Product report
Blackhawk CQC SERPA - As you have no doubt seen from some of the photographs I have the Blackhawk CQC SERPA mounted to my chest. I freak'n love it. It makes for a fast quick draw, the retention system works, without interfearing with my ability to get the weapon out and on target. The only issue that I've run into is with the IBA itself, being the older style IBA, when mounting and dismounting from the drivers position the weapon will catch on the steering wheel resulting in the IBA being pulled open.

Gerber Diesel Black - I've had this multitool with me since AIT (saintswife sent it to me, its not the Army issue piece of crap) and its honestly the best multitool I've owned. It has everything I need, its quick to open and locks firmly, and can be manupulated easily even while wearing gloves.

Gerber Paraframe II - Nice knife, light and easy to open, but I'm having trouble with the blade holding an edge. I still carry it tucked into the straps on my IBA but its no longer my daily use knife. Its more of a "oh shit where's something reasonably sharp and pointy" knife.

Gerber Applegate-Fairbairn Covert Folder - This knife has become my "carry knife". I keep it tucked in my back right pocket and it goes everywhere I go. It was originaly stiff to open but some work with the included allen wrench and things loosened up enough that it will open with a flick of the wrist and tap of the thumb. Its holding an edge better than the Paraframe, and I'm working on sharpening the top side of the blade, a task that is proving far more difficult than I had anticipated.

Beshara XSF-1 - This is my "combat knife" and goes with me strapped to the inside of my lower left leg. Its a wicked looking hacking knife (think slash rather than stabby no matter what the above link says) with a good weight and heft. Those who don't know better give me shit it about it until I pull it out. Its amazing how quickly people shut the fuck up when you are holding nearly 12 inches of cold naked killing steel in your hands. Oh, and the hilt is great for breaking out windows.

Surefire HL1-D-TN - It works, and works well keeping the hands free and goes where you are looking. Not much can be asked for from a helmet lamp. Its held up to dust, wind, rain, mud, and has continued to preform flawlessly.

Surefire Scout Light Kit (M600C KIT01) - Attached to my M4 this little bitch will light up your life...and blind anyone standing in the way. I've seen people flinch at 50 meters after getting nailed with this bad boy. My only complaint is that when using it indoors, the "back spatter" of light off relfective surfaces is...detramental to your vision...and with its power, everything is a reflective surface.

EOTech 556.A65 - I love this sight, far and above the Aimpoint the army issued me. The "dime of death" (aka 65 MOA ring) makes finding the target and getting the weapon on target faster than the single dot of death. I've heard a lot of complaints about the sight losing its zero, but after six months of abuse, its still right on for me. One note, when using both eyes open, after zeroing it with one eye, it shoots high for me, about two inches on a 300 meter target.

Wilson Combat AR Flip-Up Rear Sight - Not overly impressed with this bit of kit. Doesn't deal well with the sand and grit and is a pain in the ass to clean and keep clean. Its also difficult to zero, and while my EO Tech has held its zero these last six months, this hasn't.

North American CAT - This is a nice to have that I hope I never have to use.

Digital Camera - Canon AS590IS - Goes through batteries like a son of a bitch, buts it tough, rugged, and its outlasted the Army issue Olympus that my team was given when we arrived in country. Image quality is "good enough" for what I need it to do.

Thorlo CoolMax Hiking Socks - Sucked. Wore out quickly, and tore the crap out of the soles of my feet worse than the Army issued socks ever did. Moved on.

SmartWool Mountaineer Socks - These might very well be sex on your feet. Thick, warm in the winter, and yet cool in the heat (as long as you remember to pull them up above your boot top), these socks are amazing. I started with four pair, which lasted me about six months, and had saintswife send me along some replacements as even rotating them daily they were starting to show signs of the 24/7 shoot and scoot.


Neomex Flight Gloves (six pairs supplied by the unit) - Holy crap did these things suck. First off, they only gave us two pairs rather than six, and the first pair didn't make it through mobilization at Ft. Dix. Tore up, got things caught in them, let your hands and knuckles get banged all to hell, I hate these things more than Mac&Cheese.

Oakley SI Assault Gloves - Didn't ever fit. The smalls (which they've discontinued) were too small and the medium's too large. In the end I went with a set of smalls, and counted on time to stretch them to fit, something I didn't end up having as they melted when I came near a hot 240B barrel with them and given that they were on my hands at the time...yeah. On the plus side the kevlar knuckles were a nice touch.

Wiley X CAG-1 GLOVE and Wiley X TAG-1 GLOVE - Nomex (so they won't melt), kevlar knuckles and leather palms, I liked these gloves enough to pickup bot the CAG-1 and TAG-1 (TAG-1's come up the wrist like a motorcycle glove, while the CAG-1 are your traditional glove). Their mediums fit me like a glove, and they work to keep my hands warm while still allow a great deal of fine motor control.

Wiley X They aren't as stylish as Oakleys (who don't make a frame that can handle my prescription)...well...its more than that. These beasts are as ugly as hell, but they work and function as a fully ballistic lens and are rated as "eye pro" by the US Army (something not even my BCSG's are). If I had to do it over again, though I'd not go with the transition lenses, as they never fully transition instead leaving you with this creepy half shadowed look.