Thanks to the guys at DriFire, I had a chance to check out a new line of clothing made from American wool. Look for more on this exciting brand soon.
The benefits of wool are well known; warm even when wet, naturally anti-microbial and no-melt no-drip. Plus, in this case, it’s grown, processed and manufactured right here in the USA.
The little brother of the AO Elite line combat shirt, the UBAX Gen3 features a basic cut while retaining all the advanced features of the Elite shirt. The MultiCam sleeves are made from non-FR, Poly/Cotton fabric, while the TAN499 torso is made from FR material. The ergonomic mandarin style collar is Jersey lined for optimal comfort when wearing a plate carrier or vest. Both arms feature a full Velcro harmonica pocket with pen/chemlight holders integrated into the pocket flaps, and two internal zipper pockets for smaller items. The cuffs are Velcro adjustable. The UBAX is also compatible with d3o Labs’ Impact Resistant P5 elbow pads. It will be available in sizes Sm-XXL.
Available for pre-order with an April 2014 release. Use code advancedpreorder for a 10% discount.
www.ao-store.com/preorder-multicam-ubax-advanced-gen3
Marietta, GA – March 3, 2014 – TRU-SPEC®, one of the leading suppliers of uniforms and personal equipment to the military, law enforcement and public safety markets, and Asia Integrity Enterprise are pleased to announce an exciting new partnership which will see Asia Integrity as the Exclusive Master Distributor of TRU-SPEC’s products to the company’s Asian regions – including: People’s Republic of China, Taiwan, Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Timor-Leste, Cambodia, Papa New Guinea, Brunei, Mongolia, Myanmar, Laos and Micronesia.
The agreement is an extension from the two companies long-stemming, six-plus year successful relationship. As part of the partnership, Asia Integrity will serve as TRU-SPEC’s source of sales, distribution and contact for the high-demanding Asian regions.
“Asia Integrity is one of the fastest growing distribution companies in the Asian market for our products, and we’re incredibly pleased to have this partnership in motion,” stated TRU-SPEC’s Vice President of Marketing, Darrell Jacks. “We at TRU-SPEC maintain an unwavering level of customer service, with every product that goes out the door; and this partnership demonstrates our commitment to making each of our customers – domestic and abroad happy. Through this new partnership we are confident that we can continue to serve our loyal customers and dealers overseas with seamless service and integrity.”
The agreement, which was made official at SHOT Show 2014, will direct all of TRU-SPEC’s Asian market distributors through Asia Integrity; who will sell products at distributor pricing, accept all Purchase Orders and ship product to customers in that market.
For more information about Asia Integrity, visit www.truspecasia.com.
Yesterday during the Centenary of Military Aviation Airshow at RAAF Williams at Point Cook, the Royal Australian Air Force officially unveiled the new General Purpose Uniform.
We talked about the GPU awhile back which is a garrison uniform for non-wartime deployers like the USAF ABU. However, it will be worn for some deployment scenarios such as humanitarian assistance. According to the RAAF, the pattern is an Air Force specific version of the Australian MultiCam Pattern (AMP) already in-use in Afghanistan.
“The purpose of the GPU is to provide a unique and easily identifiable Air Force presence to the Australian Defence and civilian communities, consistent with the Air Force’s distinctive identity and still effective in meeting our service requirements,” AIRMSHL Brown said.
“The GPU will begin from today to replace the current camouflage uniform, also worn by Army, for general base duties and in non-warlike environments such as humanitarian tasks and Defence assistance to the civil community.”
RAAF personnel should look for these by the end if 2015.
FirstSpear’s new Long Sleeve Thermal is a pretty good looking top. It features contrasting stitching and the FirstSpear logo. Now, here’s the deal part. Buy any long sleeve thermal get free domestic and APO ground shipping.
Available in Grey, White and Navy Blue sizes Small – 2XLarge.
We met with our friends at McNett during a recent trip to Seattle. One of the things we asked them if they could do was to share some info on how to use their products with our readers. Let’s face it, money isn’t there like it used to be and we are going to all have to become very good at maintaining what we have. McNett offers a great range of accessories and garment care products.
Routine cleaning and maintenance is necessary in order to keep technical fabrics performing at their best. Typically, technical fabrics are constructed of a face fabric (usually some type of nylon), a waterproof breathable membrane (i.e. GORE-TEX, eVent, etc.) and a liner fabric that rests against the body. The outer fabric is typically treated with a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) to help water bead up and roll off. It is extremely important that we keep these fabrics in top shape.
Many soldiers think that GORE-TEX and other waterproof breathable fabrics are fragile and should not be washed, but this is not the case. Cleaning technical fabrics only improves their performance; however, it is extremely important that you use a specialized cleaner. Typical “household” cleaners contain heavy residues, optical brighteners and fabric softeners which can also impact performance.
The chemicals used in fabric softeners build up and leave residues on your garment. These residues will cover the DWR coating on the outside of the item, which will allow water to spread out and soak into the fabric instead of beading up and rolling off. Residues from fabric softeners also tend to remain in the clothing fibers. The residues from fabric softeners can also affect the breathabilty of the waterproof breathable membrane as well.
Picture a water repellent as millions of tiny hairs standing straight on end. When a bead of water falls from the sky and lands on the hairs standing straight on end, it simply rolls off. With time, you get a build-up of dirt, smoke, body oils and other residues which tend to weigh down on those hairs standing straight on end. Now they are now longer standing straight up and when a bead of water falls from the sky, it begins to wet through the fabric as opposed to rolling right off. When this happens, you need to wash the garment with a cleaner that will remove all the residues and particulates without leaving behind additional residues.
All that said, it is extremely important that you use a clean rinsing detergent like ReviveX Synthetic Fabric Cleaner (http://www.mcnett.com/gearaid/synthetic-fabric-cleaner#36296) to rinse away the dirt, oils and residues which prevent the water repellent from shedding water and which also tend to clog the GORE-TEX membranes.
Once you have cleaned the garment with a specialized cleaner, many times you can restore the DWR and get the jacket to bead-up again by simply placing it in the dryer. If the DWR is still present, the heat will re-activate those tiny “hairs” and cause them to stand straight on end again. If the jacket is not repelling water after cleaning with a specialized cleaner and drying, then you will need to re-treat it with an aftermarket water repellent like ReviveX Durable Waterproofing (http://www.mcnett.com/gearaid/durable-waterproofing#36230). Start with a clean garment, spray it down with ReviveX Durable Waterproofing and dry according to the manufacturer’s recommendation or air dry for 48 hours.
Another benefit of the water-repellent finish (DWR) is that it allows passage of vapor more readily from inside the garment. Without this water repellent on the outer fabric, water can soak in and cool the surface as it evaporates. Moisture generated by a soldier’s body in the form of vapor can pass easily thorough the membrane unless the vapor contacts a cool surface; then it condenses into liquid (just as warm breath condenses into a liquid when it contacts a cool piece of glass). This is another reason why the water-repellent finish and the garment should be kept in good shape.
We all know that garments that wet-out and aren’t able to breath can lead to some pretty miserable times. With proper maintenance, however, we can prevent those uncomfortable moments outdoors and keep our garments dry while enhancing performance.
This post is brought to you by McNett. McNett offers products for maintaining, repairing, and waterproofing gear and clothing, and water purification, as well as microfiber towels and tactical products including lens cleaner and anti-fog, survival products, and Camo Form camouflage wrap.
This news from Massif is huge for aircrews.
Innovative FR nylon-face fabric provides all the benefits of the best water-resistant outdoor fabrics while meeting stringent requirements for flame resistance.
ASHLAND, OR, FEBRUARY X, 2014 – Massif® Fire and Ice Layering System including Air Force Elements Jacket and Pant made with Battleshield X fabric has been authorized Safe-to-Fly.
Massif Battleshield X fabric is a flame-resistant, water-resistant laminate, and features GORE® FR stretch technology. It was developed specifically for the military and tactical markets, with a US patent-pending nylon face fabric. While nylon garments have a long history of performance in the outdoor market, it has never before provided adequate FR protection. Massif Battleshield X fabric offers a shift in flame resistance by combining filament nylon-faced laminates with exceptional FR protection. The result is an extremely durable, highly breathable fabric with a superior warmth-to-weight ratio that is highly water resistant and flame resistant.
“We’ve been working with the Air Force for a decade and are thrilled to have our FR Layering System approved as Safe-to-Fly. The new fabric used in the Elements line of softshell garments is a revolutionary innovation, with amazing breathability and durability, coupled with FR protection” said Dave Bywater, VP of Government Sales at Massif.
Massif Battleshield X has been rigorously field-tested in some of the world’s harshest conditions, and has proved itself over and over. In high-activity situations, Massif’s unique fabrics with Gore’s breathable stretch membrane reduce overheating and chilling from moisture retention and reduce user fatigue, keeping soldiers dryer, safer, and more effective in a wider range of situations and temperatures. What’s more, Massif Battleshield X fabric meets the stringent requirements of ASTM D6413/F2302 and shows extremely low Burn Injury Prediction when tested on a manikin per ASTM F1930.
The authorized Massif® Air Force Elements™ Jacket and Pant with Battleshield X™ fabric are available as commercial off-the-shelf products. The Air Force has rigorously tested and authorized all products in Massif’s Fire & Ice Layering system, ensuring that pilots and aircrew have access to the world’s most technologically advanced FR equipment. Fire & Ice includes Cool Knit, HotJohns, and Flamestretch base layers covering the silk weight, mid weight, and expedition weight needs of varying environments in the air and on the ground.
