VIPER TACTICAL TRIPLE MAG PLATE REVIEW!

Now we all like Gucci kit, but are we all prepared to pay Gucci prices that comes along with that? With Viper, we may not have to. Viper are well known for making great looking kit at low prices and that’s exactly what they’ve done with the Triple Mag Plate.

The Viper Triple Mag plate is a molle compatible elastic mag sleeve made from tough cordura and elastic that is designed to be worn on the front of a plate carrier or drop leg molle set-up that is low profile, slick and easy to use. The 3 mag sleeves can fit magazines, small radios, documents, flashbangs (Enola Gaye MK5s are a great fit) and bandages/field dressings making it a versatile and utilitarian piece of kit. It is pretty easy to install – I only say pretty easy as I have long acrylic nails which don’t fair too well with traditional molle (otherwise it would be easy peasy)! It has 3 molle straps with snap buttons for security.

When you first use the sleeves they are pretty tight because of the elastic and can be difficult to get mags in and out – I alleviated this by leaving 3 M4 midcaps in them for a few days before my skirmish which loosened them up enough for me to get mags in/out quickly but still have great retention. One of the things I like about elastic mag sleeves is that they have such good retention – they may be tight, but your mag won’t fall out! I also like that it looks similar to the Blue Force Gear Ten-Speed Triple M4 Mag Pouch which retails at around £39.99 making this a budget alternative with a pretty similar look! 

The sleeves are super low profile even with mags in them making this a great option for lightweight loadouts and for wearing under jackets (think to when you’re cold on STAG and you need to quickly throw something on) Which also means they wouldn’t be bulky if you were wearing your carrier in a vehicle – anyone for a tactical taxi? How low profile it is, is definitely one of the major selling points of the product along with its modern look and easy to use construction.

The triple mag plate is available in VCam (VCam cordura with tan elastic sleeve), coyote, black and green so no matter what your chosen camo pattern is there is a colourway to compliment it. I would love to see this made in the titanium colourway too as that is one of my favourites in the Viper range.

The important question, how much does it retail for? The price does vary between retailers but it is available around the £9-10 price point giving airsofters a chance to imitate those expensive looking loadouts on a budget, and hey, even having one for every colour loadout if they choose to. I think with this product Viper have definitely produced a quality budget product that will appeal to a fair few in the airsoft community.

Hardwick, K. (2018). Gear Review: Viper Triple Magplate. Airsoft Action. 91 (September), 81.

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FIRST TACTICAL WOMEN'S SPECIALIST TACTICAL PANTS REVIEW!

Hey everyone!

So I'm back with another kit review for the ladies and this time we’re looking at the First Tactical Specialist Tactical Pants for women!

The First Tactical Specialist Tactical Pants are a durable pair of tactical trousers that are made specifically for the field, whether that be the range, airsoft, outdoor activities and even first response work. They are made from a double ripstop polyester/cotton blend fabric that has a Teflon® Shield+ stain repellent finish to keep them looking fresh, this combination gives the end user sturdiness and functionality. My favourite thing about the First Tactical range of trousers is the feel of the fabric used – as soon as you get them out of the packaging, it feels smooth, sturdy and tough.

In regards to the pants construction, First Tactical always do a fab job. The running gusset construction gives the user full motion ability, whilst the triple needle stitching at critical seams keeps the pants going strong and together even after harsh use. The pants have double layered knees for durability and internal knee pad access that can be used with the First Tactical knee pads. The pants have a whole range of pockets including two back pockets, two front pockets, two front slit pockets (for mobile phones and magazines) and two organiser pockets (that can hold M4 magazines) with laminated pocket flaps. The pocket flaps are laminated to make sure they stay down and that the pants have a professional look even after being worn, they fasten with hook & loop Velcro and can be tucked in for quick access functionality.

The Specialist Tactical Pants are available in the UK, in US sizes 2, all the way up to a size 20 in both a regular and tall leg – it is worth noting that the sizes on their website are American sizes but they do have a size chart for reference. I usually wear a UK 8 so opted for the US 4 with the regular leg. In regards to fit, the pants have the First Tactical Advanced Women's Fit which is designed and constructed uniquely for a woman's shape – it has contoured cut curves that give a better fit around the hips, buttocks and upper leg to allow for optimal freedom of movement – they aren’t too tight but give the movement you need for strenuous activity without being baggy. As they are a women’s fit the waistband on the pants sits just above my hips rather than on my waist unlike most tactical trousers – which is much comfier. Overall, I’m really happy with the fit!

The pants are available in limited colours – navy, black and khaki. This is my only complaint about them, that they aren’t available in the same range of colours like the men’s trousers are. I would absolutely LOVE a pair of these in Olive Drab Green!

As for price, the pants retail at £44.95.

Overall, I really like them – they are a sturdy, durable and fitted alternative to traditional BDU trousers. They fit well and are a reasonable price, but I would love to see them in more colours!

Photography thanks to Pewpewpatriot

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MANTIS X FIREARMS TRAINING SYSTEM REVIEW!

Hey everyone!

So today I'm back with another review and this is for the MantisX Firearms Training System! 

The MantisX is a training system that is designed to help improve your shooting precision. It is a small sensor that can be used with live fire, dry practice for firearms and even for airsoft. It is attached to a rifle or pistol via a rail or adapter and it analyses the users shooting mechanics, diagnoses issues and gives you tips to improve through its app!

In the box you get an absolutely adorable tiny peli case that contains the MantisX sensor and the micro USB charging cable. Once I'd got it out of the box and downloaded the app from the App Store I set about mounting it to my WE M&P Big Bird Pistol. It was really easy to attach, just use a flat head screwdriver to remove the screw, slide it onto the rail and pop the screw back into place and you're done. The MantisX didn't sit flush with the end of the barrel because of the position of the slots in the rail but this doesn't affect its performance.

Once the sensor was attached to my M&P I turned it on using the button and opened the app to connect and calibrate the sensor. In the settings I could select whether I was using a rifle or a handgun, what type of weapon I was using (and the list was comprehensive) and whether I had the MantisX sensor in the forward or backward mount position - I had chosen the forward mount position with the USB charging port facing the gun.

I loaded my mags and started a session. It's recommended to take 10-15 shots, stop the session then analyse the data from there so you can discern patterns and areas of focus. The Mantis feedback is really easy to understand - each shot is scored depending on how much you moved away from your sighted position during the trigger pull, it is scored out of 100 and the higher the, the better you have performed, the app then shows you the direction of your movement and gives you a suggestion on what could be the cause of your movement so you can aim to improve on that the next round.

Here is my results and what the in-app data looks like! From the results I can see that the areas that dragged me down in my scores were pushing forward on shots and my wrist moving downwards on trigger pulls. I think the fact it gives you suggestions on how to improve is pretty awesome and would be super useful for airsoft competition shooters.

So, how easy is it to use and understand? The MantisX really is super simple to use, once you've attached the sensor, downloaded the app and set it up for your firearm it is point, shoot and then evaluate. In regards to hardware usability, it's easy as pie to operate - the button on the sensor turns it on, if you hold it down for about 1 second to turn it off and it has a cool auto power off feature that turns it off if it doesn't detect any significant movement for 5 minutes so you don't have to worry about wasting battery life. To charge the unit you simply plug it into a computer USB port or a phone charger using its micro USB cable.

The app is also incredibly easy to use and understand, from setting up the MantisX for your own firearm to understanding the feedback, the team behind this nifty little gadget have made it really easy for the user to not only operate but to understand what they need to do to improve thanks to the comprehensive shot analysis.

What's the price point? The MantisX sensor retails for $149.99 from Mantis themselves here but it is also available from airsoft stores in the UK such as Landwarrior Airsoft for £159.99.

Overall, I think this little gadget is cool AF. I wouldn't necessarily use it in a skirmish game as there is a lot more movement involved during a skirmish, but it's a great way to train yourself and would be super useful for airsoft competition shooters to improve their skills. I really enjoyed using it and learning how I can improve my accuracy with my pistols.

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FIRST TACTICAL SPECIALIST 1 DAY BACKPACK FROM MILITARY 1ST REVIEW!

Hey guys!

 So I’ve collaborated once more with the awesome team over at Military 1^st to bring to you some more tactical product reviews. In this review we’re going to be looking at a brand that is new to the Military 1st website – First Tactical. First Tactical are an American brand that are dedicated to listening to the needs of their end users (First Responders) to create tactical solutions that work in real life scenarios. In this review we’re going to be looking at the First Tactical Specialist 1 Day Backpack in OD which is packed with a tonne of awesome features!

Let’s first chat about the basics: the specialist 1 day back pack is available in 3 colours – black, tan or olive drab and made from 1000D water resistant nylon with a total capacity approximately 36 litres. Upon opening the package, it is clear that the pack is made from high quality materials and the construction of the pack is fantastic. It feels sturdy, has a good weight to it and looks great. Looking great is all well and good, but how does it perform on the field? And what separates it from the scores of other tactical back packs on the market?

Let’s go through the features on the front of the pack: it features replaceable compression straps, has

a molle platform on both sides of the bag so users can add pouches and make the sides fully usable, the small zipped pocket at the forefront of the pack has an oversized Velcro section for patches, Organiser pocket that contains loads of small pockets for pens/tools, larger pockets for notepads/torches etc, a zipper pocket for important documents and 2 key hooks – one deluxe and removable, a fleece lined shooting glasses pocket with Velcro space for a name tape (which is super handy for those of us who need to keep a pair with us at all times), whilst the main compartment has zippers that open it up 180 degrees, a back panel that is lined with Velcro for unlimited pouch placement, 2 vertical dump pouches and a zipped mesh pocket to maximise space and storage options in the main compartment. The main compartment is a very large space which was large enough to store 3 days’ worth of clothes, a toiletries bag, towel, camera equipment, my laptop and note pads for my trip the weekend just gone. I am really keen on the front organiser pocket – the storage within it has been very well thought out and of course the patch space is a bonus!

The usability doesn’t just stop at the front of the bag.  The bag handles are reinforced to make picking/carrying those loaded bags easier, the Yoke handle system on shoulders ensure they stay in place so no annoying movement, the shoulder straps are articulated and fit the body perfectly - they also have an adjustable sternum strap that offers 3 positions and the straps also have adjustable thumb loops that help take weight off your hands on long treks – although these can be folded away if you aren’t keen on them. It isn’t just the straps that make up the bulk of the features on the back. The pack has vertical and horizontal venting using HD spacer mesh. It also has a waist belt tunnel and clips to be used in conjunction with a belt (this will help take a lot of the weight off of the shoulders and distribute it more evenly), the 4 compression loops on bottom of the bag are for storing roll mats or sleeping bags when you know you’re going to be out for extended periods of time and the pocket on bottom of bag is perfect for a rain cover.

Even though this pack is absolutely filled to the brim with features, my favourite aspects are that this bag is designed to help you survive in the toughest of environments, so First Tactical installed an easy to reach internal backboard (that can be accessed through the back of the pack) that can be used as a multitude of tools including an avalanche shovel, a paddle, splint (with holes lining the board to fit any limb) and a mini C-spine brace. Another really cool feature of the First Tactical Specialist 1 Day Backpack is that the secondary compartment acts as pass through – if you open the top zipper to reveal the compartment and hooks, open the bottom of the pocket which then reveals the pass through you are able to pull a full rifle case through the pocket, attach the hooks to the rifle case to keep it secure. I have seen rifle case storage on backpacks before but nothing like this. It definitely gives the bag more usability for those who enjoy hunting activities. This feature would also be great for MilSims/short day op where you need to carry kit on you to a location.

The pack is extremely practical and offers an alternative to the scores of other tactical backpacks on the market that aren’t as kitted out. The bag retails at £89.95 from Military 1^st, pricey but I think with what this pack has to offer, it is a great investment for those who spend a lot of time outdoors participating in hunting, survival, camping, Airsoft and of course for First Responders.

Overall, I am super impressed with this 1 day backpack – from its storage capacity to its usability, it is a product that really has been made with its end user in mind. No fuss, no frills, just practical and usable features that are relevant to real world scenarios, even down to the zippers on main compartment and organiser compartment that are different so they can be told apart in the dark. This pack has become my day to day pack because it is hard wearing and has so many storage options, especially for my camera equipment which I take most places. There is only one addition I would personally make to the bag and that would be to have a hydration bladder pouch.

Photography thanks to Liam Sibley.
Post sponsored by Military 1st.

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