Forging Forward with NEW Propper Product

We currently have a few new Propper products and are very excited to share with you all! Each new product is associated with a new collection that Propper is launching this year.

The first new product that is available for purchase on BDUDirect.com is the Propper Company Fitted Hat. This hat has a premium molded tone-on-tone logo which places it a step above the standard embroidery look.  We currently have it available in Desert Sand but will soon have it available in Black, Charcoal, and LAPD Navy.

Propper Company Fitted Hat - F5586
$9.99

Next, we have the Propper Vertical Logo T-Shirt. This shirt has a  clean and simple tone-on-tone PROPPER logo that sets this tee apart from the rest. Combed jersey fabric with no tags ensures a comfortable fit.

Propper Vertical Logo T-Shirt - F5313
$14.99

Another basic that is a must for any officer, solider, or civilian is the Propper Basic 3 Pack T-Shirt. They are available in White, Black, and LAPD Navy and go nicely under or with any uniform. This T-Shirt gives you a professional appearance without sacrificing comfort. Combed jersey fabric wears well and holds its shape  Packed in threes so you’ll always have one on hand.

Propper Basic 3 Pack T-Shirt - F5306
$24.99

And Coming soon we will have all new Propper collections that you won't want to miss out on. We will have the LS1, Sweeps, and CCMF collection featured on BDUDirect.com. Check out the videos below that give you an idea of what's to come....

New Propper Product Now Available!

Several new Propper products will be ready to ship out to customers this month! One of these new products being the Propper 360 belt (F5606). It is a functional duty belt that also works with causual apparel or hiking gear. It is a black nylon belt that features a high-strength aluminum V-ring buckle for an adjustable fit, and the webbing is strong enough to carry a full range of accessories, tools and raios. This new product was inspired by belts worn by wild land firefighters and smoke jumpers.

360 Belt (F5606) - $19.99

Propper is releasing the popular I.C.E polo in a men's long sleeve. This option has been long awaited and is finally here to get you through those cold winter months!

Men's Long Sleeve I.C.E Performance Polo (F5315) - $39.99

Propper is also releasing the I.C.E polo in a women's cut!

Women's I.C.E Performance Polo (F5327) - $29.99

Another big breakthrough is the highly anticipated tactical-inspired CRITICALRESPONSE EMS Pant which will be available this summer. It is made from lightweight ripstop fabric for rugged durability. This pant matches the Propper tactical shirt in LAPD Navy and black, plus it comes with a free belt! Who doesnt love FREE? This pant will be available in men’s and women’s sizes.

Men's CRITICALRESPONSE EMS Pant (F5285) - $44.99

Women's CRITICALRESPONSE EMS Pant (F5286) - $44.99

Coming SOON



Protect and Serve - Earth Day 2012

Earth Day is right around the corner on Sunday April 22nd. What will YOU do to protect our Earth? Here are a few ideas to help you take ACTION.

http://www.earthday.org/take-action

Run a Marathon for a Veteran!

Homes For Our Troops is a Military Community Partner in the 2012 Army Ten-Miler taking place on Sunday, October 21st, 2012 in Arlington, VA! Team HFOT has 25 charity spots and can accept unlimited pre-registerd runners. HFOT is also a part of the Marine Corps Marathon which is being held on Sunday, October 28th, 2012 in Arlington, VA as well. You are able to register as an individual, support a team member, or donate to the entire team.

Register for the Army Ten-Miler  www.homesforourtroops.org/army2012
Register for the Marine Corps Marathon www.homesforourtroops.org/mcm12

At the end of every year BDUDirect.com donates a portion of proceeds to HFOT to support our Veterans!

Father's Day Gifts for The Tactical Dad

Father's day never fails to sneak up on you at the very last minute and for some reason every year you are stumped on what to get the big guy. Well, if you have a tactical dad, Father's day can go awhole lot smoother.We have the perfect tactical gift guide for Dads.

1) The Tactical Grilling Apron ($45.00) - For the chef who just cant wait to have a beer at the dinner table

This bad boy features an adjustable neck strap, adjsustable waist strap, scrub and spray cleaning, and it is made right here in the USA. Oh and Dad has options, it comes in Universal Digital Camo, MultiCam, Coyote, Woodland Camo, Fire, and Law Enforcement versions.

2) Propper Sunhat/Boonie ($9.99) - For the Adventurous outdoorsman

This sunhat will keep any bald head protected under the sun. And if dad still has hair on his head this hat will still be beneficial because it features ventilation holes to keep the air way breezing through, keeping things nice and cool. It also features an adjustable chin strap just incase conditions get alittle out of hand out there in the wilderness.

3) Waterman's SPF 55 ($19.95) - For the extreme outdoorsman

When the same old stuff just isn’t enough. The WATERMANS'®SPF 55 lotion is built to handle it all. Long days in extreme conditions, over exposure, and whatever else comes your way. If you are looking for the ultimate in UV protection you have found it. Watermans cosmetic grade, non-slip, zero-migration, long lasting protectant will not run in your eyes or negatively affect your performance. The additional protection afforded by the SPF 55 will go the extra mile with you.

4) Desert Sand T-Shirt ($7.99) - For the Dad who hates to shop for clothes

    BDU Shorts ($22.99 - $29.99) - For the same guy ^

 

The desert sand T-Shirt features a taped neck and shoulders, cover-stitched sleeves and hem and a tagless label for superior comfort. While the Propper BDU shorts come with six pockets, four of which have button flaps. The 4" waistband is adjustable with four bar tacks. These shorts also feature fused pocket flaps, drain holes in the Bellows pockets and felled inseams, outseams and seat seams

5) Wiley X Sunglasses ($95.00) - For the fashionable yet ballistically prepared Dad

These bad boys mee US Military specification as combat protective eyewear, and surely that will impress Dad. The shatterproof lenses block 100% of UV rays and are certified to ANSI Z87.1-2003 high impace and optical performance standard.

Hopefully our tactical gift guide got the ideas flowing and now you will finally be prepared for Father's day when June 17 rolls around! (but you already knew it was June 17th...right?)

AIR FORCE SWITCHING TO NEW LIGHTER ABUs

A lighter, more breathable airman battle uniform is being put in motion. In November of 2011 the United States Air Force officially adopted the Airman Battle Uniform (ABU) which consists of an ABU pant and ABU Coat. The USAF made the switch in order to provide Airmen with a single uniform that could satisfy various climates and utility needs. However, due to an overwhelming amount of complaints about its weight, a new ABU fabric is being introduced. The complaints about the ABU started in the summer of 2007, just months after the Air Force adopted the uniform. About 10,000 uniforms went to airmen in Iraq and they sweltered. The material was just too heavy for the heat.

This newer, lighter ABU fabric will be a ripstop weave composed of a 50/50 nylon-cotton blend. Found in the ABU and other military uniforms, Near Infrared Compliant (NIR) technology allows soldiers to appear at the same radiation level as the surrounding terrain, which makes it much harder for enemy forces to detect them. The NIR technology also makes the uniforms less visible in low-light environments by reducing the reflection of light.

The 50/50 nylon-cotton ripstop is much more breathable than the original ABU fabric, a 50/50 nylon-cotton twill weave that has been found especially ineffective in war environments such as Iraq and Afghanistan. The most important factor this new ABU plays is the fact that it will allow Airmen stationed in hot climates to better perform at their jobs inevitably keeping Airman more confident
and secure.

The new ABU can only be worn inside the wire in a war zone. Incoming recruits will be the first ones to receive one of the ABUs in the new fabric because it will be issued during basic training. For everyone else, it will be phased in eventually; until then Airmen may continue to wear the original weight ABUs.

For those who can't wait for this lighter ABU to be phased in you can pre-order the nylon-cotton ripstop ABU coats ($39.90)  and ABU pants ($39.90) in Men's and Women's at BDUDirect.com. The first orders are expected to ship by April 16, 2012.

8 Tips for Bringing the Gunfight to the Range

When you train at a higher level and you realize that you can perform there, you get a huge boost in both confidence and performance

Many trainers view range training as being marginally effective in gunfight training and conditioning. Shooting standards that everyone can pass with little practice may be administratively expedient but it is not conducive to preparing people for the real speed and intensity that lethal-force situations demand. However, if you bring proper emotional perspective, train at the real speed of the gunfight and learn to shoot under pressure, distraction and emotional duress, you will be amazed at how well you can and will do in a gunfight. Go to WWW.BDUDIRECT.COM For all of your Tactical Apparel. Propper's Lightweight tactical trousers and I.C.E. Performanace polo are perfect for shooting! When you train at a higher level and you realize that you can perform there, you get a huge boost in both confidence and performance. It is not a lowest-common-denominator world on the street when it comes to performance. Fractions of a second count and you should be working to make the most of those fractions of time you have to work with. . In an ideal situation we would like to combine it with relevant force-on-force training, productive competitive training, and your own experience on the street so you can really optimize your gunfight capabilities. However, many officers don’t have the time to do the things that take more logistics, equipment, and time. Those officers who are self-motivated to improve generally find themselves training alone — it may be hard to find a partner willing to go with them to the range on a regular basis. 1.) Practice with the emotional intensity of a real encounter. One of the best places to do visualization training is at the range in an active mode. You are FIGHTING, not just shooting. Psychological toughness/dominance is a mindset that must be exercised in order to develop it. As part of your training, visualize what you are doing as an actual encounter. It is surprising how effective this really is. It is way too easy to just go out and practice. Don’t fall into that trap. Mindset is everything and it starts before you get to the range. 2.) Practice with all your gear on for part of your session. Vest, coat, gloves, belt, etc. will change the way you access gear and shoot. Know what you can and can’t do with certain items of equipment on. If it doesn’t work the way you want, change it around until it does. Get in low positions, lie on the ground and get in awkward positions around cover. Make sure you can access your gun and magazines from each of these positions. 3.) Practice in different temperatures, light conditions, and with different targets. Shooting in good weather or daylight is nice. Shooting in whatever weather or light conditions is part of the psychological toughening process. When you can view the weather or lighting with indifference then you are catching on. Practice reloads without using your eyes to do it. If it is dark or you need to see what’s going on, you may not be able to see what your hands are doing. Spend some money and buy different color targets with different shapes and sizes. Buy some steel from 6” to 12” plate size. Use spray paint in different colors and make the targets and scoring areas harder to define. Train your mind to sort out the different contrasts and see what you need to see to make the hit. 4.) Practice speed with precision. Safely pay attention to trigger finger and muzzle. Get an electronic timer — they are your best friend and don’t lie — to get accurate time measurement as you work toward cutting your time limits down. Most of the qualification times are way too generous. Either cut them in half or work down a half second at a time, then a 1/10 of a second at a time. Work from both a ready position and from the holster. Example: • Two shots in four seconds = two shots in two seconds. Then work down a 1/10 seconds at a time • Two shots in two or three seconds would work down ½ sec at a time, then 1/10 seconds at a time First Shot Standard: From 0.95 to 1.15 seconds out to five to seven yards is the standard I like to see from a duty type holster (remember: correct trigger finger placement is crucial to safety!). 5.) Set your gear up so you can access the deadly force tools without hindrance. Putting batons too close to guns and/or putting other things in front of magazines can lead to problems. The argument that you will use your other tools before your gun doesn’t cut it. Trust me: Gun/Holster position first, magazines next, then worry about the rest. If there is time to use other tools, you will have time to access them. 6.) Train the entire visual field, from point shooting, to soft focus, to hard focus. Start with your latest qualification course and break it down into sections: • 1-3 yards is extreme close quarters • 3 - 7 or so yards is close range • 7-15 is short range • 15 – 25 yards is intermediate range • 25 to 50 yards is long range • Beyond 50 yards is long range + The first four have different visual requirements for sighting techniques. All require more trigger finger awareness. 7.) Cycle your training. Change what you do and how you do it: distance, targets, time, positions, and whatnot. 8.) Make it count. Track performance on everything — draws, reloads, movement, distance, scores, time — as you compete in a meaningful way. It can be as simple as competing against yourself, competing for who buys lunch, but the fact is that competition tests competence under duress. When it counts, it means more when you succeed. Examples: • Steel Targets shot for time • Different tactical arrays shot for score divided by time (Comstock factor) • Competitions between departments • Outside competition Get a small video camera on a tripod and film yourself shooting. You can spot many things that can be improved with it. Article written by Ron Avery. Published by Policeone.com Find original article here