FirstSpear (also written “First Spear”) High-End Tactical Gear/Equipment for Military Special Operations Forces (SOF) and Law Enforcement Personnel: Meet The Siege, The Sleeper, and The Beat Up PC (Plate Carrier) Tactical Armor Carrier Systems/Tactical Vests…and Other Tactical Delights.

By David Crane
defrev (at) gmail (dot) com

July 18, 2011

Soldier Systems has really been going cuckoo for Coco Puffs, lately, over FirstSpear (also written “First Spear”) “Integrated Personal Protective Equipment and Enhanced Load Carriage Solutions for warfighters and professional users”, which has perked our ears up (metaphorically) here at DefenseReview (DR). O.k., maybe “cuckoo for Coco Puffs” is an exaggeration, but they’ve (Soldier Systems) certainly devoted a good mount of ink to FirstSpear since January (2011). DR has been aware of FirstSpear tactical gear since mid to late January (2011), when a SOFIC 2010/SHOT Show 2011 contact of ours alerted us to the brand, which is obviously being marketed to a high-end/sophisticated clientele.

If Defense Review remembers correctly, we put in a call to FirstSpear on or around January 19th (2011) and spoke to one of the principals. We think we spoke with Scott Carver, FirstSpear’s founder and president, but we might have spoken with Jonathan Laplume, FirstSpear’s vice president of strategy. Anyway, life took over and we got side-tracked, but we’re back on track to take a look at the company’s products, particularly The Siege ($430 USD), The Sleeper ($394.98 USD), and The Beat Up PC (Plate Carrier) ($349.98 USD) tactical armor carriers/tactical vests, which look pretty cool. The Siege tactical armor plate carrier is a “full up integrated tactical carrier designed for Direct Action Operations.”

The Sleeper tactical armor carrier can be integrated with The Beat Up Plate Carrier, Operational Assault Ground Reconnaissance Exploitation (OAGRE ™) tactical vest, or Short Incursion Chest Rig (SICR ™). Integrating the Beat Up PC upgrades the Sleeper to a “full functioning tactical vest that accepts multiple accessory options”. The Beat Up PC’s name comes from a term used by the elite Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) of World War II (WWII) fame to describe a raid, ambush, or direct action mission of the type that group favored. There are two versions of The Beat Up PC: The Beat Up™ PC (Plate Carrier) – SAPI/ESAPI/SPEAR and The Beat Up™ PC (Plate Carrier) – SWIMMER/2120.

FirstSpear recently showed off “its line of 60 Enhanced Load Carriage Solutions and Personal Protective Equipment products” at ADS’ Warrior Expo 2011 (July 14-15) in Virginia Beach, VA. According to the ADS website, ADS is the exclusive distributor of FirstSpear products to the U.S. Military.

DefenseReview is curious as to how The Siege tactical carrier compares to the Hard Point Maniple-I Tactical Armor Carrier, currently our favorite tactical vest, the Archangel Armor Internal Frame Load-Bearing System (IFLBS) Version 5 tactical armor plate carrier system, and the Crye Precision CAGE Armor Chassis, since FirstSpear would appear to be targeting the same Mil/LE (military and law enforcement) end-user demographic.

The FirstSpear Exigent Circumstance Pack (ECP ™) and Comm Pack tactical packs (tactical backpacks) priced at $225 and $149 USD, respectively, also look interesting. DR just published a piece on the Grey Ghost Lightweight Assault Pack/Fight Lite Operator Removable Pack (LAP/FLORP), which is a simpler pack offered at a much lower price point ($59 USD). Just like all FirstSpear products, the FirstSpear ECP and Comms Pack look well-made from the pictures on the company’s website, but we haven’t yet seen them in person or handled them.

Triad Tactical is currently offering the FirstSpear Exigent Cirmumstance Pack at $213.75 USD, which is 5% off MSRP.

Click here to view the FirstSpear Commercial Catalog.

Photo(s) Credit: FirstSpear

Company and Organizational Contact Info:

FirstSpear, LLC
2275 Cassens Drive, Suite 135
Fenton, MO 63026
Fax: 636.349.4830
Toll Free: 855.349.4820
Email: sales@first-spear.com
Website: http://www.first-spear.com

ADS, Inc. Virginia Beach, VA Worldwide Operations Center
Lynnwood Plaza
621 Lynnhaven Parkway, Suite 400
Virginia Beach, VA 23452
Toll-Free: 800-948-9433
Phone: 757-481-7758
Email Contact Form: http://www.adsinc.com/contact
Website: http://www.adsinc.com/

ADS, Inc. San Diego, CA West Coast Operations Center
9220 Activity Road, Suite 110
San Diego, CA 92126
Phone: 619-691-1462

Triad Tactical Inc.
PO Box 171492
Kansas City, KS 66117
Phone: 913-669-8553
FAX: 913-400-7374
Email Contact Form: http://www.triadtactical.com/help.php?section=contactus&mode=update
Website: http://www.triadtactical.com/

Jack Valenti
Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) Preservation Society
Email: lrdg@prodigy.net
Website: http://www.lrdg.org/

© Copyright 2011 DefenseReview.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without receiving permission and providing proper credit and appropriate links.

Related Articles:

Kryron Terminator Aluminum Alloy Multi-Hit Ballistic Armor Plate Technology by Bourque Industries: Nanotech Body Armor and Vehicle Armor a Reality?

Grey Ghost Lightweight Assault Pack/Fight Lite Operator Removable Pack (LAP/FLORP): MOLLE-Attachable Lightweight Tactical Pack (Backpack) for Special Operations Forces (SOF)

Archangel Armor Internal Frame Load-Bearing System (IFLBS) Version 5 Tactical Armor Plate Carrier/Tactical Vest System: Lighten your load when you’re in combat mode!

Centurion Armor Tactical Armor Carriers by Hard Point Equipment (formerly Personal Protective Systems, or P2 Systems): Best Tactical Body Armor on the Planet? DR Looks at the Latest Centurion Armour Hard Armor Plate Carriers, Battle Belt, MOLLE Backpack System, and Passive Ventilation Channels/Removable Padding System at SHOT Show 2011 (Photos and Video!)

Hard Point (formerly Personal Protective Systems, or P2 Systems) Centurion Armor Maniple-I and Cohort-I Tactical Body Armor Carrier Systems: Advanced Tactical Vest Systems for Military Special Operations (SPECOPS), LE SWAT, and PSD Ops (Photos & Video)

Atlantic Signal Dominator Waterproof Bone-Conduction/Hearing Pro Tactical Headset Good to Go! U.S. Military Special Operations Tactical Comms Headset Goes Prime-Time at SOFIC 2011 (Photos and Video!)

DR Exclusive! Revolutionary DSG Technology Supercavitating Rifle Ammo for Shooting Underwater (Tactical Underwater Shooting), from Air to Water, and from Water to Air: Amphibious Multi-Environment Ammunition (MEA) for Tactical Waterborne Operations (Photos and Video!)

Velocity Systems Phalanx VS-PBZ “Ballistic Rifle Plate” Ultra-Lightweight SAPI-Type Multi-Hit Ceramic Hard Armor Plate / Mayflower Research & Consulting Tactical Armor Plate Carrier/Tactical Vest Synergistic Combo

DR Exclusive Interview!: HyperStealth Quantum Stealth (QS) Passive Adaptive Camouflage (Camo)/Visual Cloaking Technology for the 21st Century Future Soldier/Warfighter: Beyond SMARTCAMO Color-Changing Hybrid Camouflage, Beyond Fictional Alien Predator’s Active Electro-Optical Camouflage/Invisibility Cloaking Tech!

Berkeley Bionics/Lockheed Martin Human Universal Load Carrier (HULC) Biomechanical Military Combat Exoskeleton Developed for Future Soldier/Warfighter Performance Enhancement: Bionic Super Soldiers on the Way?