TYR Tactical

Archive for the ‘Load Carrying’ Category

LBE for the Tactical Professional’s Adult Beverages

Sunday, August 22nd, 2010

It may not be the latest and greatest from Blue Force Gear, S.O. Tech, Blackheart, Mayflower, Agilite, Tyr or any of the other high speed, low drag manufacturers, but this new piece of kit may be good to go anyway. It certainly meets a need otherwise largely unmet in the tactical equipment industry—you can go to any one of a hundred different sites if you want a modular M4/AR15 magazine pouch, or visit your choice of at least as many places to pick up a 3-day assault pack or modular ruck.

That’s fine if you need kitted out to go kinetic. Where do you go to get jocked up for a dining out, team/platoon bbq or bachelor party?

After 5, apparently, or Urban Outfitters, or possibly Anvil Custom Leather, that’s where.

After 5 offers what thy call the Take-a-Shot Booze Belt—two holsters (sorry, neither SERPA nor Safariland SLS compatible) for bottles and six molded slots for your ammunition (shot-shell shotglasses included with the belt). It is made in the USA with 600 denier fabric, nylon webbing and molded foam. Apparently the holster and ammo can be adjusted as desired. Unknown whether it can be custom ordered with MOLLE attachments or not. The base price for this adult beverage LBE is $89.99…a little pricey for someone in the lower E-numbers, but not too much if you’re coming back from a tax exclusion zone in the AOR (or looking to get a present to welcome someone back from there).

This Next has one similar, but in bandoleer mode:

Other options, which we find far superior to the classic beer-can holding ball cap, include the 6-beer beer bottle belt from Urban Outfitters:

Or, for occasions that call for a dressier look (though not mess dress) the black leather whiske
y bottle holster from Anvil (also available in brown and “dirty leather”, which is perhaps more suitable for some civilian LE uniforms).

To date none of the above have been offered in Multi-Cam, A-TAC or any of the other progressive camouflage designs (we were really hoping for SURPAT) but don’t let that stop you from picking one up. Black goes with just about any camo there is and there’s always the patrol-ready beer can belt from DrinkingStuff.com, which can be rigged up with some modifications below your IBA or other armor (and is available in standard woodland camo). We don’t advise using the ones that carry glass containers if you’re in the field. Those should be reserved strictly for garrison use.

If you have any ideas for us to review, drop us a line at BreachBangClear.com or FaceBook.com/MadDuo; unless you’re going to complain about our opinions, writing style or philosophy in which case don’t bother. We just got in a brand new Rifleman’s Tool (very nice) and are still hoping to get a look at the Umbrella Corporation’s NFDD but as yet no firm word on the latter. MAD DUO OUT!

Stuff We Didn’t Write About

Saturday, August 21st, 2010

Emdom-MM Immediate Access Pouch (IAP)

Kit Up! Puts SCAR Controversy to Bed

Equipster

New Stuff from Sierra Designs for Spring 2011

Beyond Survival: Around the World Eight Times With Les Stroud

Classic Adidas Hiking Boots Get the Wookie Treatment

SwiftClip from Velocity Systems

Friday, August 20th, 2010

Velocity Systems was well represented at the recent TREXPO in Chantilly, Virginia. One of their most interesting new innovations is the SwiftClip attachment system which eliminates the need to wear yet another harness over your armor. Working with Mayflower to develop a way to more rapidly integrate chest rigs as well as other specialty items on to an armor vest or plate carrier, they wanted something system and adaptable to a wide variety of gear and was simple to use. They found it with the SwiftClip which is not only simple, but also provides a stable mounting solution.

The SwiftClip is designed to accept any chest rig or other item with an ITW 1″ male side release buckle. Both Velocity Systems and Mayflower products are Berry Compliant and available in a variety of colors and patterns including the US Army’s new OCP (MultiCam).

E&E Bags

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

Call them what you will, E&E bags, bug out bags, or satchels, they are a long way from the salvaged Claymore bag you used back in the 80s. In fact, the modern E&E Bag was first developed for Diamondback Tactical by the founder of Mayflower Research & Consulting in 2003 based on his military experience. Over the past few years, the original design has been copied and modified by a slew of manufacturers, even morphing into the Courier Bag requirement for USSOCOM. The item is far from static and even Mayflower has improved on that first design.

The latest bag to hit the market is the Terrorist Interdiction Bag (TIB) from One Source Tactical’s Technical Services Division. It is the first bag of its kind designed to accommodate AK magazines. As you can see in the photo below, the retention tabs have been specially designed to secure the AK30 magazine from US PALM. Naturally, it will also carry other similar sized including M4 magazines.

Available in Black, Coyote, and MultiCam.

Agilite Tactical Gear Goes International

Sunday, August 15th, 2010

Agilite, an Israeli-American producer of tactical gear, has launched their new website and formally entered the international. Sales of their products began in Israel in early 2010 and many Israel Defense Forces troopers have already proven Agilite vests in real-world conflict scenarios. Now those same vests are available in American camouflage patterns, including MultiCam pattern from Crye Precision which was recently adopted as the US Army’s OEF Camouflage Pattern.

“The last few years combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan has bred an unprecedented need for tactical gear designed specifically for Middle Eastern combat. Having decades of experience in counter-terrorism ops and tactical design teams inside each of its elite units, Israel has become a world leader in tactical gear design,” says Agilite Founder Elie Isaacson, a former IDF Paratrooper and English-language spokesman for the Israeli Army.

Prior to Agilite’s launch, however, such Israeli-designed vests had never been adapted for a global market nor produced in American patterns. “It’s a great feeling to be able to offer our products internationally. Seeing Israeli vests in US Camo patterns sums up what we are all about” says Steve Hoodjer, Agilite’s co-founder and a former sergeant in the US Army National Guard with two Middle Eastern deployments to his credit. The two founders met in 2005 at Israel’s prestigious Institute for Counter-Terrorism.

Agilite’s product range includes their signature product, The Tactical Hi-Vest, an all-in-one tactical load bearing system that incorporates a detachable modular assault pack. The modular assault pack eliminates the need for soldiers to procure an extra assault pack or butt pack for mission essential items, yet allows for removal when operating from a vehicle or when carrying a rucksack on longer missions. The Tactical Hi-Vest fits “high and tight” on the body allowing for a more comfortable weight distribution than standard issue vests. All products are made in Israel from a combination of American and Israeli materials.

www.AgiliteGear.com

Excalibur Products Group

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Apparently, ’tis the season to upgrade websites. Fortunately, all of the ones we have seen are very well done and the new site from Excalibur Products is no exception. We have mentioned their packs in the past and they also offer a couple of sleep system options but according to the main graphic on the new site, they have quite a bit on their plate and we are looking forward to seeing some more of their products.

www.excaliburproductsgroup.com

Tyr Tactical

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Awhile back one of our readers sent us a cryptic message telling us to keep an eye on a website. They had put up a simple splash page but there were no details. Last weekend, we were told the page had changed.

We emailed the reader who had given us the heads up and asked him what the deal was. He said he didn’t know so we razzed him for sending us a snipe hunt. Then, this morning we refreshed our browser and lo and behold, something very new appeared.

According to the website, the man at helm of Tyr Tactical is Jason Beck who previously ran Diamondback Tactical. We can’t wait to find out more about this. For example, what is this PV material?

www.TyrTactical.com

Maxpedition in the Movies

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

One of our eagle eyed readers spotted the Maxpedition Kodiak Gearslinger on the back of the character “Arthur” played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the zero-gravity hotel scene of “INCEPTION” the #1 movie in America.

If you spot a piece of kit in a movie, send us an email.