Cool armor set up.  I do not own the SOHPC, but I have been hearing some good reviews about this thing.  Paraclete has always been a name associated with quality, and these guys make some good stuff.  Personally I own a CIRAS by Eagle Industries, but there are no side plates on the thing, nor are there pockets for side plates.  With today’s armor carriers, you should try to get stuff that at least has built in pockets for side plates.  Of course you can always get the plates with MOLLE on them, and just attach it to your carrier, but that is kind of ‘hoopty’ to me.  

   The way I use armor is I make it part of a layering system.  I wear a over vest or harness over the top of my armor, and so the lowest profile armor carriers are what I look for.  My CIRAS is a little bulky, but extremely well built.  My next purchase would be something a little more lightweight, more low profile, and has side plate capability–like the SOHPC.  I also like the PACA low profile soft armor carrier with plate pockets. Oh, and I want something that will not fight my arms, when I tuck in to hold my rifle.  I do not have a wide chest area, and armor carriers always get in the way of shooting for me.  Also, I like a shoulder pocket that is conducive towards shooting.  Some vests are better than others in this department. 

   My layering system works great, if you wear a pistol on your belt.  That way, if you take your vest/patrol harness off, you still have a weapon and you still have armor.  I mention this because at some FOBs and remote camps, you might want to wear your vest as much as you can, but not necessarily your full combat load.  Or even at the bigger bases, if they were attacked consistently with rockets/mortars, the base commanders would give the order that everyone is to wear their body armor.  That means you are are wearing your vest at the chow hall.

    For security contracting, good body armor is priceless.  I highly suggest you buy your own, and invest in quality when you do so.  Do not depend on these companies to provide you with quality stuff, because most do not.  Same thing with helmets.  For my helmet, I have really tweaked it out with some quality comfort items to make that thing ride like a Cadillac on my head. (right…it still sucks to wear-LOL)  

   Oh, and one more thing.  Don’t just buy this stuff out of the blue, without talking to a sales rep.  The sizing of this stuff is very finicky.  Large and Medium and Small are all different with these companies.  If you ask these guys about how to size for your body, they will totally help you.  If anything, go just a bit smaller than what you would think.  My rule of thumb for armor, is if I sit in a vehicle for 12 hours straight, will the plates and armor rest on my legs and annoy the shit out of me, or is it set up just right so it doesn’t pinch on my legs.  

     For me, I bought a Medium sized CIRAS, just for that reason.  It fit perfect, and it totally worked out to barely miss my legs while sitting.  Plus the thing is adjustable so I can get it off my legs.  But if you get a vest that swims on you, your adjustments won’t do much. I learned this the hard way with an oversized TA 50.  Like I said, talk it up first with the sales rep.  Also, do your research on the forums, like www.lightfighter.net . -Head Jundi 

Special Operations Hard Plate Carrier by Paraclete

Product Information

Hard plate carrier with next generation side closure includes integral soft armor side protection and easy-to-position side plates.

     Now this is a cool little blog.  It is called Soldier Systems, and it is a blog about the latest developments in equipment design for war fighting.  It is privately funded, and they cover all types of equipment and manufacturers.  I recommend reading through the archives and checking out some of the stuff that is floating around out there. And for any writers out there, they are looking for article submissions.  -Head Jundi

Soldier Systems

     This is a review that I have wanted to do for awhile now, because it was one of the few times where I actually did a side by side product test in the field.  In Iraq I was able to play around with both the MSA Sordin Supreme Pro-X and the Peltor Comtac 2  electronic ear muffs while out at a weapons range.    

     I mention these two, because these are the top of the line tactical models of the two companies mentioned and they seemed to be the most popular models out there that guys use.  Now both are very good at what they do, and that is cut out loud noises (explosions, gun fire) yet allow you to hear normally when there is no loud noise.  They can do this, because they are electronic hearing protectors, armed with noise canceling circuitry.  So on the plus side, they protect your hearing, but on the down side, they require batteries and they can break down when you least expect it.  But hopefully they don’t break down and hopefully the batteries do no cut out on you, when you need them most.  

     They are essential to command and control though, because if you can’t hear directions coming through a radio or from your buddies when you really need to hear them, then you could miss out on life saving information.  Gunfire from inside a vehicle is only amplified, and it is important to preserve your hearing as much as you can during an incident.  I even wore regular combat earplugs(little rubber guys) over in Iraq just for some insurance.  But I tell ya, these electric hearing protectors are cool.  

     So I will start this out by reviewing which of the two seemed tougher or better built.  I would have to say that the MSA model was better built and it looked and felt more like it was built like a tank. I would say that both would do just fine out in the field.

    As for comfort, both fit on my head and under my helmet just fine, so I had no issues with that. Electric muffs in general will drive you nutty if you have to wear them for awhile.  Although you can buy various upgrade kits out there, in order to make the ear cups more comfortable, you still won’t escape the sweat build up and pressure buildup on your head from these things. I was more concerned in my testing on how they fit on my head and how they fit under my helmet, and they did just fine.  The helmet I used was an RBR.(I recommend getting the pad kit and making a pad channel in your helmet, if you use the head band style muff)  

    The battery type and life of each model was interesting, and yet again, I would have to go with the MSA model.  The smaller AAA batteries took up less space, weighed less, and surprisingly the MSA model had longer battery life do to some interesting circuitry.  The Peltor model used AA batteries, yet had a shorter life.  I also liked the metal screw cap of the battery compartment on the MSA model more than the flimsy rubber cap of the battery compartment on the Peltor model.  It just felt like the MSA model was better built.

    Both models have input jacks, and that is great if you want to link your radio/MP3 into these ear muffs.  And both Peltor and MSA offer boom mics, cables, and push to talk switches to really make your headset useful.  For the models I tested, they did not have these components set up, and they were just basic.  In Iraq, I witnessed a lot of guys with interesting communications set ups that utilized these types of muffs–soldiers too.

  Doug found this gem of a site and brought it to my attention.  This group not only does the art thing (please note Talking Tactics by Lance Nelson)  but also makes sniper suits and three dimensional camouflaging equipment.  The kit that caught my eye was this Sniper Screen.

    I thought that this was an excellent solution to a common problem on the battlefield.  Camouflaging the hole that you are looking through, wether through a parapet while on a rooftop, or while looking through a wall or fence.  Plus this thing is packable and cheap.   Very cool, and I am sure a can of spray paint could dress up this screen into whatever color you want.  And I am sure you could make a home made one if you didn’t want to buy this thing.  -Head Jundi

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The Sniper Screen in action.

  Well this is a product you won’t be seeing reviewed in Soldier of Fortune or Serviam.  LOL  But I do believe in this product and it has a lot to do with the security contracting industry in my opinion.  That product is Superfeet insoles.  

    Superfeet are insoles with a hard plastic arch support cup.  They come in various sizes and thicknesses and they are well made.  I have had my insoles for literally years in all of my shoes, and I have never had knee or ankle problems.  The thing with these insoles, is that they maintain the shape of your foot and they maintain a consistent bio-mechanics for your ankle-knee-hip-back relationship.  And a healthy body equates to being deployable and doing the job day in and day out.  

    And if you are like me, you have had leg or knee or hip problems do to years of wear and tear, and you also depend upon your body for your job.  So if you are walking and standing all the time, and you are wearing crappy boots and shoes that do not provide good support and your insoles are not supporting your arches, then you will suffer.  So the answer is to get well fitting boots or shoes, and get a good solid foundation for your foot that is consistent through all of your footwear.

   In Iraq, I wore a pair of Bates M-6 boots with Superfeet insoles.  I loved them and I never had tired feed after those long 12 hour days.  Same thing when I was a smokejumper and forest fire fighter.  I had a pair of Danner Rainforest boots with Superfeet in them, and I never had leg or foot problems.  And for running, I always put Superfeet in my ‘go fasters’.  I guess my point with this, is that if you have the same footbed in all of your footwear, then your body will have an easier time adjusting from shoe to boot to shoe again.  And the muscles and arches in your foot will thank you too, because they are properly supported and they are not strained from going back and forth between footbeds.

   I should also mention that I had a serious leg injury in 2003 when I was a smokejumper.  I broke my right femur during a parachute accident on a fire jump near McCall Idaho. And after they operated on me and I healed up after a long haul, I ended up with an inch shorter right leg!  So bio-mechanics was really important to me now, and I have been totally paranoid that my back or something will get thrown out from just walking or running again.  But thanks to a lift in my right shoe coupled with Superfeet insoles, I have not had any back or hip or knee related injuries.(knock on wood)

    Also, if you do get into the whole Superfeet thing, be sure to put them in all of your footwear to make it work.  The idea is to get your foot used to the same footbed in everything you wear.  And the benefit of this, is that from now on you can buy a new shoe or boot and put Superfeet in them and your feet will recognize the same footbed every time.  That means less footwear break-in time and less pain in your feet.

    One other point I want to make is do not just buy them off the website blindly, if you can help it. One suggestion is to go to REI Outdoor Equipment Stores and they have bins of Superfeet insoles that you can put into your shoes to try on.  Or just go to any running store and ask to pull a pair out of the box to try on.  They will feel weird at first, but trust me, your feet will get used to it and love them.  But definitely play around with them and find the Superfeet insole that works for you. - Head Jundi

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Superfeet’s firm, contoured shape provides comfort soft insoles cannot achieve.

Insoles are like mattresses. A good mattress is made of firm, supportive materials. A bad mattress is soft and unsupportive. Same thing with insoles. When you stand on a Superfeet Premium Insole, you can feel the firmly supportive shape and materials. It’s not soft and mushy like other brands…because although soft non-supportive insoles feel good when you first put them in your shoes, in the long run your foot problems don’t disappear.

Support the Foot. Align the Body.

Wearing soft insoles is like running in the soft, dry sand at the beach. Initially it feels good, but you quickly grow tired, waste energy, and begin to feel the stress on your knees and back. Wearing Superfeet Premium insoles is like running on firmer, wet sand. It’s still comfortable, but your feet feel more balanced and stable, and it’s certainly more productive and enjoyable from a performance point of view.

Body Alignment

Every Shoe. Everyday.

Everybody’s feet are different, and they wear different types of shoes. That means it is unreasonable to think one model of insole will meet everyone’s needs. That’s why Superfeet makes different products to fit different foot shapes in different types of footwear. No matter what type of activity or sport you engage in, Superfeet has a product for you - at a price you can afford.

60 Day Comfort Guarantee

With Superfeet’s 60 Day Comfort Guarantee you have nothing to lose but your sore feet. If you are not satisfied with your new Superfeet insoles, return them within 60 days of purchase to your place of purchase for a credit or refund. This guarantee is only valid with a proof of purchase, and is not good for misused, abused or improperly cleaned Superfeet product. THIS GUARANTEE IS SUBJECT TO THE RETAILER’S RETURN POLICY.

Superfeet Website

    I like this knife a lot, and this is what I carry.  It is well built, and pretty evil looking.  It is not a field knife though, and I only recommend this knife as a defensive weapon for street carry(I recommend a multi-tool and a fixed blade for field work)  If you are a fan of the large Hissatsu knives, then you will like this more compact version of the knife.  There are two locking mechanisms, and this has an opening assist mechanism(that can be removed if you want).  I would definitely recommend getting used to deploying this knife, and add a drop of good knife oil in it every once in awhile.  I would rate this as another quality product from CRKT and the Bugei Trading Company.  -Head Jundi

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James Williams is actively involved in teaching Military special operations and government security professionals who must at times perform their daily high-risk duties in environments which do not allow them to carry firearms or a large fixed blade knife such as the Hissatsu–. At training sessions and demonstrations, they have asked James to design a folder with the defensive power of the Hissatsu that can be a concealed carry in a pocket or clipped comfortably under a jacket. The result is the CRKT Hissatsu– Folder. Blade length is 3.875″, which is safely under the legal limit in most jurisdictions, while blade finish is non-reflective black Teflon® coating.

   For this review, I want to talk about a pretty important piece of gear.  That gear is sunglasses.  Now the glasses I like, are normal sunglasses, that fit my face and do not distort my view.  They protect me from the sun, wind, sand and small impacts from explosions(god forbid).  But most importantly, these are glasses that I can use to shoot a weapon equipped with an ACOG rifle optic.

   I am concerned about shrapnel and debris coming my way from an explosion, in combat type environments.  But what really concerns me in a war zone, is being able to observe properly, so I can orient me and my client away from those hazards.  In essence, being able to see really well, can increase my odds in finding the signs of IED’s or ambushes, or to identify sneaky individuals in crowds and buildings and streets.   Having an effective eye protection system is essential for the observe part of my OODA(Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) strategy.  Good sunglasses should be comfortable, work well with your weapon, handle the day to day abuse of field work, and comfortably enhance your field of view in the combat zone.  So with that, let me talk about the Smith Optics Threshold.

   For sunglasses, I go with Smith Optics, and specifically the Threshold.  I have used Smith sunglasses back when I was fighting forest fires, and I naturally gravitated towards them for this kind of work.  My main reason was the quality of the lens and how the sun-glass fit on my face.  It was the only pair of sunglasses that would stay on my nose and be comfortable for all day wear. 

This is an old article, but one worth reviewing again.  The reason why I say that, is because a lot of old armored vehicles, that PMC’s are using, do not have these kinds of seats.  There are so many forces at play, when a blast goes off under these vehicles, and sometimes there is too much emphasis placed on just the armor.  You also need seats, that can absorb the shock wave from those blasts, that reverberate through the vehicle.  The kinds of vehicles, that should get upgrades, are the South African made vehicles that are currently in use.  Those would include the  Mamba,  the Casspir, and the Puma vehicles.  -Head Jundi

http://www.armorworks.com/html/files/AttenuatingSeats.pdf

Operational vehicles to be protected by ShockRide blast protection seats
ArmorWorks (published 10/09/2007)
 
Mine resistant vehicles from BAE to be equipped with blast attenuating seats from ArmorWorks

 QD Mounts

By Head Jundi

April, 14 2008   

     In this review, I want to talk about sling mounts.  So you have the sling of your dreams, but how are you going to mount it to your weapon?  Well luckily, we have a few options, and I will go over just a few of my favorite options.  QD mounts are Quick Detachment mounts, and they are a great way to set up your weapon.  The systems I have outlined are economical ways of upgrading a weapon, without permanently modifying them.  Or you could just use some Para-chord and set your stuff up like that.  LOL.  But if you are in the market, to set up your sling system that gives you some options, then the QD mount is pretty cool.

     The first style QD mount that I will talk about, is the kind that can attach to a weapon that does not have a rail.  For this, I recommend the GG&G Sling Things.  These units are built well, and all you need to install is an allen wrench.  So if you do order something like this, be sure you have access to a tool like that.  But other than that, it does not require any special skills to install. 

     The Front Sling thing, bolts into the front site post.  I also recommend applying a little Loctite on the threads, to really make this thing solid.  And for the bolts, to but a check mark using a white marker or similar, so you know the bolts are in place and at all times. (I do this with any bolts and screws on a weapons system for peace of mind).  When you put the QD keeper into the Sling Thing, put a little oil on it, just so you can minimize any metal on metal wear.  With this in mind, I used this QD system all last summer in Iraq, and it never broke or wore out on me.  But like anything, it pays to take care of it. 

     I am a big fan of these gloves, and have gone through several pairs while over in the box.  I have used the originals and the fast fits, in the color black, and they worked great.  Now I own a pair of the originals, in the color ‘coyote’.  I kind of wish they made coyote colored fast fits, and I have notified the factory about this.  It would also be nice if Mechanix made a Nomex blend glove as well. For convoy operations, I would normally put on a pair of nomex gloves, but for out on the sites these gloves worked great. 

     What I used them for, are just basic daily duties while on static and roving patrol in the hot sun.  In the middle east, everything is scorching hot, and having some protection on your hands is vital.  It is also nice to have some gloves for those last minute work details, and what not.  Although, if you are going to string some concertina wire, I would suggest being careful while wearing these, or find yourself a pair of the wire gloves that are designed for that work.   

     The other reason I like these gloves, is the amount of dexterity I can get out of them.  The material is just thick enough to protective, yet thin enough to handle the controls of a weapons system.  And it is amazing how screwed up your hands can get, if you do a lot of active shooting with a pistol or rifle. These gloves are great for weapons cleaning as well. You do a lot of that, out there in the sand box and elsewhere, and this is where these gloves shine. These gloves are not for fast roping though, or any other kind of rope work.  

    As far as cost, these go for less than your really high end gloves, but cost more than your really cheap gloves that fall apart really quick.  They are a mid-range priced glove, that will last a summer of basic security work.  For sizing, I wear a size 9 Nomex flight glove, and I bought (and like) the size 10 Large with Mechanix gloves. Cheers. -Head Jundi

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