Sight Lines by Noisefighters

If you’re a shooting enthusiast then you know one of the most painful parts of the shooting experience is often your hearing protection. There are many great brands of hearing protection out there, Howard Leight, Walkers, Peltor; however, they all seem to cut costs on their ear pads. Unfortunately for us, the ear pads are the largest point of contact with the head. This combination leads to long hours of inflexible plastic ear cushions putting pressure against your head, especially where they go over your protective glasses. This can lead to headaches and general discomfort. That is where the sightlines from noise fighters come into play. They are high quality ear pads that replace the stock ones that come with your hearing protection. There are a few features on the sightlines that increase not only comfort, but also noise dampening.

The sightlines have two major advantages over the ear pads that come with your hearing protection, the first is the construction. The Sightlines exterior is made from a thin yet rugged polyurethane. The internals are made from silicone gel and sound-deadening memory foam, to provide long lasting comfort. This combination of materials gives them the flexibility needed to create a comfortable and effective seal against your head. The second feature is the recessed channel at the top of the pad that allows your eyewear to not be in the middle of your ear pad seal. This feature not only improves comfort but also has been proven to increase the effectiveness of hearing protection. A test done by the government found a 1-10dB decrease in sound deadening when eyewear breaks the head seal on traditional ear cushions.

One last reason we love Noisefighters is that they are a small American company started and run by a veteran. The sightlines are also made in the USA which, given the current situation and global political climate, is a beautiful thing to see!

Now we know they are a little on the expensive side, coming in at around $50, and sometimes they may even cost more than the ear protection you currently have. But trust us when we say they’re worth it. One of our favorite things to do when we take people shooting, is have them try our ear pro with Sightlines on them. Every time they say how amazingly comfortable they are, and 9 times out of 10 they end up buying a set for themselves.

Hello everyone! In this post we will be talking about EDC (Everyday Carry) flashlights. More specifically the best EDC lights from Olight. Olight is one of our favorite brands here at ValTac. They have been able to produce a high-quality products, provide great service and be packed with features while keeping their prices very reasonable. If you have not heard of Olight here is a quick overview of the company.

Olight is a global company with a purpose. “We want to push our products to the limit so that we can give people the best lights in the smallest package possible for the best price” As far as we’re concerned they are living up to that purpose. They are a group of Outdoors-men, Sportsmen, and Veterans that use their products every day to keep them honest, and to practice what they preach. Their response to the community and proactive approach can be seen in the constant improvements they make to their lights. These are a few of the reasons why Olight is one of our favorite brands and why you can find one of their lights on us almost every day.

In this blog we are going to talk about Olights EDC sized lights and what makes each of them a great choice.

Olight S1R Baton II

We have to start with the S1R Baton II because it might possibly be the best EDC light out there. It has evolved thru the years and Olight continues to improve this platform. I personally have carried this light for a couple of years now and it has met and surpassed all of my expectations. The S1R Baton II is powerful enough for most EDC tasks and has several user-friendly features that set it apart from other lights. The fact that you can cycle easily thru 5 different lumen levels means you will always have the right amount of light for the task at hand. I was surprised at how much I used the dimmest .5 lumen level. It was just enough light to get around my toy hauler at night without waking up my kids. Switching through the 5 lumen levels is done through a side mounted switch that has an LED indicator in it to show battery life. The light features the signature Olight blue anodized 2-way pocket clip, that can be used to carry the light bezel up or bezel down. It can also be used to affix the light to a hat where is can be utilized as a headlamp. This is another feature I was surprised to find I used quite often. One of the game changing features of the S1R Baton II and all of the Olights on this list, is its rechargeability. Recharging is done via a magnetic charger that simply attaches to the bottom of the light. The charger has an LED to signal when the charging is done. This feature increases the value of the S1R Baton II, as you don’t need to replace batteries and the charger is built into the light. Click the link to see the full spec sheet and feature list of the Olight S1R baton II.

Click here to pick up your Olight S1R Baton II

Olight S2R Baton II

This is the bigger brother to the S1R Baton II. It has many of the same features as the S1R but boasts a max 1,150 lumen output on its highest setting. It also has a larger battery and therfore more than 4x the runtime of the S1R Baton II. I personally felt the S2R Baton II was a little large in pocket, but it would be perfect for say a plumber, electrician or HVAC tech who needs more light and longer run times between charges. Due to the larger size, the 2-way pocket clip is a little harder to attach to hats to use the light as a headlamp. More details can be found by clicking the link below.

Click here to pick up your Olight S2R Baton II

Olight i1R 2 EOS

The baby of the family. This little flashlight is an essential item for anyone with a set of keys. It is affordable, powerful and with micro USB charging it is extremely convenient. It puts out 150 lumens which is definitely enough to light your path or help you out of a bind. Plus, with a 6 hour run time on the 5 lumens level you won’t have to charge it constantly.

Click here to pick up your Olight i1R 2 EOS

Olight MR2 Warrior / Pro

A great option if you are looking for more lumens, longer run time and a more tactical light. While this light is a little large for pocket carry it does come with a great pocket clip and can easily fit into most pant pockets. The M2R Warrior Pro has both a tail switch and a side switch. This makes it very convenient to operate when holding the light in your hand in a variety of grips. This flashlight is powered by a single 18650 lithium ion battery that is rechargeable via the magnetic charging base. The M2R Warrior features 6 run levels and a strobe option. Run times are very long with the most notable being 375 minutes of runtime at the 250-lumen level.  The Pro version of the M2R Warrior has a larger capacity battery with a 21700 replacing the 18650, this provides a boost in output as well as runtime. Your lumen output jumps up to 1800 on the highest level and with Olights 3rd generation of magnetic charging the M2R Pro charges faster. Is the Pro version worth the extra cost? I personally think so as you get a lot more bang for your buck.

Click here to pick up your Olight MR2 Warrior

Click here to pick up your Olight MR2 Warrior Pro

Olight Seeker 2 Pro

The big boy of the EDC lights. The Seeker 2 has a max output of 3,000 lumens and is powered by a single 21700 lithium battery. The battery charges quickly and conveniently via the magnetic charging cable that plugs into most USB power sources. The Seeker 2 has 5 different light levels and they are easily cycled by pressing the large side switch. The Seeker is a little on the large size for an EDC light, but it is perfect if you need a LOT of light to get the job done. The Seeker 2 Pro boasts slightly more lumens than the standard Seeker 2 at 3,200. It also has a more ergonomic design with a non-slip coating and grip. Both Seeker 2 variations are great workhorses and can deliver the light you need in almost all situations.

Click here to pick up your Olight Seeker 2 Pro

Olight Baton Pro

The Baton Pro has the same body as the S2R Baton Pro, with the differences between the two being the head, led, lens and reflector. This change increases the max output to 2,000 lumens with a 132-meter beam distance. These changed also change the beam shape making it a wide diffused pattern that is very usable. The Baton pro is a joy to use in the back yard or around the house. Without the hotspot in the center it gives you a nice usable light, that when needed is plenty bright! Olight has another winner on their hands with the Baton Pro.

Click here to pick up your Olight Baton Pro

Olight M1T Raider

The Raider is another great option for a small EDC light. With its compact size and 2 way pocket clip, carrying it is a breeze. The clip can also be affixed to a hat so it can double as a headlamp. The rubberized tail switch has a nice tactile click to it, and makes one handed operation easy. The Raider does not utilize rechargeable batteries but instead runs off of one CR123A. This combined with the SST40 LED and a TIR optic lens allows the raider to output 500 lumens. The last design feature that helps the raider stand apart is the double helix knurling on the body of the light. If you’re in the market for a compact hard use economic light, the M1T Raider is the one for you.

Click here to pick up your Olight M1T Raider

Viktos Gloves Review – Which one is right for you?

Viktos is a fairly new player on the field of tactical gear and clothing. The company was launched in the fall of 2017 and is headquartered in Janesville, Wisconsin. Their staff features knowledgeable specialists that are both industry and military veterans. Their approach to the products they develop and offer differs from your standard tactical gear company.  They strive to deliver gear that will serve you in every aspects of your “Black Gun Lifestyle”. This includes clothing and gear for combat, training, recovery and anything else you might come across in your Daily Gunfight. 

In this post we are going to be diving into the gloves that Viktos offers. We will cover every model they offer. The goal here is to help you get the best gloves that will serve you in whatever task you need to do. 

We will also provide you with links to the products where you can pick yourself up a pair if you want. 

For each glove we will breakdown the following.

1. The materials that they are made out of.
2. The unique and specific features they have.
3. Where we feel the gloves are most at home.
4. A hands on review of what we think of them after putting them thru some work. 

The Viktos Operatus Glove 

The Operatus glove is Viktos’ least expensive and most low profile glove. They retail for $25.00 a pair and come in two different color (Nightfjall and Spartan). 

Materials and Features 

The chassis of the Operatus gloves are made out of a sublimated mesh while the palm is made of .7mm thick Coolskin. The backhand of the gloves features a small amount of foam over the knuckles to provide some added protection. The trigger finger and thumb are touchscreen compatible and it works fairly well. The thumb valley is reinforced with DigiHide goatskin. 

The fit and comfort and the best features of the Viktos Operatus Gloves. They just fit right. The thumb valley hugs your hand and the whole glove ends up feeling like a second skin. The fact that they thumb valley is reinforced and cut properly makes all the difference. Many gloves makers mess up this part of the glove and it ends up making the gloves feel awkward and does not allow you to get as firm of a purchase as you would like. 

Best Use 

These gloves are at home on the range. Not the range with cows and horse but the range that is full of black guns and shinny brass. These gloves would make any shooter smile and instantly increase their confidence in their grip and protection while shooting and training. The Operatus Gloves are thin. They are supposed to be. You want them to be. But that also means that they will wear out faster than you may expect. Their durability will obviously depend on how hard you use them but don’t expect to get months and months of hard use out of them.

Review and Opinion 

These gloves are my personal favorite when it comes to shooting gloves. I have spent several hours in them shooting hand guns and rifles. They fit great and because they are so low profile I never experienced any trigger housing interference or issues. In my opinion you would be hard-pressed to find a better purpose made shooting glove for the price. 

Click here to get your pair of Viktos Operatus Gloves today!

 

The Vikto LEO Duty Gloves 

The LEO Duty glove from Viktos was developed for LEO’s, First Responders, Security Personnel and those that help maintain a safe and civil society. They retail for $35.00 and come in 4 different color ways and 3 variations. They have the standard LEO Duty gloves, Vented LEO Duty Gloves, and Insulated LEO Duty gloves. They also make a woman’s specific glove that is tailored to better fit women’s hands. We will not dive to much into the Vented and Insulated LEO Duty gloves as they have many of the same features but are ideal for either very hot or very cold climates and work environments. 

Materials and Features 

The palm of the LEO Duty Gloves is made from synthetic leather and is mated to polyester mesh backhand.  These gloves are fairly minimalist and their main focus is comfort, durability and helping you get the job done. The thumb valley is reinforced with additional material to help reduce slide-bite and increase overall durability. 

The LEO Duty Gloves feature touchscreen compatible finger tips on all fingers. However, it is not optimized for screen protectors so there is a chance they might not work on your particular device. The cloves have an integrated pull tab that make them easy and quick to get on. It also allows you to attach them to a standard duty belt or vest. The gloves are held closed with a backside wrist-cinch that features strong Velcro for a proper and secure fit that will not come undone on you. 

Best Use 

These gloves are probably the best “overall” gloves that Viktos makes. Some may say that it is their Wartorn gloves (we will get to them next) but I feel that the LEO Duty gloves are more versatile. They can be just as at home stacking fire wood as they are on the shooting range. They are in my opinion just a great overall glove. 

Review and Opinion 

I have had the opportunity to do a little of everything in the Viktos Leo Duty gloves. I have spent time shooting and handling firearms and knives in them. But, I have probable spent more time doing work in them. I have been helping my brother-in-law remodel his house and have put these gloves thru their paces. I have torn up flooring, removed drywall, hammered, jackhammered concrete, carried plywood and other tasks in these gloves. They have held up great! No tears or rips. Obviously they got very dirty but a quick wash and dry and they look almost new. So to sum it up if you are looking for a great all around Duty glove the Viktos Leo Duty Gloves are most likely for you. 

Click here to get your pair of Viktos LEO Duty Gloves today!

 

Viktos Wartorn Gloves 

The Wartorn Gloves are probably the most unique glove that Viktos makes. Viktos decided that they were fed up with gloves that could not handle a hard weekend of traing at the range. They were contantly encountereing blown seams, destroyed palms and shredded fingers. They set out to create a glove that could overcome these obsacles and stand up to whatever you throw at it. So was born the Wartorn Gloves. 

Materials and Features 

The chassis of the Wartorn Gloves is made out of padded mesh and is mated to a synthetic suede palm. The palm and thumb valley are reinforced with Combative Leather to hold up better against the aggressive texturing of todays polymer guns. The palm is printed with silicone for added traction and plus it just looks really cool. The knuckles are fully covered with polymer for added protection and durability. The fingers are segmented which allows for better dexterity and flexibility. The gloves are held shut with a backside wrist cinch that features strong Velcro and have a pull loop to help you get your gloves on.  A very cool and unique feature of these gloves is the loop knuckle pads that allow you to attached Velcro letters to them to customize your gloves.  Viktos sells their Moralphabet for $10.00 and it allows you to to “sound off with our ever saying a word.” 

Best Use 

The Wartorn Gloves from Viktos are at home in any hard use situation. They are great for shooting but more than that they are perfect for training. They are rugged and designed to take punishment. So, if your kind of training involves these aspects then a pair of Viktos Wartorn gloves might be what your hands need. 

Review and Opinion 

I have not spent a lot of time in the Wartorn gloves but I have shot my Glock 19 in them several times and they feel great. I have not beat them up to bad or put them thru any major stress tests but I hear about a guy who had a pretty gnarly dirt bike crash while wearing them and the end result was only a small tear. These gloves are durable and with the ability to add the Moralphabet to the mix they are really quite cool and unique. 

Click here to get your pair of Viktos Wartorn Gloves today!

Viktos Shortshot and LongshotGloves 

The Shortshot and Longshot Gloves are just cool. They come in 2 different colors and retail for $75.00 for the Shortshots and $100.00 for the Longshots. They are definitely not cheap but man do you get a lot for your money and if you need some of these specific features and materials you will be hard pressed to find a better pair of gloves on the market. 

Materails and Features 

Both the Longshot and Shortshot gloves are built with a Nomex backhand and a Digihide palm and sidewalls. The Nomex provides increased durability and resistance to heat and tearing.  The knuckles have a polymer insert to add to the overall protection that these gloves provide.  The Shortshots are constructed with a tactically seamed pre-curve. This gives the gloves better flex and helps to reduce their overall bulk. The thumb and trigger finger are touch screen compativle and the gloves are held shut with a backside wrist cinch like other Viktos gloves. The knuckles are also compatible with Viktos’ Moralphabet so that you can customize your Shotshots to say exactly what you want. 

Best Use 

These gloves are definitely not for everyone. But if you want the best of the best when it comes to protection, durability and comfort then they may be exactly what you have been looking for. That being said the Longshot and Shortshot gloves can feel right at home in any situation. 

Review and Opinion 

As with the Wartorn gloves I have not spent a lot of time wearing the Shortshot and Longshot gloves. I have gone shooting in both of them and they feel amazing. The Nomex does have a unique smell to it but that goes away after a short while. I have definitely not used these gloves to their full potential and I am probably not the guy who needs all of their amazing materials and features but I will tell you they are comfortable and look great. 

Click here to get your pair of Viktos Shortshot Gloves today!

Click here to get your pair of Viktos Longshot Gloves today!

Conclusion

We hope that this Viktos Glove guide has been of help to you. Please feel free to contact us with any questions. You can email us at info@valtactacticalgear.com or leave a comment on this post and we will be sure to get to you. Below are links where you can purchase any of these great Viktos gloves and make sure to create an account on our site so that you can claim your $10.00. and start earing 5% back on all of your purchases.  Bye for now.

The Delta Stretch Pants are everyday tactical. That means they do not feature all of the additional pockets, loops and tactical looking bits that most standard tactical pants have, like the Hyde pants from Vertx. They do however have some well placed extra pockets that make carrying all of your gear easy and convenient. Here are some of the specs on the Delta Stretch Pants 

Specifications and Features

FABRIC CONSTRUCTION: 9 oz, 98% Cotton/ 2% Spandex/ Stretch Tricotine

• Concealed carry compatible waistband

• Discreet interior back pocket credential flaps

• Knife notches located on front pockets

• Concealed vertical zipper pocket

• Leather lined tool pockets on each side

• Gusseted crotch provides freedom of movement

• Articulated knees allow for greater freedom of movement

That is a pretty impressive list. After you put on these pants you will immediately notice a few things. One is the comfort and stretch that they have. They are not stretchy like an elastic waist band but they feel more like a second skin they moves with you and doesn’t bunch up or pinch. The second thing is the quality. They are well made. The gusset in the crotch gives you the confidence to squat down and bend over and know what you will not suffer a catastrophic wardrobe failure. The button and zipper are sturdy and wont be falling off or failing you anytime soon. The material is 9oz weight and feels strong and sturdy but allows plenty of ventilation and air flow. These pants can be worn in all climates but might not be suitable for extremely cold weather places.

The Delta Stretch Pants have 7 pockets. You have your 4 normal pockets two in front two in back. The front pockets are larger than normal and have a flat section to make holding your flashlight, pocket knife or other everyday carry items with pocket clips. You then get 3 bonus pockets. Two of them are small and have leather reinforced lips. These are great for pocket knives and other items that you may put in and take our multiple times a day. The last pocket is located on the right size and is a reverse pocket. It has a zipper to keep it closed. This pocket is somewhat hidden and big enough to carry an AR mag or several pistol magazines. I could also see it being very handy for people who travel as you could stow your wallet or other valuables in this pocket and not worry about things falling or sliding out as you sit or move around.

Standard backpocket

 Reverse zipper pocket on right side. 

Gusseted croch. 

Small side pocket. One on both sides of the pants. Located back and down a few inches from the standard side pockets. 

Back side of pants showing the standard rear pocket and the small side pocket with leather reinforced lip. 

Fit and Sizing

These pants are definitely more athletic fitting rather than loose fitting. If you have bigger legs and butt than the average joe you might want to go up a size. Or if you want them to be a little more loose fitting then you also might want to order a size up from your normal. We are always here to help you get the right size so please feel free to contact us and let us know what questions you might have. 

Final Thoughts

So there you have it. The Delta Stretch Pants from Vertx. They are our favorite pants here at ValTac. There is always at lease one person that is wearing them in the office. They are comfortable, durable and very nice looking.

Click here to shop the Vertx Delta Stretch Pants

Civivi is a subsidiary of The WE Knife Co. WE has been making high-end knives for other brands since it was founder in 2000. They are located in Yangjian, Guangdang, China. WE set out to change the publics perception of China made knives. They have a culture of innovation and are always trying to push the envelope of design and materials. Their knives feature high end materials and precise fit and finish.

While all of the models from WE are beautiful and feature top of the line materials like Bohler M390 blade steel and titanium and carbon fiber handle materials they all will set you back at least $100.00.

So along came Civivi. WE wanted to offer high quality fit and finish and tremendous action and feel but at a more affordable cost.

Civivi does just that. The most expensive models will set you back $68.00 and you can get the lower end models for $42.50. So what do you get for the price? Well in this post we will take a closer look at the Courser. This knife will set you back $68.00 and below you can find a link to it along with other Civivi models on our site.

Well, you get a beautiful and practical everyday carry blade. Here are just some quick specs on the Courser.

• Overall length – 8”
• Blade length – 3.45”
• Blade material – VG-10
• Liner lock with stainless steel liners
• G10 handle material with a nice texturing to it.
• Milled titanium pocket clip (very cool looking)
• Right hand or left hand tip up carry

As you can see the Courser offers a lot of bang for your buck.

And, the thing just feels good in your hand. It fits well and you can easily get a confident purchase on it. The gimping on the back of the blade helps when you need to add a little more leverage. The flipping action on this knife is superb. The blade rides on ball bearings and the detent is set almost perfect from the factory. It really is a fun knife to fidget with and handle.

We have grown to love all of the models from Civivi and think that they can be beat by very few in their price range.

Check them out and let us know your thoughts!

P.S. Check out this great review of the Civivi Courser from Woodland Tactical's YouTube channell. Click here!! And hit the subscribe button!