Off Duty, Technology - Army Times

SHOT Show — Best of Day 2

Video: M&P45 – Bevolution Ammo – Petzl e+LITE

ORLANDO, Fla. — Is there such a thing as too much of a good thing?

We’re not so sure. After a second day of wandering the booths at the massive 2007 Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show and Conference, we’re still not sick of playing with all the guns and gear. We could do this all weekend.

Luckily, SHOT Show runs through Sunday.

Our favorites of the day include a pistol we think you’ll love, a caffeine drink we think you’ll love and an emergency light that we — you guessed it — think you’ll love. Only the light is currently available in stores, however, so you’ll have to wait a while to try the others for yourselves.

Without further ado, the “Best of Day Two.”

1. SMITH & WESSON M&P45

There’s one. There’s another one. Oh, look, there’s another one.

When it comes to handguns, the flavor of the moment appears to be chambered for .45-caliber rounds. At every turn, another big-barreled beast seemed to leap off the table and beg to be held.

Glock has one. So does Beretta. So does Heckler & Koch.

Until we fire them, the jury is still out on which model we like best. But our early favorite — after holding them all, playing with the features and hearing the company pitches — is the new Smith & Wesson M&P45.

A new addition to the company’s “Military & Police” line, the M&P45 has many features similar to the other weapons, which were all built to accommodate possible military specifications. The magazine holds 10 rounds, the frame comes in a dark-earth mud color, and there’s a standard rail system under the barrel.

The pistol also features ambidextrous slide stops and thumb safeties, as well as an easily reversible magazine ejection button. Interchangeable handgrips in three sizes make the weapon comfortable for most shooters.

The new pistol is expected to begin hitting the streets in March, with a suggested retail price of $600 to $650. Catch an early glimpse of it in our video dispatch from Day Two, or see it at www.smith-wesson.com.

2. BEVOLUTION AMMO

We like our ammo to pack a little kick.

Enter Bevolution Brands’ AMMO, a caffeine-loaded liquid concentrate designed to add a burst of flavor — and as much as 130mg of caffeine, in the same weight class as a strong cup of coffee and stronger than a can of the Crimson Bovine — to the average bottle of water or other tasty beverage.

The concept is so incredibly simple; we’re kicking ourselves for not thinking of it first. Take a one-ounce bottle of AMMO, and pour it into 12 ounces of water, shake or stir, then drink.

We tried all three flavors — blue raspberry, fruit punch and lemon-lime citrus — and found that they taste a lot like MRE beverage base powder or that flavorful sugary swill our mothers mixed back in the day — oooooh yeah. The caffeine kick was an added bonus.

The product is still in the prototype stages, but the final packaging also will have a visible measuring line on the side, should you decide to squeeze out a lesser dose. The creators from Bevolution absolutely, positively, in no uncertain terms, recommend against drinking it unmixed, for obvious reasons.

You probably wouldn’t want to, anyway. We threw caution to the wind and gave the unmixed syrups a little taste, only to find them impossibly sweet in their undiluted form.

They’re so new, you probably won’t see them on the commercial market until later this year, but we think they’ll be an instant hit. Expect each dose to retail for less than $2, comparable with other high-caffeine drinks.

Watch our video to find out more about them, or check them out here.

3. PETZL E+LITE

When it comes to gear, size matters.

That’s why we loved Petzl’s new e+LITE, a tiny emergency light that packs big beam.

Weighing in at only 27 grams, the e+LITE isn’t designed to be the only light you ever need. It IS designed to be hiding in the bottom of your pack, ready and waiting, like a sniper in the bushes.

When you need really need it — BAM.

About the size of a plastic bottle cap, the e+LITE comes with a handy neck strap and metal clip for attaching it to clothing or gear. It folds out on a small base and swivels 360 degrees, perfect for reading or rummaging in a pack.

The e+LITE has five illumination settings — red, red strobe, white strobe, bright white and economy white. It has a 10-year shelf life, so you can forget about it until you need it. Once you do fire it up, the light will shine for 35 hours at its brightest setting, 18 lumens. At the dimmer economy setting, its battery life is about 45 hours.

Waterproof down to one meter and economical at only $29.95, the e+LITE is one of those items you’ll be happy you packed. It’s so light that even if you don’t use it, you won’t regret carrying it. Our only complaint is that it only comes in red and black, instead of black on black or tactical colors.

The e+LITE is available at sporting goods shops and at www.petzl.com.

Best of Day 1

Find of Day 1: Blist-O-Ban

Find of Day 2: ParaScope Urban Combat Sight

SHOT Show preview