Horizon Laminate is a collaboration between British Tactical and Flimmuur Tactical. Patented, it’s seen here in the construction of British Tactical’s MagPI line of pouches.
They’ve managed to save weight by transitioning from a Kydex retention system to using Curv as a stiffener which facilitates retention. Curv is lighter and easier to cut meaning it can be scored and folded in order to created strong shapes.
Iv seen this on a bunch of discount / air soft equipment. Is the design because the companies can’t make kydex inserts so this is a cheaper alternative?
Tegris and Curv are newer materials that are strong, lightweight and easy to cut with a laser. Kydex is overkill in some load carriage applications. These materials are more appropriate in those cases.
Maybe in some load carriage but a full mag for an m4 is 2 pounds. That needs some gripping. That’s why iv seen it on air softer stuff, their mags have no weight.
We have been using kydex inserts for a very long time. However, there are key drawbacks: they are heavy and bulky (just see how much extra depth the pouch with insert adds to the magazine). Additionally, they are not self contained so they need to sit inside another insert, to be used in a chest rig/placard.
Our MagPI inserts are able to generate tension through folding a flexible material along curved scoring lines. This allows for an insert that is barely wider/deeper than the magazine it holds. Furthermore, unlike kydex wedges, one can adjust the degree of retention by adjusting the width of the gap between the wings of insert.
We have thoroughly tested these inserts on ops and the retention is excellent.
Lastly, as a flex (pardon the pun), legacy kydex insert mag pouches weigh about 100g. Our pouch, including insert, weighs 36g. That is less than a lot of elastic mag pouches on the market.
They have reposted a review on their website. It should answer your questions.
https://www.britishtactical.com/blog/british-tacticalflimmuur-tactical-horizon-laminate-magpi-range/
What do they have a patent on? Esstac has been making pouches this style forever. Unobtainium gear has been making their Sleds system, did they get a patent on thermo forming curv? This is the stupid shit that grids my gears. No different than first spears stupid laser frame and patenting laser cut Molle. Bunch of stupid bullshit if you ask me.
By scoring the thermoplastic with curved lines, our MagPI inserts are able to flex inwards and generate tension once the insert is folded. Think origami. Absolutely no thermal forming for our inserts.
Unobtanium gear essentially uses the material as a glorified flat stiffening material. Esstac uses the molded Y shape as a compressed spring. We are doing something completely different, creating 3D curves, utilising the inherent flexibility of the material.
I would be grateful if you put on your critical thinking cap on.