32 Best Military Watches in 2020 (Ranked by a Marine)
Military personnel and serious outdoorsman know that the time to acquire and prepare gear is long before setting out on a hike or mission. Speaking of time, how do you plan to keep it in the harshest conditions? Can your current watches withstand submersion, extreme temperatures, and constant abuse? Can
20 Best Hiking GPS Devices (Handheld) in 2020 Review
Each year millions of dollars are spent searching for lost hikers. Most of the time, this bill is covered by the taxpayers but depending on where you’re lost, you may receive a hefty ($500+) bill for the search and rescue (SAR) teams that were deployed at your distress. In some
15 Best Long Range Rifles in 2020
Interested in getting into long range precision shooting? As a former USMC Scout Sniper and a current US Army contractor, I have qualified and tested many “sniper rifles”. Some of these rifles were fielded to Scout Snipers and Army Snipers, while others didn’t quite make the cut. In this article
30 Best Benchmade Knives in 2020 (Ranked by Category)
If you’re a knife enthusiast like many of us here at Marine Approved, you likely already appreciate Benchmade’s outstanding craftsmanship and customer service. Being one of the largest and most successful knife manufacturers in the world, Benchmade has a wide selection of knives across multiple categories. While that large selection
Ultimate Camping Checklist for 2020 (with Printable PDF)
Camping is one of the greatest ways to experience the outdoors. There are endless places to go that feature some of the most wonderful views in the world that you can share with your friends, family, or experience all on your own. Regardless of where you go, or who you
26 Knife Blade Types in 2020 (with Chart and Shape Explanations)
Walking into a knife store as a grown man is the equivalent for most outdoorsmen and tradesmen to a kid walking into a candy store. Everything looks sharp and pointy and just downright awesome, you just have to get them all! Coming back to Earth, though, most people aren’t going
Best Knife Steels and How to Choose The Right Type (with Comparison Charts)
If you’ve ever owned a knife before then I’m sure you’ve seen that little stamp on your blade with a string of letters and numbers. Those little numbers and letters are actually the primary driving force behind the price and performance you can expect out of that particular knife and,
32 Best EDC Knives in 2020 (Reviews and Buying Guide)
Is a knife a weapon or a tool? That’s been a long common discussion but here at Marine Approved, we have the answer, it’s both! Carrying a knife with you is by far the easiest and lightest way to ensure you’re ready for a plethora of life challenges and no
10 Best Emergency Radios in 2020
The number of natural disasters has been steadily increasing in recent decades and many experts say this trend is likely to continue. From hurricanes slamming into the coast of Florida to torrential rains leaving many Texans underwater, there always seems to be a natural disaster happening somewhere. Unfortunately, these disasters
25 Best Fixed Blade Knives in 2020 (Review and Buying Guide)
Even if you’ve amassed an arsenal of sharp pointy objects over the years, you’ll need a solid blade that can do it all. One blade to rule them all, no matter the situation, challenge, or environment. You need a quality fixed blade knife. You see, seasoned outdoorsman and survivalists all
17 Best Weighted Vests for Running and CrossFit in 2020 (Hands-on Review)
If you’re searching for a weighted vest to increase the intensity of your workouts, look no further! I actually decided to write this page after researching this topic for myself. Other websites were just doing Amazon roundups and you could tell the authors had never actually used a weighted vest
Ultimate Backpacking Checklist (with Printable PDF)
A solid backpacking checklist will ensure you have a safe and enjoyable time in nature. Before we get into the list, I want to point out that there really is not a one size fits all gear list. In the gear checklist below, I’ll include all of the items that
15 Best Headlamps in 2020 (Hands-on Review)
One thing I learned in the Marines is that there is no such thing as being too situationally aware, and the first step in knowing what’s going on is being able to see what’s happening. Whether you’re hiking on the trail, running, setting up basecamp, or prepping your gear in
About Us / Why We’re Different
Every page on our website is written by a former or active duty Marine. We stick to writing about things within our range of expertise! If you want to learn more about us, check out the about page. If you have questions, feel free to shoot us a message through the contact form below.