I heaved the fully loaded Exped Lightning 50 off my back onto the ground, right in the middle of a gem of a creekside Colorado campsite. It was packed to the absolute limit with gear and food that was quickly extruded into a neat pile beside us. Within moments, I had alpine charcuterie served, camp chairs pitched, water heating, and a diaper changing station deployed. With a new baby in tow, the demands on my day hiking pack have grown exponentially. 20 liters? Forget about it. I nabbed a sample of the freshly updated Exped Lightning 50 to pull double…
Stories about the stupidity of zero-tolerance policies in schools are hardly uncommon, but you’d think they’d at least slow down during summer break. The parents of a Georgia first-grader, though, are speaking out their son was suspended from school after biting his sandwich into the shape of a gun (or the letter L) and allegedly pointing it at a classmate. In fact, that’s just one of the punishments delivered to the child by school administrators, who the parents say should be more accommodating because of their son’s autism. School records show Sara Harp Minter Elementary administrators issued…
American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) is one of the premier names in off-road tuning. Beyond selling individual aftermarket parts, the company also offers complete kits for folks looking to create their own adventure rig. Its latest creation is the AEV FX370, which is based on the Ford Super Duty, and is for anyone who needs to carry heavy payloads well off the beaten path. The complete kit starts at $19,999. A $20,000 Upgrade With Some Serious Off-Road Potential Credit: AEV The AEV FX370 is a complete upgrade package for the Ford Super Duty. The company believes that owners of these trucks often…
A fuel tanker in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Yemen was hijacked by Somali pirates. The Tanzanian-flagged fuel and chemical tanker MT Asana has a crew of 20 on board and was seized on Friday. Iran Accuses The US Of Acting Like “Pirates” After departing the Yemeni port of Mukalla, seven armed pirates reportedly boarded the MT Asana and forced it into Somali territorial waters near Puntland, according to the Associated Press, which cited anonymous sources familiar with the incident. While Tanzanian authorities have not confirmed any details yet, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) has stated…
Imagine you’re a first responder. Your patient has just broken their leg and is wet, underdressed, and nearly hypothermic. If you don’t have any clothes to change them into, you may have to offer your own, or some purchased for the occasion. And if the injury is serious enough, those nice base layers might get cut right off, never to be used again. That was the scenario that merino wool brand Minus 33 tackled head-on when it launched a program in 2017 to donate its factory seconds to a local search-and-rescue organization. The Search & Rescue (SAR) kit program repurposes…
Bans on so-called assault weapons are popular in anti-gun states, to say the least, but those days might be numbered. The Supreme Court has agreed to finally hear a couple of assault weapon ban cases, and I think everyone knows more or less how those will go. There’s almost no chance that the same Court that gave us Bruen will uphold bans on modern sporting rifles. But before the Supreme Court decided to hear it, numerous anti-gun states had passed such laws. Virginia, this year, became the latest.And, at the Washington Post, Stephen Gutowski has…
National reciprocity, at a minimum, needs to happen. People with a driver’s license from Florida can drive in all 50 states and every US territory without a problem, even though driving is considered a privilege, not a right. Meanwhile, California can ignore a permit from Georgia without repercussions. It’s stupid. It’s always been stupid.And honestly, the arguments made against national reciprocity have always been remarkably stupid.And John Lott has already debunked many of them.As Lott explained, last year, when House Judiciary Committee passed national reciprocity along party lines, Democrats also opposed legislation that would have allowed…
Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. Police in Gastonia, North Carolina, say a man was shot last week while allegedly trying to kick his way into a disabled 75-year-old homeowner’s house. Instead of admitting what happened, investigators say he and his girlfriend drove to a nearby gas station and claimed he’d been wounded in a random drive-by shooting. According to reports from WCNC and WBTV, that story unraveled quickly. The homeowner, Donald Bolynn, told reporters he’d already been targeted once before. So when he heard someone trying to force their way into his Ware Avenue home again, he wasn’t…
Whether you’re being deployed or will be at home for some time, maintaining your car is important. One of the most important aspects of car maintenance goes beyond changing its oil or rotating the tires; It also includes recognizing signs of trouble early. This means paying attention to unusual noises, dashboard warning lights, and the way your car drives. If you ignore these issues, they won’t go away and will likely get worse, especially if your car often sits in a garage or on base while you’re gone. Small leaks can turn into big ones over time and worn parts…
The Belgian troopship SS Léopoldville had already begun sinking into the English Channel after a German torpedo struck. Gerald Howard went down with it. The 23-year-old rifleman was dragged beneath the freezing water alongside hundreds of fellow soldiers, narrowly escaping the same fate. Somehow, he made it back to the surface. “I stayed on that ship until it went under,” Howard recalled decades later. “It pulled me down, and when I came back up, I spotted a life raft. They told me, ‘You can’t get on.’ I said, ‘Like hell I can’t.’” Howard regained consciousness around midnight in a hospital…
The sun’s blazing overhead, you’ve got miles to go, and there’s not much shade in sight. The best sun hats protect your head, face, ears, and neck from harsh UV while staying breathable, secure, and comfortable enough to wear all day. For this update, GearJunkie Editor Chris Kassar tested four new sun hats over nine months while sweating through trail runs, scrambling exposed routes above the tree line, paddleboarding, and logging long days out photographing wildlife. While none of the new contenders unseated our current favorites, the process reinforced the strength of our existing selection. This guide has been shaped…
Sgt. Ross F. Gray carried a satchel charge through a minefield while under heavy Japanese fire. The explosive weighed 24 pounds and left no room for a rifle. He went in unarmed anyway. Behind him, three Marines provided cover. Ahead, a fortified Japanese bunker anchored one end of a network of gun emplacements that had stopped his platoon cold on Feb. 21, 1945, two days into the bloodiest battle in Marine Corps history. Gray had already mapped a route through the field on foot, under fire, without triggering a single mine. Now he was going back in to finish what…
A climbing rope is your literal lifeline. The best options strike a perfect balance between smooth handling, reliable fall-catching, and the durability to withstand seasons of abrasion. For this update, GearJunkie contributor Miya Tsudome spent three months evaluating two new ropes, tying into each cord for three to five separate climbs on the sharp granite of Pine Creek Canyon and the welded tuff of the Owens River Gorge. The Mammut Alpine Core Protect takes the top spot as our favorite overall rope thanks to an innovative cut-resistant core that provides unparalleled safety on sharp edges, while the Edelrid Tommy Caldwell…
Kentucky, despite a Democratic governor and a fairly lengthy history of electing Democrats to that office, is a pretty pro-gun state. I mean, while Rand Paul and Thomas Massie aren’t exactly as beloved as they were a couple of years ago by most gun owners, they’re both from the state and both solidly pro-gun. But Louisville was always going to be an exception. As a relatively large city, its sensibilities are more akin to those of other large urban centers, as opposed to the more rural parts of the Bluegrass State.And now they’re asking the…
Suppressors weren’t just part of NRA 2026, they dominated the conversation. Walk the floor this year and one thing became clear fast: lighter, quieter, and more versatile is the name of the game. From 3D-printed titanium builds to modular, do-it-all cans, manufacturers are pushing hard into the next generation. Here are some of the standout suppressors that caught our attention. Daniel Defense Goes Lightweight and Purpose-Built Daniel Defense rolled out two new cans that hit very different use cases but both lean hard into weight savings. First up is the Mute 30 Ti, a bolt-gun-focused suppressor built using additive-manufactured titanium.…
U.S. officials pressed Israel and Lebanon for a security deal on Thursday as Washington tried to contain another volatile Middle East front involving Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group whose fight with Israel threatens to pull more American attention into the region. U.S. sources cited tensions rising inside the State Department about four hours after the start of Lebanese-Israeli negotiations, according to MTV Lebanon, a Lebanese TV station, on Thursday. A U.S. State Department official later described the daylong talks as “productive and positive,” according to the Associated Press, and said the U.S. looked forward to continuing the discussions on Friday. The…
When you think about where to shop for survival supplies, the dollar store might not be the first place that comes to mind. But you’d be surprised at the treasure trove of useful items you can find there! From tools to help you in an emergency to everyday items that can be repurposed, the dollar store offers a ton of affordable options. In this post, we’ll explore 101 invaluable items you can pick up that could make a big difference in your survival strategy. These essentials aren’t only cost-effective but also incredibly versatile. Want to save this post for later?…
From gym laps to alpine objectives, the best climbing harnesses keep you secure. The best designs also keep you comfortable and organized without adding bulk or hindering movement. For this update, lead tester Miya Tsudome evaluated two new climbing harnesses over a three-month cycle from her home base in Bishop, California. She put them to the test while sport climbing in Owens River Gorge and during long trad days in Pine Creek Canyon. From hanging belays to racking cams and draws, she rigorously assessed fit, pressure points, gear loop accessibility, and all-day comfort The Black Diamond Solution remains our best overall pick for…
As my colleague Tom Knighton mentioned in a previous post, the New Hampshire Senate debated a campus carry bill today. HB 1793 was actually approved by the chamber, but not before it was amended and considerably weakened. In fact, as adopted the legislation won’t allow any student or visitor to carry on a higher ed campus, even after it takes effect. lnstead, the Senate voted to create a committee to “study the feasibility of allowing guns on campuses of public institutions of higher education,” while also adopting language that “notwithstanding any provision of law to…
Ruger is officially done calling Connecticut home. According to reporting from Hartford Business Journal, Sturm, Ruger & Co. quietly moved its corporate headquarters from Connecticut to Mayodan, North Carolina at the start of 2026, marking the end of an era for one of America’s most recognizable gunmakers. The move apparently flew under the radar for months. Ruger didn’t make a huge public announcement about it, but sharp-eyed industry watchers noticed recent company press releases started carrying a North Carolina dateline instead of Connecticut. That was the clue. A company spokesperson confirmed the relocation became official on Jan. 1. Ruger still…
HALIFAX, N.C. (AP) — With 165 grains of black powder in the barrel, a .75-caliber Brown Bess flintlock musket like the ones the redcoats carried in 1776 can hurl a lead ball at a velocity of around 1,000 feet (305 meters) per second. Imagine what that can do to a human body. Now, imagine that it’s almost completely exempt from gun regulations. How can that be? Well, under federal and most state laws, many antique or replica guns aren’t technically considered firearms. In most places, even convicted felons can own them. “I suspect the average judge would be surprised to…
