Category: Review

ESEE Zancudo Framelock Folder in D2, by Thomas Christianson

Imagine that you are in the jungle of Peru. It is 1997. You are tired. You are hungry. You are dirty. You are wet. You are a client of Randall’s Adventure & Training School of Survival. They are working with the Peruvian Air Force’s School of Jungle Survival to prepare you for situations you might face if you are ever stranded in the jungle. During the ensuing decades, Randall’s Adventure & Training has continued to train outdoorsmen, law enforcement officers, military contractors, search and rescue personnel, and a host of others in survival skills. Along the way, they have designed …


Ruger M77 Hawkeye African in 6.5x55mm Swedish, by Thomas Christianson

A half-century ago, in the days of my youth, most rifles had wood furniture, blued steel, and iron sights. In those days of long ago, the 6.5x55mm Swedish cartridge had already had a long and storied career, having been first adopted in 1894 by the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway. In the years that followed, it was used to hunt elephants in Africa, to hunt moose in Scandinavia, and to resist the German invasion of Norway. The strengths of the cartridge were so significant, that it is prominently featured in the plot of Stephen Hunter’s novel, The Bullet Garden. …


Siege Belts, by Thomas Christianson

I recently tested three Siege Belts: the standard-sized Fury buckle with the “Gray Man” finish, the large oval Frenzy buckle with the “Cloudburst” finish, and the large rectangular Ferocious buckle with the “Gray Man” finish. I found all three belts to be comfortable, versatile, attractive, and strong. The heavy buckles and extra strong straps of all three belts were also perfectly suited to allow the belts to be used as improvised tools for self defense in situations where other more suitable tools might not be available. The belts are all handcrafted in the USA. They were priced at $149 for …


Springfield Armory Echelon Pistol, by Pat Cascio

If memory serves me correctly, I purchased my first Glock in 1987. This was an early-production Glock 17 – the only handgun model that Glock had yet produced, back then. It was a 17-shot 9mm pistol and the frame was made out of “plastic” – today we call it “polymer” instead. I felt sure that the gun wouldn’t last, after a lot of shooting. I was wrong! Since owning that first Glock, I’ve probably owned almost every model they produced over the years, and I still own more Glocks than any one person should…guess I’m a Glock-a-holic. A long, long …


Three Pairs of Gloves, by Thomas Christainson

Gloves protect hands. When I am cleaning the outside wood boiler, gloves protect my hands from burns. When I am clearing snow, gloves protect my hands from frostbite. When I am using a chainsaw, gloves protect my hands from cuts and scrapes. Overview In recent months, I have had the opportunity to test three different pairs of gloves under a variety of different conditions. Mechanix FastFit Coyote Gloves and Gardenline Heavy Duty Work Gloves protected my hands from abrasion, laceration, and cold. Igloos Men’s Leather Driving Gloves protected my hands primarily from cold. The Mechanix gloves were on sale for …


Ruger Single-Ten Stainless, by Thomas Christianson

The very first handgun that I ever fired was a Ruger Single-Six chambered in .22 Long Rifle (“.22LR”). I was then in junior high school. Our church had a group for boys my age. The men who led that group took us on an outing one time in a nearby state forest area. One of the men took along his Single-Six. When we came to a sandbank that could be used as a backstop, he placed a soda can on a stick stuck into the ground. Then he let us take turns shooting at the can. My major takeaway from …


Cold Steel Leatherneck SF Field Knife, by Thomas Christianson

Clearly inspired by the Marine “Knife, Fighting Utility” of World War II and beyond, the Cold Steel Leatherneck SF takes a classic concept and improves upon it. The German D2 steel blade of the Leatherneck is a significant upgrade from the 1095 carbon steel of the original, as is the Kray-Ex handle that replaces the stacked leather washers of the original. During my testing I found the Leatherneck SF to be a sharp and durable knife that was especially useful in firewood processing, gardening, and yard care.


CRKT Definitive Cross Bar Lock, by Pat Cascio

I’ve been following the CRKT company almost since their humble beginnings. CRKT was started by two former executives from another knife company. These days one of the founders now owns CRKT. And, we’ve been friends for a lot of years, even though neither one of us will admit we are friends. That is an ongoing joke between us. I’ve never ceased to be amazed how big CRKT has grown over the years from just a few designs to their many new designs every year. As a bit of a disclaimer, CRKT produced one of my designs some years ago, the …


Rock Island Armory 1911, by Pat Cascio

I love my Glocks. However, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the 1911 series of handguns, chambered in .45 ACP. Over the past 50+ years, I’ve owned hundreds of different 1911s from many different gun makers. Used to be, I thought that the only 1911s worth owning were those made by Colt. My thinking on this changed a long, long time ago, when I laid my hands on my first Kimber 1911. They were and still are a real game changer. Today we’re looking at a 1911 manufactured in the Philippines and marketed by Rock …


L.L. Bean Wool Cresta Hiking Socks, by Thomas Christianson

Transportation is a wonderful thing. Whether flying a jet aircraft or bumping along in an oxcart on a dirt trail, it is great when someone or something else is expending the energy to carry us and our stuff where we want to go. There are some times and some places where transportation is just not available. At those times and in those places, we are dependent upon our own two feet. In those types of situations, good boots and good socks may be the difference between getting where we need to go and not getting anywhere at all. Foot problems …


KA-BAR Dozier Folding Hunter KA4062-BRK, by Thomas Christianson

Every once in a while I run across a product that looks like an exceptionally good value. The KA4062-BRK fell into this category. It is manufactured by an iconic American company of good materials at an excellent price. I decided to purchase a sample to review. Overview Like many American firms, KA-BAR offers some foreign-made items in their product line. The Taiwanese-made Dozier Folding Hunter model KA4062-BRK is one of them. The knife has a razor-sharp, 3-inch blade made of AUS 8A stainless steel, that folds into an easily-gripped Zytex handle. With a manufacturer-suggested retail price of $34.16 and widely …


MTM Case-Gard ACDC30 Divided Ammo Crate, by Thomas Christianson

The new MTM Case-Gard ACDC30 Divided Ammo Crate is a sturdy, stackable, moisture-resistant solution for ammo storage and similar tasks. It provides as much ammo storage space as four standard .30 caliber ammo cans. With a price at the time of this writing of $27.98 from www.mtmcase-gard.com, it was significantly less expensive than the $44.76 that four of MTM’s .30 caliber cans would cost (they currently run $11.19 each.) Fully loaded, the ACDC30 would be a bit heavy for field use, but it provides an excellent solution for home ammo storage. I highly recommend it for that purpose. The Backstory …


Showers Pass Crosspoint Waterproof Knit Gloves, by Thomas Christianson

Late last fall, I tested a pair of Showers Pass Crosspoint Wool-Blend Waterproof Knit Gloves. As the cool of autumn darkened into the cold of winter, I had the opportunity to test the gloves under a variety of weather conditions. I found the gloves to be ideal for cool, wet weather wear since they were able to keep my hands warm and dry even in chilly, driving rainstorms. They are now my go-to gloves for wet weather wear. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $50. At the time of this writing, they were on sale for $36.40 from www.showerspass.com. That …


Browning X-Bolt Speed in 6.5 Creedmoor, by Thomas Christianson

Back in February, I tested Browning’s X-Bolt Speed bolt-action rifle chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. I found it to be light and well-balanced with outstanding fit and finish, moderate recoil, a great trigger, and excellent accuracy. The X-Bolt Speed is not the most inexpensive bolt action rifle on the market, with a manufacturer suggested retail price of $1,379.99 . Due to the high quality of its materials and workmanship, this price represents a good value for the money. Background As I have aged, I have become gradually more sensitive to recoil. This recoil aversion has motivated me to test some potential …


Purely Alpaca Outdoor Adventure Socks, by Thomas Christianson

Purely Alpaca Outdoor Adventure Socks are made with a warm, comfortable, moisture-wicking, odor-resistent blend of alpaca, microfiber, nylon, and lycra. They are machine washable and tumble dryable. They are priced at $25.95 a pair at the time of this writing from purelyalpaca.com. You may want to think about trying a pair. The Backstory My buddy from high school and I have been through a lot together. I was with him when he broke his arm. He was with me when I ricocheted an arrow off a snowman and into the side of my parent’s above-ground swimming pool. I was the …