GEAR CHECK: IAN HALE

It’s a hallmark of the thriller genre: Tough heroes and the tough gear they carry. From guns to knives to vehicles to the more sentimental items that make each character stand apart, I put a lot of thought into the items that appear in my stories. In this series of blogposts, I’m going to highlight all the go-to essentials of each of my main characters.

Next up is former Delta Force operator Ian Hale, a man with a lineage of heroism, a burden for duty, and a short list of proven tools.

The IAN HALE Essentials

1. HK416 Rifle

Described by HK as “the ideal combination of handling and precision,” the HK416 is Hale’s go-to combat rifle when failure is not an option. Built around a short-stroke gas piston system, it’s engineered for reliability in punishing environments—far less temperamental than a standard AR-15 pattern rifle. It’s overbuilt, durable, and unapologetically heavy.

But that’s fine. Hale is no stranger to the gym.

2. HKVP9 Handgun

When something works, Hale doesn’t overthink it. That’s why he stays with HK for his sidearm as well as his rifle. His pistol of choice is the HK VP9—technically the VP9A1 F, though the shorter name keeps the story moving.

Like the 416, the VP9 is rugged, reliable, and brutally simple to run. No frills. No drama. Just a gun that works when he needs it.

3. TOPS KNIVES

This one’s personal.

Years ago, I was in a knife shop just outside Fort Rucker, Alabama, looking for a heavy blade to use as a bait knife for saltwater fishing—a job that destroys cheap steel fast. The salesman asked if I’d heard of TOPS Knives. I hadn’t. He handed me a Delta Unit 3: thick-bladed with a full-tang, and built entirely in the U.S. at TOPS’s Idaho facility.

I held it and I was sold. Years later, it still rides in my tackle bag, just as solid as the day I bought it.

I’ve used it, abused it, and trusted it enough that when I started planning the Ian Hale series and needed a signature knife, TOPS was the obvious choice. The only problem was the model—TOPS makes so many great blades, which is why Hale carries a different one in every book.

I even reached out to TOPS to ask permission, given that Hale puts their knives to some fairly brutal use. They not only agreed, but after I sent them copies of Line of Fire, they sent back a custom-engraved Dawn Warrior—the exact model Hale carries in Path of Terror.

That one still makes me smile.

4. BENCHMADE ADAMAS AND MINI ADAMAS

I picked up a useful lesson from Jack Carr: a fighting knife and a utility knife serve very different purposes. You don’t want to be cutting rope with your combat blade only to discover that it’s dull when things turn ugly.

With that in mind, Hale carries a folder alongside his TOPS fixed blade, and Benchmade was the obvious choice. He alternates between the Adamas and the Mini Adamas depending on the situation—both razor-sharp, durable, and built for hard use.

5. DUCATI STREETFIGHTER V2

I’m a motorcycle guy, and I wanted Hale to be one too. While my own ride is a Honda VTX, Hale needed something faster, meaner, and every bit as aggressive as he is.

After considering several options I landed on the Ducati Streetfighter V2. It’s essentially a Panigale superbike stripped of its fairings, leaving behind raw power and an unapologetically brutal look. One visit to a Ducati dealership sealed it—the moment I threw a leg over, I knew this was Hale’s machine.

Most Streetfighters come in Ducati Red, but Hale’s ride is painted in Storm Green—a perfect match for his stoic nature and Army heritage.

This isn’t a motorcycle that asks to be ridden carefully. It dares you to unleash it.

6. DCU NAME TAPE

This one isn’t really gear—at least not in the conventional sense.

If you’ve read Line of Fire (no major spoilers here), you know that Hale’s father deployed to Afghanistan immediately after 9/11—and never came home. Just before shipping out, the Hale family shared a moment together at Coney Island. It was there that “the Major” handed his son a spare name tape from his DCU uniform and reminded him that the Hales run toward the sound of the guns.

Hale has carried that name tape ever since, tucked into his Bible like a bookmark.

It’s worn now. Faded. Dirty. But it’s more valuable to him than any weapon on this list. It reminds him where he comes from—and who he is.

And why, when it matters most, he never backs down.

That’s Ian Hale’s kit. Guns, blades, and a few personal pieces. Some items change as the mission demands, but the philosophy never does. They’re always tools chosen with intent…

Because when things fall apart, Hale doesn’t rely on luck. He relies on what he’s prepared to carry—and what he’s willing to stand for.