Oakley’s Elite Assault Boot Stomps Bad Guys, Wallets
October 29th, 2009 | Product Announcement | Posted by Rob Curtis
Leave it to Oakley to combine stainless steel and carbon fiber to make a fabric that can withstand a blowtorch. When they say the Elite Assault Boot is flame resistant, they mean it. Check out the intro video on the product page that shows a penny melting on the fabric. The stuff appears totally unimpressed by the heat.
Other features that come with the $500 price tag include a tread pattern specifically designed for stealth, puncture resistant sole. slash resistant upper and some high-grade leather to keep them from looking like a the 22nd century boots they so clearly are.
I’m thinking these may add something to your awesomely expensive Arc’teryx Veilance outfit (which is on sale now.)
New Gore Material Makes (Almost) Anything Fire Resistant
October 7th, 2008 | Product Announcement | Posted by Rob Curtis
One of the best feelings I get while reporting gear news is when I get something that is so new that the product manager says they haven’t even named it yet. I stopped by Gore and found out about a yet-to-be-named fire resistant material they are using to give FR qualities to traditionally flammable fabrics. Basically, you add this material to your average hardshell, softshell or fleece and you get a FR and water resistant outerlayer without affecting the qualities of the outer fabric. Adding taped seams will bring the jacket up to full Gore-Tex levels of water resistance.
Gore has designed and sumbitted their entry for the Marine Corps’ Inclement Weather Combat Shirt, above, that features the new material. Watch a video that shows how the material self-extinguishes during testing. On the left is a standard Marine Corps issue Dessert Combat Jacket, on the right is a version that incorporates Gore’s new military fire resistant material.