Gift Guide

Looking for the right gift for Father’s Day? We’ve got just what you need to knock out your last minute shopping online

Father’s Day is right around the corner and if you’ve waited this long to choose a gift for the special man in your life, congratulations–you’re just like everybody else. We know it isn’t easy to get out there and find the right gift for dad, so we did the leg work for you. Here are some of the best Father’s Day options on the market for the dads in your life.

The Crate Club Wet Bar Kit for drinkin-dads

This kit from our partners at the Crate Club has everything you need to class up a night of heavy dad-drinking: a high quality whiskey glass, a pair of leather coasters, a Snake Eaters Union whiskey topper to keep the mosquitoes out of your booze, and the coolest part, bullet whiskey chillers that won’t water down your 18-year-old whiskey (or plastic bottle vodka, depending on how your dad likes to party).

This set is on sale now from the Crate Club for only $69.99

The High Speed Daddy Tactical Diaper Bag for the newbies

For the new dads on the block, this bag will not only alleviate the sore ego associated with carrying around the pink, flower-laden diaper bag your great aunt gifted your wife at the baby shower, it’ll also carry everything necessary to keep your kid safe, clean, and happy through even the craziest of family excursions. Nothing on this bag advertises itself as a “tactidad” piece of gear, in other words, it’s not about novelty, it’s about purpose. We’ve been putting one of these bags through its paces for a review that’s set to drop soon, but in the mean time, suffice to say that you can’t go wrong with ordering one of these for any new dads in your life.

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12 Gauge Microphones for the musician-dads

These microphones are perfect for the dads among us that spend what little free time they have jamming out on their favorite instruments. You can’t beat the sound quality or the aesthetic you get from 12 Gauge Microphones and they have options for just about any serious musician’s budget.

Check out 12GaugeMicrophones.com to check out their options.

Hackett Shooting Glasses for the dads that like their guns

These modular shades let you swap lenses and padding to make sure you get the best possible performance for whatever you’re doing. Best of all, they won’t break the bank for you or for dad. At just under $25 from our partners at the Crate Club, this is a gift worth saving up your allowance for.

Get your dad a set of these shades from the Crate Club for $24.99

Crate Club Subscription: For the dads that have everything

A subscription to one of the Crate Club crates isn’t just one gift, it’s a gift that keeps on giving. Each month, dad will get new hand-picked gear delivered right to his door to make sure he’s prepared for whatever life can throw at him (and help him to have a good time along the way).

Check out the subscription options from the Crate Club here.

(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Daniel Wetzel/Released)

Top 5 Valentine’s Day Gifts for Gun Lovers

Valentine’s Day is upon us and if you have someone in your life who just loves guns and gear we have the solution for you. Some couples don’t share hobbies, and gun stuff is a very intricate hobby so it can be tricky. It’s hard to even put a list together that doesn’t dive into buts and ifs. So the point of this list is to be generic enough to appeal to all guns while being specific enough to do the same. So here are my Top 5 Gun Gifts for Valentine’s Day.

Chocolate Shaped like Guns. Bullets, and Other Weapons

ChocolateWeapons.com is a cute little website dedicated to creating weapons, ammunition, and even hand grenades out of chocolate, and also soap. This includes 1911s, SAAs, Mini AR15s, MKII Pineapple grenades, 12 gauge shells, and more. Who doesn’t love chocolate? It’s a common enough Valentine’s day gift and if it’s shaped likes guns or grenades it’s even better.

An Experience with a Machine Gun

This isn’t so much a gift as it is buying an experience. I mean if you have the money to buy a machinegun, and know how then go right ahead. A slightly cheaper encounter would a gun range that rents machine guns. Firing a machine gun is a thrill very few experiences outside of having Scrooge McDuck money or joining the military. Firing a full auto AR 15, MP5, or better yet something belt fed is an absolute dream and a ton of fun. It may be a drive, but I bet your loved one will find it well worth it. Historically machine guns and Valentine’s day haven’t gone together well, but I think you’ll be good.

Shirts (But Not Lame Ones)

Gun shirts can be absolute abominations. Some are superbly cringing. A skeleton wearing a cowboy hat and trench coat wielding dual 1911s with the word “From my cold dead hands” is lame and horrid. Instead, check out companies like Art 15, or ENDO for clever, funny, and far from cringy gun shirts. ENDO makes some of my all-time favorites and these are often esoteric in-jokes or adoptions of popular culture with a gun theme.

An 80% Lower Receiver

Giving away a receiver can be tricky. With a litany of different gun laws across the country, it can be tricky to give one as a gift. Universal background checks, age requirements, and waiting periods can dash your hopes. An 80 percent lower is not a firearm and does not require a background check. It’s more challenging but more rewarding to build. It also allows you and your partner to do a project together, and time is often the best gift to give. A Valentine’s Day Gun build is magical.

Brownells Edge Subscription

Amazon prime is great, but for gun lovers, Brownell’s Edge is better. It’s basically the Amazon Prime of Brownells. It allows for free two-day shipping on most items, discounted one-day shipping and waived FFL processing fees. This is perfect, and criminally unknown. It would be a great surprise and perfect for the hard to shop gun and gear enthusiast.

Your last minute Christmas gift guide for men

The holidays can be stressful as you try to complete Christmas shopping for friends and family in-between work hours. That’s why NEWSREP put together a quick gift guide which should prove applicable for the man in your life, the veteran, the outdoorsman, or really anyone else who enjoys reading, travel, adventure, and even a few more mundane hobbies from home.

As usual, we have plenty of books to recommend this year. First up is JT Patten’s new Task Force Orange novel, “Buried in Black.” NEWSREP Editor-in-Chief Jack Murphy recently interviewed the author for SOFREP Radio and wrote the following review of the book:

Buried in Black is a military and espionage thriller that will knock the socks off even the most jaded fans of this genre. JT Patten writes about the blurred lines in modern counter-terrorism operations from gray areas to black areas. I really feel that many books in this genre get lazy and rely on tropes and flag waving, but Buried in Black is the book about what comes after all of that. Where does the hero go after those tropes wear thin, after they’ve seen behind the curtain one too many times? I highly recommend this novel to anyone interested in covert operations as well as those wondering how the United States can improve its security posture.

Another author recently interviewed on SOFREP Radio was retired Navy SEAL Clint Emerson, the author of the Deadly Skills Puzzle and Activity book, which follows up on Clint’s highly popular One Hundred Deadly Skills series. The new books focuses on exercising some of those brain muscles that may have atrophied a bit. Clint worked with a professional puzzle maker (not easy to find these days) to produce the various exercises in the book which include old favorites like crossword but also entirely new original puzzles that were invented for the book.

Former Ranger Luke Ryan debuted his first novel this year, titled The First Marauder, about a survivor in post-apocalyptic Florida who joins a militia simply to survive, with the militia soon skirmishing with a rival town next door over resources. It is a story that Ryan is uniquely qualified to write about as a veteran of the 75th Ranger Regiment as well as being someone who spent a large portion of his childhood growing up in austere parts of the world.

The Perception Wars, penned by NEWSREP’s Alex Hollings, tackles one of the most important and controversial issues of our time. “The barriers that once existed between formal government narratives and individual citizens of foreign nations have gone in favor of a widely connected but often ideologically isolated populous. As Americans grow more divided, foreign influence efforts are better suited than ever to cater to the individual by way of persuasion masked in confirmation bias,” Hollings writes. The Perception Wars warns us that decisions are based on perceptions, and those who influence perception stand to become the puppet masters of a digitized world.

Another former SOFREP Radio guest, journalist, and terrific author, Ed Darack has a new book coming out. While his previous work focused on Operation Red Wings and the Extortion 17 crash, “War Moments” is a photography book in which Darack chose his best work from Afghanistan and Iraq to publish and tell the back story of each. The book is due out mid-January so place a pre-order now and ensure you get the book as soon as it is released in 2019.

On that note, we would be remiss not to mention that NEWSREP Editor-in-Chief Jack Murphy also has an upcoming memoir due out in 2019 that is now available for pre-order.

Last but not least for our book list is SECDEF-approved reading material in the form of Marcus Aurelius’ “Meditations.” James Mattis says that this is the book that every American needs to read, and even carried a copy himself on combat deployments. Reflecting on the words of the late Roman emperor may be more relevant now than ever, as you will find quotes in it such as, “Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth,” and, “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.”

On the lighter side, several people on the NEWSREP staff wanted to make a few toy recommendations for the kids… or adults that still like to play.

As a big aerospace buff, Alex Hollings says the only thing he really wants for Christmas is the Lego Ideas NASA Apollo Saturn V 21309 kit. This thing stands at nearly a meter tall and comes with the lunar module and lunar lander.

Several of us also enjoy a good round of the Special Operations tactical war game called Spectre. Players sit around a table and form squad sized elements of miniatures which then square off against each other, or another person who plays the OPFOR. Mission types are basically only limited by the imagination, as we recently played a game that involved an ambush, high value target snatch and grab, and then recovery of a WMD. The game can be bought from the publisher’s website at Spectre Miniatures.

When it is time to get active, several members of the Hurricane Media staff use Bub’s Naturals, an unflavored protein powder that is head and shoulders above others in the crowded health and fitness market. A portion of the proceeds also go to benefit the Glen Doherty Memorial Foundation.

One sure-fire way to make someone happy this Christmas is with a subscription to the Crate Club. Designed for the active man, it includes:

Only the best tactical and survival gear, hand-picked by Special Operations Professionals (Navy SEALs, Army Special Forces, Rangers, USAF & USMC Special Ops). Mission ready equipment for your everyday urban life. Only gear we would actually use ourselves, including custom products only available to members, makes it into our Crates ensuring you have the best gear on the planet. Plus, as a member you can shop our members only store, attend special member events, and access our gear tutorials, and survival library on the custom Crate Club app.

Subscriptions to the Crate Club can be purchased today, and the first crate will ship to you or the recipient you choose immediately.

Holiday Gift Guide: Handheld flashlights for everyday carry

As we approach the holiday season, we at the Loadout Room would like to make your shopping a little easier for you. We are going to have a series of gift guides coming out in the next few weeks. In this article, we are going to cover EDC Flashlights. As we’ve mentioned before, having a light on you can be a lifesaver. A quality light can be used as both an impact weapon and as a light. We have reviewed several lights and also recommend some that haven’t been reviewed yet. We’re going to consolidate those choices into this article so you don’t have to waste your time sifting through the hundreds of options on Amazon. An everyday carry sized flashlight is a gift anyone can benefit from, even your younger kids.

Streamlight ProTac 1L-1AA – Streamlight® Inc., a leading provider of high-performance lighting and weapon light/laser sighting devices, introduced the lightweight, high lumen, ProTac 1L-1AA. The latest compact addition to the ProTac® series of tactical lights offers the added convenience of using either one CR123A or AA lithium battery, or an easy-to-source AA alkaline battery. Its size and “dual fuel” options make it the perfect Everyday Carry (EDC) light. The ProTac 1L-1AA uses a high power C4® LED to deliver up to 350 lumens, depending on the battery source selected. Offering high, low and strobe settings, it features a TEN-TAP® programmable switch that allows user selection of one of three different programs: high/strobe/low (factory default); high only; or low/high.

Olight M2T Warrior – I recently decided to upgrade from the Olight M18 Striker flashlight to something newer in the Olight lineup. I’ve carried the M18 Striker for quite some time and it never disappointed. For more on the M18, check out my review HERE. The M18 Striker is no longer available (The M1X is the replacement), so I decided to go shopping. I ended up landing on the M2T Warrior Flashlight. It’s a little less intimidating than the M18 and it had some other features I was looking for.

5.11 EDC PL 2AAA – The EDC PL or Every Day Carry Pen Light is an affordable $25 dollar light that performs well outside of its cost. The little light emits 107 lumens in a wide, view filling beam that predictably is powered by two AAAs. The runtime is an impressive 4 hours and 20 minutes. The EDC PL uses a CREE XP-G3 bulb which does give you a very bright white light that’s clean and sharp.

Streamlight Protac 1AAA – If you’re an aspiring minimalist with regards to your ever yday carry, then this light may be the ticket for you. Granted it’s not some super lumen light putting out 1000 lumens, it will get the job done in low light and complete darkness. You don’t think 115 lumens is enough to disorient a threat? Go into a dark room or outside at night and face the light towards your face and turn it on. I guarantee you’re going to be seeing spots for several minutes. My other pet peeve with higher lumen lights is that I burn through the runtime when I have to use it as a task light, which to be honest, is what we are going to be using our lights for 99% of the time. The Streamlight ProTac 1AAA closes that gap, giving you a light that is still a viable personal protection option but can also function as a true everyday use light.

Surefire Sidekick – Flashlights are a common every-day-carry item, but honestly, they’re left at home in a lot of cases to make way for other items. Having a light in certain situations can be critical to one’s safety and convenience. With the introduction of SureFire’s Sidekick LED flashlight, there is no excuse to be without a light anymore. Virtually everyone leaves home with a set of keys, and the Sidekick is meant to be included on a key ring. Of course, pocket carry of the Sidekick is always an option too. It weighs in at a mere 1.2 ounces and is only 2.5 inches in length with a bezel diameter of only .58 inches. It comes with a 6-inch micro USB cable, key ring, and mini carabiner clip. It is available in black, pink, or white for $79.99 MSRP. An optional belt clip key reel and a compatible headband are available from the manufacturer as well.

check out all our reviews on handheld EDC flashlights

Everyday Carry items that make Great Stocking Stuffers

As we approach the holiday season, we at the Loadout Room would like to make your shopping a little easier for you. In this article, we are going to cover everyday carry items that would make great stocking stuffers for Christmas. We have reviewed many products over the past year and would like to highlight a few that stand out from the crowd. We’re going to consolidate those choices so you don’t have to waste your time sifting through the hundreds of options on Amazon.

Olight M20SX Javelot Flashlight

What can I tell you about the flashlight during the five years of daily use? Well, I could not kill it. In a daily use, daily carry lifestyle, I beat this little light with no reservation. I used it as a light hammer, I dropped it, I had it on my boat, I navigated at night in dark channels using it to light up channel markers, I used it to find my keys, along with any other thing a flashlight can be used for. I traveled with it. I traveled with it a lot. For its size, TSA does not even look twice at it.

The M20SX JAVELOT is a new generation of a two-tail-switch tactical flashlight. The maximum output has been improved to 820 lumens. Now, I have no way of actually testing the output of this light to make sure that it’s 820 and not 819, but I can assure you it is plenty bright for its size. One of the things I really like is it is powered by either two commonly found CR123A or you can use one 18650 battery. I personally have several 18650 batteries that I keep charged and rotate through the various lights I have.

If you are looking for a very hard use pocket light, that is designed and marketed as a “duty” flashlight, give the M20SX Javelot a close look. There are several accessories that can be used with it such as filters, diffusers, weapon mount options, remote tail caps, etc. The Javelot series also comes in different sizes and the price is definitely reasonable for what it is. Mine has become as much a part of my everyday carry as my cell phone and car keys have.

The full review of the M20SX Javelot

Surefire Sidekick Keychain Flashlight

I’m one of those guys that always have a flashlight on me. No matter what light I pick out to carry for the day, I can say that I have had the Surefire Sidekick with me at ALL times since I purchased it on Black Friday last year (2017). It sits on my keychain waiting to be used. I can go days without employing this great little light, but when I need, it is within arms reach. All too often though, when I use my Surefire Sidekick, I don’t give a second thought about how it was used.

The idea to share what is becoming one of my favorite ways to use the Surefire Sidekick came to me the other day when I was working my second job. I’m a glorified paramedic that starts IV’s for CT and MRI contrast studies. One thing that you should understand, is that when patients come in for these studies and need an IV, it is WAY different than what would be considered “acceptable” while working on the rescue at the FD. When you get a patient that is a “hard stick”, there is no bone drilling that you can do, no external jugulars… So, I do what any other fireman would do; get creative. Read the rest of this story.

The full review of the Surefire Sidekick

Streamlight Protac Series

I’ve carried a Streamlight flashlight for the better part of 4 years now as part of my everyday carry. For a long time, it was the popular ProTac 1AA that ran off a single AA battery and was the perfect size for carrying inside my pocket. I’ve also switched between the ProTac 2L and the newer ProTac 1L-1AA. Streamlight, in my opinion, is the best deal out there for what you’re getting. Their lights are just as rugged as other higher end manufacturers, but at a price point, everyone can afford. Kyle Defoor, former Navy SEAL and now firearms instructor, swears by Streamlight and carries one daily for both his job and personal EDC.

If you’re an aspiring minimalist with regards to your everyday carry, then the Streamlight Protac 1AAA light may be the ticket for you. Granted it’s not some super lumen light putting out 1000 lumens, it will get the job done in low light and complete darkness. You don’t think 115 lumens is enough to disorient a threat? Go into a dark room or outside at night and face the light towards your face and turn it on. I guarantee you’re going to be seeing spots for several minutes.

The full review of the Streamlight Protac 1AAA

Gerber Barbill Wallet

I love my minimalist wallets and only carrying what I need. I’ve tried others in the past similar to this design and was not a fan; mostly because accessing the cards and cash was not ideal, but that is just my personal opinion. When I saw the new Gerber Barbill on their site, I had to give it a try. To my surprise, I’m really liking this wallet and plan on using this for the foreseeable future. Accessing the cards and cash is easy, as is using the integrated bottle opener. Great for a night out on the town or vacations when you want to reduce what you’re carrying in your pockets. For only $20, you really can’t go wrong with this product.

Video review of the Gerber Barbill Wallet

Magpul Daka Everyday Wallet

The Magpul DAKA Everyday Wallet is a great option for a great price. It is constructed of a reinforced polymer fabric that is flexible and strong. It is coated with an anti-slip texture that ensures you can easily retain it. The wallet holds up to 7 cards comfortably and features an ID pocket on the front with a transparent window to display your driver’s license, business card, or library card. The edges of the wallet are made using a welding process of the materials, so there is no chance of it separating under normal to heavy use.

The divider pocket in the center for bills and other items is easily accessible and functional, unlike some wallets that don’t flex enough for your fingers to be able to catch what you are trying to retrieve. No chance for wallet-hoarding or the uncomfortable experience of sitting on a wallet with too much stuff in it. This wallet is no-frills, discrete, and EDC approved. The only thing missing is RFID blocking capability. If you are interested in picking one up, head over to the Magpul website and choose between four colors – black, FDE, stealth gray, and olive drab green. MSRP is $24.95.

The full review of the Magpul Daka Wallet

Zero Tolerance 0350

The ZT 0350TS is not nearly as large and bulky as the 0300 series, but it has that familiar feeling to me. I have heard from some people that they believe the 0350 to be rather large for every day carry. I have larger than average hands so the physical size difference between the 0300 and the 0350 is not lost on me.

The ZT 0350 is an assisted-opening, folding knife that has a liner lock and a 3 ¼” blade. ZT calls the assisted-opening “Speedsafe” and it can be actuated by hitting the “flipper” with your finger, or using the two blade stops on the spine of the blade, with your thumb. The spring assist deploys the blade quickly, with almost zero effort and the blade locks in place with a very detectible “click”. Even though this knife is ambidextrous, if you are a left-handed person, the blade stop on the left side of the knife does come down lower to the micarta, due to the liner lock. This may pose a problem if you use the blade stop as the primary way to open the knife. You can mitigate this issue by using the “flipper” with your index finger.

The full review of the Zero Tolerance 0350

Kershaw Decimus

Based on Rick Hinderer’s Maximus blade, Kershaw has created the Decimus; a single-edge spear point folder with the classic BlackWash™ finish. The blade is presented quickly via the flipper with SpeedSafe® assisted opening. The flipper is mirrored by a symmetrical protrusion, providing a short cross guard for finger safety and giving this EDC blade the appearance of a tiny sword.

The steel handle is stonewashed with a glass filled overlay inspired by the custom zigzag pattern of the original Maximus. Open construction and steel tube spacers, a reversible pocket clip, and frame lock round out the top features. As an additional detail, the handle also has a Hinderer-style filler tab with a stonewashed finish. Kershaw has found its market with those who need a functional blade that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Affordable at $52.49, it seems to be a solid folder at a good price. Gladiators weren’t exactly the high class of Rome, but they were effective with their weapons.

Watch the video review of the Kershaw Decimus

Emerson Knives CQC-7BW Flipper

I’ve been a long time fan of Emerson Knives and own several of them. The one model I never had my hands on was their CQC-7BW Flipper models. I went with the CQC-7 for a few reasons; first, it’s a proven blade design that was originally developed with input from the SEAL Teams. Second, the size of the knife is damn near perfect for EDC. The third and final reason, well it just works! Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke.

When I’m evaluating a knife for daily carry, the blade to handle ratio is very important to me. Ideally, I prefer the overall length to be around 7.5″, with a 3 to 3.5″ blade. That gives me plenty of handle surface area to maintain a positive grip in almost any condition. Couple that with the G10 scales Emerson uses on their knives and you got yourself a bomb proof knife.

The full review of the CQC-7BW Flipper

NFW Watch Company Regulator

The NFW Regulator. One of my favorites. Impact forged 44mm stainless steel case and Gunmetal Gray Ionic Plated. Rated to 200 Meters with a hardened mineral crystal. Under the hood is a rugged Citizen Precision Quartz movement. For the price, you really cannot go wrong with this timepiece.

Get yours today