A book I had tried to read over a decade ago, The Killer Angels is still on the Marine Corps reading list, and it is understandable why once you get through with the book. This is a Civil War Novel that mainly follows the Generals involved in the Battle of Gettysburg. In fact, the old movie "Gettysburg" is heavily based on this book. I can understand why that book had such a heavy input on the movie as it is a vivid piece of writing that tells more than the reader may expect.

Throughout history, we see examples of how important it is to have soldiers with terrific physical endurance. Endurance is arguably more important than just being able to lift alot or run fast. You need to be able to carry your combat load to the fight, fight all the way through, and continue fighting without slowing down. Endurance is a quality that always has room for improvement and can only benefit you in the long run.

The ambush patrol has proven to be one of the most effective and devastating tools for controlling and manipulating an enemy. The ambush patrol is very important in any combat zone for disrupting the enemy in terms of eliminating enemy units, diverting forces, and overall changing the attitude of the forces assigned to the area. In this article, my goal is to simplify using my knowledge from training, history, and experience.

The Dot Torture targets are a pretty good skill test for those that want to see where they stand. The target will guide you through the basics such as drawing, reloading, transitioning targets, and shooting one-handed. That is all good, but if you get a bundle of 100 of these babies, you might like to hear that there are things you can use it for things other than just what is printed or suggested on the target. Creativity is key to a fun and challenging time at the range.

Today, the line of tactical clothing in America is starting to go towards the low profile and incognito direction. This is apparent by the fact that some of the big names in tactical clothing such as Vertx and 5.11 have recently started selling jeans with the idea of remaining incognito. However, Helikon-Tex is putting their own spin on the incognito look. However, I think this pant offers alot to the end user that I have yet to see in other pants in this class.

How many times have you been told to "FOCUS ON THE FRONT SIGHT"? I can tell you that this has rang against my ear drum for years, since I was in boot camp and on the range. Jeff Cooper even said "Blessed are those who, in the face of death, think only about the front sight." This is a bit radical and unreasonable in my mind. It is like saying you are perfect if you have zero fear in combat and you are completely cold and indifferent to killing or being killed. Instead I think a better and wiser quote would be " Blessed are those who can account for their sights, even in the face of death." This term is more rational in my mind.

I do not use outside the waistband holsters with the greatest regularity, but I do find them to be necessary in some applications here in Alaska. Winter time here can allow the user to wear an OWB holster while also wearing a cover garment like a jacket to effectively conceal the firearm. However, even if you are able to wear alot of layers, your holster should still maintain a low profile, reasonable retention, and be capable of being used continuously in practice without compromising the functionality. The question is whether this $45 hybrid holster is up to task for being a good belt holster option according to the requirements I have laid out.

Roughly a year ago, I bought a pair of those "Indestructible shoes" and was less than impressed. It came time to get new footwear for my daily footwork. Of course I could have selected some cheap shoes from Fred Meyer or Walmart, but I know I need more durability and support. My daily activity is quite rough compared to most. I do alot of walking and running outdoors. I need footwear that is versatile and durable. However, it is also important for it to be versatile for the seasons such as rain and cold. This means I need the shoes or boot to be waterproof.  After much consideration, I decided to go with a product that is not so mainstream. The HQ ISSUE Canyon Tactical Hiking Boot was a great price and seemed to have the features that made it worth a try.

With the Fall season reaching it's prime and October being right around the corner, Alaska is about to dive right into Winter. This will entail us getting snow, very little light, and generally undesirable living conditions. With this seasonal change, it is time for me to think a little bit about my daily carry system in terms of weapons, clothing, etc. I will run you through my method for selecting the firearm I use and why.

I bought the Zero Tolerance 0801TI model on an impulse almost a year ago. Now I am starting to question whether it was a mistake to buy it or not. Yes, I am possibly having buyers remorse over this very expensive knife. I don't mean to cast this knife in a bad light, but I don't know if it lives up to the price tag of $200.