Over the years I have had the opportunity to use most of the duty lights on the market. My biggest complaint has always been that batteries die and I can't find replacements, or it takes too long for the batteries to recharge. Well 5.11 Tactical has come up with the solution to both problems: a high output duty light that goes from no power to fully charged in 90 seconds.
Before anyone mumbles it, let me tell you I thought the same thing: A 90-second charge? Call me skeptical but how in the heck can that be done? The 5.11 Light for Life UC 3.400 uses an ultra capacitor much like what's used for a camera flash.
5.11 calls this system Flashpoint Power Technology and I can attest that it does charge in 90 seconds or less. Right out of the box the light was ready in the time it took me to get empty coffee cups and a gear bag out of my truck. Flashpoint is rated to 50,000 cycles without degrading but its life expectancy is 500 to 1,000 cycles. That is a boatload of use even for a duty light.
Since there aren't any bulky batteries involved it weighs next to nothing, "tipping the scales" at one pound. For a light that is 11.5 inches long with a head diameter of 2.75 inches this is an amazing feat. I have seen "pocket" lights tip the scales at a pound.
Not only does this light last forever while being virtually weightless, it gives you 270 lumens of output for 15 minutes, 90 lumens for 60 minutes, and a 170-lumen strobe. 5.11 Tactical's Light for Life UC3.400 is an impressive light. When you factor in battery cost this light will only put you out a few pennies a day over its life. What other duty lights claim that?
Tru-Spec
24-7 3-in-1 Jacket
Tru-Spec by Atlanco introduced its 24-7 series a few years ago at the S.H.O.T. Show. This line of clothing has taken off because of its quality, price, and distinctiveness. The capable 24-7 3-in-1 Jacket is the line's latest offering.
Not merely a jacket, but a system, Tru-Spec's 24-7 3-in-1 consists of an outer water-resistant jacket and a zip-out fleece liner that can be worn separately or together. The outer jacket has zippered hand warmer/cargo pockets, low-profile chest pockets, zip-out identification/badge plackets, and side zippers allowing easy access to your weapon.
Whether used alone or in tandem with the outer shell, the zip-out fleece liner is soft and very comfortable. When used as a liner, its zippered slash hand warmer pockets secure small items. When used as a standalone jacket, its zippered pockets give it a finished, professional look.
Overall, the 3-in-1 is an excellent piece of duty or off-duty clothing. It is priced so as not to break the bank and is well made. Check out the Tru-Spec 24-7 3-in-1 jacket; you won't be disappointed.
Trijicon
RMR Sight
It wasn't all that long ago that red-dot sights were roughly the size of a beer can. They have shrunk considerably since the first red-dot I used on an Open Class U.S.P.S.A. pistol. While these sights worked great and were fast, they were too big and cumbersome for use on duty weapons.
Today, Trijicon's compact Trijicon RMR (Ruggedized Miniature Reflex) is state of the art and yet it's barely bigger than the lens of my glasses. The dual-illuminated, battery-free model I tested uses fiber optics and tritium so it will operate in any light conditions. (There's also an RMR LED version available.)
Extremely versatile, the RMR can be mounted as an auxiliary sight atop an A.C.O.G., angle mounted on a telescopic sight, or it can act as your primary weapons sight. To mount your RMR you will have to procure a base. Since the sight is still hot off the manufacturing plant floor, you'll likely have a tough time finding one, but fear not: Bases for similar sights will allow you to mount the RMR to your weapon.
I had Trijicon send me one of its Picatinny mounts so I could give the RMR a test at the range. The RMR is easy to zero, and the amber dot is bright on sunny or gray cloudy days. I was apprehensive that since it is small the RMR would be tough to acquire; I was wrong. It was fast and right there when I mounted it on my M4.
The RMR is one of many high quality sights from Trijicon. You won't go wrong with it as your primary or secondary combat sight.
[PAGEBREAK]S.O. Tech
Go Bag
I have seen lots of bags for duty since I joined the military decades ago. Back then we had the A.L.I.C.E. Pack, a butt bag, if you were lucky you could procure a helmet bag, and of course for all of your big gear there was the ever popular "duffle bag." These bags carried gear, but not really in a manner I'd call close at hand and ready when needed.
James Cragg, the head honcho of Special Operations Technologies (aka S.O. Tech), knows first hand that some gear for the troops leaves something to be desired. He is a major and an Army Special Operations Team Leader. S.O. Tech manufactures high-quality gear designed to meet the mission needs of breachers, medics, snipers, and anyone who can use a general gear bag.
The Go Bag is one of S.O. Tech's thoughtfully designed creations. It's made of durable military-grade Cordura and shaped like a cylinder so it will fit behind the seat in an armored vehicle or between the seats of a cruiser. This shape allows the bag to be quickly extricated should you have to grab and go.
With plenty of storage space in this bag, you shouldn't have to leave anything behind. Two outer pouches will each accommodate up to four AR-15 magazines while two small concealed zippered pockets secure small items. The main body, which measures 20 x 6 x 6 inches, opens with dual zippers and has a sewn-in pouch perfect for a slim hydration bladder. If all these pockets won't carry your gear there are numerous MOLLE straps on the bag to facilitate attaching your choice of accessory pouches. And when you have to carry the Go Bag for extended tours of duty you will appreciate the wide padded shoulder strap.
The Go Bag is but one of the quality pieces of equipment from S.O. Tech handily capable of serving you on the streets, slopes, water, or in The Sandbox.
