I’ve referred to the ability to see in the dark as a genuine superpower in the field, and while both modern night vision and thermal optics serve their own unique purposes, I’d be willing to call thermal technology a super-duper power, at least in the case of the Armasight Contractor 640.  Until the good folks at Armasight offered me the opportunity to review the Contractor 640, my experience with thermal rifle optics had been relatively minimal. Like most people, my lack of experience is mostly due to the cost of entry, and asking myself whether the juice is really worth…

I have a standard 2- to 3-week international work itinerary. It takes 32 hours of travel to get to my office in northern Uganda from my home in Oregon. I pack everything for these trips into a 44L bag, so space is at a premium. My kit is dialed, so I rarely bring anything new to test. I need clothing that can withstand heat and various elements (such as rain, mud, and dust) while also looking presentable for formal meetings. These trips are longer than the calendar days alone would suggest, with sunrise wake-ups, long days in the rig, and…

Battery power is no doubt a necessity today, especially for folks like hunters, who are well separated from wall outlets while in the field. Smaller charging banks like the Dark Energy Poseidon Pro are great for keeping our phones up and running throughout a trip. But what about things like a laptop? Or even a fully functional workstation, for that matter? That’s where the new Dark Energy Poseidon XL comes into play. If you need to work from the field or on the road, this is for you. In short: Hunters looking to power up a mobile workstation while in…

A World War I epic made by a Marine veteran showed combat stress, disability, and the painful transition back to civilian life long before Hollywood had a word for PTSD.When The Big Parade opened in 1925, this World War I movie did not behave like a typical silent film. It felt like a national event. Millions of Americans went to see it, including World War I veterans who were still figuring out what “coming home” and military transition meant in a world that had moved on without them. Newspapers across the country, from New York to small-town Missouri, treated its arrival…

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A U.S. Army soldier accused of shooting five people at a Georgia base in August will stand trial in a military court on charges including attempting murder, Army prosecutors said Friday. Charges against Sgt. Quornelius Radford are being referred to a general court-martial, which handles cases involving the most serious crimes under military law, the Army’s Office of Special Trial Counsel said in a news release. Officials say Radford opened fire with a personal handgun Aug. 6 on members of his supply unit at Fort Stewart in southeast Georgia, injuring four soldiers and a civilian worker…

When hunters, precision shooters, and backcountry professionals talk about rifles that deliver serious accuracy without unnecessary weight, Bergara is always part of the conversation. The Bergara Hunter .308 with an 18-inch stainless steel threaded barrel in gray is a perfect example of why. This rifle is built for people who actually use their gear, not just admire it in a safe while saying, “One day I’ll take that out.” Lightweight, rugged, and known for exceptional out-of-the-box accuracy, the Bergara Hunter bridges the gap between a traditional hunting rifle and a modern precision platform, the kind of rifle that looks just as natural leaning against…