August Staff Picks: Quality, Quirks & Things We Probably Didn't Need
- Vector Air
- 15 hours ago
- 5 min read
August has been a fairly intense month here at Vector Air, although strangely enough, we've not had a huge influx of completely new products. There have been a few additions, but this month's Staff Picks have instead come from products that have stood out for being particularly well made, unusually clever, or simply a bit different.
Luke has also been rebuilding a fair chunk of the website, so if you click something and end up somewhere completely unexpected, you now know who to blame.
There is, however, a reason for all the website work. We've been following a trend that quite a few of us have become increasingly interested in, and in some cases probably spend far too much time watching YouTube videos about: premium knives and the wider world of artisan steel.
Yes, we said we weren't going down this route.
Then three of us started acquiring rather nice pieces of steel.
So naturally, here we are.
We're not about to start filling the website with cheap D2 blades so someone can wander around shouting "blud" at strangers. If you don't know what D2 is, some of these knives may initially look rather expensive. If, however, you're interested in metallurgy, craftsmanship, outdoor tools or simply want to buy something genuinely special for someone who appreciates well-made equipment, our small but growing range of premium blades is worth a look.
And with that slightly suspiciously knife-heavy introduction out of the way, let's get into this month's Staff Picks.
Karls’s Pick: Helle GT Drop Point Fixed Knife H3LS
Yes, Karl has picked a knife.
This is one of Helle's more premium fixed blades and, unsurprisingly, the thing that caught Karl's attention is the steel. The GT uses Helle's impressive H3LS triple-laminated stainless steel, which consists of a harder central core forming the cutting edge, surrounded by softer stainless steels that help protect that core from impact.
The result is a blade that combines excellent edge retention with the toughness you want from a proper outdoor knife.
Unfortunately, Karl has once again managed to pick something that's currently out of stock.
This is becoming something of a Staff Picks tradition.
We will have more GT knives coming in, though, and if the H3LS steel is what caught your attention, we already have other Helle knives using the same material available in the range.
So if you're looking for a genuinely well-made blade rather than something that merely looks tactical because someone put holes in it, this is the sort of thing we're talking about.
Craig’s Pick: 3 Legged Thing The Modfather Slotted Airgun Moderator
Craig is another member of the team who's developed a bit of an appreciation for quality metalwork, although this month he's resisted the temptation to pick a knife and instead gone for something slightly more relevant to guns.
The 3 Legged Thing Modfather.
We've already featured this moderator in Staff Picks, and it's managed to make the list again for good reason. The Modfather isn't the biggest moderator on the market, nor is it the quietest, which makes its performance all the more interesting.
Anyone who's spent too much time looking at moderator design will know that volume and internal surface area generally matter when you're trying to tame an airgun. So when something this compact performs as well as it does, there's clearly some clever engineering going on inside.
Then there's the construction.
The Modfather is properly manufactured rather than simply being a metal tube with a thread on one end, and the range of colours gives you plenty of opportunity to make your rifle look slightly less like every other rifle in the cabinet.
It's also worth noting that this is now the second consecutive month that the Modfather has appeared in Staff Picks, following Tee's choice of the green version last month.
We're beginning to suspect it might be trying to become a permanent member of the team.
Tee’s Pick: Rokstad FMA Pan & Tilt Bipod with Picatinny & M-LOK Mount
And speaking of repeated offenders...
Tee has managed to select the exact product Luke picked last month.
We aren't saying they're copying each other's homework, but if next month's Staff Picks contain four identical products we're going to have questions.
The Rokstad FMA Pan & Tilt Bipod has quickly developed a following because it manages to do something increasingly rare in the accessory market: actually be different.
A lot of modern bipods have either become variations on an existing design or borrowed heavily from camera tripod technology. The FMA takes a different approach, with a distinctive mechanical design that offers genuine pan and tilt functionality without simply looking like another copy of something we've already seen.
It also arrives ready for modern rifles, with both Picatinny and M-LOK mounting options included.
With M-LOK becoming increasingly common on modern airguns and firearms platforms, having both mounting systems available without immediately needing another accessory makes a lot of sense.
It's serious equipment, it's versatile and, importantly, it doesn't look like someone just photocopied an existing bipod and changed the logo.
Which is probably why it's selling rather well.
Luke’s Pick: Vector Optics Frenzy Flex GMR Green Multi-Reticle Reflex Sight
This one was a late entry.
Luke had actually been considering his new Gerber Fastball MagnaCut folding knife, which is currently making its way through the postal system, but unfortunately it didn't arrive in time to steal the position.
So instead, he went for something that arrived only days before we started writing this.
The Vector Optics Frenzy Flex GMR is one of the company's newest competition-focused reflex sights, and it has one immediately obvious difference from the majority of reflex optics we've become accustomed to.
The reticle is green.
That might sound like a minor change, but there is a good reason for it. Human vision is particularly sensitive to green wavelengths, meaning a green reticle can appear significantly brighter and more visible than an equivalent red reticle under daylight conditions.
For the sort of shooting where these optics are commonly used, that's important.
Red still has a very legitimate advantage in low-light conditions because it interferes less with your natural night vision. But most of us aren't spending our afternoons shooting at dusk with the lights off. In bright daylight, green can be considerably easier to pick up against a busy background.
The Frenzy Flex GMR also brings a side-loading battery and a multi-reticle system, giving you the ability to change the aiming pattern to suit the job rather than being stuck with a single dot.
It's a very low-profile package, has the features you'd expect from a modern competition reflex sight and, at this price point, looks particularly capable.
And yes, Luke is now apparently interested in making knives as well. We may need to confiscate his access to YouTube before this gets expensive.
So, What's Your Pick?
This month's selection is probably one of the more varied we've had. We've got premium Scandinavian steel, a genuinely unusual moderator, an innovative bipod and a competition reflex sight that takes a slightly different approach to something we've all seen a thousand times.
That seems to be the recurring theme this month: don't just make another version of what's already there.
Sometimes the interesting products are the ones that take a slightly different route.
And apparently, sometimes they're the ones that make three members of the Vector Air team start collecting knives.
Which one gets your vote?
Poll Time
Who had the best pick this month?
Karl's Pick: Helle GT Knife
Craig's Pick: 3LT Modfather Silencer
Tee's Pick: Rokstad FMA Bipod
Luke's Pick: Frenzy Flex GMR Reflex Sight
Let us know which one you'd pick, and perhaps more importantly, tell us what should have made the list this month.
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Think we missed something? Let us know in the comments below.
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