Holiday Gift Guide

Photos by David Merrill, Matt Stagliano, and Craig Metzger

For Those of You Who Waited ’Til the Last Minute

US Personal Defense Products
JPX

Need something for someone who can’t carry a gun? Looking for an option when traveling to states no longer precisely free? Take a look at the JPX Pepper Gun, which you can read about in more detail in our full feature elsewhere in this issue. It has a number of advantages over traditional O.C. dispensing devices, including firearm-like muscle memory similarities, the ability to carry holstered IWB or OWB, and speedy reloads. It’s not a firearm as defined by the Gun Control Act, nor is it “any other weapon” as defined in the National Firearms Act. Oh, and the two-shot mags aren’t ammunition either.

The JPX launches an O.C. solution at over 400 mph, hitting targets accurately at over 20 feet, and you can mount a flashlight or laser too.

MSRP: $450 to $500
URL: jpxpeppergun.net

Wilmont Knives
K23

Behold the K23 from Wilmont Designs. It’s a design collaboration between Wilmont Knives’ (and U.S. Army combat veteran) Chris Williams and his apprentice, Justin Thompson. The K23 is built with CPM-154 stainless steel. It’s 3/16-inch thick, 5.5 inches long, and sports a 2.5-inch blade with black G10 handle scales. The K23 rolls out to buyers with a Kydex sheath designed for a Spyderco G-Clip.

MSRP: $175
URL: www.wilmontknives.com

Gerber Gear  
Center Drive

Gerber’s newest workingman’s thingamawhatsit can honestly claim to be an evolution in multitools. The Center-Drive is named for, well, its center drive, a long-axis center driver that allows you to line your bits up like a regular screw driver, optimizing torque and rotation. Torque and rotation, of course, are important (that’s also what she said). Sliding jaws open with one thumb, and it sports a 3¼-inch outboard blade. Here’s a rundown of its other features:
> Closed Length: 4.7 inches
> Open Length: 6.6 inches
> Weight: 9.5 oz.
> One-thumb opening system
> Spring-loaded needle-nose pliers with X-Channel rail system
> Rotatable carbide wire cutters and strippers
> Full-size 3.25-inch fine edge blade
> Magnetic 3.2-inch Center-Axis bit driver
> Prybar with nail puller and bottle opener
> Serrated blade
> Awl, file
> Magnetic flathead and Phillips bits
> Lanyard hole
> Fabric sheath included

MSRP: $119
URL: center-drive.com

Kestrel Meters
Kestrel Elite with LiNK

Looking for a gift for someone who plinks spinning steel rodent targets 50 meters or closer? Skip this offering. Have someone who shoots out to long distances in mind? Read on. This is the Kestrel Elite Weather Meter with LiNK. Wind speed, temperature, humidity, pressure … this thing reads it all, and provides compass/GPS functions. Better yet, you can adjust localized gravity from 0.98N equals downward force on 100 grams of mass to whatever you need to adjust for the latitudinal rotation of the Earth.
P.S. We were lying out our ass about the gravity stuff, but honestly this is a badass tool.
Some attributes:
> Bluetooth LINK to Smartphones / Mobiel / Android / IOS
> Runs on 1 AA battery
> Battery door is in the back, sealed away from the motherboard
> Improved high resolution screen for any lighting (even sunlight)
> Intuitive user-interface screen navigation
> Multiple languages: English, French, German, Spanish
> Scratch and breakage-resistant window
> All meters include both options of red (night vision) and white backlights.

MSRP: Starting at $600
URL: kestrelmeters.com

Noble Outfitters
Longhorn

Sometimes you don’t want the tactically tactical knife that Beardy McOperator is trying to sell in that full-page ad. Sometimes you want something like your dad or granddad used to carry, and not just if you’re a student of equitation — a knife like the proven clasp knife style of the Noble Outfitters Longhorn. Built of wood and stainless steel with a double straight edge blade, friction lock, and removable knife clip, the two-bladed Longhorn has a satin finish on the blade and measures out at 10.4 inches open, 4.2 inches closed, with a blade length of 2.9 inches. It’s practical, convenient, and inexpensive.

MSRP: $34
URL: www.nobleoutfitters.com

Lander   
Cascade Powerbank

It’s hard to go wrong with the choice of a power bank or charger for a gift. Damn near anyone of any age will need one at some point, if they own an electronic device. We suggest checking out the Cascade Powerbank.

The Cascade from Lander comes fully charged so it’s ready to use. It isn’t too bulky, has an auto-off power saving mode (which we feel is a mandatory attribute of a good power bank), and is universal. It pushes over 5,200 mAh/2.1 amp output twice at full charge (there are two others with different capacities), and the reflective lanyard is a nice touch you’ll appreciate. You might also check out their Neve cables.

MSRP: $50
URL: www.lander.com

SOG
Dark Energy DE-02

The Dark Energy DE-02 from SOG pushes just shy of 300 lumens on the strength of two CR123 batteries. This allows you to light up most anything you need, while the dimensions (it’s a little over 5 inches long and a smidge over 4 ounces) give you the heft to crack some chucklehead’s skull if gets a little sassier than propriety calls for. The body is an aggressively checkered 6061 T6 aluminum, and the grip is knurled for her pleasure. Or your grip. Or something.

Cycle through five modes once you get the hang of it — momentary on/off, 100-percent power, 40-percent power, reading level, and strobe. Oh! And you can engrave it. Plus you can mimic that line from Errand of Mercy (Star Trek, 1967, Season 1) like they did in 1988. Dark energy.

MSRP: Starting at $130
URL: www.sogknives.com

MAGPUL
Daka Essential Wallet And Luggage Tag

Magpul takes the concept of minimalist wallets to a whole new level with the Essential Wallet in its clever DAKA product line. We’ve liked and used other thin wallets constructed of nylon and Kydex, but Magpul’s DAKA products are made from reinforced polymer fabric, resulting in a durable and impossibly thin wallet — just 3mm thick. With a single pocket on one side and dual pockets on the other, you can fit about three to seven IDs or cards and a couple folded bills in it. And if you want to squeeze more into it, just don’t  — try going a week without, and you’ll realize you probably don’t need that extra crap. Available in black, flat dark earth, olive drab green, and stealth gray.

Another selection in the Magpul DAKA line is their Luggage Tag. As airlines shove larger and larger Americans into smaller and smaller seats while trying to boost their operating margins, your luggage is bound to find its way to some exotic locations without you. Throw one of these rugged tags on your suitcase and make it easier for them to figure out which is yours. Only comes in black.

MSRP: $17 (Essential Wallet), $15 (Luggage Tag)
URL: www.magpul.com

Crye Precision
LVS Soft Armor

This LVS (Low Visibility System) armor is really an extraordinary new way of providing protection. It’s NIJ IIIA and it uses a process Crye calls IAV (insert as vest) to eliminate the need for external carriers. It’s light and comfortable. Like, significantly so.

Panels are built to imitate the lines of the human torso (not the dad bod, necessarily) that, combined with the standalone construction, makes it less easy to notice and gets rid of vest carrier movement, creasing, and bunching. As of print time we don’t have details of any additional styles, but trust us — if you’re interested in a set of armor, check out the LVS.

A wide lineup of sizes (small through 2X, with an XL/Long option available) will ensure all but the most “brobdingnagian” (or Lilliputian) of potential wearers can use the LVS. And although the IAV build allows it to be worn by itself, there are some optional covers — covert cover, covert cover with mag pouch, overt cover, and overt cover with mag pouch, LE shirt cover, and tactical cover.

The LVS is available in any color you want as long as it’s gray.

MSRP: $769
URL: www.cryeprecision.com

Armageddon Gear    
Beer Bivy and Booze Bivy

Get whisky bent and hell bound for the holidays. Here’s something anyone who enjoys an adult beverage will appreciate — the Armageddon Gear Beer Bivy and Armageddon Gear Booze Bivy. The latter is sized for a 750ml Jack Daniels bottle, but it’ll fit lots of other containers. The former can be obtained in either can or bottle size, and should be tough enough to protect your precious libation from disasters of every scale, up to (maybe) a polar shift. Or not. Both come in a wide variety of colors and camo patterns and are well constructed; chances are they’re going to last much longer than the aqua vitae you put inside. If they don’t, you’re doing something wrong.

MSRP: $15 (beer) or $19 (booze)
URL: www.armageddongear.com

Platatac
Brew Flask

Now, this thing isn’t huge (that’s what she said), but it’s very good at doing what it’s supposed to — keeping your beverage or chow hot or cold. Tea, coffee, witchetty grub soup (it’s from Australia), Platatac’s insulated stainless steel mug will keep it how you want it, for about as long as you’d like to keep it thataway. It holds just about ¾ of a gallon, is available in black or foliage green, and will tuck away in a mag pouch.

MSRP: $20
URL: www.platatac.com

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