The World’s Strongest Coat Hangers are built solid enough to handle plate carriers with body armor, heavy scuba diving wetsuits or just about anything with substantial weight.

You may remember our review of these hangers and Bryan’s testament to how strong they really are. The folks that make these were kind enough to send over a few with the ITS logo and graphics on them, and we want to give them away to two lucky members.

Note: This contest is only open to current Life Members, Plank Owners and Crew Leaders.

What’s Included in the Prize Pack?

• (8) hangers in a variety of colors; as shown above.

Members: To enter this contest, make sure that you are logged into your Membership Dashboard then visit this page for details.

We’d like to give a special thanks to theworldsstrongestcoathanger.com for supplying the prizes and thank YOU for your support of ITS Tactical!

If you aren’t currently a member but are interested in becoming one, visit the Membership Registration page to check out the benefits you’ll receive when you sign up. Exclusive discounts, giveaways and patches are just some of the bonuses you can expect!

Good luck!

• Hanger Width: 18 1/2″ Across
• Extra Large 3 1/4″ Strap Notches
• A Large 1 1/2″ Hanger Hook
• Interior 3 1/2″ Slot for Blankets or Pants
• Double “J” Hook for Backpacks or Accessories
• “I” Beam Technology
• Holds over 112 lbs.

Click here for our full review of these hangers.

Warmer months are just around the corner, and that means the hiking trails will be filling up with explorers looking to enjoy the great outdoors.

There’s no sense in lugging around a backpack full of unnecessary items or three days worth of food though when your hike is only three hours long. You need only cover the basics for a successful day hike.

This post isn’t meant to be one that encompasses all variables of your hike. Your specific location and climate will dictate what gear you need. I’m also not a hiking expert, I simply know what works for me and I try to stick to the basics.

Your budget will come into play as well. It’s easy to think that you need to visit your local outdoors store and start piling items into your basket but you really don’t need much in terms of gear. If you have a well maintained and high traffic trail, you may be able to get by with just a bottle of water and a simple first aid kit. You can go as minimal as you’d like, just be safe about it.

Note – Don’t be these people:

Here’s the Scenario

Just two hours outside of Washington DC is one of the mid-Atlantic areas more popular hikes, Old Rag Mountain. Standing tall at an elevation of just 3,284 ft, it’s not the largest in the area but it is the most popular due to it’s sweeping views of the Shenandoah Valley. This is a great day hike for just about anyone and one of my personal favorites.

Old Rag is still fairly remote in terms of cell phone reception and accessibility but there’s a lot of foot traffic in the summertime so help shouldn’t be far away if needed. This does NOT mean you should rely on help coming when you need it. Being prepared and self-reliant is key.

Hike Specifics

• 7-9 miles
• Elevation Gain: 2,510 ft

For most visitors, it usually takes around 5 hours or so to complete the full hike. I’ve done it multiple times and when the trail isn’t busy, I can be up and down in just over 3 hours. When selecting your own hike location, do some research before you go so you have an idea of how long you plan to be out.

When loading up your gear, it’s best to follow the Ten Essentials or at least a slightly modified version of that list. Remember, what you’re bringing doesn’t have to be top of the line, just functional.

The Ten Essentials

• Navigation
• Sun Protection
• Insulation
• Illumination
• First Aid
• Fire
• Repair
• Food
• Water
• Shelter

Gearing Up

Just about any backpack you have will do the job for a simple day hike such as this. Make sure it can secure all of your items and is comfortable enough for the distance and time you’ll be spending on the hike.

What items do you have or could you get that cover the requirements in the Ten Essentials list?

Navigation

Unfamiliar with the area? Do your homework and consider bringing a map. A lot of state parks provide maps on-site but printing a copy at home won’t hurt. You should also bring your compass but make sure you know how to use it.

Sun Protection

Sun protection doesn’t just mean you should have sunscreen but it’s a good idea to wear a hat or sunglasses to keep the sun out of your eyes. A lot of hiking/outdoor specific clothing offers SPF valued protection from the sun’s harmful rays. I like to keep a couple of tiny sunscreen packets I keep in my first aid kit.

Insulation

Are you starting early in the day? While it may be cooler and you think you need a thick jacket, you’ll warm up fast while hiking. Keep it lightweight and pack a windbreaker or maybe a vest to wear if you cool off while resting. If rain is in the forecast, you’ll obviously want to pack a lightweight breathable rain jacket. Stay far away from cotton and look for synthetic or wool as they wick and dry quickly when wet.

Illumination

It’s ideal to start your hike early so you don’t catch yourself on the trail after dark, especially if it’s your first time hiking in the area. A flashlight isn’t just useful for reading a map when the sun goes down but it could be used for signaling in an emergency situation.

First Aid

I’ll often bring my full size ETA kit because it doesn’t weigh that much and easily attaches to my bag. If I don’t carry the full size kit, I’ll at least have the EDC version. I also pack a small “booboo kit” that contains basic first aid items. Set yourself up for some “trail magic” and pack a few extra band-aids or moleskin in case you come across a hiker in need.

Fire

This is more about preparation than actually building a fire. A flint fire starter and tinder quiks should provide enough spark to start a fire if you are caught in a bad situation. Don’t start a fire needlessly and check the laws and conditions in your local area as there may be a burn ban when you go hiking.

Repair

A little duct tape and paracord can go a long way. By implementing the paracord deployment lanyard technique, you can neatly organize up to 25 feet of paracord that’s easy to unravel. You can also wrap your own micro roll of duct tape to have almost 20 inches worth in the size and form factor of a stick of chap-stick.

Food

You may become sluggish and tired if you don’t have a few treats on those longer hikes. Pack a couple of bars or trail mix but there’s no need for an MRE (unless you want to bring it). I’ll often carry just a couple Honey Stinger waffles or Clif Bars but then treat myself to a pizza in town afterwards. Local pizza is always best, especially when earned after a strenuous hike.

Water

While water is often the heaviest item that you’ll pack, it’s arguably the most necessary. The National Park Service recommends (for this particular hike) carrying two liters of water per person. My hydration bladder holds three liters and is always plenty, except for maybe the hottest days. You could bring a sports drink or a couple of water bottles but I recommend getting a hydration bladder. They’re easier to drink from while moving and easily refillable.

Shelter

If you feel you run the risk of having to spend the night outside, then you need some sort of shelter. The most basic solution are those inexpensive mylar survival blankets but they tend to tear easily. I like the AMK Emergency Bivvy because you can actually climb inside like a sleeping bag and it’s quite durable.

Extras

Carrying a pocket knife is an obvious must. I’ve found that my Benchmade Mini Griptilian can handle most jobs really well while still small and lightweight. Trust me, you don’t need a Rambo-style knife for a day hike.

A pocket-sized notebook and pen or pencil for jotting notes is always a good thing to have on hand. Depending on the weather or how long I’ll be out, I may even bring my hammock for a nap in the woods. Taking a break during my hike to get thoughts down on paper is the perfect way to clear my head.

Since it’s lightweight, I choose to pack an MPIL for signaling purposes. The color contrast is perfect if I need to get someone’s attention through the wooded surroundings.

While I’m very familiar with this particular trail, it’s better to be prepared for anything. This is why I pack my pocket-sized survival kit. It contains a solution for almost all of the Ten Essentials in their most basic form.

It almost goes without mentioning but I always recommend bringing a cell phone. I use my iPhone to take photos during the hike and I’ll often load up a few maps or notes about the trail. Don’t rely on the phone for getting you out of trouble though because reception and battery life are always an issue.

Explore the Outdoors!

Now you know what you need to get out there for a day hike. Use the gear you have and see what fits into the Ten Essentials list.

It’s often good to see what other people pack and bring along for a hike to get ideas for yourself. I’ve put my personal gear list in the forums and I’d love to see what you carry. Check out the forum post and share your own gear list!

See below for winner announcement.

While Bryan and Kelly are out having a blast at the Overland Expo, the rest of us back at ITS headquarters want to have some fun too. To kick off the weekend, we decided to run a contest giving away one of every single patch we make!

It’s easy to enter and all added up, one lucky person is going to receive over $180 worth of our patches! You better act fast though because this contest only runs through the weekend!

What’s Included in the Prize Pack?

• 36 morale patches from the ITS Store; as shown above.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

Congratulations to Joshua G. for winning this latest contest! Joshua has been contacted and will receive his prize pack in just a few days. In case you didn’t win this time, stay tuned to more contests in the future!

Contest Fine Print:

• One winner will be selected at random and will receive one prize pack with the contents listed/shown above.
• Plank Owner and Crew Leader rocker patches not included.
• Morale Patch Display Frame not included.
• The winner will be notified by email. Once contacted, they have 24 hours to claim their prize. If we do not receive a response from them within 24 hours, we will select a new winner.
• Contest ends at 11:59 PM CST on 5/19/13.

Most of us have experienced a winter that brought on warmer temperatures than expected. I for one can’t say I minded it, and above average temps certainly make the rain here much more bearable. With all of that in mind though, the water temperatures have still fallen to reasonably chilly levels.

Most of us divers have to consider that unless you are diving in the tropics along the equator, you need some sort of exposure protection. So let’s take a look at a few methods for protecting your body from the brutal cold underwater by examining some fun facts about temperatures and the difference between wetsuits and drysuits.

The human body loses heat approximately 26 times faster in water than in air of the same temperature. For this reason, when diving in water temperature less than about 90°F (32°C), you must have some means to keep your body warm to prevent hypothermia. The most popular candidate for this task amongst divers across the spectrum is the wetsuit.

Wetsuit Function

If you’ve ever been diving, you have more than likely had to don a wetsuit. My instructors used to tell me, “Remember that there are two kinds of divers: The ones that pee in their wetsuits, and the ones that lie about peeing in their wetsuits.” This adage works on the old school thought that wetsuits use a thin layer of water between the skin and the neoprene material the suit is made of to keep the body warm. The seal in the wetsuit sleeves and neck are supposed to keep new water from seeping in and chilling the body. This fun little tidbit is actually FALSE!

The wetsuit keeps your body warm by heating the air bubbles in the neoprene itself. As a result, the more water that gets into your suit, the less effective it is. So it is not uncommon to see products like Skin Seals being sewn into suits in attempt to keep cold water from getting in.

Wetsuit Fit and Myths

There’s been a strange debate as to how a wetsuit is supposed to fit. A lot of this debate has been fueled from the incorrect assumptions of the “thin layer of water principle” as well as another common myth that suits either shrink or grow over time. So let’s dispel any wetsuit myths now.

First and foremost, the whole fitting issue is simple. Based on how a wetsuit traps heat, you want to select one that fits as close to the body as possible without giving you the body squeezes. This is a simple problem to avoid. A suit should be relatively easy to get onto your body with the neck and sleeves being increasingly difficult to slide over your hands.

It was said in the old days to get a suit that fit larger but this is caused by the lack of availability of quality fabrics in the diving industry. Suits were less flexible and thus tended to squeeze in certain areas more so than today’s higher quality demand.

“Some wetsuits shrink and some wetsuits grow.” Well, if you say so. These claims are both false. The bottom line is that quality suits will not shrink or grow, but rather they will remain the same relative size for years and years. Unfortunately you can’t blame the dryer if your suit has shrunk (most suits can be machine washed). If your suit is fitting a bit snug after the holidays, a running regimen can help your suit fit a little better, I know I need it.

Now if you remember the gas laws article we put up here some time ago, then you may be familiar with Boyle’s Law. Boyle’s Law states that “given a constant temperature, the volume of a gas varies inversely as the absolute pressure.” Then you may be asking, what if I go deeper and those little gas bubbles we talked about decrease in size? You know the answer to that based on logic, the suit becomes less effective and that is why most technical divers turn to the drysuit.

Drysuits

Drysuits are a wonderful tool for those that want to take on a more adventurous or complex style of diving. Regardless of the quality of your wetsuit, eventually they simply cannot hang on to your expectations when you decide to go deeper, colder, or longer. Drysuits are much more complicated to dive with and require an actual training session to be comfortable, but the end result is a more enjoyable dive and some gawking from the other guys on the cattle boat. Let’s talk about how the drysuit works.

Plain and simple, the drysuit keeps you warm based on the clothing you decide to wear underneath it. The suit itself provides no real insulation property, but rather provides the users with a dry climate so that the user can choose appropriate garments to wear inside and a thin pocket of air between the skin and material. I’m not referencing all of the other fancy items out there like the neoprene drysuit, or the semi dry suit, I am talking about the fabric suit that you layer over cold weather garments to protect you from the elements.

This suit is generally fitted for the wearer, slightly oversized to accommodate more layers of clothing underneath. The suit consists of fabric and rubber to produce a watertight barrier with tight rubber seals at the ankles, wrists and neck as well as a waterproof zipper either across the chest or down the back. Rear entry suits require the aid of another diver to be properly donned. Once inside however, the diver is just about ready to hit the water.

Remember earlier when we referenced Boyle’s Law? This Law is a nuisance to the drysuit diver because as the gases between your body and the wall of the suit contract, they will try to suck water in through the seals. Drysuits have little plastic circles on the arms and chest that act as inflators and purge valves. This allows the diver to connect an inflator hose to his suit and force air in to keep the pressure ambient and to act as a buoyancy compensator. Upon ascent, the diver simply purges the air from the suit using any of the purge valves installed and continues a slow and steady climb to the surface.

Dive Skin

When diving in waters that are warm enough to not require a suit, some divers opt for a dive skin. A skin is the diver version of what those of us in the industry refer to as under armor or base layer. It is a thin polyester material that helps reduce the likelihood of scratches, cuts, and rashes from sea life such as fish or coral. These tend to be flattering on the wearer unless you’re Daniel Craig, and provide virtually no insulating properties.

Disclaimer

ITS Tactical cannot be held responsible for any attempts at any form of diving without first seeking professional training and advice. The following article is not intended as a replacement for proper training and equipment used in any water sport activity. Diving is inherently dangerous, and introduces a unique set of risks not typically present in everyday life. We urge you to seek proper instruction from a qualified, and certified agency before attempting any sport requiring a life support system, namely: SCUBA. It is likewise very important that you contact your health care provider before attempting any training classes to ensure you are in good physical condition. Those with pre-existing medical conditions may be at a higher risk for certain complications that may become present while SCUBA Diving.

We’ll soon be hitting the open road on a 1,000 mile journey that will take us from Texas to just south of Flagstaff, Arizona for the 2013 Overland Expo.

Running from May 17th – May 19th, the expo is one of the world’s largest events for DIY adventure travel enthusiasts with classes for overlanding, demonstrations, food, music and over 140 vendors of adventure equipment and services.

This is our first year to attend the Overland Expo and I couldn’t be more excited about participating in all the different workshops. From recovery techniques, vehicle marshaling, 4WD maintenance, cooking and overland driving skills, the expo is packed full of awesome!

What is Overlanding?

You may be wondering what the term overlanding refers to. I’ll first say that it’s right up the alley of most of the readers on ITS and that overlanding utilizes principles and skill-sets we advocate and write about here on ITS Tactical all the time. Overlanding by definition to me is all about the journey and the experience.

It’s about getting into off-road capable transportation, whether that’s a 4WD truck, a Motorcycle or even a bicycle and heading to a remote destination where you’ll rely on self-reliance during your extended trip. It’s also a great opportunity to test your preparedness to handle anything life throws at you and sleep under the stars. Just a few things that I’m very fond of in my life.

The Overland Expo

While the expo is just days away, I wanted to put out some information for those that might still be either considering visiting this year, or even making plans for next year. The Overland Expo is divided into two ways to experience the event.

The Overland Experience Package is the attendance package that includes the option for signing up for specific workshops, demos and driving classes. It’s also the all-inclusive package that features unlimited attendance, dry camping, drink tickets for Friday and Saturday night happy hour and even a BBQ banquet on Sunday afternoon.

Day passes are the second attendance package and are a pay-by-the-day option for unlimited attendance on that specific day. While day passes still get you into the exposition to check out all the gear, vehicles and camping equipment, it doesn’t include the option to sign up for driving/riding classes or workshops. You can still attend films, slide shows, roundtables, demos and test drives/rides and camping is available for a fee.

The Overland Experience Package runs $265 for a single person/vehicle/motorcycle and $480 for two people/one vehicle/one motorcycle. Kids under 16 are free. The day passes for a single adult run $15 for a single day, $25 for two days and $35 for three days. One family day passes, which equals one household, run $30 for one day, $50 for two days and $65 for three days.

At gate pricing is available as well, which may be your only option for 2013, as the Overland Experience and Day Passes seem to be sold out. Admission at the gate will run $20 or $40 for a family per day. $35/$65 for two days and $45/$75 for three days.

The Rig

I’ll be driving out to the expo with my FJ Cruiser and look forward to getting in some hard usage. I’ve slowly been adding on to it since it’s purchase a few years back. While I plan on detailing the upgrades I’ve made in a future ITS article, I’m certain it can handle what I plan to throw at it this week.

The basic rundown is a 3″ Lift, Nitto Trail Grappler Tires, Pro Comp Wheels, Baja Rack Roof Rack, Baja Rack Ladder, Baja Rack Accessory Brackets for a Shovel, Axe, Hi-Lift Jack and (4) NATO 5 Gallon Jerry Cans. Plus a few extras in the interior like MPAC Racks and Recovery Equipment.

We’ll be camping out at OE, so if you see my FJ Cruiser, be sure to come by and say hi. The open road and adventure awaits!

Guardian Centers of Georgia looks to be the most impressive first responder training facility in the country if not the world. The scope of the compound is mind bending, especially when you start to look at what scenarios they are able to replicate all in one location.

As a private sector facility, they are ready to meet any clients needs night and day. These needs may range from flooded homes to crumbling office buildings and crushed vehicles but the key is that the level of realism here is incredible.

Guardian Centers sits on a total of 830 acres and features a complex infrastructure and metroplex. The facility can accomodate up to 7,000 participants to train throughout the year.

To meet the nation’s need, Guardian Centers are designed as fully operational, modern cityscape simulators that allow emergency responders to realistically test their ability to deal with real-world manmade and natural disaster situations. The Guardian Centers have been designed specifically to provide facilities for training and plan validation exercises that simulate all eight scenarios and test 14 of the 15 functional capabilities defined in the National Response Framework.

Possible Scenarios

They can cover a multitude of scenarios in an extreme manner of realism.

• Technical Rescue
  • Two city blocks of collapsed structures for rope rescue and breaching
  • Dynamic flooring systems can be moved in order to simulate everything from confined spaces to vehicle extrication
• CBRNE and HAZMAT
  • Laboratories simulate Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high yield Explosives attacks and threats
• Subway System Environment
  • Fully enclosed 1,700 ft dual rail system with eight subway cars
  • Can simulate day or night, hot or cold, and include special effects such as water, smoke, sparks and noise
• Residential Flooding
  • 5.5 million gallon container has the ability to flood up to 8 feet deep
  • Eight multi-room concrete homes can be furnished to further increase realism
• Road and Highway Operations
  • 5 miles of surface streets and perimeter roads
  • 1 mile of four lane, DOT spec simulated Interstate with entrance and exit ramps

On site is a 102,000 sq ft administration building that acts as the advanced control center for the simulation city. This building also features conference rooms, offices and even a cafeteria for staff, role players and trainees.

In terms of forward operations control and observation, there is a three-story operations center building directly in the middle of the simulation city for use during training.

On the rooftop of that building is a FAA certified helipad capable of supporting helicopters up to a UH-60 Blackhawk. They are currently testing the addition of other designated landing zones as well.

Not much compares to the realism they are able to create. The designers view the facility as an investment and know that when disaster strikes, teams trained here will surely be prepared.

For more information, visit Guardian Centers online.