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Issue Compression Sacks from Cascade Designs

Thursday, June 26th, 2008

Cascade Designs is no stranger to the Soldier Systems market. Several of their items have been type classified and are on issue including water purifiers and sleeping pads. This report highlights two of their latest offerings.

Marine Compression Stuff Sack (MACS Sack)

The MACS Sack features a new hands-free, one-way purge valve that offers increased compressibility and is flexible as well as flush to prevent snagging. It also boasts an improved roll-down closure for a watertight seal, and a heavy-duty round bottom that lasts long, maximizes storage capacity, and stands upright to make packing easier than ever. This bag is made of tough, lightweight nylon. Its great for use in a pack, or on its own to organize your gear.

Marine Compression ILBE PackLiner

The Marine Corps ILBE Pack consists of a 4,500-cubic-inch Main ruck or pack, and a 1,500-cubic-inch Assault pack. Neither pack is water proof so the Marines sourced bag liners to provide waterproof storage in the pack. The Cascade Designs ILBE PackLiner has flush mounted purge valves to make the bags compression stuff sacks. These bags are tough enough to survive outside the pack, but are best employed as a PackLiner to give the Marine a submergible waterproof pack. The easy to use roll top closure has directions on sealing which insure the bags get closed properly each time.

The Assault bag liner, which is smaller, has an orange interior to function as a signal panel. In order to help make the bag “Marine proof”, the roll top closure has directions on sealing to help ensure the bags get closed properly each time.

Cascade Part Number Name NSN

02195 MACS Sack 8465-01-542-7688

02177 USMC ILBE Waterproof Main Pack Liner 8465-01-559-5404

02197 USMC ILBE Waterproof Assault Pack Liner 8465-01-560-6727

Tags: Cascade Designs, ILBE, MACS
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Team Soldier Certified Gear

Thursday, June 19th, 2008

PEO-Soldier mentioned this item at the APBI in May, but didn’t have any details on implementation. However, they have just made a formal announcement of the Team Soldier Certification program. The reasoning behind the program is sound. The point is to help Soldiers identify soldier systems items that meet certifications for issue. This will help both individual Soldiers as well as units to avoid purchasing substandard equipment. Certification has already been implemented for Protective Eyewear, FR Gloves, and the Family of Flashlights.

PEO Soldier is developing Authorized Products Lists (APLs) for certain types of gear. When an item is authorized, it is placed on the APL. The APLs are published on the PEO Website, furnished to the Army/Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), and communicated to Army commands. Eventually every commercial item authorized for use by Soldiers will have this certification.

One VERY interesting piece of information on the program has surfaced. Vendors selling authorized items in commercial retail stores may use the logo on the item and in their advertising. The logo will be the way Soldiers can verify that the item is authorized. Vendors using the logo for commercial retail sale of authorized items will require a License and Royalty Agreement with the US Army. And as a warning to those who might counterfeit the new logo, the PEO-Soldier website says this, “PEO Soldier, working with Army Legal Services, will take action to ensure that only actual authorized items have the logo. A range and series of actions will be taken against any fraudulent use of the logo.”

Each item will be identified with a tag similar to this one.

Both the USMC and USAF have indicated that they will follow suit.

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USMC Combat Desert Jacket

Wednesday, June 18th, 2008

If you have ever heard the term “scarce as hen’s teeth”, then you can aptly describe the Marine Corps issue Combat Desert Jacket. Designed by 180s, an innovator in the outdoor industry, and manufactured by Tennessee Apparel, the CDJ has seen limited fielding. The concept actually goes back to the early 90s when Raven Industries, the first full-scale contractor for ECWCS, developed prototypes of a lightweight Gore-tex 3-color desert shell for MARCORSYSCOM.

Naturally as the CDJ was designed specifically for desert operations, it is available only in Marine Desert Pattern Camouflage. Since the CDJ utilizes a complex print, the design’s strength has caused a bit of a technical challenge. As you can see from the photo, the sleeves are slightly discolored compared to the body. This is because the CDJ is made from various fabrics which are strategically placed in the design to provide diverse forms of protection and these fabrics all absorb dyes differently. For example, the lower back and shoulder area of the jacket are made from Freedom-Plus, a lightweight Gore-tex fabric in order to keep the wearer dry while the middle of the back, which requires more breathability when wearing a pack is made from a lined, knit fabric. The sleeves are crafted from a four way stretch material. Rather than pit zips, from the waist to the sleeve, along the entire length of the underarm, the CDJ features a stretchy wind resistant nylon material. Lined with coyote gridded fleece, it also features color matched waterproof zippers throughout. The pockets include handwarmer, chest, and sleeve as well as a rank tab. The sleeves are capped with a monkey paw design and the Marines hope to incorporate FR technology into the sleeves in future versions unless the winter FROG shirt is developed. The CDJ also has a roll up neck gaiter incorporated into the collar. To top it all off, the entire jacket is treated with silver to suppress the growth of odor causing fungus.

*UPDATE: A reader has sent me an update and a new version is being issued. They have solved the shade issues on the sleeves and dropped the monkey cuffs.

Photo Courtesy Eric Chevalier

For those who need a CDJ, the early version with shade differences on the sleeve is available from AFMO.

Tags: 180s, Combat Desert Jacket, MARCORSYSCOM
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Survivability Through Mobility

Monday, May 26th, 2008

Finally the tide seems to be turning and the conventional wisdom of armoring service members like tanks seems to be coming to an end. At the Soldier Systems APBI in May MARCORSYSCOM officials stated the they were “willing to accept risk for the sake of mobility” and the term “Survivability through mobility” has become PM-ICE’s mantra in their quest for a replacement for the Modular Tactical Vest program. The effects of this push can already be seen with the fielding of the new plate carrier to Marines in Afghanistan. PM-ICE representatives also stated that they were looking to reduce the area of coverage on the MTV replacement and reduce cumbersomeness in order to increase lethality.

Marine Plate Carrier

Tags: MARCORSYSCOM
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USMC Scalable Plate Carrier

Saturday, May 24th, 2008

Responding to an Urgent Needs Statement from Marines in Afghanistan, MARCORSYSCOM has begun fielding a plate carrier. The recent backlash over the Modular Tactical Vest can also be credited with this bold move. It seems as though the services are getting the message that a more mobile shooter is a more lethal shooter. No details as to manufacturer have been released. However, an interesting feature on the prototype is offset PALS webbing on the upper chest.

Tags: MARCORSYSCOM, Plate Carrier
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