ESS Cross Series/ Canadian Forces Discount Program

Since 2008 I have worn one pair of sunglasses and one pair only, the ESS Crossbow Ballistic Eye Shield. Over the years I have pretty much owned every lens, and frame with the exception of the polarized lenses. They are modular form fitting to my face and provide complete peripheral protection. They have become somewhat of a signature for me. I came across them at Atlantic Police Supply Distributors in Bedford, NS closed since 2009 or so. The price point was just right ringing in at about $120.00 for two frames and three lenses; black, white, and yellow.

ESS Eye Wear and Ballistic Googles exceed most if not all military testing standards and have become standard issue for all U.S. Department of Defence Employees. ESS Googles are standard issue for all flight deck and aviation crews within the U.S. Navy.

HIGH VELOCITY

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The Eye Shield surpasses the test as defined by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z87.1, high-velocity impact protection requires a ¼ inch steel shot fired at 102 Mph (163km/h) at a lens straight on from three different heights at 7 different angles

HIGH IMPACT

Within ANSI Z87.1 the lens ust hit with a 500g (1lb) metal spiked dropped from a height of 51 inches, no frame parts or lens fragments maybe ejected during the impact.

US MIL SPEC MIL-PRF-32432 Standards

Photo By ESS

ESS Eye Pro exeeds the U.S. Military Standard which is approximately six times that of the ANSI standard. The U.S. Military standard requires that ballistic eyewear must be able to withstand up to a .15 calibre at 640-60ft/s for spectacles and .22 calibre at 550/560 ft/s for goggles.

PRISMATIC POWER

Photo by ESS

Prismatic Power is the measurement of how much light bends through a lens. The effect of excessive prism is that objects viewed through a lens aren’t actually where they appear to be. The test also measures the prism imbalance in the left and right sides of the lens, which causes the eyes to fatigue as they work to overcome the artificial “double vision” induced by an unbalanced lens.

A laser fixture is set up 30 feet from the NBS target and is fired through each lens at the target. The better the optics, the less bending of the laser beam is observed; a lens without induced prism will allow the laser’s path to continue directly at the center of the NBS target. Bear in mind when viewing the amount of prism that the effects of the distortion are more significant at distances greater than 30 feet.

REFRACTIVE POWER: ANSI Z87.1 OPTICS TEST #7.4.3.3

Photo by ESS

Lens refraction is a measure of what many people refer to as distortion or blurriness. The ANSI Z87.1 Refractive Power test requirements allow for a moderate amount of refraction in a safety lens. The lines in the NBS Definition Pattern are used to measure this lens characteristic.

Photo by ESS

Photo by ESS

Photo by ESS

Cross Series ™ Ballistic Eyewear

Over the years ESS has developed three distinct eye shields each with their own purpose and price point, the Crossbow being their first development. Later would come the suppressor series with a similar frame but with thinner arms to allow for a more comfortable fit when wearing ear pro or communications gear. The crosshair is developed as an entry level eye shield with a price point of $40.00 for a single lens and frame and $72.50 for the standard two frame, two lens package. In comparison to other ballistic eye shields the ESS is both stylish and highly affordable for the level of protection it offers.

Canadian Forces & First Responder Discount.

ESS Canada offers exclusive pricing to members of the Canadian Armed Forces and the First Responders community of up to 30% off retail pricing. Visit essforces.ca and register online for an account. You will have to send a picture or scanned copy of your government issued ID (NDI 10, 20, 50) , Police Credentials etc in order to confirm your employment status.

Photo: ESSForces.ca

Photo: ESSForces.ca

References

ESS Product Brochure

ESSforces.ca

Drop Flex Adapter & Universal Flex Adapter from Safariland Group

 

The Drop Flex Adapter (DFA) and Universal Flex Adapter (UFA) from Safariland is a unique holster mounting system that allows the user to mount their Safariland or Kydex holsters to the Safariland Leg Shroud for a more secure fit that raises the holster higher on the leg, and allows for added comfort when running or sitting in a vehicle.

The DFA and UFA have unique features depending on your gun carrying needs. The DFA allows the user to loop a belt through and rest the holster in one of three preset positions. For those who prefer a less invasive approach, the UFA allows the use of a variety of belt mounting systems, such as a paddle, a locking belt clip or Safariland’s Equipment Locking System (ELS) a common preference for competition shooters.

Uniform Works located in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia is the exclusive distributor for Safariland Products in Canada. I picked up a DFA from Vice President, Seth Bailey to test both the DFA and ELS systems for work and my own shooting  development. At work we use the 6004 Auto Locking System/ Single Locking System (ALS/SLS) holsters for the Sig Sauer 225. One of the chief issues I have had with tactical holsters is the fact they often dangle too low for my 5’6” stature. I find many times that when I run the holster wobbles back and forth and under stress my draw is stalled trying to establish a good shooting grip before the draw.

I mounted the DFA onto my duty belt with leg shroud and used my Sig 320 and holster to run both dry and live fire drills. The difference was beyond comprehension. The holster remained in the same position every time and provided me with a more natural draw. No more reaching down or fumbling for my grip, placing my hand on the grip of the gun left me with enough natural bend in the elbow to bring the firearm up to the chest and punch out to the target. Standing, kneeling, adverse shooting positions, running, rolling, crawling, I did everything I could to get this DFA to fail and nothing phased it. I get asked a lot of questions as to why I use it and that only answer I can come up with is; Why aren’t you using it?

 

“The 6004-DFA Drop Flex Adapter allows user to wear a thigh rig below the hip without shifting the weight farther down the leg and keeps the rig from sliding on belt. This design moves the thigh plate higher on the leg, providing added stability for thigh carry. The adapter can be used on belt widths up to 2.25" (58mm) and is designed for use in conjunction with the single strap leg shroud. Constructed of injection molded nylon.” – Safariland Group

The DFA/UFA comes in 5 colors to meet your needs or preference: Black, Coyote Brown, Flat Dark Earth, Foliage Green, and Olive Drab Green; and priced between $15 - $20 USD.

Check out the video below as Scott Carnahan, VP Equipment  Category Group for Safariland explains the intricacies of the DFA/UFA System.