Dutch military outfitter LEAF Gear has overhauled their website, offering a completely new look.
Dutch military outfitter LEAF Gear has overhauled their website, offering a completely new look.
I have been talking to the CORTAC guys for a while now and this is pretty big news for them. They’ve got an interesting technology and I can’t wait to see what Safariland has in store for their system.
May 14, 2014 – HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. – CORTAC announces they have secured an exclusive distribution and OEM integration agreement with The Safariland Group, the manufacturers of Second Chance®, ABA® and Protech Tactical® brands of body armor. The agreement grants The Safariland Group exclusive CTAV OEM integration into armor carrier systems and CTAV Retrofit Kit™ and Shirt Carrier System (SCS)™ distribution rights for the United States Law Enforcement market, both state and local.
The CTAV combines the power of Advanced Impact Resistance technology (AIR)™ and the science of EverDryTM to significantly enhance the comfort of wearing concealable vests, outer vest carriers and tactical body armor, while also providing an additional layer of protection from ballistic and non-ballistic blunt trauma.
“The CTAV is a proven technology that will have a huge impact in the body armor market. CORTAC has solved the age-old problem of excessive body heat being trapped between armor and the body. Officers are often in adverse conditions such as extreme heat so the CTAV really is a game changer when it comes to comfort. We are very excited to partner with CORTAC to offer this technology to our customers,” said Todd Mackler, The Safariland Group Vice President of Armor.
“We are excited that The Safariland Group will be co-branding and providing sales and distribution for the United States Law Enforcement sector,” said Mike Letterman, CEO of CORTAC. “Their distribution system, combined with our CTAV product line, significantly strengthens our mutual ability to put the CTAV into the hands of law enforcement and corrections personnel, where it is greatly needed.” Letterman also added, “This paves the way for The Safariland Group and CORTAC to work closely on other military and international projects.”
Haley Strategic Partners is holding an open house of the new company HQ. The event will consist of an opening of the storefront/showroom, product giveaways, new product announcements, refreshments, and more.
The open house is taking place this Saturday, May 17th, from 1600-2000 in Scottsdale, AZ. Check out the Facebook invite page for more information.
Following up on their international release a few weeks ago, High Threat Concealment will be at SOFIC 2014 in Tampa at booth 1849, along with their new industry partner Darley Defense. Stop by the booth and see what HTC has been up to since SHOT Show. Interested dealers can contact Shay at sdortch@highthreatconcealment.com to set up a meeting during the show.
This is an announcement from the American Suppressor Association regarding their recent name change from the former American Silencer Association. We are pleased about this decision, as it more properly reflects the function of firearm suppressors while distancing the organization from the stigma associated with the term ‘silencer’.
The American Silencer Association is pleased to announce that we have changed our name to the American Suppressor Association. We feel that this is a necessary step to portray our industry in the most accurate light while advocating and educating the public on behalf of the suppressor industry.
The core mission of the ASA is to educate the public on the merits of suppressors. To do so, we must first dispel the widespread notion that firearm suppressors can silence their host gun. To those familiar with suppressors, the difference between the two terms is largely semantics. After all, Hiram Percy Maxim, the man who invented the first commercial suppressor, called his products silencers. However, to the millions of Americans whose only exposure to suppressors has been through Hollywood, the term ‘silencer’ takes on a literal meaning.
Anyone who has ever used a suppressor knows that although they do reduce the overall sound signature of the host firearm, they are incapable of ‘silencing’ anything. Even the most effective suppressors on the smallest and quietest calibers reduce the peak sound level of the gunshot to that of a chainsaw or a hammer drill (110-115 dB). For most centerfire rifle and pistol calibers, suppressors can only reduce the peak sound level to that of a snare drum at a rock concert, or a jet engine at takeoff (130-140 dB).
It is for these reasons that we have decided to change our name. You can visit us online at www.AmericanSuppressorAssociation.com. All previous American Silencer Association URLs and email addresses will still remain active.
We thank you for your support, and look forward to a bright future under the new American Suppressor Association banner.
Last week, I had the chance to visit HSGI’s new production facility in Swansboro, NC along with Tactical Distributors. I love visiting American factories, especially those that support our military, law enforcement and first responders and it was a great opportunity to meet the people behind the brand. This visit was no exception. HSGI has a great management team but, as with all manufacturing, the real magic is on the production floor. What a great group of people. Everyone I met was friendly and fully engaged in the work at hand. It’s a relatively small staff compared to some factories I have visited but the HSGI crew have made up for this by cross-training employees to serve more than one function when needed. This allows them to concentrate additional workers on surge requirements. For example, during the visit, there were several extra folks tying TACOs is anticipation of last week’s release of two new styles, the HCM and Extended Pistol Mag TACOs. Both Todd from TD and I even got to try our hands at the process. HSGI also built special edition versions of a new production belt for us. You’ll see these soon.
It was a great visit. HSGI is a well established company that continues to innovate, all the while building quality, affordable products made by Americans. Please enjoy this video produced by our friends at Tactical Distributors (and keep an eye out during the video for some previews of upcoming HSGI products).
Just before SHOT Show ATS Tactical Gear announced that it purchased the Woolrich Elite brand. During SHOT SHow, we gave you a little taste of how that was progressing at ATS Elite. Now, they’ve landed another coup with the announcement of a partnership with Vickers Tactical. This also means that the clothing will be worn by cast and crew of the newly launched Youtube channel home of TAC-TV.
Be sure to watch this video announcement by LAV and look for a discount code.
You may have heard that DoD is going to finally apply the Berry Amendment to athletic footwear. Many have been working behind the scenes for years to help make this happen and it’s a significant win for those who believe in helping maintain a domestic industrial base. In addition to the troops who will wear this footwear, the change will affect the footwear manufacturers, primarily Wolverine (Saucony brand running shoes) and New Balance, but also the fabric makers, sole maker Vibram, leather providers, and even the shoelace makers in the US who depend on domestic production. This is great news for our domestic supply chain and will help drive innovation in our space.
As I see it, this is just an initial step. The deal is only for initial entry trainees using their voucher, and does not apply to currently serving personnel, so you don’t have to worry that you’ll be required to purchase a Berry compliant shoe. And, for those of you complaining that there won’t be many choices and that you need something special to fit your particular foot, consider this; a few years ago, DoD went to a common last (footbed shape) for combat footwear. In reality, you already don’t have different fits available for your feet.
Rockford, Michigan, April 28, 2014 — Wolverine Worldwide (NYSE: WWW) today commends the Department of Defense for updating the policy regarding the acquisition of athletic shoes for military recruits. In a letter to members of the Armed Services Committees, the Deputy Secretary of Defense confirmed a policy change that requires new recruits to use their footwear allowance to purchase U.S.-made athletic footwear that is compliant with the Berry Amendment, once they are available in the marketplace.
For the past several years, Wolverine Worldwide has urged the Pentagon to procure athletic footwear manufactured in the United States, rather than purchasing foreign-made products. This policy change will ensure that the Armed Services are not dependent on foreign sources for essential basic training needs and will significantly help support the U.S. supply chain for American-made shoes.
This policy correction will help strengthen and support the domestic industrial base and the thousands of manufacturing jobs that provide the necessary equipment for the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Special Forces, with no additional cost to the taxpayer. It also strengthens the ability of industry to provide the full spectrum of footwear needs of the Armed Services, from combat boots to athletic shoes.
“I am grateful that the Department of Defense has recognized the importance of providing the Armed Services with athletic footwear made in the United States,” said Blake Krueger, Wolverine Worldwide Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Our Saucony, Merrell and Bates brands have partnered together to advance this effort and we are well into the process of producing state-of-the art athletic shoes at our manufacturing plant in Michigan. Wolverine Worldwide is committed to utilizing the full research and development capabilities of our entire corporation to support the training needs of those who serve our country.”