Jonathan Wade

About Jonathan Wade

Lowa Elite Desert Boots Reviewed

Everyone who owns a pair of Lowa boots will agree with me that they are one of the most durable and well-built boots on the market. I have been wearing my Lowa Elite Desert boots for two years now, and they have been through some serious beating. However, the sole and the boot itself are still very solid and keep my feet really stable.

I have quite a few friends who wore Lowa Elite Desert boots in Afghanistan and absolutely loved them. Even the British M.O.D. uses the Lowa Elite Desert boots as most of their soldiers have them issued for deployment.

The Lowa Elite Desert boot upper is made from split leather and fabric. The rubber toe cap protection is especially good and keeps the boot in a great shape during field maneuvers. The lining is breathable and made with quick-drying fabric. The midsole is made from polyurethane and provides excellent cushioning and support.

The outsole is sturdy and has a stable Vibram MVS sole unit. It provides impeccable performance in all temperatures and all types of terrain. Different lug patterns are specially designed for each outdoor activity – from day hikes and backpacking, to vertical rock and ice.

_DSC5364 — The author’s boots which he wears in the field

The Lowa Elite Desert boot also has a 5mm nylon stabilizer and a climate control footbed.

Although the price is high, around $330.00, the Lowa Elite Desert are worth the price and will last for a long time no matter what you do with them.

Here’s customer quote about the Lowa Elite Desert boots from the Lowa website:

“One of the best boots I’ve owned. true fit with a wide toebox. Stiff for trecking up big mountians with heavy ruck, but not uncomfortable. Tougher than anything an infantry deployment in Afganistan could do to it. Would be five stars with better laces (had to go with 550 cord)and if it came with a gore-tex liner. Standing in a sh^t ditch without gore-tex sucks. Make a goretex version and I will never wear another boot for anything. However the boots do dry quick. Taking them to Army Mountian Warfare School this summer, they should be fine.”(sic)

Three Essential Bug-Out-Bag Items

Whenever I leave my house with my truck, I always make sure that my bug-out bag (BoB) is in the trunk. Not because I fear a zombie apocalypse, but because it could save my life if anything would happen. While some recommend having 72 hours worth of gear in a BoB, I do carry a bit less to keep the weight as low as possible.

Knowing that I could have to run, jump over fences, and walk a lot of miles, the weight of the bag is something I really try to keep as low as possible. Up until recently, I was using a BlackHawk Ultralight 3-day pack as my bug-out bag, but I decided to switch it to a civilian-looking bag. So I took my newly acquired Vaude Asymmetric 48+2 bag and transformed it to a BoB.

Here’s a list of the equipment I carry in my BoB. This is totally up to your own preferences, but three items are absolutely essential and should be in every bug out bag:

a lifestraw
a radio
gloves

Here’s what’s in my bag:

Russian civilian gas mask – just in case someone starts using tear gas or molotov cocktails, this will help me breath while getting through it.
Baofeng radio – a small Chinese-made VHF/UHF 5-Watt radio with a PTT so I can use a headset. We have pre-programmed frequencies that I can check in on when I get close enough to my house.
MSR Pocket Rocket – so I can get some boiling water quickly (can help for food and for cleaning a wound).
Armasight Gen 1 NVG with spare batteries – might help me if I am in a forest or somewhere really dark.
Lifestraw – this can filter up to 1,000 liters of water without even having to boil it.
Petzl headlamp – to keep my hands free during night time.
Three taped glowsticks – I tape them so they illuminate just enough so I can see.
One marker with about five feet of duct tape on it.
GSI Halulite Microdualist – review coming soon!
One pair of Oakley gloves with knuckle protectors – these really help if you need to protect your hands.
Two thermal blankets – these reflect body heat and can also be used for signaling.
Two packs of hand warmers – these can keep you somewhat warm if you are cold or can be used as a hot pack on a sprained ankle or pulled muscle.
One tourniquet – in case something really bad happens.
One Olaes Bandage in case of a major wound.
Alcohol swabs, sterile gauze, some Band-aids, two steri-strips, six Ibuprofen 200mg tablets, and six Acetaminophen 500mg tablets (all in the IFAK pouch).
Medical scissors (not shown in the picture).
One pair of extra socks and an Under Armour shirt.
One elastic bandage – could be used alongside the hand warmers in case of a pulled muscle.
Anker Portable Power Bank Pack External Battery – helps keep your comms up (batteries on iPhone and radio).
Instapark 27-Watt solar battery charger – provides a backup if the battery pack isn’t working.
Two Mountain House meals (can last me 36 hours) + 4 Vega Sport protein bars (not in the picture).

For some, this might be more than enough, and for others not enough at all. The thing with a bug-out bag is that it’s very personal. You should also make sure to adjust yours depending on the amount of people in your immediate family and the time it might take to get back to your house if you have to walk there. I also keep 12 liters of water, a trauma kit, some dehydrated fruits and two SUREFIRE flashlights in my car at all times.

As for the weapons, I would normally carry two knives. Because we cannot go around with a pistol in Canada, I tend to stick with those knives and would do everything possible to not get involved in violent situations. Your goal here is to get back home to your family and start to get your house ready until order returns.

For some, this might also sound scary, but enough bad situations around the world have convinced me to keep myself ready in case something happens. It’s better to prepare than to react, if you ask me.

Pre-Operation Routine in Kandahar

Everyone who has been deployed has some sort of pre-operation routine. As for myself I followed a strict guideline to ensure I had all the possible gear I would need.

As a TCCC operator, I also needed to have enough medical equipment to take care of my guys in case something would happen until the PJs (I have so much respect for these guys!) – if we were under fire – or a US Medevac bird take over my patient.

Here’s what I would normally do.

T-6 hours

Eat lots of carbs, pasta most of the time.
Get a serious amount of water in me with electrolytes.
Clean my C8A2.
Check my scope zero.
Check my mags, grenades and spare M249 ammo.

T-5 hours

Mission briefing.
Air assets and artillery coordination. We would have pre-defined artillery strike positions we could use by only using a predefined word. These positions were where the Taliban liked to ambush us.
Comms setup and map checks.
Roc (rehearsal of concept) Drills.

T-4 hours

Power Nap

T-3 hours

Check TCCC kit and ensure all my guys have their MIST card filled (name, ranks, etc …)
Quick Combat First Aid refresher.

T-2 hours

ANA briefing. We would only give them a mission briefing 2 hours prior to departure, in case we had some Taliban infiltration.
ANA weapons check.

T-1 hour

Hydration
Fill Camelback with cold water and electrolytes.
Gather all our kit in our Loadout Room with LOUD music!

T-30min

Gear up
Weapon checks
Gathering up the ANA
Comms check between the team, the ANA and our HQ back to the FOB approximately 12 km east of us – Fob Wilson in this instance.
One small scoop of pre-workout. While people might think this is crazy, we hydrate ourselves for 6 hours non-stop before going out so no real risk of dehydration. It made us more “alert”.
Bathroom check (no time to take a dump while outside the wire).

From there on, we would go out and do our job. Depending on the mission, we would be back a few hours later and would go into our “stand down mode”.

Basically we would refill our mags, hydrate, clean our gear, refill our med pouches – TCCC for me – and do a quick weapon cleaning.

Here’s a few words about the Canadian Forces TCCC version.

Participants with no prior medical training are selected by their chain of command for the intense 2-week TCCC course. The first week is in lecture and laboratory format, whereas the major goal of the second week is to confirm these skills in increasingly complex scenarios using simulation. Like in the CFA course, soldiers are taught how to apply tourniquets and hemostatic dressings in patients with bleeding extremity wounds. However, TCCC providers have an increased scope of practice, and they are taught how to insert nasal pharyngeal airways and how to perform needle decompression under the direction of a medic. Most importantly, TCCC providers function as medic extenders; they work under the direction of medics and can help them by anticipating their next steps. Currently, 1 in 8 soldiers are trained as TCCC providers.

FirstSpear Siege-R Optimized Plate Carrier: First Impression

My first impression is that the Siege-R is one hell of a plate carrier! It is very well stitched and feels really comfortable. The exterior cummerbund is very flexible and makes it very easy to adjust the carrier to your exact size. It is also designed to fit side plates. The FirstSpear 6/12 Pocket Attachment System on this carrier is by far my favorite of any I’ve used simply due to the fact that nothing will get stuck in it while you are working, and you can pass wires through it.

Color: Black, Ranger Green, Coyote, Multicam

Size: S, M, L, XL

MSRP: $574.98 on the FirstSpear website.

Weight: 2.69 lbs.

DSC5844-630x419 copy — The Tubes locking technology is easy to lock and unlock. You only have to slide it in until it clicks and pull on the cordage to slide it out.

DSC5842-630x419 — The shoulder-closure also uses the Tubes technology.

Pros: The Tubes locking system makes it very easy to put on the vest or to remove it quickly. The internal plate pockets are designed to allow the easy insertion of your plates. The inside mesh gives a good airflow, making it easier to keep your cool. The bellyband is removable if you don’t want it. The reinforced drag handle is solidly stitched, and you can use a safety lanyard to pull someone to safety.

DSC5847-630x1013 — The mesh interior keeps the vest cool. The bellyband can be removed if you don’t need it.

Cons: None apparent at this time.

Bottom line/overall performance: Although this is only a first impression, I am positive that you will like this vest and it will serve you well in any type of operation/deployment. You can expect a more detailed review soon.

DSC5848-630x316 — The reinforced drag handle can be used to quickly extract a wounded soldier. A lanyard can also be hooked on it to pull someone.

Pelican 472-PWC-M4 Rifle Case: Quick Look

The Pelican 472-PWC-M4 Rifle Case is ideal for carrying a standard M4 and a M9 Beretta. The 1.6pcf polyester foam will keep your weapons in place and prevent any contact between them. There is also space for standard M4 and M9 magazines.

The six press-and-pull latches will keep your weapons secure and the case watertight. This case is ideal for people who travel a lot with their rifles. This case will keep your weapons in a great condition and can be stored safely. The two wheels and the handles make it very easy to transport. These cases are more protective and generally a better option than the standard military weapon bags.

Colors: Black / Green

Size interior: 36.5″ x 14″ x 6″ (92.7 x 35.5 x 15.2 cm)

Size exterior: 39.8″ x 16.5″ x 6.7″ (101.1 x 41.9 x 17 cm)

Interior cubic volume: 1.77 cubic feet (50.24 cubic decimeter)

Range temperature: -20 / 140° F (-29 / 60° C)

Features: Injection-molded HPX high-performance resin construction. Foam holds firearms, mags, and accessories tightly in place. The case is watertight and lifetime guaranteed.

MSRP: $235 on Amazon.

Unique features: Mobility options with two wheels.

Full review of the Pelican 472-PWC-M4 Rifle Case coming soon!

The SureFire M952V Millenium Universal WeaponLight: Quick Look

The SureFire M952V Millenium Universal WeaponLight is a great light for your rifles and SMGs. The LED White and IR output gives you a decent runtime while giving you 150 lumens of light. Whether it is used as an aiming aid in dark environments or to blind a bad guy when you are conducting dynamic entries, the M952V quickly becomes your best friend.

The Infrared (IR) option is great if you are using night-vision goggles (NVG) when conducting operations. When I deployed to Afghanistan, I had an IR-capable flashlight on my C8, and it worked like a charm when we were doing night searches and establishing counter-ambush positions.

Colors: Black / Desert Tan

Weight: 9.2 ounces with batteries

Features: Mounting system for Picatinny rails, weatherproof—O-ring and gasket sealed, 7 inch cable for the activation switch, constructed of aluminum with mil-spec anodizing and impact-resistant polymer, coated and tempered glass.

Lumens: 150.0 lumens for 1.8 hours.

Batteries: 2 X CR123 (included)

MSRP: $595

Unique features: IR capabilities.

Applications: To be used on a rifles, SMGs, and even shotguns. The M952V can also be used in a hands-on tactical environment.

Full review coming soon!

(Featured image courtesy of SureFire)