Ben Johnson, Author at Spotter Up

I Deployed 3x and Never Did My Job

February 26, 2019

I've debated writing about this for awhile, but with recent events I think something needs to be said. To provide some background I was a Machine Gunner in the Marines for six years from September of 2009-2... Read More...

CJP Custom Concealment FL3X

Ben Johnson

December 31, 2018

EDC, Firearms, Mission Critical, MISSION GEAR, Product Reviews

If there is one thing I hate about holster reviews it’s when the writer covers every detail of how the holster performed at the range, but completely ignores the every-day aspect of wearing the holster. If a re... Read More...

SENTRY Sentinel Range Bag, Multi-gun

Ben Johnson

December 5, 2018

Bags, Load Bearing, Mission Critical, MISSION GEAR, Product Reviews

I still remember the first range bag I ever owned. My Mom gave it as a Christmas present and I used to joke that it was a life changing piece of equipment. I called it my bag of organization, and it worked wond... Read More...

Vanquest Gear Katara-16

Ben Johnson

October 22, 2018

Bags, EDC, Load Bearing, Mission Critical, MISSION GEAR, Product Reviews

The Vanquest Gear Katara 16 compared to the similar VertX EDC Ready Pack. While both are quality bags, I have neglected my VertX bag since the Katara has arrived. A year ago, my wife bought me a VertX backp... Read More...

Surviving the Transition

Ben Johnson

September 12, 2018

Inspirational, LIFE, Opinion, Planning, PSYCHE

I never thought the transition to civilian life would be something that would contain much struggle. I would have said calling it survival was a great exaggeration, and that it really wasn’t that big of a d... Read More...

Snake Eater Tactical Pistol Burros

Ben Johnson

August 15, 2018

Ammunition & Reloading, EDC, Firearms, Mission Critical, MISSION GEAR, Product Reviews, Style

When the pistol burros arrived in the mail, I was honestly a little underwhelmed. I had visited snakeeatertactical.com before volunteering for this review, so I thought I had a decent idea of what they could do... Read More...

Tuff Writer Mini Click

Ben Johnson

July 4, 2018

Accessories, EDC, Gadgets, Mission Critical, MISSION GEAR, Product Reviews, Style

Before we dive too deeply into this review, I want to address two things. First, while anyone enjoys quality in whatever tool they are using, in this case a pen, there is a limit to how much that person is will... Read More...

Pro Shot Products AR15/M4 5.56/.223 Tier 1 Operator Rifle Kit

Ben Johnson

May 24, 2018

Accessories, EDC, Firearms, Mission Critical, MISSION GEAR, Product Reviews

I can still remember searching for the perfect cleaning kit when I first got involved with guns. I may have only been 14, armed with only a beaten Marlin 783, but I was determined to find a cleaning kit that wo... Read More...

Vendetta Precision VP-24 Hybrid Hand Stop

Ben Johnson

April 13, 2018

Accessories, Firearms, Gadgets, Mission Critical, MISSION GEAR, Product Reviews

I want to start this off by saying I’ve never really enjoyed adding any type of forward grip to my rail. The devices I’ve tried in the past added too much bulk or excess weight to the rail, and I wanted to keep... Read More...

MantisX Shooting Performance System: Software Update

Ben Johnson

March 21, 2018

Accessories, Mission Critical, MISSION GEAR, Product Reviews, Shooting Tips & How To, Tech/Science

It’s been a truly humbling experience testing the MantisX. I just returned from finally getting some live fire time in with the unit, and it really put my ego in check. Due to complications on my last two range... Read More...

Author Ben Johnson