This year’s SHOT Show, its 41st edition, was held in the Las Vegas on 22nd January to 25th January 2019.
It is an event where prominent individuals from the hunting, shooting, law enforcement and outdoor industry would be present.
This is an event where manufacturers bring their best gears here. In this article, I sieve out the best 4 survival gears from SHOT Show 2019.
What is SHOT Show?
The National Shooting Sports Foundation would host this annual event. The acronym ‘SHOT’ means Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor and Trade show. This convention is hosted in Las Vegas (at Sands Expo Center), and it’s one of the biggest conventions around for showcasing the latest gears.
Do note that the SHOT Show is not open to the public. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) sponsors this event. They restrict access to only industry experts, commercial buyers and commercial sellers. Therefore, I am sure that a report on this would be extremely helpful.
Not only companies in the US bring their shiniest gear here, companies all over the world attempts to get involved in this convention.
You can check out this video for a FULL TOUR on SHOT Show 2019.
In this article, we attempt to uncover what are the best gears you can get so that you can effectively prepare for the worst. I will review different types of gears, including guns, rangefinders, ammos and even holsters, so please bear with me.
Best survival gears in SHOT Show 2019
Here’s a list of 4 gears that caught my eye. In this post, I reviewed the Garmin inReach Mini, 2 Benchmade Knives and the SureFire XVL2 Weaponlight.
I thought it would be useful to provide an in-depth review on some fresh gear. Hopefully, this review can help clarify your doubts as to whether you should get your hands these fresh gears.
1. Garmin inReach Mini
Use – If you are out in the wilderness, it would be wise to get a handheld GPS with you so that you can avoid getting lost. If you would like to take a step further and maintain off-the-grid contact, the inReach Mini is the GPS for you.
Comparison – Before delving into the Garmin inReach Mini, we need to consider the other inReach models to fully appreciate how these characteristics are unique.
In the early days, the inReach SE+ was introduced without an internal map. Later, came the Explorer+ which combines both the inReach satellite communicator with an on-board GPS. However, the more features the unit had, the bulkier the GPS got.
It was only when the Garmin inReach Mini was introduced where hikers and hunters got a lightweight unit to bring along for adventure.
Physical characteristics – The Garmin inReach Mini is small and rugged, suitable for the wild outdoors. The 3.5-ounce GPS is water- and shock-proof too. Despite it being smaller in size, it is still capable of functioning like its full-sized version.
The unit is water-rated to IPX 7, and its impact resistant with the rating of MIL-STD-810F.
Since it is lightweight and palm-sized, you can carry this unit around with ease.
Functions – The inReach Mini is capable of sending and receiving text messages, share your location and trigger an SOS alert.
For the text messages, the unit is able to send and receive messages from compatible Garmin devices.
The satellite communicator of the unit works really well too. All you need is some sky, and the unit should be able to locate you accurately. The time taken to locate you would depend on how much sky you can see.
The SOS alert will contact the GEOS 24/7 emergency response team, which is a search and rescue monitoring center. GEOS is well-known for monitoring emergency response and they have supported a large amount of rescue. It will track your device and help you notify relevant contacts in your area.
With this GPS, you can access downloadable maps from the Garmin Earthmate application.
Since the unit connects for messaging through the global Iridium satellite network, you will not need to rely on cell towers for coverage. It can work anywhere you go.
What does it include – The GPS unit comes with a rechargeable lithium battery which can last up to 50 hours provided you use it with the 10-minute tracking mode. If it’s I power saving mode, the unit can work up to 20 days.
To recharge the battery, just use the microUSB power cable or the 12-V in-vehicle charger.
2. Benchmade 535-191 Bugout Knife
Physical Characteristics – It is physically coated with stainless steel. It is able to hold the edges exceptionally well and it has great resistance towards corrosion.
The handle is comfortable, thin and tough making it great for outdoor use.
The Benchmade 535-1 weighs 1.85 oz, which is really lightweight for a knife.
Functions – You can open and close the knife with just one hand. The Axis lock is really strong, which helps make sure that the blade gets locked in a position.
The knife comes with a reversible deep-carry pocket clip which allows you position the knife in a way which allows easy accessibility.
The knife even comes with the Benchmade’s limited Lifetime Warranty, showing Benchmade’s commitment in providing you the best knife. They will ensure that you do not pay for sharpening or repairing the knife.
Quality – You can bet that this is an excellent knife that is totally solid. Not only it comes extremely sharp right out of the box, it is made to withstand a rough patch too.
If you are looking for a functional and lightweight knife, the Benchmade 535 Bugout knife is the knife for you.
3. Benchmade Freek 560 Knife
Physical Characteristics – The blade is extremely high-quality, where its made from CPM-S30V stainless steel blade.
The knife comes with a solid G10 handle, which is colored in black. You will feel comfortable griping the handle, and it allows a good grip too.
When you are using the knife, it feels extremely smooth for movement and solid too.
Functions – This knife comes with the Benchmade’s Axis lock too, making it strong and ambidextrous. It allows you to open the knife with one hand too, making it really useful for a survival emergency situation.
Similar to all Benchmade’s knife, it comes with a limited lifetime warranty. Your repair and sharpening needs will be taken care of by this warranty.
Use – Do note that this may not be a suitable knife for stabbing because the blade is more suitable for slicing. With this knife, you should be able to carry out those survival chores with ease. Want to slice some firewood? The Benchmade Freek 560 is a good candidate for that purpose.
This is definitely one of the best knives for everyday carry purposes.
4. SureFire XVL2 Weaponlight & Laser
Use – Survival flashlights are an essential part of your survival kit. These tactical flashlights are often manufactured to be used together with a gun, helping you lock on your target with ease.
Tactical flashlights can even give out concentrated light beam that temporarily blinds the attacker, putting you at an advantageous position.
Besides putting the attacker at a disadvantage, you can illuminate dark places with ease or even start a fire with it.
Physical Characteristics – The XVL2 is really compact and lightweight. It is optimized for self-defense situations where it’s really solid too.
The XVL2 comes with a 400-lumen white light LED and 300mW infrared illuminator.
The unit is capable of illuminating infrared and green aiming lasers so that you can zero in on your target with ease.
Functions – The unit comes with a mode selector dial which allows you to select different levels of illumination. You can even manipulate the aiming lasers too. It even comes with a low-power setting which can be utilized when you are training with the unit on the field.
Furthermore, the XVL2 utilizes a similar switch as Surefire’s X300 series of tactical flashlights. They are capable of
What does it include – The unit comes with a 123A battery, which you can access from the front of the unit.
If you are planning for long-term survival, you need this in your gear stash. Why so? This unit is capable of illuminating dark places and catch the intruders off-guard. These are sufficient reasons on why you need this unit in your inventory today.
Conclusion
I hope that this post helped you out by showing the best gears you can get from SHOT Show 2019 for survival. If you have any thoughts you would like to share or any gears you think is excellent for survival too, feel free to let me know!