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RockTape Partners With 5.11 to Launch New Tactical Line

Friday, July 5th, 2013

Not that long ago we told you that kinesiology tape makes RockTape had brought Chris Costa on board as spokesman. The tape is used to treat a wide variety of sports injuries or increase performance by increasing blood flow to applies areas.

Things certainly seem to be looking up for the brand as they’ve just announced the launch of a new line with 5.11 Tactical. For 5.11 it seems like a great natural progression following their new 5.11 Recon line of training products that include shirts, shorts and footwear.

Costa certainly has a lot of great things to say about RockTape saying in a recent press release, “Pain is a distraction, and you absolutely can’t allow it to affect your focus. You can apply RockTape yourself and it stays on through intense physical activity. You’re not bothered by muscle pain or soreness — you don’t even think about it anymore.”

RockTape weighed in on the deal as well. “We’re committed to helping tactical athletes and first responders with a product that solves the pain problem and a means to improve their performance. RockTape is effective, versatile and affordable. It’s the perfect product to fit in a rucksack or go-bag, which is why we’ve partnered with 5.11 tactical,” said Greg van den dries, CEO of RockTape. “We both believe in providing customers with high quality, effective product that stands up to the requirements of field work.”

And naturally, 5.11 shared their thoughts. “We are like-minded in how we serve this industry says Guy Burgstahler, CMO of 5.11 Tactical. “No doubt, reliable gear and a pain-free experience helps performance which is why we’re glad to partner with RockTape. We know we’re providing customers with the best, most-reliable, useful product that enables them to have a safe, effective outcome.”

This looks to be a pretty big deal for Tony Blauer, RockTape consultant, renowned hand to hand trainer, CEO of BTS Inc and founder of The S.P.E.A.R. System. He commented, “I don’t know of any serious combative athlete that is free of pain. We train hard and our bodies pay the price. RockTape offers structural or muscle support when applied correctly and this can help alleviate many distractions during training — and while training without distractions is vital for every athlete, it’s especially important for an individual in the tactical community.”

All in all, this sounds great, but I wonder how Costa or Blauer will fit into the deal with 5.11 Tactical as it would seem odd for RockTape to continue to market a tactical line concurrent with this new licensing deal.

Tags: 5.11 Tactical, RockTape
Posted in Industry | 1 Comment »

Statement From “New” Ares Armor CEO

Thursday, July 4th, 2013

Ares Armor posted this letter to their customers on their website earlier today. I’ve known Dmitri for several years now and he is one solid dude. I didn’t realize that for a time someone else was at the helm at Ares Armor but its good o see that he taken back the reins to assume position as CEO and that he is taking full responsibility for what is going on there regarding their 80% products. That is what I want to see in American business.

Ares Armor Customers,

For those of you who don’t know who I am. My name is Dimitri and as of about two weeks ago I took back my position as the CEO and am in full control of Ares Armor. I am going to start this letter off with a promise; I will take zero compensation in the form of a paycheck, bonus or any other workaround from Ares Armor until every single order for 80% products has been completed.

I would like to personally apologize for several things that we as a company have clearly done wrong.

Our communication with our customers has been atrocious and there is absolutely no excuse for that. Being busy is not a good reason to ignore the customers that support you. This is completely inexcusable behavior. We took in far too many orders than we were set up to handle. We have fallen far behind. Bill Gates once said, “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” I have spent the last few nights awake scouring the internet reading every negative review I could find. There was plenty to learn.

My focus and the foremost of my attention will be directed at cleaning up our customer service. We have been making some very serious changes in the way we operate.

1. We will no longer take back orders through our website for 80% products.

2. We have set up an online live inventory system for all products that are not made to order items such as Tactical Nylon and Custom Kydex.

3. We have launched a new customer support system that will allow us to organize and respond to inquiries in a timely manner. If you want to get a hold of us please send an email to support@aresarmor.com or go to support.aresarmor.com and submit a ticket directly into our customer support system.

4. We have hired additional staff to ensure that we have someone answering the phones and returning calls.

In life, a man is judged by not only his own words and actions but by the company he keeps. Some of our partners that have acted as suppliers have been poor company indeed. We have received dates, times, quantities, and promises that have all been false. We are to blame for allowing this to happen.

We have secured alternate supply chains and will work nonstop to ensure that we fill orders as fast as we possibly can.

For those of you that have open orders with us. I will not rest until your order is filled.

Dimitri Karras, CEO

Tags: Ares Armor
Posted in Industry | 12 Comments »

Eleven-10 Updates Website

Wednesday, July 3rd, 2013

Eleven-10 LLC has updated their website making it much easier to navigate. You may recall Eleven-10 from their Kydex Tourniquet Cases.

www.1110gear.com

Tags: Eleven 10 LLC
Posted in Industry | Comments Off on Eleven-10 Updates Website

Grey Ghost Gear and Tactical Tailor Announce Strategic Partnership

Tuesday, July 2nd, 2013

This Just In…

“We have gotten into the fashion of talking of cavalry tactics, artillery tactics, and infantry tactics. This distinction is nothing but a mere abstraction. There is but one art, and that is the tactics of the combined arms.”
— Maj. Gerald Gilbert, The Evolution of Tactics, 1907

“Shit, it’s the Blues Brothers!”
— Matt Murphy, 1980

ALCON: Bring it in, take a knee, listen up. Tactical Tailor is joining Grey Ghost Gear in a strategic alliance the likes of which hasn’t been seen since Jake got out of prison and rejoined Elwood Blue.
Tactical Tailor is a Tacoma WA based manufacturer of US-made, Berry Amendment compliant tactical gear. Grey Ghost Gear is a ‘boutique’ manufacturer of bad ass niche kit headquartered in Dalton, ID. Both companies are Veteran owned, and GGG is Service Connected Disables Veteran classified company. Like the Blues Brothers, both can do big things by themselves…but it’s when they get together that things get epic.

“The two companies have done some work together before, but not like this,” says CEO (and former 2/75 Ranger) Casey Ingels. “Tac Tailor will be working with Grey Ghost much more consistently. We’ll leverage the unique strengths of both companies to increase our offering to the end users that will let us put some things in the field that will change everything.”

Neither company releases a new piece of gear until it’s been deployed and evaluated downrange—true story, no bullshit. Ingels recently spent time on the ground in Afghanistan handing stuff out to guys on the sharp end so they’d have it to try out (for instance 3RD Group has a lot of it downrange now). They receive feedback daily via e-mail and frequent social media traffic. It isn’t just tested by guys on the ground either. Members of JSOC and SOCOM test it all, as do a cross-selection of line Soldiers and Marines so the conventional voice isn’t left out.

In addition to the brand gear it builds, Tactical Tailor constructs kit for many other companies. It is an expansive list that includes H&K, Benchmade, Gerber, Leupold, Crimson Trace, Knights Armament…virtually a who’s who in the industry. Grey Ghost Gear set the tactical community on its ass over the last year when it demonstrated its quick turnaround, rapid prototyping and overall agility—this is a company that received a call from a Tier One unit with a need, prototyped it, modified it and had the finished product in their hands helping kill Muj in a week.

“Tactical Tailor brings production muscle to Grey Ghost. Grey Ghost is dexterous and responsive,” Ingels says, waxing serious. “Though its operations base is in Idaho, its relationship with manufacturers in the UK and elsewhere offer domestic and foreign options that TT just won’t have on its own. TT has a couple decades of combat proven equipment to speak for its quality. Tailor equipment will remain Made in the USA. The two companies will remain extant as separate companies, working jointly.”

“We’ll put the band back together, do a few gigs, we get some bread,” chuckles Tactical Tailor Director of Sales (and retired Army SNCO) GW Ayers. “No, in all seriousness, this is going to let us do some great things for the warfighter. CALL [Center for Army Lessons Learned] defines joint synergy as having the strengths of each service combine to overcome the limitations of the others, or to reinforce the good effects. That’s what we’re going to be doing, and it’s the guys on the ground that will benefit.”

www.GreyGhostGear.com

www.TacticalTailor.com

Tags: Grey Ghost Gear, Tactical Tailor
Posted in Industry | 4 Comments »

Camo Form Sponsors the Only Tactical Hunting Show

Tuesday, July 2nd, 2013

Camo Form which is a reusable camouflage self-adhesive wrap by McNett Tactical, recently sponsored the only tactical hunting television show, “Survive the Hunt,” in an episode titled “Operation Camo Form.”

Look for Camo Form on “Survive the Hunt,” which airs on the Pursuit Channel.

www.reaperoutdoors.com/events/op-camoform-final-air

Hunting mule deer is one thing; hunting mule deer using a bow with howling winds in the Sandhills of Nebraska is something entirely different. Luckily for active duty Navy SEAL, Master Chief Ron Bellan and the rest of the Reaper Outdoors team they had Camo Form® to help them accomplish their mission.

Reaper Outdoors is the team behind the hit television series, “Survive The Hunt,” the first tactical/ hunting show. Recently Camo Form by McNett® Tactical sponsored a mule deer hunt with the Reaper Team on an episode titled, “Operation Camo Form.” Despite cold, harsh and windy conditions, they managed to land a mule deer with the help of Camo Form.

“We’re wrapping anything and everything we can think of,” said Bellan. “We’re using it and have been using it for a long time. We believe in this product. It’s Reaper tested, Reaper approved.”

Camo Form is the only reusable camouflage wrap that will not leave a sticky residue when removed. Unlike camouflage tapes, Camo Form adheres to itself as it is wrapped around the object. Camo Form helps conceal weapons, blinds and outdoor gear, adds grip, quiets clanking objects and helps with noise dampening. In addition, the heavy-duty fabric can be washed and re-used many times over. With 14 traditional and digital camo patterns, Camo Form offers on-the-fly concealment no matter what the environment.

Tags: McNett Tactical, Reaper Outdoors
Posted in Camo, Industry, Media, Off-Duty | 6 Comments »

Coming Soon to FWB

Friday, June 28th, 2013

You guys on the Emerald Coast are seriously lucky to have a GSS branch opening in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The store here in Virginia Beach is awesome; packed with the top tactical and outdoor brands.

Opening 12-13 July.

www.gssgear.com

Tags: GSS Gear
Posted in Industry | 2 Comments »

RAND CLP and VTAC Announce Partnership

Tuesday, June 25th, 2013

I just found out that Viking Tactics founder Kyle Lamb has endorsed RAND CLP. I’m told that he met them at SHOT Show 2013 and got a few bottles to try out. Turns out, he likes it. RAND told me that Kyle “liked the viscosity, the no smell aspect and the fact that the product cleaned so well and kept the firearm wet after thousands of rounds. Also, it’s manufactured in the US!”

Sergeant Major Kyle Lamb, retired US Army Special Operation soldier, and President of Viking Tactics/VTAC, has officially endorsed RAND CLPTM as the “most innovative and effective firearms CLP on the market.”

Sergeant Major Kyle E. Lamb (retired) spent 21 years in the United States Army, more than 15 of which were with a U.S. Army Special Mission Unit. He served in several combat theaters including Mogadishu, Somalia, Iraq and Bosnia. One of his last assignments before retiring was to torture test new equipment for the US Army Special Forces Operations, ensuring America’s best combat shooters had access to the most effective and innovative equipment.
RAND’s Vice President of Sales and Operations, Jon Miodonka, says “SGM Lamb is meticulous when looking for great products & technology and won’t associate his name with just anything.”

RAND CLPTM is manufactured and distributed by RAND Brands, a division of RAND Innovations, LLC of Westport, CT. Developed by Mark Simonetti, a former Army Ranger and police firearms instructor, and using Nanotechnology as its platform RAND Brands has brought science and functionality together to create the perfect combination of a cleaner, lubricant and protectant.

RAND CLPTM burst onto the scene in February 2013 after officially launching at the SHOT Show (Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade Show) in Las Vegas. After 6 years of research and development, RAND Brands unveiled RAND CLPTM as the best all-in-one solution for firearm maintenance and reliability.

Says SGM Lamb of RAND CLPTM, “As a Soldier and Firearms trainer, I constantly searched for a weapon CLP that was a step ahead, I never found it…that was until RAND CLPTM came along. RAND CLPTM is head and shoulders above any weapons CLP on the market. RAND CLPTM answers all of my gun care needs.” He continues to say “RAND CLPTM changes the way your slide and bolt feel. They will be smoother than you ever imagined.”

Miodonka: “Working with Kyle and VTAC over the last 6 months has been an honor. To have the Viking Tactics and VTAC logos on our bottle is a testament to the hard work and efforts that have gone into developing RAND CLPTM at RAND Brands over the last 6 years.”

Lamb: “There are hundreds of options when it comes to cleaning, lubing and protecting your weapon, but RAND CLPTM is the best option.”

www.randbrands.com

Tags: RAND CLP, VTAC
Posted in Industry | 10 Comments »

Lightfighter Adopts New Look

Tuesday, June 25th, 2013

While the popular Lightfighter forum has received a facelift, that’s not all that has happened. Unfortunately, they were kind of forced into a change as the forum software they were using is no longer supported. So, after a bunch of research, they are upgrading to a another product by the same developer. There are a few advantages to this upgrade. For example, one new feature I like is that it is now much easier to offer a direct link to a particular post in a thread rather than just to the whole thread.

I know some folks don’t like change, especially when they have been using the same thing for many years, but there’s some great content over there. So if you’re one of the guys who is unhappy with the change, I’d say hang in there. The admins are working through the issues. If you haven’t checked it out, give it a try. Just make sure your first post is an intro.

www.lightfighter.net/forums

Tags: Lightfighter
Posted in Industry | Comments Off on Lightfighter Adopts New Look