Navy News, opinions, editorials, news from Iraq, photos, reports - Navy Times

SHOT Show’s best of day 3: Losing weight

ORLANDO, Fla. — You can’t always take it with you when you go.

This becomes abundantly clear on Day Three of SHOT Show, after two days of hauling around gear and product samples and promotional literature and notebooks and pens and cell phones and everything else needed to bring you the scoop. Covering 14 acres of convention center, it’s a 20-minute slog through a crowd of thousands just to get from one side to the other.

If we don’t want to haul some gadget or gizmo around for eight hours on the showroom floor, why should you bother stuffing it into your pack for a six-mile patrol? The greatest piece of gear in the world in pretty useless if it’s too heavy to haul to the fight.

With that in mind, we made Saturday a light day. We left the video gear in the rental car, field-stripped our gear to the essential pens-notebooks-cameras configuration, and went in search of tiny solutions to life’s little problems. By the time we left, our backs and feet were glad to catch a break.

Here’s to losing weight. Take a look at the “Best of Day Three.”

1. NITE IZE FIGURE 9

There are few things worse than the frustration of fumbling with knots.

Enter the Nite Ize Figure 9 rope tightener, a metal clip that eliminates the need for tying, untying and adjusting knots. Just attach one end of the Figure 9 to a length of rope and strap the load down like you normally would. Then weave the loose end of the rope through the clip, pull it tight, and secure the end.

The first few tries are a lot like threading a needle in a haystack, but after you get the hang of the system, the Figure 9 will leave you wondering how you ever got along without it.

Available in two sizes — small, for 1/16- to 3/16-inch ropes, and large, for 1/8- to 3/8-inch ropes — the strong aluminum clips weigh almost nothing. The small version will handle loads up to 50 pounds, while the larger version will accommodate loads up to 150 pounds.

The large size comes with 10 feet of rope for $6.99, or without the rope for $2.99. A pair of the smaller hooks comes with two 6-foot ropes for $6.99, or without the ropes for $1.99.

They’re so light and cheap you almost have to give them a try. You can find them now at REI, some hunting and fishing shops, or online at www.niteize.com. Larger nationwide distribution is in the works, possibly by April.

2. CRKT GUPPIE

Years of watching MacGyver save the world with two rubber bands and a Swiss Army knife gave us great appreciation for the power of the multi-tool.

But sometimes, the heavy-duty machines we’re so fond of can be a bit too much. Enter the Guppie, a new offering from Columbia River Knife and Tool. The carabiner-styled multi-tool weighs in at just over four ounces, and is easily attached to a D-ring or pack.

One end is an adjustable wrench that opens to a half-inch, perfect for light- to medium-duty jobs. The other end holds screwdriver bits, and four sizes come standard in the detachable bit carrier (which doubles as a bright white LED flashlight, bonus).

The Guppie also has a folding two-inch knife blade and pocket clip, and its carabiner opening doubles as a bottle opener. At $30, it’s a cheap alternative to the standard folding multi-tool, one that we wouldn’t mind strapping to our backs.

Look for them to hit retailers in March or April. If you can’t wait that long, check them out now at www.crkt.com.

3. T.A.G. MASH HOOK

Last, but certainly not least, comes the tiniest gear revolution we could find.

From Tactical Assault Gear, a product so new that it’s not even included in the new catalog. Called a “mash hook,” the new clip replaces the standard snap hooks found on the company’s line of rifle slings and will eventually be available as a stand-alone item so you can develop your own uses.

“You can put it on anything,” said Chris Osman, the company’s director. “Once you put it there, it stays.”

Made of cast aluminum, the hooks combine the ease of a carabiner with the security of a split ring. You have to see one to really get a full appreciation for just how innovative the product truly is. Check out the photos and prepare to be briefly disappointed — the Mash Clips aren’t available yet, but they’re coming soon.

For pricing and ordering information, keep an eye on Tactical Assault Gear.