PMCI - September 2021

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pmcimagazine.comDIRECT ACTION – GEAR UPDATESDIRECT ACTION – GEAR UPDATESIt’s been a little while since we spoke about new gear from the team over at Direct Action in Poland,but as usual Editor Bill has been keeping a very close eye on their latest developments and innovationsfor the tactical user! With some great new models available now he brings in an update of kit that he’salready tried and tested extensively! - BTLet’s face it, 2021 has been a challenging year forbusinesses in many industries, and the tactical gearmanufacturers and innovators have had just thesame hoops to jump through as the others. Rawmaterial costs, fabric costs, and especially “goodsinwards” costs have all spiralled and continue to doso. Add to this problematic shipping and outrageouslead times for raw materials and specialist parts/components and I’m amazed that anyone has gotanything meaningful done during the last twelvemonths!However, as I’ve recently noted in other articles there AREmanufacturers that have got complete handle on all thesedisparate elements, and they have not only continued to dogood business, but have actually thrived in adversity, andgiven the folk involved behind the scenes with Direct Action Iam not at all surprised that they have come out of the “Daysof C-virus” at the head of the pack. As I said when I last wroteabout Direct Action, “as with any relationship the backbone isone of mutual trust and respect, and over the past few years Ihave really come to respect and trust the guys at Direct Actionimmensely”, and if anything their output during a time whenlesser companies have faltered and wobbled has increased myrespect for them even further!20
To recap for those that haven’t come across them before, DirectAction is a Polish company set up in 2014 that from the outsetsought to combine great design and manufacturing capabilities withan up-close-and-personal understanding of the specific end-userneeds. From the very beginning Direct Action have been a verytight unit, and their R&D team in Poland consists of just a few goodpeople; each member has his or her own area of expertise and isresponsible for the tasks and projects that relate to that. As oneexample, the guy responsible for their innovation and testing is aprior-service GROM combat medic with almost 20 years of service,and several tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan!This combination has created the approach of an individualas-a-systemthat is open and flexible to all necessary options,yet remains streamlined and avoids over-burdening. Each part ofthe system interfaces with the other components; weapons, loadbearing equipment, backpacks, jackets, duty uniforms and evencamouflage patterns, each of these is a part of a whole, and a keycomponent that’s critical to mission success.When creating Direct Action gear every detail is rigorouslythought-out using a systemic perspective, and there are no randomchoices, no compromises, no “same-old-stuff” design approach,no shying away from new technology; all items are based on firsthand,real world experience of elite special operations units.Direct Action uses the highest quality materials available andthe production process itself is subject to rigorous control. Thewhole line of combat equipment is designed and manufacturedin Poland.SPITFIREMy first exposure to Direct Action came in the form of a couple oftheir excellent patrol pack models, and I’m going to tell you thatas someone who worked with cutting-edge pack manufacture ina “previous existence” this is an area in which I am hyper-critical,and Direct Action packs continue to impress not just me, but othersthat I work and play with. I am a user of Direct Action gear bothfor airsoft and training, and I’ll be straight and say that I love it!Although these days I’m more of a chest rig and pack kind ofguy, and not usually in need of any kind of “armour protection”I still love the fact that all Direct Action gear is designed to worktogether, and that it fits neatly in a fully modular fashion not justwith their own range, but also with that of other industry leaders!My go-to plate carrier solution for a couple of years now has beenthe SPITFIRE MKII PLATE CARRIER, and this is the Adaptive Greenrig that you’ll see in many of my range pictures.The Direct Action SPITFIRE takes its name from a famous WWIIfighter plane, and like this aviation icon, it’s a streamlined anddynamic platform designed to carry ballistic plates with modularaccessories on or off the battlefield. At just 672g in a Size Large it’slightweight and non-restricting, and is indeed one of the lightestcarriers in its class. The MK II looks simple, but in fact it is muchmore scalable and mission configurable than its predecessers. TheDirect Action team have stripped the carrier of unnecessary PALSslots under the flap and on the back as well as enlarging the looppanel on the front for larger unit patches, and they’ve even madeit lighter!The SPITFIRE is beautifully made and cut, and once again thematerials and components are absolutely first rate! Put togetherusing proprietary laser-cut laminate, Cordura 500D and softshellmaterials the carrier benefits from front plate only configurationusing the chest rig interface, optional pads on front, back andshoulders area for improved airflow, a zippered chest adminpocket, and PTT and comms wires / antenna routing attachmentpoints, and there’s even an accessory armour package for heavyconfiguration in development!The back panel zipper attachment system is compatible withCrye Precision AVS, whilst the chest Rig attachment system iscompatible with Mayflower / Velocity Systems offering you evenfurther options!Thanks to numerous new design elements, back panels andoptional side armour compatible cummerbunds you are able to setup the carrier the way you actually need it. It’s at the same timeand incredibly durable platform, and is unique in its modularity,converting to a cut-away rig in just a few simple steps, allowingfor quick donning, doffing and medical access thanks to Hypalonpullers.I’ve put the Spitfire through its paces with my usual mediumSAPI plates fitted, and I continue to be impressed. Although theSpitfire is certainly smaller than the carriers I have worked with inthe past, plate support is excellent, and the pressure exerted botharound the torso and over the shoulders is nicely balanced andspread evenly. The “captured” female buckles for the front carryingsystem are tidily achieved, meaning that you can easily changeout your load carrying options; say you want to set up your platecarrier for light “AR Pistol” use? Simply attach a SPITFIRE MK II SLICKDIRECT ACTION – GEAR UPDATES
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