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Archive for the ‘Shelter’ Category

Jakpak

Monday, February 15th, 2010

Jakpak is a modular 3-season sleeping and shelter system consisting of a jacket, shelter, and sleeping bag. While slightly bulky in this configuration, all three components can be stored inside the jacket and quickly deployed for use.

Jakpak ComponentsJacket
The hooded jacket is a simple affair manufactured from an unspecified 2-layer waterproof breathable fabric and features pit zips as well two exterior and one interior pockets. The integrated hood has a visor and pull tabs to keep foul weather out.

Tent
The detachable hooped tent uses two metal rods and covers the head and upper torso. The tent can also be used as a pack cover.

Sleeping Bag
The sleeping bag component is actually of elephant foot design and mates to the jacket via a #5 coil zipper along the rear of the mouth. Additionally, there is an angle two way zipper to facilitate entry and exit. It also allows you to fully expose the feet in order to walk around. While the bags looks to be roomy, there is also elastic at the mouth in order to keep it snug if needed and built in suspenders help support the weight. The bottom of the bag is waterproof and the top is made from an unspecified waterproof breathable fabric.

Jakpak - How it works

Jakpak is currently available in subdued two-tone Green shades, Black and Grey, as well as RealTree and a HiViz option for survival use. The mosquito net is Black but looks a dark Grey due to the mesh letting light through. Additionally, since it is based primarily on a jacket, Jakpak is sized XS (34-36) – XL (46-48).

For more info visit www.jakpak.com.

Gore’s Developmental Tent Fabric

Monday, October 5th, 2009

WL Gore displayed numerous new military fabrics at last week’s Modern Day Marine but the one that really caught my eye was the demonstrator for a new shelter fabric.

The demonstrator in this case is a prototype US Marine Corps 2-man Combat Tent designed in response to a Marine Corps RFI issued earlier this year. Traditionally, Gore works with finished good manufacturers to develop new products with their fabrics but in this instance that may change. According a Product Development Engineer at WL Gore, they haven’t decided how they might proceed with this technology. The material may be produced and sold to manufacturers, the shelter design may be licensed to others if it proves effective, or Gore may manufacture it themselves.

Prototype Gore Tent

The Alternative Laminate Construction material is oxygen permeable as well as opaque so you can sit inside of it all night without having to vent and you can use a light to prepare your equipment or conduct other administrative tasks from within the shelter without giving your position away. Additionally, the new fabric makes the shelter 44% lighter than the current issue model. Naturally, it is also flame resistant. A prototype bivy bag has also been produced from a lighter version of the fabric. It too is lighter than the current issue model and is also breathable.

The new prototype shelter is slated to be trialled at the Mountain Warfare Training Center this Winter.

Ecotat Multi-Purpose Sleeping Bags – On Sale

Monday, September 28th, 2009

Ecotat Systems Company has been around for over 25 years producing specialized sleeping and shelter systems. In fact, they are so specialized that you probably never heard of them. They have produced shelter and sleep systems for Marine Force Recon, Army Long Range Surveillance and Special Forces units as well as for inclusion in Army and Air Force survival kits. In fact, the multi-purpose sleeping bags carry NSNs for units wishing to purchase them through the standard stock system. Contact Ecotat at the email address below if there are any questions. Until the end of October individual sales are offered a 30% discount from MSRP.

Ecotat Multi-Purpose Sleeping Bags

What makes Ecotat’s products so innovative is that one item fulfills the functions of many. As I discussed earlier, foot mobile units who find themselves regularly in austere environments have adopted the shelter and sleep systems. The multi-purpose sleeping bag pulls duty not only as a mummy style bag but also can be worn as a long “great” coat, short “anorak” coat, poncho-style or unzipped it takes the place of a poncho liner. By utilizing the head hole and stepping into the body of the bag the wearer retains full mobility of his head and his hands are free to operate weapons and night vision devices from defensive positions.

Ecotat Multi-Purpose Sleeping Bag as an Anorak

I have used Ecotat products extensively in the past and I personally recommend them. For someone operating in Afghanistan, the multi-purpose sleeping bag is a great option. It not only provides provisions for sleeping but can also makes insulated clothing items redundant in the load. What’s more, the bag was designed with combat lessons learned in mind. Ecotat president Dick Hailsip is a retired Colonel of Marines and engineered practical features into the design such a zipper that will rapidly open in an emergency and the adjustable hem that accommodates not only static guard duty but also is adjustable for stride when worn during foot mobile operations.

Ecotat Sleeping Bag Adjustable Hem

As a special offer to Soldier Systems Daily readers, Ecotat is conducting an end of fiscal year close out on solid colors of their Cold Weather (0 degree) and Desert (35 degree) bags. This offer is good now through the end of October and they will be be discounted 30% from retail pricing.

Ecotat Multi-Purpose Sleeping Bag in UCP

Both bags are available in regular (82″) and long (86″) lengths and are Berry compliant. They feature Taffeta shells and linings that are water and mildew resistant. The insulation is a silicon coated continuous filament fiber that is laminated directly to the shell to avoid cold spots and does not absorb water. The solid colors include Coyote Brown, Black, and OD. However, they also have light blue and purple for those interested in using the bags for civilian use. The lining comes standard in Black but Ecotat can accommodate custom orders as well. Naturally, Ecotat offers the multi-purpose sleeping bags in Woodland, UCP, and Woodland MARPAT but these colors are currently available at full price.

Ecotat does not normally sell direct so to take advantage of this offer contact them via email for instructions.

35 Deg Bag NSN: 8415-01-416-6216
0 Deg Bag NSN: 8415-01-417-4001

NEMO Gogo Shelters ADS

Friday, August 14th, 2009

NEMO has been producing lightweight, innovative shelters for several years now. Their hallmark is the AirSupported Technology which precludes the need for traditional poles. Developed by NEMO’s founder after his work on spacesuits and inflatable architecture with NASA, AST™ is a system of low-pressure inflatable tubes (called airbeams) and lightweight pumps that provide a high performance alternative to traditional tent poles. Airbeams are made of two layers, similar to a bicycle tire. An outer layer provides the shape, strength and puncture resistance, while a thin inner bladder holds the air. Feeling winded from a long day humping a ruck? No problem. Each shelter comes with an innovative pump that can be operated by hand or foot and will not over inflate the airbeam.

NEMO Airbeam

Over the last year or so they have begun to adapt their innovative designs for military use. In fact, the Gogo was provided for use during the REF’s lightweight equipment demonstration.

NEMO Gogo in OD

The Gogo is a single wall, one person shelter. It includes a pump and stores in a dry-bag style stuff sack. It has 19 sq ft of floor space with an additional 4.5 sq ft under the vestibule. It’s low profile design is perfect for tactical bivouacs being just 27″ high yet the 42″ width and 113″ length allow you to spread out. It is lightweight (1.9 lbs) and packs to a compact 7” X 5.5”. It features a quick set up (15 sec) and strikes even more quickly (5 sec).

NEMO's Gogo SE in Multicam

The NEMO Gogo SEâ„¢ (shown in Multicam) shares of all the same stats of the standard Gogo but features an extra six inches of length. It also boasts an additional side door for entry, exit, and ventilation.

NEMO tactical shelters come standard in OD, but can be special ordered in special colors like the Multicam shown with a minimum order requirement. All of NEMO‘s tactical shelters are available from ADS.