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Dimension-Polyant Brings Decades of Textile Innovation to the Tactical Frontier

Thursday, November 21st, 2024

Trust only X-Pac® – developed to elevate your mission and redefine what’s possibleFor decades, Dimension-Polyant, the global leader in high-performance sailcloth manufacturing, has set the gold standard in advanced textiles.

Its journey began over 50 years ago with a team of passionate sailors and textile pioneers driven by a shared mission: to create materials that defied convention and elevated performance. Today, that same spirit of innovation propels the company forward, solidifying its position as a leader in cutting-edge textile solutions.

Building on this legacy, Dimension-Polyant created the X-Pac® brand of innovative pack fabrics designed with the same precision and performance required for racing sails. Engineered to endure extreme environments, X-Pac® fabrics have conquered Everest, braved the Arctic, and endured millions of miles of rugged exploration. With an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, remarkable durability, and 100% waterproof technology, these fabrics deliver unparalleled reliability, no matter the challenge.

The heritage of innovation meets the future of tactical performance

Upon visiting the SHOT show four years ago, the Dimension-Polyant team was struck by the sheer number of soft goods suppliers and brands catering to enthusiasts, first responders, and professional military operators.

“It was eye-opening to see a market that demands high-performance, quality gear—but much of the equipment was made from commodity-grade, unsophisticated materials, said Taylor North, Dimension-Polyant Global Head of Technical Fabrics. “This revealed a clear opportunity for X-Pac® to make a meaningful impact, Our technology is a perfect fit for the tactical market, offering solutions that add value and address the unique challenges these brands face.”

Dimension-Polyant has now brought its expertise from sea to summit to the tactical market. X-Pac® Tactical fabrics are purpose-built to meet the intense demands of tactical operations, offering operators the lightweight durability, strength, and versatility needed to succeed in mission-critical scenarios.

X-Pac® Tactical range of rugged materials are made in Putnam CT, USA, many of which are Berry Compliant showcasing Dimension-Polyant’s commitment to US-based sourcing and production. They include:

• MANTA FABRICS: A revolutionary advancement in tactical textiles. Engineered with a structural core, Manta delivers exceptional strength, stability, and laser-cut precision. Ideal for demanding applications like structural packs, plate carriers, and MOLLE panels. Available in two innovative constructions: woven Dyneema core and Tyra Technology® spread filament core, in Multicam and black.

• WX21 – USA-sourced 200d nylon face fabric with an added polyester wrap insert for enhanced low-stretch and rip-stop properties. Ideal for lightweight packs, gear pouches, rucksacks, and every day carry applications. Available in black.

• X33 MULTICAM – Tightly woven 330d traditional Multicam® Nylon face-fabric with black post-consumer recycled polyester X-PLY® reinforcement and shiny polyester film backing for a highly abrasion-resistant, tear-resistant, waterproof material.

• X50 TACTICAL – The workhorse of the X-Pac® Tactical line-up. X50 Tactical utilizes a rugged 500d CORDURA® face fabric with a 400d aramid X-PLY® which is lighter weight, stronger, than a traditional polyester X-PLY® reinforcement. The result is a highly abrasion-resistant, tear-resistant, waterproof material. Available in black, stealth grey, coyote brown, ranger green, khaki, and woodland camouflage.

• X50 MULTICAM – Rugged X50 features a 500d CORDURA® face fabric in a traditional Multicam® pattern for a highly abrasion-resistant, tear-resistant, waterproof material. Available in Multicam Black, Multicam Alpine, and Multicam Tropic.

Dimension-Polyant will be exhibiting at SHOT Week Supplier Showcase in Las Vegas, January 21-22, 2025, to present its new X-Pac® Tactical collection. For more information on X-Pac® Tactical – the ultimate tactical pack fabric – please visit: www.x-pactactical.com

Posted in Materials, Multicam, Press Release | No Comments »

Bell Textron Selects Integris Composites as Armor Supplier for U.S. Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA)

Thursday, November 14th, 2024

Integris Composites, Inc., a global leader in armor protection for the world’s elite military announces an agreement with Bell Textron Inc. to provide armor for the U.S. Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft.

Tysons Corner, Va. — Integris Composites, the global leader in armor protection for the world’s elite military units has been selected by Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, as a supplier of armor systems for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA).

This tiltrotor aircraft is the U.S. Army’s selected platform for its FLRAA weapons system. It will provide advanced capability well beyond that of the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter with increased speed, range and payloads.

ARMOR SYSTEM: Bell Textron, Inc. has selected Integris Composites to supply armor for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA). The Bell V-280 Valor pictured here was chosen by the US Army as the winner of Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft Program. The new assault aircraft will fly twice as far and twice as fast as the current fleet. Photo by Danazar- Creative Commons.

“We are grateful to be selected by Bell,” said Andrew Bonham, president of Integris Composites, Inc., the U.S. component of Integris Composites which last year became the new name for TenCate Advanced Armour, continuing a quarter-century legacy as a resource for form, safety, dependability and survivability.

“All of us at Integris are extremely proud to be part of the team behind this innovative rotorcraft that is ushering in what will become the U.S. Army’s new long-range assault aircraft ensuring our nation’s warfighters have the decisive edge in any theater where they are operating,” Bonham continued.

“We are pleased to include Integris Composites on the team for its protective armor capabilities for the FLRAA,” said Ryan Ehinger, senior vice president and program director for FLRAA, Bell. “Bell and the FLRAA team are committed to delivering not just more speed and range to our soldiers, but more survivability and reliability as well,” Ehinger stated.

A Storied Legacy

“Integris becomes a part of the latest chapter in the storied legacy of utility aircraft, a lineage that traces its roots back to the iconic Vietnam-era ‘Huey’ (UH-1 Iroquois) and the present-day UH-60 Black Hawk, which has faithfully served as the Army’s Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft (UTTAS) since 1979,” said David Cordova, chief commercial officer for Integris, Inc.
“FLRAA is a marvel of engineering that promises to redefine the boundaries of speed, agility, operational versatility/survivability,” Cordova observed.

Advanced Armor from Integris on Land, Water and in the Air

“This is the latest armor contract for Integris in the airborne segment,” added Bonham. “It’s an exceptional achievement for both the Integris organization as well as commercial partners, such as the team at QinetiQ Group plc.”

Cordova said Integris is supporting several other aerospace companies. “We provide armored kits such as the H-125, MH-139 as well as the C-130J this last one, in partnership with QinetiQ. But Integris is also providing high-performance, lightweight, fit-for-purpose composite military armor on the ground and in the water as well as in the air,” said Cordova.

Integris is an engineering company and the manufacturer of composite armor for land vehicles, aircraft, naval craft, protection housing for optronics and other sensitive technology and personal protection gear. For more information go to: www.integriscomposites.com.

Posted in Armor, Aviation, Materials, Press Release | No Comments »

D3O and Craig International Ballistics Partner to Enhance Military Body Armor with Next-Generation Ballistic Foam

Monday, November 4th, 2024

Blacksburg, Virginia 11/04/24 — D3O, the global leader in advanced protection solutions, is proud to announce a collaboration with Craig International Ballistics (CIB), a prominent manufacturer of ballistic protection based in Queensland, Australia. This partnership will include CIB’s use of D3O’s latest generation Ballistic™ foams to reduce back face signature trauma in body armor systems for a significant military contract, enhancing the protection and comfort of personnel across the APAC region.

CIB, has over 25 years of experience in high-performance protection solutions, and serves military and law enforcement customers with a range of products, including body armor, hard armor plates, tactical shields, and platform armor. CIB began testing D3O’s advanced ballistic foam in early 2024 at its cutting-edge onsite ballistic testing facility, where rigorous evaluations validated the foam’s ability to reduce back face signature (BFS) and weight in armor systems.

Simon McNair, D3O SVP of Sales, emphasized the significance of this partnership, saying, “At D3O, we are committed to creating advanced material solutions that meet the highest standards of protection in the defense sector. Our partnership with Craig International Ballistics is an example of how two industry leaders can collaborate to deliver life-saving technologies to military personnel. The integration of our ballistic foam with CIB’s body armor systems is a big step forward in reducing back face signature injuries in armed conflicts.”

James Craig, CIB’s Executive Director said “Having our own onsite ballistic testing laboratory was a significant resource and pivotal in the initial validation process of these new products. The capability demonstrates to our customers our ability to quickly test and adopt the latest raw material innovations from partners such as D3O but provide ongoing quality assurance of internal batch testing during production”.

Earlier this month, CIB delivered nearly 10,000 units to a military client, integrating D3O’s ballistic foam into hard armor systems that achieved proven BFS reduction and optimized weight for enhanced wearer mobility and protection.

“Our focus at CIB, is to deliver our customers world-leading solutions, providing the lightest weight protective products for our service personnel.” Said Ed Clark, CIB’s Chief Technology Officer, “A big part of that is embracing new raw material innovations as well as enhanced processing methods”.

Through this new partnership, D3O and Craig International Ballistics are raising the standards of protective equipment for military and law enforcement personnel worldwide.

Posted in Industry, International, Materials, Press Release | No Comments »

AUSA 24 – GORE-TEX Defense Fabrics’ All Weather Integrated Clothing System

Friday, November 1st, 2024

The US Army has been working on the Cold Temperature and Arctic Protection System for several years with limited fielding of developmental items to troops in Alaska including the 11th Airborne Division (Arctic).

According to sources close to the effort, a formal requirement has been approved and both the name and scope will change. Currently, CTAPS is a multi-layer system that aims to keep Soldiers warmer in cold weather environments, spanning from 45 degrees Fahrenheit to -65 degrees Fahrenheit.

The new All Range Tactical Clothing will become an overarching program for all organizational clothing including other regions besides just Arctic.

Many of the designs associated with CTAPS were created in house at Natick when the program concentrated more on materials than function. In the ensuing years, industry has introduced new styles which have strong Soldier acceptance. For example, the so-called 11th Airborne Jacket and Trouser was procured as a Commercial-Off-The-Shelf item and developed by SITKA Arrowhead.

GORE-TEX Defense Fabrics has monitored the program and trickled out a couple of design concepts over the past few years, such as the stretch technology fabric seen above. But at this year’s AUSA they introduced us to an entire clothing system they call All Weather Integrated Clothing System (AWICS).

Here is the system. That compression bag you see at the bottom contains the whole system except for the softshell layer which is generally worn all of the time in cold regions and takes the place of the ACU or Combat Shirt and Trouser.

We’ll cover down on the individual mannequins from left to right.

This is the Temperate Mid-Layer Pullover. It offers a great deal of moisture wicking and breathability.

Here you can see the details of the trousers made from GORE-TEX WINDSTOPPER.

Next is the Weather Protective Active Insulation Jacket. It combines a WINDSTOPPER shell with Polartec Alpha Direct insulation.

It is paired with an insulated short with full side zips for quick donning and doffing.

Next is the Softshell uniform which many are familiar with as Level 5 of Protective Combat Uniform / MARS or Gen III ECWCS. In the Twight model codified by Alpinist Mark Twight in his book “Extreme Alpinism: Climbing Light, Fast and High” which our clothing systems are based upon, it is called the “Action Suit” and is the basic outer layer worn day-to-day. It’s made from WINDSTOPPER fabric for comfort, breathability, and durability along with its water shedding properties. Even when wet, it dries faster than other fabrics.

This is the GORE-TEX Temperate Cold/Wet Layer. It’s made from waterproof, breathable 3-layer fabric and incorporates features troops have been asking for such as pocket placement. This laminate is durably waterproof, totally windproof, and very breathable even after exposure to common battle field contaminates.

The final component is the Insulation Layer. Unlike with the current programs of record this doesn’t have a bulky Level 7 Bivy Parka. The GORE-TEX team has worked to reduce the number of garments and the insulation of the Level 7 can be obtained by combining various AWICS pieces.

The GORE-TEX Defense Fabrics development team is currently working on an employment wheel like the one used with USSOCOM’s PCU to assist with when and how to combine components of the system to get the desired effect.

Hopefully, this system will get a look by the US military and that they remain open to commercial innovation.

To learn more about GORE-TEX Military Fabrics visit www.goretexprofessional.com/ausa.

Posted in Advertiser, AUSA, Clothing, Materials | 1 Comment »

AUSA 24 – EXTRAGUARD by GORE-TEX Defense Fabrics

Thursday, October 24th, 2024

Imagine a lightweight, highly durable footwear upper material with very low water absorption. Meet EXTRAGUARD.

This boot is from German manufacturer Meindel.

I first became aware of the EXTRAGUARD material at Enforce Tac and was pleasantly surprised to see a couple of boots featuring this new footwear technology from GORE-TEX Military Fabrics at AUSA. I immediately considered it for hot, wet aka jungle boots, but it looks like a couple of European brands are creating new temperate models.

This boot is by Slovak brand BOSP.

EXTRAGUARD isn’t a membrane like you’d expect from WL Gore & Co. Instead, it’s a stand alone material that looks like leather. It is sealed with GORE Seam Tape and may be used in conjunction with a GORE-TEX lining (inner bootie construction) for additional environmental protection.

Its durability and low water absorption means it doesn’t wrinkle, crease, warp, or fade. It’s also 40% lighter than leather and has low conductive heat loss when wet. It also dries faster than leather and doesn’t look worn out once it’s dry.

Posted in Advertiser, AUSA, Boots, Materials | No Comments »

AUSA 2024 – GORE-Tex Defense Fabric WINDSTOPPER Fabric

Monday, October 21st, 2024

GORE-TEX WINDSTOPPER Fabric has been around for decades but with the recent move away from PFAS based Durable Water Repellent treated fabric, the argument for WINDSTOPPER use has seen a resurgence.

In the past, many customers looked to GORE-TEX fabrics for hardshell protection but now that DWRs aren’t so durable anymore, the inherent properties of WINDSTOPPER really shine.

The US Army has fielded a specialty clothing system in Alaska called Cold Temperature and Arctic Protection System, or CTAPS for short. It was a bit of a science project for several years, but the stand up of the 11th Airborne Division, made it a priority for the Army.

Some of the materials are a bit dated, and precede the move across industry to eliminate PFAS DWR from garments. In response, WL Gore & Assoc stepped up with their GORE-TEX WINDSTOPPER technology to fill the gap. Not only did they propose a new fabric to keep the Soldier more comfortable, but they also updated the design of the garment to be more in line with other commercial items favored by Alaska’s Arctic Angels.

The fabric offers stretch, insulation, breathability, and weather protection, but is more durable and maintains its weather protection longer than other fabrics.

Learn more at www.goretexprofessional.com.

Posted in Advertiser, AUSA, Materials | No Comments »

Sagewood Armament Para-Buckle – Sling Attachment

Saturday, October 19th, 2024

We don’t see a lot of innovation these days, particularly with buckles, but Sagewood Armament has hit it out of the park with this one.

The Para-Buckle – Sling Attachment is available in two sizes: 1″ and 1.25″ and allows an interface between sling and weapon using 550 cord. I’m sure users are going to come up with 100 other ways to put it to good use as well.

Made from 1/8″ thick G10, the Para-Buckle is offered in OD Green and Black. Get them at sagewoodarmament.com/sling-hardware/para-buckle-g10-2-pack.

Posted in Materials, Weapon Accessories | 2 Comments »

Carrington Textiles Aligns All Cotton Fabrics with Better Cotton

Monday, October 7th, 2024

Adlington, United Kingdom: Carrington Textiles, a global leader in the manufacture of workwear, flame retardant and defence and security fabrics, has made a significant announcement underlining its commitment to sustainability by pledging exclusive support for the Better Cotton initiative with all the company’s products containing cotton.

The announcement was made on the occasion of World Cotton Day on 7th October 2024, an ideal opportunity for Carrington Textiles to highlight its commitment to developing workwear fabrics that not only offer high levels of quality and performance, but also support the production of responsibly sourced cotton globally.

What is Better Cotton?

It’s an initiative that promotes sustainable cotton farming practices to improve the environment and the livelihoods of farmers while ensuring high-quality cotton for consumers.

In 2019-2020, Better Cotton licensed over 2.4 million farmers from 23 countries across five continents. Together, these farmers produced 23% of the world’s cotton.

Better Cotton is sourced via a chain of custody model called mass balance. This means that Better Cotton is not physically traceable to end products, however, Better Cotton Farmers benefit from the demand for Better Cotton in equivalent volumes to those sourced.

How can this benefit customers?

When customers buy any of Carrington Textiles fabrics containing cotton, Better Cotton Credits or BCCUs are generated. These BCCUs can be claimed by a registered company directly on the Better Cotton Platform and used to communicate the responsibly source nature of the fabric’s cotton by using hang tags, labels and other marketing materials.

Neil Davey, Carrington Textiles’ Managing Director, announced this pivotal commitment to sustainability reflecting the company’s dedication to reducing its environmental footprint and providing customers with responsibly sourced materials.

Neil stated, “With 99% of fabrics from our FR, workwear and defence ranges containing cotton, this is a huge step towards our sustainability efforts, all of which we are proud to cover in our latest Sustainability Report. This initiative is expected to have a lasting positive impact on our products and the planet.”

Posted in International, Materials, Press Release | No Comments »