SureFire

Archive for the ‘Sustainment’ Category

Gerber Graspâ„¢ now in AUSCAM

Monday, September 8th, 2008

Available exclusively from Platypus Outdoors in Sydney Australia, the Gerber Grasp™ is finally available in AUSCAM. During development of the Grasp™, Gerber conducted a great deal of research asking military personnel what features they would like to see in a modular on-the-move drinking system. Armed with this information they developed the Grasp. A truly modular system, it includes: an Adjustable Load Deck (ALD) and two removable compartments, 150 oz. Grasp™ external fill reservoir, 2760 CI total cargo capacity, IR 1000D nylon Cordura® fabric, webbing, trims, antennae and communication cable ports, internal radio sling, MRE pockets, MOLLE webbing, ergonomic back padding and lumbar support, padded, adjustable, removable shoulder straps, removable waist belt, and spare field repairable buckle.

Gerber Grasp AUSCAMGerber Grasp AUSCAM

The Graspâ„¢ can be used in seven different configurations:
1. Reservoir Carrier without Shoulder Straps
2. Reservoir Carrier Closed
3. Reservoir Carrier Open
4. Reservoir Carrier + Large Gear Pack
5. Reservoir Carrier Closed + Small Gear Pack
6. Reservoir Carrier + Small Gear Pack + Waist Belt
7. Reservoir Carrier + Large Gear Pack + Small Gear Pack

The Graspâ„¢ is also available in Coyote, Black, and from other vendors in UCP.

To order contact Plat a tac.

Wrap Yourself in a Cocoon

Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008

For years I used a flannel travel sheet from Design Salt. Talk about comfort. Design Salt’s unique product line is just as appropriate for vacation as on deployment. My favorite is the Flannel TravelSheet. You’d think that it would be hot in summer but not so. It is very comfortable and convenient in that you don’t have to wash your entire sleep system, you just pull out the liner and wash it. It dries quickly and can also be used for instances where you have to spend the night in dubious sleeping quarters. Like the name, it provides a cocoon.

Cocoon Flannel TravelSheet

At the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Design Salt announced that they too would incorporate the Insect Shield technology.

The entire Cocoon line is available from Design Salt.

Photo is courtesy of Design Salt.

Esbit Cookers

Thursday, August 28th, 2008

Esbit

I don’t know how I would have made it through my tour in Germany without my trusty Esbit Cooker. Issued as part of the German Ration Pack (EPA), Esbit fuel was readily available all over Germany. The tablets burn for between 7 and 12 minutes depending on the size and should boil half a liter in about 7 minutes. What I really liked about them was lack of smell or smoke.

Esbit Cooker

The cooker itself is a simple design. Its stamped galvanized steel with riveted folding legs that once folded flat, carried its own solid fuel bars. They come in three sizes: small, medium, and large. The legs are adjustable by detents stamped into the legs. The larger the cooker, the more settings. For example, the small cooker’s legs can be set at 90 degrees, 45 degrees, or closed. You can see in the picture the indentations in the legs for the settings. I tossed mine years ago but the only place it ever showed the slightest sign of rust was at the rivets. I never thought I would be able to find another one, until now.

And now they have mugs!

Esbit Mug

Esbit products can be found here on the web but I purchased mine at Eddie Bauer.

Photos from Esbit GMbH.

Brunton BrewFire Dual Fuel Coffee Maker

Wednesday, August 27th, 2008

Brunton

Brunton BrewFire

Brunton always seems to come up with the coolest gadgets.
The BrewFire is the first coffee maker to be fueled by either propane or butane fuel. This is fantastic for occasions when electricity isn’t available.

Brunton BrewFire

It brews 8 cups of coffee in 10-12 minutes and comes with a stainless steel carafe. It’s compact size (10″x14″x10″) makes it perfect for the deployment box. It won’t be available until February of 2009 but this is a great time to start saving up for the perfect Valentine’s Day present for the First Sergeant.

You can pre-order here.

Off-Duty: LeoAdventures

Sunday, August 24th, 2008

LeoAdventures

When I was still served in the military I joined an interesting organization named LeoAdventures. They are a service organization designed to honor and serve those in Government, they are essentially a buying club but with a very exclusive membership. Membership is reserved for Government employees. They collect an annual membership fee of $19.99. This and LeoAdventures negotiating discounts for their members allows Public Servants to avoid receiving special gifts or gratuities which would violate ethics regulations.

Although I was familiar with the program I spoke with President Leslie Mellott at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market. She is there every show looking for new vendors to add the the program. A wife of a long-serving Government employee, Leslie knows not only the risks her husband takes but also the sacrifices the entire family makes for their life of service. I really appreciate what she does.

One important point about this program is that it is for serving Public Safety and Military members. I feel that it is important to recognize these individuals whenever we can and I can remember how hard it was to raise a family and give them those extras on a military salary. The discounts provided through LeoAdventures membership do both. They honor our heroes and help them provide a better quality of life for themselves and their families. If you serve your community or nation I recommend you join. If you are like me and are a retiree or a supporter of our Nation’s finest then I urge to contact LeoAdventures and purchase a gift membership for someone you know.

The Brands LeoAdventures has agreements with:
Arc’teryx
Blue Seventy
Brooks Running
Carey & Company
Dell Computer
ExOfficio
Flyfishing Benefactors
GU
Highgear
Horny Toad
IBEX
ISIS for Women
Jetboil
Kelty
Larabar
MH Bertucci
Mountainsmith
MSR
Nuun Hydration
Otterbox
Platypus
Probar
Purefit
Rudy Project
Railriders
Ruffwear
SealLine
Sherpani alpina
SOG Specialty Knives
Suunto
Therm-A-Rest
Tracks
Working Advantage
Zamberlan
Zeal Optics

They can be reached at LeoAdventures.

Proforce Gear Sleeping Pad

Thursday, August 21st, 2008

Proforce Gear

Proforce gear introduced a new line of sleeping pads at the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Salt Lake City earlier this month. Multimat’s Trekker line is well suited to military use. It is made from a lightweight, 150D Polyester shell over a PU foam core. The pad also comes with both a patch kit and stuff sack, both accessories that other manufacturers make you pay for separately. The one inch thick Trekker 25 will fit most Soldiers as it is 72.5” x 20” but packs down to 10.75” x 6”. One of the things that is so cool about this pad is that it is reversible. One side is Olive Drab and the other Coyote Brown.

MultiMat Trekker 25 Reversible

Proforce Gear imports the entire line of Snugpak equipment from the UK.

You can contact Proforce Gear here.

New Kangaroo Collapsible Canteen from Source Hydration

Wednesday, August 20th, 2008

Source Hydration

Finally, a bladder that is a realistic replacement for the canteen. Its really one of the coolest things we have seen in awhile. Due to its compact size, its more flexible than larger bladders. The 26 ounce bladder fits a 1 quart canteen cover or a utility pouch and you can use it alone as a canteen or connect the hydration tube. The bladder’s glass-like lining is designed to preserve the water’s plastic-free taste as well as prevent bacteria.

Source Kangaroo

The 37″ hydration tube comes with a woven camo cover as well as a bite valve cover. Source already has nylon manufacturers lining up to integrate the Kangaroo into their designs.

For more information contact Source.

Never Quit Industries to Cease Production of Meal Replacement

Tuesday, August 19th, 2008

NQI
Last month we posted an article on Never Quit Industries. Unfortunately, it looks like they are ceasing production of their Meal Replacement.

Important Announcement from Nathan K. Merithew, NQI

Level: High Importance

To: All NQI Customers and Patrons

From: Nathan K. Merithew, Owner NQI

Dear customers and patrons of NQI products, workouts and services,

I am writing this letter because I learned a long time ago that leadership has the fiduciary responsibility of keeping its people informed. Some of my colleagues in the MIL/LE industry disagree with my decision to practice this philosophy of giving the customers so much information, but I do not. Our customers look to our product line to help them on real world missions and use our workouts to help better their physical conditioning, sometimes to help to complete those missions. What this means is that “you”, our customers, look to us for dependability, which means you put your trust in us to deliver.

Since the beginning of 2008 NQI has had many obstacles which have been extremely costly. We had a manufacturing issue in JAN, which delayed our additional flavors from being packaged. We also partnered with a product rep group/sales force that had its own internal problems unknown to us. The aforementioned items eventually slowed our ability to deliver and to date has eroded investor confidence in the ability to return a profit on the time table originally anticipated.

These items coupled with the other ups and downs of a small start-up company in a less than stellar economy has had a devastating impact on our business model. Over the past few months I have personally been working contracts to keep NQI going but this takes time away from NQI itself. Truth be known, 90% of this company apart from the investment dollars and trade show help has been shouldered by one person. This would include all the content you see, product development, workouts, daily logistics, sales, etc… It has come to be too much to be profitable on this end, and thats what businesses are about, turning a profit.

With this being said NQI will be discontinuing its ASAP Any Situation Always Prepared High Protein Meal Replacement product line effective immediately. It will be available however over the course of the next 3 months on our website at $19.95 a box from the Reg. $49.95-59.95 depending on the specials we were running.

Myself and Dave Wilson created ASAP for one reason, to help feed warriors. This inherently may have been another problem with our business itself, we are more concerned about troop welfare than profit.

NQI will continue to deliver you free workouts and offer training courses in regards to specific areas of study along with our strategic relationships with other much larger companies that offer goods and services in the industry.

As for myself I have recently been cleared to return to active duty by the end of the year, this time with the US Navy to be a corpsman to help to take care of our Marines.

NQI will be in good hands upon my departure and I will still play a role in its future guidance.

I am very thankful for all of the relationships I have made along the way, some of which have had the beginning of life long friendships.

Thank you all for your business over the past year.

Semper Fi

Very respectfully,

Nathan K. Merithew, NQI