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Mission First Tactical Introduces New Black Leather Hybrid Holsters

Tuesday, June 6th, 2023

Horsham, PA – (June 5th, 2023) – Mission First Tactical (MFT) manufacturers of state-of-the-art, USA made rifle/carbine accessories and holsters, is proud to announce the new Black Leather Hybrid line of holsters including: Appendix Inside Waistband (AIWB), Inside Waistband (IWB) and Outside Waistband (OWB) holsters.  

The holster you choose to carry every day should be the best of both worlds; functional and comfortable. These Kydex®-style holsters are fused with genuine American full-grain leather and are the perfect everyday-carry holsters. With these Kydex®-style holsters you get the benefit of exact tolerances, secure retention and easy re-holstering with all of leather’s comfort, style and feel. With the Kydex®-style holster, there is no break-in time required as compared to other traditional leather holsters and you will benefit from a much longer service life. To see more about the Leather Hybrid holsters CLICK HERE.

These versatile AIWB, IWB, or OWB holsters are capable of use both in right and left-hand positioning, outside your waist band, inside your waistband or appendix carry. Each holster is made to precise tolerances and tailored for each model of handgun using the most advanced techniques and materials. Adjustable retention and the famous, audible “CLICK” makes each draw and re-holster smooth and secure. All models come standard with a 1.5” belt clip. Visit the Website!

Features Include:

Adjustable cant of 0-15 degrees

1.5” Belt clip

Ambidextrous hole patterns for right or left-handed carry

RMR Reflex sight compatible

Sight Track compatible with suppressor sights etc.

Molded, trimmed, assembled and buffed by hand

Comfortable for constant wear

Made in the USA at MFT facilities

We welcome dealers to join with MFT in representing their innovative products to the tactical and self-defense customers. MFT values these partnerships and relationships.

If you’re looking to add MFT’s industry-leading products to your sales portfolio, please visit [email protected] for information on how to become a dealer.

MFT’s point of purchase (POP) displays make it easy to add an assortment of their best sellers. They are easy to assemble and there is always free freight with a qualifying program. The unique and visually cool designs add to the look and feel of any shop. Their POP displays will tell the product’s story to increase sales.

Founded by experienced retailers, MFT knows how to create and deliver products your customers want. Superior packaging highlights the item and helps the customer understand what its use is and how it’s installed without the help of staff. Unlike most, MFT has the experience, understanding, and depth of product to provide combinations that maximize sales. Easy reordering, near-perfect fulfillment and customer service supports Dealers from start to finish. MFT adheres to a strict MAP policy which ensures healthy margins. All of MFT products are made in the USA and backed up with a Lifetime warranty. Sign up today!

To learn more about the Leather Hybrid Holsters and complete product offerings from Mission First Tactical, please visit: www.missionfirsttactical.com

UNITY Tactical Launches SUMMIT Three-Hole Shroud

Tuesday, June 6th, 2023

Unibody construction yields superior strength-to-weight ratio

BROUSSARD, LA. (June 6, 2023) – UNITY™ Tactical, a designer of components that integrate tactical systems and optimize the human factor, announced today the launch of SUMMIT™, a three-hole shroud for tactical helmets.

With an over-molded unibody construction, the SUMMIT™ shroud is durable in even the most austere environments, featuring a high-impact polymer shroud and a fixed over-molded stainless steel insert.

“NVG mounting solutions interface directly with the stainless steel insert, ensuring a solid lockup that resists wear over time. And there is zero movement with all three axes,” said Mike Roth, VP of business development for UNITY Tactical. “Its unibody construction makes it the lightest and strongest three-hole shroud solution available. Coupled with a lifetime warranty, it’s a smart investment you can rely on in the field.”

Yielding a more than 25% weight reduction from currently fielded NVG shrouds, the SUMMIT™ shroud provides a superior strength-to-weight ratio. It secures night vision electro-optics, lights, cameras and other accessories with a proven fit that is sturdy and reliable.

“We focus on designing components that integrate tactical systems, and a helmet is a platform on which the end user needs many different systems to run effectively together,” said Trent Zimmer, founder and president of UNITY Tactical. “We aimed to design a shroud that works seamlessly with NODs and other accessories, while also removing all the unnecessary weight. The SUMMIT shroud is a great addition to our suite of existing helmet accessory solutions.”

SUMMIT™ offers users a lifetime warranty and is available for retrofit of ArmorSource™, Avon Protection™ Ceradyne, Busch PROtective®, Galvion™, MTEK™, Ops-Core® and many other global helmet brands utilizing the standard three-hole pattern.

It is available in five FED-STD colors, including black, cam green, coyote brown, desert tan and foliage green. Custom colors available with a minimum order quantity. SUMMIT™ retails for $89 and is available for immediate delivery in individual or large quantities now through authorized UNITY dealers and on UNITYtactical.com.

OpEx 23 – HLC Industries

Monday, June 5th, 2023

I was both surprised and pleased to see HLC Industries exhibiting at Operator Expo.

They were there to engage the Canadian textile industry and show their Made in USA fabrics.

The 2023 OTTE Gear x Bawidamann 2023 Narcos Playa Shirts Are In!

Saturday, June 3rd, 2023

It’s finally here! The 2023 OTTE Gear x Bawidamann 2023 Narcos Playa print which recalls the 80s Miami Drug War, a gritty fight between the US and the cartels. The fuel for the failed state was Cocaine and the fight was with the elusive Cocaine Cowboys. Hand-designed by Andrew Bawidamann himself, this pop-heavy print courses through your veins, weaving around Hibiscus & Coca, Beechcraft Kings & Cigarette boats, Brass Knucks & AK47s to name a few. The Mexican bass guitar plays Chalino Sanchez’s music, setting the stage for Miami Vice days and nights.

ottegear.com/products/aloha-narcos-playa-shirt

Hidden gems include Grenades & AK47s, straight razors, brass knucks, switchblades, Bren 10, SBS 12, coffins, rosary & skulls, CAR 15 & mac10.  Available in Blowout Black, Paradise Blue and Rush Green.

The Nacros Playa print is also available on OTTE Gear as a Nalgene bottle in Rush and a Range Bag in exclusive Sunset Pink.  We also partnered with TXC Holsters to make this print available in the holster lineup as well (available on their site).

ottegear.com/products/og-x-nalgene-32oz-bottles

ottegear.com/products/tactical-range-bag

txcholsters.com/collections/limited-edition

UF PRO Champions the Spirit of the Special Forces in ‘Limits are a Mindset’ Video

Friday, June 2nd, 2023

KOMENDA, SLOVENIA (1 June 2023) – In a powerful tribute to the relentless spirit of the Special Forces selection candidates, UF PRO launched a new video, ‘Limits are a mindset.’ The video doesn’t just celebrate the grit and tenacity of these extraordinary individuals—it also encapsulates UF PRO’s commitment to the same ethos in designing tactical gear for military and law enforcement professionals.

The video follows the journey of a Special Forces selection candidate, offering a gripping testament to the perseverance required to overcome each gruelling challenge. This narrative mirrors UF PRO’s own commitment to transcending boundaries, not just in product innovation, but in the mentality that fuels the company.

“Like the SF candidate in the video, we at UF PRO see limits not as barriers, but as challenges to be overcome,” says a company spokesperson. “This ethos is central to our brand. It drives us to design gear that enables our customers to meet their own challenges head-on, no matter how daunting.”

UF PRO’s ‘Limits are a mindset’ video reflects the company’s belief that the pursuit of excellence is unending. In a world that demands constant evolution, both on the battlefield and in the tactical gear industry, the ability to adapt and overcome is vital. And that’s precisely what UF PRO delivers: tactical gear designed with the tenacity to tackle the unknown, echoing the spirit of those who wear it.

For more information, please visit UF PRO’s website at ufpro.com

FirstSpear Friday Focus – Summit Bag

Friday, June 2nd, 2023

Our popular Summit Bag provides a great way to keep your gear organized inside larger packs or bags and works exceptionally well as a stuff sack for garments and gear. You can throw it under your seat or keep it in the trunk. This is an incredibly versatile organization tool used extensively by both military and civilians.

• Made in AMERICA

• Mesh, 70D ripstop, and High-Vis Orange Packcloth

• Zipper closure

• Available exclusively at FirstSpear

Small (1 Liter) – 4″ x 4″ x 4.5″
Medium (2 Liter) – 4″ x 4″ x 9″
Large (7 Liter) – 6″ x 6″ x 12″
XL (11 Liter) – 6″ x 10″ x 12″
2XL (56 Liter) – 12″ x 12″ x 24″

Check out FirstSpear to find American Made kit and accessories, Built For The X.

ZEV Technologies Announces the Official Launch of the OZ9 V2 ELITE

Thursday, June 1st, 2023

ZEV Technologies announces the official launch of the OZ9 V2 Elite series of pistols, offering true modularity with a single Compact receiver that can be customized into ten different configurations. The originality of the V2 combines the best of Gen 3 and Gen 5 parts, resulting in a robust integrated system with advanced performance. The OZ9 V2 Elite has also received aesthetic updates, modernizing the signature cuts, and overall appearance. It is available now in various sizes, with the V2 Combat launch coming soon.

The V2 Combat platform has been adopted by the DOE’s OST as their sidearm. Both the Elite and Combat handguns share the DNA of Original ZEV modularity and advanced design.

“The V2 OZ9 was designed by Team ZEV with the mantra ‘one gun, every mission.’ With true modularity and hybrid generation tech, we have turned that dream into reality. Whether you are a defensive-minded citizen or a professional end user, the OZ9 V2 offers something for everyone.”

– Dan Groce, Director of Brand Engagement

www.zevtechnologies.com

Revision I-Vis: Compelling Contrast and Color Accuracy [Updated]

Thursday, June 1st, 2023

Sometimes a capability or technology comes along that seems like it should be easy to explain, but really isn’t — at least not without providing an in-person, first-person experience. It was difficult before when comparing polarized vs non-polarized eye pro, and it’s more so the the case now with Revision Military’s “I-Vis” technology for shooting glasses. I-Vis glasses might look like just the latest tactical sunglasses du jour, but there’s a lot of high-tech stuff going on in those lenses. It’s a lens technology that provides significantly increased contrast without losing detail.

That’s a much bigger deal than you might think.

Higher contrast with detail retention is something that even the higher end eye-pro (including Revision’s own) has previously been unable to do. Increasing contrast (or polarizing) a lens has previously by necessity meant blocking some of the light allowed through a lens. This results in a degradation of Gamut Expansion, which is the number of colors an individual can see.

That is no longer the case.

I-Vis Lens Technology

David Reeder

Revision I-Vis ballistic glasses

This article originally ran in October, 2022. It has been updated with additional information and imagery and republished.

We’ll have to get a little bit into color science to explain Gamut Expansion and how it affects your shooting and perception, but the BLUF is this:

It is now possible to injection mold a ballistic lens that delivers markedly (measurably) superior contrast without the previously-necessary reduction in detail.

As Revision explains it, I-Vis will “…expand chroma and enhance the number of colors the user can see.”

The tech is in the dye formulation process.

It is much easier to see it through the lenses than to grasp it based on a few hundred words, but here’s a basic rundown.

There are three types of vision: Photopic, Scotopic, and Mesoptic. Photopic (which uses cones) =color, daylight, and detail. Scotopic (which uses rods) = nighttime, black & white, lack of detail. Traditional tinted shooting lenses increase contrast by moving color reception from photopic toward scotopic, with a corresponding loss of detail.

Color Neutral Lens Tech

The first things to understand are, 1) light is information to the brain, and 2) contrast = differentiation.

I-Vis improves both of those things. It does so by increasing ocular resolution by an estimated 130% or more. It does this with just a marginal reduction in sharpness when compared to a good clear lens and without the significant degradation of true color caused by traditional tinted lenses. Although we haven’t (yet) seen independent testing to confirm that exact number, an initial field expedient trial by media members, some competitive shooters, and (unofficially) some specialized military personnel does seem to corroborate the claim. The eyes of every individual are different, but most people will see a marked difference in contrast and detail using I-Vis vs. traditional tinted contrast eye protection.

Traditional shooting/ballistic glasses typically use a monochromatic lens tint that enhances contrast, often significantly so. However, this reduces the Gamut of Expansion and color accuracy and also increases eye fatigue. To combat this, users engaging in “color critical” tasks use something like a basic smoke-tinted lens that offers no performance benefit other than light reduction.

Dr. Richard Colo, OD, explains in part:

In terms of performance, all shooting glasses have been predicated on what I like to call the wow factor. For decades, people selling glasses for shooting would increase contrast so that we wound having the tint of the month…increase contrast, increase contrast, increase contrast. That became a kind of benchmark in terms of how good a shooting glass lens was. The problem with that is, as you increase the contrast, you reduce the amount of light coming in. As you reduce the amount of light coming in, you’re shifting from photopic detail toward scotopic black and white.

I-Vis glasses are color neutral. This enhances color accuracy, reduces eye fatigue, increases depth perception, and provides greater visual detail.

Eyes make only two movements. One is a “smooth pursuit” movement. The other is “saccadic” movement. Smooth pursuit, which uses cones, is how we pull the trigger. Saccadic, which uses rods, is how we go from one spot to the other – and it’s a thousand times as fast as smooth pursuit. I-Vis lens technology improves contrast (i.e. differentiation) without negatively impacting either. This increases visual performance.

Filtering light

Let’s break it down substantially more Barney-style: I-Vis lenses add more colors to your crayon box.

With more crayons you can draw (i.e. see) with better resolution and depth perception. It’s not that the red object you see becomes “more redder”, it’s that it becomes more of that object’s actual, specific red hue. This effectively reveals things — admittedly sometimes smaller, seemingly inconsequential things — you would otherwise not have seen. Think digital photograph vs. posterized clip art, albeit not always as immediately drastic.

From a performance perspective, particularly in a tactical or other life-or-limb situation, little inconsequential details are often anything but.

Increased contrast without loss of detail allows for accurate recognition of colors. Accurate recognition of colors ensures depth performance and promotes visual comfort.

Image comparison courtesy of Revision Military.

Confident Perspective

In addition to the obvious benefit of improved perception, target acquisition, and the like, increased contrast without corresponding loss of detail improves confidence. Dr. Colo, who also has a degree in psychology, makes a particular point of this in the context of shotgun sports.

“Take for example an average individual in the field wearing a clear lens. That person is out shooting clays. The pupil constricts and depth of field increases. The constricted pupil restricts the blur circle at the back of the eye, increasing the depth of field, and everything is clear.  Going on down a few stations, though, now your pupil dilates. This puts a bit of a fuzzy edge around the target. It’s not the fuzzy edge that might be a problem problem, it’s the potential effect of that fuzzy edge on the shooter’s confidence-doubt that could become the problem.”

“Contrast sells glasses. Detail hits (or breaks) targets.” Dr. Richard Colo

This sort of increased confidence is obviously just as applicable (and potentially far more significant) to someone trying to pick up and identify a moving target through a scope, or notice minute changes in the soil that might indicate an IED, or the presence of a camouflaged threat.

Sid Mitchell of Revision Military

Sid Mitchell of Revision Military (who wears prescription glasses) explaining how I-Vis works, and how it might work to make Rx versions of the lenses.

Environmentally Specific.

Well, ~ish.

There are six tints of I-Vis available, each developed after an extensive theater-specific study of potential AO color palettes using global data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

This provides for five individual tints designed to increase contrast and elevate color recognition in the prevalent terrain of different geographic regions, plus a “general purpose” tint that functions extremely well across the board (if not to the extent of the more specialized lenses).

I-Vis Verso Lenses Eye Protection

It’s hard to adequately and accurately demonstrate how I-Vis impacts color perception, but here’s a crude attempt. This gif begins with Verso lenses in front of the camera, then shows what it looks like without them (and back).

The I-Vis lens line includes:

• Verso 

The most technically complex I-Vis lens, Verso designed for the widest range of environments and settings. This is the general purpose lens one would want if only able to buy one pair. (Visible Light Transmittance/VLT: 19%*)

• Aros

Aros is intended to enhance colors found in typical desert environments. It brings out differences between similar shades of brown, tan, yellow, and orange colors while making man-made structures and objects stand out. (VLT: 12%*)

• Cano

Cano was developed to provide color definition environments dominated by greens, browns, and grays (typified in lush foliage). Cano lenses maximize visual light transmission because they’re designed for densely forested areas with a canopy and shaded terrain. Man-made structures will stand out, as will differences (or changes) in the foreground landscape. (VLT: 37%*)

Revision I-Vis Cano lenses with and without.

This is a look at the same ravine as above, this time using Cano lenses. With, then without, then with again. Use of an animated gif on an electronic screen is necessarily crude – apologies for that.

• Alto

Alto lenses are suited to dry, high-altitude environments dominated by grays, tans, and blues (such as the terrain found in northern Afghanistan).  (VLT: 12%*)

• Clara

Clara lenses were modeled for use in northern Europe, Scandinavia, and the Baltics, and Poland. They’re designed to bring out color definition and contrast in brightly lit areas of white, gray, and blue. Think snowy wooded areas, rocks, mountains, and areas with undulating snowpack. (VLT: 12%*)

• Umbra

Much like Clara, the Umbra dye formulation is intended to improve color contrast in overcast, snow-prominent areas dominated by whites and greys (snowy, rocky areas and mountains).  (VLT: 48%*)

Polarized vs non-polarized is no longer the main choice; now it's a matter of appropriately selecting the correct environmental lens from the Revision Eyewear i-Vis line.

Polarized vs non-polarized is no longer the main choice; now it’s a matter of appropriately selecting the correct environmental lens from the Revision Eyewear i-Vis line.

*VLT may vary +/- 5% based upon eyewear form factor, lens thickness and coatings.

Polarized vs Non-Polarized

To better grasp why i-Vis lens tech is significant, it might be helpful to understand just a little about how polarized vs non-polarized lenses work. Polarized sunglasses provide a sharper image than non-polarized sunglasses. A polarized lens seems to call out better detail than non-polarized lenses while simultaneously doing their main job – cutting the glare of bright light, increasing visual clarity, and reducing eye strain.

Reflected light (light waves bounced off a horizontal surface like water, sand, snow, and pavement) is often worse than bright sunlight, even when direct. That reflective surface glare is where you wring the most advantage from polarized glasses (whether corrective, ballistic, and/or safety glasses) vs. regular sunglasses.

Polarized lenses are great. Many people (myself included) prefer them to non-polarized ones, particularly when on the range, driving, or doing something else outdoors. Unfortunately, the anti-reflective coating used on a polarized sunglass lens to achieve glare mitigation does so by filtering out certain light waves. I won’t pretend to understand all the science, but as I understand it, that anti-glare lens coating is designed to block horizontal light (i.e., shimmer, dazzle, etc.) in particular.  In simplest terms, this means it acts like slats on a window blind, blocking out horizontal rays in particular.

Because some light is blocked, however, some information is lost. That’s why polarized shades aren’t always the best choice for wear on an overcast day, driving in potentially icy conditions, or just looking at digital screens (LCD screen, phone or tablet, etc.). A non-polarized lens doesn’t block glare as well but does a better job of allowing you to see your environment more how it really is. Non-polarized glasses can also provide UV protection, of course, and that’s all anyone needs many times.

Revision’s i-Vis glasses provide many of the advantages of polarized options, vis-a-vis horizontal light waves, contrast, etc., without the reduction of information that comes from polarized light. My Speed Demons (the metal frame i-Vis option) do a great job blocking reflection and providing contrast, but I don’t know how (or if) they protect UV light/UV rays. I’ll have to find that out.

I-Vis EyePro Features

Prior to i-Vis, the most common eye pro comparisons boiled down to ballistic vs impact protective, and polarized vs non-polarized. This lens technology has greatly changed those limitations.

Prior to i-Vis, the most common eye pro comparisons boiled down to ballistic vs impact protective, and polarized vs non-polarized. This lens technology has greatly changed those limitations.

Options Available

Initial styles of I-Vis will include Stingerhawk spectacles and Snowhawk goggles. There will be other styles and models in the future however, all focusing on what Revision’s Sid Mitchell views as the necessary trifecta of modern eye protection: protection, performance, and style.*

The Stingerhawk spectacle system will be available in I-Vis.

So will Snowhawk goggles.

*Style might seem trivial in the context of form vs. function, but it’s not. Not when style and aesthetics directly impact the use of eye pro off the battlefield – which it does. This was true before, when debating the relative merits of polarized vs non-polarized lenses, and it remains true now that i-Vis has entered the chat.

Learn more at RevisionMilitary.com.

DRW