FirstSpear

Archive for the ‘Load Carrying’ Category

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Slider from TMS ADS

Friday, August 26th, 2011

The Slider is an innovative load carrying solution from Tactical Medical Solutions. While TMS specializes in medical gear, their personnel were 18D SF Medics. Consequently, they are no strangers to wearing body armor and the challenges of effectively using the available load carrying real estate on a vest.

The Slider attaches to the side of an armor vest and offers what is essentially a PALS panel that “slides” along a webbing track from rear to front. You store your extra kit in the rear and pull it forward when needed. It’s important to note that it will sit in front of your pouches so it isn’t necessarily something you are going to want to leave there depending on the mission. It was actually originally envisioned for 40mm grenades but works just as well for anything. Medical gear, extra magazines, etc.

Look for an updated video of the latest version of the Slider later this week.

The Slider as well as all TMS products are available for agency purchase from www.adsinc.com/tactical-medical-solutions.

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Posted in ADS, Armor, Load Carrying, Medical, PALS | 9 Comments »

SOTECH Takes a Ride into History

Monday, August 22nd, 2011

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The photo is a little tongue-in-cheek, but the thought process behind it is a very serious part of SOTECH’s innovation process. As an avid military historian, SOTECH’s CEO Jim Cragg encourages his staff to study weapon development and soldier load carriage throughout history to spur the creative juices in developing SOTECH’s designs for the Future Warrior and Future Enforcer. Pictured above, Jim attends the week long U.S. Cavalry School on the Little Big Horn battlefield. The school teaches riding with period equipment, cavalry tactics, and use of period weapons, as well as a mounted military history staff ride. As one point of interest, in 1876 most troopers of the 7th Cavalry didn’t have a quick-draw ammunition belt, so they put their bullets in piles on the ground, many leaving them behind when ordered to fall back. In a history repeating itself moment, LA Sheriff’s Dept SEB Sniper Cadre approached SOTECH in 2001 asking for an ammunition harness because they had set their rifle ammo on the ground in position and found it cumbersome to police up their rounds and radio when ordered to shift positions. Some things never change. Jim is pictured testing SOTECH’s new VIPER plate carrier system while Lt. W.W. Cook (Ron Glasgow) and a trooper (Gary Newton) are sporting Hellcat kits.

Check out www.USCavarlySchool.com if you are interested in experiencing the way our forefathers fought. The school culminates with a reenactment on the yearly anniversary of Custer’s Last Stand. And yes, Jim was ingloriously scalped by a Native American warrior with a Nerf war club.

www.SpecOpsTech.com

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Posted in Load Carrying, Morale | 3 Comments »

S.O.Tech Custom Shop

Monday, August 15th, 2011

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This Robo Bag is an excellent example of the types of work that can be done by S.O.Tech’s custom shop. Fo more information, visit http://www.sotechsewing.com.

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Posted in Industry, Load Carrying | Comments Off on S.O.Tech Custom Shop

OR – Keyhole

Monday, August 8th, 2011

One of the best things about OR is getting a chance to visit the new or smaller companies with booths out on the periphery of the main floor. That’s where you find some real gems. This year was no different and one of the companies we found is Backcountry Solutions. They had a couple of products but the one that really caught our attention is the Keyhole, a hands-free camera harness. If you’ve ever worn an SLR when hiking, you know about what a pain-in-the-fourth-point-of-contact it is. It swings around and the lens sticks out constantly getting in the way. Deborah at Backcountry Solutions is an amateur photographer and had the same issues. She said she actually resorted to storing her camera in her pack. Obviously, this defeated the point of taking it in the first place and, weary of missing great shots, started working on a solution. The key feature is the keyhole plate itself. You ready your camera to fit into the plate by attaching the red knob to your camera in the tripod mount hole. This knob is designed to fit into the slot on the Keyhole plate. It’s that simple. Be sure to check out the video on their website.

The Keyhole is designed to attach to any backpack or chest harness that is equipped with typical 1” wide webbing on the shoulder straps. Quick disconnect buckles allow for easy backpack on/off. They’ve really put some thought into this. It even includes a tethered lens cap keeper as part of the hands-free system which keeps a hold of your lens cover when you bring the camera to bear.

It will take a few mods to make it PALS compatible but I think they are up to the task if someone wants to work with them. In our discussion, they certainly seems open to it.

Interested? Visit backcountrysolutions.com.

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Posted in Load Carrying, Outdoor Retailer | 1 Comment »

MMI Updates Web Presence

Tuesday, July 26th, 2011

MMI Tactical has updated their website and done a great job of including information on all of their current offerings as well as videos and some in-depth background data. They’ve also introduced a blog and you can sign up for the Snake-eater’s Dispatch, a newsletter designed to keep you up-to-date on all things MMI You might also want to check out MMI Tactical on Facebook.

www.mmitactical.com

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Posted in Camo, Industry, Load Carrying, Packs | 5 Comments »

FirstSpear Launches

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

In the early hours this morning, like a predawn raid, FirstSpear launched their website. Make sure you check out their new line of products.

Why FirstSpear? We’ve been waiting for months here at SSD to be able to finally tell you.

The Primus Pilus, or First Spear, was the Senior Centurion of a Roman Legion.

“Centurions were the guardians of Rome. At the height of the Roman Republic there were over five thousand qualified Roman Centurions in the Legions. To be a Centurion required that, in a mostly illiterate society, one be able to read and write clearly, to be able to convey and create orders, to be capable of not only performing every skill of a Roman soldier but to teach every skill of a Roman soldier. Becoming a Centurion required intense physical ability, courage beyond the norm, years of sacrifice and a total devotion to the philosophy which was Rome.

When Rome fell to barbarian invaders, there were fewer than five hundred qualified Centurions. Not because Rome had fewer people but because it had fewer people willing to make sacrifices.

And the last Centurions left their shields in the heather and took a barbarian bride…..”

www.First-Spear.com

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Posted in Armor, Camo, Industry, Load Carrying, Multicam | 6 Comments »

Project Helium Whisper Pics

Wednesday, July 13th, 2011

Here are a few pics from Blue Force Gear’s new Helium Whisper technology.

The advantages are numerous. The process offers lower weight and increased abrasion resistance. Additionally, as it is laser cut from a single piece, there are fewer assembly errors and any markings are etched directly onto the material. Additionally, any product information including part number, title and manufacturer can also be applied prior to assembly. Finally, manufacturing costs are lower due to the reduced number of processes required for assembly. However, it is important to note that the entire pouch is not made from the material, but rather, certain areas are targeted based on individual designs.

Here you can see a comparison between BFG’s standard 10-Speed pouch construction and the new Helium Whisper.

Helium Whisper technology accounts for a 25% weight reduction over BFG’s pouches. For more conventional designs the savings could be as much as 40 – 50%.

www.BlueForceGear.com

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Posted in 330, Load Carrying | 9 Comments »

BFG Announces a Better Mousetrap

Wednesday, July 13th, 2011

For years Blue Force Gear, In. has quietly provided lightweight load carriage solutions to some of America’s most elite warriors. Now, they have managed to out-design even themselves.

Blue Force Gear has responded to the call of the American Warfighter to create the lightest, most durable, and lowest profile load carriage system available. The military continuously demands ever increasing reductions in the weight that our Warfighters carry. Blue Force Gear has answered this call by slicing the weight of issued kit by as much as 50 percent without compromising performance and yet increasing effectiveness.

Their answer is the use of unique materials coupled with cutting edge construction techniques. To create this new line, Blue Force Gear combined their designs with an extremely light and durable material that is cut and marked out of a single piece, in one operation. Besides being extremely lightweight, this patent pending process eliminates strap alignment, closure alignment, and webbing spacing issues that have plagued previous versions of the MOLLE attachment system.

Under project title Helium Whisper, this new line is the culmination of a 3 year quest to provide our Warriors with the lightest, most durable, and most technologically advanced equipment possible. With multiple patents pending and proprietary construction techniques Blue Force Gear’s new line is poised to improve the safety, comfort, and effectiveness of the US Warfighter.

I have been briefed on this new technology and hope to unveil some photography very soon. Anyone in Virginia Beach this week should be sure to check it out.

Finally, Blue Force Gear wanted me to point out that they are willing to discuss licensing of this new patent pending technology. Feel free to contact them if you are interested.

www.BlueForceGear.com

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Posted in 330, Industry, Load Carrying, Materials | 1 Comment »

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