This is the MultiCam® Photo of the Month for July, 2011. Each month, Crye Precision holds a contest via the MultiCam® Pattern website for the best photos featuring the pattern. If you would like to submit your favorite MultiCam® picture for their Photo of the Month contest, please email it to photos@multicampattern.com. Each month, the best photo will be chosen and displayed on their website. Winners will receive stuff and things.
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…..â€
The much anticipated website CamoRigs.com is now live. An offshoot of SKD Tactical, CamoRigs was born out of a dirty back-seat union between the Tactical and Skydiving communities. They offer sport containers in Genuine Crye MultiCam, Desert and Temperate MARPAT (Commercial), Woodland, Army Universal Camo and Tri-Color Desert, as well as other patterns. They also have in-house products, such as the Magnetic Slider Keeper, Packing Mat and Canopy Bag, all designed and made right here in the USA.
Keep an eye peeled for 2012, when they will be launching a new line of skydiving gloves called Valkyrie, a purpose-made glove for jumping that actually fits like a glove.
Photo: SrA Sandra Welch
Last Friday, the US Air Force released an article on the fielding of Army OCIE in OCP (MultiCam) for deploying Airmen. Referred to as JET (joint expeditionary tasking) Airmen, more than 180 of them assigned to Provincial Reconstruction Teams and other taskings are wearing the OEF Camouflage Pattern (OCP).
Interestingly, the article refers to the OCP FR ACU as the, “Joint Service Solution Uniform.” This is a first for us. While PEO Soldier regularly speaks of looking for Joint Service Solutions, even they haven’t placed that monicker on OCP lest they derail their ongoing search for a new family of camouflage patterns.
We’ve written about this plan before. Unfortunately, the Air Force still hasn’t gotten their facts right on the difference between the Army’s OCP OCIE and their own, internally developed Airman Battle System – Ground (ABS-G). For example, the article claims, “The uniform gives Airmen unique benefits and features that the Airman Battle System-Ground and Airman Battle Uniform cannot deliver.” Sure, the ABU is such a failure, the Air Force has already changed the design of the coat once and is getting ready to field an entirely new fabric story for the uniform, but the ABS-G is very popular with Combat Airmen. It’s really just the Digital Tigerstripe pattern that is the problem. So, we’ll chalk this claim up to visual camouflage.
The article goes on this same vein, “OCPs have a more advanced camouflage pattern that blends in with the Afghan terrain, making our Airmen safer and more effective on the battlefield,” said Lt. Col. Shawna McGowan, the Air Force future programs branch chief. “The material is also flame resistant, lighter weight than the ABS-G or ABU, and contains a pre-applied bug repellant.”
Not completely true. The fabric used in the ABS-G’s field uniform component is the same as used in the Army’s A2CU and is lighter and more breathable than that used in the FR ACU. However, it is not quite as durable, nor does it contain permethrin to keep the bugs at bay. However, the ABS-G is a total system that incorporates FR insulation layers. This is something that the Army’s currently fielded solution does not provide. Fielding the Army’s Gen III ECWCS in lieu of a complete ABS-G developed under the FIRESAFE program puts Airmen at danger of flame threats. The alternative is to issue Fire Resistant Environmental Ensemble (FREE) to each deploying Airmen.
As you can see in the photo above, the Air Force chose to go their own path in regards to insignia and use “spice brown” colored name and service tapes as well as enlisted ranks rather than the Army’s black lettering. Looks good.
Overall, we are pleased with the direction the Air Force is heading. But, a lot of time and money was spent developing a unique Air Force solution for Airmen. Air Force personnel, ask for a MultiCam version of the ABS-G. The Airman Battle Shirt is already available from producer Massif in OCP. There is no reason for the Air Force to abandon the currently issued FR cold and inclement weather clothing developed under ABS-G. Finally, don’t forget to just ask for a new, useful camouflage pattern for both home station and deployed environments. Maybe it should be MultiCam and maybe it should be something else, but regardless, it shouldn’t be the current Digital Tigerstripe.
Crye’s All Weather Combat Shirt is based on the same design of the current G3 Combat Shirt but rather, built from a 4-way stretch woven laminate treated on the exterior with NANO STX for extreme weather resistance. A wicking, midweight, high-performance flame resistant DRIFIRE knit torso is paired with reinforced, 4-way stretch laminate sleeves to provide a warmer base than the standard Crye Precision Combat Shirts. Large easy access zip vents allow a massive amount of ventilation when needed. The All Weather Combat Shirt features stretch woven upper back coverage for added weather protection and a zip collar that allows easy donning and doffing. The elbows accept the Crye Precision removable AirFlex Elbow Pads. Made in the US from US materials (this means Berry Compliant). Offered in MultiCam, Black, Ranger Green, and Khaki in sizes XSmall – XXXLarge, Reg and Tall lengths.
And you can order it from Level Peaks before you can get it anywhere else.
Photo ISAF Media
Murdock Webbing has been officially licensed by Crye Precision to offer jacquard woven Multicam webbing. Using specialized jacquard looms the camouflage pattern is integrated directly into the web creating a durable, quality product. It meets or surpasses all of the performance requirements for AA55301 and is offered in standard widths of .75″, 1″, 1.5″, and 2″. Additionally, custom widths and weights are available upon request.
You can barely see the webbing overlayed on a sheet of MultiCam fabric. This is a good thing. The pattern is so well executed that it blends right in unlike the Government pattern webbing introduced earlier this year.
The double-sided jacqaurd woven MultiCam webbing meets all NIR requirements established by Natick, and has been approved by a government certified lab.
In addition to looking great, there is an added benefit to the jacquard woven construction. It has proven to be very abrasion resistant in repeated laboratory tests, maintaining the integrity of the MultiCam design even after 1000s of cycles on an abrasion machine. This means the pattern is going to last you the lifetime of the product.
Additionally, the weave can really hold a buckle or clip in place. Murdock Webbing feels that this could be the single most important function of webbing as it relates to a military pack or carrying system. We agree. There is nothing worse than webbing that needs constant adjustment due to slippage.
What’s more, Murdock Webbing is the exclusive narrow fabric company to offer Schoeller’s NanoSphere technology. NanoSphere repels water and dirt to create a self-cleaning finish and enhance durability. They also also offer a silicone application that they apply in-house. Either of these treatments will protect the webbing and prevent water absorption to keep weight down when conditions get rough.
Murdock Webbing has been an approved supplier to the military since the early 1960s and has been a force in industry since 1936. Their mill is ANSI/ASQC ISO9001 certified and manufactures products that meet the highest standards of quality and reliability.
So, to sum this article up. Looks good? Check. Abrasion Resistant? Check. Grippy for Buckles? Check. Added Bonus – Inexpensive.
Murdock’s MultiCam webbing is woven right here in the United States and is Berry Amendment Compliant. Please contact Ray Clarke, VP of Sales, at 1 (800) 375 2052 x3014 or ray.clarke@murdockweb.com for free prototyping quantities as well as a price quote.
Check out this article by Nic Jenzen-Jones published at securityscholar.wordpress.com.
