The K5 – Women’s Corday Jacket takes its name from Marie-Anne Charlotte de Corday d’Armont, more commonly known simply as Charlotte Corday. Charlotte’s place in history comes from the French Revolution. She’s most recognized for the act of killing leading pundit Jean-Paul Marat while he was in the bathtub for inciting violence and radicalizing the movement.
Unity Tactical | An Inside Look
The last time we had covered some of Unity Tactical’s products was at SHOT Show 2020 (full article here: SHOT 2020 | Unity Tactical – Urban Survivor Blog)
Sometimes You Just Need to Travel in Style
Stay tuned…
NOT SHOT 2021 | New Knives from Benchmade
After the complete and total homerun of the 537GY-1 BAILOUT (review coming!) launched last year at 2020 SHOT Show, Benchmade is releasing some very good looking knives.
The focus this year was quite heavily on tactical folders, starting with four addition within the ADAMAS line (with a mini folder, a folder, an auto folder and a fixed blade), moving to combatives and over to all-around folders.
273 MINI ADAMAS®
A new lighter and more compact version of the ADAMAS, a very popular tough knife among professionals.
Benchmade 275FE-2 ADAMAS® – G10 CruWear | Benchmade Knife Company | Benchmade Knife Company
2750 AUTO ADAMAS®
The classic ADAMAS folder is now available in auto.
Benchmade 2750FE-2 AUTO ADAMAS® – G10 CruWear | Benchmade Knife Company | Benchmade Knife Company
375 FIXED ADAMAS®
This new iteration of the Fixed Blade ADAMAS aims at reducing as much as possibile weight without compromising strength. Comes with an improved sheath.
275 ADAMAS®
An update on the staple of the ADAMAS line, the big and tough folder. As with the other models this update focuses at bringing the weight down without compromising strength and toughness.
Benchmade 275FE-2 ADAMAS® – G10 CruWear | Benchmade Knife Company | Benchmade Knife Company
177BK MINI SOCP®
The huge success of Greg Thompsons’s Special Operation Combatives Program among the worldwide SOF Community has brought a lot of interest from armed civilians to a knife/dagger that was originally intended to be mounted on kit. The response from Benchmade is the 177 Mini SOCP, a compact version that can be carried IWB (without causing atrocious pain when sitting). We expect it to be very much appreciated by the huge customer base of the original SOCP. The 177 Mini SOCP has the potential to become the go to personal defense blade for off duty MIL/LE personnel and civilians.
9070SBK-1 CLAYMORE™
The best for last. The name of this knife is Claymore. Do we need to say anything else?? Just look at it; how many do you want?
Benchmade 9070SBK-1 CLAYMORE™ – Grivory CPM-D2 | Benchmade Knife Company | Benchmade Knife Company
Benchmade 945BK-1 Mini Osborne | An EDC Classic
The Benchmade Mini Osborne is an EDC classic, compact but versatile folder with a reverse tanto blade made of S30V steel.
Continuing the 20th anniversary celebration for one of Benchmade’s most iconic designs, the 940 Osborne family expands to include the long-awaited mini variation. The 945BK-1 Mini Osborne upholds the same unique styling of the 940, while scaling down the overall profile. Sporting the classic reverse tanto blade shape in CPM-S30V and a black G10 with a blue baselayer handle. The Mini Osborne is the perfect accomplice to the full-size counterparts.
Specs:
BLADE STEEL – CPM-S30V (58-60 HRC)
BLADE LENGTH – 2.92” | 7.42cm
BLADE THICKNESS – 0.104” | 2.642mm
OPEN – 6.76” | 17.17cm
CLOSED – 3.84” | 9.754cm
WEIGHT – 2.19oz | 62.09g
HANDLE THICKNESS – 0.41” | 10.287mm
The Mini Osborne retails for $205.00, find it here: Benchmade 945BK-1 Osborne
Complex Problems Require Elegant Solutions | Tiger Stripe Survival Kit Edition
- Beyond Clothing K5 Makers Pant in Tiger Stripe
- ADC Custom 12.5″ AR15 with custom paintjob in Tiger Stripe
- Glock 19 with Streamlight TLR-7A in a Tenicor CERTUM LUX2
- Oakley SI Holbrook Mix with Woodgrain
- Beyond Clothing Only The Strong Survive Tee
- Benchmade Bailout
- Surefire E2D with Vampire head
- Flask of Whiskey
- Cuban Cigar
- Pipe, like a true gentleman.
The History Behind the Beyond Clothing Corday Jacket
One of the goals of Beyond Clothing, other than making awesome expeditionary clothing systems, is to become an enabler for those that “stand for what they believe in”. This mindset, often shared among their customer basis, is not really something new. Selflessness and wanting to be part of something bigger than yourself is a culture that has very old roots. Those that sacrifice for a greater value usually don’t do it for the glory and often times their story isn’t even told in their lifetime. Since many of these stories have common traits to contemporary conflicts and injustices it is important to understand them and to learn from the sacrifice of those that have come before us. This is one of them.
BEYOND BACKSTORY: THE K5 – (CHARLOTTE) CORDAY
Charlotte completely shook up the public perception of what a woman was capable of, and stood by her actions and the beliefs that motivated them. After being sentenced to death, she asked that her likeliness be painted for posterity first, adding, “To save your country means not noticing what it costs.” We can only assume that if she had a pair of sunglasses, they would’ve been slowly slid on at this point.
The Corday Jacket is many things: a technical softshell, a warm winter layer, an active-use tool, and a rather stylish piece if we do say so ourselves. At its core, however, it’s something more. More than an access pass to wild places, more than chic ruff-trimmed streetwear, more than a particular means to an end. It’s a statement: an embodiment of the intention to go absolutely anywhere, and stand for what you believe in.
https://beyondclothing.com/blogs/news/beyond-backstory-the-k5-charlotte-corday
Thyrm CellVault 18: Coming Soon
The Thyrm CellVault 18 would finally solve the issue of storage of 18650 batteries that are now becoming more popular.
Early Morning/ Evening Weighted Trail Run
Weighted trail running, just before the sun rises or as the sun is setting is one of the most releveling moments before/after a long day at work. This is how we like to do it.
The Beyond Clothing K2 Celeris Pullover provides enough warmth for the beginning of the run during (especially during those chilly mornings) without overheating throughout the entire duration of the activity. The material of this pullover wicks sweat away from the skin extremely effectively and the addition of the hood and long zipper allows for a bit of thermal regulation. There is a small zippered pocket on the sleeve, perfect for storing keys and cash.
Speaking of the zipper: it’s flat enough so that it doesn’t get pushed in the skin by the plate carrier. But if there is even a slim chance of this happening, the addition of the First Spear 10×12 Padded Plate Backer provides a good clearance to eliminates it. These plate backers are extremely comfortable and provide cushioning.
A minimalist slick plate carrier allows to apply a level 4 or level 5 if wind/rain protection on top. Made by FROG.PRO, this Defender Low Visibility Plate Carrier allows to have slick front while keeping some storage of essential items on the elastic cummerbunds. The [not] camo Black Multicam is discreet while keeping the tactical flare. An extremely comfortable system also scalable via the application of front panels. The shoulder straps are thin enough not to stand out when encountering fellow runners on the trail but still very comfortable. The plate pouches are well sized and provide enough adjustment to secure the plates and therefore avoid any unwanted movement during exercise.
The loop field in the front and rear is ideal for applying a signaling light, especially for country roads. In this instance we have applied a Unity Tactical SPARK marking light.
Also from First Spear are the moisture wicking performance briefs an essential piece of clothing as the hot summer gets closer.
The training plates are the Team Wendy ESAPI non-ballistic training plates and come in the size of 8.75” x 11.75” with a weight of 5 lbs each. These are ideal if in the area you are exercising are not allowed to wear ballistic plates. The multicurve design makes the extremely comfortable, especially to those steel single curve (or even worse: flat) plates.
Oakley SI Speed Jackets provide protection to bugs and branches. The low profile of this model is ideal for high intensity use while still offering a decent protection to the eye. It’s better to be called nerds than become cyclops on a run.
The Princeton Tec Remix Pro our favorite headlamp for trail running because of its 300 Lumen white light and its low signature red light. The Streamlight ProTac 1L-AA is a very light weight but powerful enough handheld flashlight, particularly suited for a trail run.
OR Snow Show 2020 | Matbock
Innovation, a word thrown around in many industries, should I say it has almost lost its meaning? Not as bad as “gamechanger” for sure.
Well, there are few companies in this space to which this term truly belongs. Matbock is certainly one of them.
Without any affiliation with the company I can say that every year I look forward to seeing what they have been working on and they always surpass the expectations.
Most of their products could be categorized simple but clever. Their process? With a lot of experience under their belt they provide solutions to problems that top tier operators have with an extremely direct development process. Sometimes some very specific solutions appear strange to all of us that are not in that community because we are not even aware of the existence of the problem.
Now they are expanding to other industries, analyzing the problems that are similar to those of the SOF space, by tailoring products for various applications.
The Cobra Sled
This casualty carry system has been showed us last year at SHOT and is now being looked at closely by the SAR community.
urbansurvivorblog.com/2019/02/11/shot-show-2019-matbock/
Graverobber Medical System
Developed in conjunction with CRO Medical, the Graverobber medical system is a customizable mission specific medical kit that allows the medic to swiftly carry and easily manage the medical assets allocated to the team without excessive redundancy that may hinder the operation.
This is basically a modular and scalable system based around a different types of packpacks designed to be used individually or in a system. The Graverobber allows to carry a mountaineering-style ruck near the objective and, once in the proximity of the objective, to detach the assault medic bag for the more kinetic and dynamic part of the mission. All while the surgical ans/or sustainment pack remains with the element that has established an holding point from which further medical assistance can be provided.
Inside the sustainemnt pack the inserts can be detached and used individually to provide medical assistance to multiple casualties in multiple locations.
Skeeter Patch
The internal of each patch is a super absorbent anti-microbial lining for deet or any other anti-bug spray. The absorbent liner will hold the bug spray for hours to prevent insects from bother you or from you spraying some of these very harmful chemicals onto your body directly.
Travel Kit
Made of MATBOCK Ghost Heavy Material, these pouches are light, strong and hydrophobic.
Toiletry bag: exploded shampoo? No problem.
Shoes bag: trail run with mud, need to quickly pack and go to work? No problem.
… you get the point.
OR Snow Show 2020 | Beyond Clothing: New Products for 2020
Right after SHOT Show 2020 Beyond Clothing exhibited at Outdoor Retailer Snow Show 2020 in Denver.
On display were some products intended to launch in Spring 2020 season as well as some that will be available in fall.
As always the main concept behind Beyond is not to look at the single piece of clothing by itself but to the entire clothing system, a much needed point of view in this industry. A very strong theme is also sustainability, which is becoming a very key topic in the outdoor industry, considering how the customer basis is tied with nature and how it is unaware of the environmental footprint that equipment manufacturing has.
The DNA of Beyond lays in the education on how to use the system to achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness. This mindset transpires through many of the new products that they are presenting, designed to used for multiple applications.
While many companies focus on providing tailored solutions for their specific customer base (usually with few applications in mind), Beyond is catering to a much wider crowd by focusing on the only aspect that different end-users have in common: protection from the environment.
This really requires some reflection on what is actually at the core of what we are trying to do. To be able to experience a much broader spectrum of the outdoors a single $500 jacket is insufficient and, at the same time, not everyone is able to drop $2000 for an adequate system.
This is where the choice of a direct to consumer model of a system-based company is the true enabler for those that need clothing for what it intended for: a tool to protect from the elements.
Understanding whether a company operates around a system approach or a single-garment approach is not an easy task for the average consumer; often times there are subtle characteristics that differentiate the two models. It is quite easy to be attracted by the bells and whistles of a garment only to find out that by itself it is not going to help in the adventure. While, in the meantime, having blown half of the budget that was intended for the whole system.
Top: K8 Allta Parka | Bottom: K8 Allta Bib
Top: K7 Cetra Jacket | Bottom: K5 Velox Softshell Pant
Top: K5 Aptus Jacket | Bottom: K5 Maker’s Pant
Top: K5 Modus Jacket (on top of a K2 Celeris Pullover) | Bottom: K5 Testa Softshell Pant
Respecting the environment is an extremely common trend in the clothing/sporting industry. Unfortunately it is one of the most hypocritical out there.
Polymerization, treatments applied to threads and fabrics, using excessive DWR on low-quality materials and “fashion” mindset (product quickly becoming “old”) are just some of the reasons why the outdoor clothing industry is extremely polluting.
Maybe a system-based approach to clothing could help?
- Whenever something is worn-out you only need to update/fix/upgrade that single piece.
- A more modular system is more versatile and doesn’t require many climate-specific items.
- Most of the garments can be used all year (Skiing, hiking, emergency…).
It’s a sensitive topic but it’s necessary.
Both at SHOT and at OR Snow Show there was a big focus sensitizing people about protecting not only the endangered species but also the wilderness and backcountry.
New Products Coming in Fall 2020
K1 – TODRA SHORT SLEEVE CREW
The K1 – Todra Short Sleeve Crew features a blended knit jersey fabric with a sanded finish ensures a soft, velvety feel for all-day comfort. Dri-release® technology manages sweat build-up from exercise, hot days and more, and the fitted, athletic construction makes it an ideal choice for a morning run, workout, and casual wear alike.
K3 – DASCHE JACKET
The K3 – Dasche Jacket is a packable, water- and wind-resistant shell. Mapped PrimaLoft® Gold LuxeTM insulation combines the targeted warmth of a vest with the coverage of a jacket, and tightly woven quilt lines ensure full insulation loft and no
popped stitches. The unique stow-hood design eliminates the bulk of roll-up storage or the hassle of tracking a detachable hood.
A self-stowing pocket allows fast, compact storage in a pack or bag.
K3 – CLUTCH FIELD LINER
The K3 – Clutch Field Liner is a robust layer of warmth underneath your weather protection or as a zip-up jacket to keep warmth in mild conditions. 80g Primaloft Gold® Luxe Insulation crafted from 100% post-consumer recycled materials combines with a classic quilted design, providing ample heat through eco-friendly means.
20-denier construction with 4-way stretch and a durable water-repellent (DWR) finish offers lasting durability, easy mobility, and protection from light rain.
K3 – DAWA SHERPA FLEECE
The double-sided and brushed-knit ultra-plush fleece delivers a soft feel and ample heat. An attached, fitted hood helps keep you dry when surprise showers show up, and two zippered hand pockets combine with a hidden shoulder-seam pocket to provide secure storage.
K4 – AVID PANT
A jogger pant made of ultralight fabric with 4-way stretch with articulated knees and elastic waistband with an internal draw cord. Four pockets with each pocket bag is crafted with power mesh to allow venting. A clear coating on the outer shell increases the soft hand feel, and a durable water-repellent finish (DWR) to provide protection from light rain.
K4 – VENTUM ULTRALIGHT HOODIE in Gods Plaid (ehm I mean WOODLAND)
K7 – ANCHOR BELAY JACKET
Water-resistant 80g Primaloft Gold® Luxe Insulation crafted from 100% post-consumer recycled materials combines with a quilted inside, providing ample heat even while wet.
20-denier construction with a durable water-repellent (DWR) finish and a built-in rimmed hood offers lasting durability and protection from the elements. 4-way stretch and articulated sleeves provide enhanced mobility, and the included stow pouch allows the entire jacket to be packed down for space-saving convenience when not in use.
Now Available
K5 – MODUS JACKET
The K5 – Modus Jacket is a lightweight hooded jacket designed for active use in warmer weather. The durable, 4-way stretch, double-faced nylon polyester shell protects you from the wind and rain, while remaining breathable for moisture transport.
The inner face of the fabric is bamboo charcoal yarn which is naturally antibacterial, antifungual, moisture wicking and insulating. The K5 – Modus Jacket is ideal for lightweight durability for active use in warmer climates.
K5 – APTUS JACKET
For all the lucky ones with a A5 Stretch Alpha, you’ll like this one…
K5 – Aptus Jacket combines the warmth and moisture transport of an insulating layer with the durability and mobility of a softshell.
The jacket is built out of three layers; starting with a Verso Weave™ knit that pulls moisture away from the body towards a layer of Polartec® Alpha® Insulation.
The Alpha® Insulation traps and retains body heat while continuing to transport moisture to the outer shell where moisture spreads and evaporates.
The final layer is a DWR finished, flexible 4-way stretch woven fabric that is highly durable and protects you from the wind and rain. Stay warm, dry, and protected while on the move.
