Piranha Bodyguard Knife Review
Here's a video review of one of the only automatic knife I've owned that hasn't broken or failed - the Piranha Bodyguard. It's also by far the cheapest, at $130, versus other knives that cost twice as much. For the ultimate balance of price, quality, and design, I prefer the Benchmade Griptilian, but in terms of auto knives, I'd take this Piranha knife over all others.
Mayflower Research & Consulting Low Profile Armor Carrier
Like many who've been in the military, I've spent long periods of time wearing armor. It's hot, uncomfortable, and tiring - though you eventually get used to it.
While deployed, I wore ye olde Interceptor OTV, as well as the Eagle CIRAS-Maritime, and, occasionally, just a TAG plate carrier. The latter was the most comfortable, even if it was still intended to be used as an "external" plate carrier. I found it easier to sleep in, although the lack of soft armor did mean that my E-SAPI plates dug in here and there.
All of those armor carriers were well built and ready to handle long, daily use for months or years at a time. The unwelcome side effect of such durability is that the carrier itself is bulky, heavy, and interferes with the wearer's ability to perform normal tasks.
With no acute need for the constant use of heavy and restrictive armor, I acquired, in late 2009, a Mayflower R&C Low Profile Armor Carrier, and have been using it fairly often since. It is not, I believe, intended for daily external use on a long deployment - rather, it is intended to be worn for more brief activities requiring less turtle-like movement. I see it as armor that allows the wearer to change how they perform whatever tasks may be required of them.
For example, the Mayflower LPAC may be worn under a uniform blouse, and will probably remain undetected at range, even with plates in the carrier. I recently spoke with a LEO who was surprised to find that I was wearing Level IV armor - and having a much easier time going up and down the banks of washes (dry river/creek beds) than he was with a more overt armor system. To be fair, I only had about 50lbs of gear, while he had a good bit more.
Unlike other armor carriers which use Interceptor or BALCS/SPEAR cut soft armor, the Mayflower carrier is intended for concealment cut armor - which can vary in size and dimensions, so you should speak with them before purchasing it. In addition, it uses 500D Cordura, not 1000D - the result is a carrier that weighs just over 1lb empty. The result is that, when putting on the Mayflower carrier, I don't have the usual "Oh, crap, this armor is so heavy/restrictive/sucky" feeling that I do when putting on an OTV/MTV. In addition, it doesn't interfere with shooting to even a fraction of the amount that, say, an OTV does.
Since I have had, and used, the carrier for over a year, I feel fairly qualified to speak about its durability - which has been excellent. Again, it is not intended as a 16-hours-a-day, 365-days-per-year armor system. I am seeing very slight amounts of wear in the elastic "belly bands" - the amount of which I am comfortable with. I am sure that Mayflower carriers have been subjected to far more grueling use than mine has seen, and are still in service. Frankly, the quality of these elastic bands seems to surpass the quality of other items I have used that relied on elastic bands for attachment purposes. To me, the carrier still looks new, which may be because I've almost exclusively worn it under a blouse - but the quality of its construction certainly plays a role as well.
If you have a need for a lightweight, high quality, concealable armor carrier, I highly recommend the Mayflower R&C product.
Kydex Holsters: NTAC vs. Raven Concealment Systems
Recently, concealable all-kydex handgun holsters have exploded in popularity. Though they were around in one form or another for quite some time, it wasn't until Raven Concealment started manufacturing (and, perhaps, effectively marketing) their Phantom holsters several years ago that, I believe, the design really took off.
What are the benefits of all-Kydex holsters? Well, they're lightweight, thin, they provide excellent retention, and they reduce the amount of sweat that touches the holstered pistol, which can have an effect on corrosion in certain environments and with certain finishes. I've also found that they stay in place better than leather/kydex hybrids. On the other hand, some people prefer leather holsters for comfort - I actually find kydex to be more comfortable - and kydex holsters do cause more wear on the firearm than leather holsters do.
I was a pretty early adopter of Raven holsters, and have used them extensively. There are plenty of high volume shooters who started using them even before I did, and the feedback they provided has allowed Raven to continuously improve their product.
The early holsters sold by Raven were made of a thin kydex - meaning that they were very easy to conceal, but also not exceptionally durable. I used two such holsters - one for a Glock 19 with a Surefire light attached and one for a non-railed 1911. Although the addition of the pistol light made the Glock 19 holster a little bulkier, I was still able to carry it without being "made" in a variety of environments.
The original IWB belt clip design was also made of a thinner material - they also had square "folds" over the top of the belt/pants which did not transmit force very well, and I ended up breaking several, which Raven replaced immediately.
Still, my Raven 1911 holster found more use, and eventually I drew from it enough times that the body of the holster cracked. I discovered this while on a "creeper" underneath my car, as the pistol slid out of the holster and clattered across the concrete. I contacted Raven, was asked to send it in, and had a new, thicker holster on my doorstep within a week and a half, complete with new belt loops that were thicker and had rounded "folds". I used this holster almost daily for about a year and a half until, again, one of the belt loops cracked.
Again, Raven stepped up, though in the future I might switch to the IWB attachments used by the Comp-Tac MTAC (not to be confused with NTAC) holster, which I have found to be very durable and adjustable, though one of the benefits of the Raven's belt clip design is how it stays perfectly in place at all times - precisely because they are non-adjustable.
This brings me to NTAC holsters. NTAC started making Kydex holsters in mid 2009, and I purchased one almost immediately. They're priced just below Raven holsters ($65 vs $75) and seemed to offer similar, made-in-USA quality.
Well, I wasn't too disappointed. Made of a thicker material, the holster itself has proven to be quite durable. Retention is very positive - on the edge of being too strong - and customer service is great. There was a mixup with my order, and they sent out the correct item (a magazine pouch) immediately. My only major complaint is that the stock belt loops placed the pistol too high, so I replaced them with the aforementioned Comp-Tac loops, which have proven to be a nearly universal upgrade.
When I suddenly needed a holster for a Glock longer than the G19 the NTAC holster was designed for, I simply hacked the bottom off the holster, filed down the edges, and voila - a holster that works well for my Gen 4 G22, as well as maintaining compatibility with the G19.
So, which company's product is better?
Well, that's a complicated question. Both are, in my opinion, very high quality, with good fasteners and other materials. I've had fewer problems with NTAC products, but I've used them for a shorter period of time, and they've had the benefit of learning from Raven's product improvements. One major factor is time - if you want a Raven holster, either scour the internet for a used one or be prepared to wait 16-18 weeks or more. NTAC, on the other hand, says their current wait time is only 30 days. Raven offers more models - as well as weaponlight-compatible models - but both companies can make custom holsters upon request. I consider myself an early adopter of both, because the longest I've had to wait for a holster from either company is 3 weeks.
Another factor is belt loop attachments - I have little use for passive retention holsters for OWB (outside the waistband) use, so the fact that IWB (inside the waistband) components must be ordered separately, and add to the cost, of the Raven holster is mildly annoying to me. NTAC gives you the option of IWB or OWB for the same price, or both for another $10.
Now, some might say that NTAC is simply copying Raven - I don't really want to address this, but I know it will come up. Raven has been a victim of their own success - the incredibly long timeline to receive a Raven holster, a result of the popularity and quality of their product - has created a demand beyond Raven's ability to supply, and the free market worked in the form of NTAC. If this bothers you, well, you will not be disappointed with the Raven product or their outstanding customer service. I would not hesitate to order another Raven product - as long as I didn't plan on needing it for 4 or 5 months. I really hope that Raven will be able to step up production in order to meet the demand for their holsters.
Either company's product is more than satisfactory for my purposes - daily concealed carry - and I do not think about whether I will be using a Raven or an NTAC holster when I select a carry handgun.
Surefire Alternatives: Solarforce and FiveMega
I love Surefire flashlights. Don't get me wrong.
However, recently, I've found myself needing - perhaps wanting is a better term - stuff that Surefire doesn't offer.
I've been using some of the following products for a few months now, and I'm pretty impressed with what they have to offer.
Before I get started, I should explain a few things.
Your average Surefire 6P flashlight uses two 3 volt lithium batteries, type CR123. It has a xenon, or incandescent, bulb designed to be powered with 6 volts.
There are batteries that are similar in size, but are actually 3.7 volts. These are sometimes called RCR123A or 16340. If you delve into the world of rechargeable batteries, make sure that you know what you're buying. If you see a 5 digit number for a battery, for example, this refers to the size of the battery - 16mm wide, 34mm long. An 18650 is 18mm wide, 65mm long, etc. Some won't fit in regular Surefire bodies
Furthermore, LED drop ins - or replacement bulbs for Surefire and other flashlights - are not necessarily designed for 6 volts. Some are designed for only 0.8-4.2v, or a single AA (1.5v), CR123 (3v), 14500 (3.7v), 16340 (3.7v), or 18650 (3.7v) battery. Others are designed for 3.2-9 volts, or one or two 16340 or 18650s or two or three CR123s. Still more work with 3-18 volts...you can do the math. If you decide on a drop in, be sure that you understand the minimum and maximum voltages.
FiveMega 1xAA
The first item is from a company called FiveMega. It's a flashlight body, designed to take a single AA battery, that fits a Surefire P60 bulb and head - that is, the same as the Surefire 6P/6P LED.
It has an integrated switch - "forward clicky", meaning that the light comes on in a momentary fashion before it clicks and stays on. After the click, it doesn't matter if you press the button slightly, the light will stay on. With a "reverse clicky" light, the light doesn't come on until after the "click", at which point you can use the momentary function by pressing the button forward to turn the light off - but if you go too far forward and click it, it'll stay off. I prefer "forward clicky", but it's not impossible to learn how to use a reverse clicky light for most situations.
Certain readers will be pleased to know that this body is made in the USA and is definitely of the highest quality. The body will fit VTAC and Vltor light mounts designed for Executive series Surefires. Not having a tailcap means that the light can be fixed very far forward in the mount, if necessary for your application, without worrying about preventing the cap from being rotated. On the other hand, not having a tailcap also means that one cannot "lock out" the tailcap for travel or other purposes, preventing it from inadvertant activation. That's probably the biggest drawback to this body. You can use 1.2-15.v AA or 3.7v 14500 (14mm wide, 50mm long) batteries, depending on the bulb you choose - you'll get a lot more brightness from the 14500 rechargeables, but you'll generally get longer battery life from AAs. Figure on 25-40 minutes with a 14500, or 2-3 hours with a AA, depending on the drop in and the battery. With a Malkoff M30 and a AA battery, output is fairly similar to a G2 LED (80 lumens). With that same drop in and a 14500 battery, output is over 235 (honest) lumens.
Solarforce L2/L2m/L2i
I was driven to purchase the FiveMega product because it offered something "different" - AA compatibility - and that's also what drove me to look into the Solarforce line of lights.
While most "tactical" lights are powered by two CR123 batteries, there are other batteries that offer longer runtimes, more light, or both. Also, I don't always need a two cell light.
Solarforce L2
That's where the Solarforce L2 line comes in. The standard L2 has a larger inside diameter than the G2 or 6P in order to allow the use of a 3.7v 18650 battery - 18mm wide, 65mm long. This is approximately the size of two CR123s end to end, but is wide enough that it won't fit in the average Surefire. Why would you want an 18650-powered light? Well, a 3 volt to 9 volt LED drop in that will provide a lot of light for an hour with 2 123s will provide nearly as much light for over 2 hours with an 18650. In addition, 18650s are rechargeable, which will save you a ton of money in the long run over buying 3v lithiums.
Solarforce L2m (with optional extender tube for 2x123 or 18650)
That's all well and good, you say, but what about the L2m and and L2i? Well, the L2m is designed for a single CR123 or 16340 cell (16mm wide, 34mm long, slightly longer than a CR123, and 3.7v). If a more compact size is what you desire, this is the ticket. I should mention that FiveMega also makes a single CR123 body. Sans head, tailcap, bulb, and battery, it retails for $35. The Solarforce lights - body, head, and tailcap, no bulb or battery - retail for $15. One is American made, the other is Chinese made. The Solarforce stuff isn't made to the exact same standards as Surefire or FiveMega, but it is pretty high quality, and it's miles better than some other Chinese lights. One caveat, however, is that the L2m head and tailcaps I have don't fit my Surefire 9P - and of the 2 L2ms, one has a 19mm bore (for use with an extender and an 18650) and the other has a 17mm bore (meaning that only a CR123 or 16340 will fit).
Solarforce L2i
Finally, I come to the L2i. This body also accepts Surefire bulbs and heads, but takes three AAA batteries in an internal carrier. Its outside diameter is a little larger than a standard 6P, so it's not a good weapon light, but it's a great choice for people who may not have an interest in flashlights - and therefore not much interest in the various rechargeable batteries. 3 AAAs provide enough voltage for an XP-G drop in (claimed output of anywhere from 270 to 345 lumens) to run for about 40 minutes at max brightness, then slowly dim over a period of about 2 hours to about 5 lumens. After that, I swapped in a Malkoff M30 module, and it provided nearly max brightness. I was told that this module would run for a long time on "run down" Surefire CR123 batteries that wouldn't even power a G2, so I shouldn't be surprised, but I was still impressed.
One other impressive feature is that the L2i will actually accept single 14500 and 18650 batteries. It's best to use the 14500 batteries with a spacer for some added length, but it's nice to know that with one body, I could conceivably use three different types of batteries.
Hybrids/Frankenlights/"Legos"
If you want a runtime increase while still using as many Surefire parts as possible, the Solarforce L2 body is fully compatible with Surefire heads and tailcaps. You can use an 18650 body with an appropriate (4.2v) drop in and your Surefire switch for maximum reliability. Such drop ins include the Solarforce LC-1 (0.8-4.2v, $20), ThruNite XP-G (3.2v-9v, $33), or Malkoff M30 (1v-5.5v, $55). You'll get the best runtime with the Malkoff or the LC-1, which will run all the way down to 1 volt and 0.8 volts, respectively. However, you'd have to be careful not to use them with 2 CR123 cells, as that would be instantly fatal to the drop in. The XP-G, on the other hand, will work with 3 CR123s, 2 CR123s, an 18650, or a 16340. It won't run off a single 3v CR123; although it's claimed to be a 2.7v-9v drop in, I've found that it needs one of the 3.7v batteries to work.
You can even use a Surefire P60 LED drop in with a single 3.7v battery, if you're so inclined - but output is only about 50 lumens.
From Left: ThruNite XP-G, FiveMega AA with Solarforce LC-1, Malkoff M30
Solarforce Reversible Pocket Clip
I choose to carry my "big" flashlight on my left (weak) side, clipped inside my front pocket. I carry "bezel down", or "button up". In addition to them being necessary for this style of carry, I prefer reversible pocket clips. Why? Well, when they inevitably snag on something and are pulled away from the light, you can do a quick field repair with a set of pliers to return them to a useful state. When I did the same with a "one way" pocket clip on a knife, I had to replace the clip. I could have repaired it with help from a vise, I guess, but I don't carry a vise around in my car.
Solarforce L2 with Surefire tailcap and Solarforce pocket clip; Surefire 9P with Solarforce tailcap
Solarforce sells such a reversible clip. It fits any light that uses a Surefire "C" head (G2/6P/etc). You can find them on EBay for $5, or buy them from a store in the States for $10. They seem to hold up pretty well to daily use over a few months time, but we'll see how they are faring a year from now.
Conclusion
Is the FiveMega AA body of the highest quality? Yes. Does it have some drawbacks? Yes. However, if you think you might be limited to AA type batteries, or you want to use AA type batteries and 14500 rechargeables, you'd be doing yourself a favor by looking at it.
Are the Solarforce products on par with Surefire or FiveMega? No. Are they of surprising quality, given their origin? Yes.
Would you be doing yourself a favor by checking out these products? Most definitely.
I'll be doing a more extensive writeup on the drop-ins described here as soon as I can.
BulletProofMe.com Level IV Armor Plate Test
Last year, I purchased a set (front and rear) of Level IV plates from bulletproofme.com.
They fit just fine in my Interceptor, but when other plate carriers were used, the rear, which was countoured differently than the front, would not fit.
Even after I had owned them for 6 months, the company offered to swap out the rear for a front plate (for a 20% fee - very reasonable in my opinion, since they would have had to X-ray the plate before reselling it).
However, I decided to test the plate myself, and see if it really did what they claimed - stop multiple shots of .30-06 armor piercing ammunition without any supporting soft armor.
The plate did indeed stop 3 shots of .30-06 AP (163gr hardened steel penetrator projectiles courtesy of Rich_V on AR15.com), as well as many other rounds.
The plate allowed part of one .308 projectile, as well as 4 5.45x39mm projectiles, to penetrate.
However, these hits were in rather close proximity to other impacts. Because this was a ceramic plate, the initial impacts fractured the plate (it's designed to absorb the impact this way) and the later projectiles "slipped through" the cracks.
Even after it had been shot over a dozen times, and it had literally come apart, it still stopped XM193 5.56x45 and a 12ga slug.
Overall, I'm very impressed with the performance of this plate, especially considering the cost ($270). I'd still probably wear soft armor underneath the plates, given the chance, but at least I know that the plate exceeds the manufacturer's claims.