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Archive for the ‘Materials’ Category

Marines Purchase Additional Extreme Cold Weather Gear Using PrimaLoft Insulation

Friday, December 17th, 2010

PrimaLoft® Insulation Technologyâ„¢, the research and development leader in high performance insulations used to enhance combat conditions for soldiers, has announced that the United States Marine Corps (USMC) has purchased 6,000 additional sets of the USMC Extreme Cold Weather Parkas, Trousers and Booties insulated with PrimaLoft® to equip U.S. Marines stationed in the coldest areas of Afghanistan and across the globe. This new buy brings the total number of system sets currently fielded to Marines to 50,000. Known to Marines as the “Happy Suit” the garments are manufactured by Wild Things Tactical.

Developed in partnership with the U.S. Marine Corps, PrimaLoft® insulation provides Marines with critical tactical advantages over the enemy during the most challenging extreme cold weather conditions. The Extreme Cold Weather Parka, Trouser and Booties insulated with PrimaLoft® are packable, lightweight, weather resistant, and very warm for extreme combat conditions. Notably, this technology works in conjunction with the USMC sleeping bag system also outfitted with PrimaLoft® insulation and allows Marines to carry a less bulky sleep system, while increasing protection under diverse environmental conditions.

“PrimaLoft® takes great pride in our work to provide the best possible insulation technology to meet U.S. Marine Corps mission readiness needs,” said PrimaLoft® Vice-President and General Manager Joe Rumiesz. “We began working with the DoD 25 years ago, and we continue to advance our unique technology to address the specialized gear needs of our men and women in uniform.”

The U.S. Army originally commissioned Albany International Corp. to develop a water resistant synthetic alternative to down. Today, PrimaLoft® is the premier supplier of insulation to the United States Army, Marine Corps and Special Operations Forces providing them with a tactical advantage over the enemy under exceptionally wet and cold conditions in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit.

ACW Introduces “FIRELOC” Heat Resistant Hardware

Sunday, December 5th, 2010

ACW has introduced “Fireloc” a line of heat resistant plastic buckles, slides, and hook products. Primarily designed for high-heat applications, the Fireloc two inch side release has been tested and approved by Underwriters Laboratories for use in the United States and Canada.

For those of you unfamiliar with ACW, they manufacturer plastic and metal fasteners, hook and loop, as well as elastic and non-elastic narrow textile webbing and cord products. They also manufacturer a line of webbing products using specialty yarns, including Kevlar®, Nomex®, PBI®, and Dyneema® that complement the Fireloc product line offering their customers a “total solution“ product selection.

“Our mission at ACW is to continually develop new products that meet the demands of the marketplace. We are proud to provide our customers with a heat-resistant, hardware product line that has met the stringent safety standards of Underwriters Laboratories for use in the US and Canada.” explained, Mark Krauss, president of ACW.

Revitalize Your DWR

Tuesday, November 16th, 2010

We originally published this article in February of this year but seeing as the weather is getting cold and times are tough we thought this one deserved republishing. You pay a lot for your clothing and equipment and it is just as important to maintain it as it is your firearm.

It looks like it’s going to be a LONG winter. During a recent shooting class I attended it started raining day one and by the middle of the second day it looked like a blizzard. Most of my fellow shooters were wearing waterproof breathable outerwear and several began to feel clammy and then damp the longer each day progressed. A couple of guys were wearing issue Gen I ECWCS parkas. Probably not the best garment available as Gore long ago decided that the basic design could not meet their “Guaranteed to Keep You Dry” standards. Of course these jackets were old. More than anything, they needed some maintenance.

The key to any modern outerwear is its Durable Water Repellent (DWR). There are quite a few treatments available and different manufacturers have their favorites but they are usually are based on flouropolymers. These are PTFE molecules that are applied to the surface and cured at high heat to make them adhere better and increase performance and have a fluorine atom at one end which is highly hydrophobic. Heat causes them to align themselves with their flourines exposed. Water tries to move away from the flourines resulting in beading. This allows the water to roll off without wetting the fabric. Interestingly, Quarpel (Quartermaster Repellent) was one of the first DWRs and used to treat field jackets and other military clothing items.

Since most of us can’t run out and purchase a new jacket every time this happens I thought it would be a good idea to share a few tips with you that will not only revitalize your garment’s DWR treatment but also extend the life of your clothing.

DWR treatments work best when they are clean. I realize this seems counter to what you think is right since a DWR generally lasts about 25 washings and tactical garments get quite a beating in the field, but you need to wash your clothing. The first thing is to avoid using liquid detergents as well as fabric softeners. Additionally, avoid optical brighteners as they are not good for DWR or IR treatments. There are wash in treatments you can purchase as well as spray on options to help renew your clothing’s DWR. However, wash in treatments may affect the breathability of your membrane. One of the best spray solutions available is Revivex from McNett and it is what I have used in the past. It also serves as a stain repellent. Revivex can also be applied to garments that never had DWR in the first place so if you have hunting or field clothing that you find yourself wearing in inclement weather regularly you may want to give it a once over. If you use a spray treatment be sure to evenly coat your garment while it is still damp after washing and to pay special attention to any seams.

There are two additional ways you can put some life back into your DWR. One is to put the garment in a conventional dryer on warm and the other is to iron it on low heat. If water fails to bead up on the surface of your garment you will need to retreat.

No matter which method you choose, proper maintenance of your foul weather clothing’s DWR will help keep you warm and dry and extend the life of your equipment.

Hyde Definition Announces Next Production Run of PenCott Multi-terrain Camo

Friday, November 5th, 2010

Hyde Definition’s next production run of their PenCottâ„¢ multi-terrain camouflage is scheduled for early 2011, featuring a new uniform design and mil-spec-level clothing and equipment fabrics. PenCott-GreenZoneâ„¢ pattern rapidly established a reputation of being “probably the best verdant terrain camouflage pattern in the world” (to paraphrase the famous beer adverts). PenCott-Badlandsâ„¢ and PenCott-Sandstormâ„¢ have been specifically created for semi-arid and arid environments respectively.

Currently, they anticipate offering IR-treated 50/50 NyCo ripstop for uniforms and 725-Denier nylon for equipment. As for pattern colorways, they are leaving that up to the customer. They are hosting a questionnaire to solicit your opinion.

The registration page now live on www.hydedefinition.com

Anatomy of a Shell Garment – Parts 5 & 6

Thursday, November 4th, 2010

BFE Labs once again hosts the final two installments of Unleashed Tactical Equipment’s “Anatomy of a Shell Garment” which when used as a whole, is an excellent primer for those who want to learn about shell garments, their construction, and what they are made from.


Part 5: Garment Construction

Part 6: Bringing it all Together

PV – What Is It?

Friday, October 22nd, 2010

Tyr Tactical has integrated a new fabric technology into their line of nylon gear. It’s called PV, which stands for the Latin words Pluma Vires meaning Feather Strength. It is a patent-pending, hybrid material that combines lightweight Cordura (330D or 500D) with an aramid fabric to increase the strength and abrasion resistance. Rather than making the entire pouch from PV, Tyr uses the material wear it is needed to reduce wear. Tyr Tactical feels that this material is a game changer for the entire industry and is developing a distribution agreement with a third party.

Here is a video of Tyr Tactical founder, Jason Beck describing the material in greater detail.

www.tyrtactical.com

DuPont Protection Technologies Unveils Kevlar XP for Hard Armor

Thursday, October 21st, 2010

When DuPont contacted us and told use that they were set to unveil a new armor technology that could result in a 20% reduction of weight while retaining the same level of protection we practically did cheetah flips. Based on work on the Enhanced Combat Helmet program, the new Kevlar® XP™ for Hard Armor combines DuPont’s latest Kevlar® KM2 Plus fiber technology and a new advanced thermoplastic resin to create a protection system providing 20 percent higher performance. The most obvious application was helmets.

The story behind the new product is fascinating. Two years of focused research on 100% aramid reduced weight helmets at DuPont’s Armor Technology Center in Wilmington, Delaware resulted in development of XPH170. The goal was weight reduction rather than performance. Combining Kevlar® into thermo plastic technology, DuPont worked to meet current ACH requirements, and the result is a helmet with a 20% reduction in weight forming what is essentially a Lightweight ACH. To put matters into further perspective, the ACH is 8% lighter than its predecessor, the PASGT. Even better, since the new material requires fewer plies, the helmet is thinner and there is more stand off room between helmet and head lowering the risk of blunt force trauma. Additionally, the new material is stronger so there is less back face deformation.

Once the engineers at DuPont realized what they were on to, it took about nine months to workable prototypes. They have continued collaborating with several helmet producers to integrate the technology into their lines. Since it is based on work to develop the ECH, most manufacturers already invested in the infrastructure.

“Our goal is to provide the U.S. military with products that have a meaningful impact on how soldiers accomplish their mission,” said William F. Weber, vice president – DuPont Protection Technologies, North America. “The launch of Kevlar® XP™ for Hard Armor demonstrates our proactive approach to innovation in order to shape what will become the next generation of required materials for the military.”

Not only is it a perfect fit for Tactical helmets, but it can also be used for armor plates and Police helmets. DuPont continues to develop new products under the Kevlar® XP™ platform to provide lower weight solutions and better protection for warfighters.

Kevlar® XP™ for Hard Armor will be produced using materials from the new DuPont™ Kevlar® facility being built near Charleston, S.C. Dupont has made a major investment of $500 million to expand Kevlar® production capacity. The facility is expected to be fully operational by the beginning of 2012. It also will produce other Kevlar® fiber technologies specifically for military applications, law enforcement and industrial applications, and will increase worldwide production of Kevlar®, including Kevlar® XP™ for Hard Armor, by 25 percent.

Be sure to visit DuPont at AUSA and check out this new technology.

www.dupont.com

Anatomy of Shell Garments – Episode IV

Thursday, October 14th, 2010

The latest article from Unleashed Tactical Equipment on Shell Garments is available on the BFE Labs website. It deals with testing and this is where it gets interesting. An entire industry has cropped up around testing waterproof breathable fabrics. Now, you will get to see how some of the magic happens.