The Magnum Amazon Boot: A Foot’s Best Friend
On this blog, I have done plenty of gear reviews. These reviews are most often based on extensive use of the item, in various climates or locations. Today I came to the realization that I haven't reviewed some of the gear that I've been using for the longest period of time, and this review is one step towards changing that. Unfortunately, in this case, the Magnum boots I'm reviewing have been discontinued. I therefore won't be spending too much time on individual features, but rather how they were manufactured and how they've held up.
After completion of Field Medical Service School, which included several short "marches" up and down the hills of Camp Pendleton, I reported to 5th Marines and did even more marches up and down hills - different hills, at least. I quickly realized that my issued boots were pretty much terrible and set out to find a new pair.
Issued boots suck.
I spoke to a few experienced Marines and Corpsmen, and they recommended Magnum boots. So, a few months before I deployed, I purchased two pairs of Magnum Amazon boots and proceeded to break them in with some walking and running around San Mateo.
Seven years later, I still have one pair of those boots, and I still wear them in the field. Here they are.
The other pair was stolen while I was in Iraq - why someone stole the bloodstained boots instead of the clean ones, I'll never know. I used this pair for the remainder of the deployment, as well as for hiking in South America - yes, along the Amazon river - and trips across the western United States, Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska. I absolutely love these boots. They have always been comfortable to wear, whether I was stuck behind a desk or moving with 100lbs of gear on my back.
The only issue I have with them is that they do not provide as much ankle support as I might like - one incident in particular, a dismounted patrol at night during which I rolled my ankle and fell down a flight of stairs - sticks in my mind. However, I was able to cinch up the laces on that boot and hobble along at the back of the platoon, despite a less-than-100%-ankle.
This hurt.
I got a lot of comments from guys in my unit about how they looked more like shoes than boots, and the best way I can describe them is to say that they provided a great balance between the comfort of a shoe and the support of a boot. I raved about them so much that it shouldn't have been a surprise when a pair disappeared. Lesson learned.
One thing that is very important to me is having boots that breathe, and these do a great job of not marinating my feet as the day wears on. In fact, they do a better job than other boots I have with vent holes in the sides. They also keep my feet dry when I splash through puddles or dance in the rain.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about them is how well they've held up. Seven years later, the stitching still looks great - a testament to the methods & materials Magnum used to make these boots. I haven't done a thing for them other than hose them off occasionally, and there are no signs that they're about to rot away or fall apart. In fact, the only true sign that these boots need to be hung up for good is that the soles have worn down in a few spots. This hasn't stopped me from wearing them in the field, though.
The soles are billed as "slip/oil resistant," and they most certainly are. Whether I was scrambling up a lava flow, down a muddy hill, or working on my car in my garage, I have never had a problem with slick or oily surfaces in these boots. There's not much to say other than they work very well in this regard.
The purchase price for these boots was around $90, which works out to something like 3 cents per day since I've owned them. Thinking back over all the gear purchases I've made, these Magnum boots are easily in the top three items in terms of how much I like them and how well they've held up. I was severely disappointed to find out that they had been discontinued by Magnum.
Praetor Defense Kydex Glock 19 Holster
I could have called this article "Praetor Defense Holster is the Greatest Thing Since Prehistoric Man Created Tools from Rocks and Sticks," and I would not have been far off the mark.
Praetor Defense Holster - Greatest Thing Since Powered Flight
My Holster Background
I have owned dozens of holsters. They run the gamut from leather to kydex to fabric. Some are made from a combination of materials. Some have active retention systems, and some do not. Some are intended for concealed carry, and some are intended for open carry or duty use. I have holsters that are meant to be attached to or hung from practically every part of my body, whether I'm wearing clothes or not.
There is no single holster that could perform all of the duties that the variety of holsters I own perform. However, there are holsters that cover the most common situations in which one would need to carry a duty size handgun. These situations might include general concealed carry, range use/training, or open carry in the field.
In the past, I have evaluated kydex holsters manufactured by Raven Concealment, NTAC, and Cane & Derby. These were all fine holsters, and still are. Each manufacturer has a significant lead time on production, which, at the time, was well deserved. They make a quality product which they back up with efficient customer service.
However, I still found the leadtimes required for these holsters discouraging. I don't generally plan my handgun purchases for months in advance, and I like to be able to carry newly purchased handguns within a reasonable period of time after I have purchased them – after I have ensured that they work.
Praetor Defense and Weapon Outfitters
Enter Praetor Defense and Weapon Outfitters. They first contacted me about a holster review at the beginning of this year, but my schedule prevented a timely reply. When I finally got back to them, they offered me a choice between Glock and Smith & Wesson M&P holsters, with 1911 and Sig holsters being in the pipeline. I requested a Glock 19 holster, and found it on my doorstep about two weeks later. Two weeks is still a little while to wait, but it appeared that my holster shipment was delayed because the "order" was not really an order. If I had actually paid for it, it would have shown up sooner. Still, this was the shortest period of time I had ever had to wait for a kydex holster.
I have been carrying with the holster every day in the four months since. I was cautioned prior to using it that I should use Loctite on the hardware (screws), and did not heed this advice. After about a week, one of the screws worked out of the "nut" to which it was attached, causing the holster to be a little loose on the belt. This did not affect my ability to carry it for the rest of the day, or my ability to conceal or draw the weapon. Had I followed the instructions I had been given, I would not have encountered this. Still, I mention it in the interests of full disclosure. This was the only issue I have had with this holster. I used another screw and nut, Loctited all of the hardware, and carried on.
Background
The Praetor Defense holsters are made by Blade-Tech. I had used Blade-Tech holsters before, and found their manufacturing quality to be excellent, but the designs were not ideal for concealed carry. They either stuck out too far from the belt, had inferior attachment methods, or too much of a "footprint" - they were just too big. All of these issues – and some I had not even thought about – were solved with the Praetor design.
The Praetor Defense holster has been found to cure cancer in lab rats
Retention
Like every other kydex holster I have used, retention is based on the holster gripping the trigger guard. Unlike some of the others, this one has adjustable retention – although this should not be compared to the active retention offered by a larger holster intended for duty use, such as a Safariland SLS or ALS. While the level of retention offered by the Praetor Defense holster is more than adequate for anything short of falling off a cliff, it will not stop someone from grabbing your weapon and pulling it out of the holster without having to defeat some type of retention system that they may not be familiar with. While this is most obviously important for police officers in uniform, anyone who open carries should also use an active retention holster - no exceptions.
Design & Manufacturing
The thickness of the kydex used for the holster is very important. While thinner kydex offers a marginal improvement in concealment, especially within an inside the waistband holster, it also results in drastically reduced durability. Most of the kydex holster manufacturers have abandoned the thinner layers and moved to slightly thicker ones. Praetor Defense and Blade-Tech have struck a good balance here, opting for what seems to me like a slightly thicker holster. Since it is designed for outside the waistband use, this is of special importance. If you fall on a hard surface, and I have done so several times while wearing kydex holsters, you do not want the holster to break and allow your pistol to skitter across the pavement or down a rocky hill. I have no issues with the design or materials used as far as durability goes. This is a solid holster.
Praetor Defense products can be safely used while operating machinery
Beyond that, the methods and tools used to make this holster are obviously different than those used to make competing holsters. While the other holsters all appear to be made by roughly the same methods, it is pretty clear that the Praetor Defense holster was made with industrial tools or equipment that offer a much better molded or pressed holster. There's not much more I can say on this other than both appearance and quality, or perhaps the appearance of quality, is higher with this holster than others.
As I mentioned previously, this holster was meant for outside the waistband use. I'm told that they're working on inside the waistband belt loops, but these are tricky to design and manufacture. The ones I have experience with are easily broken, especially if they snag on something, and this leaves you with an unusable holster. The outside the waistband belt loops used for this holster are rather interesting. They are solid loop of material, appearing to be molded as one piece. This is an example of how I feel that Praetor Defense took the right route with this holster. While other manufacturers can turn out a quality product, the industrial capacity, capability, and knowledge that Blade-Tech brings to the table cannot be ignored. This feature is simply out of the realm of possibility for most small holster manufacturers.
The Praetor Defense magazine pouch goes both ways
I should also discuss the magazine pouch. It's manufactured using the same methods and materials. It is reversible, meaning that you can carry bullets forward or backward, on your left or right side. There's not much to say about it, other than the fact that it is the best example of a kydex magazine pouch I have seen. Anything I say about the holster can also be said about the magazine pouch.
Israelis and Palestinians have temporarily stopped fighting to agree on one thing: Praetor Defense holsters and mag pouches are awesome
Size
In addition, the footprint, or size, of this holster is improved over competing designs. Holsters that are longer – that is, from front to back – are simply not as comfortable, especially if you are sitting for long periods of time in a confined space such as a vehicle. One might think that the wider holsters would be more stable on the body, but I have not found this to be the case. This holster feels rock solid when I'm drawing or holstering the weapon, even though it is the smallest I have used of this type.
Pistol Position
Since there are no provisions for adjusting the height of the belt loops, I was initially concerned that I would find the position of the pistol in relation to my belt too high. Instead, I quickly grew to appreciate this location. Being slightly higher than where other holsters placed the pistol gives me a little more leeway in terms of dealing with items of clothing that cover the pistol. This might seem backwards at first – the farther up inside a shirt or jacket the holster might be, you would think, the harder it would be to access – but the extra room between the forward edge of the grip and my beltline allows me to get a more solid and consistent grip on the weapon before I start to draw it.
There is a bit of forward cant to this holster, which I find beneficial when drawing with the strong hand – but it is not so much as to preclude me from coming behind my back with my left hand and drawing the pistol from the holster if I am unable to do so with my right hand.
Something I actually had to think about in the course of writing this review was whether the holster had ever moved in the time that I had been using it. This is almost funny – when I was using hybrid leather/kydex holsters, I was always having to shift their position, because they were always shifting their position. This holster has not budged a fraction of an inch in the entire time I have been using it. The one drawback to this is that with the kydex reinforced belt that I wear, it is slightly difficult to get the holster on and off the belt. However, I do not find this to be a problem at all. I much preferred this to having a holster that shifts around and doesn't leave the pistol in the position I expect to find it when I need it.
Pistol Compatibility
While this holster was designed for use with the Glock 19, it could also be used for a Glock 26. A Smith & Wesson M&P 45 Compact fits Glock 19 holsters quite well. The Ruger SR9 fits into this holster with a more than acceptable level of retention, and the Kahr P45/CW45 fits with an adequate level of retention. Kahr CW9/CW40/P9/P40 pistols do not have an adequate level of retention with this holster. Other pistols may fit this holster as well, but I cannot state firsthand which models would fit with acceptable levels of retention.
In the video below, the first pistol I draw - a Kahr CW45 - is from the Praetor Defense Glock 19 holster.
Concealment
Put simply, outside the waistband holsters do not offer the same level of concealment that inside the waistband holsters offer. However, outside the waistband holsters are more comfortable, and this leads to me not having to adopt body positions that might highlight the fact that I am carrying from time to time. In turn, this leads to easier concealment. I have never been "made" while carrying with this holster, and I am often in situations or places where concealment is essential.
Wait Time and Cost
I've saved the best for last. You can order this holster for $57 from Weapon Outfitters right now, and it will ship within a reasonable period of time – say, a business day or two. Wow.
Conclusion
The biggest and most obvious difference between this Praetor Defense holster and the competition is the appearance and evidence of different manufacturing methods, but what makes it excel is the attention to detail that was paid during the design phase. While I would put the other holsters on a roughly even level with one another in terms of quality and value, the Praetor Defense holster is simply without peer.
Male Thoughts on the Flashbang Bra Holster
Initially, I was content to leave discussion of the flashbang bra holster to female bloggers. This was for several reasons:
- Number one, I don't like to discuss products that I have no experience with.
- Number two, I didn't really think I'd ever get any actual experience with this product.
- Number three, I don't think that I have a very large female audience, so it didn't seem like a pressing issue when I first heard of the product.
Recently, though, I spent some time with someone who was using the flash bang bra holster. This was on a strictly professional level, so it could be said that I was deliberately trying not to stare at her chest, or any other part of her body below the neck. Still, I like to think that I am fairly aware of whether or not someone I am near is carrying a firearm, especially when I'm in close proximity with them for hours at a time.
I had no idea that she was carrying until she told me. I think I asked her if she could spot my 1911 or my J frame, to which she replied "No, can you see my LCP?"
Despite this being a perfect excuse to check her out, I don't think I gave her more than a cursory examination. I still couldn't spot the pistol, although I was looking at the more traditional areas for carry – hip, ankle, and so on.
She was dressed in rather fashionable/stylish clothing, not skintight, but not baggy. My initial thoughts were that whatever the male equivalent of her clothing would have been, trying to find a place to conceal a handgun would be difficult. I said, "I don't see it."
That's when she tapped her chest and said, "I'm using the flashbang holster."
Needless to say, I was surprised. I don't even think that it was very noticeable or easy to spot after I had been informed of its location. Now, a Ruger LCP is not exactly a 1911 in terms of size, but it's something that I have carried in the past and would carry again.
I was discussing the issue with a friend and fellow male later on, and he brought up the point that it's a great location for carry, because it's rather impolite to stare at a woman's chest in public. Neither he nor I thought that "I was just trying to see if you are carrying a gun" is a good enough excuse in the face of righteous indignation from a female.
I'll leave discussions of its actual use to those who have the experience to discuss it with authority, but I can say that it offers a unique carry option that should not, in my opinion, be ignored.
Cane & Derby Pardus Kydex Holster Review
Although this review focuses on the Cane & Derby product and is not technically a comparison, I refer to NTAC and Raven Concealment holsters throughout to provide a frame of reference for my opinions.
I've been carrying a concealed handgun with various kydex holsters for years.
My first experience with kydex came from the half-leather, half-Kydex "hybrid" holsters, namely, the Comp-Tac MTAC. I still use these occasionally, but only when I have no other choice - I've found that all-kydex models are far, far better for concealed carry.
In January of this year, I compared the NTAC and Raven Concealment all-kydex holsters. Shortly thereafter, someone from Cane & Derby saw that article and asked if I would like to review their own all-kydex holster, the Pardus. Since I had just acquired a pistol for which I had no suitable holster - the alloy Browning Hi Power - I decided that their timing couldn't have been better. Due to issues on both ends, I didn't receive the holster until late April, but I've been carrying the Hi Power with it almost every day since.
Durability
Although three months might seem like a long time, a carry holster could theoretically be used for many years or even decades. I used my first Raven Concealment holster daily for four months before a belt clip broke, and my second Raven holster cracked near the trigger guard area exactly one year after I first received it. As noted in the review linked above, Raven took care of these issues very quickly, but my point is that even after three months, I cannot give any kydex holster a final verdict on durability.
What I can say is that based on my experience with how kydex holsters can break, this Cane & Derby holster seems very well designed. I've put it through more abuse in a short period of time than any other all-kydex holster I've ever owned, and there's no sign of damage. I've never felt confident enough in any kydex holster to use it for "strenuous outdoor activities" such as hiking, trail running, and so on - until, that is, I started using this Cane & Derby holster. As if to confirm that I had made the right decision, I once (inadvertently) fell right on the holster - the pistol stayed where it was supposed to, and there wasn't any visible damage. I'm impressed.
As for the belt clips, my problems with other holsters mainly centered on IWB belt clips that broke. For the most part, I've been carrying this pistol OWB - I'll get to that later.
Retention
This alloy-framed Hi Power, made sometime in the '80s, I believe, wasn't really designed for concealed carry. It has a lot of sharp edges, especially on the trigger guard. Since this is where the holster is "pinched" to hold the pistol, I was initially concerned that too much kydex material would be shaved away, and the holster would soon lose some of its retention capability, which was initially quite positive. However, if it has degraded, I haven't noticed. I can still grasp the holster and turn it upside down, and the pistol won't fall out - even if it's loaded.
If retention is too positive, though, the holster can interfere with, or at least slow down, a proper draw. The C&D holster does not have this problem. Retention is balanced very well.
Concealability
As I mentioned above, I've been primarily using the holster for OWB, or "outside the waistband," carry. For a number of years, I've considered OWB carry to be associated only with open carry, or carrying of a firearm on duty, such as for a police officer or member of the military. I was expecting to swap the standard OWB belt loops for the (included) IWB clips right away, but I decided to try OWB for a little while. I'm glad that I did, because other than a week or so of IWB carry just to see if I encountered any issues, I've been very happy with OWB.
Before I continue, a note about belts - in addition to a good holster, a quality belt goes a long way toward properly - and comfortably - concealing a handgun. I use a kydex-reinforced Instructor Belt from Wilderness Products or a leather belt with kydex reinforcement when I don't feel that wearing the "tactical-looking" Wilderness belt would be appropriate.
With an untucked polo or t-shirt, a good belt, and the C&D holster, the Browning Hi Power is a breeze to conceal (Oh, I wear pants, too). I don't wear baggy clothes, mind you.
Now, I'm not going to say that carrying OWB is just as good for concealment as carrying IWB, mainly because the bottom of the holster occasionally peeks out from below my shirt. If I had just started carrying, this might make me worry that someone could see that I was carrying. It doesn't.
The vast majority of people are completely oblivious to this sort of thing, and the tiny majority that aren't have to be in a position to both see that sliver of kydex and figure out what it is. In other words, nobody knows that I'm carrying. I've gone so far as to stand with my back to a crowd, while on a podium, with my arms above my shoulders - no one saw that I was carrying a handgun.
Comfort
If you're going to strap a two- or three-pound object to your waist every day, you will eventually find yourself in some type of uncomfortable position. Sharp edges, parts that project from the handgun and poke you, or simply weight - no one is immune. When you finally work your way through holsters and belts that just aren't user-friendly and find something that agrees with you, you'll be hard-pressed to give it up. That's where I am with the C&D holster and Wilderness belt. You can pry them from my cold, dead waist.
I left some things up to the designers at C&D when requesting this holster, and I'm glad that I did. They "canted" - angled - the holster so that the pistol sits at a twenty degree angle to my waist. If you're familiar with holsters, you'll know that this is a pretty extreme angle - 10 or 15 degrees is more common, if the holster is angled at all. While this might not work for all combinations, it is perfect for the Browning Hi Power. With the holster at 4 o'clock on my waist, my draw is effortless and smooth. I hardly ever feel any uncomfortable pokes or prods, and the alloy frame, in combination with the belt, sometimes leave me with the impression that I'm not carrying at all.
Another thing to note is that the holster has a fairly small "footprint." This means that there are fewer chances for it to flex and have one end or the other dig into my side - and yet it stays in place perfectly. Pontiac was wrong - wider isn't better.
Availability/Price
"Into each life review, some rain must fall." Sorry, Henry, for bastardizing your work.
It would be great if we could order a custom-made holster and have it ship the same day, but unfortunately, that's not the case.
I ordered my holsters from The Malabar Front/Raven Concealment so long ago that I only had to wait a little over two weeks to receive them. My NTAC holster shipped in right around four weeks. Now, you'd have to wait four or more months to receive a Raven holster, or at least four to six weeks for an NTAC. I can't exactly say how long it would take Cane & Derby to ship a holster, but I recently canceled an order for two more C&D holsters after about six weeks had passed.
So there really aren't any quick ways to get a high-quality kydex holster. All of the manufacturers are priced about the same, with minor differences that would have no effect on what manufacturer I chose.
Summary
Maybe I'm impatient, but four (or more) months is a ridiculous amount of time to wait. Columbus discovered the New World in less time. The P-51 Mustang prototype was designed and built in just over three months. Even the ATF works faster than Raven Concealment. I love the quality of my Raven Concealment holster, and the 2009 iteration has proven to be far more durable than the 2008 versions I owned, but I just couldn't bring myself to order another one at this point in time.
The quickest way to receive a kydex holster seems to remain NTAC, with a four-to-six week wait. Their product isn't my favorite in terms of design, but it is durable, serviceable, concealable, and readily available.
Where does this leave Cane & Derby? Well, I prefer the design and construction of this holster to the other examples. My only complaint is that it's a bit difficult to swap between IWB and OWB belt attachments. The wait isn't as bad as Raven, perhaps not as good as NTAC, but the C&D holster is, in my opinion, better. Which one is right for you? That depends on whether or not the company makes a holster for your application and how long you're willing to wait. As far as I'm concerned, if Cane & Derby makes the holster I need, I wouldn't look anywhere else.
Note: I'm aware that it's been literally years since I received the competing products, and they may have changed/improved in the interim. I've tried to avoid direct comparisons or criticisms for this reason. Still, I hold all three holster makers in high regard.
Blue Force Gear Six Pack Bandolier
I was recently loaned a Blue Force Gear Six Pack Bandolier by Deliberate Dynamics and have been spending a significant amount of time with it.
Similar in design to the BFG TenSpeed line of products which sacrifice long-term durability for significant weight, cost, and size savings, the bandolier lists for $43.95 and is designed to hold six M4 type magazines in its elastic pockets. It has a shoulder strap and a waist strap, both of which are constructed from thin webbing. This piece of gear defines minimalism.
It naturally hangs below your arm opposite the shoulder upon which the strap rests, and stays in place quite well through a lot of movement and activity, though it can be moved farther back behind the torso if you wish to hide it from the view of those in front of you. Retention of items carried is excellent.
The elastic nature of the pouches has caused me to use them for practically everything but M4 mags; it's a slim and lightweight solution for carrying radios, GPS units, pistols, flashlights, etc. I find that when asymmetrical items are placed in one pouch, it's best to leave the pouch on the other side unused - so I limit myself to the use of three pouches.
Loading the bandolier up with an IcomIC-A4 radio, a loaded Lancer 20rd 5.56 magazine, and a Glock 22 for 14 hours of hiking in a 20 hour period resulted in an interesting problem - the thin webbing of the shoulder strap cut into my shoulder and apparently pinched a nerve, for about half an hour after I reached my destination, I was unable to move my right arm and had to place it in a sling to avoid an annoying pain in my neck. Granted, I had also slung a ~7lb rifle on that shoulder - but I noticed more discomfort on the hike coming from the bandolier strap than the rifle sling (which was also a Blue Force Gear product and made of thicker webbing).
On the next outing, I padded the area under the webbing and reduced the amount of weight carried in the bandolier, and experienced no issues with pain or limited mobility, although I had a heavier rifle slung on that shoulder for a significant portion of the day.
I've noticed some wear on the elastic where the edges of items carried caused stress. I'm not entirely surprised, as elastic material is not 1000D Cordura. The TenSpeed stuff is not intended for heavy and constant use. This is meant to be a quickly accessible storage and carry solution for M4 mags or similarly sized items, to be used only when needed, and it accomplishes this goal quite well. I do not think that this wear will negatively affect the performance of the bandolier for quite some time.
The only thing I'd change would be some type of shoulder pad or thicker webbing for the shoulder strap. Despite the problems outlined above and the wear, I absolutely love the bandolier and do not think it'll be far from me whether I'm at the range or hiking in the desert.