Fred Rowlands

Pensacola

Editor at The Loadout Room

Featured in: Favicon

loadoutroom.com Favicon

sofrep.com

Articles

SHOT Show 2025 | The Loadout Room

1 month ago | loadoutroom.com | Fred Rowlands

SHOT Show is always about new items, updated new models and new ways of doing old jobs. This year was no different and while I took the time to see all the new, there were some old favorites that I got to see and hope to show them here in the future. First and foremost, I know I’m late. I caught a cold leaving Las Vegas, it didn’t want to leave and then it came back. But enough sitting around, here are some of the awesome gear and guns I saw in Vegas. Range day was Monday and oh the fun we had.
Pic of the Day, Prepping Is a Year 'Round Activity

2 months ago | loadoutroom.com | Fred Rowlands

Normally we have one good cold spell here in NW Florida each winter, 5 maybe 6 days where the nights are below freezing and the days are maybe 40deg. They already enjoyed a beautiful white winter in January this year (complete with 9 inches of snow) while I was attending SHOT Show in Las Vegas. That would normally be it for the year.
Osight X Red Dot Sight: A Hard-Hitting, No-Nonsense Review

2 months ago | loadoutroom.com | Fred Rowlands

Listen up, folks. The Osight X isn’t some run-of-the-mill red dot that you slap onto your gun and hope for the best. This thing is built for serious shooters, the kind that demand reliability, durability, and a no-fuss design that actually works. If you’re in the market for a battle-ready optic that can take a beating and keep running, you might want to pay attention.
Adept Armor’s Thunder Plates: The Future of Lightweight Protection

Jan 9, 2025 | loadoutroom.com | Fred Rowlands

When it comes to cutting-edge body armor, Adept Armor is raising the bar with their Thunder Plates. Lightweight, durable, and designed for real-world combat scenarios, these plates are a game-changer for military personnel, law enforcement, and anyone serious about personal protection. Built for the Modern BattlefieldThe Thunder Plate is engineered with a composite of Amorphoid, a next-gen toughened silicate material, and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE).
Shell Shock Technologies: The Lightweight Ammo Revolution You Need to Know About

Jan 8, 2025 | loadoutroom.com | Fred Rowlands

When it comes to innovation in the ammunition game, few players are making waves quite like Shell Shock Technologies (SST). If you’re not already familiar, let me introduce you to a company that’s rewriting the rules of what’s possible with ammo. Lightweight, cost-effective, and packed with benefits for both troops and everyday shooters, SST’s latest advancements aren’t just impressive—they’re potentially life-saving.
T'was the Night Before Christmas, a Garfield Tale

Dec 24, 2024 | loadoutroom.com | Fred Rowlands

Twas the night before Christmas and all thru SOFREP, all us mice were scurrying, we had missions to prep. For tis Christmas you see, a grand holiday, and we have friends and family everywhere, even some a world away. So now there are presents to wrap, veggies to chop, ham and turkeys to season, and of course Christmas candy to consume, all within reason. The oven is hot, the smoker lit, and the menu we’ve planned will be a major hit.
10mm For Christmas Anyone?

Dec 15, 2024 | loadoutroom.com | Fred Rowlands

Yes Please Santa! Just beware, you’ll do more than shoot your eye out with this one. The 10mm cartridge was designed in response to the cataclysmic 1986 FBI Miami shootout in which FBI agents using 9mm caliber pistols were seriously outperformed. Regardless if the argument was true or not, the cartridge has endured. Yes, it has a hefty recoil that has to be managed but it’s not impossible, and when that’s handled properly the 10mm is a hard-hitting, flat-shooting bullet.
Last Minute Shopping Ideas for Christmas

Dec 15, 2024 | loadoutroom.com | Fred Rowlands

The start of the Christmas season here is marked by bringing out the decorations just after Thanksgiving. Which was last week, correct? Ok, so maybe not but there’s still time to get online, get some shopping done, and get your gifts before Christmas. But as they say, “The clock is ticking” so if anyone is looking for some last-minute gifts for you or another man in their life, here are some good options.
First Tactical Sets a New Standard For Women's Tactical Clothing

Dec 4, 2024 | loadoutroom.com | Fred Rowlands

When it comes to tactical gear for women, the industry has often fallen short—literally. Ill-fitting apparel designed for men, hastily adapted for women, just doesn’t cut it. But First Tactical has stepped up to the plate, delivering purpose-built gear like the Women’s V2 Pro Performance Short Sleeve Shirt and Women’s V2 EMS Pant.
Laundry In The Field? It's Possible With A Scrubba Bag!

Nov 25, 2024 | loadoutroom.com | Fred Rowlands

Being in the Army while in the field can be difficult at times, with bad weather, inhospitable environments, no phone, no light/power, and no motor car (as the song used to say), among many other things. At least your days are planned for you and with enough activities you can forget some things like laundry. At least until your laundry comes alive and takes a dislike to you. Enter the Scrubba Bag, a simple, easy-to-use portable clothes-washing system you can take anywhere.