Tropo Performance

Archive for the ‘SERE’ Category

18XRAY Combat/Rescue Knife

Friday, September 16th, 2011

We recently found out that is a third variant of the popular 18XRAY automatic knife. The Combat/Rescue Knife was designed specifically for medics as well as first responders. Notice the 3-5/8” blade’s blunt tip combined with ultra-fine serrated teeth. The blade is manufactured from 154CM steel with DLC finish paired with T6-6061 aircraft grade aluminum handles that are Type 3 hard coat anodized in Red for high visibility. Once again, it features the limited forever warranty. Finally, like the entire line of 18XRAYs, the Combat/Rescue Knife features Darrel Ralph’s SAS (Slide Auto Safety) system.

NSN: 1095-01-588-6781

www.meyercousa.com

NBOW – TYR Tactical

Friday, September 9th, 2011

TYR Tactical recently unveiled their new E&E Bag. Designed to carry the basic equipment needed to get out of Dodge.

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Manufactured from TYR’s signature PV material in the gusset, it will hold up to a lot of abuse. It incorporates a front kangaroo pouch with interchangeable inserts such as 3 x 30rd magazine or zippered GP pouch. Additionally, either end of the bag offers either a 2 x pistol mag holder or small pouch for GPS or other gear. The top flap also pulls double duty as a map case or document carrier.

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Internally, there is ample storage to organize your kit including a mesh pocket for a Nalgene bottle as well as a zippered pocket and gear slots.

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Finally, the E&E bag integrates a padded back and stow able waist belt.

www.TYRtactical.com

EcoHawk

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

Designed by Mike “Vec” Gapp and manufactured by TOPS Knives, the EcoHawk is an innovative take on a hawk. Designed as a versatile combination of handheld knife and handle-bourne hawk, it is designed to allow you to affix the head to an appropriate handle when needed. This is a great tool for addition in a survival kit due to its versatility. In fact, it is offered as a kit that includes a Lansky sharpener, saw, whistle, magnesium fire starter, and paracord which can be used to lash it to a handle or for other survival needs.

The EcoHawk is a Tachackers dream. Not only can it be adapted to a variety of uses but the designer encourages users to modify the blade to suit their particular needs. Manufactured from 1075 steel, this can be difficult, but is possible, prior to deployment.

WWW.EQUINOXCORONADO.COM

EXOTAC Fire Starter Products

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

We ran into newcomer Exotac at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market earlier this month in Salt Lake City. These guys know fire, or at least how to start them and we were lucky enough to get a chance to take a look at a couple of their upcoming products.

They will soon be offering tins of natural fire starter tinder and candles. The tinderTIN fire starter is pinewood that is heavy with sap (fatwood or lighter knot) so it will catch a light and keep going. Two different tinderTINs will be offered including fatwood shavings and splinters. To create the candleTIN, Exotac experimented with an untold number of wick and base material combinations before settling on their current combination which offers 2 different styles of wicks. Additionally, each candleTIN features 3 wicks in the same candle. The hot burn wick is used for drying out tinder and boiling water. The temperature can be controlled somewhat by how many wicks you light at once. The slow wick combined with the large size candle will burn for 30 hours! I haven’t seen tinned candles like these since the old survival candles that came in the multi-place crew kits.

They also developed a new ferocerrium rod called the fireROD specifically for use with the Habilis Bushtools Bush Tool. It fits right in a special slot on the sheath and features a waterproof tinder storage capsule in its shaft. The actual rod is replaceable and burns at nearly 5500 deg f.

www.exotac.com

Tactical Fanboy Takes Us to an Interesting Survival Blog

Sunday, August 28th, 2011

Tactical Fanboy posted an interesting link to “Emergency” author Neill Strauss’ survival blog. It’s worth a look.

www.neilstrauss.com/category/survival

Sawyer Squeeze Filter

Friday, August 19th, 2011

Originally posted on Tactical Fanboy.

The Sawyer Squeeze Filter consists of a filter with a push/pull cap that attaches to one of three different sized reusable pouches, 12, 16, or 32oz, or most threaded plastic bottles. The system is lightweight, weighing only 3oz., and is very portable. Despite its small size it removes upwards of 99.99999% of all water-found containments. The filter can even stand up to high-pressure backwashing due to Sawyer’s robust hollow-fiber membranes, although because of the filter’s large surface area this isn’t a frequently required task.

You can buy here.

BSA Survival Bracelets

Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

During a recent trip to the Scout Shop, I saw a display of survival bracelets. Granted, you can pick these up virtually anywhere. What’s made these stick out was that the buckle is embossed with the Boy Scouts of America. Made by Bison Designs these are available exclusively from the BSA and some of the proceeds go to “Wounded Veterans.”

www.scoutstuff.org

Exotac

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011

We ran into Georgia-based Exotac at Blade Show where Tactical Fanboy shot this accompanying video. They are our kind of people. They manufacture a small line of quality outdoor and urban gear with each product produced in smaller quantity runs to allow them to constantly improve their offerings.

Their flagship product is the nanoSTRIKER, a collapsible ferrocerium fire-starter. Due to its small size, they had to develop a new striker which is constructed of two different grades of stainless steel (330 and 440C). Additionally, the replaceable ferrocerium rod works even when wet, for up to 1000 uses.

It’s available in Black, Gunmetal, OD Green, Blaze Orange, and Titanium (for a $48.00 upcharge).

Exotac will be at OR Summer Market in SLC this weekend in Booth #PV339.

www.exotac.com