Category Archives: Product Reviews

Gadget, gear, and technology

Gadgets, Product Reviews, Shooting Sports

5.11 X.VI Pants

5.11 worked with law enforcement SWAT teams to design the X.VI tactical pants. These pants were only available to Law Enforcement and Military until this year when 5.11 made them available to civilians on their website. I had my first look at them at SHOT Show in January, where I learned that X.VI was Roman numerals for 5.11.

These pants are robustly made with gusseted stitching to reinforce stress points, especially around the waist. The pants are loaded with well thought out performance features. All the pockets are oversized and the cargo pockets contain internal mag holders, zippered venting slits, and patented straps to adjust the height and position of the knee pads. The legs have built in knee pads with removable polymer knee covers and padding. The pant legs have boot hooks that anchor the pant ends to the top laces of your boots and keep them from riding up and exposing the top of your boots to debris.

In my week long testing of the pants, I found them comfortable but a bit heavy. The only disappointing feature were the knee pads. Though well built with a variety of adjustment, they never stayed where I wanted them when sitting the car. I found myself constantly repositioning them by hand. Fortunately, the pads can be removed to allow me to use them with my Hatch knee pads.

The other aspect that would make me balk, is their price of over $200. While these pants are now available for civilians, but those civilians probably drive Rivians and not Kia’s.

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L.A. Police Gear https://la-police-gear.pxf.io/OeB3nz

Product Reviews, Shooting Sports

MAVEN CS.24

The Maven CS.2A 26-66×85 has the highest magnification and largest objective diameter among Mavens spotting scopes. The scope appears to be made or at least assembled in China unlike the Japanese S-series scopes. But don’t let Sino-Snobbery bias you, the glass and build quality is a match to Maven’s other premium optics. This scope uses the same ED quality glass Mavens other C-series scopes. Color balance, sharpness, and brightness were on par with other quality scopes in the 1K-1.5K price tier.

Its only disappointment is it’s lack of field-grade lens caps or backpack ready carrying case or skin. While many premium scope brands also eschew accessories, Maven took the time to produce a custom branded front lens cap; yet somehow didn’t design it to have a simple lanyard loop to help keep an outdoorsman from losing it in the field.

Despite this nitpick, the CS.2A’s body design is armored and ruggedized for harsher outdoor conditions. At 60oz, the CS.2A is impressively light for an 85mm spotter. This scope has the power, features, and style that a well heeled back-country hunters or birders can appreciate.

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Maven.com*: https://alnk.to/7BfCc5l

Amazon*: https://amzn.to/3YaYJt8

RESOLUTION

Element 6 / Group 0

SPECS

CS.2A

Magnification: 26x-66x

Obj. lens: 85mm

Exit pupil: 3.3mm / 1.3mm

Field of view (ft/1000 yds) : 113ft /56ft

Twilight factor: 47 / 75

Eye relief : 16mm – 17mm

Min focus: 16ft

Dimensions: W 15″ x H 4:  x D 6″

Weight : 60.0 oz

Prisms type:Schmidt-Pechan

Gas Purge: Nitrogen

Lens type: ED

Gadgets, Product Reviews

MIFMIA LED headlamp bulbs

https://youtu.be/wvx2luWeL1Y

At about 80k miles, I replaced the headlight bulbs in my KIA Sorrento 2019 with similar Sylvania H7 halogen bulbs. Most newer cars have switched to LED bulbs so I was interested in upgrading my lights to LEDs but many require cooling fans and “ballast” boxes containing controller electronics which make it difficult to fit into light housings without modification.

I found these H7 replacement bulbs by MIFMIA, a brand I’m not familiar with. Testing them out I found that their design was indeed identical length and form factor to halogen H7 bulbs. They fit in my housing and installed without issue. Their beams were brighter than the halogen bulbs and provided a whiter/bluer light.

Unfortunately my KIA’s computerized diagnostics system registered an error and displayed a warning light that my headlamp bulbs were burned out/disabled. These MIFMIA bulbs were returning an incorrect voltage signal to the car’s diagnostics and setting off a false alarm. Unfortunately they didn’t work for my 2019 KIA but they may work for your car.

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Gadgets, Product Reviews

Fenix PD40R v3.0

Tactical lights with their multiple lighting modes have always been hamstrung by their control, usually having to resort to multiple clicks or one or two buttons to cycle modes and brightness. With the PD40R, Fenix developed a duty light whose controls are an intuitive selector ring, allowing the user to precisely dial in their desired brightness or set the flashlight into SOS and strobe.

The PD40R v3.0 steps up in run time and throw distance from the v2.0. Physically the PD40 is just a little bit larger than the PD30 at a little over 6″ long. It runs of a 5000mAh 21700 lithium battery. The PD40R has a USB-C charging port allowing the battery to be charged inside the flashlight (which is fortunate because none of my LiPO chargers is large enough to fit a 21700 battery).

The PD40R has a slightly crenelated crown to assist in breaking glass and as a pressure point when used a self-defense tool. Because of its control ring, the unit lacks a tail click button and thus easily tail stands. Fenix included a removable pocket clip though the unit is a bit oversized.

In my testing, I measured 2600 lumens from a freshly recharged battery, which is close enough to its stated 3000 lumen output that I consider my reading well within a margin of error. In addition, the PD40 lasted well past Fenix’s 2hr and 40min runtime in Turbo brightness; I stopped my test at 3hrs and 40min and it was still not exhausted.

The only disappointing aspect of the flashlight is its control ring. I prefer the PD40’s control ring system which is much more intuitive and precise than pressing button combinations. Fenix claims the ring has a hard stop at TURBO to prevent the user from accidentally activating the SOS or strobe function. But in my testing, I too often accidentally turned the unit past TURBO into SOS. I contacted Fenix about this and they were aware of the feedback.

Suggestions about the SOS mode in the ring control aside, the PD40Rs exceeded expectations for “professional” performance.

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Get 10% off using code AF-MOONDOG
on Fenix LIghting website: https://alnk.to/9bugn8I

SPECS

Max Output: 3000 lumens

Max Throw: 500 m

Max Runtime: 89 hrs (low)

Modes: 6

Strobe Mode: 3000 lumens

Control: Rotary Switch

Length: 5.63” (143mm) 

Head: 1.34” (34mm) 

Body: 1.02” (26mm)

Weight: 6.98 oz. (198g) with battery

Charging Type: USB Type-C

Waterproof Rating: IP68

Product Reviews, Shooting Sports

Sunwayfoto Inverted Leg Tripod

Sunwayfoto sent me their new T4030CSI-L, one of their first Inverted Leg Tripods. Traditionally, telescoping leg tripods were attached at the hinge at the thickest and widest leg segment, telescoping out to the thinest section. Inverted leg tripods are hinged to the head at their thinnest diameter section.

Having the widest diameter part of the leg offers two advantages. The heaviest part of the leg is at the bottom, lowering the tripod’s center of gravity. Moreover, the largest diameter part of the leg also offers a wider contact point with the ground. One of the advantages I thought it would have would be the higher position of the locking rings but this did not prove to be substantially better ergonomics than standard tripods.

The T4030CSI-L is one of Sunwayfoto’s tall (L=long) and heavy-duty models. It has a rated load capacity of 66lbs but it was easily able to hold up my weight of ~165lbs. In use, I found it to be a sturdy and stable shooting platform, soaking up recoil from my 5.56 AR-15. Moving forward, I think I would prefer having all of my tripods follow this inverted design. But then I always tended to be a bit of a heterodox.

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Sunwayfoto affiliate 5% Discount Code: MOONDOG https://sunwayfoto.com/

Browse their entire tripod line: https://sunwayfoto.com/?ref=pwwCNnfb

Gadgets, Product Reviews

Blackbeard Fire Plugs

In a survival situation, without a means to create a fire, can you slowly die of hypothermia. Blackbeard sent me a bag of Fire Plugs; compact fire starters that feel like mini candles and look a bit like white cheddar Cheetos. They claim their completely water proof.

As a torture test, I dropped a plug into a pitcher of water and let it soak for an hour. After 62 minutes I took a wet plug out of the water and gave it a quick shake. I bent it and twisted it and worked it back and fourth until it softened and allowed me to pull it apart into two halves.

Blackbeard’s online demos advise fluffing up the torn half which felt like wax impregnated cotton cigarette filters. Despite floating in water for an hour, the interior of the plug felt relatively dry (though it was hard to tell as my fingers were wet from fishing out the plugs). To my surprise the tinder lit up without too much effort. Despite it also being a gusty day, I was able to get a small fire started.

If you’re a hiker or packing for an extreme bug-out-bag, adding a Blackbeard to your kit is good “fire insurance.”

AFFILIATE RETAIL LINK

Amazon https://amzn.to/4ePPfLr

The lighter and ropes are part of the Pirate Plunder Kit: https://amzn.to/4eW4H8I

Gadgets, Product Reviews

Fenix PD32R EDC flashlight

I assume ‘PD’ in PD32R stands for Police Department because Fenix designed their entire PD flashlight line “professional” users such as LEOs, security, and first responders. First impressions of the unit are that it’s a ‘typical’ looking tactical flashlight with a 1″ barrel, tail click button, and crenellated bell. But looking at the Specs we can see it’s an evolutionary rather than evolutionary flashlight.

The PD32R runs off a standard 18650 lipo cell. An o-ringed screw down collar below the bell covers a USB-C port which allows you to recharge the battery inside the PD32R. The flashlight is IPX-68 rated means it can be submerged in down to 2m of water for up to half an hour. I tested it sealed in a water jug for an hour with no moisture leaking in.

It has a silent tail click button that activates the unit and based on the length and number of presses allows you to cycle through it’s brightness modes: low, medium, high, and turbo. The button is partially hooded to protect it from accidental presses but will not allow it to tail stand. mode has offers up to 1400 lumens of brightess that automatically dims to high and medium to avoid overheating the electronics.

There is a strobe mode which is activated by keeping the button pressed for 3 seconds. This is intended to be hide the strobe from accidental activation or activated under stress when a user crunches down on the button. I would have liked to allow the user to means to change this feature to switch out to Turbo instead of strobe for those who absolutely do not want a strobe on their EDC.

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Get 10% off using code AF-MOONDOG
on Fenix LIghting’s website https://www.fenixlighting.com

Amazon affiliate: https://amzn.to/3WeBwoJ

SPECS

PD32R

Max Lumens: 1400

Max Beam Distance: 344m

Max Runtime: 70 hours

Modes: 4 + strobe

Bulb Type:  SFT40 LED

Color Temp: ~6500K

Length: 5.32” (135mm) 

Head: 1.04” (26.5mm) 

Body: 0.93” (23.6mm)

Weight: 4.80 oz. (136g) 

Battery: 18650  or two CR123A

Gadgets, Product Reviews

Anarchy Outdoors Bubble Level Scope Rail

The Ruger Precision Rimfire (RPR) is an popular entry-level chassis riflePRS training or NRL22. It comes from the factory with a 30MOA rail which is perfect to compensate for the bullet drop for long range targets at 200yrds or more. But this 30MOA rail can make it impossible to zero a scope for targets at 25yrds or less. I was eager to replace my stock 30MOA rail with a flat rail to easily allow me the option to attach flip-up iron sights to train my kids.

Anarchy Outdoors sent me their 00MOA rail. This Picatinny rail has a built in bubble level that’s user replaceable and they offer a selection of colored levels on their website. This rail is also available in 10MOA, 20MOA, 30MOA, and 40MOA grades and for other popular rifle makes like Remington, CZ, Bergara, and Browning.

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Amazon: https://amzn.to/4cCBRZf

Gadgets, Product Reviews

Blackbeard Ferro Rod

Blackbeard is a small company that was founded by Kai and his brother, who are avid hikers and outdoorsmen in Utah. They invented a range of Fire Starters and fire starting tools based on trail and their own experience, setting up camps in rain or after crossing creeks and rivers with wet gear.

Along with Fire Starter rope cord and Fire Plugs, they include in their Pirate’s Pluder kit, possibly the largest ferro rod on the market. Ferro rods are sticks of magnesium metal that when struck by steel or iron produce sparks. This is the metal used to make sparklers and burns with enough intensity to ignite most kindling.

The Blackbeard Ferro rod comes with its own metal striker which has a built-in bottle opener. Both are connected with a paracord lanyard that can unwound for 6ft of emergency rope. If you’re a hiker or packing for an extreme bug-out-bag, adding a Blackbeard to your kit is good “fire insurance.”

AFFILIATE RETAIL LINK

Amazon https://amzn.to/3VKnqwu

The lighter and ropes are part of the Pirate Plunder Kit: https://amzn.to/3VL6XYX