Kit Badger took a look at the ESD Sling by Edgar Sherman Design. Here’s his video.
To read the rest of his review, visit kitbadger.com/esd-sling-by-edgar-sherman-design.
Archive for 2018
Kit Badger – ESD Sling by Edgar Sherman Design
Monday, August 6th, 2018Max Talk Monday
Monday, August 6th, 2018This is the initial installment of ‘Max Talk Monday’ which shares select episodes from a series of instructional videos. Max Velocity Tactical (MVT) has established a reputation on the leading edge of tactical live fire and force on force training. MVT is dedicated to developing and training tactical excellence at the individual and team level.
In ‘Max Talk 031: How To React To Enemy Contact’ Max discusses the context and realities of coming under effective fire, and the training and strategies for how to best react to it. This includes live fire demo of the various techniques, and training progression.
Max is a tactical trainer and author, a lifelong professional soldier with extensive military experience. He served with British Special Operations Forces, both enlisted and as a commissioned officer; a graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Max served on numerous operational deployments, and also served as a recruit instructor. Max spent five years serving as a paramilitary contractor in both Iraq and Afghanistan; the latter two years working for the British Government in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
Website: Max Velocity Tactical
YouTube: Max Velocity Tactical
SureFire Shipping NEW 1,000 Lumen X300U!
Monday, August 6th, 2018
Fountain Valley, CA—SureFire, LLC, manufacturer of the world’s finest—and most innovative—illumination tools and tactical products, is proud to announce the launch of the all-new 1,000 lumen X300U-A and X300U-B. With tens of thousands of units sold to military and law enforcement world-wide, the SureFire X300 Ultra is the finest duty-grade handgun weaponlight available today. The X300U, features 1,000 lumens of stunning white light focused by a Total Internal Reflection (TIR) lens to produce a tight beam with extended reach and significant surround light for peripheral vision. Activating the X300U is done via ambidextrous switching located at the rear of body, providing one-finger control — press the switch on either side for momentary-on activation, flip up or down for constant-on activation. Optional DG grip switches (for handguns) permit the X300U to be activated with one hand, without altering your grip on your weapon.
To learn more, visit: www.surefire.com/illumination/weaponlights/handgun/x300u-b-weaponlight
Introducing Rock Face, A Clothing Brand Specializing In Performance FR Under Layers
Monday, August 6th, 2018In order to tell you about clothing brand Rock Face, I’ve got to first tell you about their parent company, Coville.
Founded in the heart of the Carolinas, Coville is an amalgamation of three companies. Up until the 1980s, the region was known as textile country and even today, it’s home to much of what little we have left of the industry. Coville remains an instrumental component in the Berry compliant supply chain.
Founded in 1976 by Henry Jordan, much of Coville’s company’s assets, now owned by a private, family interest, come from its later purchase of Alandale Knitting, which itself was founded by Alan Gutschmit in 1966. Gutschmit was a veritable genius in the knitting game, amassing 13 patents for machinery which remain the standard, even today. Founded in 1975, Carolina Apparel Group rounds out Coville’s capability as their cut and sew facility. Together, they work on each other’s strengths.
All together, these three companies bring over 125 years of experience in the textile industry. What’s more, they are all located with 30 miles of one another, offering a vertically integrated company with expertise in material and product development, fabric knitting, and garment construction.
But Coville is not an island. It works closely with as many as 20 other vendors and suppliers in the area to provide Made in USA materials, value added services, and finished goods.
Don Trexler, CEO of Coville, related that their suppliers are critical to their success. In particular, he mentioned yarn producers Pharr Yarns, Shuford Mills, Parkdake Mills, Beal Manufacturing and Frontier Yarns as well as fabric finishers Gentry Mills and Southfork Industries, as key affiliates. With these suppliers so close by, issues can be fixed very quickly and wait times and transportation costs are cut.
Rock Face was founded in 2003 as a long underwear brand for sale in such outlets as JC Penney and Tractor Supply Co. At around the same time, Coville started manufacturing performance FR garments for the US military in response to the threat of IEDs to our deployed troops. Not long ago, they decided to expand Rock Face’s offerings by leveraging the lifesaving technologies they’d developed over the past 15 years. Additionally, these new products result in brand focus on the tactical market’s military and law enforcement end user.
While Coville provides various services to other companies in the textile industry, including the production of finished goods, the concentration of Rock Face on the tactical customer was an instrumental part of Trexler’s strategy to maintain a more consistent demand on Coville’s various capabilities, keeping machines running and employees on the job. Scott Wilson expanded on this, “We are a manufacturer that has a brand.”
Rock Face offers both FR and Performance garments, bringing design and materials to the equation. They have control over the comfort and properties of their garments. For instance, they integrate moisture wicking and odor control into the fabric and can tweak the level of air permeability and how quickly it will dry. All of that adds up to sustained comfort. Trexler said, “It’s a superior product from a hand and construction standpoint. On top of that, Rock Face offers a lower price point.”
Don Trexler related that he also wanted to recognize key players at Coville who have made Rock Face happen, Scott Willis, Nicole Vineyard, Morgan Richardson, and Tyler Henson.
Now that I’ve explained what makes Rock Face tick, on to the product. They offer two distinct lines which share garment design and an emphasis on performance characteristics. The difference is that the Flame Resistant line adds FR properties to the mix.
• 4.5-ounce climaGuardTM fabric blend
• Innovative Spinning Technology
• New fiber blend creates an athletic fit with high stretch & recovery
Layer 2 – All Season
• 5.5-ounce climaGuard fabric blend
• Innovative Spinning Technology
Layer 3 – Insulative
• 8.5-ounce climaGuardTM fabric
• Innovative Spinning Technology
Layer 4 – Fleece
• 10-ounce climaGuardTM fabric blend
• Innovative Spinning Technology
• 5-ounce climaGuard fabric blend
• New fiber blend creates an athletic fit with stretch & recovery
Cold Weather
• 6.5 ounce fabric blend
• French Terry construction offers ultimate insulation values
• Pick Resistant due to nylon facing
• 4-Way High Stretch & Recovery
All of the garments are constructed with true flat seams to ensure comfort. These high-density seams also last longer. Additionally, everything is available in sizes XS-3X meaning it will support a full uniform program. Across the board, everything from the fiber to the packaging is Made in the USA!
Both lines share a color palette consisting of Sand, Tan 499, Coyote, Black, Navy, Foliage Green and Marine Olive Drab. Additionally, they will provide custom colors upon request. Naturally, minimums apply. Don’t take this color card as gospel. I’ve seen the garments in person and Coville works diligently with dye houses to match industry standards.
Since soft launching the line at SHOT Show, several military and LE Agencies have adopted Rock Face products. Even now, Rock Face is expanding their availability to military customers, with placement in LCI stores on 40 military bases.
Feel free to contact Nvineyard@rockfaceusa.com or learn more at rockfaceusa.com
Remembering Extortion 17
Monday, August 6th, 2018
You Never Stop Being A Paratrooper
Sunday, August 5th, 2018Some of you know this man. He has been a Paratrooper for a long time.
A U.S. Army Paratrooper practices Sustained Airborne Training during Leapfest 2018 at the University of Rhode Island in West Kingston, R.I., Aug. 1, 2018. Leapfest is the largest, longest-standing, international static line parachute training event and competition hosted by the 56th Troop Command, Rhode Island Army National Guard, to promote high level technical training and esprit de corps within the International Airborne community. Over 300 Paratroopers from nine different countries are participating this year. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Justin P. Morelli)
SCUBAPRO Sunday – Wetsuits
Sunday, August 5th, 2018Cleaning Your Wetsuit
Always clean and dry your suit as soon as possible. Rinse your wetsuit with fresh water. Its best to fill a bucket/tub/ trash can/ bath tube up with clean water and soak your wetsuit in that so it gets clean all the way thru. You can use a wetsuit shampoos and conditioners, PISS OFF and Sink the Stink are good and there are others out there. You can also use mild laundry soap or baby shampoo to clean wetsuits. Try to avoid peeing in your wetsuit; Urine is a hard smell to remove. Inspect your wetsuit for rips and tears as you are washing it.
Drying Your Wetsuit
After washing and rinsing your wetsuit, turn it inside out to help retain the flexibility on the outside of the wetsuit. Hang to dry on a wetsuit hanger or three to four plastic hanger, but don’t use a wire hanger. Wire hangers will cause the neoprene to stretch over the shoulders. The sun is your wetsuits worst nightmare as the UV rays can damage the neoprene and shortening the lifespan and the effectiveness of your suit.
SCUBAPRO Dry suit hanger SCUBAPRO Universal Hanger
Storage
Store your wetsuit on a flat surface or on a wetsuit hanger. Avoid folding whenever possible to avoid creases. If stored folded it can leave creases and those will take away from the insulation properties. Avoid leaving your wetsuit in stuffed in a bag, or in a hot car, as it will reduce the lifespan of your suit.
Things that Can Damage Your Wetsuit
Hot water can ruin neoprene, causing it to lose some of its flexibility. Sun and UV rays cause neoprene wetsuits to age quickly. Dry your wetsuit in a shaded area. Chlorine or salt water will break down the neoprene. The crystals for the salt water will cut your suit. This is why it is important to rinse your wetsuit with fresh water after use in chlorine or salt water.
Things to Avoid
Do not use bleach or put your wetsuit in a washer machine or a dryer. Everyone loves getting into a dry wetsuit but the drier is real bad for it. (So maybe just long enough to make it warm if you feel like you have to) Avoid pulling your wetsuit over rings, watches or anything it could get caught on. Also just pulling it on can rip it. Avoid putting petroleum jelly on your suit. Petroleum products destroy the adhesive of the wetsuit seams and can penetrate the neoprene making it hard to repair. If you are trying to avoid chafing you can use Body Glide as that has been made to be wetsuit friendly. Using beeswax or zipper lubricant can prolong the zippers life and help keep them from snagging and tearing and it also helps them work better.
Repairing Tears and Rip
Inspect your wetsuit for rips and tears after each use. The rips and tears are much easier to fix when they are small, and will grow if they go unnoticed. Wetsuits can easily tear from things like watches, pier pillions and rocks. Small tears (around 1-2 inches long) can be easily repaired. Tears bigger than a few inches may require professional repair services. If the stitches or seams are torn it may also be a good idea to take your suit to a professional for repairs.
Things you should keep on hand
Storm sure Neoprene Queen, Aquaseal and E6000 fabric glue. These are good to just leave have in a small zip-lock container in your dive bag. It is better to stay ahead of a rip. There are also wetsuit repair kits available that contain everything you will need. If you are deployed overseas and cant’ get the a true wetsuit glue, then you can try a “bike tire repair kit” from any bike store (the glue used to fix a bike tire inner tube is basically the same) and is ok for “field repair” it is not recommended by any wetsuit companies but it is a good last resort if you having to dive for a couple hour in a ripped wetsuit and have no other options, like taking your buddies suit and saying “ wow you ripped your suit that sucks”
If you want learn a lot more about wetsuits watch the below video
Below is quick summary
• Rinse with fresh water after dives to remove the salt water
• Hang up inside/out for drying
• Do not dry under sunlight to prevent neoprene being damage (sun baking) – this one is the most important.
• Do not use laundry liquid to prevent neoprene being damage
• Do not put in dryers
• Do not Iron
• Do not Bleach
• Do not store too much folded to avoid wrinkles
All this information is on this label stitched inside your suits.
Mission Ready Announces Letter of Intent for Acquisition of Unifire
Sunday, August 5th, 2018VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – July 31, 2018 – Mission Ready Solutions Inc. (“Mission Ready” or the “Company”) (TSXV:MRS) announces that it has entered into:
(a) a non-binding letter of intent to acquire (the “Acquisition”) Unifire, Inc., a company based in Spokane, Washington (“TargetCo”);
(b) a non-binding term sheet (the “Term Sheet”) pursuant to which Zenith Insured Credit, LLC, a New York-based trading and specialty finance company (the “Creditor”), will provide TargetCo with a new USD$20 million asset-based credit facility (the “Credit Facility”);
(c) an engagement letter (the “Engagement Letter”) with Bay Crest Partners, LLC, a New York-based FINRA registered broker-dealer and financial services firm (the “Agent”), to complete a private placement of up to USD$15 million (the “Offering”); and
(d) a fee agreement (the “Fee Agreement”) pursuant to which Celadon Financial Group, LLC, a FINRA registered broker dealer (“Celadon”) identified qualified investors and other broker-dealers in connection with the Acquisition.
The Acquisition
On April 19, 2018, the Company entered into a non-binding letter of intent to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares in the capital stock of TargetCo. The Acquisition is to be completed as a reverse-triangular merger under applicable Washington corporate law with TargetCo becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. The purchase price of the Acquisition is an estimated USD$9 million, subject to customary purchase price adjustments. Of the USD$9 million purchase price, USD$4 million is to be paid and satisfied in cash and USD$5 million is to be paid and satisfied through the issuance by the Company of approximately 26,315,790 common shares in the capital of the Company with a deemed issuance price equal to USD$0.19 per share (CAD$0.25 per share using an exchange rate of 1.32). The cash portion of the purchase price is currently expected to be funded by a portion of the net proceeds raised as part of the Offering.
TargetCo specializes in providing mission critical equipment and services to the US and international militaries, law enforcement, tactical groups, fire and rescue, utilities, power generation nuclear and hydro power plants, as well as the public. TargetCo’s trailing revenue for the 6-month period ending June 30, 2018 was approximately USD$18.3 million and its net income for the same period was approximately USD$750,000.
The Acquisition, if completed, is a strategic transaction for Mission Ready, as it would significantly increase Mission Ready’s sales and would provide privileged access to valuable contracts that are set aside for small business, which contracts might not otherwise be available to Mission Ready. These contracts from the most recent 5-year renewal period, which are valued at over USD$10 billion, continue to be awarded to a small number of eligible participants in advance of the next renewal date, which is expected in 2019.
Jeffery Schwartz, President & CEO of Mission Ready, states: “The Mission Ready team is keenly focused on the targeted growth and development of the Company’s expanding portfolio of leading personal protective solutions. To support this growth plan, we have put in place an experienced senior management team and Board of Directors that possesses strong industry relationships and contacts to translate into future sales and business development opportunities. We are now seeing the benefits of this strategy both organically, by working directly with customers and distribution partners in order to grow our sales channels, and now through this potential strategic acquisition, which would become additive to our overall long-term vision and strategy. If completed, this acquisition would immediately provide Mission Ready with a high level of contract past-performance and will open doors for the Company to participate in opportunities that would not otherwise be available to Mission Ready. We are excited at the prospect of ultimately combining and leveraging our resources and connections with those of Unifire to grow their revenues and expand the business as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mission Ready Solutions Inc.”
The Acquisition, including the payment of the purchase price, is subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (“TSXV”). The Acquisition is also conditional upon receipt of all other applicable regulatory and third party consents, completion of satisfactory due diligence by the Company and the execution of definitive legal documentation by the parties. The Company believes that the Acquisition constitutes a Fundamental Acquisition, but will not constitute a Non-Arm’s Length Transaction and will not result in a Change of Control as defined by the TSXV’s policies.
Additional detailed information about the Acquisition, including financial information of TargetCo, will follow upon the entering into of definitive legal documentation.
The Credit Facility
The Company has entered into the Term Sheet for the provision of the Credit Facility, which is to be used primarily to fund the operations of TargetCo following the completion of the Acquisition. In connection with the Credit Facility, the Creditor is to have first lien security against all of the assets of TargetCo, and other security to be determined following completion of the Creditor’s due diligence. The borrowing base for the Credit Facility will be equal to 80% of eligible receivables and up to 100% of the costs of goods on purchase orders received. The fees associated with the Credit Facility will include a factoring fee computed with respect to accounts receivable borrowed against and a purchase order fee computed with respect to advances made against purchase orders, both of which are at competitive rates. The Credit Facility is expected to require TargetCo to have orders of a minimum of USD$100 million within the first 15 months from the first date of accessing the Credit Facility, failing which TargetCo will be required to pay a 0.5% penalty on the face value of the orders received during such 15-month period. The Credit Facility is subject to receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSXV, as well as satisfactory due diligence by the Creditor and the entering into of definitive legal documentation.
The Offering
The Company has entered into the Engagement Letter with the Agent, pursuant to which the Agent is to act as the exclusive placement agent with respect to a private placement financing. The Engagement Letter contemplates that the private placement will be of equity, equity-linked debt, convertible securities or other securities issued by the Company (the “Securities”) at a price or conversion price, as the case may be, to be determined by the Company and the Agent, which price will be finalized in accordance with the TSXV policies, for gross proceeds of up to USD$15 million. The Offering is to be conducted on a “reasonable efforts” basis.
As compensation for its services, the Agent will be entitled to fees equal to 6.0% of the gross proceeds raised in the Offering. The Agent will also be reimbursed for its reasonable expenses incurred as part of the Offering. Pursuant to the Fee Agreement, the Company is to pay a commission equal to 2.0% of the gross proceeds raised in the Offering to Celadon. All such fees and commissions are payable in cash upon closing of the Offering. Celadon shall also separately receive a fee directly from the Creditor for assisting in obtaining the Credit Facility.
The Company anticipates that it will use the gross proceeds of the Offering to pay the cash portion of the purchase price for the Acquisition (USD$4 million), to pay certain debts and obligations of TargetCo (approximately USD$6 million), and to use the remainder primarily for fees, commissions, and working capital and general corporate purposes for the next several months of operations of the TargetCo business (up to USD$5 million).
The Offering is subject to receipt of all necessary approvals, including the approval of the TSXV. All securities issued in connection with the Offering shall be subject to a four month statutory hold period.
This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, and these securities will not be offered or sold in any jurisdiction in which their offer or sale would be unlawful. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), or any state securities laws of the United States. Accordingly, these securities will not be offered or sold to persons within the United States unless an exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws is available.
Completion of the Acquisition, the Credit Facility and the Offering are subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, execution of definitive documentation and receipt of all applicable regulatory and third party consents. There can be no assurance that the Acquisition, the Credit Facility and/or the Offering will be completed as proposed or at all.
