An Cosantóir

www.military.ie the defence forces magazine | 35 HatcH SOG-650 OperatOr tactical GlOve COlOur: OLIvE GREEN priCe: €69.35 The manufacturer says... Constructed of goatskin leather palms and sewn with abrasion, cut and heat-resistant Nomex® thread. Goatskin provides superior abrasion and tear resistance over cowhide or sheepskin, yet offers a comparable thick- ness for comfort and durability. Nomex®/Kevlar® blend provides excellent heat and flash protection. Elasticized wrist keeps the Operator™ taut, while the elasticized gauntlet keeps out foreign objects and prevents snagging. Patented Cut-Ring stitching allows optional removal of the index finger for trigger control without unravelling the remaining edge. Our reviewer Cpl Paul Millar (PR Branch, DFHQ) says… It's hard to find a suitable pair of gloves for the ranges or for exercises. They either offer great protec- tion, but you can't perform simple manual tasks, or they're too thin and you end up with injured hands. The Hatch SOG-650 Safariland gloves look unusual with a high gauntlet, but they strike a good balance between protection and dexterity. They fit well, but they're not too restrictive or clammy. The padding and protection is strategically placed to keep the profile down and maintain breathability with the kevlar upper. They're not waterproof and they're not insulated for cold weather, but that's the tradeoff for the other features. The trigger finger cutoff is a bit of a gimmick, as you'll have to permanently cut the tip off to achieve this. The heat resistant palm gives you those vital few seconds after you accidentally place your hand on a hot GPMG barrel and the tasks you can do without taking them off is fantastic. Field stripping a rifle or firing a pistol is achieved without the usual clumsiness of other gloves. Also the dreaded task of writing on the ground is that much easier. you won't be able to reproduce the Book of Kells, but they're more than good enough for the standard ammo/cas states or frago's. If they made them waterproof while maintaining the other brilliant features, they would be fantastic value. All in all, it's a glove that is designed for a specific, well thought out purpose and they perform that brilliantly. Durability 9 - Comfort 10 - Heat/Flash protection (Kevlar Material) 10 - Tear Resistance 8 - Trigger Control 8 gear review Sponsored by Team Alpha.ie this month team- alpha is offering a €100 voucher to be used on their website www. team-alpha.ie. For a chance to win this month's prize answer the following question: How many colours do the 5.11 Taclite Pro Pants come in? Answers to An Cosantóir's regular address or by email to subs@military. ie by the 21st June 2014. Winner will be the first correct entry drawn. Last month's winner was: Ronan McAndrew BencHmade mini BarraGe priCe: €109.00 The manufacturer says... A popular small folding knife with a 2.5mm Mini Drop-Point blade, with a satin finish and black handle - a combined plain and serrated edge model. BenchMade's spring-assisted Mini-Barrage knives combine speed and strength in one complete package. With 2.91 inch 154CM Stainless Steel (58-61HRC) blades, these tactical knives are strong, durable and ready for anything. The Mini Barrage knife series employ the AxIS® locking mechanism with dual thumb-stud opener - A 100-percent ambidextrous design, AxIS® gets its function from a small, hardened steel bar which rides forward and back in a slot machined into both steel liners. The bar extends to both sides of the knife, spans the liners, and is positioned over the rear of the blade. It engages a ramped, tang portion of the knife blade when it is opened. Two omega style springs, one on each liner, give the locking bar its inertia to engage the knife tang. As a result, the tang is wedged solidly between a sizable stop pin and the AxIS® bar itself. The Mini-Barrage is available with both all black coated and satin finish blades with either plain or combination plain and serrated edge models. Same powerful design in a smaller package. 154cm stainless steel blade (58-61HRC), Valox® handles and stainless steel liners. AxIS®-Assist locking mechanism. Reversible tip-up pocket clip. Blade Length: 2.91". Blade Thickness: 0.100". Handle Thickness: 0.570". Blade Material: 154cm Stainless Steel. Blade Hardness: 58-61HRC. Blade Style: Drop Point; Ambidextrous Thumb-Studs. Weight: 3.40oz. Pocket Clip: Reversible Split Arrow. Lock Mechanism: AxIS-ASSIST Lock. Overall Length: 6.91". Closed Length: 4.00". Our reviewer CQ Patrick McKay (Kilbride Camp) says… This knife is a very good piece of kit. The size of the knife makes it very comfortable to hold / use and with the clip can be secured very easily in a pocket. The metal is of high quality, the blade is very sharp, and remains sharp even after heavy usage, making it very durable. Benchmade's Axis lock is an excellent design and works great at keeping this knife locked in with absolutely no movement in the blade when in use. This knife is something you would really like to own, but for value it is priced on the higher level of what one might expect to pay, but if you can, well worth the investment, you will own it for a long time! Durability 9 - Easy Access 8 - Value 7 - Lock Mechanism 8 - Sharpness 10

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