PMCI - December 2014

December 2014

CONTENTS

4 PROFILED: ASSOCIATED RISKS GROUP PMCI got to meet the MD of this rapidly growing security company and took the chance to find out more about them 10 INTERVIEW: JOHN D. HURTH PMCI got to interview the man behind the book Combat Tracking Guide and found that he also heads up the very successful TYR Group 16 MEET THE MANUFACTURER: WILD THINGS TACTICAL Bill Thomas gives us the low-down on a company he has been working with for the past few years - and the awesome gear they make 21 GEAR ON TEST 5.11 Stryke Pants… AKU Pilgrim GTX Boots… Direct Action Rucsacs… Plus loads more in six pages of kit reviews 29 KNIVES & TOOLS A quick look at two knives from Gerber that could be purpose-built for EDC use 30 GEAR: ARCHANGEL ARMOR PMCI was immediately impressed when we first saw the Archangel Armor system, so thought we’d talk to the man behind it 35 ARMOURY: GLOCK GEN 4 PMCI goes Stateside to take a first look at the new Gen 4 Glocks 39 BOOK REVIEW: CIMBAT TRACKING GUIDE 40 FIREARM MAINTENANCE: FROGLUBE CLP We take a close look at this new bio-friendly product - and get a little closer than intended 43 BOOK REVIEW: DEVILS PLAYGROUND Having seen the original manuscript, we were keen to get our hands on the book when it was published - especially as it is written by PMCI contributor, Simon Chambers 44 JOBS Listings of all the companies you need to know about when looking for work Copyright © Calibre Publishing 2014. All rights are reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the express permission of the publisher in writing. The opinion of the writers do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. The Editors reserve the right to edit submissions prior to publication.

Thank you for downloading this Edition of PMCI, the FREE digital publication dedicated to PMC Operatives. PMCI is written by individuals with first-hand knowl-edge and experience of the subject they write about - people like Col. Gerry Schumacher (USSF Ret.), author Simon Chambers and ex-TL Dan E, all of whom have an intimate understanding of what the role entails and the day to day challenges faced by PMCs. PMCI will provide a platform to review and discuss the things to matter to all of us, such personal equipment, training, employment and lifestylestyle management - and these are also our core fundamentals. We hope you enjoy this Edition of PMCI and if you have any feedback or comments, or would like to contrubute to future issues, please let us know by email to: editor@pmcimagazine.com PHOTO CREDITS: Authors where applicable, Shutterstock.com, Istockphoto.com

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Editor (UK): Bill Thomas Editor (International): Dan Eastes Graphic Design: Havoc Design Publisher: Nigel Streeter PMCI Magazine is a digital-only publication, published bi-monthly and available FREE OF CHARGE via the PMCI app on the following platforms: Apple iOS, Android, Windows 8, and Windows Phone.

For more information visit our publishing partner: www.PocketMags.com PMCI can also be read online at: www.issuu.com Calibre Publishing Limited Wyche Innovation Centre, Walwyn Road, Upper Colwall, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR13 6PL Tel: 01684 878 003 Web: www.pmcimagazine.com ©Calibre Publishing Limited 2014

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COMPANY PROFILE:

ARG

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PROFILED:

A

ASSOCIATED RISKS GROUP

PMCI got to meet the MD of this rapidly growing security company and took the chance to find out more about them ssociated Risks Group (ARG) is an independent security consultancy group that has gone on to grow successful businesses in sectors ranging from Security and Risk Management, Specialist Training, Firearms, Intelligence and Multimedia. The success of ARG is increasing and is marked by its vast capabilities within the private security industry. They are becoming known more and more within the industry and they seem to have the capacity for great things. PMCI took the opportunity to pick the brains of its founder and Managing Director Mr Paul Hutchinson to find out exactly what they are about.

PMCI: Before I ask you anything else, I have heard some interesting things about your firearms training, can you tell me more?

PH: “We are very fortunate in being able to offer live firearms training in the UK and to a level that is unrivalled.

Whilst we are able to create specific training packages for different clients in different parts of the world, our UK-based live firearms training takes place at our purpose-built training facility that adheres to strict UK legislation. The facility includes a purpose-built outdoor and indoor range, all housed within a private training complex set on 12 acres of land. “At present, as well as various on-going firearms courses

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“ARG Operations was set up in response to the growing need to provide quality professionals in an industry which requires respect. Although we have been (and continue to be) operational ourselves, we went for some time simply passing on work to other people and providing people through recommendation to do a wide variety of CP tasks. It then came to a point that we realised we are very fortunate in having many people who we have worked with over the years, who are highly professional, experienced and are ‘cut from the same cloth’. We then decided to officially become a provider of close protection operatives ourselves. In doing this, we instantly had an impressive database of operatives. In running our own operations wing and training wing, this gave us a special ability to increase our database further with those people who have trained with us and show an innate ability for close protection at the highest levels.”

“ARG Training has been the building block on which the rest of the company was built. We provide training in a number of areas such as close protection, live firearms, surveillance, advanced driving and FPOS. As I mentioned earlier, this allows the capability to train our operatives in many different aspects of the security industry and leads to well-trained and multi-skilled professionals.

As may be expected we now train many of our servicemen and women from different areas of our armed forces through ELCAS as they leave on resettlement. My ethos in training is the same as with the other branches of ARG, our aim is quality and not quantity. It would be quite easy to put as many ‘bums on seats’ as possible, however that’s not what we are about. Firstly, we will never go above eight people on any one course and at a number of points the students may find that there is one DS for each student. As well as this, I interview every prospective student to find out what they are made of and for them to also see what we are made of, so they can make an informed decision about training with us.”

“We always have and always will offer an open door policy to all our students and operatives who are welcome to come in to see us for a brew and have a chat, or get further advice on things. The way I see it is we have a vested interest in each and every person who trains with us and works with us. There may be a number of other companies doing it now but we have offered free CPD events for years to anyone who has trained with us, regardless of whether they are still working with us, or have moved on to other things.”

INTELLIGENCE

ARG

OPERATIONS

TRAINING

COMPANY PROFILE:

and projects, we are responsible for training many people who operate in hostile environments to provide specialist tactics and to ensure they are ‘up to scratch’ on their weapons handling and safety before deploying on transit.

“It must be said that the main reason for our success is Bob Dunkley. Bob’s unique position and skill brings a unique dimension to what we do. Bob Dunkley has been the CQB firearms instructor to the world’s Special Forces, Police Forces worldwide and close protection teams for over 30 years. He is the leading firearms instructor and subject matter expert (SME) in the UK and possibly the world. He is one of five world masters in combat shooting. I have been serving my ‘apprenticeship’ with Bob for 26 years now and as I always say, I am only half way through it! All in all, we can be confident in saying that when people train with us they are getting something they simply cannot get anywhere else.”

PMCI: How did ARG come about and what was the inspiration behind your vision?

PH: “By 2006 I had been working in close protection for many years. Having served as an Authorised Firearms Officer I have protected a number of people including Tony and Cherie Blair and ex-Labour MP Lord Mandleson at a time when he was the Northern Ireland Secretary. I also worked across the globe for the former Prime Minister of Qatar and his family, a man who valued the high standards of British-trained operatives after graduating from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst himself in the 70’s. As well as this, because of what Bob has been and done and is still doing, I was afforded the backing of someone at the top of their game and what came with that was the entire training complex from which we now do all of our training from.

The reason I mention all of this, is because I have worked in the industry at various levels and this led me to want to create a company whose core values were absolute professionalism, with the ability to maintain the highest of standards and integrity.”

PMCI: How many ‘departments’ do you have to ARG? PH: “As we stand at the moment we have a number of departments who all work towards a common cause. Whist they are all, in essence, independent of each other, each of the departments complement and feed each other to create the company I envisioned so many years ago. I will break each of our departments down for you below to give you a brief idea of what each one of them is about:

“ARG Intelligence is a comparatively new development for ARG, as with operations each of us has worked in surveillance and intelligence gathering for years and in a great many capacities, again having forged many great working relationships with different people and companies. Having looked at the sheer amount of skilled individuals we work with, we decided to create our own corporate intelligence wing. Our current capabilities are quite impressive and have led us to some strong partnerships with companies and individuals around the world. Our current capabilities are global and range from enhanced due diligence investigations and digital forensics to asset tracking, recovery, penetration testing, advanced staff vetting to country reports and travel safety to mention but a few.”

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COMPANY PROFILE:

ARG

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MULTIMEDIA

“In brief, having formed partnerships with various clients throughout the entertainment industry such as actors, producers and video game developers, our primary goal is to utilise our specialist, industry leading experience and professionalism to consult on various projects in our relevant fields such as military, firearms, intelligence, CQB, Surveillance and numerous other skills.”

RECRUITMENT

“ARG recruitment aims to develop the ARG brand within the industry whilst maintaining the very highest of standards we set ourselves in every area of our business. One way we believe we can maintain these standards is to place ARG trained students into the field once they have achieved the expected grade. We consider this tactic crucial to ARG. Having said that, as previously mentioned, we work with experienced operators who may want to expand their client database and improve their networking.”

PMCI: Are you only based in the UK? PH: “We have bases in London and the North of England, however our footprint is global. Like the rest of the UK, a great deal of our operational time is spent in Southern England but have also made footprints in various parts of the world, not least in South East Asia where we now have a ‘field office’ in Kuala Lumpur.

As well as this, we are currently in the process of setting up an ARG training facility in France to cater for direct demand from the French for increased standards of close protection. We have been fortunate enough to hold contracts in Europe, the Middle East, South East Asia and the Americas. In spending a number of years working with many good people and building some great contacts we are very fortunate to have people in many locations around the world, not only in close protection but also in intelligence, firearms training, surveillance, multimedia and many others.”

PMCI: How did you build your team?

PH: “One of the reasons I had taken so long to develop

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the various branches to ARG is because I needed the right people to head them up. I needed people whose integrity and professionalism could not be questioned and are yet again ‘cut from the same cloth’. It has taken some time but we now have the people we need heading up our branches with me at the helm. Having said that, I am very much of the opinion that the wisest man of all realises that on the scale of things he knows nothing, so based on that, each of the directors and I bounce off each other to make sure we are all heading in the right direction and are upholding the values on which the company was built.”

PMCI: What backgrounds make up your key players and network of professionals?

PH: “As should be expected, I will not go into too much depth with this, suffice to say we are all very fortunate to be surrounded by people with an impressive array of skills and experience, from the military, intelligence analysts and operatives, the police, specialist firearms, business, law and many more. I will say it again, I am truly blessed to be working with people of such high calibre, not only in their vocation but also in their character.”

PMCI: Where do you see the company growing?

PH: “For us, the main priority is to do the job and to do the job right. There are some very big fish out there in the CP and Intelligence world and we are confident with where we are on that scale. We believe we have a winning combination of factors that will carry us forward to even more success both nationally and globally.”

PMCI: There are many companies out there who operate within your industry, what makes you different?

PH: “I am not going to make out like we are the be all and end all - that is not what we are about. There are many companies out there, some good and some bad. There are some good companies out there, a few of which we have a good working relationship with. In answering the question however, I will highlight our own plus points and those points which differentiate us from others. Firstly, we pride ourselves on being totally self-sufficient in all aspects of our training. We have our

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COMPANY PROFILE:

ARG

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purpose-built training facility and our completely separate operations offices and Ops room. We can select the right people to train and we can train them to a very high standard within close protection. As standard we teach the difference between Executive protection, Corporate, Diplomatic, Celebrity and Hostile Protection. We incorporate Kidnap and Ransom policies, business impact analysis, threat and Risks assessments and much more besides. We can then give them advanced driver training, surveillance training, medical training and firearms training that can’t be rivalled in the UK and with firearms expertise that can seldom be rivalled in the world. We work with our operatives to ensure they are always developing and last but by no means least, we are able to offer employment to those who are up to the standard by way of ARG Operations and ARG Intelligence.

“As you have probably guessed, standards, professionalism and integrity are a big thing for us. We are proud of what we have achieved and are excited about what we will achieve. We aim to train and operate at the highest standards and seek out those who are like minded, we look for those who are like we always try to be, quite professionals.”

PMCI: Thank you Paul. Just one last question: If people are interested, how do they contact you?

PH: “The best way is via the web, at www.arg.uk.com. I can also be reached by email at paul@arg.uk.com and the office telephone number is 01642 927306.”

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Interview:

John D. Hurth

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ALWAYS:

C

THE HUNTER

PMCI got to interview the man behind the book Combat Tracking Guide and found that he also heads up the very successful TYR Group ontinuing our theme of looking at unique training courses and programs that will let serving personnel or those leaving the military hone certain areas of their skillset, we’re going to look at the art of Combat Tracking. On page 39 this month you’ll find a review of the excellent Combat Tracking Guide and after reading it we decided to speak to the man behind the book directly to gain a deeper insight.

As well as being a published author and an authority in the field of Combat Tracking, John D. Hurth is also the man behind the TYR Group. TYR Group LLC is a veteran owned and operated company dedicated to providing realistic training and consulting services anywhere in the world. TYR Group instructors are former soldiers, who have extensive Special Operations and Combat Arms backgrounds with current combat operational experience. They also have current Law Enforcement Officers who instruct on a part-time basis.

TYR Group is a company committed to providing quality training. They specialise in bold and aggressive Visual Tracking Techniques that can be used anywhere in the world, in any type of terrain, day or night. All of their instructors are trained in visual tracking techniques and operations and possess recent combat and/or law enforcement experience utilising these skills.

PMCI: When and where did you start running your courses?

John: “The first class I taught was in September of 2010, in the Kisatchie National Forest area in the State of Louisiana. The class had a mixture of Military, Law Enforcement and a civilian survival Instructor. The class was seven days long, was conducted completely in a field environment and included:

John D. Hurth

Introduction to Basic Tracking Mission of the Tracker Tracking Terms Dynamics of a Footprint Gait Analysis Use of Light Tracking Techniques (Step by Step method) Activity Indicators Identifying and Recording sign Impression analysis practical exercises (PE) Sign Classification and Tracking Indicators Factors that Affect Tracking (ageing and weather) Tracking Techniques (Persistence method) Individual/Two Man Tracking PE Lost Track Drill (individual and team procedures) Combat Tracker Team Formations Immediate Action Drills IED, Mine and Booby trap detection lane.

Night Tracking.

Interview:

PMCI: So John, in your own words tell me what led you to set up TYR Group?

John: “Wow, this may take a while!

“After I retired from the military in 2008, I worked for a contracting company that provided Combat Tracker training to the U.S. Army at Ft. Huachuca, AZ. The contract had a lot of problems. The course itself really didn’t live up to its name, or provide the Army with a true combat tracking capability that lead to it being employed operationally. It was however, a good course that taught basic individual and team level visual tracking techniques and made individual soldiers who completed the training more “track aware” than anything else. It was my personal opinion there was a serious capability gap within our military that still exists to this day and the company I worked for at the time had neither the experience, nor the know-how to correct the problem - and they didn’t want to take any of my advice.

“Combat Tracking in my mind is not a separate operation. It is my view that Combat Tracking is another type of patrolling mission that complements or supports other on-going offensive operations, like Movement to Contact, Attack, Exploitation and Pursuit, or other Reconnaissance and Personnel Recovery type operations. Later, after I left that company, I established TYR Group LLC in January 2010. I wanted build an organisation that not only provided the best tracking services and consultation but also employed like-minded individuals who believe in the same strategy that I do. That everything we teach is tactically and technically sound. After the course is done, when our students employ what we teach them in a real world situation, their lives depend on it. Also, I did not want anything gimmicky or unproven because, in my opinion, there’s already too much of that in the industry. I also wanted to have a company that had the highest standards of integrity and wanted to make a difference in the contracting industry by setting a good example.

“Also I wanted to provide other common sense services built on twenty-three years of combined Infantry, Ranger and Special Forces operator experience that were not technology driven but human instinct and intelligence driven. This valuable combined experience instils our clients with confidence and a sense of self-reliance. I believe that humans are more important than machines. If you don’t have a certain type of equipment in your supply or some other type of “enabler”, then chances are you will not have it in the fight. Therefore need to know how to do without, while still accomplishing the mission.”

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

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Interview:

John D. Hurth

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“Since that first class our program has developed into a very aggressive tracker program and is not your average bed and breakfast combat tracker course. There are no Power Point presentations and all of our tracking courses are conducted completely in field conditions.

PMCI: Who do you see as your target customer for your courses?

John: “I will teach a course to almost anyone (within reason) who is interested in learning this skill set. I have taught courses designed for Military, Law Enforcement, Hunters, Survivalists, SAR personnel and other individuals who live an outdoor life style. I offer basic courses that appeal to everyone. Yet, I’ve also designed and taught courses based on our individual client’s needs and will go out of my way to work with our clients to create special courses based on their training objectives and mission requirements.

PMCI: What exactly do you specialise in?

John: “TYR Group LLC currently specialises in the instruction of Basic and Advanced Visual Tracking Techniques employed by individuals, team and multiple teams for Combat Operations, Tactical LE Operations, Search and Recovery Operations and individual survival/ self-reliance applications. TYR Group LLC is also in the process of expanding our services to include shooting courses (pistol and rifle), Small Unit Tactics, Land Navigation, Survival, Unarmed Self-Defence and Personal Threat Mitigation for overseas travellers.

PMCI: We know that you have an excellent training facility in Louisiana; can you tell us more about that and what you do there?

John: “We don’t own a facility at this point, which keeps our overhead low and the ability to offer our classes for a lower price than our competitors. We are a company that imports our training anywhere through Mobile Training Teams. We have provided our training to our customers where ever requested so long as the area supports the training to be conducted.

PMCI: Do you train just military and police personnel or civilians too?

John: “We teach almost anyone who would be interested in learning the skill of visual tracking. We already have classes designed specifically for Military, Law Enforcement, SAR and civilian sectors.

PMCI: Do you offer training in specialised equipment?

John: “Not really in the sense of technological equipment. Our motto is “The Human Advantage”. Our classes revolve around self-reliance and we honestly believe that the human brain is the best “technology” we have. Batteries die, electronics can short out or break but we believe that the human mind and the ability to think critically surpass any electronics. This is not to say we don’t incorporate or integrate some technology within our courses. We have used GPS, digital cameras, laptop computers for certain projects and some battery operated optics. We just don’t want our students to over-rely on this

John D. Hurth

PMCI: What led you to write your book?

John: “In the beginning, I was very displeased with what had been written on Combat and Tactical Tracking and wanted to educate others on a skill that not only has helped me operationally during my 23-year military career but was a subject that I was

very passionate about. When I was in the service, I never could understand why visual tracking and (more importantly) Combat Tracking, wasn’t taken more seriously. Doctrinally, our military had always made references in manuals to the benefit of tracking and historically, visual tracking had been used to great extent and very successfully, from the inception of our country, followed by our expansion westward, up to the Viet Nam war.

“At the time when I was an instructor at the Combat Tracker course, it was managed by the Army’s Intelligence branch and they really didn’t understand or sell the capability to the Combat Arms side. Later, I came to understand that the U.S. Military really didn’t understand the capability and the company that I worked for didn’t understand conceptually how the U.S Military could, or would employ this capability. Really, both sides had their blinders on. After the Combat Tracker course was closed down and I had established my own company, I thought the best way to really educate the military community was by writing a book on combat tracking. I wanted to educate the actual war fighters by writing a book that resembled a field manual that could teach them the individual and collective tasks that support the conduct of these operations on the ground. I also wanted this “manual” to be able to educate their leaders who were decision makers.

I wanted them to understand how Combat Tracking would be employed operationally in support of larger operations.

“These missions in support those operations would facilitate the hunting down of elusive enemy forces, develop enemy patterns of life that would provide critical information for leaders and staff for future operations and facilitate personnel recovery operations. Hopefully, I did that.”

PMCI: Do you offer your own services in your market area?

John: “Yes, we most certainly do. Over the course of a year the majority of our clients come from within the state of Louisiana.”

PMCI: Without going into specifics, who do you, and your successful trainees, work with?

John: “Our clients come from all walks of life, i.e. Government Agencies, Military, LE, SAR and civilians who are hunters, survivalists, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts.”

PMCI: Where do you see TYR Group evolving in the future?

John: “We are looking to expand our services as stated previously and build strategic partnerships with others who can provide other unique training venues to our state of Louisiana and beyond.”

PMCI: “If someone reading this interview likes the sound of what you offer, what should be their next step?”

John: “They can contact us through our web site www.TYRGroupLLC.com, email us at info@ tyrgroupllc.com, or call 337-344-7928 in the USA.“

Interview:

technological equipment to accomplish what they need to, or to walk away with the false impression that if they don’t have a specific piece of equipment they will not be able to complete their mission. When our students walk away from one of our classes we want them to be completely confident and self-reliant in their own capabilities with little or no support, to accomplish their mission, whatever that may be.

PMCI: Once trainees have successfully completed one of your courses can they obtain the equipment from you?

John: “We don’t sell any equipment or technology associated with our courses. The equipment or technology that we do employ is standard off-the-shelf technology and really (depending on the customer) we would rather incorporate our training with whatever systems the client currently has with in their possession. For example; if we are teaching a military platoon Combat Tracking techniques operationally, we want them to incorporate whatever equipment they currently have in their possession such as radios, GPS, NVG, vehicles, etc. That way they are merely integrating the combat tracking tactics and techniques with the systems they already have organically.

PMCI: Once trained, how do those successfully attending your courses go about finding employment?

John: “Usually those who attend our courses already possess a skill but are looking for new tactics and techniques to enhance or provide them with a greater capacity and capability to accomplish their mission. For instance an Infantryman’s job is basically “to close with and destroy the enemy”. Combat Tracking provides them a vehicle to do just that. One of the main troubles soldiers and their commanders have when fighting wars, is maintaining contact with an elusive enemy who is smaller, lighter, more mobile and knows the terrain and the culture better than the soldiers they are fighting. Only by providing those soldiers and units the combat tracking capability, will they have the capacity and capability to gather information and vigorously pursue the enemy wherever they go and dominate the area of operations to reduce the activities of the enemy.

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MEET THE

MANUFACTURER

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I

GOING WILD

Bill Thomas gives us the low-down on a company he has been working with for the past few years - and the awesome gear they make t has been my great pleasure over the past few years to work closely with the great team at Wild Things Tactical; this premium US manufacturer of clothing and gear is best known as an outdoor pursuits brand, coming up with technically advanced designs. Combining huge knowledge of the technical manufacture process along with “on the ground” operational experience, these guys really know how to build gear for the harshest of terrain and conditions!

Wild Things was founded in 1981 with a set of designs that were considered by many to be the first look at specialised gear and clothing for “Light is Right” alpine climbing in the United States. Founded as a technical outerwear and gear manufacturer by two accomplished alpine climbers, John Bouchard and Marie-Odile Meunier, Wild Things has been referred to as the “Tin Shed” of alpine climbing in the United States, introducing generations of climbers to the fast and light philosophy of mountaineering and clothing design.

From 1981 to 1990 countless big climbs were done in Wild Things gear. In the late 1990’s, Wild Things attracted the attention of the U.S. Military, designing customised gear for the SOF community. In 2000, Wild Things began winning contracts to design and produce gear for the U.S. Army and the USMC

With their background in the very top end of climbing and mountaineering the guys at WTT really and I mean REALLY, understand just what should go into a piece of gear and what can be left out as superfluous. They understand design, fabrics and features. But this is just one piece of the puzzle; as many informed readers of PMCI will know, you can make use of the very best fabric technologies available anywhere in the world and still end up with something not fit for military or tactical purpose.

MANUFACTURER

IN THE WILD!

One of the great things about the WTT team is that they have not only guys with a background in the world of cutting edge garment design and manufacture but guys who have been (and in some cases still are) operational. They work directly with the US Army, US Air Force, USMC, SEALs and USSF to fully understand the needs of the modern warfighter and this is reflected completely in what they produce. Just the simple fact that all of the arm pockets on their kit can be used easily with a gloved hand illustrates this!

Whilst their range encompasses everything from base layer through to the mighty USMC “Happy Suit” it’s their range of Soft Shell, Hard Shell and protective gear that really shines through. They understand the fabrics and really get the very best performance from all of them. I’m going to pick up on a few key pieces that I have tried personally to show you what I mean!

Now I’ve had one of their fabulous Windshirts knocking around with me for some considerable time; The WTT breathable windshirt provides exceptional protection from wind and rain. The unique collar design provides full neck protection and, with a half zip front opening, the Windshirt slides over the head easily, even when wearing a helmet. A minimally constructed, articulated

MEET THE

and later wrapped all of these efforts into a new brand, Wild Things Tactical (WTT). Today, WTT has fulfilled over 25 U.S. Military contracts and is poised for further growth with planned expansion into international military markets.

Under the WTT brand, Wild Things bring their experience of designing clothing and equipment for extremely demanding environments and conditions to a line of gear tailored to the needs of the military community. Wild Things designs and manufactures two lines of technical outdoor clothing and gear: Wild Things for the alpine climber and backcountry enthusiast and WTT for the Military and Law Enforcement communities. Their WTT line for the U.S. Military is Berry Amendment compliant and includes the USMC Happy Suit, and the GEN III Level 7 (Parka and Trousers) of the U.S. Army’s ECWCS (Extremely Cold Weather Clothing System).

Based in Newport, Rhode Island (RI), they have their product design and development studio in North Conway, New Hampshire (NH). They also maintain a short-run and prototype manufacturing facility in Gorham, NH. They sell their products directly through their website (www.wildthingsgear.com) and through a select group of prime vendors and other key distributors. Good news for all, they have recently expanded their reach to the international military community.

They perceive a need in military circles for durable, highquality, lightweight gear and clothing. Their mantra “Light is Right” has been a part of Wild Things since its inception and they believe, simply, that their approach to design and manufacturing helps their users complete their missions, granting them freedom of movement over harsh terrain in a fast and light way, a high degree of protection from the elements and worry-free gear that is built to last for many years of abuse. Having got “up close and personal” with their gear now we would have to say that they achieve this fully.

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MEET THE

MANUFACTURER

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stow-away hood fits the head snugly, allowing a helmet to be worn over it. The fit of the shirt is generous enough to pull over a mid-layer but fitted enough to keep the wind out. I really rate this as a highly functional garment and it’s usually tucked away somewhere in my EDC kit.

Given their intimate knowledge of kitting up properly in even the harshet condition, WTT are firm believers, as am I, in the “layering principle”; namely using successive layers of fabrics to give a really versatile clothing system. We’re not going to get into base layers here as I’ll be looking at them more closely in a future issue but I’ll start pretty close to the skin.

The Hybrid Combat Soft Shell SO 1-0 builds upon the under-armour, athletic fit of the WTT Combat Soft Shell, adding fleece insulation to the yoke and collar, making it the ultimate quarter-zip soft shell for combat conditions in colder climates; both garments are outstanding but for me the Hybrid has the edge in terms of functionality. This shell has been engineered to be massively usable, incorporating two 7” pockets on each bicep. The four-way stretch woven nylon fabric provides ultimate strength and abrasion resistance. Highly water and wind resistant, the fabric allows for comfort through a broad temperature range. The Hybrid Combat Soft Shell is equipped with dual sliders on each pit-zip, allowing the user to vent for any condition. There are velcro patches on both biceps for unit ID and Flag. The cuffs are adjustable with hook and loop

closures. My first impression of this shirt was “Wow!” This is a superbly comforatble and versatile shirt which could easily be worn over a base layer, or used as part of layering system for more inhospitable conditions.

Next up is a sightly more traditional design but one which again makes use of up to the minute fabric technologies. The Soft Shell Jacket SO 1-0 combines second-skin protection with the high degree of functionality you would expect of a tactical piece. The body is made of a four-way stretch nylon/spandex blended fabric bonded to hydrophobic polyester fleece, maintaining the high stretch and memory characteristics of a soft shell, while adding the warmth and comfort of fleece.

A high collar protects the neck from the elements and a full zip front entry allows this jacket to come on and off easily.

Inset sleeve pockets, two on each sleeve, stretch as the wearer moves. Zippered hand pockets are made with mesh pocket bags to give stored objects the chance to breathe and air out.

These pockets are finished on the interior so the wearer can stuff whatever extra gear they’ve got into a safe place. The stow-away hood, made of nylon rip stop, is made as minimally and as articulated as possible, fitting the head snugly, allowing a helmet to be placed over it. Pit zips provide for ventilation, ensuring the user’s comfort and at 20”, they can vent however much they want, where they want! A dropped tail offers additional protection when crouching low and overall this is a super comfortable, super durable bit of kit.

clips are located in the hand warmer pockets to make cinching the wind out even easier. A fully adjustable, helmet-compatible hood with laminated brim keeps the head warm and protected.

A separate collar keeps the neck nice and warm even when the hood is down. The wrist cuffs are fully adjustable with velcro closures and half elastic, allowing the wearer to put a gloved hand in and out. The sleeves again include velcro patches to display any necessary badges. One word is enough here… TOASTY!

TRUST IS EARNED

MANUFACTURER

nylon, with 330d Cordura reinforced abrasion resistant panels on the elbows. The two hand warmer pockets are also lined with quilted Primaloft, keeping your hands safe from frostbite. Two interior mesh pockets provide storage and a place for gear to dry out. An adjustable drawcord hem blocks the wind and adjuster

MEET THE

Building up the system, let’s look at what WTT offer in the way of Hard Shell; it has to be said that this is right up there at the top end! Designed to be worn over body armour, the WTT Hard Shell Jacket SO 1-0 is specifically engineered to keep you and your protective gear dry. Made of 3-layer eVent highly waterproof and extremely breathable fabric, this technical hard shell jacket remains light for quick movement. Concealed waterproof zippers are used for the center front zipper, hand pockets, and bicep pockets, keeping your core and your kit safe and dry. The interior of the jacket is seam sealed to ensure the seams don’t let any moisture in that way and there are two mesh pockets to store extra bits and bobs if necessary. The hood is fully adjustable and helmet-compatible, with a laminated brim to keep the elements out of the wearer’s eyes. The wrist cuff features a velcro closure and the jacket also has elastic to help it cinch around the wrist, blocking out the wind while remaining fully adjustable. To further stop the wind, the hem features an adjustable drawcord. Once again there are Velcro patches on the sleeves to display any necessary badges. The back hem is slightly dropped to cover the rear even when bending and moving. I’ve used this remarkable jacket in some very unpleasant conditions and it’s stood up to everything I’ve subjected it to admirably.

For most of us these four pieces of gear (and there are trousers to complement all the shirts and jackets) would be more than enough, with the correct base layers, to create an incredibly versatile clothing sysytem! Where WTT really push things forward though is in their knowledge and understanding of lofted, insulative garments.

Offering both a Low Loft and High Loft jacket (again, with trousers to match if needed), WTT really have you covered for cold weather environments. I received a test sample of their High Loft SO 1-0 jacket and it is a thing of beauty! Designed to be worn over body armour, the WTT High Loft Jacket provides ultimate warmth, featuring 6 oz Primaloft Sport synthetic insulation; Primaloft is great stuff as unlike traditional down it keeps most of its thermal properties even if wet!. The shell is made of 70 denier textured

Wild Things is an outdoor brand chosen by individuals who are knowledgeable about what they do, know what’s current and know what works. These individuals are serious about what they do and what they buy. They seek out the best-made, most reputable technical gear. Wild Things Tactical take great pride in finding solutions for all their users in the military and have always put deploying units first.

This demanding, elite audience feels no need to compromise and this attitude runs through the Wild Things brand. Their users help define their brand. Ultimately, Wild Things Tactical offer pure, simple and effective gear.

To repeat a phrase I heard from them directly “Not having to think about your gear means that you can stay switched on to operational matters”. This is an ethos I have to agree with wholeheartedly and we’re just very glad that their gear is now more available generally. “Trust is Earned” so they say, and you can believe me when I say that Wild Things Tactical have certainly paid their dues in full!

To find out more about Wild Things Tactical visit www.wildthingsgear.com . You can also buy direct via their website or check out their key dealers wherever you may be in the world.

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GEAR ON TEST M

5.11 Stryke Pant

GEAR ON TEST

ost of us have had a pair of 5:11 Tactical pants in our gear setup for years and let’s face it, they have built up a very strong following as the “classic” tactical cargo for a very good reason. It’s great to see 5:11 coming out with new models given changing fabric technology though.

The Stryke Pant are a superb new cargo model, in fact I’d go as far as saying that they are the next generation of the classic 5.11 trouser that’s been with us for many moons already.

The trousers feature Flex-Tac which is a revolutionary fabric utilising proprietary fibres developed exclusively for 5.11. The lightweight, breathable, poly/cotton ripstop incorporates mechanical stretch yarns, meaning the stretch and recovery of the fabric is achieved without the use of spandex. As a result the breathability, colour retention and durability of Flex-Tac is superior to other cotton/spandex fabrics currently available. There’s also a great stretch area in the waistband that makes them very comfortable to wear, even when you’re bending and stretching.

The Stryke Pant with Flex-Tac is soil, stain and fade resistant and comes out of the wash ready-to-wear with no need for ironing. There are 10 pockets in all; 2 offseam side pockets, 2 accessory pockets on each side, 2 back flap Velcro secured wallet pockets and low slanted cargo pockets with easy accessibility are featured on each leg. This cargo pocket design is very different from what I’ve seen on other 5:11 pant models; closer fitting to the overall shape so they are not quite so obviously “tactical”, although all the function is retained.

The knees are discreetly reinforced with knee pad access inside. The self-adjusting comfort waist and host of features will make these a firm favourite and I can see these becoming a “must have” as they’re available in both ladies and gents fit!

I received a pair in the new Battle Brown colour way and I really like the tone of this; it’s very different from the “traditional” khaki, tan, or coyote. Again not

quite so obviously “tactical” but certainly an excellent colour if you do need some concealment. That said, all the traditional colours are still available. Overall I’m very impressed with the Stryke Pant and I look forward to seeing what 5:11 Tactical come up with next!

Price: UK£70.00 Colours: Mens Black, Khaki, Green, Navy, Charcoal, Battle Brown. Ladies Black, Kkaki, Navy.

Please go to www.511tacticaleu.com for more information and stockist details.

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GEAR ON TEST

AKU Pilgrim Boots he Pilgrim High Leg is a great new addition to the range of AKU professional boots offered by Trekitt Mountain Sports in Hereford; I’ve been wearing their excellent Pilgrim and SEAL Spider models for some considerable time now so I was very excited to hear that a new version with a higher cuff height was on the way.

Available with a Gore-Tex lining in Black and Forest MTP and AKU’s own sanifit high wicking liner in Desert Beige, these new models are exclusive to Trekitt and have been developed from the hugely successful AKU Pilgrim which hit the market with such a bang last year. In its Gore-Tex lined version this versatile and hugely practical boot is completely waterproof with increased breathability and the outer is very quick drying; there’s just no point having a highly breathable boot lining if the outer fabric stays waterlogged as this will prevent moisture dispersion from the inside. With a 3D fully taped Gore-Tex booty lining and Air 8000 uppers the Pilgrim HL GTX is 30% more breathable than conventional Gore Tex lined boots.

EVA foam cushioning offers added impact absorption and the 9 inch ankle height provides enhanced stability and support, which is great if you’re carrying heavy gear or a big pack. The boots feature a locking lace hook to vary the lace tension between the lower and upper boot and 3 sturdy upper lace hooks to facilitate speedy lacing and quick access.

AKU have used a reliable and trusted Vibram sole unit with excellent grip in the black model but have used a brand new brown Vibram sole unit with increased grip and enhanced shock absorption, giving the Pilgrim HL MTP Forest and Desert Beige increased comfort and control. All the new models also benefit from the IMS (Internal Midsole System) which has been specifically designed to reduce injury and enhance impact absorption when load carrying over uneven ground. Featuring 3mm of EVA cushioning above the 3D midsole this ensures that your foot is directly in contact with cushioning rather than a hard midsole.

5mm EVA forefoot and 17mm EVA heel cushioning take care of impact forces from hard ground.

Developed with a comfortable shape with good forefoot width and secure heel grip the Pilgrim HL GTX is definitely capable of long tours and extended duties.

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These new models are hugely capable and designed for purpose; there is a version of the Pilgrim HL that will mean you can be assured of a consistent fit whatever the conditions demand. I’ve been working with the great team at Trekitt for many years and I was lucky enough to get one of the first pairs of the Pilgrim HL to arrive in the UK to have on test. I’ve been extremely impressed from the word go. These are solid, no-nonsense boots which feel great on straight from the box. They feature some of the very best fabrics and technologies available on the footwear market and feel as if they are just going to perform and perform. The quality of both materials and construction is absolutely first rate throughout.

Initial testing has proved the Gore-Tex lined model I received have lived up to the high standards set by the previous AKU boot models I have owned and the additional support of the high cuff feels very, very positive. Weighing in at just 737g per boot in UK size 9.5 this is a boot you can wear all day long. The high rand protects both the heel and toe areas extremely well, and should keep the boots looking great too. I will continue to put these through their (literal) paces but I can already see they are going to become a valued addition to my boot room, especially during the wet months of the year!

With introductory prices currently starting from £166.50 for the unlined model and £189.00 for the Gore-Tex version please visit www.trekitt.co.uk

A

Direct Action Rucsacs

GEAR ON TEST

t the IWA Show in Germany earlier this year I spent some time with the guys from Helikon-Tex, looking at samples of their new Direct Action Line of clothing and gear and I’ve been waiting patiently for it to actually start hitting the stores as production models. At last the wait is over!

The Direct Action line is a series of professional products from Helikon-Tex, to extend their already comprehensive range of quality tactical clothing and accessories. This new range includes range of kit made to the highest specification and features bags and rucs, MOLLE system pouches and accessories, head gear, tactical clothing and footwear. Designed with law enforcement and security personnel in mind, the Direct Action range, now steadily becoming more and more available, will answer the needs of all professional users.

As 2014 draws towards a close it was a real treat for me to receive DUST and DRAGON EGG models to test courtesy of UK retailer Military1st, who are now stocking the entire pack line in multiple colourways, both block and in camouflage patterns.

At 25L the newly DRAGON EGG pack is absolutely perfect as a neat, day patrol pack. Made of durable and water resistant 500D Cordura material, the DRAGON EGG pack is a tactical low profile hydration backpack, perfect for tactical use. The pack comes with two hydration bladder compartments, a dedicated laptop storage compartment, an admin section with multiple inner sleeves and pockets, comfortably padded shoulder straps with added chest fastening for extra comfort and a removable hip belt with quick release buckle.

A very attractive laserc u t M O L L E / PA L S compatible system and number of a lateral compression straps

allow for high level of customisation and flexibility, while the multiple storage compartments offer a huge amount of carrying space; there’s even an awesome little paracord drag handle. Thanks to the egg shape, the pack is lower in height and narrower in width than other packs with a similar capacity and this makes it more comfortable with belt kits or ballistic vests.

Again made of durable and water resistant 500D Cordura fabric the DUST pack is the perfect tactical low profile EDC hydration backpack. With a capacity of 20L the pack comes with hydration bladder compartments, padded laptop storage compartment and large front admin organiser with multiple inner pockets and a transparent map pocket. Padded shoulder straps and a removable hip belt allow for comfortable wear even with belt kits or ballistic vests, while a laser-cut MOLLE/PALS section offers an additional platform for mounting of MOLLE accessories like water bottle pouches and first aid kits. Multiple side compression straps offers high level of customisation and flexibility and allow the backpack to be adapted to the size of the carried kit, preventing it from shifting inside the bag. This uniquely flexible hydration pack represents a perfect storage solution for mission essentials, hydration bladders, EDC kit and laptops and is perfect as a one-day patrol pack or light travel bag.

The finish and quality of construction of both packs is absolutely first rate; I’ve already loaded them and given them a good drag around and they show every sign of lapping up abuse and coming back for more!

If you’re in the market for a new ruc for 2015 then I’d suggest you take a very long, hard look at the new Direct Action models; you’ll find the entire range at www.military1st.co.uk

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MISSION PACK Capacity: Material: Colours: Dimensions:

38.5 litres (approx) 600D Cordura V-Cam, Coyote, Green, Black 52 x 24 x 32 cm

Internal hydration sleeve Ventex system back panel Adjustable hip pad/harness Padded shoulder straps and sternum strap with QR buckles MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D-Rings Multiple compression straps Hydration/coms outlet Side carry handle 2 x V-Lock 1 x D-Lock SRP £84.95

RANGER PACK Capacity: Material: Colours: Dimensions:

>GET THE

TACTICAL ADVANTAGE

36.5 litres (approx) 600D Cordura V-Cam, Coyote, Green, Black 46 x 33 x 26 cm

Multiple compression straps 4 point, Ventex system back panel Padded shoulder straps and sternum strap with QR buckles MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D-Rings Side carry handle Internal hydration sleeve Internal retaining straps/bungees Felt lined exterior utility pouches Hydration/coms outlet 2 x Velcro ID panels 2 x V-Lock 1 x D-Lock SRP £84.95

IN ALL AVAILABLE BLACK OLIVE GREEN & E, T O Y CO , M A -C V

LOGUE S / FREE CATA FOR STOCKIST 0327 74 4 TEL 0123

o.uk www.viperkit.c

RECON EXTRA PACK Capacity: Material: Colours: Dimensions:

20 litres (approx) 600D Cordura V-Cam, Coyote, Green, Black 45 x 22 x 20 cm

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 with QR buckles Grab carry handle MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D-Rings 2 x Velcro ID panels, 2 x V-Lock, 1 x D-Lock

SRP £54.95

TACTICAL

MIDI PACK Capacity: Material: Colours: Dimensions:

22 litres (approx) 600D Cordura V-Cam, Coyote, Green, Black 43 x 23 x 26 cm

Internal hydration sleeve Padded shoulder straps and sternum strap with QR buckles 2 x side stow pouches Internal Nylon utility sleeves Mesh back Compression straps MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D-Rings 2 x V-Lock 1 x D-Lock

SRP £45.00

MINI MODULAR PACK Capacity: Material: Colours: Dimensions:

19.5 litres (approx) 600D Cordura V-Cam, Coyote, Green, Black 42 x 23 x 34 cm

Mesh helmet hammock located on front with compression straps for adjustment Internal hydration sleeve 2 x External side pouches Hydration/coms outlet Padded shoulder straps and sternum strap with QR buckles Multiple compression straps MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D-Rings Compatible with Plate Carrier 1 x Large Velcro ID panel 2 x V-Lock, 1 x D-Lock

SRP £45.00

ONE DAY MODULAR PACK Capacity: Material: Colours: Dimensions:

13.5 litres (approx) 600D Cordura V-Cam, Coyote, Green, Black 19 x 20 x 43 cm

Hydration/coms outlet Multiple compression straps Internal mesh pocket to accommodate hydration bladder Shoulder straps with QR buckles.

MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D-Rings Compatible with Plate Carrier 1 x Large Velcro ID panels.

2 x V-Lock 1 x D-Lock

SRP £26.50

SHOULDER PACK Capacity: Material: Colours: Dimensions:

10 litres (approx) 600D Cordura V-Cam, Coyote, Green, Black 31 x 20 x 16 cm

Retaining straps/bungees Exterior utility pouches.

Mesh back panel.

Shoulder straps with QR buckle.

MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior pouches including D-Rings.

2 x Velcro ID panels.

2 x V-Lock 1 x D-Lock

SRP £29.95

SPECIAL OPS POUCH Capacity: Material: Colours: Dimensions:

5.5 litres (approx) 600D Cordura V-Cam, Coyote, Green, Black 20 x 15 x 18 cm

MOLLE webbing attachments located on exterior front External mag/phone pouch Sectional internals Fold out compartment Removable shoulder carry strap Compatible with Plate Carrier 1 x Large Velcro ID panel 2 x V-Lock, 1 x D-Lock

SRP £24.95

Hazard4 Defense Courier and Sherman Laptop Bags

GEAR ON TEST

A

ll too often these days I seem to be dragging a laptop around with me; whether it’s heading to the office, at a show, or even out on the range I always seem to have one in tow.

Now heading to work or in a Trade show hall isn’t going to put huge strain on a bag but when you’ve got one out in the field it’s going to have to be just that little bit sturdier than most to put up with poor conditions and dragging through muck, grit and grime. I quite often have to carry a laptop along with the camera as it’s not always that easy to see the quality of pictures taken during a range or testing day on the small screen. I’ve tried various options in the past, but when it comes down to it having the right tool for the job really makes a difference!

Over the past six months I’ve been trialling a couple of excellent bags from Hazard4 which really fit the bill in this respect; both are specifically designed with the usage I have in mind - and what a difference they make!

The Defense Courier tactical laptop-messenger bag is designed to literally hold everything you could possibly need when you’re working outdoor or on the range. The webbing used throughout the bag is a top of the range diving-tank strapping that is extremely durable but doesn’t chafe when carried next to the skin. The front surface under the main flap is covered in MOLLE loops so that you can add extra pouches in a very personalised setup, yet keep them discreetly tucked away. The flap itself unzips in the front, to allow access to the main cargo bay without opening the buckles.

The main features are a padded, rear laptop pocket and web sections to the front and side allow you to add a layer of custom gear. There’s an inside loop-patch for holsters, patches, and organisers and a heavy-duty shoulder strap with pad and side stabiliser strap allows for a comfortable carry. The Defense Courier swallows all the gear you could ever need and holds up to a 16 inch laptop securely and safely. It weighs in at just 1300g and the 500D Cordura fabric means that it’s going to stand up to all the abuse you could ever throw at it!

Designed for professional laptop users who don’t want the added size and bulk of a full-sized messenger bag, the Sherman is a superb laptop carry solution for

26

14 to 15 inch laptops. Weighing in at 1480g due to the 1000D Cordura construction, its size and layout were designed for fast access.

The interior of the main compartment comes with four long, wide velcro strips, two side sleeve pockets, adjustable and padded divider, two corner nylon loops and two-way zip closure. The flap features a large zippered compartment with two sleeve pockets with a velcro closing and two long straps for attaching extra MOLLE accessories. The interior area behind the front flap also contains an extremely large admin pocket with two separate full size sleeve pockets, one full size weather-proof transparent window for maps/documents and multiple smaller inside sleeve pockets. The admin compartment also features a two-way zip closure and two nylon straps which open to 90 degree angle creating a practical drop-down work shelf.

The back side of the Sherman Messenger bag features a large heavily padded fast-grab laptop sleeve carrier lined with quilted soft fabric and a water resistant twoway zip closure. A wide adjustable shoulder strap is sewn directly to the sides with solid box stitching so there is no hardware to break under heavy loads.

The Defense Courier is priced at £144.99, and the Sherman at £139.99 and both are available in multiple colourways. Material and construction of both are first rate and it’s really just the size that will be a decider, as both do their intended job splendidly. If like me, you need a laptop bag that’s going to put up with some serious outdoor abuse, or you just want one that is going to last and last, then I’d seriously suggest you check out these great bags from Hazard4.

For further information and stockist details for Hazard4 products please visit the UK distributor at www.thomasjacks.co.uk. My thanks to www. military1st.co.uk for providing the test samples.

F

Notch Ball Caps

Outdoor Research is a very well known and highly respected name when it comes to accessory items like gaiters, hats and most especially, gloves. I’ve been using their outdoor gear for over twenty years now (they’ve been around on the market for over thirty years!) and it’s always performed in an exemplary fashion.

Various models were shown in black and coyote tan and looked to be beautifully made from first rate materials. The OR guys were more than accommodating when it came to my questions and after a little back and forth they kindly agreed to ship me a pair of their Firemark gloves, which come from their military line.

This line contains a five glove cold weather system contracted by USSOCOM as part of the SPEAR programme and additional models are all “Soldier Certified”.

As well as offering a cold weather system though, OR Tactical have also looked at providing high performance hand protection for all environments.

When breathability and dexterity are paramount, the Firemark gloves provide ultimate comfort and functionality. Protection is provided by using lightweight Nomex® fabric for flame resistance and light padding and leather knuckles for a barrier against impact. Non-FR leather on the palm and fingers along with seam construction designed specifically to allow maximum secure contact with firearms means that these gloves offer the ultimate in tactility. Available in black and coyote tan and priced at $US79.00, the Firemark gloves come in both long and short cuff variants.

I’m a pretty standard large in gloves and the Firemarks are pretty much a bang on fit for me. There is virtually no “bag” in the palm area and the finger lengths are nigh on perfect. I’ve been putting these excellent gloves through their paces on the range and apart from a slightly tight (although fully adjustable) cuff I really can’t find anything to fault with them. They provide great protection with a superb, snug fit and even on hotter days they have remained comfortable to wear. You can buy Tactical Firemark gloves direct from OR Tactical via their website military.outdoorresearch. com

GEAR ON TEST

or many shooters, whatever their particular discipline, the humble ballcap is an indispensable piece of gear that lives in the range or field bag. Offering protection from the sun and hot brass on the head and neck it’s something that really hasn’t changed in many, many years… Until now that is.

At Notch, they make the world’s most innovative hats. They have set out to make one of the most worn pieces of headwear on the planet, the baseball cap, even better than it was.

Notch founder, Paul Cunningham, is a former US Marine and had always been frustrated with traditional caps because he loved to wear them with sunglasses but was never able to effectively; he was always forced to choose one or the other. Notch was born out of his search for an answer to this problem.

One of the downsides of traditional caps is that the brim of the hat always interferes with the arms of your shooting glasses. Until now, there wasn’t a better alternative than just putting up with the pressure of the brim on your eye protection and the resultant poor fit.

It’s quite a common sight to see caps inverted which negates the sun shading effect. Notch have taken a very common problem and come up with a practical, attractive solution. Their patent-pending technology effectively eliminates the interference that commonly occurs between your cap and it works with most wraparound style sunglasses, shooting glasses and safety glasses.

Notch caps are structured yet low profile and feature an innovative insert at the left and right corner of the brim which neatly accommodates your shooting glasses. Rather than the edge of the brim, which is often “rolled down” to minimise glare, forcing down on the arms of your glasses, the “notch” lets them run comfortably under it ensuring that you retain a safe, close fit of your eyepro.

All caps feature an attractive 3D embroidered logo, and if camo is not your thing then there are numerous plain colours available. S/M caps fit 6 7/8 to 7 ¼, whilst L/XL extends the sizing from 7 3/8 to 7 ¾.

All models are currently priced at £24.99 Notch Caps are available in the USA direct from www.notchgear.com and in the UK from www. tactical-kit.co.uk

Outdoor Research Tactical Firemark Gloves

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GEAR ON TEST

UF Pro Delta AcE Sweater LATE LAST YEAR I received a test sample of the excellent AcE Sweater from UF PROs Delta clothing system and this has proved an ideal bit of kit during the colder months of the year.

The Delta System has been designed from the ground up to offer a modular set of clothing to both protect from the elements and give comfort during physical activities.

The overall system is rated down to –20oC and comprises the fully specified Delta Eagle Soft Shell Jacket, the Delta AcE Sweater and the Winter Combat Shirt.

UF PRO are masters of mixing different clothing technologies to achieve a goal and nowhere is this more apparent than in the AcE Sweater, where they have put several different components into one very effective package to provide a top that is perfectly at home in extremely cold conditions and during tough outdoor activities.

Whilst the concept of this type of garment has been around for some considerable time, I have to say that I have never seen it so well achieved before. The designers have looked specifically at which parts of the body suffer most from wind chill and have protected the arms with 110g/m high insulation G-LOFT and a windproof, water repellent ripstop fabric. The face of the sweater is an ePTFE soft shell fabric whilst under the arms and the back is an extremely breathable and comfortable, COCONA microfleece. The fit is athletic but the fabrics mean you get a lot of movement. I’m an extra large normally and their XL fits me perfectly.

Usable features are abundant as well. On each upper sleeve is a zipped pocket with velcro patches for your team/ morale patches and there is also a dual access front handwarmer pocket. At the end of each sleeve is a soft fleece cuff with thumbloops to ensure a neat seal if you’re wearing gloves. The half-zipped collar is high and snug. One feature I particularly like is the inclusion of UF PRO Airpac inserts in the shoulder area; this is great both for extra thermal protection and for taking the pressure of rucsac or chest rig straps.

Now that the weather has finally turned cooler again I’ve been able to get the AcE out onto the range whilst I’ve been training and although I haven’t had it down to minus 20 yet, it has performed brilliantly so far on damp, windy, chilly mornings. This has become a firm favourite in my clothing setup and I’m really looking forward to making the most again this winter.

UF Pro P-40 Classic Trousers THE UF PRO P-40 Classic trousers are based on a completely new concept of making trousers. In order to achieve a maximum of comfort and mobility, UF PRO have combined a newly developed anatomic cut with stretch areas in the back and upper back leg area.

The stretch areas are made of a robust and comfortable Schoeller dynamic fabric which is absolutely bomber tough. An additional vertical zipper on the upper leg pockets allows easy access, even while sitting or kneeling; this is a design element I’m seeing on the best of the new trouser models and UF PRO really have it nailed.

For maximum protection and additional air circulation, the pants come with pockets for UF PRO knee protectors. These are available as an addon and are extremely easy to fit; although they are constructed from a soft material they give very, very good protection indeed.

When it comes to the winter months the P-40 pants can be equipped with an additional, detachable WINDSTOPPER lining, which provides comfort in low temperatures ranging down to -5°C. The WINDSTOPPER lining can be used for all the different P-40 pant models that UF PRO offer so if you buy more than one style you only ever need the one liner; again, very well thought out with the end user in mind.

The feature set is excellent with Classic upper leg pockets with additional vertical zipper, double belt loops, stretch in the waistband, externally accessible knee pockets for the UF PRO knee protectors, width-adjustable bottom of trouser legs, safety pocket, double zipper pull fly and an inner zipper for the detachable WINDSTOPPER lining.

Available in Sand, Ranger Green, Black, Khaki the P-40s have bcome another firm favourite!

Both products available direct from www.ufpro.si Please do visit their website as they are currently introducing new models on a regular basis!

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The Remix and Crucial from Gerber

Currently my most used model is the Crucial.

It’s compact and folds up small, yet the Crucial collects an entire toolbox of full size components in one rugged stainless steel package. The plier handles are ergonomically curved for a better grip and more torque.

The liner locking knife blade is half fine edge and half serrated. It has a karabiner clip that folds out for easy attachment to a backpack or belt loop. Built with a clip the Crucial can also be carried as an everyday pocket tool.

The Crucial offers needlenose pliers, ‘V-Cut’ wire cutters, a 1/2 fine edge and serrated knife (blunt tip for prying and scraping), a Phillips screwdriver, a large flat screwdriver, bottle opener, karabiner clip and pocket clip. All components are fully locking.

This is great tool and thoroughly recommended for EDC usage; it carries like a pocket knife, weighing a mere 142g, and comes with a lifetime warranty. What more could you ask?

For more details please visit in the www.gerbergear. com USA and www.gerber-store.co.uk in the UK.

KNIVES and TOOLS

A

t PMCI we are big fans of the Gerber Range of knives and tools and within the team we all have at least one model each, be it a knife, a multi tool, or one of their other excellent creations.

In the hands of first responders and military personnel, the proper tool can be the difference between life and death. Gerber’s Tactical Series was created with this in mind. Every single tool is built for a specific purpose to make the job of firefighters, soldiers, police officers and EMTS easier and more effective. Quite simply they make tools that save lives We all have our Every Day Carry (EDC) kits and one particular model from Gerber is invariably with me, the Remix Tactical Folding Clip Knife. Moving forward from the success of their popular Remix Series, the Remix Tactical Folding Clip Knife neatly brings together a broad three inch serrated tanto blade with their iconic Remix handle design. It’s a tactically inspired, tip up pocket carrier which you can safely carry with you at all times. A newly designed thumblift provides stability and safety while cutting. Made with a slim, lightweight handle and a blade that opens with one hand, it’s an ideal choice for your EDC knife.

These everyday general purpose knives feature Gerber’s most exciting designs, a good working blade, secure lock, and a strong handle. The clip holds the knife firmly in place deep in a pocket or pouch while offering easy access and there’s also a lanyard hole should you wish to secure it further. The innovative ring design protects the forefinger safely while cutting and really allows you to get some force into the cut when needed. When closed this excellent little knife is just 4.8”/12.3cm, opening to 7.9” /20cm, 3”/7.6cm of which is working blade. At just 4.6oz/130.5g it really adds nothing to your overall load; you hardly know you’re carrying it - but it’s there when needed. This is a very affordable little working knife and is still going strong after a couple of years of hard use. It holds an edge very well indeed and I believe it will be an invaluable part of my EDC for a long time to come.

Having a loose screw or bolt on your firearm or sight can turn a good range day into a terrible one, so having a good multitool in your EDC kit can mean all the difference when things go awry.

pmcimagazine.com

GEAR:

ARCHANGEL ARMOR

pmcimagazine.com

O

Archangel Armor Protection Wear It Counts

PMCI was immediately impressed when we first saw the Archangel Armor system, so thought we’d talk to the man behind it. ne of the absolute “stand out” moments for us last year was getting to meet Paul Carter, the man behind the game changing Archangel Armor project. He “wowed” us with a superb demonstration of his cutting edge system which takes armor and individual load carriage to a whole new level. We’ve been speaking to him ever since and watching things develop forward.

Paul has been a designer focussed in ergonomic-based light tactical gear for several years now. Many new and unique technologies have come from his efforts which, in our opinion, will directly benefit the user. His experience for this came from spending 13 years in the U.S. ARMY in AMEDD and USSOCOM and being involved in combat operations in Western Anbar, Iraq.

IN HIS OWN WORDS;

“Archangel is dedicated to designing tactical gear that supports your Physiology, Mentality, and Funtionality as a modern “Warfighter”. Our designs are created to increase longevity and operability of the most important asset... The Operator First.”

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ARCHANGEL ARMOR

This is what Paul had to tell us.

PMCI: So Paul, in your own words, tell me what led to the foundation of the Archangel Armor system?

AA: “After spending time as a Special Forces operator and based on my medical background in the Army, it was obvious to me that there was a problem that was not being addressed. The long-term solution was not reducing weight, soldiers will always carry a full load, the solution is redistributing weight in a way that increased functionality while reducing long-term fatigue and risk of injury. By focusing on human ergonomics and analysis of human factors we believe we have come up with the right solution.”

PMCI: You looked initially at impact on the body; what was your approach here?

AA: “The basic design of body armor has not changed in hundreds of years. Body armor has always been developed and worn as a garment. By basing the design on garments, the weight and mass is focused directly through the shoulders, neck and back. However, the natural load carriage system for the human body is the hips and lower body. The back - and by “back” I mean the spine - is actually not a great load system for weight greater than the wearer’s actual torso, with lots of small moving parts. Therefore, when significant weight is placed on the spine the support system of the spine fatigues quickly, causing injury and reducing operational effectiveness of the wearer. By shifting the load carriage to the hips and balancing the load carriage so it is not just vertically realigned, Archangel is able to reduce the long-term impact on the body. Why shave on ounce at a time off the spine, when you can simply take it all off?”

PMCI: What was your approach to overcoming the impact problem?

AA: “Simply stated, I created an internal frame system that actually redistributes the load of the user and then places the load on the body’s natural load carrying platform, the hips.

“Let’s take a step back and look at the problem again. Is

the problem the weight of the tactical load? I say that there is a better way of looking at the problem. Perhaps, over time, a wearer’s efficiency drops. The wearer becomes tired. The wearer’s liability increases and his fine motor control is eroded. The wearer is subject to chronic load bearing injuries. Total weight is a factor but only one of many. For example, which would you rather wear for 12 hours, a well framed 40 pound backpack, or a 10 pound ballcap? The ballcap is much lighter but the obvious choice is the pack because the net negative impact of the total weight on your body is still much less.”

PMCI: What is the benefit in user performance terms?

AA: “We have objective data from controlled testing which shows an increase in basic performance of test drills. In addition, we have had numerous users who have used the system provide to us anecdotal evidence of benefits of the system, both in training and combat rotations. In general, wearer fatigue is reduced. At first the users do not realise that they have used less energy because they have been preconditioned to expect to be worn out by the current systems. However, after wearing the system for a while the user realises they are not as tired and they can actually do more. In addition, the upper body mobility and range of motion is increased. This allows for an enhancement in physical tactical tasks, such as more target acquisition and precision. The system fits much more streamlined to the body so the operator has a smaller profile, does not fight against the inertia of a moving load and has no gaps in his protection fighting against the inertia of the load. The total list of benefits is long and affords an incredible impact to fighting capability. The fact is that you have to wear it to believe it.”

PMCI: Can you explain briefly the technology behind the system?

AA: “The system is based on human ergonomics. By utilising an internal carbon frame and a counter-weight system, we are able to distribute the load to the natural load carriage. This increases load capacity while actually improving performance.”

PMCI: What armour carrying solutions are featured in the system?

AA: “Our system was created to allow for integration of third party armour solutions. We do not produce the ballistic protection, we just provide the mechanism to carry it in a more efficient way.

With that said, we do deliver our systems fully loaded with the armour specifications of the customer. Users can also retrofit the load carriage system to their existing body armour systems. Just send us a sample of what you are using and we will provide a solution. A variety of ballistic packages, both soft and hard, as well as a suite of shapes and silhouettes are available.”

GEAR:

With the current mindset amongst system designers right now, Paul’s approach is both unique and innovative. Whilst others try to shave an ounce or two across the whole armour and load carrying system, Paul has gone not one but several steps further by looking at how he might disperse the ENTIRE load. We saw this in action when he loaded up one of the team with an entire combat load piece by piece; the load was so well dispersed that the user was able to move freely and easily. It wasn’t until we felt the weight of the entire system when it was removed it that we realised just HOW clever it was!

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GEAR:

ARCHANGEL ARMOR

pmcimagazine.com

PMCI: What load carrying solutions are featured in the system?

AA: “Our complete system, which includes the load carriage frame system and our proprietary vest solution for body armour, includes the ability to integrate electronics and communications carried by today’s users. Our objective is to create a seamless interface between body armour, load carriage and user needs, such as communications and computers. Our system provides numerous configurations, from just a plate carrier to a full coverage IOTV system. We also have the ability to interface numerous backpacks and other gear.”

PMCI: What lies ahead for Archangel?

AA: “The future will be the continued integration of load carriage, body armor and systems integration. We believe there are significant opportunities in the law enforcement area and in Europe for our products. We are a “user first” product

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so we will continue to work with military and law enforcement personnel to provide solutions to their problems. By reducing fatigue and injury we can increase operational availability and performance. Continued evolution of the concepts as well as real time development of accessory pieces allows the placement of the products in more operational environments.

“I am excited about what lies ahead for the Company!”

PMCI: If potential customers are interested in learning more about your system, what should their next step be?

AA: “Information is available on the website www. archangelarmor.net.

Feel free to contact us at info@ archangelarmor.net and we will be happy to provide more technical details.”

PMCI: Thanks for your time today Paul. We will most definitely stay in touch and look forwards to speaking with you again at some point in the future.

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Gen 4 Glock

O

PMCI gets Stateside to take a first look at the new Gen 4 Glocks

A NEW ERA OF GLOCK

As you can imagine I was pretty excited to receive an email from a former LEO friend in the USA to advise me that a number of the new Glock models I had requested a month earlier had arrived with him for testing. A flight was quickly booked and after a good catch up session we were soon looking at the new Generation 4 handguns. The next day, we set out three black plastic boxes with the distinctive Glock logo along with a fourth he had recently acquired of the same series to accompany the review. The more common term for the newest generation of Glocks is referred to simply as the “Gen 4 Series”. I chose for testing the model 17 chambered 9mm, model 34 chambered 9mm as well, the newly released models 41 in 45 ACP and 42 in .380 ACP. After a quick wipe down of the barrels and slides to remove packing oils we were soon off to the range!

With over 20 years of shooting Glocks, I have found the company has constantly proven itself as a corner stone in the shooting world for tough, reliable pistols. With this in mind, we decided to forego the torture tests and ridiculous round counts to show what has already been proven as a fact with the Glock.

The focus of this review is to examine how the Gen 4 Glock series has evolved and become the next generation’s “go to” gun company.

With the Gen 4 series, the new features are pretty much standard across the board to keep a feeling of familiarity and consistency between switching from one model to the next. The first feature we looked at gives shooters the ability to use factory

supplied modular grip additions to make the frame thicker, or add a beaver tail for better control without the need for specialised tools. The slightly new grip angle allows for a better grip in general to line up with the shooters forearm and control muzzle rise.

Next, the addition of new dual captured recoil springs adds to recoil reduction and comfort in shooting. This aids in even more reliability with a greater range of ammunition as well as faster lock up times. With the addition of a larger magazine release that can be mounted for left or right handed shooters and a new polygonal grip texture, reloads are able to be made faster and safer without worry of the pistol rolling in the shooter’s hand.

Despite changes to the magazine release, one of the best things Glock was able to achieve was still being able to use existing older magazine in the newer guns as well as the new style ones. With an understanding of what makes the Gen 4 all the same, let’s turn our attention to what makes these four test models all different.

GLOCK MODEL 17

As the gun that started it all and the current flagship pistol of the Glock company, it seems only right to start with this model.

Easily the world’s most popular model, the 9mm G17 is in use worldwide by military, police and civilian shooters alike. It made sense this would be the first model in the new Gen 4 series to be released on the market for testing. Its frame is considered the full size or “Duty” model with a 17-round magazine capacity.

With its 4.48 inch barrel and standard 5.5 lb. trigger pull, the G17 was able to provide a less than 2 inch group at 10 yards during rapid fire drills right out of the box. With a suggested retail price of around US$549, this gun shoots as well as guns twice its price.

FIREARMS GLOCK GEN-4

nce in every generation there comes a firearm that marks a new era. Many shooters historically would have enjoyed the turn of the century seeing Colt single actions giving way to the Colt 1911s and powerhouse revolvers that reigned supreme for much of 20th Century.

As a child of the 1960’s, I have seen the semi auto become much more reliable and virtually replace the standard revolver entirely in military and law enforcement, by way of the Beretta M9 in the USA and the Browning Hi Power in the UK (to name but two). In the mid 80’s through the 90’s, I witnessed the birth of the Glock handgun. Since then I have watched the company grow and expand production worldwide.

Whilst living overseas I bought my first Glock 9mm and religiously shot it every week at the local range. Over the years I shot the Generation 2 and later Generation 3 Glock pistols.

I have shot thousands of rounds through the Glock family of handguns in various calibres and have trusted my life to them, luckily never having to use one in anger. The Glock designers have consistently developed new styling and ergonomics for their pistols as I have grown as a shooter over time. This has been the definitive firearm of my generation to date.

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FIREARMS GLOCK GEN-4 pmcimagazine.com

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GLOCK MODEL 34

GLOCK MODEL 41

As with a lot of shooters, I have a special place in my heart for the .45 ACP. Throughout my shooting “life” I have always loved the Glock model 21 chambered in this calibre. I always felt the design of this model helped control recoil and get the best accuracy possible from any polymer pistol on the market. When Glock introduced basically a long slide version of the G21 in its new G41 pistol, I had to try it out. Straight out of the box, I was very pleased with the familiar feel of my old duty weapon with a Gen 4 twist. Like the G34, it is based off a “duty” size pistol frame in the G21 with an enhanced longer slide measuring 8.74 inches including a centre cut out behind the front sight as well as a 5.31 inch barrel. What really stands out as a long time G21 shooter, is the slide is narrower and the weight sits deeper in the hand for more control. Of all the large pistols I fired, I was the most impressed with this model. I took the new gun out of the box, popped in one of my friend’s old G21 13-round magazines and ran the gun dry. The larger, slower .45 ACP round performed excellently in this new pistol. After a 100 rounds there was no question in my mind; this will be the new mainstay of the .45 calibre Glock series once shooters fully understand what it can do. From everywhere I have checked, this new pistol currently retails for around US$599.

SHOOTING INTO THE FUTURE

FIREARMS GLOCK GEN-4

If competition is your thing, then you may wish to pay attention to the G34. This beefed up G17 is a 9 mm shooters dream. It has helped pro shooter Dave Sevigny become one of the most prolific USPSA shooters in the world. Working off a G17 frame, it features a longer slide and barrel combination to give the traditional 1911 shooters something to take notice of. Glock loosely labels the G34, the “Practical / Tactical” pistol. The 5.31 inch barrel and 8.74 inch slide balance very well in the shooter’s hand and even features a cut out in the top of the slide to help keep the weight rearward to provide greater recoil control. Like the G17, it employs the same 17-round, double-stack magazine to give the recreational shooter the most firepower available.

Aside from being longer, the trigger is noticeably lighter at 4.2 lbs. for competition use, although several police departments (including the Alaskan State Police SWAT team) use this model.

Suggested retail for the G34 is about US$50 more than the G17 for a price tag of US$599.

almost every state in America allowing it. Until now, American shooters had only heard about standard frame size Glock pistols being offered in .380, such as the G25 and G28 but not allowed for import into the US. With not only a new .380 pistol for the US but an entirely smaller frame size than Glock has ever offered, the American shooter (and everyone that needs to carry concealed) has seen their dreams come true. While not as small as models such as the Ruger LCP .380, it is much more controllable and comfortable to shoot and shoot accurately too. I chose a reduced size silhouette target at 7 yards to test this little pistol’s defensive capabilities.

I loaded up the two 6-round magazines Glock provided with the pistol and began to quickly fire at centre mass. Despite the less than wonderful “U” shaped standard rear sight, I was extremely pleased with seeing overlapping holes in the target’s “A” zone. With the new smaller frame, advantages you don’t think of until after you have shot come to mind. Although the G42 has the same 5.5 lbs. trigger pull, length of trigger pull is greatly reduced, allowing for more of your trigger finger to be used. With more finger on the trigger and a support hand wrapped around the front of the trigger guard, you can use stronger muscles to fire and control the pistol, getting it back on target faster. By doing this the trigger actually feels like it breaks around 3 lbs. and can be fired quicker and more accurately at defensive distances. The closest size match to the G42 I was able to find is roughly the same size height and length as the Beretta Nano in 9mm, only the G42 is noticeably thinner at .94 of an inch in width. With a retail price of US$429 and a slim concealable profile, this is one pistol that I can see is going to be on the shopping list of many shooters!

Regardless of your calibre of choice, Glock has proven time and time again to be a great option in the semi-auto platform. It’s obvious to see why over 70% of the law enforcement officers in the United States carry them to defend its citizens and that the British Army has adopted it for service use. With the way this company has listened to user’s input and suggestions and continued to grow, it would not surprise me if Glock continues to carry both civilian and professional users alike into the next generation of shooting.

For more information on which Glock is right for you, visit www.

Glock.com.

GLOCK MODEL 42

Last but not least is perhaps currently the hottest Glock pistol model that everyone has been talking about since SHOT, the G42 chambered in .380 ACP. Over the past 20 years the concealed carry movement has really gained force, with laws in place in

pmcimagazine.com

The Combat Tracking Guide

BOOK REVIEW Combat Tracking Guide

HERE AT PMCI WE ARE ALWAYS looking to find guides that will help you add to your “tactical toolbox” and this superbly illustrated paperback gives a step by step reference in how to track the enemy and incorporate tracking into existing operations. The Combat Tracking Guide is a functional and readable manual that gives military trackers all the information they need to track individuals or groups in combat situations to gain intelligence or pursue the enemy.

It’s a great book that concentrates on tracking in a combat situation that includes suggestions for integrating visual tracking operations into existing military doctrine in addition to the boots-on-the-ground detail necessary for soldiers who perform those operations. From it you can learn how to visually track an armed individual or group in a combat situation for the purposes of gaining intelligence, locating the enemy, and/or neutralising them.

This action-packed volume is filled with useful photographs and carefully crafted diagrams to fully communicate the skills and actions required to become an expert tracker. Combat Tracking Guide is a functional, readable manual for soldiers, trackers, military organisations, affiliates, and enthusiasts around the world.

The contents lead you logically through basic visual tracking, how to read tracks and quarry movement and then take you through the organisation and tactics you will need in an operational environment. Added to all of this the author, John Hurth, goes to great length to give you all the tools of the trade you need with some marvellous appendices on combat tracking loads and a whole array of forms for warning orders, debriefs, fire support and air operations.

If you have any interest in combat tracking, or how to avoid being tracked yourself then this is most definitely a book that you will want to read and in the right (re: wrong!) situation it could quite literally be a real life lifesaver!

John D Hurth is a retired US Army Special Forces soldier who was awarded the Bronze Star. He is now president of and chief instructor at TYR Group LLC. The TÝR Group is a company committed to providing quality training. They specialise in bold and aggressive Visual Tracking Techniques that can be used anywhere in the world, in any type of terrain, day or night. All of their instructors are trained in visual tracking techniques and operations and possess recent combat and/or law enforcement experience utilising these skills.

Author: John D Hurth Publisher: Stackpole Books ISBN: 978-0-8117-1099-2 Price: £11.99 Paperback, fully illustrated

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MAINTENANCE:

FROGLUBE

pmcimagazine.com

We take a close look at this new bio-friendly product - and get a little closer than intended

T

he situation isn’t one you really want to be in when testing a product. It may claim to be earth friendly, safe and more but still getting a new bio-based cleaner, lubricant and preservative (CLP) in your eye should not be a way to confirm the truth of that statement!

Yes, I know, I should have had my safety glasses on. I’m an absolute stickler when it comes to safety, gun handling and such but I made a faux pas. I was teaching a colleague how to do a full detail clean on his new carbine.

We were using the new CLP FrogLube along with the Hoppes Boresnake when a bit of the FrogLube flung off the end of the boresnake we were pulling through the barrel and went right into one of my eyes. Immediately I went to rinse my eye out. Surprisingly nothing bad happened. No burning pain, no swelling, no damage. It was at this point I realised how much I liked this product from a safety point of view.

FrogLube is a “green” gun cleaning, lubricating and rust prevention product. Listed as Biodegradable, Non-Hazardous, Non-Toxic, Nonflammable and made in the U.S.A. it’s comprised of a proprietary formula of “food-grade” ingredients; specifically 22 different plant materials. Unlike the chemical cousin lubricants it even smells decent!. According to the

40

OTHER POINTS TO NOTE ARE: • Does not harm non-metal surfaces such as plastic, rubber, nylon or wood and it states it will actually enhance the condition, moisten and preserve these materials.

• Removes petroleum products, oils and grease. Dissolves carbon and petro-chemicals on contact. Discontinue use of petroleum or other petrochemicals as it will conflict with the optimal performance of FrogLube.

• Does not harm after-market finishes, bluing or other permanent coatings such as night sights. In fact, it will serve as a cleaner and will provide lasting protection against oily film build-up.

FROGLUBE

• It may be left in place indefinitely, unlike some bore cleaners which have a time limit for application.

• FrogLube penetrates into the surface it contacts. Once dry, the surface will become slick to the touch. During firing, the lube will “wick” to the surface and provide a slippery and wet appearance to glide surfaces and hot • spots.

Our conclusion on this product is that is it does what it claims.

It is effective, safe and to boot doesn’t smell like a chemical factory. We’ll continue to use FrogLube products regularly and you can rest assured we’ll follow up with any further observations and conclusions.

For more information and regular product updates please visit www.froglube.com

MAINTENANCE:

creator Larry Lasky, FrogLube received bio-certification from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He claims it’s so bio-safe, you can use it as a skin cream or lip balm substitute!

CAPT Larry Lasky, US Navy SEAL (ret), spent 32 years in service with the United States Special Operations Command and Naval Special Warfare, so you could say he does know more than a little about looking after firearms! This is a premium gun lube born from the battlefield experience of the most elite special operators, the U.S. Navy SEALs and it was specifically developed to ensure firearms treated with it would group tighter, cycle smoother, load quicker and range farther than the opposition.

So how does it work? When a gun is fired, carbon, lead, copper, brass and other fouling particles are produced. FrogLube is a heavy specific gravity food grade substance that creeps deep into the pores of the metal and acts as if to ‘season’ the surface of the bore, any friction points and all areas treated with the lube.

Once treated, fouling particles can no longer bond with metal surfaces. Instead they will be suspended in a detached state and easily wiped or brushed from the surface. This also applies to other loose fouling particles such as dirt, dust and sand.

Does this stand up to the claims in the real world? We thought we would find out by running it through the “dirty” ammo test using the cheapest “bulk buy” .223 we could find. As you know “bulk buy” ammo tends to run quite dirty and after just a few hundred shots can cause all sorts of mis-feeds and other issues.

We started our test carbines off in normal mode running various ammo through with a few misfeeds, misfires and failure to extracts out of a couple hundred rounds. Later we followed this up with a deep cleaning using the FrogLube CLP. The process is simple, just disassemble the weapon and clean it with the CLP. It suggests to first strip all petroleum products off with an alcohol and afterward to heat up before you apply the FrogLube to allow it to wick deep into the metal pores. The results were immediate.

We ran an entire 500 rounds of cheapo ammo through the carbines without a hiccup. Groups even improved and post cleaning was a snap. All the fouling just wiped away.

pmcimagazine.

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27

s ’ l i v De d n u o r g Play

By Simon Chambers

“Since staring this project some of my team have been killed in action. They do not appear on a military casualty list. They are not classed as soldiers. They have not made the headlines and many get just a few paragraphs in their local paper. They don’t get medals either, although many have carried out deeds worthy of such recognition. The uninformed call them overpaid mercenaries and say they get what they deserve. Nothing could be further from the truth.”

Simon Chambers is a friend and he was also the first British Soldier to be employed by the (in)famous American Private Military Company, Blackwater.

Having served for 30 plus years in the British Army in both the Regulars and Reserves, he was now out and, having had a good look at what was going on both at home in the UK and elsewhere around the World, decided that this form, of “peace” was not something he was particularly interested in - especially when companies were paying silly amounts of money for him to go back to what he’d just spent 30 years learning to do! But how to get into that line of work?

Fate, it would seem had already got it sorted, in the form of a phone call from an ex-Para buddy: “Hey mate, guess where I’m phoning from! Bleeding Baghdad! It’s a job creation scheme.

You want the work, get your arse in gear and get over here!”

From this point the book charts Simon’s course as he applies and get turned down by a number of companies in favour of younger people until, out of the blue an email arrives inviting out to the USA. It turned out that he would be the first British National to go through the American vetting system and test it out for future Foreign National applicants, a sort of “Crash Test Dummy”!

And so it was onto training at Blackwater in Maycock and thereafter deployment to Karbala, in Iraq.

fellow Contractors and the companies they worked for but also the conditions under which they lived, worked and died. His descriptions of some of the actions he took part in are almost matter-of-fact… not that he tries to make light of the situations, it is just that is the way it happened, no gloss, no hype, no Hollywood. The book contains a number of photographs of Simon’s friends and colleagues and one of the things that really struck me, were the number of times the words “Wounded” and “Killed” were used in the captions underneath.

BOOK REVIEW Devils Playground

Having seen the original manuscript, we were keen to get our hands on the book when it was published especially as it is written by a PMCI contributor.

No punches pulled, this is what life is really like as a Private Military Contractor and I highly recommend you read it.

Devil’s Playground is published by Percy Publishing and is available in both paperback and Kindle edition on Amazon.

Simon is currently working on his next book and future articles for PMCI.

Devil’s Playground is not some whimsical fairy tale and Simon makes no bones about his thoughts and feelings, not only of his

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http://www.intmarsec.co.uk/

Espada

International Security Network

http://www.espadaservices.com

http://www.isn.eu.com

Ex Military Recruitment

ISC Gulf

https://www.exmil.co.uk

http://www.iscgulf.com/

Exploration Logistics Group

ISSG Sea Marshalls

http://www.frontiermedex.com/

http://www.issg-seamarshals.com/

G4S Maritime http://www.g4s.uk.com

Genesis Security Group http://genesissecurity.com/

Global Executive Outreach http://www.geo-ops.com/

Global Risk Security http://www.globalrisksecurity.co.uk/

Global Solace http://www.solaceglobal.com/

Global Strategies Group http://www.globalgroup.com/

Grail Security http://www.grail.co.za

Halliburton http://www.halliburton.com/en-USage

Halogen Security http://www.halogensecurity.com/

Hart Maritime http://www.hartsecurity.com

Hill & Associates http://www.hillassoc.com

HP TerraMarine International http://www.hpterramarine.com/

Janusian Risk Advisory Group http://www.riskadvisory.net/

Kroll

MUSC

http://www.kroll.com/

http://www.sps-global.com

http://www.longmoor-security.com

http://www.navalguards.com

http://www.lotusmaritime.com

http://www.neptunemaritimesecurity.com/

http://www.lpyemen.com

https://www.nnkcorporation.com

http://www.maersk.com/pages/default.aspx

http://www.nyainternational.com

http://macgregorprotectionservices.com

http://www.oceanmarshalls.com

www.marchsecurity.com

http://oceanprotectionservices.com

Maritime Risk International

Oceaneering International

http://www.maritimeriskinternational.com/

http://www.oceaneering.com/

http://www.marsec.eu.com

http://www.olchon.co.uk/

http://www.mast-commercial.com

http://www.olivegroup.com/

http://www.mcrobertsmaritime.com/

http://www.orchid-office.com/

http://www.mmwc.org/

http://www.oxberryrisk.com/maritime_services

http://www.minimalrisk.co.uk/

http://www.pilgrimsgroup.com

http://www.mss-uk.com

http://www.pilgrimsgroup.com

Longmoor Group

Lotus Maritime Security Lotus Projects Maersk

Magregor Protection Services March Security

Marsec MAST

McRoberts Maritime Security Merchant Maritime Warfare Centre Minimal Risk MSS

MTResolution

http://www.mtresolution.com/

46

Naval Guards

Neptune Security NNK Group

NYA International Ocean Marshalls

Ocean Protective Services

Olchon

Olive Group

Orchid Security

Oxberry Risk Strategies Pilgrim Group

Pilgrim Security Pistris

http://www.pistris.com/Index.html

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Protect Asia Group

SEAL

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PVI Ltd

Securescot

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http://www.securescot.com

Raven Special Projects Ltd

Securewest International

http://www.ravenspecialprojects.com

http://www.securewest.com/

Red Cell Security

Security Networking Events

http://www.redcellsecurity.co.uk

http://snespecialprojects.com/

Redfour-MSS

Security Networking Events

http://www.redfour-group.com

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Saladin Security Group

Securoquest

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http://www.securoquest.co.za

Saladin Security

Shield Risk Consulting

http://www.saladin-security.com/

http://www.shield.eu/services/maritime-security/

Salama Fikira

Shipguard

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http://www.mss-uk.com

SMS

SMS

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www.specialistmarineservices.com

Tor International

SPS

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http://www.sps-global.com

Trojan Securities International

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http://www.thalassic.co.uk/

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Tor International

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Pilgrim Group

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http://www.torcuss.co.za/

Maritime Risk International

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http://www.triskelservices.com

International Maritime Security

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http://www.tritoninternationalltd.com

Raven Special Projects Ltd

Trojan Securities

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Salamanca Risk Management

Veritas International

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Sea Marshalls Ltd UK http://www.seamarshals.com

48

News TACTICAL CLOTHING PMCI has recently received the following communication and would like to bring it to the attention of all former Project Matrix colleagues.

TROUSERS

Dear Former Project MATRIX Colleagues,

SHIRTS

As you may already be aware, this year is the 10th anniversary of the commencement of Project MATRIX in Iraq. To mark the occasion, a Project MATRIX Service of Remembrance and ‘Reunion’ will be held here in Central London. As a former member of the project, who contributed to its success, you are cordially invited to attend. The date for the event has now been confirmed as Saturday 29 March 2014. We sincerely hope that as many people as possible will be able to be there, of all nationalities, so that the 32 former colleagues

SOCKS

that sadly lost their lives during the 7-year duration of the project can be remembered in the best possible way. However we also realise that there a large number of you may sadly be unable to attend due to other commitments, including continuing work overseas.

JACKETS

The Service of Remembrance will take place in The Guards Chapel, and will conducted by Reverend David Cooper (former MATRIX G7 Civil Affairs Director 2006-2007, and 2 PARA Padre during the Falklands War). This will then be followed by ‘refreshments’ in the Garrison FROM Sergeants Mess in Wellington Barracks for the remainder of the afternoon/early evening. Outline timings for the day are as follows:

ACCESSORIES

£10.80 •

10:50hrs

All are asked to be seated inside the Guards Chapel

•

11:00hrs

Service of Remembrance begins

•

11:45-12:00hrs

Service of Remembrance finishes and guests make their way to the Garrison Sergeants Mess

•

12:00hrs

•

14:00hrs

•

16:30-17:00hrs

TACTICAL BOOTS

5.11 BAGS

Bar opens in Garrison Sergeants Mess

& BACKPACKS

F R O Hot M Bbuffet R A Nlunch D S SisUserved CH AS:

• 17:00hrs onwards

Bar closes in Garrison Sergeants Mess and all are requested to vacate Wellington Barracks Central London is yours to enjoy as you wish!

FROM

£32

FROM

.99Guards Chapel can be found by clicking on the following link: Details, and a map, of how to find the

£31.50

http://www.guardschapelfriends.co.uk/how-to-find-us.html

TORCHES & ELECTRONICS

In order to gain attendance to the barracks we are required to provide a full attendance list to the resident battalion, with only names listed and submitted in advance being allowed entry on the day. If you are planning to attend please email matrixreunion@aegisworld.

TACTICAL OPERATIONS BACKPACK

com as soon as possible so that we can do a quick confirmatory check and add your details to the attendance list. Dress code is collar and men orStrainers), and suitable attire for ladies.

FRO M tie B Rfor AN D S (no S Ujeans CH A : Only former MATRIX personnel themselves, along with the families of those that lost their lives, are invited to attend at this stage. This is not a permanent snub to those who have indicated a wish to bring their wife/husband/partner, merely a case of potentially limited space inside the Garrison Sergeants Mess and needing to ensure F R O Mthat there is firstly enough space for all former MATRIX staff to attend JUST that wish to. I will update you all ASAP if the invite is opened to current wives/husbands/partners.

Please feel free to send any questions you may have.

£6.85

£29.99

Hope to see you on the 29th March 2014!

Regards, P L UBest S LO TS MORE TACTICAL

KIT AND Kev MarsdenEQUIPMENT 28

ORDER ONLINE AT PATROLSTORE.COM

3

32

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