Rothco Soft Shell Tactical M65 Jacket

Well, here's the dealy-yo.  I posted a review of some Rothco pants a while back and Rothco caught wind of that review.  So they contacted me and we talked about another review.  We landed - as you can see - on this bad boy - the M65 Soft Shell Jacket.  Let's start off with some specs:
- The color for this one: sage
- Cost: MSRP $98.99
- What I see it being sold for: low $50s into the higher $70s
- Water-resistant
- 4 pockets
- Shell: polyester
- Lining: fleece
- Concealed hood
- Zip-up front with 'storm flap'
- Drawstring waist

Now let's talk about my experience with this one.

First thing I'll note is that this style is (as they note on their website HERE) a classic old-school style jacket with new-school technology.  These soft shells are easier to find these days so the price to get one is getting more reasonable.

Collar - With the hood kept inside (which is how I usually roll) it's 'filled' and thus is insulated from the cold. There is also a hook-and-loop tag on the left-hand side of the collar that can be pulled across to the right side to really seal up the collar for extra warmth and to keep the wind out.  

As is often the case, expect the hood is easier to get out than to put back in.  

Pockets - large and in charge. There should be plenty of storage space for you when you add all 4 of these pockets together.  They close with a very (and I mean VERY) secure snap in the middle.

There are no slit pockets in the front, and while I like the storage space, I like the slit pockets more, so if I had my way, I would add some, but that's just me.  Still, plenty of space for your stuff and your hands.

Zip-up front with a storm flap.  "Storm flap?  Are you serious?"  Totally.  I get the skepticism, but it really does make a difference, and if you disagree, talk to all the outdoor companies who include them in their winter jackets.  It does keep the breeze and chill out.  Well-played, Rothco.

On the shoulder, you've got these...things.  Officially they are called epaulets and they were for military officials and such as a sign of rank or power, but they've kept them on many jackets.  They look kind of cool in my opinion, and you also can cram something under them if you'd like to (a hat, glove, etc.).

The sleeves can be cuffed and controlled with the hook-and-loop included, and it says on Rothco's website the hook-and-loop is for attaching gloves.  Not totally sure how, so I'll check in and get some more details on that, but I can say that they will easily cover your gloves and thus keep the snow and rain from getting up your sleeve.

Inside you've got some fleece to keep you warm.  That combined with the soft shell outside does a nice job at keeping the elements out.  Additionally, there is a drawstring included so you can tighten it up even more.

Here's a look at the back.

So concluding thoughts...
1. Cool looking - old-and-new school all in one
2. Like most soft shells, this one is built for winter and colder weather use.  Don't rock this if you want to go out in late spring or summer.
3. The sage is a cool color.  Supposedly they have it in OD, Tan, and Black, but mine is sage for sure.  Look around for the color you like best.
4. For the price, this one is pretty unique.  There are other soft shells out there but in my research this is the only one with this look.

Now go and rock it like a champ.
- Carp

Cast Gear Combat T-Shirt

More cool kit from Cast Gear, and I got this shirt for review from my friends over at Airsplat (click HERE to check it out).  Today, we are looking at the Cast Gear Combat T-Shirt.  It comes in a variety of different colors (woodland, urban, and C-Cam - all digital style), and it runs from size Small to Double Extra Large).  Here's a look at it.

As you can tell, it's got a base color on the torso, camo on the sleeves, and then black on the wrists and neck.  It's made of 100% cotton so it will definitely be comfortable.

First cool feature - pockets on the left sleeve, and it can hold whatever you want - a memo pad, a battery - even an iPhone.  Wait - what's that?  You'd like to put a memo pad in there but then you wonder where you'd put your pens?  Ah - no need to worry my friend - just scroll down...

And BAM!  There you have it - a spot to hold pens on the sleeves.  Well-played, Cast...well-played indeed.

Here's a look at the back and as you can probably tell, the idea behind the shirt is two-fold: eliminate the BDU blouse AND yet keep the camouflage.  And this does just that.  Put a plate carrier or a vest on and you keep your arms camouflaged but without all the weight of a full BDU blouse (and yes - they are called 'blouses').

Comfortable - yes indeed.  Dry-wick - nope.  But it's also pretty light-weight so while making it from some sort of 'sweat-wicking' material would have been nice, it's still a quality shirt, and to me - the overall features make it a win.  Check out all the different styles of these shirts HERE over at Airsplat.

 

Keep on firin',

Carp

NcSTAR Tactical Molle Backpack from Airsoft Atlanta

Today on the CQB Radio blog, we are looking at this - the NcSTAR Tactical MOLLE Backpack. You can find it over at Airsoft Atlanta HERE for only $24.99.  As you can tell, I got mine in OD Green, but it also comes in Black, Tan, and ACU.  And, as noted below, this is from their VISM line of gear.

 

Let's start with some of the specs:
- Main Pocket = 18x12x6
- Side Pockets = 5x5x1.5
- Front Top Pocket = 8x4.5x2
- Front Bottom Pocket = 9.5x9.5x3
- MOLLE webbing = EVERYWHERE!

If you are looking for a low-cost but very versatile pack, this one should be checked-out for sure.  Here you can see the two side pockets - one up top, one down below, and you've also go a solidly-constructed handle in the middle, so it's easy to grab the bag no matter what angle it's jammed into your car or in a closet.

Another shot of the handle on the side of the bag.

As you can see from pretty much all of the photos, this thing has MOLLE webbing all over, so if you've got a few other MOLLE pouches, you can certain strap them onto this bad boy.  Basically, other than my AEG, this thing can hold everything I need to take to a day-long airsoft op.  Here's a list of some items you can pack in here:
- BDU
- Boots
- Socks
- Goggles
- BBs
- Mags
- Tac vest
- Gloves
- Knee pads
- Belt
- Pouches
- Goggle spray
- Dead rag

Basically, it'll fit it all, and you can just keep your AEG and sidearm in a gun bag.

Looking at it here, you can see the the set-up for pockets is as follows: two on the left side, two on the right side, one main compartment, and then two more compartments (one up, one down) on the front side facing you.

Up top - you guessed it - another handle to grab the bag.  And below the handle you can see a little window where you can put your info so we all know whose bag it is.  (Side-note: the photo colors change a little depending on how close I got the camera to the bag.  The bag is all the same color - OD Green).

One the sides, you can see that compression straps are also included.  You can certainly add more gear/pouches on these straps, but they are intended to compress the bag down to make it as stream-lined as possible.  Two on the left, and two on the right = total of four compression straps.

Let's talk about your carrying straps.  You get adjustable shoulder straps with D-rings included to attach whatever items you might want easily accessible.  You can also see there is a sternum strap included so that will give you more stability and control of the pack as you hike/move/crawl with it.

Down below, you have a waist strap that is fully adjustable.

Here's a view of the bag from the side.  You can see the compression straps in use here, as well as the handle up top.

The main compartment is, well, huge.  For a backpack of this size, I was pretty shocked at how large this main section. was.  And a plus - the zippers go all the way around and all the way down so you can fold the front down like so.

Inside the main compartment...another compartment.  This is about half the size of the panel, and can hold whatever your little heart desires.

Peeking finger = opening to run your hose for a hydration bladder.

Missing hand = storage for hydration bladder or other items inside the main compartment.

Overall, for $25, I'd call this a steal.  A smaller bag from some of the big name companies out there will run you over $100 EASY, so think that you could get one of these, use it, have it wear out, get ANOTHER ONE, use it, have it wear out, get ANOTHER ONE, use it, have it wear out, and then get ANOTHER ONE, and use it and you'd be even for what you spend on the super-high-end tactical bags.  BUT WAIT...
NcSTAR has one of the best warranty's in the U.S.  Check out the specifics HERE, but basically they told our friend Thumpy that if it breaks, no matter what, they will fix it.  Nice eh?

Find this pack and many others over at Airsoft Atlanta - CLICK HERE!

Keep on firin',
Carp

Kryptek VS. MultiCam

Let's not kid ourselves - this is not a scientific study.  BUT it will give you a sense of how the Kryptek pattern compares to the very popular MultiCam pattern.  I got the Kryptek Highlander hat HERE from Airsplat so if you want it, I'd recommend you buy it from THEM.  Taking a look above, you can see that I put an OD green American flag on each hat so there was no 'advantage' given to one hat over another when it comes to the front patch. 

One of the things that more recent camo patterns have been utilizing is a mixture/splatter/cross-fade effect.  The older woodland camo patterns had very distinct edges for each color, but MultiCam, A-TACS, and Kryptek tend to blur the lines a bit more.  Just look at the brim of the hat below.

The MultiCam hat (below) has less of the blurring, but with the broad mix of colors, a lot of people like it because it seems to be, as the name implies, multiple forms of camouflage in one pattern.   

Here's a shot of them in the grass and in bright sunlight.  Certainly this is not an ideal 'hide' situation (who's going to lie in the open like this?), but none the less, you can get a sense of what they look like. 

To me, the MultiCam 'pops' a bit more than the Kryptek in the two pictures below.

In this leaf litter, I think the two patterns are even.  Both seem to blend in pretty nicely, and if you added in shadows to this photo, they'd be even harder to see.  That said, if you made me pick, I'd say the Kryptek was a little more hidden in this picture.

In the white pine here, the thing that stands out to me the MOST is that the flag and its shape.  It really does 'pop'.  Straight edges are not natural, and that's pretty obvious from the photos below.  

 

In these bushes, I don't give a real advantage to either one.  Again - shape of the flag makes it stand out.

Same bushes from further away.

Here are some final shots of our two competitors.

Here's the "IMHO" part of the show.  Kryptek Highlander wins.  Now hear me, you MultiCam fans - I REALLY like MultiCam.  I actually wore this MultiCam hat all day yesterday at the range in the woods.  And I'm not a Kryptek fanboy, but as I look at them, the blurring of the lines that the Kryptek offers is an advantage in your camo.  What do you think?  Post a comment below and thanks for reading.  Thanks also to Airsplat for sponsoring CQB Radio.

Keep on firin',
Carp