Loadout Room Guest Authors

Gear in the Wild: The many uses of a good rope

An Air Force Special Tactics Airman with the 24th Special Operations Wing rappels into the Al-Badia Cave Complex during a personnel rescue mission for Eager Lion on May 13, 2017, in Mafraq Province, Jordan. Special Tactics teams have the ability to conduct personnel recovery missions, from rapid mission planning to technical rescue, treatment and exfiltration. […]

Gear in the Wild: Foreign weapons familiarization with the Kalashnikov AK-47

U.S. Marines and Airmen fire AK-47 assault rifles (also known as Kalashnikovs) during a foreign-weapons familiarization class at Marine Special Operations School’s Individual Training Course, April 10, 2017, at Camp Lejeune, N.C. For the first time, U.S. Air Force Special Tactics Airmen spent three months in Marine Special Operations Command’s Marine Raider training pipeline, representing […]

Keep your brews cool on the move with the Yeti Hopper Two 30

Yeti has become synonymous with over engineering in the rugged cooler segment. And that’s a good thing. From the bear resistant Tundra coolers to the latest in soft sided coolers, Yeti is at the cutting edge of cool. The Loadout Room has done reviews on the Tundra, Hopper 20, Hopper Flip 12, Ramblers and even […]

Mount Everest “human traffic jam” has already claimed 11 lives this year

The 2019 Mount Everest spring climbing season is becoming one of the deadliest on record, with 11 people having lost their lives on the mountain so far. Many experts blame overcrowding for the deaths. The longer people wait to summit, the longer they are exposed to the elements and the more fatigued they become. Adding […]

Gear in the Wild: Sensitive Site Exploitation

A Green Beret assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) observes activity at a compound during a training mission held February 20 on Eglin Air Force Base in Northwest Florida. The mission required a team of Special Forces soldiers to assault a mock drug-cartel outpost and document sensitive materials found inside. Photo Credit: Capt. […]

Gear in the Wild: Marines don’t dig fox holes, they dig fighting holes

Marines dig fighting holes during a combat readiness evaluation at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., Nov. 29, 2017. The Marines are assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joseph Prado Watch U.S. Marine infantry train in the video below:

Gear in the Wild: Target practice aboard the USS America

Marines conduct a low-light deck shoot to maintain marksmanship proficiency while underway aboard the amphibious assault ship USS America in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility, Nov. 26, 2017. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Dusty Kilcrease Get a better look at the amphibious assault ship USS America in the video below:

Field Report: The New Colt King Cobra

Revolvers hailing from Colt’s Manufacturing Company are a class of firearm for which I’ve traditionally exhibited only the faintest interest. It’s not because they aren’t fantastic guns; To the contrary, it may be because they’re too fantastic! Since going out of production, Colt’s revolvers have become collectable and priced well outside my reach. With Colt’s […]

Gear in the Wild: Convoy ops in Hohenfels, Germany

Soldiers prepare for a convoy to a tactical operation center during Swift Response 17 in Hohenfels, Germany, Oct. 11, 2017. Swift Response is an annual, U.S. Army Europe-led exercise focused on allied airborne forces’ ability to respond to crisis situations as a multinational team. Army photo by Spc. Randy Wren Learn more about exercise […]

A Green Beret’s take on the Salomon XA Forces Mid-Boot

Okay, so anyone who knows me or has read any of my articles in the past knows that I am and have always been a huge Merrell fan. Owner of too many pairs to count, Merrells are my go-to boots for anything. But that may be subject to change. I like to scan and read […]