High Ground Media, LLC

As part of its “Urban” product line, the Covert Tactical Jeans by Helikon-Tex were released in early-2021 to provide shooters with a low-vis denim trousers that has real-world application. The Covert Tactical Jeans are made from a 10oz. denim (69% cotton, 27% polyester, 3% rayon, and 1% elastane), and provides a number of traditional elements intent on balancing comfort and function.

Starting at the waist, the Covert Tactical Jeans have eight 50mm (or 1.96in) wide beltloops (two double-loops in the front, one on either side, and four along the back) with an elastic waistband at the rear yolk. These features improve comfort when conducting dynamic movements, with extensive bartack to maintain durability of the materials. The cut of the Covert Tactical Jeans is available as a regular (featured) fit, in a mid-rise waistline. This accounts for a comparable profile to many common civilian denim trousers.

The Covert Tactical Jeans have a hook-and-loop closure, and single-shuttle YKK zipper fly whereby the zipper line itself has enough excess material under it to protect the more sensitive skin areas (i.e. frank and beans) from any accidental pinching.

The two front pockets are a standard pattern, with additional bartack and double line stitching for reinforcement and to account for retention clip items (such as pocket knives). The front pockets further segmented around the sides for rifle magazines or other items. A small interior/concealed pocket is on the inside of both sides of the waistband for pistol magazines, cash, or documents.

The two rear pockets are a wide 9” opening and angled slightly to ensure easy alignment with the hand when reaching behind for the pocket.

The crotch gusset is articulated, with a four-way, flexible panel that provides flexibility to accommodate a variety of shooting stances.

Each pant cuff is single line stitched for reinforcement, and to prevent/limit any fraying or compromise to the material.

The Greyman Covert Tactical Jeans come in denim blue (featured) and sizing runs from a XSmall to 4XL with variance between small, regular, and long inseam.

Product Evaluation Scores:

• Cost – Good (4/5): At the current list price of $87.00 USD, the Covert Tactical Jeans are Helikon-Tex’s take on a low-profile, tactical jeans that also omit some of the obvious “tactical” trademarks (such as external knee pads, hook-and-loop straps, or extravagant fabrics). For the price users get a very durable and functional set of 10oz. denim trousers for the every-day professional life or on the range. Market alternatives to this type of clothing would be the Operatus Tactical Jean ($115 USD) by Viktos, or the Defiance Jeans ($76.99 USD) by Vertx, or the McQuade Lightweight Tactical Jean ($67.99) from Tactical Distributors. There are a multitude of market alternatives that very in price and material, indeed typical men’s jeans run about $100. Among the market, this gave the Covert Tactical Jeans from Helikon-Tex an good level of affordability when considering what it brings to the table from a reputable overseas vendor.
• Comfort – Good (4/5): Worn for a 30-day period, and on several iterations to the range in a variety of stressors, the Covert Tactical Jeans remained extremely flexible and very comfortable. The denim material throughout the trouser proved soft and supportive, and didn’t restrict range of motion. While often the crotch is the point where trousers bind in more extreme movements, the Covert Tactical Jeans had a good level of flex in the gusset to allow for a comfortable range of motion. The one minor negative issue from a comfort aspect to the Covert Tactical Jeans was the hook-and-loop segment above the fly, with some of the hook/loop fabric or corners irritating the underlying skin if not entirely aligned. Perhaps reducing the dimensions of the male-hook material slightly (and not the female) would give more play in spacing. Otherwise, the genuine YKK zipper moved easily and did not bind or cross-thread.
• Durability – Good (4/5): The Covert Tactical Jeans were made from a blend of denim and elastic fabrics that gave the trousers a good level of durability and support. The conditions it was tested in included every-day wear, water, mud, on rock, and on concrete—and aside from usual wear, the material showed little abrasion effect. The trousers were put through three wash cycles and no loose threading or material was noted. Final examination revealed that the jeans had bartack stitching at high-stress points (typically in corners along stitch lines), belt loops, and along the pockets. These all ensured there was no compromise of the stitching or fabric, and if it were to ever become so then it would be limited to the affected area. The only concern was the hook-and-loop segment above the fly, which began curling at the corners (most likely attributed to the heat of the dryer). It could be recommended to Helikon-Tex to run stitching along the perimeter of the segment, and again at the edge to prevent this effect. Additionally, end-users could also allow the jeans to air-dry and possibly avoid the issue as well.
• Functionality – Good (4/5): Functionally, the number of pockets on the Covert Tactical Trousers was extremely useful, re-enforced, and well placed. Most could easily accommodate odd-sized items up to/like a rifle or pistol magazine, and it was noted the mid-pockets (on the hip) and rear pockets allowed for good alternative locations for such items. Having no button at the top of the fly was a definite improvement as it alleviated any concern over tearing the button off, or it digging into the stomach from a battle belt. The fly itself had a single shuttle, and would have been a good feature to have dual shuttles for ease of access while wearing gear. As noted in the Comfort section, the elastic material woven into the gusset of the jean’s ensured the material remained flexible during movement, but not so much as to detract from the jean’s lower profile. Perhaps one suggestion for Helikon-Tex to improve the Covert Tactical Jeans would be to add some measure of padding along the waistband in addition to the elastic segments. One negative functional aspect end-users should note is the hook-and-loop segment above the fly; it has the hook (male) fabric oriented outwards (probably to avoid chafing the skin), but it is very grabby and will snag/pull shirts, coats, gear, and even the lint in the dryer. Be sure to put the hook-and-loop fabric together before placing into the wash.
• Weight – Good (4/5): Weighing in at 1.75 pounds for a size XL, the Covert Tactical Jeans had a good amount of blended denim and elastic material that afforded for full range of motion through the waist and thigh. The chosen density of denim gave the jeans added resistance to abrasion that could be expected on the range or in daily wear, and limit potential tears to the stitching. In comparison, the Operatus Tactical Jean (1.63 pounds) by Viktos, or the Defiance Jeans (1.48 pounds) by Vertx, or the McQuade Lightweight Tactical Jean (0.73 pounds) from Tactical Distributors. These alternatives illustrate that the Covert Tactical Jeans by Helikon-Tex are placed very well amid the market, and have a good overall weight for their design and fabric.

Overall Rating – Good (20/25)

Product Link: https://www.helikon-tex.com/en_usd/sp-ctp-dd-covert-tactical-pants-denim-mid.html

I am reviewing this product as a courtesy to the manufacturer and via High Ground Media, LLC, so that I can evaluate it and provide my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give positive reviews. All views are my own, and based off my personal experience with the product.

The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the author. The views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.

As hunting season appears over the horizon, those looking for an innovative way to protect their rifle while in the field or on the trail will want to consider at the Armadillo™ by SENTRY. It provides water and mud resistance while still enabling the rifle to be carried via sling or stored on a carrier.

The Armadillo is a pack-able rifle or shotgun cover constructed of a silent, lightweight, water-resistant material. It provides muzzle-to-stock coverage, and features an elastic fabric with a drawstring that allows the Armadillo to contour to any rifle configuration. Both ends, for the muzzle and buttstock, are pockets of reinforced nylon and each has a polymer loop for securing the rifle or (when compressed) hanging the Armadillo.

When not in use, the Armadillo folds up into the size of a small pouch for easy storage, in the field or on a backpack.

The Armadillo also benefits competitive shooters by providing a lightweight cover to mitigate the heat on black rifles and optics from the summertime sun, while on the range and between stages.

Specifications:

• AR-15s – 36″L x 7.5″H
• Rifle – 48″L x 7″H
• Shotgun – 50″L x 7″H

The Armadillo comes in Coyote Brown (featured) and Moss Green.

Product Evaluation Scores:

• Cost – Average (3/5): At $49.99 the Armadillo’s closest competitors include rifle covers by Solo Hunter ($29.99-$31.99) and Rapid Rifle Covers ($29.00-$70.00). Prices often vary on overall length of the cover needed, and pattern. However, as a price point the Armadillo is of average cost within the current market.
• Comfort – Good (4/5): Surprisingly soft and flexible, the Armadillo was perfect for protecting the rifle on the trail or in the back of the truck. It’s soft, elastic material easily stretched across both AR-15s and AR-10s regardless of length or configuration. The added reinforcement material at both the muzzle and buttstock helped ensure the Armadillo didn’t slide around or pop off. The only negative for comfort in the Armadillo was when used with a sub-16” AR, there was almost too much material, this was resolved by wrapping it around the rifle’s magwell/magazine. Any standard 16″ rifle or larger worked just fine.
• Durability – Good (4/5): While the Armadillo was only tested for a short time (approximately two weeks on range and in competition) the material (a combination of elastic and nylon that is impregnated for moisture resistance) showed no signs of scratching or tearing. All stitching held and were clearly reinforced in high-stress points, such as at the muzzle and buttstock. The Armadillo did provide the necessary coverage and kept the rifle comfortable despite being in direct sunlight for well over an hour. When not in use the Armadillo did stuff away into itself in a small and easily stored pouch.
• Functionality – Excellent (5/5): Extremely simplistic, the functionality of the Armadillo lay in its elastic material that protected the rifle regardless of rain or mud. The elastic shock cord with adjustable drawstring helped ensure not only was the rifle protected regardless of length or configuration, but still made the cover usable with the rifle’s sling or when the rifle was stored. Then when needed, the cover was easily removed and the rifle was readily used.
• Weight – Good (4/5): At just 4.8 ounces the Armadillo is very lightweight and easily packable. Thus, if you’re planning on packing a long hunt this season you’ll really want to consider something like the Armadillo to keep the rifle covered and readily deployable should that prime shot arise. Otherwise from a general use standpoint the Armadillo made for a great addition to keep rifles cool in an open bay range and when not in use.

Overall Rating – Good (20/25)

Product Link: https://hexmagstore.com/sentry-armadillo-water-resistant-gun-cover/

I am reviewing this product as a courtesy to the manufacturer and via STL Shooting Enthusiasts, so that I can evaluate it and provide my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give positive reviews. All views are my own, and based off my personal experience with the product.

The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the author. The views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.

 

 

Bringing together the strength of materials needed for heavy use, and the storage capacity for a full day at the range, the Pistol Bag from Lynx Defense leaves nothing to chance.

Made from 500D Cordura nylon, the 8” (H) x 16” (L) x 10” (W) Pistol Bag (PB) in intended to bring together a variety of storage options as well as features of benefit for those who spend a day on the range in training or competition. In addition, the PB can accommodate up to four handguns and accessories, and is Berry Amendment compliant (USC, Title 10, Section 2533a).

Exterior

Both the front and rear of the PB have a thick band of Type 13 webbing that anchors the 2” wide carrying handles. These handles themselves can be joined at the top thanks in part to a padded hook-and-loop cuff.

At the front is also a foldable pistol mat that is zipper-secured and can be deployed while still secured inside the PB with a hook-and-loop panel, or removed completely for independent use.

Both sides of the PB feature 8” (H) x 10” (L) x 2” (W) zipper-secured accessory pockets, with the left pocket featuring an additional 6” (H) x 8” (L) exterior envelope sleeve that is secured with hook-and-loop. At the front and back of both zipper lines to the side pockets are small nylon loops for attaching carabiners or other hook-type accessories.

The top includes dual zipper lines with connected shuttles that allow for a 5” wide opening that allows access into the interior. The shuttles and connecting nylon can be secured under a large hook-and-loop tab or can be left as is. On either side of the top are metal D-rings used for connecting the removable shoulder strap. The adjustable shoulder strap itself is 2” wide webbing with a removable shoulder pad and metal hook clip hardware on either end.

The bottom is unremarkable with a removable rigid liner that is accessed from the interior.

Interior

The interior of the PB is a single, unobstructed storage space with the two longer sides lined with hook-and-loop (female) to be used in conjunction with the two removable dividers.

The dividers themselves have a single band of MOLLE webbing on one side, with an open-top pistol sleeve on the other.

The Pistol Bag is available in Tan/FDE (featured), Black, Grey, Blue, Navy, and Green.

Product Evaluation Scores:

• Cost – Average (3/5): At a $129 MSRP, the cost for the PB is appropriate (or average) in cost for the bag’s dimensions, features, and 500D genuine Cordura. Often many range bags simply do not use nylon to that level of abrasion resistance (or expressed as denier) as means of cost savings, but with its PB Lynx Defense opted to error to the side of quality and upgraded the base materials to something more adequate for a rugged life. In comparison, range bags of this similar design include Grey Ghost Gear’s Range Bag ($175), Velocity System’s Range Bag ($80), or Propper’s Range Bag ($59.95). Again here, the influencing factor to cost is design, features, and base materials—all of which places the PB by Lynx Defense at the upper range of cost but average for its higher durable material.
• Comfort – Good (4/5): When fully loaded and carried by the handles, the padded cuff anchored into one of the handles (with folded Box-pattern stitching) provided a good level of comfort to where the weight nor materials cut into the hand. Likewise, the shoulder strap itself was adjustable to allot for different lengths, and the metal hardware never made the connections feel weak or frail, but the removable shoulder pad itself could have been longer to cover more of the shoulder’s surface area. Otherwise, the comfort of the bag was determined by its contents, and how it was balanced within the bag. The customized internal dividers helped to ensure everything was spaced evenly. The zippers, while not YKK, did still function smoothly with minimal binding on the tight 90-degree turns to the exterior side pockets. The 500D Cordura still retained enough softness and flexibility so as not to be abrasive against the skin and easily contoured to bulky internal items.
• Durability – Excellent (5/5): If it’s one thing that 500D nylon materials are known for, is its durability to resist abrasion. And with its entire PB made from 500xD Cordura (an ungraded type of nylon), the range bag proved to be extremely adept at transporting a number of items with no stress to the materials or stitching. There was also extensive use of bartack and double-line/X-pattern stitching noted not just at key stress points, but throughout the entire range bag for maximum reinforcement. The result was a range bag that simply felt stronger with minimal concern for overtaxing the intended design (most pistol/range bags are meant to accommodate a single handgun and a maximum of 500 rounds of ammo—and for some of us that simply isn’t even the warm-up). Heavy use of the zippers showed no compromise to the shuttle or fabric line along the zipper, or its stitch line. When prompted about its use of non-YKK zippers, Lynx Defense responded saying that it opted to leverage a local manufacturer, Ideal Fasteners in Oxford, North Carolina, for all their needs as a means to foster American small business. Lynx has been using Ideal products for over seven years – all without a single failure.
• Functionality – Average (3/5): Functionally, the PB did as expected—which is to say it appropriately (or of average performance) carried several handguns, holsters, magazines, and accessories for a day at the range. As stated above, the zippers functioned without fail, and the hook-and-loop on the enclosure and carrying handle cuff provided a solid hold when transported. The rigid liner on the bottom gave the range bag good structure and kept its shape from collapsing when loaded down, but was easily removed when/if desired. The customizable interior dividers were very helpful in changing the overall interior storage space to correctly fit exactly what was needed. Otherwise, with the extensive amount of reinforcement, there was absolutely no trepidation in overloading the bag, and it easily accommodated all the necessities for a day on the range. Perhaps the only recommendations to the vendor would be to use a high-visibility color on the bottom of the interior to eliminate the darker corners and help identify smaller parts in the deeper reaches of the bag. Alternately, having a rubberized exterior material on the bottom would help prevent abrasion/wear as well as weatherize it from moisture saturation (such as setting the PB down in a puddle).
• Weight – Average (3/5): At 2.8 pounds (empty) the PB was still very lightweight given its material and extensive reinforcement. The limiting factor then became just how much weight it could bear, and unlike many other range bags intended for a single pistol with five magazines max, or about 200 rounds—the PB by Lynx Defense clearly was capable of holding a lot more. The rigid liner on the bottom also gave the contents a good level of support and balance to the contents. In comparison, Grey Ghost Gear’s Range Bag (2.10 pounds), Velocity System’s Range Bag (15 ounces), or Propper’s Range Bag (3.55 pounds) show that Lynx Defense’s Pistol Bag is well within the appropriate (or average) weight range for its size and materials. Lynx Defense could probably shave off a few extra ounces with less reinforcement—but that would have corresponding negative effects to its durability.

Overall Rating – Above Average (18/25)

Product Link: https://lynxdefense.com/shop/pistol-bags/lynx-defense-pistol-range-bag/

I am reviewing this product as a courtesy to the manufacturer and via STL Shooting Enthusiasts, so that I can evaluate it and provide my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give positive reviews. All views are my own, and based off my personal experience with the product.

The views and opinions expressed on this website are solely those of the author. The views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of the administrative staff, and/or any/all contributors to this site.