Raider Volume 8 Issue 9

TH E MAGAZ I N E FO R TH E ALPHA MALE

OUTDOORS - ADRENALINE - TACTICAL - ESSENTIALS - FITNESS - EXPLORE

FIGHT RIGHT GET FUELED UP AND READY FOR BATTLE!

BACKPACKS

FULLY TRIED & TESTED INSIDE

VORTEX OPTICS REAL-STEEL SIGHTS UNDER £200 PLATATAC 'H-SMOCK' WE HEAD DOWN-UNDER TO SEE WHAT ALL THE FUSS IS ABOUT! PLATATAC PULL NO PUNCHES!

'SLICK' COVERT PLATE CARRIER!

WARRIOR ASSAULT SYSTEMS MAKING WAVES WITH THEIR NEW LIGHTWEIGHT SYSTEM!

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VOLUME 8 ISSUE 9

IN ASSOSIATION WITH 'HUEYS MTO' WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT SOME CHOICE PICKS FROM 'UF PRO' RANGE

£4.25

UF PRO UNDER OUR SPOTLIGHT!

HOW TO USE MOUNTAIN HUTS SPARTAN KNIVES NEWS FROM THE FRONT LINE FITNESS PROGRAMS JAN16 RAIDER.indd 1

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CYAN, MAGENTA, YELLOW, BLACK

HELIKON-TEX_Level 7, Raider, January 2016, right page

The LEVEL 7 is lightweight winter jacket which provides insulation and protection against frost, wind and light showers.

Climashield® Apex™ provides thermal insulation and ultimate warmth. Two chest pockets are lined with fleece to provide protection against frostbite.

The hood can be easily adjusted without removing hands from the chest pockets via two drawstrings located there.

Climashield® Apex™ insulation (grammage: 100g body; 67g hood).

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OUTDOORS - ADRENALINE - TACTICAL - FITNESS - EXPLORE

MEET THE TEAM

PAUL MONAF

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Email: paul@ebcon.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)1775 750005

CONNOR MONAF

EDITOR Email: connor@ebcon.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)1775 750005

BEN DICKIE

ART DIRECTOR Email: design@ebcon.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)1775 750005

BEN WEBB

CONTRIBUTOR Email: webb@ebcon.co.uk

TRAMPAS SWANSON FIREARMS Email: trampas@ebcon.co.uk

MARKUS MOTUM

ILLUSTRATION Email: markus@ebcon.co.uk

SHARON MONAF

ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR Email: sharon@ebcon.co.uk Tel: +44 (0)1775 750005

SUBSRCIPTIONS

SHARON MONAF: ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR sharon@ebcon.co.uk

ADVERTISING

PAUL MONAF: SALES AND PUBLISHING DIRECTOR paul@ebcon.co.uk

EBCON PUBLISHING LTD

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PRAY FOR PARIS Through the process of putting together this months issue of Raider, there have been some very somber moments. This time of year is already made hard enough for many by the events of Remembrance Day, and usually this Foreword would be very heavily centered around the events of Remembrance Weekend.

However more recent events simply cannot go ignored.

As many of you know, on the evening of 13th November, a series of coordinated terrorist attacks shook Paris, killing 129 people and wounding a further 368. I personally was sat down watching the England vs Spain football match at the time, and remember shortly after the game finishing checking my phone and seeing the information come up on my News app and then following the story throughout the night.

Attacks such as this simply make me feel sick to my stomach. Attacks on innocents should simply not be happening in this day and age, and it’s absolutely disgusts me that people would even think to carry out such atrocious acts of violence. Unfortunately war brings a lot of innocent bystanders into the fray, but mindless acts of violence such as these bombings just simply infuriate myself and the staff here at Raider endlessly.

As I’m sure many of you out there have been doing, me and my team have been discussing the topic at great length and it brings a great deal of pain to my heart to know that there are 129 families in France who are now without a husband, a wife, a son, a daughter, a friend or even a friendly face they see when passing through their day-to-day life. The saying ‘All life is precious’ rings no truer here, and I personally detest living in a world where people are unable to rectify their differences and live in harmony.

The topic is a very raw one for many people still, and I can only but imagine the pain and suffering such an attack would bring on the individuals in any way affected by this travesty. But from the bottom of my heart, know that everyone on the Raider staff is praying for you all, and we the victims are now in a better place.

Before turning the page to begin reading this months’ issue of Raider, I’d simply like to ask you all to bow your heads and say a prayer for those affected, be you religious or not. Remember, all life is precious, and you don’t know what you’ve lost until that day comes.

Prier pou Paris, mes amis. Repose en paix, mon cœur saigne pour vous.

Connor

publishing ltd.

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of articles in this magazine, but the publisher accepts no responsibility for any errors contained in material from independent sources or authors. Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photography or illustration in any form without permission from the publisher/editor is strictly prohibited. We welcome articles, photographs or artwork. Raider Magazine cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage to unsolicited material. Please enclose a SAE if you wish your material to be returned. Competitions will be judged on the dates specified. No correspondence will be entered into and the judge’s decision is final. In the event of the published prize not being available due to circumstances beyond the control of the magazine, a suitable alternative of similar value will be provided.

READ RAIDER ONLINE VIA POCKETMAGS!

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VOLUME 8 ISSUE 9

CONTENTS 06 NEWS

NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE. WHAT’S HOT AND WHAT’S NOT!

07 GEAR WATCH

WHAT’S HOT, AND WHAT’S NOT IN THE WORLD OF TACTICAL GEAR!

09 SPARTAN BLADES

44

TRAMPAS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BIT OF AN EXPERT WHEN IT COMES TO KNIVES… SO WHAT DOES HE THINK OF THE SPARTAN BLADES ‘PALLAS’?

12 SURVIVAL

THIS MONTH WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE USE OF CLUB HUTS FOR CLIMBING AND WALKING ENTHUSIASTS

16 HEAT HOLDERS

PROTECTING YOUR FEET FROM THE COLD IN THE WINTER IS A MUST. THIS MONTH WE TAKE A LOOK AT SOCKS FROM HEAT HOLDERS!

18 UF PRO

FOLLOWING ON LAST MONTHS SHOWCASE OF HELIKON-TEX, THIS MONTH WE BRING YOU SLOVENIAN BASED UF PRO

23 WARRIOR ASSAULT SYSTEMS

WARRIOR’S LATEST FORAY IN THE BODY ARMOUR MARKET: THE COVERT

25 VORTEX OPTICS

WE TAKE A LOOK AT VORTEX OPTICS, AND GET HANDS ON WITH THREE OF OUR FAVOURITE OFFERINGS FROM THE US BASED OPTICS COMPANY!

28 FITNESS

WESEE IF WHETHER POPULAR TRAINING REGIMES ARE WORTH THE MONEY AND WHAT OUR 4 FAVOURITE FITNESS PROGRAMS ARE

09

30 CENTREFOLD!

BOOM!! GET SOME RAIDER GOODNESS ON YOUR WALL!

32 PLATATAC

AUSTRALIAN BASED PLATATAC ARE FOR MANY AN UNEARTHED GEM WHEN THEY FIRST FIND THEM, HAVE YOU GOT TO TERMS WITH OUR FRIENDS FROM DOWN UNDER?

37 HIKING BOOTS

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN! BAG A CHRISTMAS BARGAIN WITH RAIDER AS WE LOOK AT SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE PRODUCTS OF THIS YEAR

42 THERE’S A SNAKE IN MY BAG!

CONTINUING OUR LOOK AT A RANGE OF BAGS PERFECT FOR EVERYDAY USE, WE GET TO GRIPS WITH VIPER TACTICAL

44 BATTLETECH

CAMERO TECH CAUGHT OUR EYE AT THIS YEARS’ MILIPOL, BUT JUST WHO ARE THE ISRAELI BASED COMPANY?

49 DIRECT ACTION

OUR MONTHLY LOOK AT OUR ARMED FORCES ACROSS THE GLOBE

23

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ARMY PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION 2015

C H E C K

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P A G E

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R AIDER NE W S E XCLUSIVE NE WS FROM AROUND THE GL OBE - E XCLUSIVE NE WS

NEWS

MAGPUL, BEST KNOWN FOR THEIR POLYMER WEAPON ATTACHMENTS AND POLYMER MAGAZINES HAVE BEEN HARD AT WORK BEHIND THE SCENES, RECENTLY ANNOUNCING A NEW ADDITION TO THEIR CURRENT RANGE - GLOVES. THESE GLOVES HAVE BEEN LAUNCHED AS PART OF A NEW RANGE BY THE NAME OF ‘MAGPUL CORE’, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES A SELECT FEW OTHER ITEMS INCLUDING BASEBALL CAPS.

CORE FLIGHT GLOVES

First we have the CORE Flight Gloves. CORE Flight Gloves are built upon the traditional Nomex flight gloves used by Military aviators since the 1960s, and are made with modern materials, modern fit and finish, and touch screen compatibility.

FEATURES

■ Durable and soft premium leather palm ■ Constructed with flame and heat-resistant Nomex ■ Three-finger touchscreen capability ■ Gauntlet coverage extends past the wrist ■ Excellent flexibility and dexterity ■ Subdued branding

HAVIN G HAD 3 P AIR S AN N O U N LAST 3 D C E D IN TH E AYS , W E DO U BT ’VE N O TH E M A GP RAN G E WILL CO U L CO R E NTIN U E G ROW, IN TO C O R PO R W H O LE ATIN G A RAN G E O F C LOT E V E NT U H IN G ALLY.. . O R AT LEA THAT ’S W HAT O ST U R ON ! WE M O N EY CAN ’T W IS AIT TO G O U R HA ET N DS K E E P A N O N TH E S E , S O E YE O U T FO A R EVIE W CO M IN R G SOO N !

CORE TECHNICAL GLOVES

Second to be announced was the CORE Technical Gloves. Billed by Magpul as the most lightweight and tactile glove in their lineup, the CORE Technical Glove features a synthetic suede palm, a terrycloth backed thumb area, touchscreen capability, and an elastic wrist closure to keep out debris.

FEATURES

■ Lightweight, durable glove without compromising dexterity ■ Tough synthetic suede palm and inner finger construction for wet or dry grip ■ Narrow, minimalistic fore finger for easy access and better control ■ Terrycloth backed thumb area to quickly remove fogging on optics and glasses ■ Three-finger touchscreen capability ■ Elastic wrist closure keeps out debris ■ 100% synthetic ■ Subdued branding for better camouflage and concealment

CORE PATROL GLOVES

And the most recent announcement was the CORE Patrol Gloves.

The CORE Patrol Gloves feature a one-piece leather palm, nylon stretch fabric on the back, and touchscreen capability.

FEATURES

■ One-piece palm construction with soft and durable premium leather ■ Corded nylon stretch fabric on back of hand with contour cut design ■ Lightweight cut protection with comfortable neoprene backing ■ Adjustable wrist for a custom, snug fit ■ Thumb & forefinger “Gun Gusset” designed for durability and comfort ■ Expansion joints on the back of the fingers allow better flexibility ■ Three-finger touchscreen capability ■ Excellent comfort, dexterity and protection ■ Subdued branding for better camouflage and concealment

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NE WS FROM AROUND THE GL OBE - E XCLUSIVE NE WS FROM AROUND THE GL OBE LUSIVE NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE - EXCLUSIVE NEWS FROM ARO THE DUCHESS OPENS NEW PM REVEALS MEASURES HOME OF KING’S TROOPVISIT INTHE LATEST AFGHAN er Rememb your is R a i d e ra z i n e . mag w us kno S o l e t u’r e u p t o o y t a h r w e w h e r e vr e ! you a

AS THE MONTHS PASS, WE HERE AT RAIDER GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE AND TEST KIT BEFORE THE GENERAL PUBLIC EVEN SEE OR HEAR ABOUT IT. RAIDER WATCH WILL BE YOUR GO TO PLACE TO The Duchess of Cornwall opened the new Woolwich home of The King’sYOU Troop Royal Artillery GET THE LATEST ON GEAR, GIVING ANHorse IDEA in and visit unveiled a plaque to the commemorate the David changeCameron of the name of the new barracks, OnMarch his latest to Afghanistan, Prime Minister has announced a packagefrom of ON WHAT TO KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR! Napier Lines to King George VI Lines. measures to provide a significant boost to the British military campaign. Both UK troops and the

The Regiment from theirwill barracks St Johns Woodfunding in February this year, having been Afghan Nationalmoved Security Forces benefitinfrom increased and state of the art equipment. stationed there for over 200 years. The new state of the art facilities house 120 horses and 150 The Prime Minister announced: soldiers and cost £16.5 million. ✪To £33.1 millionthe for visit the development of the Afghan in 2010/11; including building celebrate to the new state-of-the artNational facilities,Police the Duchess toured the forge, seven police stations addition to viewed the two aUK-funded policeof stations opened in Helmand last month. veterinary centre andinstables, and demonstration 12 horses exercising the Gun ✪ £135 million to carry double Remotely Piloted System (RPAS).

Carriages, which 13Reaper pounder guns which wereAircraft first used in the first world war. The carriages We’ve always been massive fans of Garmin and some are used to fire the guns during The Queen’s birthday parade, State Visits and Remembrance Accompanied by thehave Chiefearned of the Defence Staff,place General Sir David Richards, the Prime Minister arrived of their products their rightful Sunday. at within Camp Bastion in Helmand province, thenGarmin travelled the Main Operating Base in Lashkar Gah for the Raider ready So mess is the Epixto The Duchess visited the room. officers’ at the start of the visit, to board a horse-drawn open-top a briefing

by Commander Task Force Helmand, James Chiswell on the progress made by the one to add to the or better off Brigadier left carriage, known as ashopping Sociablelist, Carriage.

Provincial Reconstruction Team to drive economic political development in the area. alone? Well fromthe first impressions, it’ssocial, definitely one and During her visit Duchess also presented Afghanistan service medals to four soldiers from the He later your met soldiers who crew and maintain the newly operational Warthog armoured vehicle. to keep eyehave on. just King’s Troop who returned from frontline duties.

Visiting the Helmand Police Training Centre on the outskirts of Lashkar Gah to present graduation The Garmin Epixthe is aDuchess smartwatch that Before departing unveiled aincorporates plaque to commemorate the opening of the King George certificates to newly qualified policemen; he revealed that the extra £33.1 million resources colour mapping as well asAfghan allowing the user to VI full Lines and Commanding Officer Major Mark Edward presented Her Royal Highness with a specially would help build refurbish 48 police stations, including seven to be opened before spring 2011. access both GPSorand GLONASS; allowing to had use been used engraved and polished 13 pound gun shell you which to fire the Royal Salute to mark the These improvements to essential infrastructure, in addition to more resources for training, will both and Russian satellite positioning data. Onontop start ofUS Her Majesty The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee 6 February 2012. help the Afghan both more visible of that you’ve aNational range ofPolice otherappear smartwatch features to and more professional to the Afghan population, enabling them to carry out their role more effectively. keep you happy.

Throw in anCameron 8GB builtsaid: in memory, a range of fitness Prime Minister the it’s water to 50m, “I training know theapplications, thoughts will befact of home and rated of loved ones; I would like personally to thank everyone bluetooth capable AND looks pretty they swish, well you I say to them, it is great work you are doing serving in Afghanistan foritthe sacrifice are making. could definitely do a to lotdo worse if you’re theyou market and we must continue all we can to in help endure. for a smartwatch.

Afghan cricketers the British Army for six when they and met what for a two-day clashgrounds in the heart “This is my sixthknocked visit to Afghanistan, to Helmand Province, I see is some for of Helmand Province. The amount of ground that’s covered by the forces is up, the amount of markets cautious optimism.

A British team, across alland three branches of thethat armed serving on Operation that are open, theselected numberfrom of provincial district governors areforces in place, the number of Herrick a team from of thesecurity; Afghan there National a team improvement.” of Afghan interpreters in a schools 15, thattook are on open, the level are Army lots of(ANA) signsand of positive two-day series of 20/20 cricket matches in Camp Bastion in front of over 1,500 ANA spectators.

The British Forces Afghanistan team trained for days to prepare for the game against the avid Afghan cricketers, and you the for three sides sizedheard each other up beforehand in the cricket at the Camp We’ll forgive never having of Hartman before, because a weeknets or two agoANA’s we were Shorabak, toposition.

Camp Bastion.

But when matches started the company impressive Afghan teams took sat in thenext same Hartman Ltd. arethe a new innovative optics and they’re certainly British Forces Afghanistan to the with cleaners, with Reflex victories going to both the ANA and interpreter sides. looking to make a huge impact their MH1 Sight.

The British team were out for demands 75 versusof the ANA team’s score of 165, much to the rapture Designed to meet theallrigorous worldwide armed forces, law enforcement and of thesportsman audience alike, of Afghan soldiers who flooded ontoany thered pitch congratulate colleagues. The theRoyal MH1 Reflex Sight is unlike dottoreflex sight evertheir created.

Soldiers from the 2nd Tank Regiment delivering security in Afghanistan have traded in old British team nonew better against theof team ofreticle Afghandesign, interpreters, scoring 169 seventheir while Thevehicles MH1 fared breaks ground in field view, quick reaction, userfor interface and the Viking and upgraded to something even better, the mighty Warthog. interpreters managed 183 all out. efficiency.

2battery RTR use day, Warthog’s outstanding manoeuvrability towith bringthe firepower and out armoured support On thewill second the advanced two Afghan sides met inoffers a play-off, ANAofcoming victorious in the final.

The patent pending red dot sight the largest field through the sight, wherever and whenever theyoccasion are called upon.

To reflect the new vehicle atview their disposal, 2 RTR The matches were a huge for both sides.

The ANA team played in blue-and-red uniforms instantly improving target acquisition and situational awareness in already day andbuilding night scenarios. soldiers in theatre are now known as “Warthog Group” – and they are a reputation as presented at the beginning of the The produces a near “0”units parallax increasing accuracy.inThe unique reticle helps keep the one of MH1 the most mobile under British command Helmand. match on behalf of the ground Helmand firearm on a is vertical planelight using balancing lines The Warthog a relatively Provincial Reconstruction Team, but robust tracked vehicle. It consists of 2 cabs: the front cab houses 3 andand 9 o’clock with a and centered red with dot. a heavy weapons turret. The rear cab is for infantry. theatdriver commander is armed which helps with development The new reticle also always staysarmour on target The has greater protection and more power than its predecessor, but still projects invehicle the region.

The British independently ofcross-country the operator’s eye location retains the superb team played in ‘whites’ from the performance for which the Viking was known. in the window.

Able toMH1 operate in the most diverse and demanding environments, including moving through water, Army Cricket Association.

The innovative climbing steep slopes and crossing drainage ditches the new Warthog provides troops with high levels One ofMH1’s the spectators indesign the allows towhilst attach additional of operators protection giving commanders the flexibility to operate in areas where the terrain and local stands was ANA Corps Commander infrastructure more agile vehicle is needed. magnifiers ormean night vision General Malouk, the amost-senior Corporal Tristan ‘Tiny’ Cordery devices behind the sight.

Once Afghan National Army soldier in (35), from Fowey in Cornwall, is a veteran of two tours of Iraq and one ofProvince.

Kosovo, and has served attached, the operator will not in Afghanistan on prior deployments. He has now returned to Helmand Afghanistan as a Warthog commander with 2 RTR. have any difficulty accessing He said: “We canischoose between the heavy, grenade or general purpose machine guns. This gives me as the the controls of the MH1 for “There a very good Warthog commander both left and right-hand competition going on,the a flexibility to tailor my armament to the mission, and that’s a vital capability in shooters. order to succeed complicated environment of Afghanistan. competition playedin inthe friendship. this firepower good be looking trying to armour. The Warthog can take rocket-propelled grenade hits, It With is We’ll good that Britishatcomes and Afghan machine gun fireReflex and has better protection from IEDs. secureare a MH1 Sight in the soldiers able to spend quality This combination of firepower time working near future,together.” so keep your eyesand out protection is what us Tankies are looking for in a vehicle. We’re ready go review out with the RTR mentality and apply armoured tactics in support of our guys with boots for atofull soon! on the ground.”

GARMIN

EPIX SMARTWATCH

AFGHANS OUTGUN THE BRITISH IN A FRIENDLY CRICKET CLASH HARTMAN

MH1 REFLEX SIGHT

ROYAL TANK REGIMENT UNLEASH NEW VEHICLES

MARCH 2011 WWW.RAIDER-MAG.COM WWW.RAIDER-MAG.COM 009 007 MAY 2012 W W W.RAIDER-MAG.COM 007

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STAY SHARP! SPARTAN BLADES: KNIVES WITH INTENT

“ALONG THE ROAD OF LIFE THERE ARE MANY TURNS, TWISTS AND DANGERS, SO YOU BETTER CARRY A KNIFE YOU CAN BET YOUR LIFE ON”.

THIS HAS BEEN A PERSONAL MOTTO OF MINE EVER SINCE MY GREAT UNCLE JOE GAVE ME A SIMPLE JACK KNIFE TO CARRY WHEN I WAS 7 YEARS OLD.

By Tra mp as.

TH E PA LLAS The knife itself was probably older than my father but had been well kept and sharpened over the years. As a veteran of World War I, Uncle Joe was wheel chair bound by the time I came along, and failing in health but his mind was still as sharp as the blade he bestowed upon me.

Stories often filled our time together at his house a few hours a day after school and during the summer, while my parents were at work. Tales of how Uncle Joe’s Army platoon fought across Europe, often with very sparse rations to feed the starving soldiers and how having a sharp blade saved the day more than once during his tenure in the first Great War gave me great respect at an earlier age for honing survival skills.

The knife I was given had rather small dimensions that fit my hand perfectly and represented my new key to the outdoor world. It sharpened my homemade arrows, notched my bushcrafted bow after peeling apples for lunch and eventually provided my first permanent scar, the first time I took its responsibility for granted. In 1986, my Uncle Joe passed away, forever to be a hero in my eyes and left me with a lifelong sense of awareness of how important it is to always have a good blade handy.

Later as all things come to pass in time, this little knife would be replaced by dozens and dozens of more rugged and “adult” sized knives over the next 32 years, but all seemed to lack the comfort and usefulness my first knife seemed to provide. All that changed not long ago after being contacted by our friends at Spartan Blades up in Southern Pines, North Carolina.

■ SPARTAN BLADES Curtis Iovito and his partner, Mark Carey are retired US Army Special Forces operators, who succeeded in founding a company named Spartan Blades that produces world famous combat knives. Spartan Blades creations can be found in the hands of operators around the globe funded by both private and government “black accounts” because this company knows what it takes to build a reliable knife capable of getting the job done and returning home alive.

The Spartan blades line up of fixed blade knives are an impressive array of balance, strength and almost an artistic shape that casts a clear understanding of their constructed intent. What most knife enthusiasts may not realize is that Spartan Blades also builds top notch folding knives that carry the same strength of steel and utility purpose for those situations where carrying a fixed blade knife just wouldn’t work, such as everyday public attire.

As mentioned in the article’s intro, I have a firm rooted believe in carrying a quality knife at all times. Unless I am teaching on the range, hunting or on the river with fellow writers field testing gear, I do not have an occasion to carry a full sized fix blade knife. When at home in my office, out to dinner with my wife, Candace or running errands with my 19 month old daughter, Betsy Grace, I can always be found with a folding knife of some type either clipped into my waistband or pocket. Over the years, I have carried a virtual

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STAY SHARP! SPARTAN BLADES: KNIVES WITH INTENT

TH E PA LLAS “who’s who” of the knife industry with heavy critiques over time about construction, weakness of materials or just difficulties in using various blades which has filled several past articles in online blogs and websites.

■ PALLAS FIRST IMPRESSIONS A couple of months ago, Curtis Iovito reached out to let me know Spartan Blades would be releasing a new folding blade knife into their lineup called the Pallas and wanted to know if I would like to try one out. With knowing my interest on the subject, I am sure Curtis already had one boxed up and ready to ship by the time I was able to reply to his email because in less than two days, I had the knife at my front door. I opened the package immediately and saw the familiar red, white and blue American flag and Spartan Blades logo on the box.

010

Upon opening the lid, I was impressed by the size of the knife. Often folding knife handles are too skinny or short to really feel like you are holding a tool in your hands but not the case here. The Pallas offers 8 ¾ inches overall length and just over 5 inches of non-reflective black mil-spec anodized aluminum constructed grip with a well exposed ambidextrous thumb stud for blade activation. Protruding from the rear of the grip is a small but very functional flipper which allows deployment of the 3 ¾ inch blade out with a simple flick of the finger if one wishes to bypass the thumb opening method. At first, I had a concern this secondary feature would be difficult to use under stress or wet conditions, but after about a week of using it daily, the flipper quickly proved itself to be lightning fast and preferred over using my thumb. The blade rotates on an extremely smooth set of alpha bearings which

feel like its gliding on ice to the hand.

Using CMP S35VN steel with a hardness rating of 58-60 HRC, the drop point blade offers a well-supported grind to the tip and seems to slice well while cutting instead of pinching or dragging like some name brands. The spine of the blade offers a bit of a dip above the thumb stud that is perfect for sinking a supporting forefinger or thumb when applying heavy cutting pressure.

The blade locks into place as tight as a bank vault to give the user a firm sense of security and safety during hard use. Unlike most knives on the market in which the blade lock is deactivated by a lever in the rear of the handle or the rather unsafe linier lock, the Pallas offers a simple push button to release the blade’s rock steady lock and allow it to easily be folded. This push button release is very common in automatic knives, which this is NOT. By being not being a spring assisted knife, you can consider the Pallas just like a Master Card; it’s accepted everywhere you want to be!

The blade finish was the feature that I noticed the most upon first inspection of the opened knife. According to Spartan Blades, this finish is referred to as stonewashed. It offers a “smoked” look to the blade which greatly reduced glare without having to have it painted black like some others on the market. Straight out of the box, the blade’s edge was razor sharp and could shave the hair off my arm in one light stroke.

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STAY SHARP! SPARTAN BLADES: KNIVES WITH INTENT

SPARTAN BLADES NAMED THEIR NEW FOLDING BLADE AFTER PALLAS, THE TITAN GOD OF WAR CRAFT AND WITH ITS BEEFY, HEAVY DUTY BLADE, I CAN SEE WHY. THIS BLADE WOULD BE RIGHT AT HOME WITH ANY SOLDIER OR CONTRACTOR DEPLOYED ANYWHERE ON EARTH BUT JUST IMPORTANTLY, THIS BLADE IS THE FIRST FROM SPARTAN BLADES THAT CAN ALSO BE HERALDED AS THE EVERYDAY, “DO ALL” CARRY KNIFE BY ANY ASTUTE CIVILIAN MAN OR WOMAN, WHO WISHES TO HAVE A DEPENDABLE AND HARDWORKING BLADE. ■ FIELD TIME Over the past couple of months, I have been carrying the Pallas exclusively in place of the daily carry knives I often rotate through.

Most often for me, the Pallas is carried in my left front pocket via the very secure pocket clip opposite of my concealed carry firearm position. This titanium clip is easily reversible and bears a signature arrow cut out. With a total weight around 4.74 ounces, the knife feels well balanced in the hand and doesn’t weigh down your pocket while carrying it.

During its break in time, I used the knife in all my daily tasks from cutting paracord for outdoor projects to craving up apples for my daughter’s snack time. Slicing open packages and prying up loose boards with the blade give me confidence in the knife’s construction. I purposely did not oil the blade in order to see how it faired over a 60 day period of salt water, sand and sweat exposure. With a simple wipe of the blade, the knife remained clean and did not seem to stain or rust at all.

While I had no issue or complaints about the edge retention of the Pallas, I did stroke the blade’s edge once or twice a week with a Lansky diamond rod to ensure the best cutting surface possible while preparing meat during the trial period. Regardless of the texture of the meat, whether it was chicken, beef or wild game, the blade seems to smoothly slice through the

tendons and muscle with very little resistance.

(Now if Spartan Blades only made kitchen knives!)

■ FINAL THOUGHTS Spartan Blades named their new folding blade after Pallas, the titan god of war craft and with its beefy, heavy duty blade, I can see why. This blade would be right at home with any soldier or contractor deployed anywhere on Earth but just importantly, this blade is the first from Spartan Blades that can also be heralded as the everyday, “do all” carry knife by any astute civilian man or woman, who wishes to have a dependable and hardworking blade. It is small enough to be easily concealed and used by end users with smaller sized hands while still offering the strength and a heavy duty blade capable of performing fixed blade knife sized tasks.

Retailing at $285 US, the Pallas isn’t your cheap gun show knife deal, but it is a good place to consider for the last knife you may ever need to purchase. While I would like to see this same Pallas design in an automatic configuration at some point for much more specific reasons than daily utility, the thumb studs and flipper offer an extremely fast and reliable way of getting the blade deployed with either hand. Even under wet conditions, the ergonomic design of the handle allowed my hand to keep a firm purchase without the first hint of slippage.

This very important and often over looked design detail could mean the difference between getting the job done and adding the next scar to your hand.

In my time with the knife, I often thought about how I wish my Great Uncle Joe could have been here to help field test the Pallas.

Spartan Blades is a rock solid American company outside my uncle’s former duty station of Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

The quality and care each blade is held to during production well exceeds what Uncle Joe taught me to expect no less than in a knife. I take comfort in knowing the Pallas from Spartan Blades would have easily gotten the old soldier’s stamp of approval in addition to mine! For more about the Pallas or any of the great knives from Spartan Blades, visit them at www. spartanbladesusa.com.

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RAIDER SURVIVAL: MOUNTAIN HUTS - MOUNTAIN HUTS - M

SURVIVAL: HOW TO USE...

MOUNTAIN HUTS ENJOYING THE GREAT OUTDOORS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST PLEASURES A HUMAN CAN HAVE. THE SCENERY, THE EXPERIENCE AND THE PITTING YOURSELF AGAINST MOTHER NATURE CAN BRING HUGE REWARDS IF DONE CORRECTLY. HOWEVER OFTEN WE FIND OURSELVES IN POSITIONS WHERE WE WANT TO ENJOY THE GREAT OUTDOORS, BUT WE DON’T WANT TO BE SLEEPING ROUGH WHILST DOING SO. WELL, WE THINK MOUNTAIN HUTS COULD JUST BE THE SOLUTION TO THAT.

Mountain huts, also known as club hunts, alpine huts and a whole range of other names are purpose built huts intended to provide food and shelter to mountaineers, climbers and hikers.

These huts tend to be ran by some form of organisation and are generally only accessible by foot.

These huts tend to provide a range of services, however they prioritise shelter with simple sleeping berths; usually single beds or bunk beds. Some in particularly remote areas are completely unstaffed, however others have staff which prepare food and drink and can often provide other services such as lectures and the sale of clothes and small items that may be beneficial on the trail.

Huts tend to vary in regards to how you would

‘book’ your stay in one. Originally many were on a first come, first serve basis, but would always take in anyone in adverse conditions. However with mountaineering, climbing and hiking becoming so popular, many huts will ask you to book in advance, especially in busy locations and in busy times of the year.

Some huts will also require you to be part of a membership scheme to make use of them. For example, huts in the UK usually require you to be a member of the British Mountaineering Club (BMC), and it is the BMC Club Membership that gives you access to the most huts across the UK. 99% of huts also require a small fee for their services. In the UK that fee can range from anywhere between £5 per person per night, all the way up to nearly £200 in certain areas. That price

doesn’t vary regardless of time of year though, so you can be assured that once you know the price, it’ll never change.

If you’re interested in finding out more on these huts in the UK, the British Mountaineering Club should definitely be your first port of call. A quick search on your favourite search engine should bring them up and they not only have a range of information regarding huts as a whole, but also a full list of every BMC Club hut with information such as price, facilities and location included.

If you’re not from the UK and are interested in club huts, we’ve strung together some information regarding some of the most popular mountaineering locations. If your country isn’t on here, chances are there are huts in the area somewhere, you just need to look!

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S - MOUNTAIN HUTS - MOUNTAIN HUTS - MOUNTAIN HUTS

✔ THE ALPS

The long history of mountaineering in the Alps has led to a large number of Alpine club huts as well as private huts along the mountaineering paths. These huts are categorised according to their location and facilities. They may have beds or a mattress room (Matratzenlager) for overnight stays.

✔ BRITAIN/IRELAND

In the United Kingdom and Ireland the tradition is of unwardened "climbing huts" providing fairly rudimentary accommodation (but superior to that of a bothy) close to a climbing ground; the huts are usually conversions (e.g. of former quarrymen's cottages, or of disused mine buildings), and are not open to passers-by except in emergency.

Many climbing clubs in the UK have such huts in Snowdonia or in the Lake District. A well-known example is the 'Charles Inglis Clark Memorial Hut' (the 'CIC Hut') under the northern crags of Ben Nevis in Scotland - this is a purpose-built hut, high up the mountain.

✔ CZECH REPUBLIC/SLOVAKIA

In the Czech Republic and Slovakia there is a dense net of mountain huts ("chata") in most mountain and forest regions. Unlike in past when they were administrated by an official union of tourists now they have one owner and are mostly private. Official mountain huts are in reality pension-style institutions run by their own full-time administrator. In former Czechoslovakia during the communist regime mountain huts played also a role of centers of alternative social and cultural life.

Hiking and Czech tramping in that time represented communities of autonomous life-style which were not under a control of the State.

✔ NORWAY

The Norwegian Trekking Association operates about 460 cabins mostly in the mountains and in forested areas, of which about 400 have lodgins. Many cabins are unstaffed and open all year, while the staffed cabins often are just open during summer.

✔ POLAND

In Poland mountains shelters and huts are run by PTTK - Polish Tourist Society. Most of them offer only common sleeping rooms and refreshments; no organised catering is available. Polish mountain huts are obliged by their own regulations to overnight each person who is not able to find any other place before sunset, though the conditions may be tough (e.g. a mattress in hall or warm basement).

The hut shall provide each tourist or hiker with free boiling water for hot drinks.

✔ UNITED STATES

There are also many huts in the United States, spread on both the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains. Huts such as the High Huts of the White Mountains are "full service" (cooks serve food) throughout June to mid-September, and are open for the rest of the year as a "self service" (self serve food) hut. There are also many mountain huts throughout mountainous areas in Maine.

✔ NEW ZEALAND

The New Zealand Department of Conservation "manages a network of over 950 huts of all shapes and sizes."

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O N

O U R

R A D A R

T H E

H E A T

H O L D E R S

S O C K

THE ULTIMATE THERMAL SOCK!

WHEN IT COMES TO PUT TING TOGETHER YOUR GEAR AND EQUIPMENT, ONE ITEM OF CLOTHING IS OFTEN NEGLECTED. MANY PEOPLE WILL SPEND HUNDREDS OF POUNDS ON TECHNICAL JACKETS, TROUSERS AND BAGS, BUT COMPLETELY FORGET ABOUT THE BASIS OF THEIR OPERATION - THEIR UNDERWEAR! THIS MONTH WE GOT OUR HANDS ON A PAIR OF HEAT HOLDERS THERMAL SOCK , AND WITH THE CL AIM OF BEING “THE ULTIMATE THERMAL SOCK ” WE JUST HAD TO PUT THEM THROUGH THEIR PACES.

$15.99 (USD)

HEAT HOLDERS THERMAL SOCK W W W . H E A T H O L D E R S . C O M Lets be completely honest with ourselves here, when it comes to going out and purchasing new kit, socks are very often bottom of the “Gucci” chart. By this we mean they’re not exactly the most exciting piece of clothing to purchase, and you can hardly show them off to your friends! With the winter months upon us though, a good pair of socks should be high on your priority list, and with Christmas right around the corner, what better to put on your Christmas list!

But why is a good pair of socks so important?

Well there’s a few reasons really. The obvious one is warmth. The last thing you want to be wearing whilst in the outdoors is your average pair of socks as they simply won’t keep your feet warm, and with your feet being one of your bodies extremities; one of three places where heat is lost the most, making sure they are correctly protected is a must. Secondly socks offer protection. By this we mean from rubbing and blistering. And thirdly they offer comfort, which when on long hikes is a god send.

Over the next couple of issues we will be taking a look at some of the best socks on the market, all with their own benefits. This month we will be taking a look at a pair of highly thermal socks from Heat Holders.

Heat Holders was born one Winter’s day in 2006. While founder David Doughty found himself watching his son play Football, he realised that the thermal socks he was wearing just simply didn’t do the job they promised. Being a life long sock maker and seller, David knew a thing or two about the industry, and on that day vowed to make a thermal sock that was so warm his feet would think they were away on a 2 week holiday in the Caribbean.

The development of Heat Holders first sock took two years of hard work, dozens of experiments and a complete redesign of the machinery in use at the time. Eventually David found his holy grail and a way to manufacture it. The process was,

016

and still is, absolutely unique, and 15 million pairs later, Heat Holders still continue to grow as a brand and offer everyone the gift of warm feet, whatever the weather!

After receiving a pair of Heat Holders, there were two things we first noticed. The first being the “THE ULTIMATE THERMAL SOCK” emblazoned on the packaging and the very plain design of the sock. Obviously the “ultimate thermal sock” claim had us asking questions from the beginning, so we simply removed the packaging and slipped them straight on.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOCKS, THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORS THAT PLAY A PART - COMFORT AND WARMTH, AND BOTH WERE PRESENT FROM THE MOMENT THESE SOCKS WERE PUT ON. In regards to comfort, these are simply some of the comfiest socks that have come through the doors of the Raider office. From new, the inside of the sock feels amazing. Using a high-quality yarn mix, it leaves the inside of the socks with a soft, almost cashmere-like feel, and essentially feels like your feet are walking on a bunch of soft teddybears. The sizing of the sock is bang on as well, and leaves no excess at the end which can cause rubbing and leave your toes feeling uncomfortable. The length is also just about right, and every pair of boots we’ve tried on thus far leaves you with a little bit of sock to stop the boot from rubbing directly onto your shin or calf. One small gripe with the sock is the sheer thickness of it. With this in mind you may struggle to get your boots on with these socks, especially if you buy your boots at exactly your feet size. But these are thermal socks after all, and you’d definitely be questioning them if they were super thin.

With comfort looked at, our only other criteria in which we believe a sock should be judged on is warmth. Now Heat Holders thermal socks claim to be “the ultimate thermal sock”, and to do that, they need to be warm. With a Tog rating of 2.3 the socks are definitely going in the right direction.

Now to put that in context, most highstreet hiking socks will come in at around 1 Tog. That’s a 1.3 Tog rating difference. However a Tog rating will mean very little to most of us, so we devised a small number of tests to give us an indication on how warm, or how cold these socks leave our feet.

Our first test saw us simply put the Heat Holders on and stand outside with no shoes on having our morning cigarette. Now it’s by no means arctic outside, but it’s fairly nippy, although my feet wouldn’t have known that because they were super warm. Our first impressions were certainly filled with warmth. Secondly we donned a range of different boots, ranging from simple hiking boots to both warm weather and cold weather military boots and went for a stroll with the office dog, finding a range of different things like puddles to put our feet in. Our findings? Well yeah, again, warmth. We did however find that the socks aren’t waterproof, and do pool a lot of water. But the socks didn’t claim to be waterproof, and lets be honest with ourselves, most of us are smart enough to wear waterproof boots in the winter.

Thirdly, we wanted to really test these in a cold environment, however we couldn’t exactly get over to the Alps. So what did we do? Well it involved emptying a freezer and putting our feet in the freezer - technical testing at it’s best! And would you believe it? Warmth again!

What you get with the Heat Holders sock is warmth. They may not be the all singing, technical sock as worn by Special Forces, but they do everything advertised and do it really well. “The Ultimate Thermal Sock” may be pushing it, but “A Really Good Sock” doesn’t have the same ring to it!

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DEPLOYMENT ESSENTIALS

UF PRO UNDER OUR SPOTLI

MILITARY - TACTICAL - OUTDOOR

HUEY’S

UF-PRO

UF PRO

DELTA ML JACKET

UF PRO have pulled on their vast experience to bring you the Delta ML Jacket, with the item itself originally starting as a pure mid layer component. However when people began wearing the Delta ML as a comfortable stand alone winter jacket, UF PRO immediately began on refining their design and the end product brought you the new Delta ML Jacket.

Essentially the new Delta ML takes the comfort and warmth of the previous jacket, but brings a range of functional elements into play that allow it to be worn as an outer layer in extreme cold weather conditions.

Making use of 110g/m2 G-Loft isolation, the coat is extremely warm making it perfect for winter, but UF PRO have added in some extras that make it even better. Side and armpit areas are have of a 37.5 micro fleece from COCONA Inc. giving the jacket quick re-drying properties as well as better thermal insulation.

THE DELTA ML JACKET IS ABOVE ALL A LIGHT WEIGHT AND COMPRESSIBLE PIECE OF EQUIPMENT, WHICH OFFERS RELIABLE AND COMFORTABLE THERMAL INSULATION IN A WIDE RANGE OF OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES. £132.50

IN ASSOCIATION WITH WWW.HUEYS.CO.UK OVER THE YEARS WE’VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORKING WITH SOME OF THE WORLD BIGGEST TACTICAL BRANDS AND HAVE HAD A LOT OF TACTICAL GEAR COME THROUGH THE OFFICE FOR REVIEW. DEPLOYMENT ESSENTIALS HAS OFTEN BEEN THE CULMINATION OF THIS; FEATURING A GREAT DEAL OF THIS KIT, BUT NEVER HAVE WE FOCUSED ON A SINGLE BRAND, SHOWING YOU THE BEST THEY HAVE TO OFFER. UNI&FORMA was founded in 1997 with the vision to make high performance garment systems for demanding professionals. Under the brand name UF PRO®, the garments are today worn by various military and law enforcement special forces, where they are appreciated for its excellent wear comfort, quality and reliability.

In order to offer a completely satisfying experience within the UF PRO brand at all times, UF PRO have spared no resource in providing equipment that adheres to the highest product quality whilst also offering products at a fair price, making them sustainable as well as offering a social fairness not seen with other companies.

To offer this UF PRO rely on strategic partnerships with technology leaders such as W.L. Gore, Carinthia, Schoeller and others, as well as developing their own UF PRO garment technologies, which provide innovative solutions for the requirements of demanding professionals around the world.

This month we have 10 of our favourite items from the UF PRO range. With UF PRO offering some of the finest overgarments on the market you’re certainly bound to find something for you! Prices may vary dependant on colour/camouflage.

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FEATURES:

■ Two chest, two side and two inner pockets ■ Striker sleeve pocket configuration ■ Wrist warmers ■ Adjustable lower hem ■ Front zipper with wind resistant flap ■ Ergonomic quilting

AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW FROM HUEY’S!

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UF PRO

UF PRO

The Delta AcE Plus is a revolutionary hybrid jacket for extreme physical activities at very low temperatures. For the worst possible outdoor conditions, the Delta AcE Plus jacket provides excellent comfort properties, maximum wind protection and permanently water repellent thermal insulation.

In order to reliably and effectively protect the sensitive upper and lower arms against cold temperatures, the sleeves are lined with G- Loft thermo insulation lining.

Additional weather protection is provided by a water resistant and windproof outer material of the sleeves.

For efficient moisture management, the sides and contours of the back and armpits are made out of 37.5™ micro fleece from COCONA Inc. It doesn’t stop there though, oh no... The jacket also makes use of a two layer nylon ripstop, PU membrane laminate that is lined with the same 37.5 micro fleece used throughout the jacket, providing a reliable shield against wind chill.

The UF PRO Hunter FZ Jacket offers the perfect combination of comfort and build quality whilst also offering brilliant weather protection during light drizzles and cooler temperatures.

The Hunter FZ Jacket is the perfect jacket to either wear or stowaway due to it’s lack of mass and weight. With it being a rather lightweight jacket, wearing it as a standalone in the current climate is probably a bad idea, but as part of a layered system, it certainly holds it’s own.

Regardless of it’s lightweight structure, the jacket can be worn as a standalone and would be perfect in temperatures from 5 degrees to 25 degrees. The jacket also lends itself well to wetter climates, with the material drying at a rapid rate!

The UF PRO Hunter Sweater is the perfect piece of outdoor equipment for those looking for a solution in regards to those cold, windy or wet days that are looming.

It provides superb comfort during outdoor activities in uncertain weather conditions.

As it is light and nicely packable, it perfectly qualifies as an item of clothing which can be stored in a pack as a just incase.

The UF PRO Hunter FZ Jacket is the perfect item of clothing for those longer outdoor activities and can be worn under tactical equipment or simply as “stand alone” jacket whenever it’s getting cooler.

DELTA ACE PLUS JACKET

ONE THING TO BEAR IN MIND IS THIS JACKET IS SLIM FITTING, SO IF YOU’RE AT THE UPPER LIMIT OF A SIZE, WE WOULD SUGGEST GOING UP TO THE NEXT SIZE.

HUNTER FZ JACKET

PLEASE NOTE THE UF PRO HUNTER FZ JACKET COMES UP A LITTLE BIT SMALL, SO WE WOULD RECOMMEND EITHER CHECKING YOUR MEASUREMENTS FIRST OR SIMPLY GO UP A SIZE TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE AND ENSURE PERFECT COMFORT AND PERFORMANCE.

£154.99

HUNTER SWEATER

PLEASE NOTE THE UF PRO HUNTER SWEATER COMES UP SMALL, SO WE WOULD RECOMMEND EITHER CHECKING MEASUREMENTS FIRST OR SIMPLY GO UP A SIZE TO ENSURE PERFECT COMFORT AND PERFORMANCE.

raider ! s recommend✪ ✪✪✪✪

£89.99

£82.95

FEATURES:

FEATURES:

FEATURES:

AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW FROM HUEY’S!

AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW FROM HUEY’S!

AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW FROM HUEY’S!

■ Top class thermal protection ■ Windproof and water repellent ■ Extremely efficient moisture management ■ Air/pac® inserts in shoulder & upper back ■ Two front pockets with full front zipper ■ Wrist warmers and Lined collar

■ Wind and water repellent sleeves, front, back and shoulder areas ■ Striker sleeve pocket configuration ■ Lined with 37.5™ a microfleece system from COCONA Inc.

■ Wind and water repellent sleeves, front, back and shoulder areas ■ Striker sleeve pocket configuration ■ Lined with 37.5™ a microfleece system from COCONA Inc.

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DEPLOYMENT ESSENTIALS

UF PRO UNDER OUR SPOTLI

UF PRO

UF PRO

UF PRO

The P-40 All-Terrain pants will follow even your fastest moves, while all functional elements will remain in their most ergonomic position.

An anatomic cut, as well as a breathable and hardwearing Schoeller®-dynamic stretch material in the back of the pants, provide these excellent wear characteristics.

The big side pocket of the P-40 All-Terrain Pants offers a horizontal and vertical access to the main cargo area and inner compartments.

The attached gear pocket can be easily secured with a quiet and plastic reinforced tab. A small gear pocket in the upper thigh area provides storage for smaller items like a knife, light, or a spare magazine.

The All-Terrain Pants can be equipped with UF PRO® Flex Knee Protectors. A unique construction of the trouser legs makes sure that your knee protector always stays in place, without any adjustments.

The P-40 All-Terrain Pants can be used for different kind of environments- from hot, arid terrains to cold mountain areas. When it gets hot, the mesh lined knee-protector pockets can be left open and thus provide additional air circulation. For cold temperatures, you can simply equip them with a detachable WINDSTOPPER® lining.

Overall the UF PRO P-40 All-Terrain Pants lend themselves well to a variety of climates and environments, making them the perfect all-round pant!

When the Striker XT Combat Pants dropped, they left many people asking “what’s new?”.

This is in reference to the already on the market Striker Combat Pant and how they were any different from their predecessor.

When UF PRO began the design process, their main goal was giving specialists a significant increase in usefulness and efficiency. And to do this, instead of starting from scratch, UF PRO took the already strong Striker Combat Pant and developed them further, with the main improvements being expanded stretch areas and ergonomically perfected knee protection.

This knee protection is made using an intelligent combination of technologies that enable highly efficient protection of the knee and tibia areas without fitting the protection system with a Velcro strap.

The width-adjustable lower leg area enables the effective fixing of objects in the lower leg pocket, including during rapid movement.

Another pant in the Striker range, the UF PRO Striker HT Pants are for those of you who operate in hotter environments. The Striker HT Pant offers everything you would expect of a pant in the Striker range, but also incorporates a unique circulation system to keep you cool in times of need. But more on that later.

The Striker HT Combat Pants are equipped with a total of 14 pockets.

The big side pockets provide horizontal and vertical access to the main cargo area and inner compartments. The attached gear pocket can be easily secured with a quiet, plastic reinforced tab.

The small gear pocket in the upper thigh area provides storage for smaller items like a knife, light, or a spare magazine.

The spacious lower leg pocket can be tightened with a draw cord and vertical zipper.

The Striker HT Pant also make use of the brilliant ergonomic knee protection system seen in other UF PRO pants. Both the Flex-Pads and Solid-Pads from UF PRO are usable here.

Going back to the cooling system, UF PRO have really thought here. The system is simple in construction, but effective. Essentially the user simply needs to open the zippers located in the groin area and knee protector area, allowing increased airflow to cool you down.

P-40 ALL-TERRAIN PANTS

STRIKER XT COMBAT PANTS

THE AREAS IN THE HIP/BUTTOCKS AREA AND AROUND THE KNEE ARE MADE OF AN EXTREMELY RESILIENT SCHOELLER® DYNAMIC STRETCH MATERIAL.

£109.99

FEATURES:

■ Two-way access side pocket (huge capacity) ■ Safety pocket ■ Small gear pocket ■ Back pockets ■ Double belt loops ■ Velcro loops on waist for attaching belt ■ Externally accessible knee pockets ■ Width-adjustable lower trouser leg ■ CORDURA® enhanced knee & instep area ■ Inner zip for a detachable Windstopper

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STRIKER HT PANTS

£139.99

FEATURES:

■ Proximal anatomic cut ■ Double loops ■ Ergonomic knee protection system ■ Width-adjustable lower leg area with zip ■ Functional pocket configuration ■ Large side pocket with compartments ■ Security pocket ■ Large lower leg pockets ■ Knife or magazine pocket ■ The possibility of inserting Windstopper

£158.99

FEATURES:

■ The Striker HT air circulation system ■ Double loops ■ Stretch in waistband ■ UF PRO® 3-layer knee protection system ■ Width-adjustable lower leg area with zip ■ Double zipper pull fly ■ Inner zip for a detachable Windstopper ■ CORDURA® reinforced instep ■ Boot loop ■ Loops for suspenders

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OTLIGHT - IN ASSOCIATION WITH WWW.HUE YS.CO.UK UF PRO

UF PRO

Sometimes you want something in a full sleeved variant and UF PRO are fully aware of that, and to combat such thoughts they released the Merino Shirt in both a long and short sleeve variant!

The UF PRO® Merino Shirt is a superb base layer shirt, which provides excellent thermophysiological properties and odour resistance.

The UF PRO® Merino Shirt is a nicely fitting, long sleeved, base layer shirt with excellent functional properties.

An intelligent blend of Merino active fibre and COCONA® polyester helps the wearer to stay warm, when it´s cold, cools him down, when sweating, and dries extremely fast, when it is wet. Both, the Merino and the COCONA fibre, make sure that there is no bad odour build up, without using any antibacterial treatment.

This short sleeve merino shirt is not only perfect for cold temperatures, but offers due to its excellent thermo-physiological properties, also excellent comfort in hot temperatures.

An intelligent blend of Merino active fibre and COCONA® polyester helps the wearer to stay warm, when it´s cold, cools him down, when sweating, and dries extremely fast, when it is wet. Both, the Merino and the COCONA® fibre, make sure that there is no bad odour build up, without using any antibacterial treatment.

Flat seams make sure it can be worn over a long period of time, at any high level activities.

MERINO SHIRT - LONG SLEEVE

MERINO SHIRT - SHORT SLEEVE

FLAT SEAMS MAKE SURE THAT IT CAN BE COMFORTABLY WORN OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, AT ANY HIGH LEVEL ACTIVITIES AND EVEN UNDER HEAVY BODY ARMOUR.

raider recommends! ✪✪✪✪✪ £54.99

FEATURES:

£49.99

■ Tight fitting, anatomic cut ■ Flat seams for extra comfort ■ 65% Merino wool, 35% Cocona® polyester

AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW FROM HUEY’S!

UF PRO

BOONIE HAT

The boonie hat has been a mainstay within the military for years, usable in both hot and wet conditions - used in the heat to keep the heat off the head, and in the wet to keep the rain out of eyes. The UF PRO® Boonie Hat offers Velcro areas for unit and IR patches, loops for camouflage vegetation, an inner pocket and adjustable paracord chin cord.

FEATURES:

■ Tight fitting, anatomic cut ■ Flat seams for extra comfort ■ 65% Merino wool, 35% Cocona® polyester

AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW FROM HUEY’S!

£23.50

FEATURES:

■ 3 different Velcro areas ■ Paracord ■ 50/50 NyCo Ripstop material ■ Adjustable headband ■ Inner pocket ■ Full-wrap head loops

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ONLINE AND RIGHT AT YOUR FINGERTIPS!

PICK UP A SUBSCRIPTION TO OUR DIGITAL ISSUES AND YOU CAN READ RAIDER MAGAZINE ON ALL OF YOUR DEVICES, FROM PHONES AND TABLETS TO DESKTOP PC’S WITH JUST ONE QUICK AND EASY ONLINE LOGIN! CHECK OUT: WWW.RAIDER-MAG.COM

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ON OUR RADAR THE NEW COVERT PL ATE CARRIER

THE ‘SLICK’ PLATE CARRIER HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE TACTICAL GEAR MARKET IN RECENT YEARS WITH THE LIKES OF LONDON BRIDGE TRADING, FIRSTSPEAR AND HSG ALL OFFERING THEIR OWN VERSIONS. NOT TO BE LEFT BEHIND, WARRIOR ASSAULT SYSTEMS HAVE FOLLOWED TREND WITH THEIR COVERT PLATE CARRIER NOW AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE!

COVERT PLATE CARRIER Warrior Assault Systems have been firm favourites with the Raider staff for a very long time now, and throughout the years we have had the privilege of working closely with the team behind the brand, reviewing a range of product within the magazine with the general consensus being “Damn, this stuff is pretty good!”… But just who are they, and what do they offer as a company?

Based in the UK, Warrior Assault Systems is a leading manufacturer and distributor of military and tactical equipment. One thing that makes them stand out from the crowd in regards to most other UK tactical gear manufacturers however is their ability to test their products in one of the harshest environments on the planet - the theatre of war.

What you get from Warrior Assault Systems is two things - good product and models… No seriously! Throughout the years Warrior Assault Systems have provided a lot of really good kit; much of which we have reviewed over the years within the pages of Raider, as well as seeing many an advertising campaign with the now trademark Multicam bikini or cut off Warrior Assault Systems t-shirt. Unfortunately the models aren’t supplied with every purchase, and we’re still working on receiving a review sample.

This year has been an interesting one for Warrior Assault Systems, one that has seen them release a lot of gear that takes it’s ideas from elsewhere. The Sabre Drop Leg is very akin to the HSGI ‘Costa’ Leg Rig, the new Recon Plate Carrier is almost a hybrid of the Mayflower Plate Carrier system and the ever prevalent Crye JPC, and the new Covert is definitely an amalgamation of a few different designs on the market at the moment.

But is that necessarily a bad thing, or are Warrior Assault Systems just doing their homework in regards to what’s hot and what’s not?

But enough about Warrior Assault Systems as a brand, and more on our focus of this article - the Covert Plate Carrier.

The Covert Plate Carrier from Warrior Assault Systems is essentially a ‘Slick’ Plate Carrier, designed to carry 10x12 plates and US style SAPI Plates. The basic design of the Covert is very akin to that of the Slick from Ferro Concepts. The plate carrier itself is what you’d come to expect of a ‘Slick’ style carrier - slick purely meaning MOLLE free. Where it gets it’s Ferro Concept-like ideas from though is the Cummerbund.

The Cummerbund is made from a double layered high quality elastic, and gives the user 4 internal pouches (two on each side) - perfect for the ideals behind a ‘Slick’ plate carrier. It’s a good idea, and one we’re glad to see put in use elsewhere.

One of the first things you’ll notice when donning the Covert is the shoulder straps. Now on first impressions, you start to think there must’ve been some problem somewhere down the line and you’ve bought a product in which the shoulder straps are the wrong way round - but you haven’t they’re meant to be like that.

It definitely takes some getting used to, and it also impairs the user in regards to not being able to adjust the shoulder straps yourself; not easily anyway, and it definitely left us wondering why it was done like it - something we’ll no doubt be asking Warrior Assault Systems when we get the chance!

£69.95 Need more ammunition real estate? Purchase the Warrior Assault Systems TVMP Triple Velcro Mag Pouch and you’ve got it!

Simply attach to the front of the carrier and secure it by overlapping the Velcro elements of the cummerbund!

But that point was literally our only problem with the Covert. It was comfortable, it didn’t ride too high or too low, like all Warrior Assault Systems products it’s manufactured beautifully out of mil-spec materials… All in all it’s a solid platform and one we wouldn’t be surprised being utilised by Special Forces and elite units around the world!

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SRP ÂŁ75.00

PLATE CARRIER

SPECIAL OPS

TACTICAL

n Shock band shoulder strapping n 3 x Magazine compartment n Velcro ID panel

BLACK

COYOTE

GREEN

V-CAM

n Front chest admin compartment n 3 x Robust webbing side panels n Velcro sizing adjustment on front n Bungee retention size adjuster on rear n Adjustable padded shoulder straps n Padded Ventex internals n Front & rear armour compartments n Velcro outlet retainer

>GET THE

TACTICAL ADVANTAGE AD TEMPLATE.indd 1

Material: 600D Cordura Size: One Size, Fully Adjustable

n Lazer MOLLE webbing panels

TACTICAL

STOCKISTS / CATALOGUE

www.vipertactical.co.uk

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SIGHT PICTURE EVOLVED VORTE X OP TICS UNDER £200

LIFETIME WARRANTY!

ON THE DOT

Lifetime warranties are not that uncommon, lots of manufacturers back their products with a “lifetime warranty” but if you check out the small print, you’ll often find it littered with caveats that more or less make it worthless. You won’t be able to claim unless you can provide video footage of you wearing a pink jumpsuit and standing on your head with the item in question on a velvet pillow balanced on your feet, or some such nonsence. To put it bluntly, Vortex as a brand have completely cut the crap.

Their warranty is UNLIMITED. They don’t care how you broke the sight, if you got it run over by a tank or if you incinerated it in an accidental house fire. They don’t even care if you are the original owner, all you have to do is send the remnants of the non-functional sight back to them and they will replace it with one that works. Simple as that, no receipts, paperwork or efforts to avoid honouring their promise. How refreshing is that?

REAL STEEL OPTICS FOR UNDER £200!

IN THE WORLD OF OPTICS IT’S EASY TO COMPLETELY DISREGARD ANYTHING THAT DOESN’T COME FROM THE DOMINANCE OF AIMPOINT AND EOTECH, AND SOMETIMES RIGHTLY SO. HOWEVER OVER THE YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN A RANGE OF COMPANIES TO THREATEN THAT DOMINANCE, RELEASING OPTICS THAT NOT ONLY RIVAL THESE TWO PRESTIGIOUS COMPANIES, BUT DARE I SAY IT, SURPASS THEM. ONE OF THOSE COMPANIES ARE VORTEX. Vortex first appeared on our radar a few years back as we did the usual yearly tour of the various trade shows; the IWA Show in Germany is remembered correctly. Now these trade shows may seem like a lot of you to be an absolute haven in regards to tactical gear, but finding innovative and new products at these shows is often like finding a needle in a haystack.

However once in a while something does jump out at you, and it just so happened that one year Vortex were introduced to us.

So who are Vortex and where have they come from? Because for us they certainly just appeared on the tactical gear scene out of nowhere!

Vortex are a family owned company based in Middleton, Wisconsin, USA, and the Hamilton family have been involved in the optics business on and off since 1986. Initially they were involved heavily in the bird watching business, but over time they have moved more directly into the shooting market Vortex itself was established in 2003/4 and built business slowly but steadily via mail order and the internet.

Vortex Optics today designs, engineers and distributes a complete line of premium, tactical scopes and sights, spotting scopes, tripods and related accessories.

Obviously though, good equipment will always find it’s way, and steadily they also began to build up a trusted dealer network in the USA. It became obvious to one and all that the Hamiltons, and anyone who worked for them, were completely passionate about their optics; and wanted to make the best possible products they could and back that up with exemplary customer service.

Now we could sit here and talk about company history all day long, however where a company came from doesn’t make a product better or worse, and ultimately that’s all we care about.

So instead of us stringing together an eloquent story about the trials and tribulations of the Hamilton family and their Vortex story, we’ve instead brought you a range of their optics; allowing you to make a decision on whether you think Vortex are up to the task of rivalling the supremacy of Aimpoint and EoTech.

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SIGHT PIC TURE E VOLVED VORTEX OPTICS UNDER £200 IN OUR S

VORTEX - SPARC II

Vortex Optics Sparc II is one of their most popular offerings. Positioned neatly as a rival to the likes of the Aimpont T1, the Sparc is a compact red-dot sight that’s ideal for close quarters use on an assault rifle or SMG platform. It’s small size makes it lightweight and unobtrusive, ideal for a “dynamic” and tactically adaptable weapon. In spite of it’s compact dimensions, you get a lot of bang for your buck with the price tag at less than £160!

“Get on target fast with the SPARC II. Ultra-compact and lightweight, the SPARC II (Speed Point Aiming for Rapid Combat) is equally at home mounted on an AR-15 or shotgun. Digital rear facing controls for powering on/off and adjusting the 2 MOA daylight bright red dot brightness at ten intensity levels—automatically returning to the last dot intensity used when powered up.

Rugged single-piece body machined from aircraft grade aluminum is o-ring sealed for waterproof and fog-proof performance.

The versatile multi-height mount system accommodates most firearms including AR-15s needing absolute or lower 1/3 co-witness heights, and mounts on standard Weaver or Picatinny bases (not included).

A modular three-piece base offers four separate mounting heights for user- and weapon-specific customisation.”

VORTEX - VENOM

Aimed squarely at the likes of the Docter Sight and the Trijicon RMR, the Vortex Venom is a dinky reflex sight that’s fit for use on anything form a pistol slide to a shotgun, used as a primary sight in these applications or on a longer gun as a secondary close-quarters aiming device. At just 1.6oz including the rail mount, you’ll barely notice the Venom is there until you need it. At £184.99 this is the most expensive of the selection of sights we have tested here, but as the saying goes, good things come in small packages.

“Make your AR, pistol, or shotgun even more poisonous with the Venom Red Dot sight. A 3 MOA dot promotes rapid target acquisition, while providing a precise point of aim— getting shots down range and on target fast.

The durable, machined aluminum housing ensures the unit will stand up to whatever you throw at it. High-quality, fully multi-coated lens offers a clean, wide field of view. Our top-load system makes changing the CR 1632 battery a snap and alleviates the need to remove the sight when switching the power source. The power and dot intensity controls are conveniently located on the left side of the unit. Flush 1 MOA windage and elevation adjustments are super sleek and make sighting in a breeze.”

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OPTICAL FEATURES ■ Fully Multi-Coated: Multiple anti-reflective coatings on all air-to-glass surfaces increase light transmission.

■ Bright Red Dot: Highly visible in daylight.

CONSTRUCTION FEATURES ■ Single-Piece: Compact & lightweight.

■ Waterproof: O-ring seals prevent moisture, dust and debris from penetrating for reliable performance in all environments.

■ Fog-proof: Nitrogen gas purging delivers fog-proof, waterproof performance.

■ Shockproof: Rugged construction withstands recoil and impact.

■ Hard Anodized Finish: Highly durable low-glare matte finish.

■ Operating Temperature: Rated from -4 degrees to +158 degrees Fahrenheit.

CONVENIENCE FEATURES ■ Multi-Height Mount: Includes a high mount, low mount, and spacer that can be combined to provide various heights.

■ Unlimited Eye Relief: Non-critical eye relief for rapid target acquisition.

■ Adjustable Dot Intensity: Provides ten variable illumination settings - the lowest two settings are night-vision compatible.

■ Battery Life: 12-hour auto-shutdown.

Typical life is 300 hours at max brightness and 5,000 hours at minimum brightness.

OPTICAL FEATURES ■ Fully Multi-Coated: Multiple anti-reflective coatings on all air-to-glass surfaces increase light transmission.

■ Premium Wide-Field Lens: Exceptional edge-to-edge resolution.

CONSTRUCTION FEATURES ■ Single-Piece Chassis: Compact/lightweight.

■ Waterproof: O-ring seals prevent moisture, dust and debris from penetrating for reliable performance in all environments.

■ Shockproof: Rugged construction withstands recoil and impact.

■ Hard Anodised Finish: Highly durable low-glare matte finish.

■ ArmorTek: Ultra-hard, scratch-resistant coating protects exterior lenses from scratches, oil and dirt.

■ Magnification: 1x ■ Objective Lens Diameter: 22mm ■ Eye Relief: Unlimited ■ Adjustment Graduation: 1 MOA ■ Travel per Rotatio: 45 MOA ■ Max Elevation Adjustment: 90 MOA ■ Max Windage Adjustment: 90 MOA ■ Parallax Setting: Parallax Free ■ Length: 3.1 inches ■ Weight: 5.9 ounces

£159.99

CONVENIENCE FEATURES ■ Unlimited Eye Relief: Non-critical eye relief for rapid target acquisition.

■ Battery Life: 14-hour auto-shutdown maximises battery life. Up to 150 hours of use at highest setting. Use at lower settings can allow up to 30,000 hours.

■ Magnification: 1x ■ Eye Relief: Unlimited ■ Dot Size: 3 MOA ■ Adjustment Graduation: 1 MOA ■ Max Elevation Adjustment: 130 MOA ■ Max Windage Adjustment: 100 MOA ■ Parallax Setting: Parallax free ■ Length: 1.9 inches ■ Weight: 1.1 ounces (1.6 with mount)

£184.99

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OUR SPOTLIGHT - VORTEX OPTICS UNDER £200 IN OUR SPOTLIGHT

VORTEX - STRIKEFIRE II

Fancy a sight that’s got a more classic look to balance out a chunkier gun, perhaps you prefer a more retro look? The Vortex Strikefire II is roughly equivalent to the versatile and renowned Aimpoint Comp M2 in dimensions and features. Larger overall than the Sparc, but still CQB friendly this sight will look at home on longer rifles and the cantilever mount will make positioning it in the right spot easily. With Red/Green dot switching, it’s hard to believe this comes in at less than £150!

“When situations demand split-second target acquisition and maximum field of view, mount up the StrikeFire II and shoot—both eyes open. Feature-rich, versatile and reliable, the StrikeFire II is a great choice for shooters who want a quality red dot sight, but don’t want to break the bank. Features sleek rear-facing controls for power on/off and easy adjustment of ten dot intensity levels—lowest two settings are night-vision compatible.

Automatically returns to the last dot intensity used when powered up. The 30mm aluminium alloy chassis provides extra-high recoil rating and is waterproof and fog-proof. Strike fast!”

OPTICAL FEATURES ■ Fully Multi-Coated: Multiple anti-reflective coatings on all air-to-glass surfaces increase light transmission.

■ Red/Green Dot: Choice of dot colour.

CONSTRUCTION FEATURES ■ Single-Piece Chassis: Compact/lightweight.

■ Waterproof: O-ring seals prevent moisture, dust and debris from penetrating for reliable performance in all environments.

■ Fog-proof: Nitrogen gas purging delivers fog-proof, waterproof performance.

■ Shockproof: Rugged construction withstands recoil and impact.

■ Hard Anodised Finish: Highly durable low-glare matte finish.

■ Operating Temperature: Rated from -22 degrees to +140 degrees Fahrenheit.

CONVENIENCE FEATURES ■ Cantilever Ring Mount: Puts the optic bore center 40 mm above the base, providing lower 1/3 co-witness with iron sights on flat top AR-15 rifles.

■ Unlimited Eye Relief: Non-critical eye relief for rapid target acquisition.

■ Adjustable Dot Intensity: Provides ten variable illumination settings—the lowest two settings are night-vision compatible.

■ Battery Life: 12-hour auto-shutdown feature maximises battery life. Typical battery life is 300 hours at maximum brightness and 6,000 hours at minimum brightness setting.

■ Magnification: 1x ■ Objective Lens Diameter: 30mm ■ Eye Relief: Unlimited ■ Adjustment Graduation: 1/2 MOA ■ Travel per Rotation: 25 MOA ■ Max Elevation Adjustment: 100 MOA ■ Max Windage Adjustment: 100 MOA ■ Parallax Setting: Parallax Free ■ Length: 5.6 inches ■ Weight: 7.2 ounces

TO BUY THESE SIGHTS AND TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT MORE OF THE RANGE FROM VORTEX OPTICS, INCLUDING THEIR RANGE OF MAGNIFIED HUNTING SCOPES AND OTHER ACCESSORIES GO TO W W W. R I F L E W O R K S . C O . U K

£144.99

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FIGHTING FIT!

BAT TLE TECH

NIGHT VISION UNDER OUR SPOTLIGHT

WHAT’S THE RIGHT PROGRAM FOR ME? THIS YEAR THE WORLD OF FITNESS HAS EXPLODED, AND IT COMES AS NO SURPRISE THAT WITH THE CURRENT POPULARITY OF BECOMING A FITTER VERSION OF YOURSELF, A HUGE RANGE OF FITNESS PROGRAMS HAVE BURST ONTO THE MARKET, ALL PROMISING TO SCULPT YOU INTO THE VERY DEFINITION OF A LEAN, MEAN, MUSCLE MACHINE. BUT WHICH OF THESE PROGRAMS ACTUALLY WORK? AND ARE THEY ACTUALLY JUST A COLOSSAL WASTE OF TIME? WE GIVE OUR THOUGHTS ON THIS TOPIC THIS MONTH, AS WELL AS HIGHLIGHTING SOME OF THE BEST TRAINING PROGRAMS WE’VE COME ACROSS. As with anything in life, when something becomes popular every Tom, Dick and Harry tries their hand at making some quick money off of the trend before it dies, and that same principle applies to the world of fitness. No matter how much you may try to ignore it, you always end up coming across the latest fitness trend or latest technique that will “leave you ripped in 60 days”. First it was CrossFit, then it was Insanity shortly followed by Spinning classes or Military Bootcamp style training. Each and every one of them promised to make you a

fitter, stronger version of yourself provided you pay X amount of money to become a member, X amount of money to buy the correct gear which so happened to be provided by the people running said fitness trend and generally poured your wallet out until it was bled dry.

And sure, many of these training fads actually work. Over the year I’ve seen some amazing transformations, but at the same time I’ve also seen some people who’ve just stagnated, and instead of saying it’s time for change, have just instead stuck at the same slog and got nowhere fast.

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We do however see the importance of training programs, and whilst there are many out there that are very hit and miss, there are also many programs that offer a great amount of information that can be used as is or used to expand your own knowledge.

One thing we’ve always followed when it comes to training programs is not to use them as a be-all end-all. By that we mean don’t be afraid to slightly adapt them. Sure, a lot of the information provided and exercise plans devised will be done in a way that everything compliments each other, however

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don’t be afraid to swap certain exercises out for others.

Also, living in the digital age there are a huge amount of resources online. Should you find yourself unaware of an exercise, don’t just completely disregard it, research it!

Introducing your body to constant change will see you get a lot more from your training regimes as opposed to sticking with the same 5 day training program for a year.

With all of that in mind, we’ve highlighted some of our favourite training regimes and programs this year, giving you a complete range of different programs.

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G H T - FNI GI HG THI TN GV FI ISTI OB NU T UWNHDA ET ’RS OT HU ER R SI GPHOT T PLRIOGG HR TA M- F NO RI GMHE T? 8 WEEK PHYSIQUE 1 M10 BEST FOR: BODY PHYSIQUE

Everyone at one point in their life wants to try and gain the ultimate physique. By this we mean being super ripped; the 6-pack, the pecs and the general chiseled look. Now there are a lot of really good training guides out there for those of you who want to try and pursue such a physique, but one that has really caught my eye as of late is the 8 Week Physique program from M10 Fitness.

M10 Fitness are a gym based in Nottingham, UK, with an absolutely huge reputation. Mark Coles, the Director of M10 Fitness has built himself a huge reputation within the fitness scene, and with features from GQ and Mens Health amongst others, you’ll have no doubt believing the hype surrounding M10 Fitness.

2 INSANITY BEST FOR: HOME TRAINING

We mentioned Insanity earlier, calling it a fad and it was exactly that.

That’s not to say it’s not a fad with a place in the fitness world. In fact when Insanity first popped up we took a look at it, and our staff all participated in doing the whole program when leaving the office, and everyone noticed a massive change - not only in regards to their physique, but general fitness as well.

Insanity is a high octane circuit training DVD that aims to push you through your aerobic threshold. It does this through high intensity interval training, meaning you do some training as hard and as fast as you can, then you have a break and then you go again but harder and faster, and then you have another break and then you go again.

Insanity is broken into 6 different workouts, each with their own aim.

3 YOGA BEST FOR: TRYING SOMETHING NEW!

Too many men are scared off of trying Yoga because they see it as a girls thing, but believe it or not Yoga has huge benefits for anyone who partakes in it, and whats better is it can be practiced ANYWHERE! In it’s basics, Yoga is a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, and contains a whole heap of different practices. However the part we’re interested in is the art of breath control, simple meditation, and the adaption of specific body poses.

Through regular Yoga practice, individuals will see increases in flexibility, as well as strengthened and lengthened muscles. Yoga has a lot of basis around balance as well, which hugely increases your core strength. But on top of that there are a number of more underlying benefits.

The reason I’m such a fan of the M10 8 Week Physique program is the sheer amount of information it provides you with. Not only are you getting an 8 week training program that has been expertly put together, but you also get a diet plan which helps you work out your macros, a cardio plan to factor in with your weight training, meal ideas, a list of supplements which will boost your performance and recovery, log sheets that are already set up for you, and a whole heap of other information you can draw on to not only improve your physique but also your understanding of fitness on the whole.

What’s better, is if you’re really confident you can supply before and after shots to M10 Fitness for a chance to win a range of prizes!

To start with you will do a test which is then repeated so you’re able to gauge your progress. Then you’ve got Plyometrics Cardio which is aimed towards a mix of strength and cardio training, Cardio Power & Resistance which involves a lot of using gravity as a resistance to things like jumps, Cardio Recovery which is an active recovery workout, Pure Cardio which is exactly what it says on the tin and Cardio Abs which looks at focusing on your core strength. You’ve then also got the ‘MAX’ variations which are essentially the original workouts on steroids!

What I loved so much about Insanity is the fact you can do it from the comfort of your own home. Too many people are intimidated by the gym, and if this allows them to train but not be intimidated by gym equipment or gym-goers, then it’s definitely something good!

Research has shown that not only does Yoga benefit you in the above ways, but it will also improve your digestive system, help you fight food cravings after exercise, improve your brain function, boost your immune system, and promotes deep relaxation which in a time of life where everything is very much full steam ahead, is a nice change of pace.

So honestly, stop being so closed minded and give it a go, whether that be at a class, or at home. But trust me, you’ll be surprised how many guys you’ll see at Yoga classes these days!

CONDITIONING: ARMED FORCES PROGRAMS 4 STOIC BEST FOR: ARMED FORCES TRAINING + GENERAL FITNESS

During the summer we had the privilege of introducing you all to Stoic Conditioning, a veteran run fitness company specialising in the production of training programs catered for the different Armed Forces branches. Since then many members of the Raider staff have picked up one of their training guides and have found great joy in doing so.

Stoic Conditioning offer 8 different training programs at this current moment in time, with 4 catered for serving personnel and 4 for individuals aspiring to join the Armed Forces. In their range they have training programs for - Potential Royal Marine Course, Parachute Regiment Assessment Course, RAF Regiment PGSC, Army Development and Selection Centre, UK Special Forces Selection, Tactical Mass, 365 Tactical Athlete and 1.5 Mile Run Improvement.

Each program comes equipped with a range of knowledge from individuals who have all taken part in these courses and passed them, so their information is certainly valid. You then get a ‘Testing Week’ regime that gives you the ability to set yourself a baseline along with a 12 week training guide to help you achieve your goal.

The great thing about Stoic Conditioning is you can tell they genuinely care. On top of the brilliant training programs, if you purchase one you also get access to a forum run by the staff behind the programs, allowing you to gain information from them first hand.

Not only is this great for asking questions, but it is also a great source of encouragement, because we can all have a bad day.

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$198 (AUD)

FOR THOSE OF US IN THE UK, THE NAME PLATATAC MAY MEAN VERY LITTLE TO YOU. HOWEVER, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE HEARD OF PLATATAC, YOU’LL NO DOUBT BE A HUGE FAN BY NOW. SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO AREN’T AWARE OF PLATATAC, HERE’S OUR WARNING TO YOU NOW - BRACE YOURSELVES, BECAUSE YOUR BANK BALANCE WILL NO DOUBT BE TAKING A HUGE HIT SHORTLY!

THE PLATATAC ‘H’ SMOCK W W W . P L A T A T A C . C O M For us, Platatac was a hidden gem we unearthed back in the heyday of operational duty in Afghanistan. Having had access to a few choice individuals to send gear out to for review in theatre, one individual came back to us one day asking whether we’d seen or heard about Platatac before. As you can imagine, our answer was a resounding no, but it certainly peeked our interest. After a little digging, along with some back and forth between Raider and Platatac, a relationship started to form and we started getting review product over to be tested. And the resounding opinion was a big thumbs up, regardless of where we asked.

For those of you who are unaware of Platatac, we’ll give you a little history lesson. Platypus Outdoors Group, the group behind the Platatac brand originally started life as a humble outdoors and military store, but one with an ambitious vision. Over the years they slowly grew, now being a global powerhouse, distributing over 40 brands with a combined product list well in the thousands.

Platatac soon grew from the foundations of Platypus, with the group seeing a gap in the market for them to grow into. Now that brand is fully grown and flourishing, with a huge amount of different products in their range, all designed and manufactured with nothing but top quality materials to create a top quality product.

A massive Raider favourite from the Platatac range is their brilliant ‘H’ Smock, and with good reason too.

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The Platatac ‘H’ Smock has been part of the Platatac range for a number of years now, and was not long ago released in Multicam; likely to keep up with the Australian Army and their change from ‘Oz Cam’ to Multicam.

The ‘H’ Smock is made entirely from cotton, and provides the user with a comfortable and ventilated smock perfect for the heat of current theatres of war. It is both thin enough to keep you cool under physical strain, but thick enough to break the wind when you’re stuck in the elements on an OP or Sentry Point.

The major selling point for the ‘H’ Smock though is it’s sheer amount of storage space. With 4 large utility pockets, 2 zipped mapped pockets on the chest, 3 internal poachers pockets at the rear and 2 bicep pockets with internal zippered ID/ notebook pockets with mesh bottomed pockets.

All pockets come with flap covered Canadian style taped buttons, and the same can be said about the central zip area. You’ve also got a large hood with the option to tie it down to the collar.

As mentioned previously, the ‘H’ Smock is a real favourite with Raider staff, and our previous Tried & Tested team fell in love with it giving it top marks. But why exactly? Now not to knock any other Smock manufacturers out there, but the Platatac ‘H’ Smock definitely hits all the right chords. Firstly you’ve got the build quality. Quite frankly it’s brilliant. With the ‘H’ Smock you know you’ve got a product that will definitely last, with every little detail being thought of. Secondly

you’ve got the afore mentioned pocket real estate; 13 pockets is definitely nothing to turn your nose up to. And finally you’ve got the comfort factor.

When you’re spending $198.00 AUD (Roughly £100.00), you expect a product to be wearable, but Platatac went one further and made the ‘H’ Smock COMFORTABLE. When you’re spending a large amount of time in something, you want it to be two things - functional and comfortable, and Platatac have really hit the nail on the head.

Overall the Platatac ‘H’ Smock is a great product, and you’ll struggle to find a smock on the market that does things better. Our advise? Make sure you check the rest of Platatac’s range when you head off to buy this, because for an extra $2 AUD, you’ll get free shipping as well!

THE ‘H’ SMOCK FEATURES

■ Adjustable hood with retention strap and shaping wire trim.

■ Lined yoke.

■ Adjustable cuff with double elastic throat to stop that pesky wind.

■ 4x throated cargo pockets with taped buttons.

■ 2x zip map/document pockets.

■ Draw cord waist and hem.

■ Internal poachers pockets.

■ Loose cut garment ensures freedom of movement in arms and torso, whilst ensuring ventilation and room for extreme cold weather equipment to be worn underneath.

■ Reinforced Double layer elbow pads.

■ Double stitched and Bar tacking on all major seam lines.

■ Ventilation buttonhole breathing points to turn your arm pits into charm pits.

■ YKK zipper.

■ 100% Multicam Cotton Ripstop.

■ ITW Nexus Hardware .

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V O L U M E

GUN REVIEWS • GAME REPORTS • HOW-TO GUIDES • GEAR TESTS

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THE WORLD’S FIRST DEDICATED SIM RACING MAGAZINE

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THE MAGAZINE FOR THE ALPHA MALE

OUTDOORS - ADRENALIN - TACTICAL - ESSENTIALS - FITNESS - EXPLORE

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GUNFIGHTER!

WE TAKE A KNEE WITH WORLD CLASS GUNFIGHTER TRAVIS HALEY IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW TO FIND OUT WHAT MAKES HIM TICK AND HOW THE WORLD OF HALEY STRATEGIC PARTNERS REVOLVES . . .

HARDSHELL JACKETS!

WE TRY BEFORE YOU BUY! 8 HAND-PICKED JACKETS UN-ZIPPED AND BARING ALL!

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TEL: 0114 286 4192

WWW.HUEYS.CO.UK

NE W CA IMA N PA T TER N !

£44.95 £39.99 £74.95

£16.00

LBX ASSAULTER SHIRT: CAIMAN AND MULTICAM

OPS RANGER GREEN CAP

£79.95 LBX ASSAULTER PANTS: CAIMAN AND MULTICAM

MECHANIX: M-PACT 3 GLOVE AVAILABLE IN COYOTE AND BLACK

N EW IN!

FERRO CONCEPTS: THE SLINGSTER AVAILABLE IN MULTICAM RANGER GREEN OR COYOTE

£184.99

£27.50

£64.99

£149.99

LBX 4019 ARMATUS SLICK PLATE CARRIER: MAS GREY

OPS HYDRATION POUCH RANGER GREEN

OPS GEN 2 IDA SHIRT M81 WOODLAND

FERRO CONCEPTS: THE SLICKSTER AVAILABLE IN: MULTICAM AND RANGER GREEN

£79.50

£19.99

£158.99

£39.99

£129.99

OPS EASY CHEST RIG RANGER GREEN

LBX M4 SPEED DRAW MAG POUCH - RANGER GREEN

UF PRO STRIKER HT COMBAT PANTS AVAILABLE IN: MULTICAM AND COYOTE

FERRO CONCEPTS: THE DANGLER! MULTICAM, COYOTE AND RANGER GREEN

LBX MODULAR ASSAULT PANNEL - MULTICAM

£154.99

£82.95

£114.99

£178.00

UF PRO: DELTA ACE JACKET AVAILABLE IN BROWN GREY AND MULTICAM

UF PRO: HUNTER SWEATER AVAILABLE IN MULTICAM AND GREENZONE

UF PRO DELTA ACE SWEATER AVAILABLE IN BROWN GREY AND BLACK

ARC’TERYX LEAF WRAITH JACKET: MULTICAM

N EW IN!

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ARC’TERYX: DRAC JACKET AVAILABLE IN WOLF GREY AND COYOTE

OPS DOUBLE 556/AK MAG POUCH - RANGER GREEN

OPS EASY PLATE CARRIER RANGER GREEN

OPS ADVANCED MODULAR PLATE CARRIER AVAILABLE IN COYOTE AND MULTICAM

OAKLEY SI GLOVE LIGHTWEIGHT - COYOTE

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HIKING BOOTS COMPARATIVE REPORT

FINDING THE RIGHT PAIR OF HIKING SHOES FOR YOU CAN BE A REAL CHORE. WITH THE HUNDREDS OF PAIRS OUT THERE MADE BY A VARIETY OF MANUFACTURERS IT CAN BECOME VERY EASY TO JUST GO FOR SOMETHING THAT ‘LOOKS GOOD’ WITHOUT TAKING INTO ACCOUNT A VARIETY OF PERFORMANCE FEATURES THAT COULD MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A GOOD HIKE AND A BAD ONE…

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THESE BOOTS WERE MADE FOR WALKING SO WHAT DO I LOOK OUT FOR IN A DECENT HIKING BOOT THEN? Whether you’re hitting one of the top trails in the world for a weekend of strenuous hiking or you simply want a pair to walk the dog along your local trail, there are a variety of boots to choose from.

Making sure you’re wearing the right footwear will give you the support you need along with added comfort so you don’t feel crippled the next morning.

Whilst a lot of this will come down to personal preference, there are a few tips to keep in mind when choosing the right hiking boot.

Before you buy your hiking boots, decide how seriously you’re going to be taking this; almost matching your boot to your ambition - heavy backpacking boots are really not necessary if all you’re doing is walking the dog. Also ensure you’ve got the right fit. Whilst we all like pretty things, sometimes it’s not the pretty things that ensure you peak performance - if they don’t feel right, don’t buy them!

BACKPACKING BOOTS

NUBUCK LEATHER

Designed to carry loads of varying weights on multi-day trips into the backcountry. Super durable and supportive, with stiffer midsoles.

Resemble suede. It is very durable and resists water and abrasion.

MOUNTAINEERING BOOTS

Polyester, nylon and so-called “synthetic leather” are all commonly found in modern boots. They are lighter, break in more quickly, dry faster, and usually cost less.

The heaviest of the boots available, these stuff boots are designed to accommodate heavy loads and will allow crampons for glacier travel - perfect for winter hikes in Rocky Mountain or Denali National Park.

BOOT CUT

Whilst this is irrelevant for this article as we’re purely looking at mid-cut boots, it’s always good to have an understanding of the various cuts of boots for later purchases.

LOW-CUT SHOES

MID-CUT BOOTS

Toes should wiggle easily inside the footwear.

These wrap around your ankles and offer some buffer from debris. They’re a good pick for shorter multi-day trips with moderate loads.

HIGH-CUT BOOTS If you need protection and plan on carrying heavy loads then you’ll definitely want a pair of high-cuts, offering enhanced balance and ankle support.

BOOT MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION

Materials impact a boot’s weight, breathability, durability and water resistance.

FULL-GRAIN LEATHER

They resemble running shoes, and are low-cut with flexible midsoles excellent for day hiking.

HIKING BOOTS

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FITTING YOUR BOOTS

How a boot fits is without a doubt the most important factor of boot selection. A good fit correctly addresses the 3 dimensions of your foot:

Excellent durability and abrasion resistance; plus very good water resistance. Most commonly used in backpacking boots built for extended trips, heavy loads and rugged terrain.

Mid- or high-cut footwear intended for day hikes or weekend backpacking trips with light loads. Pretty flexible and take less time to break-in. Great for hikes at Grand Canyon or Zion National Park.

WATERPROOF LININGS Boots labeled as “waterproof” feature uppers constructed with waterproof/breathable membranes (such as Gore-Tex® or eVent®). They work well to keep feet dry in wet conditions. Keep in mind that the leather on these boots should be still treated with a waterproofing product.

A good choice for lighter loads on trails that are maintained. They provide minimal roll-resistance for ankles and leave your feet more vulnerable to debris from dirt, grit, sand and mud.

TYPES OF HIKING BOOTS

LIGHT HIKING SHOES

SYNTHETICS

SPLIT-GRAIN LEATHER Usually paired with nylon or nylon mesh to offer lightweight, breathable comfort. Lower cost but less resistant to water and abrasion.

LENGTH WIDTH Feet should not slide around inside footwear; nor should they be compressed from side to side.

VOLUME The “bulk” of your foot should fit securely inside a boot’s interior.

FINAL THOUGHTS

When a boot fits properly there shouldn’t be any play in it whatsoever; you shouldn’t slip around or feel your feet bang into the boot at any point. When looking for a pair of hiking boots I’d fully recommend shopping for them in person instead of buying them online - even if you’ve seen a REAL good deal, just head into your local store and at least try them on first.

One mistake a lot of people make is not wearing the right socks when they go shoe shopping - with a lot of people just wearing their normal thin socks, buying a pair that fits perfectly with them on and then when they try them on with their nice, thick, waterproof trail socks, they realise they’re way too tight.

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OMPARATIVE REVIEW - HIKING BOOTS COMPARATIVE REVIEW

MERRELL

HI TEC

I’ll be honest, when it comes to hiking shoes I have absolutely no experience unless you count the usage of the AKU Pilgrim- a brilliant pair of boots but not a pair I would place in the same category as those on test here. So when I say I’m a complete hiking virgin I mean it!

Now I’d like to think I have a good level of fitness and when a couple of friends invited me along for a weekend of hiking I thought ‘hell, why not!’ - especially seeing as I had a large pile of outdoor gear to review, including the Snugpak sleeping bags featured last month. So I packed it all into my car and got driving!

I’ve spent a lot of time in boots and the one thing that always gets me is regardless of what boots I buy I always end up with some form of rubbing or blistering or just general sore feet; and I must’ve owned about 10 different pairs of boots in my time. Sure, once you’ve broke them in a bit they almost become a mere extension of yourself but those first two or three outings really aren’t very forgiving. So you can understand my amazement when I got home after 2 days of hiking to realise my feet weren’t covered in blisters and I really wasn’t aching at all!

I’ll be honest, I did take a spare pair of hiking boots with me just incase as some of the reviews I had read on the Moab made me not put a lot of faith in their waterproofing capabilities, and at first I very nearly didn’t even bother with the Moab as when I got to my destination it went from rain to hailstones to sleet and back to rain - there really was no letting up in the awful weather. But I braved them and can report that these kept my feet more than dry, and I wasn’t wearing any fancy waterproofed socks either. That’s not to say that if I actually put my feet in a stream they wouldn’t have got wet but I don’t plan on going swimming in them if truth be told! I have however been advised to give these a waterproofing for next time - just in case I do end up taking that lunchtime dip.

Going back to the fact I had no blisters or aches after use, the fit of the Moab’s is brilliant and from hearing back from those who I gave other Merrell’s to, it would seem this is something that Merrell have got nailed down, producing a whole range of comfortable hiking shoes.

The one thing I would complain about with these is there apparent lack of any form of ankle support - now I could be completely wrong here and you could be screaming at me for it but as I said, hiking virgin over here. They just seem to offer next to no support and if I were to get a bad footing I feel they wouldn’t offer much protection in terms of twistingw.

Overall though they’ve been absolutely brilliant so far and have seen a few more shorter outings walking the dogs across the flatness of the Midlands and can imagine they’ll be doing much more hiking soon!

Being the cheapest pair of boots on offer here, you’d expect them to be lacking in quality compared to some of the others on show here especially when some of those offerings are in the mid £100 price range. And who wouldn’t think that? A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that quality is solely based on price, but a lot of the time you’re also paying for the brand name.

Whilst Hi Tec are hardly a small name in the business, they definitely don’t have the prestige of your Merrell’s or Salomon’s, and you may even say that in recent years Jack Pyke have gained such a big following that Hi Tec may be one of the last brands people would take a look at.

But here at Raider we pride ourselves on taking a look at the bigger picture, and we realise that not everyone has £100+ to spend on a pair of hiking boots but at the same time want a pair that aren’t going to fall apart within the first couple of hours of hiking - and that’s where the Globetrotter comes into play.

Last month we reviewed the Globetrotter Shoe - the cut down version of the mid that is on review now and we were very much surprised at the quality given for the price, and that’s very much the same story with the mid version of the Globetrotter.

Built from a waterproofed suede and high performance mesh uppers, this waterproof men’s boot is durable, breathable, supportive and comfortable. The TPR ‘heel arm’ ensures a secure heel lick, even during the most testing underfoot conditions while the lightweight and high performance ‘fork shank’ ensures the right degree of stability and flexibility.

The boot has a moisture-wicking lining to keep the foot dry, and an Ortholite sockliner for long lasting cushioning, anti-odour and anti-microbial properties, ensuring ultimate comfort all day long.

Further comfort is added by the additional layer of underfoot cushioning created through a stroballed EVA layer, sandwiched between the footbed and midsole.

The fit on these is perfect as well -true to size and there was no rubbing or chaffing from the go. This is aided by a brilliant lacing system, which uses both ghilly and double eyelets to provide a secure fit.

A Multi Directional Traction rubber outsole makes this waterproof boot suitable for hiking or walking on varied all terrains, even in harsh weather. All in all the Globetrotter is a fantastic all round multisport boot for men and definitely worth a look if you’re on a tight budget!

MOAB MID

PRICE: £120.00 FROM: WWW.MERRELL.COM

GLOBETROTTER

PRICE: £69.99 FROM: WWW.HI-TEC.COM

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HIKING BOOTS COMPARATIVE REVIEW - HIKING BOOTS COMPA

MERRELL

JACK PYKE

I have hiked and hill walked for more years than I can remember and over those years, I have gone through many pairs of boots and my current boots are in need of retirement. I hate giving up on an old pair of hiking boots: we have had adventures together and they have seen me safely home. Their shape has changed over the years, so the fit is fantastic and blisters are a thing of the long distant past. Unfortunately, the soles are scarily smooth in places and I can’t even remember what colour they were when I bought them.

So, time to give up and try out something new.

For a long time, I have admired Merrell hiking boots. I owned a pair of Merrell hiking trainers and I used them until they fell to bits, so I was delighted to be given the chance to try out the Chameleon Arc 2 Waterproof. They are classic looking hiking boots with a waterproof rubber coating over toe and sides with a nubuck leather upper. I liked the purple ribbon keeping the laces in place and the other little flashes of purple - a nice touch of colour in an otherwise very plain boot.

I have read a few reviews of these boots and there did seem to be a bit of complaint by people who didn’t find them to be genuinely waterproof.

I know it says waterproof in the name, but I think it’s a bit absurd to expect leather hiking boots to keep your feet completely dry. I wore them without waterproofing them over a weekend of rain, hail, snow and mud and I had no problem with wet feet. But frankly, I only did that because I was asked to test them. In normal circumstances, I would always use some sort of waterproofing on my hiking boots, especially where there is stitching, otherwise, at some point you are going to get wet feet.

The magic of these boots though, is in the fit. I can’t remember ever putting on a pair of hiking boots without getting blisters over the first few walks. I walked in the Merrells, often on tarmac, which is not a forgiving surface, for around six hours on the first day and around eight hours the following day. Although my feet ached a bit when I took them off, I had no blisters. They feel quite stiff as you put the boots on but the foot bed is well formed and holds the foot snugly in the boot. I have Achilles tendon problems (shoving a dog up a rock face in front of me) and I have a set of orthopaedic inserts for shoes and boots. They don’t fit in the Merrells because of the way the foot bed has been formed. Despite this, I have had no tendon pain from wearing the boots. Merrell uses Ortholite anatomical foot beds in these boots and it shows in the comfort and wearability. Although the boots are not particularly high at the back, they sit over the ankle bones giving support and stability on rocky tracks and I have had no worries rock hopping.

I’ve only had the Fieldman for a couple of weeks compared to the couple of months I had with the Moab’s so if truth be told I haven’t been able to really put these through their paces. But as to give them a fair review I made sure I was able to get somewhere they would be in their element. Local to us we have a large dog walking area/mountain bike track that is a pretty good area - complete with mud, water and the occasional mini hill (I’m in the Midlands, we don’t have many of those!).

As you can imagine though, with the strange mix of weather we’ve had recently - ranging from beautiful sunshine to massive downpours, the range of testing I managed to get done over a couple of weekends gave me a pretty good insight as to how the boots perform.

In terms of specifications, the Fieldman boasts a huge range, the first we’ll look at is the Vibram sole. As mentioned we’ve had a huge mix of weather and at times some of the terrain I’ve encountered has been extremely wet and slippery, but the Vibram soles provided more than up to the task in terms of grip and I can happily say I didn’t end up on my backside once! The Fieldman claim they are 100% waterproof and breathable and are certainly made to uphold this, and if truth be told these are most probably the best pair out of the six in terms of waterproofing.

Made with full grain leather uppers and an all-round rubber rand, protecting the boot from abrasive terrain, it’s clear these boots are made for the unforgiving outdoors - yet that doesn’t mean they weigh a ton, and although they’re not the lightest pair I’ve ever worn, they certainly aren’t the equivalent of tying bricks to your feet.

There is also a 200 gram Thinsulate insulation lining, which will keep your tootsies warm on the coldest of days - something I’ve been unable to actually test out yet as although it’s ben wet it’s also been pretty mild; but we’ll no doubt be re-visiting these when the winter season comes to see how they hold up.

At £110.00 the Fieldman are by no means a cheap boot, and made by a company that are usually renowned for their cheaper products it was a big surprise to see something £100+ but when you’ve brought in big names like Vibram, Thinsulate and Hydroguard it’s clear as to why they demand such a high price. That’s not to say they’re overpriced though as if truth be told they offer a lot more than some other brands do and you wouldn’t be in bad company if you went out and purchased a pair of these!

CHAMELEON

PRICE: £125.00 FROM: WWW.MERRELL.COM

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FIELDMAN

PRICE: £110.00 FROM: WWW.JACKPYKESHOP.CO.UK

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OMPARATIVE REVIEW - HIKING BOOTS COMPARATIVE REVIEW

SALOMON

MERRELL

Salomon footwear has found itself on the feet of numerous high-profile military units recently, from their low-profile, high-speed XA Pro approach/ running shoes to the chunkier Quest 4D boots, both in us by US Special Forces. They are trusted thanks to a heritage in the outdoor sports market, meaning the engineers behind the shoes themselves have great experience in making fast, light, grippy, supportive and comfortable models, no matter what the use.

We’ve tested the Salomon Discovery GTX Boot over the last few months, some of the wettest the UK has been afflicted with in living memory, which has given us a solid insight into how they perform. Although the Discoverys are built with comfort and stability in mind, they are no lounge slippers. Featuring Salomon’s “Contagrip” non-marking sole, they are grippy on anything from slick concrete to thick mud and the moulded EVA midsole and high-laced design they are supportive and inspire confidence, even with my rather shaky, beaten up ankles!

Lacing options are great thanks to the upper few being hooks allowing you to route and weave the laces as you see fit to avoid hot-spots or pinching as your ankle bends. This also makes the boots rather easier to put on and remove but the downside is that they can be prone to bashing, scraping or breaking off on rough terrain.

Elsewhere the upper of the boot is made from rugged suede and the heel and toe are reinforced with rubber protective cups, making for a boot that’s great for picking your way along rough or rubble strewn ground.

Thanks to an “Orpholite” EVA midsole and heel cushioning, the boot is protective from every angle against this kind of terrain. A waterproof Goretex liner keeps your feet dry and a gusseted tongue prevents even ankle-deep water from permeating for a short period of time. We waded through several deep puddles and no real quantity of water penetrated the outer of the boot. Sloppy, gloopy mud was just the same.

Thanks to its lightweight construction and comfortable build, the Discovery is at home climbing and descending on all kinds of terrain, even doing well on tarmac and interiors without feeling too “clumpy” as boots often can. The sole is firm enough and aggressive enough to provide traction on most surfaces but also sheds mud quickly. After a few full days wear, including an entire weekend in one go, the boots is still fresh and dry thanks to an abrasion resistant, quick drying liner. Our only real qualm is the slightly purple hue these boots are coloured in, although several different drab grey green tones are available, which may suit your needs better. Overall, these are a solid, dependable boot that is ideal for all-year use and may only find itself out of its depth in extreme weather.

I remember reading somewhere that fitness can be simple, the most effective work out doesn’t need the use of a ton of fancy fitness machines, in fact running or in my case walking is an excellent way to stay in shape. If you intend to do some serious walking you’re going to need to get hold of a decent pair of hiking boots, if you want to you can pound the tarmac in a pair of sports shoes, but you will have to ask yourself are they going to stand up to the job?

They may be fine walking to your local, but cross country? That’s a whole new question and an entirely different type of foot wear As with all boots and shoes you’re going to be attracted first of all by their appearance and then may be cost? But with a specialist/ performance pair of boots there are a whole heap of other factors and things you’re going to have to consider. Comfort ranks highly when choosing any kind of foot wear, but for me ankle support and durability were on the top of my list, not to mention waterproofing. Now you could argue that there are a number of hiking boots that offer those exact qualities and you would be right.

For me it was arguably cost over appearance, comfort, ankle support, durability and stability on uneven and firm ground, because let’s face it a hiking boot that looks this good might find their way onto my feet on a trip to the pub and that the beauty of many of today’s modern hiking boots not only do they offer foot and ankle protection across country, but they equally look right at home walking down the high street.

Merrell Tucson Mids have been designed with a durable outsole that can take on any terrain, featuring deep lugs that offer great traction along with a padded ankle collar and lace up front for a secure and comfortable fit. These Merrell walking boots also come with a waterproof upper with breathable mesh panels for cooling protection from the elements.

The Tuscan Mids oozed comfort for the first fitting, with no rubbing or chafing after a week of moderate walking, the breathable mesh panels kept my feet well ventilated, whilst the boots waterproof upper kept my feet bone dry .The Tuscan mids also come with what Merrell call “M-Select GRIP Technology”, which essentially gives the wearer more traction, by the sole of the boot releasing dirt and debris that would normally build up on muddy ground.

DISCOVERY GTX

PRICE: £140.00 FROM: WWW.SALOMON.COM

TUCSON GTX MIDS

PRICE: £95.00 FROM: WWW.MERRELL.COM

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BAGGED AND TAGGED!

OVER THE LAST FEW ISSUES OF RAIDER, WE’VE BROUGHT YOU A GREAT SELECTION OF BAGS FROM A RANGE OF DIFFERENT COMPANIES; SOME HOUSEHOLD NAMES AND SOME NEW PLAYERS IN THE MARKET. WELL THIS MONTH IT COMES TO AN END, AND WRAPPING UP OUR ‘BAGGED & TAGGED!’ RANGE OF ARTICLES WE HAVE VIPER TACTICAL!

£40.50

MINI MODULAR PACK

The Viper Mini Modular Pack is a multifunction load carrier as it is able to be used solely as an individual pack or alternatively be attached to a MOLLE panel such as Plate Carrier etc. Not only to be used in a military/tactical background, this pack can also serve a civilian with the day to day practicality and features such as convenient sized pouches, bladder holder & helmet storage (helmet not included) mesh hammock complete with compression straps for adjustment. Located on the front of the pack for quick and easy access. The Viper Tactical Mini Modular Pack has a capacity of 19.5 litres FEATURES: ■ Internal hydration sleeve ■ 2x External side pouches ■ Hydration/coms outlet ■ Internal retaining straps/ bungees ■ Felt lined exterior utility pouches ■ Padded shoulder straps and sternum strap ■ QR buckles ■ Multiple compression straps ■ Compatible with Plate Carrier ■ 1x large Velcro ID panel ■ 2x V-lock ■ 1x D-Lock ■ Capacity 19.5litres (approx) ■ Material 600D Cordura ■ Dimensions 42 x 23 x 34cm

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£49.95

RECON EXTRA PACK

The Viper Tactical Recon Extra Pack has a 20 litre capacity & comes with multiple compression straps & grab handle. With the padded shoulder straps and foam ventilated 4 point back panel the Viper Recon Extra Pack makes a comfortable load carrier.

The bladder pocket located internally allows the user to adjust/remove as required. The pack can be reduced using the compression straps or added to with the MOLLE attachment panels.

FEATURES: ■ Internal hydration sleeve ■ Internal retaining straps/ bungees ■ Felt lined exterior utility pouches ■ Hydration/coms outlet ■ Multiple compression straps ■ 4 point, ventex system back panel ■ Padded shoulder straps and sternum strap ■ QR buckles ■ Grab carry handle ■ MOLLE webbing attachments located on pouches ■ 2x Velcro ID panels ■ 2x V-lock ■ 1x D-Lock ■ Capacity 20 litres (approx) ■ Material 600D Cordura ■ Dimensions 45 x 22 x 20 cm

£76.45

RANGER PACK

With padded shoulder straps and foam ventilated 4 point back panel the Viper Ranger Pack makes a comfortable load carrier. The ballistic plate and bladder pockets located internally allow the user to adjust/remove as required. The pack can be reduced using the compression straps or added to with the MOLLE attachment panels. The Ranger Pack has a 36.5 litre capacity to fit your tactical kit FEATURES: ■ Internal hydration sleeve ■ Internal retaining straps/ bungees ■ Felt lined exterior utility pouches ■ Hydration/coms outlet ■ Multiple compression straps ■ 4 point, ventex system back panel ■ Padded shoulder straps and sternum strap ■ QR buckles ■ Side carry handle ■ MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D–Rings ■ 2x Velcro ID panels ■ 2x V-lock ■ 1x D-Lock ■ Capacity 36.5 litres (approx) ■ Material 600D Cordura ■ Dimensions 46 x 33 x 26 cm

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GEAR SH CK

NOW W O R LS H I P P I N G DWID E

THE

THE GEAR SH ACK! FOLLOW THE GEAR SHACK <THEGEARSHACK>

FOR ALL YOUR WEEKEND WARRIOR NEEDS W

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£76.50

MISSION PACK

The Viper Tactical Mission Pack has a generous 38.5 litre capacity providing ample room for all your essential tactical kit. For additional comfort the Mission Pack has a padded back panel for comfort and stability, comes complete with padded shoulder straps & adjustable hip pad / harness. Made from 600D Cordura. With internal compartments to accommodate ballistic plates and hydration bladders the Mission Pack is fully capable and adaptable for most operations.

FEATURES: ■ Internal hydration sleeve ■ Ventex system back panel ■ Hydration/coms outlet ■ Adjustable hip pad / harness ■ Padded shoulder straps and sternum strap ■ QR buckles ■ Multiple compression straps ■ MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D–rings ■ Side carry handle ■ 2x V-lock ■ 1x D-Lock ■ Capacity 38.5 litres (approx) ■ Material 600D Cordura ■ Dimensions 52 x 24 x 32 cm

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GET ALL THE VIPER BAGS FEATURED H ERE A N D MO RE A T.. .

EMAIL: INFO@THE-GEARSHACK.COM

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£40.50

MIDI PACK

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£23.95

ONE DAY MODULAR PACK

The Viper Midi Pack is made from 600D Cordura and can serve as your day to day pack with a 22 litre capacity. With multiple compartments the pack as able to safely contain most belongings whether it is for travelling longer distances or short commutes.

For additional comfort the Midi Pack comes complete with padded shoulder straps & sternum strap with quick release buckle enabling the user to travel comfortably and securely.

The One Day Modular Pack can be either a day pack by itself or be attached to any MOLLE panel whether that be on your Plate Carrier or other load carrying pack. This lightweight pack can be reduced right down with its multiple compression straps and also added to using the MOLLE panels located on both sides and front. 13.5 litre capacity, providing ample room for the days essential kit. Comes with 2 x V-locks 1 x D-lock

FEATURES: ■ Internal hydration sleeve ■ Padded shoulder straps and sternum strap ■ QR buckles ■ 2x Side stow pouches ■ Internal Nylon utility sleeves ■ Mesh back ■ Compression straps ■ MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D–rings ■ 2x V-lock ■ 1x D-Lock ■ Capacity 22 litres (approx) ■ Material 600D Cordura ■ Dimensions 43 x 23 x 26 cm

FEATURES: ■ Hydration/coms outlet ■ Multiple compression straps ■ Internal mesh pocket for hydration bladder ■ Shoulder straps with QR buckles ■ MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D–Rings ■ Compatible with Plate Carrier ■ 1x large Velcro ID panel ■ 2x V-lock ■ 1x D-Lock ■ Capacity: 13.5litres (approx) ■ Material: 600D Cordura ■ Colours: V-Cam, Coyote, Green, Black ■ Dimensions 19 x 20 x 43cm

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B A T T L E T E C H

C A M E R O

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CAMERO

I N N O V A T E S

R O O M

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S TEP INTO THE KNOWN

ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING STORIES TO COME OUT OF MILIPOL 2015 FOR US WAS THE INTRODUCTION OF CAMERO. PRIOR TO MILIPOL, WE HADN’T EVEN HEARD OF THEM, HOWEVER THE TECHNOLOGY ON SHOW BY THE ISRAELI COMPANY IS AMAZING. THEIR XAVER SYSTEM IS SOME OF THE MOST EXCITING TECHNOLOGY WE’VE SEEN RELEASED IN RECENT YEARS, SO WE JUST HAD TO BRING YOU SOME INFORMATION REGARDING IT!

B A T T L E T E C H

C AMERO TECH INNOVATES ROOM ENTRY

Battletech this month was going to focus some boats, until we found Camero, and no not the beautiful Camero from Chevrolet. In fact we’re talking about about Israel based Camero-Tech. Camero Tech – a world leader and pioneer in the development and marketing of radar-based through-wall systems, known as the Xaver.

Founded in 2004, Camero (Camero-Tech Ltd.) is a pioneer and leader in development and marketing of Radar based imaging systems. Camero’s resources draw on decades of experience providing solutions to major government and commercial customers. The company has a solid track-record of technological innovation and timely solution delivery to its worldwide customers.

The Camero headquarters including its R&D center along with the global sales and marketing department is based in Kfar Netter, Israel. As an ISO 9001:2008 rated company, Camero is committed to ultimate Customer Satisfaction with the highest standards of design, development, and manufacturing.

The Xaver™ family of through wall imaging systems are designed to provide an optimal solution for a variety of different military and law enforcement applications.

The Xaver™ systems have been designed in close cooperation with the user community to provide a reliable and tactical situational awareness solution for urban environments.

The innovative technology developed by Camero provides operators with an unprecedented operational advantage.

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XAVER 400

The Xaver™ 400 allows for quick location of people hidden by walls and barriers, enabling tactical teams to step into the known and obtain mission-critical information.

The Xaver™ 400 is a compact, lightweight and durable personal device, optimized for the speed of tactical entries. The Xaver™ 400 gives special ops and rescue forces critical information in real-time about the number of people and their location behind a wall. Simple to operate, the Xaver™ 400 provides vital information when and where it is needed.

Tactical teams conducting urban operations are constantly faced with stepping into the unknown - is anyone in the room, hidden behind the wall or hiding in the hallway? Mission plans must account for any contingency, adding complexity and increasing the chance of error often in life and death situations. Camero’s Xaver™ Sense Through The Wall (STTW) systems provide unprecedented situational awareness.

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XAVER™ 400 FEATURES

■ Compact, light and easy to operate, the Xaver™ 400 allows maximum mobility and maneuverability in virtually any type of urban operation. The system is ready to go at the push of a button, requiring no warm-up time.

■ Reliable detection of people behind most common wall materials.

■ Simple user interface with tracking capabilities for intuitive interpretation.

■ Simultaneously detects static & moving objects.

■ 20m (65ft) detection range.

■ Ability to operate in a stand-off mode.

■ Provides information about room dimensions and major infrastructure elements.

■ Optional Internal wireless video transmitter.

XAVER™ 400 TECHNOLOGY

The Xaver™ 400 utilizes a state-of-the-art system architecture, encompassing multiple cutting edge technologies. A unique, multichannel, and micro-power Ultra-Wideband (UWB) sensor that operates at very high bandwidth enables reliable detection and industry leading object resolution. Algebraic image reconstruction algorithms are used to cope with cluttered environments resulting in a high quality and intuitive image. Simple operation and compact packaging are key.

THE XAVER™ 400 GIVES SPECIAL OPS AND RESCUE FORCES CRITICAL INFORMATION IN REAL-TIME ABOUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND THEIR LOCATION BEHIND A WALL.

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XAVER 800

The Xaver™ 800 is a portable, high performance imaging system, optimized for gathering instant and accurate real-time information from behind solid walls or barriers.

The Xaver™ 800 is unique in providing for the first time a true 3D imaging of objects behind walls. The Xaver™ 800’s superior object resolution allows quick location of people hidden by walls and barriers, and tracking of their movement patterns to support differentiation between victims and hostiles.

Special operation and law enforcement teams conducting operations in an urban environment need accurate and reliable real-time information for successful execution of their missions. Information about the number of people and their location inside a room is critical in determining the necessary tactical planning.

Simple to operate, the Xaver™ 800 delivers mission-critical information when and where it is needed, providing unprecedented situational awareness. The Xaver™ 800 has been widely deployed with leading military and law enforcement teams around the world.

XAVER™ 800 FEATURES

The Xaver™ 800 is a portable system whose unique mechanical design with folding ‘wings’ allows compact and easy transport. Its operation is simple and intuitive.

Rich 3D imaging brings the scenario to life and allows easily understandable viewing from multiple angles. These unique features provide the user with crucial information from “beyond the wall’, enabling highly-efficient planning of life-saving operations. The Xaver™ 800 also offers a number of flexible options, including using the system at a stand-off from the wall and remotely locating the sensor at a distance of more than 75 feet from the operator.

The system is very safe to use and operates on very low power signals: Total energy transmitted is a small fraction of that emitted by a standard cellular phone.

■ Designed for ISR missions.

■ Reliable detection, high resolution images through most common wall materials.

■ 20m (65ft) detection range.

■ 3D imaging capability for intuitive imaging.

■ Unique 3D navigation.

■ Effective clutter suppression.

■ Detection of static & living objects.

■ Provides information about room dimensions and major infrastructure elements.

■ On-board data recording for post-mission

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analysis, training and debriefing.

■ Includes VGA and S-Video output .

■ Camero has sold and deployed the Xaver™ 800 systems to leading - Military and Law Enforcement customers worldwide.

XAVER™ 800 TECHNOLOGY

The Xaver™ 800 utilizes a cutting-edge system architecture encompassing multiple technical disciplines. A patented approach was developed to better deal with cluttered environments and to comply with requirements for improved resolution and intuitive through wall imaging. Rapid interpretation of complex scenarios is possible as a result of extensive research and development of proprietary 3D image reconstruction algorithms used in conjunction with sophisticated, patented signal processing techniques. A unique proprietary Ultra-Wideband (UWB) sensor design with extremely high bandwidth and a very high dynamic range enables real-time operation and market-leading resolution. A novel and patented mechanical approach was designed for easy use during operation and transportation.

Camero’s unique solutions uses Ultra Wide Band (UWB) RF signals to generate 3D images of objects concealed by solid barriers such as walls, made from a variety of known materials including cement, plaster, brick, concrete and wood. The Xaver™ 800’s proprietary technology is able to overcome these obstacles while transmitting very low and safe levels of power.

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XAVER 100

Building on its successful legacy of through-wall RF imaging products, Camero has developed an innovative presence of life

detector - the Xaver™ 100. The Xaver™ 100 stems from the core radar- based imaging technology used in our Xaver™ line of through wall imaging products. Developed with the specific needs of tactical operators in mind, the Xaver™ 100 provides instant critical situational awareness and target acquisition data.

By providing accurate and reliable information on the occupancy of enclosed spaces, the Xaver™ 100 enables better tactical decision making in many operational scenarios. Its potential uses include: ■ Tactical Entry/Assault: Alert operators to the presence of potential threats.

■ Hostage Recovery: Quickly determine which spaces are occupied.

■ Search & Rescue: Speed up search by only focusing on spaces with living presence.

■ Breaching: Avoid unwanted casualties by optimal placement of charges.

■ Force Protection: Serve as “virtual window” to spot threats approaching from outside.

XAVER™ 100 FEATURES

With its compact form- factor the Xaver™ 100 is designed to be a personnel-borne tool to provide immediate and crucial situational awareness information.

■ Optimized design and form factor for comfortable handheld.

■ Reliable detection of moving and static people behind most common wall materials.

■ 1d imaging information providing intuitive information of target distance.

■ Ability to operate in a stand-off mode (at a distance from the wall).

■ Simple user interface and operation requiring no advanced training.

XAVER™ 100 TECHNOLOGY

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The Xaver™ 100 utilizes the same state-of-the-art technology found in the other Xaver™ systems. A unique, micropower Ultra-Wideband (UWB) sensor that operates at very high bandwidth enables reliable detection and industry leading object resolution.

Patented image reconstruction algorithms are used to cope with cluttered environments resulting in a high quality and intuitive image.

Simple operation and compact packaging are key features of the design.

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In our personal opinion, First Aid is something that should be on the current school curriculum.

With many of us having children currently going through the school system, or having not gone through that school system too long ago, we’re sure you’re all aware of the amount of school time wasted learning pointless subjects that are on the curriculum. Subjects like ICT are hugely outdated, so why not spend that time teaching our children real life skills that could potentially save theirs or someone else’s life down the road.

Thankfully though, there are hundreds of resources out there that can make a difference, and with a little bit of research and self schooling you can learn the basics very, very quickly.

One of the best sources in regards to First Aid manuals is the Armed Forces, and with a large amount of English speaking countries out there

with vast medical units you can usually come across some absolutely brilliant resources which can teach you anything from teaching basic CPR all the way through to resetting dislocations and treating broken bones.

Having recently spent some time expanding our reading library, one resource we came across in regards to First Aid is a 2002 manual aimed towards nearly every U.S. Armed Forces Service, with the manual being responsible for Headquarters, Departments of The Army, The Navy, The Air Force and Commandant, as well as the Marine Corps. Now if you think of the medical service history of all of these U.S Armed Forces branches, and you’ll likely realise that in regards to resources this is about as good as it gets.

A quick look at the contents quickly shows you the scope of this manual, with everything from the very basics such as how to properly evaluate a casualty, understanding vital body functions and general terminology, all the way through to first aid in nuclear, biological and chemical environments. Then you’ve obviously got information on CPR, dealing with breaks and fractures, climatic based injuries and everything in-between. Essentially if you think of ANYTHING that could go wrong in the field of battle, including any outside factor, then this manual will be able to talk you through the treatment process.

Every procedure is accompanied by both text and imagery, talking you through the process of treatment step by step, including how to position the casualty, how to treat the injury and any after care they may need. All in all it’s a very good resource for anyone looking to learn.

One thing we will say however is the manual is heavily outdated in some aspects. Being released in 2002, certain procedures have changed, with the obvious one being CPR. But 99% of the information is still valid.

Also what makes this even better, is the manual is completely free and available to download in PDF format through the ‘Armypubs’ portal.

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WELCOME TO DIRECT ACTION. DIRECT ACTION IS OUR HOMAGE TO OUR MILITARY ROOTS, AND GIVES OUR READERS AN INSIGHT INTO OPERATIONAL DUT Y AROUND THE WORLD; MAINLY WITH A BRITISH FOCUS. THIS MONTH SEES THE MAIN FOCUS OF REMEMBRANCE. AT THE TIME OF WRITING, THE REMEMBRANCE WEEKEND HAS JUST PASSED, AND IS FRESH IN OUR MINDS. EVERYONE HERE AT RAIDER WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A MASSIVE THANK YOU TO ALL OUR ARMED FORCES AROUND THE WORLD.

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OUR MAIN FEATURE THIS MONTH FOCUSES EX ACTLY ON THAT, BUT INSTEAD OF REPORTING ON HOW WE IN THE UK ARE PAYING OUR RESPECTS, WE TAKE YOU TO IRAQ, WHERE SOLDIERS PART OF OPERATION SHADER CONTINUE THE WAR AGAINST TERROR. WHILST THE REMEMBRANCE WEEKEND IS A SOLEMN TIME, WE MUST ALSO TURN OUR HEADS TO PRAISING OUR CURRENT TALENT WITHIN THE ARMED FORCES, AND THE ARMY PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION DOES EX ACTLY THAT. WITH THAT SAID OUR SECOND FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE IMAGERY FROM THE COMPETITION, AND OFFERS A HUGE CONGRATUL ATIONS TO THE WINNERS. OUR FINAL FEATURE LOOKS AHEAD. WITH THE NAV Y SOON TO TAKE ORDER OF A RANGE OF NEW VESSELS, THIS NEWS PIECE TAKES A LOOK AT OUR CURRENT NAV Y, WITH A RANGE OF DIFFERENT NATO WARSHIPS ASSEMBLING FOR AN OLD FASHIONED ‘CL ASS’ PHOTO!

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NATO WARSHIPS GATHER FOR A "CLASS" PHOTO

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NATO WARSHIPS GATHER FOR A "CLASS" PHOTO NATO WARSHIPS HAVE LINED UP TO WITHIN JUST A FEW HUNDRED FEET OF EACH OTHER AND TAKEN PART IN A COMPLICATED GROUP EXERCISE FOR EXERCISE TRIDENT JUNCTURE 15.

“EXERCISES SUCH AS TRIDENT JUNCTURE ENABLE US TO BUILD TRUST IN EACH OTHER AND OUR CAPABILITIES AND THE MANOEUVRES THIS MORNING DEMONSTRATE THAT WE CAN WORK SEAMLESSLY TOGETHER.” The tricky feat was captured by Royal Navy photographers as part of Officer of the Watch Manoeuvres – a difficult task that tests ship communication systems, as well as command and control systems between vessels.

In total 18 warships, from 11 nations, took part in the series of complex manoeuvres which covered hundred of miles of the Western Mediterranean over several hours.

Two British warships took part in the serial, Her Majesty’s Ships Ocean and Bulwark, with Ocean’s Navigating Officer coordinating the whole exercise.

Navigating Officer Lieutenant Commander George Storton, from Bosham, West Sussex, said: “Modern warships are packed full of technology but underneath all of that we still need to recognise the basic mariner principles. Learning practical seamanship is vitally important, as this exercise demonstrated, but it’s also great fun!”

Exercise Trident Juncture is the largest NATO exercise in over a decade involving 36,000 personnel and 60 warships from 30 nations.

It is one of a series of long-planned exercises to ensure that NATO Allies are ready to deal with any emerging crisis, from any direction, and that they are able to work effectively with partners in tackling any crisis.

Commanding the Officer of the Watch manoeuvres

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was Rear Admiral Tony Radakin, Commander of the UK Maritime Forces, but also the senior officer in charge of NATO’s Maritime Forces for Exercise Trident Juncture and throughout the whole of 2016 when the UK takes charge of the NATO Response Force.

Based in the Royal Navy’s flagship HMS Ocean, Adm Radakin said: “It’s a rare privilege to command and train alongside such a formidable line up of warships, from so many of our allies. It feels ‘real’ - training in purely national lines is comfortable but in reality navies operate as international coalitions, with a multiplicity of accents and perspectives reflecting the NATO’s allies commitment to each other.

“Exercises such as Trident Juncture enable us to build trust in each other and our capabilities and the manoeuvres this morning demonstrate that we can work seamlessly together.”

Trident Juncture started at the beginning of October with a virtual, “table top” scenario and has now moved to the “Live” phase looking at how situations would be dealt with in the real world.

For the 60 NATO warships, this has meant a series of amphibious raids, anti-submarine drills and air defence exercises against Typhoon Eurofighters.

The next phase of the exercise is “Theatre Entry” when the ships drop troops ashore in order to bring order back to a fictional country – this phase takes place in Spain and Portugal at the start of November.

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OPERATIONS PAUSE AS NEW TRAINING FORCE REMEMBERS ON THE ELEVENTH HOUR, OF THE ELEVENTH DAY OF THE ELEVENTH MONTH, MILITARY OPERATIONS DEEP IN THE HEART OF IRAQ FELL SILENT.

As the RAF Padre read the Act of Remembrance, British forces stood shoulder to shoulder with coalition partners from Spain, Portugal and the United States, at a training site in Besmaya in the vicinity of Baghdad; as part of Operation SHADER to remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in over a century of conflict.

Operation SHADER is the name given to the British participation in the on-going military intervention against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). This Operation is being carried out by soldiers across a range of Battalions. These soldiers are a combination of Sappers from the Royal Engineers and Privates from the Royal Logistic Corps, both assigned to 33 Engineer Regiment (EOD), as well as Riflemen from 1st Battalion The Rifles.

With heads bowed and in a moment of sombre reflection, the last post rang out across the Forward Operating Base’s tannoy, usually reserved for threat alarms and warnings. The service was particularly poignant, as it marked the first for the UK’s new mission of training the Iraqi Security Forces in Counter-IED tactics and techniques in the centre of the country.

Captain Walker, the Detachment Commander for the British contingent said: “It is a huge privilege to

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parade here today alongside our coalition partners, who are also committed to supporting the Iraqi forces in their fight against ISIL, not least because this is the first parade to remember the sacrifices made by our forbearers as we commence our newest commitment in Central Iraq.

He added: “The turn out today has been fantastic, each nation has truly pulled together to remember the glorious dead. The participation in todays parade is indicative of the mind set here at Besmaya, we are all of one team, pulling together to achieve a common aim, and that is to rid the Republic of Iraq of the terrorist cancer that is ISIL”.

As the traditional poppy wreath was laid at the base’s memorial, a silence resonated across what felt like the length and breadth of the country.

The Padre delivering the service said: “As a military chaplain, to be able to deliver a Remembrance service at the heart of an operational theatre is a huge privilege. It is a significant time of year, especially when those remembering are also on active duty in such a location as this.

“As coalition forces take time to reflect and remember, we hope for a peaceful resolution in a place which has seen so much turmoil in times past.”

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“AS COALITION FORCES TAKE TIME TO REFLECT AND REMEMBER, WE HOPE FOR A PEACEFUL RESOLUTION IN A PLACE WHICH HAS SEEN SO MUCH TURMOIL IN TIMES PAST.”

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2015 ARMY PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION WINNERS THE WINNERS OF THIS YEAR’S ARMY PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED AT A CEREMONY HELD AT THE ROYAL HOSPITAL CHELSEA, WITH SERGEANT RUPERT FRERE, ROYAL LOGISTIC CORPS (RLC), WINNING NO FEWER THAN FIVE TOP PROFESSIONAL CATEGORIES IN THE ANNUAL COMPETITION THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE WORK OF PROFESSIONAL BRITISH ARMY PHOTOGRAPHERS.

The London District photographer, whose ceremonial images are admired the world over, was shocked that so many of his photographs captured the eye of judge Richard Pohle, The Times staff photographer. “It’s pretty amazing to win.

I’m gobsmacked,” said 34-year-old Rupert, who transferred from a role in bomb disposal to become a professional photographer in the RLC. For this year only a new category was introduced to reflect the professional photographers’ work in Afghanistan during a decade of Operation Herrick.

Rupert’s portfolio was judged the best out of a crop stunning portfolios. He also claimed the best Op Herrick Portrait and runner-up Op Herrick Portfolio with images from three separate tours of duty in Afghanistan.

“I spent three tours on Op Herrick from 2009 to 2012/13. I had lots of friends there and unfortunately lost some friends there, too. So, to have these images that remind people of what we went through out there, it means a lot to me, personally, that they’ve chosen my photos,” he said.

The best Professional Portrait award went to 30-year-old Corporal Paul Shaw, RLC, for his image of ‘Sgt John S Kabia’ a Sierra Leonean soldier, taken during the height of the Ebola crisis. Paul, who deployed as a member of a Combat Camera Team, said: “I’m pretty chuffed to win, especially as it was the first portrait I took in Sierra Leone.

“A lot of these guys have been in the army out there their whole life, and will have lived and served and probably fought through the civil war they had. Who knows what they’ve been through? They sit there and stare into that lens with everything they’ve got because they’re not hiding anything.”

Corporal Obi Igbo, aged 38 and a media trainer and cameraman with JIAG (Joint Information Activity Group) based at RAF Holton, won the best Op Herrick Video category with his insightful portrayal of bomb disposal at the end of the campaign. He said: “It feels great to win.

“I’m quite honoured especially as it’s a category that means a lot to many people, especially in the forces. And, I hope the video went some way to showing the public what the force is all about and also to highlight the effort the guys have made.”

The Amateur Portrait Category was won by Private Rebecca Brown, a Combat Medical Technician of 4 Armoured Medical Regiment, based at Aldershot. Her image of a father holding a photograph of his eldest son holding a photograph of his younger brother was judged the best image. “It’s amazing to win. It’s a big shock,” said Rebecca.

Command Master Photographer WO1 Will Craig said: “As the organiser of the Army Photographic Competition this year I am very pleased with the high standard of entries showing a diverse range of soldiers doing their day-to-day jobs.”

A special display - Ten Years of Operation Herrick - during the event at the home of the Chelsea Pensioners is showing off the best of a decade’s images captured by the Army Photographers, who carried arms as well as cameras and saw front-line action throughout the campaign.

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■ PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO: Sgt Rupert Frere, RLC ■ BEST OVERALL PROFESSIONAL ARMY PR IMAGE: Sgt Rupert Frere, RLC ■ PROFESSIONAL PORTRAIT: CPL PAUL SHAW, RLC ■ PROFESSIONAL SPORT/ADVENTURE TRAINING: Sgt Rupert Frere, RLC ■ PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY SOLDIERING: Cpl Tom Evans, RLC ■ BEST ONLINE IMAGE (VOTED BY THE PUBLIC): Ocdt Adam Webb, London UOTC ■ BEST OVERALL PROFESSIONAL OP HERRICK IMAGE: Sgt Rupert Frere, RLC ■ PROFESSIONAL OP HERRICK PORTFOLIO: Sgt Rupert Frere, RLC ■ PROFESSIONAL OP HERRICK VIDEO: Cpl Obi Igbo, RLC – (link to follow) ■ AMATEUR PORTFOLIO: Bdr Murray Kerr, Royal Artillery ■ AMATEUR PORTRAIT: Pte Rebecca Brown, 4 Armoured Medical Regiment ■ AMATEUR ADVENTURE: Maj Andrew Whitehead-Hughes, Parachute Regiment ■ AMATEUR CATEGORY SOLDIERING: LCpl Paul-Rui Penu, RLC ■ PROFESSIONAL VIDEO: Cpl Tom Evans, RLC ■ MULTIMEDIA: Mrs Melissa Terry, MOD

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RUNNERS UP

■ PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO: Cpl Jamie Peters, RLC ■ PROFESSIONAL PORTRAIT: Sgt Rupert Frere, RLC ■ PROFESSIONAL SPORT/ADVENTURE TRAINING: Mr Steve Dock, Soldier Magazine ■ PROFESSIONAL CATEGORY SOLDIERING: Cpl James McAllister, RLC ■ BEST OVERALL PROFESSIONAL OP HERRICK IMAGE: Sgt Rupert Frere, RLC ■ PROFESSIONAL OP HERRICK PORTFOLIO: Sgt Rupert Frere, RLC ■ PROFESSIONAL OP HERRICK VIDEO: Cpl Barry Lloyd, RLC ■ AMATEUR PORTFOLIO: Maj Andrew Whitehead-Hughes, Parachute Regiment ■ AMATEUR PORTRAIT: LCpl Paul-Rui Penu, RLC ■ AMATEUR SPORT/ADVENTURE TRAINING: Cpl Ian Chapman, Royal Engineers ■ AMATEUR CATEGORY SOLDIERING: LCpl Paul-Rui Penu, RLC ■ PROFESSIONAL VIDEO: Sgt Russ Nolan, RLC ■ MULTIMEDIA: Mrs Melissa Terry, MOD

Prizes sponsored by Nikon, Fuji, Canon, Calumet, Manfrotto, Kodak, Adobe, Altered Images, Lexar, Colour Confidence, Imperial War Museum and MTA.

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As publishers, we are passionate about printed products.

There’s nothing better than the feeling of opening up a fresh magazine and seeing our hard work in print and to be able to add another volume to the shelves is a satisfying experience but we realise that for many people, reams and reams of paper magazines just isn’t feasible. If you live your life on the go, have limited space or just don’t fancy cluttering up your house with piles of magazines there’s now another option.

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