This is the first public photo of the Vertx smock unveiled on their Facebook page. The photo was taken at IWA in Germany.
We aren’t allowed to release any details yet but we can say that it is unlike any smock you’ve ever seen and will be available initially in MultiCam with other colors to follow.
If you just can’t wait to get your hands on the Talos Combat Uniform from Arc’teryx we have some good news for you. The pants have been released and are currently in stock at Tactical Distributors as well as OP Tactical. So far these are the only two retail outlets we know of.
Currently available in any color you want as long as it’s MultiCam, additional color options are still about a year out. They are manufactured from 50/50 NYCO and come in sizes small – XX large. These are right on size with other Arc’teryx products. They are amazing pants and packed with features such as the webbing reinforced kneepad pockets with slits for the straps to be used on the outside of the pants. The pants also feature an articulated fit, tool loops, and an integrated gaiter designed to keep debris out of your boots without resorting to traditional blousing. We bought ours from Tactical Distributors and can’t say enough good things about them.
No solid word yet on when the tops will be available.
Canada’s ICE Tactical is a small company that keeps a low profile. ICE is also well tied in to the latest materials and very much on the edge of new idea development. Consequently, you see things like this; a medium GP Pouch made from 500D Cordura with MultiCam printed pile and and slide fastener. No word yet on when these new materials will be cut completely into the line.
We like seeing official Air Force photos of Battlefield Airmen applying airmanship to the tasks at hand. In this case we see U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Stacy Maxey, a command air mobility liaison officer with Task Force CROM, giving a landing zone safety officer course U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and Romanian army personnel at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Lagman, Afghanistan.
You will note the combination of AF Digital Tigerstripe, Army UCP and Army OCP (MultiCam) clothing and equipment on the Airmen in the photo. Expect this to be the norm for at least the near future as deploying Airmen transition to OCP.
We recently received a few photos of even more MultiCam goodness from Magnum USA. Oddly enough, they were taken by a reader who was attending IDEX in Abu Dhabi, UAE. You see? You just can’t escape the awesomeness of MultiCam, no matter where you flee. While he provided photos of three different models we are only going to share one with you right now.
We did see a couple of models of MultiCam trainers at SHOT Show but they weren’t exactly parading them about. As we understand it, they are all currently undergoing trials in bad places and once Magnum receives some solid feedback from the field they will work the final prototypes for formal unveiling at SHOT Show 2012. We have seen the future and it is MultiCam.
For those of you who can’t wait and want Magnum Boots now, visit www.magnumboots.com.
Thanks to our intrepid reader who sent us this sneak peek into the future of footwear.
Have you ever found yourself looking for classic military cap styles in modern camo patterns? Well, some of you may have but I bet after seeing these most of you will want them too. Slangvel, a disabled US Army vet who later went on to work for the Veterans Administration hand crafts various styles of military caps. Many camo and militaria collectors will recognize the significance of the name. The term Slangvel is Afrikaans for snake skin and was used to used to refer to SADF para smocks which featured texturised nylon elbow patches.
Slangvel currently manufactures M43-styles, Bigeards, Recce Hats, 2″ Brim Boonie Hats, Berets, and Rhodesian Kepis. Currently, all offerings are made via eBay as they come off the line so you have to check back regularly to ascertain available styles and patterns. Word is that Slangvel will undertake commissions in patterns he does not stock if you can supply the fabric. Additional charges may apply.
Two weeks ago I ordered a MultiCam M43-style as well as a MultiCam and AOR2 Recce Hats. Overall, craftsmanship is excellent and the patterning follows the original caps. Stitching is flawless. The M43 fits like a glove and had the perfect crumple right out of the box. The Recce Hat is a Short Brimmed Boonie with shock cord cinch strap, Crye Boonie-style slash air vents with mesh lining and a Day-Glo Orange signal panel sewn into the crown that pulls double duty as a pocket. I can’t say enough good things about these caps.
Those interested in his services should visit Slangvel on eBay. myworld.ebay.com/slangvel
He has also asked me to provide his email address for those interested in custom work. graywolf47@comcast.net
Even though the Army issued guidance last year on how to paint rifles in order to better blend in to the environment, it seems that the practice just isn’t that wide spread. One reason may be that it is so difficult to restore the weapons to inspection order. Another issue is that the guidance was only issued for rifles and carbines and not for the myriad of other weapons that find themselves on the battlefield. UPDATE: In fact, we have recently heard that there are no plans to authorize painting of additional weapons.
For the past two years, Military Wraps has produced MW Gripz. They are die-cut applique kits that can be applied at the operator level to various individual weapons. The material is also available in sheets that can be cut to shape as needed. Additionally, the non-marring material leaves no residue when removed. As you can see from the photo below, they do a great job of breaking up the visual signature of small arms.
But there’s more. During a recent demonstration, it was noted that weapons covered on MW Gripz didn’t emit a significant thermal signature. In fact, it appeared to be about half that of unprepared weapons. Based on this, Military Wraps has secured lab time in order to determine exactly how much Grips mask the weapon’s IR signature. We look forward to their report and will pass on what we find out. In the interim, MW Grips can be applied and removed repeatedly with no damage to the weapon not additional cleaning requirement. It is important to note that the current versions of Gripz is designed for use with weapons that are employed in the semi automatic role, a new version is on the way that can take the increased heat of sustained automatic fire.
Updated: Military Wraps shared these photos with us of a few weapons wrapped in the Gripz technology. As you can see, the MultiCam (oops, OCP) makes a big difference. Additionally, an evaluation by a military unit came in over the weekend from Afghanistan stated that while a single kit is designed cover two carbines it could also easily be adapted for use with other weapons. Additionally, the break up of the weapon’s outline was significant in both daylight conditions as well as under night vision devices.
MW Gripz are available in a variety of patterns and can be manufactured using to match the operational environment. For more information visit www.militarywraps.com.
Yes, this is essentially gear pr0n, but it gives you an idea of what the best dressed EOD techs are wearing and how they are equipped; with ZERO POINT kit naturally. This particular specimen was found in the ADS Inc booth at SHOT Show. We’ve reviewed a couple of bits of bits and pieces from Zero Point in the past and this post serves as a great teaser for a couple of upcoming articles featuring even more kit you can’t live without, whether you are EOD, or not.
www.zeropointusa.com and don’t forget, all ZERO POINT products can be purchased through ADS.
