Potomac Field Gear (PFG) Advanced Combat Shirt (ADCS) Gen. II (MultiCam Camouflage): Flame-Retardant/Fire-Resistant (FR), Moisture-Wicking Battle Shirt/BDU with Passive-Cooling Protective Padding and X-Static Silver Fiber-Laced Advanced Protective Fabric (APF) at SHOT Show 2012 (Video!)

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

All photos and video contained in this article were shot by DefenseReview.com, and are copyrighted. DefenseReview.com owns the copyright on these photos. The photos and video clips were shot with an Apple iPhone 4S smartphone with 8MP (8-megapixel) still camera and 1080p HD video camera.

March 5, 2012

While we were at SHOT Show 2012, DefenseReview (DR) got a quick product demo of the Potomac Field Gear (PFG) Advanced Combat Shirt (ADCS) Gen. II (MultiCam) FR (Flame-Retardant/Fire-Resistant)/no-melt/no-drip battle shirt/BDU (Battle Dress Uniform) from Brian Sykes. The shirt has a coyote brown central/torso section and Crye Precision MultiCam camo (camouflage) pattern sleeves. The torso section appears to be made using the same moisture-wicking Advanced Protective Fabric (APF) base layer material as PFG’s short-sleeve and long-sleeve t-shirts. APF fabric is comprised of 82% modacrylic fiber, 9% polyester, 5% X-Static Silver Fiber (anti-static/antimicrobial/anti-odor fiber), and 4% spandex.

The PFG Advanced Combat Shirt Gen II looks good and incorporates pockets in the chest, shoulders and elbow areas to accept a passive-cooling (passive-air-flow) padding/spacer system for superior air flow, weight-distribution, and, in the case of the chest padding, to provide additional distance and protective padding between the wearers body armor and body for backface deformation signature of the body armor when/if it’s struck by bullets. You can see this explained in the embedded video below.

According to X-Static’s developer/manufacturer, Noble Biomaterials, “the X-Static fiber has a layer of [99%] pure silver permanently bonded to the surface of a textile fiber. The process is such that the fiber, with its silver layer, retains traditional textile and tactile characteristics. It can be used in knits, wovens and non-wovens as either a filament or spun yarn. X-Static offers all the benefits known to be inherent to pure silver, only in a new format: a textile fiber.”

Defense Review has been running a Potomac Field Gear “Sand” (desert tan)-colored FR/no-melt/no-drip lightweight short-sleeve t-shirt since SHOT Show (2012), and we really like it. We recently wore it during a force-on-force CQB/CQC (Close Quarters Battle/Close Quarters Combat) daylight/low-light/no-light gunfighting course using Ultimate Training Munitions (UTM) marking cartridges. The shirt is very comfortable and looks good.

DR doesn’t yet know what material the Crye MultiCam sleeves are made from, but we’ll try to find out. In any case, we’re going to try to get our hands on a PFG ADCS Gen. II as soon as possible, so we can run it through our next tactical shooting and/or force-on-force gunfighting course.

DefenseReview is interested in how Noble Biomaterials’ X-Static Silver Fiber stacks up against Schoeller Technologies’ active>;silver and NanoHorizons’ SmartSilver fabric treatments, respectively. Which one’s the best in terms of anti-static properties, antimicrobial protection, odor control (anti-odor), durability and performance through multiple washings (and dryings), feel against the skin, health safety (for the lungs), weight, and thermal characteristics? And, how do they all compare in cost? These are some of the questions that would have to be asked and answered.

Additional Photos:

Company Contact Info:

Potomac Field Gear (PFG)
4124 Council Mountain Rd
Council, VA 24260
Toll Free: 800-330-7190
International: 276-859-2430
Fax: 276-859-2447
Email: info@potomacfieldgear.com
Website: http://www.potomacfieldgear.com

Noble Biomaterials, Inc. (X-Static Silver Fiber)
300 Palm Street
Scranton, PA 18505 USA
Toll Free: 877) 978-2842 (877-X-STATIC)
Tel: 570-955-1800
Fax: 570-955-1801
E-mail: info@x-static.com
Main Website: http://www.noblebiomaterials.com
X-Static Fiber Website: http://www.x-staticfiber.com

Noble Biomaterials Europe srl (X-Static Silver Fiber)
Viale Andreis 74
25015 Desenzano (Brescia)
ITALY
Phone: +39.030.9911422
Fax: +39.030.9911851
E-mail: europe@x-staticfiber.com
Website: http://www.x-staticfiber.com

Crye Precision LLC
Brooklyn Navy Yard
63 Flushing Ave
Building 3 Room 807
Brooklyn, NY 11205
Phone: 718.246.3838
Fax: 718.246.3833
Email: sales@cryeprecision.com
Crye Precision Website: http://www.cryeprecision.com
MultiCam Pattern Website: http://www.multicampattern.com

Duro Textiles
Contact: Michael Neville
Phone: 508.689.1838
Fax: 508.646.2143
Mobile: 401.258.7682
Web: Duro Textiles
Email: neville_mike@durolink.com
Website: http://www.duroindustries.com

Schoeller USA Inc.
Deborah Richert
621 Fifth Avenue North, Suite B
USA – Seattle WA, 98109
Phone: 206-283-6991
Fax: 206-283-0703
Email Info: info.americas@schoeller-tech.com
Schoeller Technologies Website: http://www.schoeller-tech.com/en.html
Schoeller active>;silver Website 1: http://www.active-silver.com
Schoeller active>;silver Website 2: http://www.schoeller-textiles.com/en/technologies/activesilver.html

Schoeller Technologies AG
Bahnhofstrasse 17
CH-9475 Sevelen
Switzerland
Phone: +41 81 786 09 50
Fax: +41 81 786 09 51
Email Info: info@!schoeller-tech.com
Email Marketing: marketing@schoeller-tech.com
Email PR: pr@schoeller-tech.com
Schoeller Technologies Website: http://www.schoeller-tech.com/en.html

NanoHorizons Inc.
270 Rolling Ridge Drive, Suite 100
Bellefonte, PA 16823
View Map
Phone: 814-355-4700
Fax: 814-355-4722
Email Info: info@nanohorizons.com
Website: http://www.nanohorizons.com

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