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PenCott-GreenZone Camouflage Fabric Available Once Again!

Friday, December 6th, 2024

50/50 poly-cotton ripstop stretch tactical fabric produced in partnership with 707 Tactical Gear.

Hyde Definition Ltd., the parent company of the PenCott® camouflage brand, today announces the long-awaited return of GreenZone™ camouflage garment fabric for wholesale purchasing.

Production of PenCott camouflage fabrics unfortunately ended a few years ago because of circumstances in the supply chain that were beyond the company’s control. Now, thanks to our long-time partners at 707 Tactical Gear, PenCott camouflage pattern fabrics are available again.

First up is a new breathable 50/50 polyester-cotton mix fabric with mechanical stretch and a ripstop weave. Of a more comfortable lighter weight (195 grams per square meter) than military standard 50/50 NyCo (205 grams per square meter) and treated with Bionic Finish® C6 for water and oil resistance and Silver+® anti-bacterial treatment, this fabric is ideal to produce modern tactical and outdoor garments.

Note: to provide an economical price point, and to avoid possible import / export restrictions, this fabric does not incorporate US/NATO nIR performance standards.

GreenZone has won many loyal users all over the world because of its exceptional concealment performance–as well as for not being an official military pattern. This led to PenCott being adopted by numerous law enforcement units and security agencies, as well as being used by special operations units that want to conceal their presence and identity effectively. We have received numerous testimonials from these professional end users of how impressed they have been with the effectiveness of the patterns, and the success of their missions as a result–which is ultimately why we do what we do.

This current production run of poly-cotton GreenZone fabric is the first step in bringing PenCott fabrics back onto the market. A production run of 500D nylon GreenZone is in planning, as well as additional fabric types and colorways.

Also visit SK7USA.com to also see their fully restocked range of finished products in mil-spec 50/50 NyCo and 500D nylonPenCott GreenZone and BadLands patterns.

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PenCott is named in honor of two WWII British camouflage pioneers – Sir Roland Penrose and Dr. Hugh Cott – and is the result of several years of individual scientific development by Dominic Hyde. The PenCott pattern geometry combines false edges for superior shape disruption (high-difference color boundaries) as well as the illusion of 3D depth through texture matching techniques (hypo-acuitive dithering). The pattern also includes micro, midi, and macro sized fractals for both blending and disrupting properties.

707 Tactical Gear™ is a company dedicated to the design and manufacture of innovative and advanced tactical and military apparel and footwear. It is one of the few American companies in its niche that can design specific products according to clients’ requests and manufacture them in their wholly ownedfactories. The company offers its products commercially under the SK7® brand with shipping worldwide.

Posted in Camo, Materials, Press Release | 1 Comment »

FirstSpear Friday Focus: FS and OSI Forge Strategic Partnership to Distribute Tubes Fasteners

Friday, December 6th, 2024

FirstSpear, a leader in Berry-compliant tactical gear for the warfighter, and Ocean State Innovations (OSI), a premier supplier of high-performance textiles, are pleased to announce a strategic partnership to expand the availability and access to FirstSpear’s patented Tubes® fasteners.

FirstSpear Tubes® Fasteners

Quick Release and Attachment: Designed for rapid gear donning and doffing with a simple two-motion technique.

Reduced Weight: Significantly lighter than traditional fastening systems, aiding in increased mobility for users.

Durability and Reliability: Constructed from high-performance polymers

Infrared Signature Reduction: Compliant with U.S. military specs for NIR signature reduction.

Modular Integration: Facilitates field repairs and customization for specific mission requirements.

Self Cleaning: Designed to clear dirt and debris through normal operation, ensuring reliability in critical operations.

Cross Compatibility: Available in 2” and 4” lengths. All male and female tubes are cross compatible between sizes.

“This collaboration with OSI marks an important step in our mission to equip the warfighter with the best and most capable tools available,” said Scott Carver, CEO of FirstSpear. “Tubes Technology is much more than a fastener; they are the release system relied on by the most demanding operators in the harshest conditions. OSI’s textile expertise and global supply chain complement our passion for equipping those operators built for the X.”

OSI is the exclusive distributor of FirstSpear Tubes Fasteners. FirstSpear will continue to support program sales and retail customers can continue to purchase them at www.first-spear.com.

“FirstSpear® has established itself as a leader in the tactical industry for many years, and we are excited to announce our exclusive partnership with them as the distributor of TUBES Fasteners. This collaboration guarantees that this reliable and innovative solution will be more readily available to our customers,” said Ben Galpen, Partner Ocean State Innovations.

This partnership not only broadens the distribution of FirstSpear’s Tubes fastener technology but also underscores both companies’ dedication to providing innovative solutions that meet the rigorous demands of their end users.

FirstSpear retains commercial retail sales through their website & will also continue to support our core relationship and customers. For more information or questions about Tubes® contact sales@first-spear.com or visit www.first-spear.com/tubes.

For more information, contact Geoff Senko at geoff@osinnovate.com at OSI.

Posted in Advertiser, FS Friday Focus, Guest Post, Industry, Materials | No Comments »

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 »