Alex Hollings

Alex Hollings Alex Hollings writes on a breadth of subjects ranging from fitness to foreign policy, all presented through the lens of his experiences as a U.S. Marine, athlete and scholar. A football player, rugby player and fighter, Hollings has spent the better part of his adult life competing in some of the most physically demanding sports on the planet. Hollings possesses a master's degree in communications from Southern New Hampshire University, as well as a bachelor's degree in Corporate and Organizational Communications from Framingham State University.

Gun reviews and Facebook opinions: How to sift through the mess when buying a new firearm

When it comes to purchasing a new firearm, it pays to do your homework. You want to know that you’re getting a reliable platform, that it doesn’t have any glaring safety issues, and that you’re getting a good value for the price you’re paying. The problem is, it can be pretty tough to find that […]

For a hundred grand you can wear this exo-suit to run errands

The benefits of robotic exoskeleton technology are easy to imagine. Increased strength and endurance, the ability to carry heavier armor plating for protection, and as Ripley pointed out in the sci-fi classic “Aliens,” there’s no better way to take on extraterrestrial hive queens. The Department of Defense has been investing money into the TALOS “Iron […]

Bubs Naturals Collagen Protein and the SmartShake Shaker make for a solid 1-2 punch

Pounding a protein shake after your workout is as American as apple pie, but just because something’s a tradition doesn’t mean you can’t shake it up a little. As opposed to the whey protein I grew up on, I recently made the change to Bubs Naturals Collagen Protein–a shift more and more people seem to […]

There’s a serious problem with most of your ‘survival vehicle’ plans…

Although I spent the better portion of my twenties running around the world with a fresh fade and my boots bloused, the line of work I was in both before and after serving in the Marine Corps was in the racing industry. Most folks might be surprised to know that there are some real parallels […]

A letter from the Editor: What Memorial Day means to a funeral honors Marine

On a long enough timeline, dying is something we all do. Some of us will go quietly in our sleep, surrounded by our loved ones and at the end of a long and fulfilling life. Others, in the chaos and horror of a battlefield a world away from the people we fight for. No matter […]

Watch: Thai soldiers demonstrate how to subdue a cobra barehanded in jungle survival course

The United States military maintains a larger operational footprint than the armed forces of any other nation on earth. With troops stationed or deployed to literally hundreds of different locations around the globe, a naval presence in most heavily trafficked waterways, and ongoing combat or advisory operations going on in half a dozen countries at […]

Stay healthy on the trail with 40% off this EDC medical kit from the Crate Club

In a survival situation, there’s no such thing as an inconsequential injury. Small cuts and abrasions can compromise your ability to do the things you need to do, and the looming threat of infection is ever present in a field environment. Whether you’re lost in the woods or you’re fighting your way through the streets […]

Hitting the Georgia trails with the LifeSaver Liberty water purification system

Last year, I set out on a run-of-the-mill 14-mile hike with a good friend from my Marine Corps days. The plan was simple: carry everything you need for two days on your back, we’d cover seven leisurely miles on the first day, make camp somewhere with a view, and then hike back out the following […]

Turn your backpack into a ballistic vest with 40% Crye Precision Ballistic Soft Armor Inserts from Crate Club

It’s easy to be prepared for an emergency you see coming, but that’s the thing about emergencies: you rarely do. That’s why we try to maintain a simple mindset in our approach to gear reviews–it’s not just about the quality of a product or how much it costs, it’s also about how feasible a product […]

Using Strike Force Energy as a pre-workout supplement?

While there are already plenty of supplements on the market aimed at giving you a boost of energy to get your workout started, I approached the problem from a slightly different standpoint: I’m not a gel-haired bro looking for an edge before I get my pump on (though I could be accused of that from […]