A little company called Range Often was kind enough to send me a pair of their Tactical Made gloves. These gloves were designed to provide a protective layer between your hands and the world around you. At the same time, they wanted to maximize dexterity and provide their users with a mission capable glove that […]
Gunsport Pro earplugs: protect your ears
GearA few times a day, I am plagued by this loud “DING” that radiates in one ear, and sometimes both. That’s the joy of tinnitus, a condition that plagues what’s likely most veterans. There are a lot more severe injuries you can get from military service for sure, but if you can avoid tinnitus, I […]
Pelican Cases 101 – Mission Essential Gear
GearIf you spend anytime at all in the modern military, you’ve likely seen Pelican Cases. These cases protect sensitive equipment ranging from Tough Books to 50 Caliber SASR rifles. They are everywhere, and one might as well be in your pocket. One of the first things I purchased when I hit the fleet was a […]
The Sentry Gunnar Low Profile Operator Belt
GearIn 2009 we deployed to the Helmand province with these massive old IOTV bulletproof vests. Once we arrived, we promptly traded these massive sweatshirt-like vests for the lighter, slimmer, and higher speed Eagle plate carriers. Going from IOTV to plate carrier resulted in losing a lot of space to mount gear, so our guys turned […]
The BFG Vickers Sling – Beloved By Troops
GearWhen it comes to issued gear, Marines often have complaints. Lots of complaints. Rarely do you run across a piece of equipment that’s universally adored, but there are a few. One such piece of gear is the Blue Force Gear Vickers sling. The Vickers sling was issued to Marines near the end of my tenure, […]
The ESEE 4 – The Modern Field Knife
GearWhen I wrote about The Ka-Bar, I mentioned it was an old design, and better-fixed blade devices exist these days. When I wrote that, the knife I had in mind was the ESEE 4. The ESEE 4 is a knife that has benefitted from decades of improving design and modern mission orientation. Unlike the Ka-Bar, […]
The SOG Baton – A Pocket-Sized Revolution
GearI have grown to embrace a minimalist take on the things I carry daily. I hate carrying obnoxious stuff in my pockets, and I tend to shy away from belt carrying knives and tools. At the same time, I do like having a multitool. So I was happy as a Marine with a box of […]
The budget busting Gerber Ayako
GearAs I’ve been reviewing knives for Sandboxx, I’ve come to realize some of the knives I’m reviewing are quite pricey. And as a young Lance Corporal or PFC, I was superbly cautious about buying an Emerson CQC 7 due to its price. A lot of the guys I worked with carried simpler and more affordable […]
5.11 Flex Mag Pouches – Beyond standard issue
Gear5.11 Tactical is one of the godfathers of tactical gear. From uniforms to holsters, 5.11 makes a bit of everything. They’ve dug their toes into hardcore tactical gear, including plate carriers, battle belts, and nowadays, they’re getting into magazine pouches. Most servicemen have some form of weapon issued to them, and most require magazines. You […]
The Jedburgh by Blue Force Gear
GearJedburgh teams are a fascinating piece of history. These World War 2 commandos were a multinational infiltration force designed to team up with resistance forces. These men parachuted into occupied territory and acted as force multipliers to resistance forces across Europe. I’m giving you this small history lesson because I find the Jedburghs fascinating, and […]
