Here at the Loadout Room, we tend not to throw our hats into the Kickstarter ring all that often. It’s not that we aren’t a fan of crowd funding projects, it’s that we review gear — and most Kickstarters don’t have stuff for us to smash up on camera behind the office (what we call “work” around here). So what made us make an exception with the RifleMug? Good old fashioned favoritism, of course. Former Army Ranger Nate Apel, founder of RifleMug, served alongside a good friend of mine. So when he asked if I could make an exception to our Kickstarter rule (a rule I made up), I said sure. What’s the point in making up a rule if I can’t also make up when I break it, right?
Here’s the thing though… it’s also a rad idea.
In the Marine Corps, walking around with a coffee mug was like a right of passage. If you tried to do it as a Corporal, we’d all laugh at you from behind our cans of Monster. But as a Gunny… the mug just seemed right. Something about that second rocker just made you rate a reusable mug that no one would dare steal. For team guys, getting a cup of coffee in the team room may be your last bit of comfort for some time, adding an extra bit of importance to the vessel used to deliver it.
But here on the outside, where there is no 4 a.m. formation to worry about, I find myself more dependent on coffee than ever. And while I may have left the Marine Corps before reaching that coveted rank of Gunnery Sergeant, here at home, I’m the dad. This billet requires being up first, going to bed last, handling all the physical labor, and doing battle with any of the creepy things my wife and daughter come across. It’s like being a mix between a PFC and a Gunner with the caffeine requirements of both.
Sure, I could keep drinking out of the dainty coffee cups my wife purchased as a set, or I could choose my own mug — one that I only have to fill once per morning. With 30oz of capacity, I can finally save myself all those refill trips to the coffee maker. Then, since it’s dishwasher safe, I’ll throw the RifleMug in the dishwasher and have it back out just in time to start drinking.
Go show these guys some support at their Kickstarter page, or swing by their Facebook page and let them know what you think!
