Wearing a Vest

Everyone knows you should wear a vest, we have heard it millions of times. Still everyday I see deputies exposed to the public, not wearing body armour.

I wonder if those that choose not to wear body armour understand how it effects others around them? I would be willing to bet, they don't. Think about this, if you respond to a call to assist me in searching a house and your not wearing a vest, then you have effectively put me at risk.

Wear your vest, it's not just for you and your family, it's for me.

Tracking Your Workout with Your IPhone

A lot of people like to use a journal to guide and record workouts. I have always liked the idea of this, but I just don't have it in me to carry a book and pen and write everything I do down. I do, however, have my iphone plugged into my head for music, not to mention it keeps most people from interupting your workout. If you want to look even more busy, you could use an app to record your workouts and much much more.

I have been using Gym Buddy, $2.99 last check, on my IPhone to record and track all kind of personal information about my gym efforts. There are several programs out there and once you get use to recording your sets and reps it comes natural. Some people find that it can help with motivation, "got to fill out my log", and if you miss a workout looking at that empty square on the calander can provide another form of motivation. One interesting bit of information that I like to look at is the total amount of weight lifted durning a session. I was shocked to see numbers over 27500 lbs for a chest tri workout and 55000 lbs for a leg routine. Check it out, it might be what you need to spark some new interest and get to see actual progress.

The Warrior M20s flashlight 320 lumens

Flashlights have come a long way in the past few years as LED technologies have taken off. If you take a look around chances are you will find several quality lights out there you have never heard of. Most of these lights offer more light for a fraction of the price of long time police favorites like streamlight and surefire.

Olight is one of those lesser known manufactures that are making lights that out perform the old favorites at a fraction of the cost. I have been using a Warrior M20s from Olight for a couple of weeks now and it's a great light for $70.00. It has 4 setting counting a very powerful and disorienting strobe that can be accessed with a instant on switch located on the side of the tail cap. With a maximum output of 320 lumen, it is in a class of its own when it comes to light output. In that price range in a surefire you would be looking at 11o lumen range, you would have to more than double the price to get close to that kind of output.

Shown in the middle of this lineup, the Olight Warrior features a instant on strobe switch, pocket clip and stainless steel striker type bezel. It is capable of using several popular batteries including CR123 batteries or rechargeable 18650. I'm looking for a good deal on the rechargeables now. The light can run for 4 hours on high (320 lumens), 12 hours on medium (120 lumens), and 150 hours on low (9 lumens). Olight seems to stand behind their lights and they are offer several accessories with the light like filters, 2 different reflectors, a weapon mount and a remote switch. The Olight uses the newest LED bulb which produces a bright white light and helps with the runtimes.

CONS:

• Not easily recharged and limited only 4 hours of runtime on high. The biggest draw that streamlight offers is the ease of recharging the light and the ability to put out for basically a full shift.


• May take some time to find duty gear or a way to carry the light on your belt that you like. The endless amounts of duty gear options for the surefire and streamlight models you won't have that problem. Some carriers for the more popular lights will work with the M20, it just takes a little hunting. I have been using the Maxpedition light holder, shown below.


• The instant on switch for the strobe is a great feature and makes the light usable as a distraction device and even defense, but it is all but impossible to locate the switch quickly. I am not sure what the answer is to that problem, if it was more tactile or larger it could help, but it could increase the likely hood of accidental activation.

LIKES:

• Well made


• Waterproof


• Compact and bright


• Multiple Battery options


• Easy to adjust light output


• Customizable with removable pocket clip, bezel and tac ring.


• Quality accessories like filters, mounts and switches

Sneaky Bags from www.sneakybags.com

My MSAR with the small rifle bag and active shooter bag.

Equipment Heads-up!

I just came across a line of products that seem like a great idea and thought I would share.

I'm not ate up with the Tacticool look of most police products. I like taking a below-the-radar approach if it is possible.

The idea behind Sneaky Bags, is not to attract undue attention, hence the "Sneaky" part. The popularity of "blackops" super tactical products is all over the place. You can get tactical cell phone holders and active shooter bags to carry all your gear. The problem with most of these items are the attract attention and look the part. There is nothing wrong with this, sometimes function over form is necessary, but, there is something to be said for a quieter approach.

These products from Sneaky Bags maintain a high degree of function while not attracting a lot of "look at me, I have a rifle" attention.

I have been using a small rifle bag and an active shooter bag from them for over a month now and I can say that I am liking the "sneaky tactical" side of these bags. They are well made in the USA.

Check them out and think about how it can be tactical to go unnoticed.

Blackhawk Serpa level 3

The Serpa Level 3

I have been using this holster and I have to say that it is the only true update on a LE holster that has come around in years. I think the holster is a smooth and fast operator under ideal conditions. I have not had to defend the weapon in a retention situation, training or otherwise, but I feel like it could take a lot of punishment and at least remain on the belt.
As for retaining the weapon during a struggle I'm not that convinced. I'm not sure how sturdy the hood is and if I would depend on that alone to retain the weapon if the lower button is being depressed. Here's a quick overview:


Cons/Concerns:

1. The top release mechanism is just that, a mechanism that has more than one point of potential failure. The release on the hood relies on a spring to open. Could this break or otherwise become jammed? It is possible, springs and hinge points fail. This is just a thought because it has been 100% reliable for me during hundreds of practice draws.
2. The lower release button is a rocker design. It seems like it would be possible for debris to get lodged into the button system if the officer was forced down to the ground. Rolling onto the holster could apply 100s of pounds of pressure that could force rocks, dirt or snow into mech and prevent the button from moving.

Pros

1. Finger position is more natural and, despite what some critics say, safer. We have all been trained to position the finger in a pointing position and with just a bit of practice the button is always in reach.
2. Light weight
3. Smooth to draw from

I think some real training with the holster, putting it through some heavy duty retention exercises may be needed for me to really give a full recommendation. Relying on 2 mechanical systems to work before I can get my weapon on target is scary to think about. For me, I do have some faith in the holster, or I would not carry it, and plan on continue to practice with it. No real life data is available for duty use and failure of the serpa. Blackhawk claims that multiple departments are using the system, Virgina Beach, VA is one of the larger ones.

One thing is for sure all holsters can and will fail, you have to make your own choice and practice, practice, practice.

Heart Reat Monitor

I use a polar heart rate monitor that allows me to, not only monitor my heart rate during exercise, but I can download the data onto my computer for further analyses. This is great for serious athletes and novices like the rest of us. For me it helps motivate me and keep me interested. Polar makes lots of cool tech to help you reach your goals check them out here .

Here is a sample of my heart rate during a spin class at the gym.

The graph helps you see how hard you are working, the peaks in the red are around 85% of my max.

To get your heart rate estimates click here.