they will never get what they want

Several weeks ago the following combined synopsis/solicitation was published by the Army for a cold weather glove system. Being a patriotic individual and always thinking of what is best for the soldier in the field as well as being the manufacturer of the warmest hand wear in the world I wrote to the people in charge of this solicitation offering them my assistance as well as telling them in no uncertain terms what they are looking for isn’t possible to make as they would like. I also told them to the best of my knowledge I was the only cold weather hand wear manufacturer in the United States of America. I never did get a response.Today the same solicitation appeared on the FEDBIZOPPS WEB SITE. So I decided to publish most of the high points of what they want. I have left out items 7, 9, 10, 13 and 14 as they were unnecessary to comment on.

Cold Weather Glove System

Solicitation Number: W911QY-19-R-0026

Agency: Department of the Army
Office: Army Contracting Command
Location: ACC - APG (W911QY) Natick (SPS)

ACC-APG, on behalf of the Product Manager for Soldier Clothing and Individual Equipment (PdM-SCIE), intends to release a solicitation to procure, on a full and open basis, new modular and scalable hand wear protection system for extreme cold weather operating environments. The proposed CWGS must meet or exceed the following parameters:

1. Environmental Protection in the temperature ranges of 40oF to -40oF Threshold (T), 40oF to -60oF or below Objective

   Here they need a properly insulated mitten with an insulated insert to perform at -60F.As you read you will note they want gloves. I did explain to them separating the fingers once the temperature goes blow the mid-teens does not allow them to help each other stay warm as happens when you wear mittens.

2. The CWGS shall provide flame resistance and not melt or drip when exposed to heat or flame at the next to skin level

   I do manufacture flame resistant mittens but the FR material is the shell material, not the insulation or the lining material. It seems to me if the hand wear is burning you would want to remove it before the flame or heat could get to your skin surface. Mittens could be removed very quickly versus a glove.

3. Hand Dexterity to allow the Soldier to write clearly, easily adjust or use radios and other equipment (optics) with small knobs or levers in temperatures 40oF to 14oF (T), 40oF to -20oF (O). Gloves must not restrict the ability to place the trigger finger cleanly inside the trigger guard at 40oF to -20oF (T), 40oF to -60oF or below (O) of individual issued or crew served weapon systems

   Here I suggested what I tell people get a leather glove with a thin liner preferably wool that is part of the glove. When necessary wear the glove while doing what is necessary and when the temperature conditions are lower than the teens when you take off the gloves, put them in your pocket and put the mittens back on.

4. Capacitive Touch that is compatible with capacitive touchscreens or resistive screens in temperatures 40oF to 14oF (T), 40oF to -40oF

   Good luck with this one once the temperature drops below 32 degrees. Until that point no gloves required.

5. Made of materials that contain no health hazards or Toxic Industrial Chemicals/Toxic Industrial Materials (TICs/TIMs) Threshold=Objective (T=O). They better not allow any of the companies who get their gloves made in Asia offer anything. However, do they think the soldiers are going to put the gloves in their mouths?

6. Don & Doff of any component of the CWGS in less than 8 seconds

   They suggest that the soldier in a combat situation may have to remove the hand wear quickly so the threshold is 8 seconds. I think if necessary it will happen in less than 8 seconds.

7. Back of the hand comfort fabric that is a flexible pile-like fabric, which remains soft in cold conditions and shall not generate electrical static charge when rubbed. The comfort fabric will not freeze with ice and readily shed frost when shaken, and will not ignite, melt or drip in proximity to open flame. The comfort fabric shall contribute to the insulation of the cold weather glove system to protect against cold conditions and be dimensionally stable to laundering.

   Are they referring to the “nose wipe” placed on the back of the mitten? I think yes. I have never known or heard of the fabric creating an electrical static charge but I guess it can. Is this a legitimate problem to consider I think not? The fabric gets cold but it doesn’t freeze. What you put on it that is liquid will freeze. It can be knocked off. The FR is again not something of concern. And finally if the mittens are properly insulated this material will not add any level of insulation. Yes the hand wear can be launder able, all of mine are!

11) Constructed of quick-drying materials to allow for drying time within 4 hours (T), 1 hour (O) under standard lab conditions in a heated environment.

What I happen to produce are mittens that use the same materials as I use in the manufacture of all my insulated products which means Lamilite insulation that is 1) not affected by water, it insulates as well wet or dry and 2) it dries very quickly when inserted in a sleeping bag with a person. In a lab they will dry in much less than 4 hours.

12) Provide a slip-free grip palm and fingers, while affording sensitivity during delicate tasks in the temperature range 40oF to 14oF (T), secure grip for tools and weapons during extreme weather conditions in the temperature range 14oF to -20oF (O).

Here the shell can be a host of materials currently available as well as the standby of leather.

15) Resistance to water, wind, petroleum, oils, lubricants, and detergents at a level equal to existing cold weather gloves.

I would like to know what other cold weather gloves they are referring to. I do know my mittens which are cold weather hand wear and gloves are not, are oblivious to the products mentioned.

16) Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate (MVTR) rate of greater than 7.0 grams/hour (T), greater than 10.0 grams/hour (O).

This is not going to happen. What they need is Lamilite/Climashield insulated hand wear which as I have stated is not affected by moisture so it is not a problem since it is solved by the insulation.

CONCLUSION

The people involved in writing this solicitation have as far as I am concerned no knowledge of how best to keep hands warm. They have absolutely no knowledge of the materials that should be used and they have no knowledge of the design of such products. I can only assume some joker or jokers will come along and offer them bogus products.

Such is the way things are going for our troops when it comes to hand wear.