive Health webpage.

“At the end of the day, we need to balance operational readiness, safety, and our aircrew’s agency, and I’m proud of the progress we’ve made to that end,” said Under Secretary of the Air Force Gina Ortiz Jones.

Aircrew who want to be considered for crewed flight duty must personally request to continue flying during their pregnancy. The AVAR will help guide discussions with healthcare providers and inform members of both known and potential, but unmeasured, risks to make an informed decision.

To return to flying duties after becoming pregnant, the service member must submit a waiver for review by their flight surgeon, obstetrical care provider, and commander, who must collaborate to determine whether to approve the waiver. All flights must meet approved flight profiles based on the commander’s discretion and safety considerations.

DAF leadership’s intent is that aircrew are confident that the decision of whether to request to fly during pregnancy – or not – will have no impact on their military career. Aircrew who elect not to fly have other options to continue their career progression, such as maintaining currencies in the simulator, instructing academics, supervisor of flying, top-3, and many other training opportunities and duties.

“It was a team effort to develop these options for pregnant aircrew so they can continue carrying out the missions they are trained and ready to perform,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.

As with any medical condition, the DAF will continue to review aircrew pregnancy policy and practices, including an ongoing collection of health and safety data. The service remains focused on identifying, analyzing, and appropriately mitigating flight safety hazards and exposures to facilitate the safe and successful accomplishment of the military mission. A continual review will also drive appropriate modifications to the AVAR to allow aircrew to make the most informed decision on whether to request the continuation of flight duties.

Story by Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Photo by Michelle Gigante

Posted in Air Force, For the Ladies, Guest Post | 1 Comment »

SCUBAPRO Sunday – Boat Maintenance

Sunday, November 6th, 2022

Knowing what you have is necessary before you can even diagnose a problem or figure out what kind of work your inflatable might need. You must first be informed that there are two different kinds of cloth available: PVC and Hypalon (CSM).

Due to the differences in their construction, each requires a unique approach to maintenance and repairs. As with so many maritime-related things, periodic checks of your boat will help you identify minor concerns before they turn into bigger ones. Like everything else, UV is the worst thing for PVC and Hypalon. Do a visual and rub your hands along the boat’s tubes to help find dry or cracked spots, “alligatoring”, but you will need to improve your UV protection.

To start your inspection, fill your spray bottle with liquid soap, pump the boat to specifications from the aft to the forward (drum tight), and then begin spraying. It will be more effective to set your spray nozzle to create a wide mist than a narrow jet. In both cases, make sure to soak the tubes thoroughly. Finding air bubbles is essential because they are a surefire indicator of leaks. Keep an eye out for valves, cones, and seams. Rarely are leaks cooperative enough to show up on a field of open tubes. Nope, they would much rather stand next to or even behind some fitting or label.

Check the cloth for wear, especially the tube tops. Where guys will sit with all their gear on, and it might rub holes or start to rub holes. They will eventually dry out and begin to leak. Check for wear on all the attachments and accessories. Some accessories will droop and chafe the tube fabric as the tubes deflate in colder conditions. Don’t forget to check the holders for the transom.

Look under the boat to inspect the bottom for wear, particularly to the areas around the transom and where strips connect it to the tubes. While you’re at it, grip the tube-to-hull strips directly to check for any fabric that may have come loose. Keep a close lookout for rot if your transom is made of wood.

Lastly, examine all the valves. Are all the caps present? The “plungers” are they free to move? It’s okay to spray a little more of the soap mixture while you’re rummaging around to clear out any sand or other debris that may have started to gather.

Before putting the boats away, give your tubes a UV treatment in addition to routine checks. Use a manufacturer-recommended UV protectant. There are several goods available.

Spray the boat down after every use and give it a good cleaning before you stow it away. Salt away is a great product to help get all the salt off the boat. Never leave an inflatable in the sun to the recommended pressure after filling it. This is especially true for PVC boats with glued seams since you could stress the seams and produce leaks (or worse). On the other hand, buzzing around while the tubes are not inflated to the proper pressure will undoubtedly ruin those handy transom holders. This is due to the outboard’s vibration, which will cause the tubes to start pulling away from the transom if they aren’t pushed tightly against its sides. Inflatable air chambers are divided by internal baffles that keep them apart in the event of an accident-punctured chamber. These baffles also balance the air pressure throughout all the chambers’ connections.

Underway repair You should always keep the following supplies on board: a hand pump, duct tape, ClamSeal, and some beach balls.

It isn’t much you can do if a boat is punctured below the water line besides pumping air using a hand pump to reduce the air leak. You can buy a ClamSeal for quick emergency repairs in torn inflatables.

Duct tape can temporarily repair punctures inside the boat that is in easily accessible areas. Before applying duct tape, the area around the puncture should be cleansed with acetone to ensure a proper seal. After that, you can pump air into the boat to slow the escaping air, allowing you to land as soon as possible. If a hole gets ripped in the sponson before you put the ClamSeal on, you can set the beach ball in there and inflate it when it is in there, which will help make the sponson more stable. Then try and close the hole with tape or a ClamSeal. On a side note, you can also use flex seal tape or other products. The downside is getting all the adhesive off that spot to repair the hole, but that is a dry land problem.

Posted in Advertiser, Guest Post, Maritime | 4 Comments »

Tyrant Designs Presents – Upgrading Your Factory GLOCK Barrel

Saturday, November 5th, 2022

So, you own a Glock handgun like the bulk of the shooting community for innumerable reasons. Some of them are the robust aftermarket components that are available (especially from Tyrant Designs) as well as Glock handguns being touted as supremely reliable and a highly-configurable platform. With that comes the ability to change components at will. This can vary from frame pins to barrels; all of which Tyrant Designs makes premium upgrades for. What are some of the reasons that you would want to even bother changing your factory barrel though? Let’s walk through those to see if the recently unveiled Tyrant Designs barrel is for you!

The very first thing that will catch your eye about our premium barrels is the curb appeal. So, how much does this matter? To be completely honest, quite a bit. I have had the whole “curb appeal” debate with countless friends when it comes to upgrading components on firearms, and this is the lens I view that conversation through… “Nobody wants a highly-accurate gun that is ugly just like no one wants an ugly muscle car.” That makes sense, right? You shouldn’t sacrifice performance for looks, but if you can have both, why not? The other big element of upgrading components is performance. Our barrels will give you greater reliability and consistency in chambering rounds. It will also ensure spent rounds are being extracted and ejected without a sliver of doubt.

The fitment to the slide will also guarantee a more secure lockup into the battery every time. Another glaringly obvious reason to upgrade to our barrel is the greater accuracy. We have imparted a deep crowning to our barrels – that is not present on factory barrels – that will increase velocity and bullet stability upon exit of the barrel. Finally, you may want to look at upgrading your factory barrel to one of ours if you have a damaged barrel or one that has deteriorated in quality over time. This could be a valid safety concern after an accident – your gun falls down the side of a mountain while hiking or it fell out while changing the oil in your vehicle and you subsequently ran it over.

Whatever the reason might be, if you fear your barrel is compromised, you should replace it out of an abundance of caution for your own safety. So, there you have it! Improve the curb appeal of your Glock and be the envy of your friends, simultaneously improve its performance, and/or ensure your gun is at its tip-top safest quality for carrying. Until next time, continually check out our blog, join our newsletter, and watch the website for new and exciting updates! As always, let us know all your thoughts in the comments below. We love it when you participate in our articles and keep the conversation going!

Posted in Guest Post, Weapon Accessories | Comments Off on Tyrant Designs Presents – Upgrading Your Factory GLOCK Barrel