WL Gore | Soldier Systems Daily Soldier Systems Daily

Posts Tagged ‘WL Gore’

Gore Military – FREE

Friday, September 14th, 2012

This is the first in a series of articles covering WL Gore’s various technologies and their military applications. While we are all familiar with the popular GORE-TEX brand, many do not know that WL Gore has worked extensively with the military since the mid-1980s to develop specific fabrics for various purposes. In this article we will cover GORE-TEX fabrics used in the Flame Resistant Environmental Ensemble issued to US Army Armored Vehicle and Air Crews.

FREE is a true head-to-toe FR environmental clothing system. It incorporates numerous levels consisting of garments that can be used alone or together, along with FR improved Combat Vehicle Coveralls and Army Aircrew Combat Uniform to face virtually any extreme weather conditions.

GORE-TEX membranes are used in the Extreme Weather Outer Layer Parka and Trouser. It is a breathable 3-layer laminate that combines DuPont’s Nomex fiber face material with a GORE-TEX ePTFE membrane and a Nomex mesh inner fabric. It is printed in the US Army’s Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) or the Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern (OCP) for operations in Afghanistan where it has been used extensievly. EWOL is the most external layer in the clothing system and combines wet and extreme cold weather protection. It incorporates a fleece liner in order to help regulate temperature. Due to its intended use in vehicles and aircraft is a little bulky for use by dismounted troops.

Based on the success of FREE, ADS has developed Dismounted FREE so that all troops will have access to an FR environmental clothing system. FREE is currently only issued to armored vehicle and air crewmen but the threats affect everyone on an aircraft or in a vehicle. With Afghanistan’s extreme environment, troops are exposed to multiple threats; enemy fire, IEDs and weather. DFREE helps mitigate the effects of two of those.

Due to the difference in mission between mounted and dismounted troops, DFREE more closely mirrors Gen III ECWCS. This accomplishes two things. First, it means that the overall system is slightly lighter because ground troops have to carry it. Additionally, troops already understand how to use the system so new equipment training is kept to a minimum.

Keeping this philosophy in mind, the GORE-TEX level in DFREE more closely mirrors Gen III’s Level 6 than the EWOL level found in the mounted FREE. Rather than a 3-layer laminate DFREE’s Extreme Wet/Cold Weather Level (EW/CW) incorporates a 2-layer fabric with the ePTFE membrane paired with a durable nylon face fabric coated with WL Gore’s Pyrad FR treatment. Look for in-depth coverage of Pyrad here on SSD soon.

The entire FREE system, including the Dismounted variant, is available through ADS Inc – www.ADSinc.com/solutions/clothing-programs/free

www.GoreMilitary.com

Tags: ADS Inc, Gore Military, WL Gore
Posted in ADS | Comments Off on Gore Military – FREE

NEMO Announces New Linking Combat Shelters

Wednesday, July 11th, 2012

NEMO Equipment has announced the launch of its Advanced Linking Combat Shelters (ALCS) at Warrior East and Outdoor Retailer. This is their press release on the new shelter. What’s really cool is that they have incorporated the WL Gore Shelter Fabric. Additionally, they’ve introduced the Interchangeable Camouflage Cover that allows you to use one shelter, yet blend into multiple environments.

The ALCS 1P SE and ALCS 2P SE are positioned to lead the industry in materials, technology and innovation, while addressing the current and future needs of our military and government users. NEMO has partnered with the leading domestic small shelter factory, Diamond Brand, and the leading technical fabric manufacturer, W.L. Gore & Associates, to provide the most advanced Berry Compliant all-weather combat tents on the market. Coupled with the NEMO Losi Combat 2P SE tent, these shelter systems provide significant improvement over incumbent designs currently in use by the US Army and USMC.

“The Advanced Linking Combat Shelters (ALCS) 1P and 2P SE represent a significant step in providing the Warfighter with the best shelter technology for the adverse climates he/she faces today and in the future. The truly innovative linking capability of the shelter means that each Warfighter can be self-sufficient but still possess the ability to link into a “buddy” for the night. The single wall GORE-TEX Shelter Fabric offers reduced signature properties in a waterproof/breathable fabric meeting flame retardant requirements. We expect this shelter to have a substantial impact within our combat forces,” said Mike Sullivan, President and Chief Product Developer, NEMO Shield™.

“We’re delighted to team up with NEMO to equip our Warfighters with better performing, lightweight and packable gear. Our new GORE-TEX Shelter Fabric enables innovative single-wall shelter designs with enhanced concealment, breathable comfort and protection in the harshest operational conditions,” said Eric Gaver, Product Specialist, W.L. Gore & Associates Inc.

The ALCS series offers a lightweight, four-season, single-wall design that allows for significant weight reduction. The innovative linking capability provides a ‘buddy-team’ benefit while still allowing for self-sufficiency in combat environments. Minimal componentry and an integrated pole design allow for fast erect and strike times regardless of conditions. An optional Interchangeable Camouflage Cover (ICC) offers a lightweight, compact, and highly cost effective solution for adapting the tent to different areas of operation. One ALCS tent with 3 different ICC covers provides a higher performing and lower cost solution than 3 tents in 3 different colors or patterns. NEMO is currently developing ICC in MARPAT Desert, MARPAT Woodland and MultiCam and expects to have other patterns available for the new U.S. Army Camouflage.

ALCS1P and 2P SE will be available for order in the Fall.

For much of the last decade, NEMO has been engaged in research and development with the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development, and Engineering Center and the U.S. Special Operations community. From this effort came NEMO Shield™, forward thinking shelter designs that reduce weight and cube, improve concealment, increase comfort and livability, and maximize operational flexibility and efficiency for the Warfighter. Many of our elite forces have depended on NEMO tents, shelters, sleeping gear, weapons bags, and other products to take full advantage of what limited comfort and protection can be found on the battlefield. NEMO is intensely proud to serve these service men and women, and aims to design, engineer, and manufacture the best equipment solutions possible.

www.GoreMilitary.com

www.nemoequipment.com

Warrior Expo EAST
July 12 1030 – 1600 EDT
July 13 1030 – 1500 EDT
Virginia Beach Convention Ctr
Virginia Beach, VA

Tags: ADS Inc, NEMO Equipment, Outdoor Retailer, Warrior Expo East, WL Gore
Posted in ADS, Outdoor Retailer, Shelter, Warrior Expo | Comments Off on NEMO Announces New Linking Combat Shelters

WT Tactical Introducing Gore Fabrics

Friday, April 20th, 2012

WT Tactical announced that they have entered into a Trademark License Agreement with W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. and will begin offering product featuring Gore protective fabric technologies to the US Military community later in 2012.

“I am very pleased to be working with the military team at Gore” said Ed Schmults, CEO of Wild Things and WT Tactical. “We are already designing with some outstanding new textiles that will enhance our product offering in a number of categories.”

“We have some immediate customer demand from the SOCOM community for our designs utilizing Gore protective fabrics”, says Brian Foley, Product Development Manager for WT Tactical. “We are cranking out prototypes for testing and refinement and expect to be getting product into the field very shortly.”

www.wildthingsgear.com

Tags: WL Gore, WT Tactical
Posted in Clothing, Industry, Materials | Comments Off on WT Tactical Introducing Gore Fabrics

Sitka Fanatic Vest

Thursday, March 8th, 2012

Sitka introduced the new Fanatic Vest at this year’s SHOT Show. Based on the Fanatic Jacket it features the same, main diagonal zipper design. This leaves a clean front for a kangaroo-style handwarmer pocket. It also offsets the zipper so there aren’t a bunch of zippers piled up on the chin. Manufactured from 133g/m2 Primaloft Sport insulation and WINDSTOPPER fabric in Forest Concealment sizes Med – 3XLge.

Remember, Sitka products are intended for hunting but the features of this vest might do well for certain tactical applications.

Coming later this year from www.SitkaGear.com.

Tags: Optifade, Sitka, WL Gore
Posted in Camo, Clothing, Off-Duty | 1 Comment »

AUSA – WL Gore

Monday, October 10th, 2011

WL Gore debuted their new GORE PYRAD FR fabric at AUSA. What’s unique about this technology is that Gore takes standard nylon-based fabrics and hardens them with the PYRAD technology. This allows them to exploit all of nylon’s strengths such as fast dry out time as well as enhanced camouflage through colorfastness and enhanced UV resistance. Additionally, this technology takes full advantage of the existing fabric supply change with the material being processed by Gore to create PYRAD.

GORE PYRAD has successfully undergone Army testing. Additionally, the technology has already been commercialized with select US and Allied units having purchased garments integrating GORE PYRAD technology.

www.goremilitary.com

Tags: WL Gore
Posted in FR, Materials | 3 Comments »

TacHacker – Revitalizing Your Hardshell

Sunday, October 9th, 2011

We first published this article last year, but winter’s coming and it might be time to pull your kit out and check it over before it’s needed.

It looks like it’s going to be a LONG winter. During a recent shooting class I attended it started raining day one and by the middle of the second day it looked like a blizzard. Most of my fellow shooters were wearing waterproof breathable outerwear and several began to feel clammy and then damp the longer each day progressed. A couple of guys were wearing issue Gen I ECWCS parkas. Probably not the best garment available as WL Gore long ago decided that the basic design could not meet their “Guaranteed to Keep You Dry” standards. Of course these jackets were old. More than anything, they needed some maintenance.

The key to any modern outerwear is its Durable Water Repellent (DWR) which serves as your clothing’s first line of defense against moisture. There are quite a few treatments available and different manufacturers have their favorites but they are usually are based on flouropolymers. These are PTFE molecules that are applied to the surface of the fabric and cured at high heat to make them adhere better and increase performance. These treatments have a fluorine atom at one end which is highly hydrophobic meaning it hates water. Heat causes the fibers to align themselves with their flourines exposed. Water tries to move away from the flourines resulting in beading. This allows the water to roll off without wetting the fabric. Interestingly, Quarpel (Quartermaster Repellent) was one of the first DWRs and used to treat field jackets and other military clothing items back in the 1960s.

Since most of us can’t run out and purchase a new jacket every time the DWR needs refreshing I thought it would be a good idea to share a few tips with you that will not only revitalize your garment’s DWR treatment but also extend the life of your clothing.

DWR treatments work best when they are clean. I realize this seems counter to what you think is right since a DWR generally lasts about 25 washings and tactical garments get quite a beating in the field, but you need to wash your clothing. The first thing is to avoid using liquid detergents as well as fabric softeners. Additionally, avoid optical brighteners as they are not good for DWR or IR treatments. There are wash in treatments you can purchase as well as spray on options to help renew your clothing’s DWR. However, wash in treatments may affect the breathability of your membrane. One of the best spray solutions available is Revivex from McNett and it is what I have used in the past. It also serves as a stain repellent. Revivex can also be applied to garments that never had DWR in the first place so if you have hunting or field clothing that you find yourself wearing in inclement weather regularly you may want to give it a once over. If you use a spray treatment be sure to evenly coat your garment while it is still damp after washing and to pay special attention to any seams.

There are two additional ways you can put some life back into your DWR without a full retreatment. One is to put the garment in a conventional dryer on warm and the other is to iron it on low heat. This helps realign the fibers. If water fails to bead up on the surface of your garment you will need to retreat.

No matter which method you choose, proper maintenance of your foul weather clothing’s DWR will help keep you warm and dry and extend the life of your equipment.

Tags: McNett, WL Gore
Posted in Materials, Tachacker | 1 Comment »

MDM – WL Gore

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

Reversible camouflage has been done in the past but not utilizing waterproof breathable membranes like GORE-TEX. WL Gore has developed a proof of concept that takes the current APECS garments to the next level. Retaining the 3-layer membrane construction, Gore replaced the tricot liner material with another DWR coated face fabric. Additionally, the actual membrane is a new version designed specifically to provide symmetrical performance no matter which way the clothing is worn. What’s more, by combining a couple of garment design tricks to ensure pockets are accessible no matter which pattern side is showing along with printed lightweight seam tape, they have been able to cut the weight of the garment itself.

Additionally, by combining two different garments into one, one set becomes redundant and can be cut from the clothing bag. Not only does this make the gear more versatile, but it will save money on several levels. Not only are there fewer garments to purchase overall but there are other intangible savings such as lower contracting requirements, warehousing, and transportation costs across the supply chain as well as once issued.

New garments for use featuring not only MARPAT Woodland and Desert patterns, but also the Navy’s recently adopted NWU Type II and III would help save dollars as we move into a more resource constrained environment.

goremilitary.com

Tags: GORE-TEX, Modern Day Marine, WL Gore
Posted in Camo, Clothing, Materials | 4 Comments »

Extended Comfort Footwear

Wednesday, September 29th, 2010

We have a little more information on the new boots mentioned in military.comâ€™s Kit Up!. These boots are actually manufactured by STC, a Canadian company with the tan model being called the ‘Zulu’, and a black full grain leather version being marketed to military and law enforcement agencies who still require black boots.

This new Gore construction technique that STC has utilized doesn’t have the bulky lining found on all other military/tactical type waterproof/breathable boots, and is more like the inside of a Gore-Tex jacket, so it means that the perspiration moisture escapes faster and more efficiently and will retain less heat. This also means that if the inside of your boot gets wet (from ops like river crossings, stepping in puddles/holes deeper than the boot, etc.) they can simply be drained and toweled out, and will be dry within a couple hours, as opposed to the few days it seems to take to dry with other waterproof/breathable boots in the field. Additionally, according to WL Gore reps at Modern Day Marine, a new DWR finish similar to that used on Gore-Tex outerwear has been applied to the boot to help bead water up on the exterior of the boot.

These boots are more like a pair of USGI Panama Sole Desert or Jungle Boots (without the drainage eyelets) in terms of breathability and heat retention. The Cordura nylon on Desert/Jungle boots is coated in a layer of polyurethane which provides water resistance and impedes breathability to a point, but both these models of boots are far more breathable and cool than the traditional Gore-Tex lined boot.

Another benefit to having a Gore-Tex lined boot for ops in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, and most other areas where public sanitation consists of living upstream from the canal which your raw sewage drains into is that a Gore-Tex membrane can provide increased protection to your feet when exposed bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens in the local water.

Itâ€™s nice to see some real innovation being done in a boot which should pass the Command Sergeant Majorâ€™s interpretation of AR-670 approved footwear, but no word from STC yet as to whether they will be doing versions in Mojave Olive for Marines, or Sage for Air Force personnel. However, we do know that both Danner and Bates will be introducing boots with this new technology later this year.

We were able to try them out at the Modern Day Marine expo at Quantico, Virginia today in a special simulator developed to demonstrate the versatility of the boots across a wider range of climatic conditions than traditional boots. The whole point of the Extended Comfort Footwear is to combine the capabilities of both Hot Weather and Temperate footwear into a single boot. While the experience was far too short to really form an opinion, we get the concept and we like it.

Tags: Bates Footwear, WL Gore
Posted in Boots, Foreign | Comments Off on Extended Comfort Footwear