
I recently was invited to the Warrior Expo by ADS in San Diego (no need for Anchorman references). ADS is really an amazing company; getting military personal the equipment they need. Equipment is a broad word for the massive amount of gear and bad ass toys they have access to. They make their own line of products and carry products from TONS of brands (Smart Wool, Surefire, Tactical Tailor, New Balance, etc.) you've seen all over the retail scene.

I got some hands on time with a few items that I really enjoyed. Smart Wool makes darn (sock joke?) damn good products. Why would a brand you see at your local REI be at a military equipment expo? The rep told me that SF operators get some flexibility in the gear they choose. So out goes the standard issue GI sock and on goes the Smart Wool compression sock. I wore a pair for an entire weekend camping, and I can see why they are so well liked! They were very comfortable; snug and loose in just the right places! A blend of wool, nylon, and elastic make these socks durable and not itchy.

Additionally there were tons of illumination products at the Warrior Expo. A company called Cejay Engineering has some really fun tactical and civilian lights. Most notable was the variety of lights that are replacement for the ever so popular chem lights. There are about the same size and come in a few varieties. One of my favorites was similar to the one pictured above that came with a plastic sleeve to direct the beam of light instead of lantern type feel depending on your situational needs.

The booth with some of the coolest guys had to be the Tactical Tailor booth. Most of my personal gear is from Tactical Tailor; great prices and solid equipment. They are developing a new light weight line of gear. I see a lot of the ultra light stuff at REI, but quite frankly it is far from durable. Hell, a trash bag is ultra light for carrying gear but won't hold up well when you are walking through vegetation. Not sure when these lightweight packs will be released, but can I assure you the quality is top notch.
Thanks again to Nick and ADS for the invite to the show; I had a blast! Want to know more about ADS or how they can help you? Visit their site HERE!