Morrison Industries is offering the line of packs from the Russian firm Gruppa99 for a limited time. Until 12 September you can pre-order one of these packs designed by a former Patagonia designer for Gruppa99. Packs are available in 3 styles. Details and background on Gruppa99 are available below.
If it’s functional, practical and modular that you’re looking for, look no further than Group 99 of Moscow, Russia; fast becoming the preeminent military design house of the East.
This may come as quite a surprise to many readers. After all, you normally don’t hear the words “Quality” and “Russia” used together in the same sentence in a positive light. And that is exactly what led to the creation of Group 99. As we all know, Soviet and Russian equipment suffered terribly under the Communist system. Granted there were some notable and major exceptions to include spacecraft, aircraft and the AK series of firearms. But especially at the Soldier level, the quality of clothing and equipment was notoriously bad.
The recent push to modernize the Russian Army has injected trillions of Rubles into their domestic military industrial complex. But Russia, like the United States suffers from Bureaucracy, but on an even greater scale. Unfortunately, they don’t field user driven Soldier Systems. And, in Russia’s case, like the USA, expensive equipment and technology has come first with Soldier systems items being incidental.
This was too much for the founders of Group 99. Devoted gear freaks, military veterans and adventure athletes that they are, they took matters into their own hands. Group 99 was formed to address the lack of quality military and outdoor equipment in Russia and they have been redefining equipment as they go.
G99 is owned and operated by a good friend of Nate Morrison, former USAF PJ and owner of Morrison Industries. G99’s owner has data collection and analysis down to an art form which has allowed him to find the very best fabrics, thread, colors, etc. Secondly, he is fanatical about quality which means he has developed ties with the same manufacturing folks who make the very best mountaineering gear in the world.
Morrison shared with us his philosophy on equipment –
If you are going to design a piece of equipment correctly, you have to balance it against a few concepts:
1. KISS (keep it simple stupid)
2. Meet the actual requirements defined by the soldiers, not an abstract fantasy
3. Don’t over design, don’t under design
4. Actual function and performance
5. Be the best in the above
Group 99 has mastered these five concepts, working with a top team of US engineers and extensive research from military units in Russia and around the world. Looking at their products and the above concepts you immediately see the Russian practicality at work in every unique zipper, every pocket and every cut of fabric. That practicality has always served Russia well. It is why the AK is still so popular and is highlighted well by the pen story. Nate Morrison related to us that in the 1960s NASA spent over one million dollars to develop a pen to write in the zero gravity environment of space. The Russians faced the same problem. They spent no money on the solution, electing instead to use a pencil. Don’t fix a problem that doesn’t exist and don’t create a problem by listening to the good idea fairy.
Currently Group 99 makes military packs, soft shell PCU and high loft insulated PCU. They are on track introducing one new line of items every year. Until this week these items were only available in Russia and a few Eastern European countries. But now, Morrison Industries, LTD of Colorado has become the first non-Russian distributor for Group 99. They are currently taking orders for the military pack line between now and 13 Sept 2012. The complete catalog can be seen here or downloaded from www.morrisonindustries.com.
Tags: Group99, Gruppa99, Morrison Industries LTD
The “pen story” is reference to the Fisher Space Pen. It’s also complete BS. The company itself spent money developing the pen NOT the US Government. Even if it had, look at how practical the Space Pen and it’s variants are- it’s now a standard that’s carried by most tactical and military distributors and has been partnered with rite in the rain stationery.
Either way, I don’t doubt that the Russian gear is practical, but where is it produced? The prices seem like that of high end tactical gear from most Western companies- I wonder what the mark up is for Morrison’s group to sell it. I don’t imagine too many Russian conscripts buying this at those prices.
Its not for conscripts. Clothes are made in China. Backpacks are made in Vietnam
It is produced in Vietnam.
Those pants look awesome!
The assault pack looks cool…the rest of the packs scream MR to me as the idea of a modern external frame is blatant.
The packs look great…anyone know where the music In the video comes from