Defense Review’s review of the RESET Rifle Integrated Power Rail (RIPR) isn’t what I’d call flattering. They gun guys don’t really see the advantages of a side-mounted external power source for your AR’s lights, laser, optics and Mr. Coffee. This despite RIPR’s selling points: battery standardization (across weapons systems), better weight balance, more juice for more stuff, smaller stuff ’cause of more juice and less wiring. In fact, Defense Review’s Mr. Crane rips RIPR a new orifice . . .
As intriguing a concept as the RIPR is, DR isn’t convinced that putting all of one’s eggs in one basket, or, more specifically, all of one’s power in one device, is a good idea. If the RIPR goes down for any reason, all of your weapons accessories go down, right then and there. If we were going to use the RIPR on a mission, we would probably still want to carry spare batteries for each accessory in our pack or somewhere else on our body–along with spare RIPR batteries, of course. We’re not that worried about a RIPR battery going tits up. You would of course carry spares with you. We’re more worried about the plug-in unit/rail (into which the RIPR battery is inserted) failing. If that goes down, you’re done–unless you have spare batteries for the individual accessories, of course.
To which I’d also add that Double A batteries are found around the world; as our tropps in Afghanistan will attest. Besides, ARs are getting a bit over-complicated. [Check out our post on BattleTac GPS.] Sometimes it’s best to have a gun that simply fires bullets at a target, iron sights and all. Just sayin ‘ . . .
