AirsoftPope

Package: 1x pair of knee pads.
Type: Gear / Protection
Rating: 5/5
Cost: $13-18 USD

I hate knee pads. They are hot, uncomfortable, and slide off the knee at the first hint of movement. While I do see the value and safety offered by knee pads in airsoft, I still hate them with the fire of 10,000 suns… which accounts for my many knee injuries while playing airsoft. To combat these injuries, I decided to bite the bullet and suck up the fact that knee pads are essential safety gear, second only to the eye-pro. I dusted off my old Blackhawk kneepads put them on, and shed a tear, remembering what a hassle/PITA they are. I told this tale of woe to a pal in SoCal and he sung the praises of the XTAK line from Hatch, suggesting I give it a go.

Hatch describes the XTAK as follows:

Extremely light and flexible, yet this all-new design provides superior protection and shock absorption with the flexibility to move the way your body moves. XTAK is the lightest, strongest product of its kind ever created.

• Unique X-shaped thermal plastic urethane (TPU) shell
• EVA high-density foam for superior shock absorption
• Lightweight TPU and Cordura® nylon construction
• Forceful spring-back action that gives you the protection you need
• Cool Max™ inner surface for wicking moisture away
• Anti-skid inner surface to keep pad secured
• Spandex adjustable straps with Hatch Rapid Deployment Clips and hook & loop closure for secure fit
• Available in black, desert tan, digitized camo and OD

 


I picked up my pair from a random Amazon vendor for $16 and two days later they were on my door step. My first impression was the XTAK were much smaller than my old Blackhawk pair but once I didn’t really care. Inside the pad, there is an anti-skid layer of what feels like neoprene that offers extra impact cushioning and keeps the pad from traveling.

Natually, the classic and beloved QD buckle system keeps the pad tight against the knee. I did a few jumping jacks, ran a few times up and down my 120′ driveway and to my surprise, the pads actually stayed in place! Also inside the pad is a Cool Max layer that is designed to wisk away moisture that I have yet to try out.

The front of the kneed pad is made of Cordura nylon wth a “Unique X-shaped thermal plastic urethane (TPU) shell” attached. When I took a knee, I was a little unstable at first but now I can definitely see the increase in mobility and movement the TPU shell gives the pad. The TPU shell is riveted onto the pad itself which gives me a sense of durability and longevity.

In conclusion, the Hatch XTAK might be the knee pad that wins me over. With its rugged design, comfortable padding and innovative TPU shell, this pad far exceeds any expectation I had when ordering. The only real con I can speak of is when standing and locking my knees, I feel like I’m going to teeter forward. This might just be me and without a significant field trial to really put the XTAK though the ringer, I’ll chalk this con up to being a concern more than a negative. I’ll update this review again once they have had some field time so I can answer a few of the lingering questions and concerns.

Manufacturer: Marushin
Package: 1x pistol, 1x manual, 1x bag of 8mm BBs.
Type: Weapon
Rating: 4/5
Cost: $49.00 USD

Sigh… I’m almost ashamed to even be posting this review, but alas, here I am. The Marushin Derringer came into my possession the same time the X Factor V2 Metal Mesh Mask did but I have been sitting on the review as I have very mixed feelings towards the little derringer. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate it but I’m far from in love with it. It’s not the gun, it’s me. I wanted so bad the derringer to be a backup for my backup’s backup, but I’m afraid it will forever be relegated as a sneaky/scenario role… which… is exactly what it’s billed as.

The Marushin Derringer has been around for ages but not stocked state-side in any real quantity. When I saw its resurgence on the AEX online store, I made the bold move to pick it up as I had visions of NPC kills and bragging about how I zapped some player with it (like bragging about how you got a knife kill or a took out a squad using a FAMAS). I had seen a team mate outfit his girlfriend with one during a hostage situation and used it with great success. Seeing as I will volunteer for almost any NPC role, I thought it was perfect. I forked over my $50 and in the post it went.

When it arrived, I was surprised at how small it actually was (insert ‘wang’ joke here). Fitting in the palm of my hand, it was perfect for concealed use. The gas reservoir is located in the grip and you only need the smallest of amount of gas to get quite a few shots out of it. To load it, flip the lever on the side of the frame 180 degrees then flip the barrels up. Once up, you simply place one BB into the breech of each barrel, lock the barrels back into place and you’re ready to fire. Accuracy counts as you only have a 2-shot capacity!

The pistol is single action so you will need to cock the hammer for each shot. As an interesting footnote, the bottom barrel fires first, then the top. I tested with 0.34g 8mm Marushin BBs at a range of about 20 feet. All my shots easily hit a man-size target with quiet a resounding slap. Unfortunately my chrono was down so I don’t have an FPS report, but it was hard enough where if you were on the receiving end, you would feel the BB hit. The sights are fixed, the trigger is lack luster.. its just a very simple design that does exactly the job it was designed to do: take down players at close range.

In conclusion, the gun performs exactly as it should. The accuracy needed to reload makes the process time consuming. Add in only having two shots, short range and mediocre accuracy, the Marushin Derringer falls into a very narrow category of skirmishability: NPC, VIP, Civilian, etc rolls that don’t require the user to be combat effective. So, if you are looking for a concealable scenario piece, a wall hanger, or just a fun plinker, the Derringer is right up your alley.

Wait, I almost forgot! During Op: Lightning Strike II at Fort Drum NY, I loaned the Derringer to a fellow staffer to play the night game. When he returned it after the game, he proudly walked up and claimed 2 Derringer kills! The look on his face was enough proof that even with it’s short comings, the Derringer can hold it’s own during a pistol game… in the dark… in the right hands.

Manufacturer: Tactical Tailor
Package: 1x belt.
Type: Gear
Rating: 5/5
Cost: $38.75 USD

In case you haven’t read any of my previous articles, I’m a die-hard Tactical Tailor fan-boy. I don’t have any connection or affiliation to the company, I just really dig the quality products they put out. During my “Pilgrimage to Tactical Tailor“, I picked up a 40mm Belt 12rd in coyote brown to haul my plethora of Madbull and Mosquito Molds gas grenades. I had seen one in use a few years ago at Op: Irene 3 and was determined to get my hands on one eventually but, over time, it had fallen off my radar. When I was in Seattle visiting family, I made it a point to head down to the factory store and finally snag one.

The build quality is amazing. The belt is adjustable and will fit almost every body type out there, be it around the waist or slung bandoleer style over the body. I prefer the ladder for easy accessibility. The rounds are held in place by a loop of elastic and secured by a hook and loop velcro flap. At first I wasn’t sure how secure this would be or if I even trusted my $50+ rounds to make it through a day of play, but all doubts were set aside after a few hours. I ran, dove, crawled and jumped throughout the day with not a single round becoming dislodged.

Overall, I can’t say enough positive things about this belt. While I still will use my HSGI 40mm pouches when less firepower is needed, the 40mm Belt 12rd scratches a very specific itch when quantity is required.. say when you are running the RPG and need to have a grip of 40mm rounds available, or running a revolver launcher like the ICS GLM. If you have the means and are a 40mm hoarder like me, you can pick up a Tactical Tailor 40mm Belt 12rd on the TT website or at a store where quality gear is sold.

Manufacturer: X Factor / TMC
Package: 1x Metal Mesh Half Mask.
Type: Gear / Protection
Rating: 5/5
Cost: $20 @ Airsoft Extreme

I have never been one for face protection outside of the CQB environment. Paintball masks make me feel very claustrophobic and fogging was always an issue due to my heavy breathing being recycled into the poorly ventilated lower part of the mask. Eventually I gave up and started wrapping a shemagh around my head and biting the knot when I knew contact was eminent. Not really 100% safe by any stretch of the imagination. Fast forward to July 2011 when AEX had their big 4th of July sale going on and I found the X Factor V2 Metal Mesh Half Mask while surfing their online store for random items (which I do more often than I’d like to admit).

I instantly fell in love with the soft, cordura covered foam lower half of the mask which greatly adds to the comfort during movement. The ear protection does limit and event restricts which radio headset I can use, one of the major con’s of the mask. The cut of the mask can rub on the bridge of your nose if your straps are not secured correctly, a mistake I did that literally rubbed me raw during field tests.

I field tested on two games, one being in a high-humidity environment, the other in a very normal, 80F day. During the high-humidity game, I noticed a considerable amount of either sweat or condensation (couldn’t really tell) forming on the wire mesh portion of the mask. This really didn’t hinder the masks operation, just seemed a little odd. No rusting or staining occurred from sweating through the cordura. At 98% humidity, the masked performed great. During the 2nd field trial nothing really exceptional happened. The mask performed as designed and I actually got zapped in the lower face at approximately 25 feet. The mask rang with every BB strike, letting me know there was no doubt that I was hit. I had no problem sighting in on my AEG using iron sights and red dots respectively.

In conclusion, for $20 you can’t get better face protection. Comfortable, light and durable, the X Factor V2 Metal Mesh Half Mask is the protection you need at a price point that won’t break the bank. After all, a trip to the dentist to replace that chipped/broken tooth is going to cost a hell of a lot more than $20 no matter how good of insurance you have!

Manufacturer: Hakkotsu
Package: 1x Firing Core, 2x Cotter Pins, 1x Flashbang shell, 2x MK2 “Pineapple” shells.
Type: Grenade
Rating: 4/5

My lust for a functional airsoft grenade goes back to my very early days of airsoft. Way back then, we used tennis balls with a streamer attached. Ghetto-milsim, but it was better than nothing. Gradually, we moved up to cast-rubber grenades with streamers attached. Not too shabby, low tech and cheap, but calling hits was always and issue. Then came my beloved Escort M26 gas grenades which had a finicky and difficult timer system and only blew gas out of the bottom . At this point, I swore off grenades forever, convinced I would never find a truly functional milsim airsoft grenade. Then came the Hakkotsu Thunder B. I first experienced the Thunder B at a now-closed CQB field in SoCal when one rolled in the room I was bunker’d in. When it went off, my ears rang and I leaped out of my skin… I must have it.

I received the Thunder B Beginners Package from Airsoft Extreme in the mail a few months later and ripped into the package accordingly. The operation of the Thunder B is amazingly simple in it’s complexity. A 12g CO2 cartridge is fed into an aluminum tube where once the spoon is released, a sharp plunger is thrust into the narrow end of the CO2 cartridge. The gas expands and bursts the plastic shell, letting out a horrific 130db boom. Very satisfying to say the least and the loudest non-pyro grenade I have heard.

The Thunder B amp’s up MilSim events like I always dreamed they could be. Loud booms all over the field really sets the immersion level bar higher than your average airsoft game. I do find that when fields allow these sound grenades in as area weapons, we ran into the same problem of folks not calling hits simply because they can’t identify if they are in range. No fault to those players, 130db is disorientating and quite frankly hard to range in the open field. I see the Thunder B much more of an asset to the CQB arena but still has it’s place in the large overall field games.

While I do love the Thunder B, it’s not without it’s draw backs. For example, firing core head is made of plastic and gives it a very “toy” feel. I have heard reports of this plastic breaking for some users on the first throw and while this is not the case with my unit, it is something to be wary about when lobbing this towards your foe. Another negative is the arming procedure. I found it a little cumbersome and difficult to cock the firing hammer, set the spoon, set the pin, put in the CO2 cartridge, screw on the cap and screw on the shell. Seems a bit much in my opinion, but for a functional airsoft grenade, I can cope. Lastly, I don’t care for hauling out the spent grenade shells. I wouldn’t dream of littering, dropping them in the field, but hauling garbage out is not fun and with the Thunder B, it’s a must.

In conclusion, the Thunder B adds a rich dynamic to airsoft events that you need to experience to believe. I love the Thunder B so much that I have 20+ extra shells on hand and keep them permanently in my airsoft go-bag “just in case”. The immersion factor alone makes these grenades a must for any serious MilSim player and all negatives stated above are out-weighed by the bowel-shaking 130db assault your opponents feel when one lands at their feet. You can pick a beginner pack up from Airsoft Extreme for $22.99 USD.