Comments on: Don’t Buy Dragon Skin: PEO Soldier

By: Donald

Donald — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:58:53 +0000

dude, when did you asses that information? cuz when I tried looking at it, the guys there said they couldn’t find the linked page that you provided?

By: Donald Fortune

Donald Fortune — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 22:38:38 +0000

look it up on youtube, I saw some of thier test videos, anyhow, yeah, so IBA, woot, glad that your alive man,

By: Daniel J. Kelley

Daniel J. Kelley — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:17:04 +0000

I hate to say it, but those of you who are still saying that dragon skin is still better, you’re wrong. A friend of mine who wouldn’t heed the warnings from his NCO’s wore a thing of dragon skin into combat, and was killed when an insurgent shot him in the chest. The individual plates in dragon skin are partially held together by a glue like substance that, when exposed to high enough temperatures, melts and causes the individual plates to shift, leaving openings in the vest that are vulnerable. My friends wife recieved everything that he had bought himself, and not a week later, I was given it all from her. I made it my mission to find out what happened. After running with it myself while airsofting in 99 degree whether, i quickly realised that is what ruins it. Heat. We can’t let our brothers and sisters over there wear something that is going to do that. It’s a risk of there lives that should not be taken.

By: James

James — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:26:25 +0000

I think the bottom line is that Dragon Skin seems to work well but is too risky for the Army to trust. It is a new and relatively unproven technology. It’s vulnerability to heat and angled shots seem to be the greatest cause of concern.

I don’t think there is really anything to worry about, if the Dragon Skin technology really is superior, it will soon be copied by other more mainstream manufacturers and our troops will start wearing it. Meanwhile, many soldiers report that the current system provides great protection.

By: Billie Bob

Billie Bob — Sun, 31 May 2009 05:09:55 +0000

What is the current status of the Pinnacle BA company??? Their website appears to be non-op…

By: 11CMasochist

11CMasochist — Wed, 27 May 2009 18:21:12 +0000

For reference, Colonel Karl Masters was one of the individuals involved. If you look into facts, you will find that he is a highly respected Special Forces officer who might have some personal experience in this field.
Many other SF soldiers have added their discrete condemnation to the DragonSkin product line.
The “lighter” Dragon Skin armor doesn’t begin to stack up to the Interceptor rig. And the Pinnacle product which can argue that it can is ~60–65 pounds or so, by itself, and still has problems.
The *theory* behind Dragon Skin is very sound, but this particular product is basically a run at getting a lucrative defense contract, and is little more then a marketing blitz.

By the way, Defense Review isn’t exactly an unbiased source on procurement issues, FYI.

By: Bart Manek

Bart Manek — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:46:19 +0000

Why dragon skin is being used by special forces? Why every secret services (Including american ) is using Dragon skin? Why CIA is using Dragon skin? Why Black Water is using it, Why Bitish, American, French, Israeli and German High oficers are using it as well? I know, you know it too, everybody knows it.
The problem of american military is that it’s too big business!!! The contracts are being signed for billions of dollars and nobody has enough balls and courage to cancel them. The Interceptor Vest will be worn for in next decade probably, because the contract says so. Period.
And if somebody will develop bether equipment than the army is using now, “experts” will prove that they are wrong for any cost possible.
It sound familiar especially when you remid your self of M16, which failed every independent testing but not US Army’s, the “Bradley”- the same story.
Don’t worry, shit happens to everybody. My country bought lately F16 (something about 50 of them) despite that they were totaly beaten by other offers ( Suchoi Su 27, Saab Grpien and French Mirages) they were approven because of the political issues, not common sence.
As i said, shit happens to everybody.

By: Freedomainradio

Freedomainradio — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:44:45 +0000

The amred forcezs have no incentive to protect the troops. The soldiers are already bought and paid for. Using the money stolen from the masses to keep soldiers alive who are already willing to die to keep the empire going is stupid. Instead to money is used by the politicians to enhance their own power.

By: Ninja load

Ninja load — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 21:22:51 +0000

Intercepter Armor works great, But Dragon Skin works better, plus its lighter and more mobile, exactly what i need when im in a fire fight or on the move towards one, plus its better for you ground personel who have to carry all their gear long distances.

By: Drogum

Drogum — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 02:37:22 +0000

Anyone consider a combo of Dragonskin with the regular plates over the core body areas?

By: RealTestingPlease

RealTestingPlease — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 04:25:17 +0000

Let any manufacturer willing to WEAR the armor HIMSELF while Marines test it, come forth and get his armor tested! He can talk to us about how good it is AFTER he’s taken a dozen 7.62x39 FMJ from a dozen angles.

By: MacMan

MacMan — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 13:30:23 +0000

I’d buy Dragon Skin. Looks good to me.

By: yougottabe

yougottabe — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 05:48:14 +0000

17 million dollar guarantee? now that really made me lol. is that a bonded guarantee? wow… they should’ve just made it 1 billion, gagillion, fafillion, shabolubalu million illion yillion…yen.

By: armamentsoldier

armamentsoldier — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 02:29:59 +0000

If dragon skin was that good the wheel would never have been invented. Most of you guys sound like a bunch of disgruntle lobbyist to me. Apparently the Chief of Stall of the Army has made his choice, deal with it. And another thing, why is this mother talking to the Army about armor the Marines is or is not buying for their Marines? I think this Colin Clark fellow has got his topic of discussion mixed up. Heheheheeeeeeee Hoho!! thats funny.

By: Jeff Schrade

Jeff Schrade — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:49:54 +0000

Michael Yon is a retired Special Forces veteran who has spent the past six years or so as an independent journalist who has embedded with American and British troops in Iraq, as well as writing from the front lines in Afghanistan. When he thinks the U.S. government is wrong, he forcefully says so. Regarding Dragonskin, he recently wrote:

“I paid approximately $4,000 for this body armor but would not recommend it to any buyer who plans to use it in combat. I do not like Dragon Skin for various reasons. The Dragon Skin is too heavy and also relatively difficult to wear. If you fall in the water with this body armor, I think you will drown before you can shed the Dragon Skin, or if you are trapped in tangled wreckage after an IED, you will have an extremely difficult time shedding the Dragon Skin. There is no quick release and it’s plain hard to get in and out of. I talked with a Special Forces soldier some months ago about body armor. His humvee was hit with an EFP and was burning. He said that if not for the quick release on his armor, he said he would have burned up.”

For more about him, go to: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/21/business/21iraqblogger.html?_r=1

By: Chaz

Chaz — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 16:03:38 +0000

The “unclassified” test results show that Dragonskin is a superior protector that the standard issue body armour. Remember that Gen. Patreus’ (sic?) bodyguards wore Dragonskin rather than what the military had in the supply system. Cost is an issue, though, but my son’s life was worth more to me that the cost.
CWO3 Charles A. Roberts, USN (Ret.).

By: brandon

brandon — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 07:40:15 +0000

PV1 Nick Olesen March 19th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
The Dragon skin armor works effectively for the first, maybe second shot, but it breaks extremely easily and has to be replaced after every few hits. Although we don’t want our soldiers hit it is more reliable to use the steel back-up plate because it will stop bullets longer and cheaper(even though the life of a soldier has no price). the military pours hundreds of thousands of dollars on soldiers to train them if it was better they would use it.

Yah, because some PV1 really know anything about body armor, other than it sucks to wear. Since SOF told the Army to fuck off and has been using Dragon Skin for quite a while I think the Army should start fielding Dragon Skin in small quantities like it is with the Land Warrior system. We will quickly learn whether it really works or not.

It pisses me off to know that I’m not issued a vest that will stop that shrapnel from going into my side under my arm because of stupid politics. Damn near every major decision involves all sorts of politics. Who’s friends with who and who has how much money.

By: Greg

Greg — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:39:50 +0000

The Army does do biased testing — it’s biased toward the requirements of the Soldier rather than that of the manufacturers. Dragonskin was tested by the Army the same way that IBA was tested. It doesn’t do the job. Period. End of story.

By: Jack Ridge

Jack Ridge — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:19:50 +0000

Here is a link to the Armored Mobility website footage for the multi-strike Tac3s sapi plate. I’ve seen testing for these plates in person. This plate can withstand over 80 .308 rounds from 10 feet away in the same plate. It took a 6th .308 in the SAME HOLE before back face penetration occured. AMAZING.

mms://wms.media.upstreamnetworks.com/15970–35205/AMITAC3Sa.wmv

By: UK Observer

UK Observer — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:58:11 +0000

I’m amazed at the level of distrust shown by some in this debate. If you think your Army and USMC wants to get your guys killed over such a matter I suggest you leave the USA right now or check yourself into a facility because that kind of thinking is unpatriotic or insane. Over here we see the amount of money the USA spends on force and individual protection — sometimes to the detriment of the long term mission of winning the hearts and minds of the people whose streets you’re patrolling.