Leaders in tactical bag design and manufacturer, Maxpedition ® have converted bag design into a science, they have given a new meaning to the pouch, infact they have given it a new name.. Versipack™. The name is ideal for these incredibly well thought out and versatile bags which include, daypacks, backpacks, waistbags and all manner of tactical response bags -The Versipacks to be carried or worn as S.Type -shoulder slinging, butpacking or waist and thigh hugging and stacking ‘pouches’ are tough and durable making them great survival kit.
The model that bought the attention to Maxpedition efforts was the Thermite Versipack, designed to be worn on the waist with an additional leg strap that holds it in place, and with just enough pockets to be useful and not cumbersome, an essential pice of outdoor tactical gear, it made us all realise what we had been missing.
Since then the Versipack™ range has been evolving; The Mongo Versipack is a current favourite, and looks to stay that way, it is a new and improved… larger and enhanced version of the Maxpedition Jumbo- which is also extremely popular.
True to all Maxpedition Versipacks, both come fitted with a multitude of attachment fittings and useful compartments, many of which are suited to hold specific items of equipment found not only on any serious outdoorman/ womans survival kit list, but also useful in everyday use and for travelling long or short journeys.
In addition to the vesipack ™ range, Maxpedition make ‘stacking pouches’ that are designed to be attached to and piggy back onto each other and onto most of their other bags including their versipacks, backpacks and gear.These bags are truly versipacks, pouches in disguise.
Checkout their extensive range on the list of pouches below, for detailed information and pictures.Each can be bought immediately form our approved vendor Heinnie Haynes, who offer outstanding service and speedy delivery, worldwide.
Maxpedition ® have converted bag design into a science, they have given a new meaning to the pouch, infact they have given it a new name.. Versipack™ a name that absolutely suits their range of highly designed versatile S.Type -shoulder slinging, butpacking or waist and thigh hugging and stacking’pouches’.
- Maxpedition Mongo – worn either as S Type shoulder bag or a waist-bag.
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Survival Info Review On The 
Streamlight – Sidewinder Compact – LED Torch
This tough, tactical survival LED torch is a robust, compact and lightweight unit and has been been designed not only to use as a hand held torch, but to also quickly attach, via a strong spring steel clip, onto your belt and MOLLE of your kit and headgear, leaving you hands free.
View of the steel clip on the Streamlight Sidewinder Compact mountable Torch.
It is constructed out of unbreakable polycarbonate lens with scratch resistant coating, gasket sealed, perfect for surviving any survival scenario you might encounter.
The unique ‘Streamlight Compact Tactical Torch’ offers an amazing 20 functions.
It has 4 LED light colours, each with 4 levels of intensity levels with a strobe function at 100% intensity and all are electronically regulated light/illumination output. A pretty cool feature is the way that each LED begins dimly and gradually brightens - Beginning with 5% on Low, 25% on Medium, 60% on Medium High and 100% on High and when using the strobe function. another, is the articulating head for precision light placement within a 185-degree angle range.
- The white C4® LED casts the widest and brightest light, offering 45 lumens of output on the high setting - 5.25 hours runtime on highest output level, 70 hours on low.
- The red LED light to maintain night vision, offers one lumen of measured system output on the high output setting.
- The infrared LED operations and compatible with night-vision equipment- providing 25mW of radiant intensity on the high output setting-14 hours runtime.
- The blue LED aids soldiers and medics when checking for bleeding -n providing 1.8 lumens of measured system output on the high output setting - 10 hours runtime.
The on, off, dimming and strobe functions are all easily operated by an erganomic button.
The operating dial of the Sidewinder Compact
Other features include
- Tough, durable, weather resistant, high-impact nylon case, available in Coyote and Green.
- Measuring 3-inches in length it weighs 2.4 ounces with a single CR123A lithium battery.
- Lithium battery – for operation in extreme temperatures (-40°F-150°F)
- The light meets MIL-STD-810F, Method 512.4 guidelines for waterproof operation.
The white, blue, red and infrared bulbs of the Sidewinder torch by Streamlight.
Review of the Snugpak Stratosphere Bivvi Shelter.
The Snugpak Stratosphere Bivvi shelter
The Snugpak Stratosphere Is Not A Tent – Or Is It ?
The Snugpak Stratosphere Bivi Shelter, just big enough to contain a sleeping bag, is a one person shelter, and apparently not a tent. It is inevitable that as equipment designs become more specific that it becomes more difficult to define items, this Snugpak assert, is not a tent, it is a bivvi shelter , as with many good designs the purchaser in this case ( the lone wilderness survivor) looks at it and goes it’s so obvious why didn’t they make on before. A big step up from a 5 x 7 waterproof sheet shelter, the Stratosphere is sealed and will protect everything inside from the rain above, the rising damp from below and winds or drafts from all directions.
The bendy pole system of the Stratosphere Bivvi shelter
It comes with two lightweight aluminium poles which collapse into 8″ lengths. These are threaded through the sleeves at the top/ head end of the bag and secured into the holes in the tags provided, which in turn are secured into the ground with pegs – also provided. This structure provides a nice supported hood… This zips shut to create a cosy yet ventilated head space, with an alternative ‘mosquito mesh’ that folds away or zips onto the outer material of the bivi when you are not using it.
Besides the bendy poles and pegs, the other feature that that makes the Stratosphere bivvi more like a tent and less like a Bivvi bag is the long, easy access zip.
- The top material is 40D Nylon Ripstop.
- The bottom material is 70D Nylon Taffeta with PU Coating.
- Size: 230 x 95 x 60cm
- Pack Size: 35 x 10 x 15cm
- Weight: 1300g / 1.3KG
The Stratosphere costs around £90 (March 2010 prices). Click here to view on our trusted vendors site Heinnie Haynes.
Extrema Ratio class this knife as a backup knife but it shares the same characteristics as it’s bigger brother the standard sized Fulcrum S and it’s giant brother the Fulcrum.
These knives are built to last and withstand incredible punishment no matter what model, full tang blade made from Austrian surgical steel N690 giving it an incredible edge and strength at the same time, something crucial in a “do it all” survival knife.
I have had one of these knives for about 3 years now and it has been a completely reliable and useful knife, steel is fantastic and Extrema Ratio don’t skimp on materials and offer this blade in a generous 6.3 mm width so there is little fear of snapping this little beauty doing a bit of prying and digging.
The handle is made of Forprene which I find comfortable to grip, secure and durable though the handle on the compact version makes it uncomfortable chopping or hacking with this knife. The knife feels safe and secure to use and the part serated tanto blade alows for sensitive work, rope cutting and strong stabbing actions into cans etc without fault.
Weighing in at 200 grams this feels dependable, it may be small but it feels like a proper handful of serious tool.
The Lok-Tek sheath I found to be very versatile with the option to adjust it to be used horizontaly or vertically on the belt or Molle. Fast to release but quite secure when seated, though the first sheath I got with the knife delivery cracked just below the catch rendering it useless after just a few weeks use.
Technical Data:
- MODEL: FULCRUM C
- WEIGHT: g 200
- BLADE LENGHT: mm 110
- OVERALL LENGHT: mm 210
- BLADE THICKNESS (MAIN): mm 6,3
- BLADE STEEL: N690 (58HRC)
- HANDLE MATERIAL: FORPRENE
- SERRATION ON THE BLADE: YES
- FINISHING AND COATING: TESTUDO, GEOCAMO
Alloy components
- Carbon: increases duration of edge and elasticity point; increases hardness and fatigue to abrasion resistance.
- Chrome: increases hardness, elasticity and tenacity; helps in fatigue resistance and corrosion.
- Cobalt: increases resistance and hardness and allows high temperature endurance; multiplies the effects of other elements of the alloy.
- Copper: increases resistance to corrosion and fatigue resistance. Manganese: improves capacity to hardness increase; deoxidates and degasses metals during bulk thermic treatments, increases hardness and dicreases brittleness.
- Molybdenum: increases tenacity, capacity of hardening and fatigue resistance; increases workability and resistance to corrosion.
- Nickel: increases resistance, hardness and resistance to corrosion. Phosphorus: dicreases brittleness when in high concentrations; increases resistance, workability and hardness.
- Sylicium: increases workability, elasticity, deoxidates and degasses many metals.
- Sulphur: increases workability when used in small amounts.
- Tungsten: increases resistance, hardness and tenacity.
- Vanadium: increases resistance, hardness and crash resistance; inhibits granulation.
N 690 STEEL
This kind of steel, selected for its exceptional features and used to produce all blades, comes from Austria and is manufactured by a small steel plant; highly specialized in high quality special steels. N 690 is a martensistic special steel with 17% chrome and it differentiates from AISI 440C steel thanks to a higher level of molybden (double). Not only molybden is a strong generator of carbides (improving cutting features) but increases resistance to corrosion in those steels highly connected to chrome. Moreover vanadium and cobalt alloys add ons increase the performances of this steel (vanadium is a also carbides generator with resulting increase in resistance to wear and therefore capacity of keeping edge sharpness for longer; cobalt prevents granulosity at high temperatures and improves drawing capacity and high temperatures resistance) . This steel features high resistance to corrosion and wear, keeps a sharpened edge for longer, can be easily polished and features also high levels in hardness, over 60 HRC (more than traditional steel AISI 440 C) that can be reached through the thermic treatment of tempering. These are the reasons why its employ is oriented towards blades and professional knives production. Thanks to the peculiar edge keeping quality and to oxidation resistance this steel is used in industrial kniving (food and fishing industries) and for butchering jobs. In the medical area, it’s mainly used for surgical instruments production.
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More to come soon, including more photo’s.