Off Duty, Technology - Navy Times

The clothes that make the warrior

ORLANDO, Fla. — Admit it -— you’re about as picky about your clothes as the boys from OutKast.

We’re not giving you a hard time about that, though — you’ve got good reason to have high expectations for the stuff that lives next to your skin.

It isn’t about fashion, after all. It’s about keeping you alive and in the fight.

If you’re ready for a new look in ’07, check out what’s coming to a rack near you:

• ESS glasses. Eye Safety Systems updates two of its most popular ballistic glasses, the Ice and CDI, for 2007. The new Ice Naro is 20 percent smaller than the original Ice, while the CDI Max is 20 percent bigger than the current model. Both new models will feature the same convenient lens-change system and prescription lens options as their predecessors and the same ballistic protection. The Ice Naro is available now; the three-lens version sells for $52 ($44 for two lenses). CDI Max will cost about $115 and will debut this spring.

• Under Armour outerwear. The company adds a family of outerwear this year — high-end fleece and soft-shells for the discerning operator. The most innovative item is the Black Ops Jacket, which layers a breathable, fleece-lined and water-resistant jacket over a load-bearing internal organizer vest. Underarm access zips afford easy access to the vest, which features MOLLE webbing to attach equipment and pouches. Offered in black and outdoor khaki, it will retail for $499.99.

On the lower end of the price scale are the Derecho fleece jacket and the Defender softshell jacket. The Derecho will be offered in black and clay green and will retail for $179.99. The Defender will be offered in black and clay/night and will retail for $149.

Expect to see all three in late summer. See http://www.underarmour.com.

• Ironclad Enforcer. Those paw-covers you’re wearing may fit like a glove right now, but have you tried throwing them in the wash to get the funk out? Most leather gloves don’t do so well after a spin through the washing machine.

But Ironclad’s latest military and law-enforcement glove, the Enforcer, is made from washable and shrink-resistant leather. It also has reinforced knuckles and a terrycloth sweat wipe on the back; the palm side boasts a Duraclad-padded palm and thumb, with an additional grippy layer at the thumb tip. The leather in the fingers is thinner, offering better touch sensitivity. At the wrist, you’ll find longer, adjustable cuffs suitable for tucking under or folding over your sleeves.

The Enforcer sells for $29.99. Check it out at http://www.ironclad.com.

• Potomac Field Gear Advanced Protective Fabric. We can’t be certain if your skivvies are clean, but at least we know they won’t melt.

Of course, that assumes that you’re wearing something from Potomac Field Gear’s line of flame-resistant, moisture-wicking, anti-microbial, anti-odor, anti-static clothing, built from the company’s Advanced Protective Fabric. Able to do everything but leap tall buildings in a single bound, the PFG line combines safety with comfort in a variety of new products for 2007.

Why is the flame-resistant rating important? In case you haven’t heard, most polyester-based performance clothing goes up in smoke when flames are applied. However, PFG’s fabric passed a series of military performance tests with flying colors, making it a safe alternative to slide under your armor.

The Marine Corps is buying two styles of PFG balaclava this year, plus a lightweight long-sleeved tee made of PFG fabric — in a “sand” color, to visually designate FR capabilities — which should begin hitting the fleet in the coming months, company officials said. The Corps is also certifying PFG short-sleeved tees in olive drab green as “optional” uniform items — $29.95, or $21.12 with military discount — in case Marines want to upgrade on their own, company officials said.

In August, our own in-house testing of a variety of high-performance FR tees settled on PFG as the best choice, in terms of moisture-wicking, comfort and durability, and we put ours through the ringer. Look for a variety of tops, bottoms, boxers, sports bras and more from the company this year.

The items are available at many military uniform shops. See http://www.potomacfieldgear.com.

• Snugpak Sleeka. (Video) There are days when you just don’t want to crawl out of your sleeping bag.

Now you don’t have to, thanks to the folks at Snugpak, a 30-year-old British company that makes some of the lightest and warmest bags around. The Sleeka Reversible is basically just a wearable version, a puffy parka filled with the company’s proprietary insulation.

It comes in a variety of colors, including the new Army Combat Uniform pattern (reversible to solid olive drab). When you aren’t wearing it, you can compress it to down to almost nothing with the included stuff sack, or use your own compression sack to make it even smaller.

The jacket retails for about $200, and the ACU pattern version will be available this spring. Check it out at Snugpak’s exclusive North American distributor, ProForce Equipment. You can find ProForce at http://www.proforceequipment.com. h