6 reasons to love leftovers - Off Duty, Technology - Army Times

6 reasons to love leftovers

ORLANDO, Fla. — For the sake of our more sensitive readers, we’ll just call this our “rat junk” box.

You know that beat-up MRE box filled with the random packets cast aside from three dozen meals? It sits there, unwanted, until someone needs a bottle of Tabasco or a packet of cheese. Then, suddenly, the “rat junk” box is a lifesaver.

This is ours.

Filled with various and sundry items, it is the place where all of the uncategorized gear waits patiently to be noticed. Like the Island of Misfit Toys, minus the Charlie-in-the-box.

No, there’s no freeze-dried coffee in here. We ate that already. But you can have our Skittles.

• Nite Ize Figure 9. There are few things worse than the frustration of fumbling with knots.

Enter the Nite Ize Figure 9, 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.

Once you get the hang of it, the Figure 9 will leave you wondering how you ever got along without one.

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 is available in a package that includes one clip and 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 lengths of rope for $6.99, or without the rope for $1.99.

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

• Grip Pod Systems bipods. You may have already seen the Grip Pod Systems’ GPS02, a front handgrip with a hidden bipod that springs from the bottom at the push of a button.

Already, more than 75,000 soldiers and Marines have them attached to their M-16 and M-4 rifles, and thousands more are waiting in line. Soon, M249 Squad Automatic Weapon gunners will get a turn, thanks to the GPS Morphed, an updated version of the GPS02.

Gone are the lightweight polymer-and-steel legs, replaced by sturdier all-aluminum legs. It’s a small change, but it raises the system’s load-bearing capacity from 300 to 450 pounds and makes it perfect for the SAW gunner, according to co-inventor J.R. Moody.

We were skeptical of the system’s durability until the 180-pound Moody set one up and stood on top to prove it wouldn’t break.

“The Army’s been using them for three years now and we haven’t had a problem,” he said of the older bipod systems. Distributed by U.S. Tactical Supply, the GPS Morphed is expected to retail in the $100 to $150 price range.

See http://www.ustacticalsupply.com.

• Kestrel 4500. Finally, you can release your inner Al Roker.

The Kestrel 4500 pocket weather tracker, new for 2007, is the company’s first handheld built to track both wind speed and wind direction. It also calculates crosswinds and head- or tailwinds, plus average wind speed and maximum wind gusts.

What, you want more? The 4500 also records altitude, barometric pressure, relative humidity, wind chill and wet-bulb temperature.

Weighing in at less than eight ounces, the 4500 has a run time of 400 hours on two AAA batteries.

With a suggested retail price of $419 for the OD green model ($309 with military discount), we don’t see it replacing The Weather Channel anytime soon. But it’s still a cool little gadget for anyone who needs to know what Mother Nature has up her sleeve.

Check it out for yourself at http://www.kestrelweather.com.

• DeLorme Earthmate GPS PN-20. We like a good deal.

That’s why the new Earthmate GPS PN-20 handheld from DeLorme caught our attention. Priced at just under $370, software included, with a host of features usually reserved for pricier GPS models, it might just replace whatever you’re using now.

Small and lightweight, the PN-20 adds the ability to download aerial photographs and satellite imagery directly from the company (but not from the intel guys or Google, sorry). It has 75 megabytes of internal flash memory and an SD card slot for up to 2 gigabytes of additional memory.

The standard model runs on 2 AA batteries, offering eight to 10 hours of run time, depending on use. Frequent GPS users might opt for the available lithium-ion rechargeable battery to save money in the long run.

We’d like to say it’s perfect for most tactical applications, but the PN-20 looks best suited to personal adventures, probably those conducted inside the U.S. Still, for the price, it’s an option worth exploring.

It is being shipped now, so check one out in person at your local retailer, or visit http://www.delorme.com for more details.

• Blist-O-Ban blister bandage. When you end up with the occasional blister after a long road march, you probably look to moleskin as the protection method of choice — if you don’t immediately reach for the needle, that is.

But the new Blist-O-Ban bandage from SAM Medical Products improves your odds of success, as you’re essentially treating a blister with a blister.

The two-layer bandage re-creates the protective qualities of a blister, with the top layer of the bandage sliding freely over the bottom layer, eliminating the source of friction against your skin. It can help protect an existing blister or, more importanty, cover a known friction point to stop a blister from forming.

Blist-O-Ban is available in three sizes, with a smaller size in the works for toes. Prices range from $6.98 to $7.98 for a package of six, depending on the size you want. It’s available in boxes of 100 for $111 to $125, depending on bandage size.

See http://www.blistoban.com.

• BlackHawk Speed Clip. It’s a tiny plastic strip, but it’ll change your life.

One of the biggest frustrations of the MOLLE gear webbing system is all the strap-weaving you have to do to attach one stinking pouch to your ruck or body armor. (We couldn’t even make those woven construction-paper placemats in grade school.)

You’ll still have to weave with BlackHawk’s Speed Clip, but you’ll find that you can “git-r-done” a whole lot faster. You’re weaving a firm plastic strip, after all, not a floppy strip of nylon webbing.

They’re available in lengths that span three, five, seven and nine MOLLE loops, with color options including black, coyote tan, olive drab and foliage green. Sold in six- or 12-clip packages, prices range from $4.99 to $21.99 depending on size and number.