VALKEN AGILITY ROLLING BAG REVIEW!

Hey everyone!

So I’m taking a quick break from my SHOT Show 2018 coverage and I'm back with another review for Valken and today it’s something I’ve been hella eager to test out - the Valken Agility Rolling Gear bag.

First let me give you a quick rundown of the main features - the Valken Agility Rolling Gear bag is an 80 litre gear bag that has similar features to a suitcase including wheels and a telescopic handle making it an easy gear transportation system for airsofters and paintballers alike! It is built from durable ballistic nylon so it’s tough enough to take your gear with you whether you’re hitting up a skirmish or a MilSim and it also boasts reinforced off road wheels that are made from a thick rubber material for durability. It has heavy-duty nylon pulls and water resistant zippers to keep your gear secure. It’s pretty spacious on the inside with internal mesh zipped pockets to help you keep all your bits and bobs organised.



It has an identification window pocket on the underside of the bag which, just like a suitcase tag, can take a small address card enabling users to identify which bag is theirs – which would also be super handy if you were to take your gear bag onto to a plane. It also has compression straps so when the bag is full it can be condensed during transport.


My first impressions of the gear bag when I got it out of the delivery were very good – the woven nylon feels durable and the zipper pulls didn’t feel flimsy, in regards to the internal section, it was pretty roomy and the zipped mesh pockets. What I was quite surprised about however is that it is a bit smaller than it looks on the website, I think this could be easily solved by Valken providing the dimensions of the bag on the website. The branding on the bag is on point too.



As I’ve said earlier in the review, the bag has a telescopic handle for easy navigation – this is one of my favourite features of the bag – it makes manoeuvring the bag really easy and unlike some transportation systems the handle is comfortable to hold even when it is loaded up and weighted. The off road wheels are also a great feature! If you’ve seen me at games you’ll have guessed that I am a huge fan of plano cases but sometimes these have wheels that aren’t built for rolling along gravel and harsh terrain, which most woodland and urban airsoft sites have leading up to and in their safe zones. The wheels on the Rolling Agility bag are tough and quite thick so I have high hopes for them.

So how much does the Rolling Agility Bag retail for? In the US players are looking at a cost of $149.95 from the Valken website here, for us over the pond it would be around £107! 

Photography thanks to Henry Nicholson.
Post sponsored by Valken Tactical
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SHOT SHOW 2018 - VALKEN TACTICAL!

Hey everyone! 

In this post, we're going to be looking at all the new products that Valken are dropping this year that were showcased at SHOT Show 2018!

Let's start off with the new airsoft guns for 2018: 

First up is the Valken AR-1 Carbine which is Valken's model of the in-stock HPA system. Just in case you've been living under the airsoft rock recently - HPA is moving in a new direction with multiple companies bringing out their own variation of an airsoft gun that has a stock with a HPA tank concealed in it, so instead of having a line and larger external tank, everything is contained in the stock and connects directly. The Valken AR-1 has an aluminium alloy receiver, 12.5" free floating metal rail, front and rear flip up sights and a 6 position 13 Ci ready stock.


The new AR-1 PDW has a male HPA fitting on the underside of the PDW tube that feeds into the air source adapter - you connect a remote line to this. The AR-1 PDW has an aluminium alloy receiver, a 7" free floating metal rail, front and rear flip up sights, 6 position PDW stock and it is remote ready. Out of the AR-1 Carbine and PDW, the PDW is definitely more my jam! I'm really looking forward to seeing this on the field.


Here is my favourite of the ALLOY range for 2018:
The ALLOY MKII has an aluminium alloy receiver, a 10" free floating metal rail, front and rear hi-vis sights which are really cool, a 6 position crane stock and it runs on a 7.4 LiPO battery.


Valken has also announced that the new Accelerate ProMatch BB line will be replacing their current line of BBS, with more info on them soon, but the information they have given us is they will be available in bio and none-bio and from 0.20g all the way up to 0.50g.


Now onto accessories and tactical kit! First, we're going to look at the KILO wire mesh mask, although there's not really much to say about wire mesh masks, this one has a couple of nifty features! 

So the KILO mask has padding along the nose edge for extra comfort and added protection for the user. It also has repair buckles on both sides of the mask so you can easily replace them or, even better, use the repair buckle attachment for helmets to attach the straps directly to your helmet with no need to cut or stitch! 



Valken is also dropping a wire mesh/fabric mask similar to those that have become really popular in the last year, the TANGO padded mask. Again, not much to say about it but it does have the straps and some velcro on the side of the fabric so you have more patch space.


Next up are the KILO gloves - a pair of utility gloves that have padded knuckles to absorb shock and have mobile tactile recognition, meaning you can use your smartphone whilst still wearing them. They come in sizes S to XL and in 3 colourways - tan, black and olive!




Next up is the ALPHA Plate Carrier -  a budget version of their JPC that is perfect for younger players and players who don't want to spend serious bucks on their kit. It has laser cut molle and adjustable straps in place of a cummerbund enabling it to be completely customisable to the user. 

It comes in 3 colourways - tan, black & olive and each colour has a design printed on the back which goes with the coordinating patch! My personal favourite is the jolly roger pirate design on the black ALPHA PC!




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SHOT SHOW 2018: ACTION SPORT GAMES!

Hey everyone!

I'm back with more SHOT Show 2018 content and today I'm going to be dropping the latest news from Action Sport Games/ASG!

First up we're going to be looking at the HERA Arms CQR, a joint project by ASG and ICS Airsoft. The model we saw at SHOT Show 2018 was a prototype, and although not a lot of the production model features were revealed I do have a little bit of info on it! The rifle is being designed and developed using the original blueprints provided by HERA Arms - although a few features will have to be changed and be custom made for airsoft. The project is based on the ICS CXP AEG and upon release, the HERA Arms CQR will be available in black, tan, and OD green colourways.


The features that ASG have announced so far include: a split gearbox for easy access and realistic disassembly, quick change spring, angled surface receiver, large ambi charging, detachable CFS folding front and rear sights that are fully adjustable, multiple sling attachment points that can accommodate different carry methods and there will be multiple stock length options.



Whilst the booth I also got to check out the new colourways for the ASG CZ P-09 and the CZ Shadow SP-01 - both airsoft pistols will be available in the new colour 'Urban Grey' which is CZ's own shade of FDE and grey! What's really cool about this colour is that it shifts under different light conditions as you can see from the photos, so in yellow/warmer light it looks more tan than grey and in blue/cooler light it looks more grey, the colour is super adaptive for its environment. The European variations of these will of course come without the orange tips but I'm looking forward to seeing this colourway hit the field!





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SHOT SHOW 2018 - ENOLA GAYE!

Hey everyone!

Next up in my series of SHOT Show 2018 coverage, we have a new product from pyrotechnics baes Enola Gaye!

Introducing the MIL-X2! The next instalment in the MIL-X series that follows on from their popular MIL-X smoke grenade. This grenade will only be available to law enforcement and military but its development is bound to lead to some dope airsoft products in the future. This will come in both flashbang and smoke versions but initially, it will be a flashbang distraction device. It has a 2-3 second fuse delay, a 130 dB bang at 15ft with a visible white flash.




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SHOT SHOW 2018: REDWOLF AIRSOFT!

Hey everyone!

Continuing with my SHOT Show 2018 coverage, next up is day 1 of the show - in this post, we're going to look at the new products from RedWolf Airsoft, and to kick things off I'm going to look at the AVATAR grenade!

The AVATAR grenade is a new, reusable airsoft grenade that uses green gas and BBs to distract/eliminate opponents. It holds 75 rounds that are discharged from 6 ports on impact. The gas charging port is located on the bottom of the grenade, BBs are to be loaded via a speedloader in the ports and the grenade is armed at the top by using a switch.


Next up is the prototype shell that AVATAR are working on - the Orb skinz, which is a spherical shell that resembles the thermal detonators seen in Star Wars. It has the same munitions as the original Avatar grenade - green gas and BBs but this holds 80 BBs and has 12 ejection ports. This shell also had a concept idea coloured light on it for SHOT Show that was located in the arming switch on the top of the grenade - which aims to make it easier to find in dark areas! The light will probably be released on it's on in the near future. Word from RWA is that this is the next stage for the Avatar grenade, and we'll be seeing impact, timed and remote control versions!  


And finally, we have the TM SGR 12!

This is Tokyo Marui's new tri-barrel AEG Shotgun - it has been designed with the same internal specs as the TM AA-12! It's construction consists of an aluminium rail system that features M-Lok, a polymer body and a rubberised stock. It has, as the name suggests 3 barrels and each has its own adjustable hop-up! The magazine release is in the style of the iconic AK. As for mags/BB capacity - it comes with a 90 RD magazine but 3,000 RD drum mags are available to purchase.


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VALKEN KILO ONE POINT SLING REVIEW!

Hey everyone!

I’m back with another review of some tactical kit for you lovely lot and today I’m looking at the Valken KILO One Point sling!


The V-Tac KILO Sling is a single point, double bungee weapon sling made from heavy-duty nylon that has three side release buckles that are all super functional - two to make the sling easy to put on over gear regardless of which side you sling the rifle, and the third is to quickly disconnect the rifle without needing to take off the sling which is really useful on the field. It is also adjustable to the wearer.


It has an elastic hook sleeve that covers the HK style hook that easily attaches to most sling points, I say most because although it is a universal fitting, some airsoft guns have tiny sling point attachments or sling point attachments in really inconvenient/awkward places that this hook just won't pass through. The hook is easy to manipulate with and without gloves on.


The bungee in the sling is pretty strong but it still has some give in it, the sling overall is of a good quality and doesn't feel flimsy. I usually run my sling through the shoulder straps of my plate carrier as it looks neater and is a lot more comfortable when on the field so rather than wearing the sling over my gear I chose to follow suit and thread the straps of the KILO sling through the shoulder pieces of my Tora Bora green loadout plate carrier, and secured them with the Velcro ties and also at the back. The colour matches my green plate carrier and other pouches pretty well as you can see from the photos which is a definite bonus and, it doesn't look out of place amongst my other gear.

One of the most useful features of this sling is the third release buckle that allows you to detach the rifle from the sling without taking the sling off the rifle - it's great for when you're out in the field on a long game and you need to remove your rifle from you to either get into windows, over high walls etc! The only thing that I dislike about the KILO sling is the elastic hook sleeve that protects the hook - when my hands are cold or I'm wearing gloves the sleeve is a little fiddly and pulling it back can be a bit of a hassle.


The V-Tac KILO sling is available in 3 colours - black, tan and green! I opted for the green so it completed my Tora Bora green plate carrier set-up! The sling retails for $15.95 on Valken's website here and for us Brits that works out to roughly £12 which is a great price point for a bungee sling.


Post sponsored by Valken Tactical
Photos thanks to Henry Nicholson
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SHOT SHOW 2018 - FIRST SPEAR RANGE DAY!

Hey everyone!

So it's finally here - SHOT Show 2018 and I'm kicking off the content with day one of my SHOT Show week! On Monday myself, and Chris from The Full 9 were hosted by First Spear for their private range day event just outside the city centre of Las Vegas, Nevada!

Range days are where companies exhibit new firearms and firearms related products and give their customers/media relations a chance to get their hands on them and put some lead down range. To kick off our range day we started off on the pistol range where we got to shoot a 9mm Glock 19 and a .45 ACP 1911.





Over the course of the last two days (and two range days back to back makes you sore!) I've become loads more comfortable with shooting handguns and my shot has definitely improved. I particularly enjoyed shooting the Glock 19 that had an RDS!


Next we moved onto the Triarc systems ARs with Aimpoint red dot sights! I am much more comfortable firing rifles than pistols because they are much easier to manipulate and control.



Here's a few products that I spotted that 

First up is the MultiMag Rapid-Adjust Pocket from First Spear LLC which has a patented adjustment and retention system so the user can rapidly adjust their pouch to fit a wide range of magazines and other similar sized items such as radios etc. Just pop the item in and twist the adjustment wheel. These would be super useful to have on a plate carrier/belt loadout if you regularly run different weapons but didn't want to change PCs/belts!




Next up is the Bullfrog plate carrier from First Spear, something on this piece of kit really caught my eye and impressed me - the fastenings! Instead of noisy and sticky velcro, the First Spear plate carriers feature what best can be described a sliding clip system (unfortunately I can't remember what their technical name is!) - when you want to take the carrier off you simply pull on the zipper pull like tab and the sides of the plate carrier are released - this would be an awesome feature to have on a plate carrier for airsoft!



Stay tuned for more coverage of SHOT Show throughout the week!


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PRE-SHOT SHOW RANGE DAY WITH MILSIM MEDIA & WHO SHOT FIRST!

Hey everyone!

So I made it to Las Vegas! This year is my first year attending SHOT Show, but before the show starts my good friends Omar and Castro were kind enough to take me to the range to get a little pre-SHOT Show trigger time in!

Over the course of the day I got to shoot a variety of firearms from sidearms to rifles including a Rock Island 1911 .45 ACP, Walther P99 .40, 9mm Glock 19, .45 Glock 27, 5.45 x 39 AK74, and a couple of AR15s including the 2017 SHOT Show Triton MFG/LBT rifle and here are a few images from the day!

As I'm from the UK - where our firearms laws are very strict, the chance to shoot firearms doesn't present itself very often, so when it does, you throw yourself in! I'm definitely more comfortable shooting rifles than I am shooting pistols but that will come with time, practice and exposure.

Glock 19 Gen 4

Triton Manufacturing/LBT AR15 with Vortex SPARC AR

Triton Manufacturing/LBT AR15 with Vortex SPARC AR

Triton Manufacturing/LBT AR15 with Vortex SPARC AR

Triton Manufacturing/LBT AR15 with Vortex SPARC AR

Look out for some content from the first day of SHOT Show for Femme Fatale Airsoft, the First Spear Range Day!

Photo credits: Daniel Castro | MilSim Media
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VALKEN PROFIT THERMAL LENS REVIEW!

Hey everyone!

As some of you will remember a couple of months back in October I reviewed the Valken (Sly) Profit paintball mask (you can read the review here!) and today I’m back taking a look at the thermal lens which is a part of the growing collection of lenses for the profit mask, giving airsofters and paintballers alike more aesthetic choices for their face protection.


The Sly Profit Thermal Lens is a UV & IR resistant thermal lens with a compound curved inner and outer surfaces that boasts 270-degree horizontal and 160-degree vertical vision. Thermal or 'dual' pane lenses help to reduce fogging. The yellow tint to the lens also helps with visibility in low light conditions.

The lenses on the Profit mask are pretty easy to swap out! All you need to do is get a flathead screwdriver and undo the locks on each side of the mask, remove the locking pieces and then remove the strap - once all the locking parts are off, just push the lens out and replace with your new choice lens! To secure after fitting, just replace all the locking parts and you're done! The simplicity of the process of changing the lens is definitely a bonus!



I swapped out my clear Profit lens to the thermal lens for a few games of intense and quite dark CQB to see if the alternate lens would be an advantage! Although the Profit isn't prone to fogging anyway unless used with the rain guard - the rain guard blocks the vents at the top of the mask to prevent rain falling onto the lens and causing visibility issues but because it covers the vents it can cause fogging when used indoors or in cold conditions. The dual pane thermal lens gives players added assurance that their visibility won't suffer no matter the weather conditions!

As I'm not a player that really suffers from fogging issues anyway, I popped the rain cover on my Profit vents so I'd be able to gauge whether the thermal lens makes a difference! I think the dual pane design of the lens definitely improves visibility. The two lenses keep any fogging out of the main field of vision and keeps it clear. Without the rain vent on, there are no fogging issues to report at all. I like the colour of the lens and how it looks in the mask, it definitely looks a little more interesting than the clear lens! The yellow tint also helps with visibility of the terrain low light!


The Sly Profit thermal lens retails for $24.95 on the Valken website here, which is around £18 for us in the UK. I think compared to other paintball masks and lenses on the market it is a really affordable option for players that want a full face protection option on a budget. I think the thermal lens is a great addition to the collection of lenses that Valken are building for the Profit mask, I would love to see some reflective and coloured lenses such as pink, purple, blue for the profit that would open up the mask to some more loadouts.


Post sponsored by Valken Tactical
Photography by Henry Nicholson


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