GORE-TEX Military Fabrics

Archive for the ‘Sustainment’ Category

Bluewater Defense Announces New Brand Identity

Tuesday, September 14th, 2010

When we saw the Bluewater Defense line of sleep systems we were puzzled as to where they came from. Now we know.

Bluewater Defense, Inc. recently announced a new brand name, new leadership, and an enhanced commitment to defense manufacturing work with their industry partners. The company, formerly known as DJ Manufacturing, Corp., will expand on their longtime experience as a prime contractor and subcontractor in the precision and specialized sewing industry for the Department of Defense (DoD) while adding new capabilities for custom production, expedited turnaround time and a new focus on research and development.

Bluewater Defense is headquartered in San Lorenzo with additional locations in Cidra, Corozal and Yabucoa, and employs 1500 highly trained garment manufacturers. All existing DJ Manufacturing, Corp. contracts are being transitioned to the new Bluewater Defense brand and all new contracts have been secured under the new brand name. Additionally, the company has significantly upgraded their facilities and made substantial investments in highly advanced garment forming equipment.

A worldwide leader in the precision needle working and manufacturing industry, Bluewater Defense is known for their mass production capabilities and is currently producing a wide variety of protective clothing, uniforms and individual equipment for the DoD, including the GEN III Layer 7 Extended Cold Weather Clothing System Parka and Trousers, the Army Combat Uniform Coat and Trousers, the Fire Resistant Army Combat Uniform, Improved Outer Tactical Vests and Hard Plate Carriers.

Additionally, Bluewater Defense expects to break ground on a new Manufacturing Center of Excellence in Yabucoa in the near future. The Center will be staffed with technical garment design professionals and the latest computer-aided design equipment to maximize speed from product concept to production. The Center will allow for additional specialized short run capacity and increased design flexibility to meet the varying needs of their industry partners and the DoD.

In an ongoing effort to elevate Bluewater Defense’s abilities as a premier manufacturer of military apparel and equipage, a new leadership team has been created comprised of individuals with significant leadership experience in the textile, apparel, technology and pharmaceutical industries. Eric Spackey has assumed the role of CEO/President and he has assembled his new management team which includes: Max Weinstein as the Chief Operating Officer; Sharon Birk as the Vice President of Business Development; Olga Bonnin as the Vice President of Finance; and Aida Mendez as the Vice President of Human Resources. The entire team at Bluewater Defense is looking forward to continuing to craft the high-quality products that are essential to the warfighter.

“Our goal at Bluewater Defense is to meet the specific needs of our men and women in uniform in even the most challenging circumstances.” said Bluewater Defense CEO Eric Spackey. “We are partnering with the best manufacturers of advanced fabrics and materials in the United States to supply our troops with the highest performing end products. We are very excited to begin this development work with our longtime industry colleagues and new partners.”

Bluewater Defense products are available through ADS Inc.

Rations – Another Look

Sunday, September 12th, 2010

Early last week, the New York Times gave their readers a glimpse at the gastronomic delights that are field rations. One of our readers was so kind as to send a couple photos of the most recent Australian ration packs and reminded us of their excellent ramen component.

He also sent us a photo of a commercial ration that some are using that closely mimics many of the NATO rations.

We are looking for your ration pictures and experiences so send them along.

Stuff We Didn’t Write About

Saturday, September 11th, 2010

Anatomy of a Hard Shell pt 1 – brought to you by BFE Labs and UTE


The Book You Won’t Get to Read

AK Ti Apocalypspork

The Gear Junkie: Origins of the Swiss Army Knife

The iPod nano watchband

Coalition Rations

Thursday, September 9th, 2010

The New York Times posting a fantastic article on the field rations of Coalition forces in Afghanistan. The article is all over the internet. It seems like everyone is posting this but we have an interesting take. We have actually eaten several of the examples in the article over the years. Some are very basic and spartan while others are quite palatable. However, one of the examples in the article takes us back. Apparently, the Australians are still including musk lollies in their rat packs. We would have figured that they had stopped issuing them due to possible Geneva Convention violations. You see, musk lollies are musk flavored candies. Yes, they taste as foul as they sound, at least to the American palette (and Australian as well according to what we have heard) and have been the perfect gag for practical jokes. Be sure to get some if you have a pogey bait thief. They are the little pink pill looking things on the Australian ration photo. It’s like spraying perfume in your mouth.

In an SSD first, we are going to open up the comments section to hear our readers’ experiences with these and other rations. If you have photos of rations, please send them to us and we will post them this weekend. (more…)

AirBedz from Pittman Outdoors

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

Pittman Outdoors presents AirBedz…The Original Truck Bed Air Mattress. On display in booth # BR747 at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market going on until this Friday at the Salt Palace in downtown SLC, Airbedz are now available in a digital camo pattern. Specifically, Airbedz are designed to be used in the bed of a pickup. In fact, their 3 sizes accommodate 95% of trucks.

AirBedz fit around and over the wheel wells in pickup beds creating a sleep area that utilizes the entire truck bed so you are not sleeping “between the wheel wells”. Optional inflatable Wheel Well Inserts convert AirBedz into a standard mattress for use in homes or tents. Additionally, Airbedz feature a built-in rechargeable pump for inflation/deflation.

Inflatable mattresses can develop leaks, particularly in austere environments, but the photo of the truck parked atop the AirBedz is a testament to the work that Pittman Outdoors has done to create this product. Obviously, they are going to be a big hit for those who regularly work from a pickup but we are also told that they work great in a HMMWV.

www.truckairbedz.com

Diamond 3L Low Profile Armor Hydration System

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

Source Hydration introduced us to several new products at the recent Warrior Expo. One that really stood out is the Diamond 3L Low Profile Armor Hydration System. Feature laden, the Diamond incorporates the following:
– Low profile 3L hydration system designed for compatibility with IOTV, IMTV and other widely used armor systems.
– QASTM “4 buckle attachment system adjusts to fit many vest configurations.
– Front panel opens wide for easy reservoir removal.
– Can be refilled through the drinking tube with UTA refill adaptor (not included).
– Tuck-away shoulder straps/sternum strap for pack-style wear.
– Over-the-shoulder or under-the-arm tube routing options.
– MOLLE for adding accessories, Velcro for ID Tags.
– Includes Source’s Diamond 3L reservoir system featuring Glass-LikeTM liner with Grunge-GuardTM delivers true water taste and superior bacteria resistance.
– Patented leakproof Widepac slider opens wide for easy cleaning and ice insertion.
– StormTM drinking valve delivers more water, faster, with no biting and weave covered tube adds UV protection and insulation.
– Source Quick Connect (SQC) seals watertight- tubes can be removed from filled reservoirs with no leaks or drips. Positive push button operation.
– Source Quick Mate Technology (QMT) offers “one-click” installation of drinking valves, UTA tube refill adaptors, and other Source accessories.

All of Source Hydration’s products are available from www.source-military.com.

Coyote Z-Lite Sleeping Pad

Friday, July 23rd, 2010

Cascade Designs has taken their popular lightweight Z-Lite folding mat and changed the color from Orange to Coyote. A simple mod but it means the world to troops who want to put the Z-lite’s egg carton-style cushioning to work in the field. It folds out to a roomy 20” wide x 72” long yet weighs in at only 15 ounces! And, unlike air mattresses, you don’t have to worry about leaks.

Previously in limited production the mat was evaluated by the Marine Corps. However, Cascade Designs put them into full production based on its adoption by an element of the US military. CPGear is the first company we have seen to offer this product.

To order visit www.CPGear.com.

Hybrid Deployment Bag from Force Protector Gear

Friday, July 16th, 2010

The Hybrid Deployment Bag from Force Protector Gear is a coffin style duffel designed specifically for commercial air travel. At over 9200 cubic inches it features numerous pockets to compartmentalize gear and includes a soft frame system to give the bag body. Manufactured from 1000D Cordura the bottom of the bag is covered in ballistic nylon. It is Berry Compliant and is available in Black, Coyote, and MultiCam.

The entire line of FPG products is on display at the Warrior Expo in booth #137.

www.forceprotector.com