The Primos Trigger Stick Apex Carbon Fiber Tripod will give you a steady platform when you can't find a bench out in the wildnerness. (Photo by Alfredo Rico)
February 01, 2023
By Brad Fitzpatrick
New guns, optics and ammo products get a lot of play at the annual SHOT Show in Las Vegas. But that push to showcase the latest guns, ammo and optics makes it easy to overlook exciting gear and accessories that debut at the show, and some of those gear items are revolutionary.
G&A is taking a closer look at the essential items that don’t necessarily fall into the firearm/optic/ammo categories. Some of these products don’t get the fanfare they deserve, but you’ll be happy to have each of them in the gun room, on the range or in the field.
Vertx Gamut Pack Vertx Gamut Pack (Photo courtesy of Vertx) Why We Love It: The Gamut pack uses it's available space smartly, keeping your items separated and accessible when you’re on the range or anywhere else.
When you pay this much for a pack, you want it to do everything, and that’s what the Gamut accomplishes so well. It features interchangeable rapid access tabs, a CCW pocket, and is compatible with Vertx Tactigami storage accessories (a Double Admin Panel is included). There’s a passthrough for accessing items like a radio and MOLLE webbing. This 25-liter pack holds a lot of gear for an all-day hike or a day on the range, and if you’re operating in a more urban environment, the Gamut offers a water bottle retention pocket and a moveable 15-inch laptop compartment. The 3D molded back support is very comfortable and keeps you cool on hot days, while the rugged exterior protects your gear from the elements. This is the ideal multi-role pack that’s perfect for work, play and travel.
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Primos Trigger Stick Apex Tripod Primos Trigger Stick Apex Carbon Fiber Tripod with Spartan Technology (Photo courtesy of Primos) Why We Love It: Allows you to stabilize your rifle and make long shots in the field.
There’s an old gunwriter’s saying that goes “you won’t have a bench to shoot from in the field,” but the Primos is a darn close approximation to one. The Trigger Stick Apex comes with three Durasteady carbon fiber legs that adjust from a low sitting shooting position to nearly six feet in height providing a stable platform for just about any in-field shot. Though these sticks tip the scales at just seven pounds they can support over seven times that weight, and they feature an interchangeable mounting plate (interchangeable head with gun clamp included). The design allows you to quickly transfer between your bino or spotting scope mount, as well as your rifle mount, making longer shots in the field much simpler.
Garmin Tactix 7 Pro Ballistics Edition Garmin Tactix 7 Pro Ballistics Edition watch (Photo courtesy of Garmin) Why We Love It: It keeps track of your vitals, keeps you from getting lost, provides custom ballistic solutions and much more, including keeping track of the time.
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Garmin’s solar-powered tactical timepiece is the watch every shooter and hunter should be wearing. Tactix 7 watches come standard with Applied Ballistics Elite ballistic software which includes access to the Applied Ballistics Bullet Library with data for over 1,200 bullets. The tactix 7 also tracks biometric and exercise data and helps navigate thanks to the sophisticated GPS feature. There are also night vision and stealth modes that allow you to protect sensitive data, and if you’re operating in unsecure areas, there’s even a kill switch that will wipe all important GPS info so it doesn’t fall into enemy hands. There’s even an included flashlight. This barely scratches the surface of the tactix 7 Pro Ballistic Edition’s long list of operator-friendly features.
5.11 V.XI Series XTU 5.11 V.XI Series XTU Pant/Shirt (Photo courtesy of 5.11) Why We Love it: The future of tactical clothing is here—now 5.11 just needs to offer it to civilians.
5.11’s new V.XI collection includes the new XTU line of pants and shirts. Designed with serious operators in mind, these garments have it all: the moisture-wicking and anti-odor Teflon-coated XTU Rapid shirt comes with dual pocket sleeves, adjustable cuffs, articulated pits and bar tacking at key stress points. The XTU pants come with Ortholite foam support, expansive cargo pockets, a gusseted crotch and clever 3-in-1 kneepad design. Though they’re currently only available to law enforcement and military operators there’s hope that 5.11 will see the light and turn the XTU clothing into a global product—which means it’s up for grabs for everyone.
Streamlight Stinger Color-Rite Light Streamlight Stinger Color-Rite Light (Photo courtesy of Streamlight) Why We Love It: Color-Rite Technology prevents the washout associated with traditional flashlights, making this a must-have for first responders and hunters.
Streamlight makes outstanding illumination products, but the company’s Color-Rite technology is simply outstanding. Whereas other flashlights produce light that washes out color, the new Streamlight utilizes a High Color Rendering Index LED that allows the human eye to see a broad range colors that are not usually visible with a flashlight. This is particularly important for first responders who are looking for trace evidence or examining fire scenes or hunters using these lights to easily identify blood trails, but the clarity and detail of Color-Rite lights is beneficial to homeowners, campers and everyone else. Stinger Color-Rite flashlights are rechargeable, IPX4 waterproof rated and produce up to 500 lumens of color accurate illumination.
MTM Case-Gard Divided Ammo Crate MTM Case-Gard Divided Ammo Crate (Photo courtesy of MTM) Why We Love It: Like every other MTM product, it helps keep our gear safe and organized
MTM case-Gard products are molded in Ohio, and they make it very easy to store and transport all of your firearms products. The new modular Divided Ammo Crate includes three partitions that allow you to divide the interior into four compartments or, if you choose to remove all partitions, store larger items up to 17.5-inches in length. These crates are made from impact-resistant polyethylene and feature O-ring hinged lids with padlock tabs. Weight capacity is 75 pounds and the molded design makes these crates stackable, perfect for securing items on a boat, UTV/ATV, in a pickup, or in your home. The locking design also makes them great for travel. This is twenty-five bucks very well spent.
Venture Gear Tactical Gloves Venture Gear Tactical Gloves (Photo courtesy of Pyramex Safety) Why We Love It: These functional shooting gloves allow fine control with sufficient protection, and they’re very affordable.
If you spend a lot of time at the range quality shooting gloves are a must-have item because they reduce stress on your hands and protect your skin from gun oils and residue. Venture Gear’s new tactical gloves come in three varieties: there are basic compression gloves that fit tight around the hand, synthetic leather gloves with hook and look closures, and synthetic leather gloves with added protection in the palms and TPR (thermoplastic rubber) armor. All of these gloves help reduce heat transference and allow you to operate firearm controls without damage to the skin, and all these gloves are touchscreen compatible. Every shooter needs a pair of shooting gloves in their range bag, and these also make a great gift for shooters.
Benchmade 9570BK Mini Claymore Push Button Automatic Knife Benchmade 9570BK Mini Claymore Push Button Automatic Knife (Photo courtesy of Benchmade) Why We Love It: The compact Mini Claymore offers durability and reliable function in a lightweight EDC package.
The original Claymore from Benchmade was a big success, but it was also a bigger knife than some shooters and hunters wanted for EDC. Enter the 9570BK Mini Claymore which comes with a 3-inch CPM-D2 blade and weighs just over 2.5-ounces. The push-button opener features a washer pivot for smooth operation and the black Grivory handles with stainless steel liners. There’s an integrated red dot safety and a reversible clip for deep carry. Look closely at the front of the Grivory handle and you’ll notice a series of dots and dashes, Morse code for “FTE” (Front Toward Enemy) which also appears on the directional Claymore mine. Very clever.
Sound Off What new gear or accessories are you most excited about? Let us know by emailing us at GAEDITOR@OUTDOORSG.COM, and use "Sound Off" in the subject line.
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