Army Cuts the Velcro

Yahoo Buzz ^ | June 16, 2010 | Mike Krumboltz

[archy]

Seems to me the obvious solution is a pair of small magnets - one in the flap (inside the fabric), one in pocket (inside the fabric). Works great for cell phone and laptop carriers, and it’s how I secure my scope to my folding carbine (I can pick up the carbine and carry it by the scope, no problem - two 0.25” diameter magnets on the scope rail and two 0.375” diameter magnets in the handguard of the carbine - holds up to 15 pounds, easily holds 5 pounds with LOTS of shaking).

Never clog, never die, never break, no button hole or button to catch on anything, and silent (the fabric between the two keep it silent).

Who do I talk to at the DOD to make this obvious suggestion?

Natick [the army Natick Soldier Systems Center in located in Natick, Massachusetts, which designs, tests and fields uniforms, boots and field gear] tried magnetic fasteners on fatigues back around '69-'70. They get crushed both in the field and during the Army laundering process.

But if yiou really want to chat with 'em, call here:

U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center
Natick Public Affairs Office
(508) 233-4300 or DSN 256-4300.

[stayathomemom]

Can magnets ruin electronic equipment?

[archy]

I’m from the pre-velcro age of USMC “utilities”. [the Army calls them “fatigues; we Marines don’t fatigue.... ;-) ]

Actually, if the truth be told, I am from the pre-zipper age. We had buttons on our utilities, even the “fly” was button.

In general, I agree.

However, our tanker's coveralls, like aviators' flight suits, go on and off a LOT quicker with zippers instead of umpteen billion buttons to undo and button back up.

And inside a tank, anything that burns or melts is a bad idea. Including Velcro.

[Yardstick]

lol!

[PugetSoundSoldier]

In the 70s, I can believe it - ferrites are fragile, and the early neos were extremely fragile and weak. Magnetics has move a LONG way in 40 years, and new neos are extremely strong and resilient and a lot stronger.

[PugetSoundSoldier]

Small ones, nope. You can take a small N48 grade neo magnet that is 3/8” diameter and 1/8” thick and wipe it against your credit card and it won’t affect your card at all. But put two of them together and you can hold 6-7 pounds of force. A pair of such magnets on the pocket, and a pair on the flap would give you 14 pounds of retention, which in all honesty is a LOT of force.

[Oceander]

Velcro is a pain in the tuckus, and it does lose its effectiveness over time.