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In this third of our coverage of WL Gore’s various technologies and their military applications our subject is the Woodland Combat Desert Jacket. While we are all familiar with the popular GORE-TEX brand, many do not know that WL Gore has worked extensively with the military since the mid-1980s to develop specific fabrics for various purposes.
The Marine Corps has adopted a woodland MARPAT variant of the popular Combat Desert Jacket. It’s an interesting garment. Based on the name alone you’d probably realize that it was originally issued in Desert MARPAT. Other than being developed specifically for use in South West Asia, another thing that you don’t normally see with military garments is that it is made up of multiple types of fabrics. It’s a softshell garment featuring a lightweight, water-resistant fabric with a Gore membrane that is engineered to withstand rain, wind, and sand. Additionally, there are strategically placed stretch zones for increased flexibility and mobility. There is also a moisture-wicking lining. The CDJ also incorporates 99.9 percent pure silver in the gridded fleece lining to inhibit the growth of odor-causing bacteria and fungi in the garment. Early in the production of the original CDJ there were issues getting the printing to match on all of the different fabrics, but they long ago mastered that issue and as you can see from the photo, it looks great.
This waist length jacket features a chest mounted rank tab as well as a single chest and bicep pocket. Finally, there are slash handwarmer pockets on either side.
What do you get when you take “Kilted to Kick Cancer”, take it to the UK and then add a dash of MultiCam? You get this.
SSD reader SKN Neilson shared his project with us to participate in KTKC UK and do so in style. He created his own MultiCam kilt after reading about the 5.11 MultiCam kilt we mentioned on April Fool’s Day. Neilson’s was no fool’s errand tho. He put a lot of effort into it. For example, the sporran is a UK issue commander’s admin pouch with a KTKC UK’s patch velcro’d on it.
To support his effort visit www.justgiving.com/KiltedToKickCancerUK. It’s a great cause intended to raise awareness and funding for prostate cancer.
Today is a happy day. It’s sunny, 75 degrees, and I shot all day. After a few years of wishing it would happen and a few months of waiting, I got a small, lightweight, efficiently operated weapon-mounted light that that is almost as bright as the sun. SureFire recently released a couple of very practical lights that offer 500 lumens. I remember the day when I got my first 6P, at a whopping 60 lumens and 60-ish minutes of runtime on 2 CR123 batteries with it’s incandescent bulb. Drop in a P61 bulb and get a “scorching 120 lumens for 20 minutes of runtime” as SureFire’s specs state. If that’s scorching, they’ll have to come up with something pretty good for the lightsaber they just released.
We’ve come a long way since those revolutionary 6P lights from SureFire. The lights got brighter shortly after they released them, but they got bigger as well. You could squeeze 700 lumens out of the M900 Turbohead, but the light is 1.4 pounds and is integrated into a very large vertical foregrip housing. Now, we’re able to get a lot of light out of a small package with the P2X Fury series handheld and X300 Ultra weapon light. Each one operates on 2 CR123 batteries and offers a high-efficiency LED emitting 500 lumens of white light. Each one also gives you 1.5 hours of runtime, which isn’t too shabby for that much light.
The Fury series is roughly the same size as the 6P or G2 that may people are familiar with. There are a four current models, the functional difference of them being dual-output for the Fury and a single-output for the Tactical, Defender, and CombatLight models. Pushing the Fury tailcap alternates your output between 15 and 500 lumens, while the other three models give you a constant 500. At a suggested retail of $155, the light is a bargain. 500 lumens in such a small package is a LOT of light for the money. They’re built to SureFire’s usual quality standards, made of precision machined aluminum with a Mil-Spec hard anodized coating. They’re shock-resistant and fit in standard 1” ring mounts for weapon light usage. For around $175 MSRP, even less at street price, that’s by far the best value on the market in a light of that output level for your rifle. They’re also waterproof to boot, and can be found for a little over $100 at many online retailers. For that price, everyone should own a few.
The X300 Ultra just started shipping in the last couple of weeks and should start showing up at your retailer soon if they haven’t already. Almost everyone is familiar with the Surefire X200 and X300 series of lights. They’re the best pistol lights on the market, hands down. Released in 2007, the X300’s current form gives off 170 lumens, which is pretty respectable. Until now. The X300U pushes of almost 3 times that amount in a package roughly the same size. This really opens up the X series lights for use on a long gun as well, I never felt the standard X300 had the right beam shape or throw on a rifle. SureFire’s specs list them at 3.6 inches in length a piece, but the Ultra is about ¼ inch longer at the bezel, the main body being the same size. The diameter of the bezel is slight increased as well. The good news is that it will still fits all of the Safariland ALS/SLS holsters I tried in the holster bin. The bad news is that hard-molded kydex from many manufacturers will no longer slide in to their retention point. Raven Concealment Systems is already offering their holsters for the Ultra, and I’m thinking standard X300s will fit in the Ultra holsters just fine. Retailing at only $25 more than the X300 at $299, the Ultra is worth the price. Many retailers will sell them for considerably less as they come in stock I’m sure.
Bravo to SureFire to putting forth the effort to get these to the market. With the prices in the industry steadily climbing year after year, the Fury represents shows tremendous performance specs while keeping the price in the grasp of military and law enforcement users. The price increase of only $25 for the X300 Ultra means a huge performance boost at a relatively small price. I hope they continue this trend across their product line, I’m excited to see what comes up next. (cough 500 lumen Scout cough…)
Jon Canipe served on Active Duty with the US Army as a Special Forces Weapons Sergeant at 5th SFG(A) and was a Senior Instructor at the JFKSWCS, training SFQC students in planning, unconventional warfare, small unit tactics, CQB, and advanced marksmanship. He is a veteran of multiple combat tours, and still serves in the Army National Guard’s 20th SFG(A) in addition to working as an industry consultant and small arms instructor.
Last week a startling report was published in the national news. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, (based on current state by state surveys), by the year 2030, more than 42% of the adult population will be obese – not merely overweight – but obese. For comparison; In 1990 the obesity rate in the U.S was 12 percent, 2010 – 35%. The impact of obesity on overall health are well known; diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure rates increase dramatically as body fat increases. Not only is this a huge burden on our already stressed out health care system, but frankly a threat to our national security. As I’ve said before, no country can maintain a strong economy and military, if the majority of its people are unhealthy. It just won’t work.
Since my book Corps Strength was published in 2010 I’ve received 100’s of emails from people trying to lose weight and get in better shape. While everyone is different, when you strip a way all the hype and BS, losing weight, and maintaining a healthy bodyweight is really comes down to more movement, less chow. Now I realize that is a simple solution to a very difficult problem for many people, but I also think most people make this harder than it has to be. In my book I lay out a proven exercise system and simple healthy eating plan that has been proven to work for all types of people. That being said, I think that beyond diet and actual exercise, there is a very important aspect in helping keep your weight in check. Its what I call “Active Rest.” These are daily activities that would not be considered exercise but do burn calories. Good examples of Active Rest are walking the dog, mowing the lawn, washing the car, riding a bike, etc. The blunt fact is that too many people in this country spend way too much time shining a chair with their backside. Our go to recreation over the last few years has become watching TV, surfing the internet, etc. I read another medical story recently that “sitting has become the new smoking” when it comes to influencing overall health. Its more than just being lazy, our jobs have become much less physical also. Progress has made doing less a habit that is effecting or health. Not to mention the effect thats its having on our children, their obesity rates are also on the rise.
If you travel overseas like I frequently do, you’ll notice very few obese or overweight people. It’s not because they exercise 24/7 or have perfect diets, far from it, in fact I think they do much less formal exercise and certainly don’t pay as much attention to their diets. It’s because they’re generally just more active. Meaning more active rest, they do more walking and bike riding in their daily lives, and I’m convinced this has a huge impact on helping keep their weight in check. The bottom line is if you want to get your weight right, diet and exercise may not be enough, you need to get moving. Turn off the TV, or computer and take the dog for a walk. Especially after dinner. Try it, it works. Good luck and take care.
Semper Fi
MGunz
In Katy Perry’s hit video, “Part of Me” she joins the Marine Corps. You can see her using a BFG VCAS coyote brown sling on her M16A4. As you know, that sling was designed by Larry Vickers. He sent me a quick note this morning letting me know of his approval.
In case any of her management team read SSD I will provide her free of charge proper instruction on use of the sling !!!! 😉
In case you happen to be reading this and aren’t Katy Perry or her management team, you can get the VCAS sling from www.BlueForceGear.com and if you’re looking for firearms training from LAV that’s available too through aliastraining.com. If you are Katy Perry, LAV wants to hear from you.
Due to the Los Angeles Police Department’s size it holds some serious sway in how other agencies around the Nation are trained and equipped. When word got out that it had been added to Official LAPD Approved gear list other departments wanted it as well. While the Banshee Rifle Plate Carrier isn’t ‘issued’ to LAPD officers, it is officially approved for individual purchase and this is how they do things.
Banshee Plate Carrier- Spec Sheet- SHELLBACK TACTICAL
In addition to Black the Banshee rifle Plate Carrier is also offered in Coyote Tan, Ranger Green, A-TACS and MultiCam.
Damage Industries has released a few details on their upcoming AK rail system.
Add-ons (not pictured) will include 7-slot accessory rail, 7-slot accessory rail with Quick-Detach socket, and cantilever optic rail that will not block use of standard fixed sights.
They also plan to offer variants for the RPK, Yugoslavian AK-47, and short-barreled Dracos and Krinks.
The rails will be hardcoat anodized in Black, FDE, OD Green and Hard Brown.
Also, be on the lookout for their new AK muzzle break. Both coming soon from damageusa.com
