ARTICLE

February 2004

Navy SEAL Garments Protect From Cold, Heat, Germs

by Sandra I. Erwin

During future deployments, Navy SEALs will be wearing new custom-designed undergarments made with innovative insulation materials, which create a “microclimate” around the body, according to the manufacturer.

The SEALs spent several months last year testing different garments, before they settled on the “protective combat uniform,” developed by InSport, of Beaverton, Ore.

“We went back and forth with samples, and basically developed the product with them,” said Eric Merk, president of InSport.

The PCU is meant to be the first layer of clothing, worn next to the skin. It forms a microclimate around their bodies, Merk explained, keeping them warm and dry in cold temperatures or cool and dry when the weather is hot.

The two-layer fabric provides “moisture control and moisture management,” he said. “It has microscopic fingers that are touching the skin. When the user perspires, the first layer pulls the sweat away from the skin, and the second layer spreads the sweat on the fabric, allowing it to dry very quickly and keep them comfortable.”

Unique to this fabric is that it contains pure silver fibers, said Merk, adding that silver often is used in the medical industry, because it kills germs. The anti-microbial qualities of silver made it suitable for the SEAL garments. “The dirt from perspiration tends to get stuck in fabric, and the fabric breaks down and smells,” Merk said. “This silver fiber kills the body odor, doesn’t let the fabric break down and is just generally more comfortable to wear over a long period of time when laundry is not accessible.” The garments can be worn “for a long time” without washing,” he said.

Comfort was another consideration in the design of the PCU. SEALs often complain that their boxer shorts’ waistbands cut into their skin, causing chafing along their waistline.

“We put a brushed elastic waistband, which is very soft, and there’s no abrasion or chafing,” said Merk.

The tops also were redesigned and made longer, so they stay tucked in the pants, Merk said. “When they crawl on the ground, in the past, the tops would come untucked from their shorts or pants. That’s uncomfortable. So we made the shirts longer.”

InSport is under a five-year contract for 8,600 units of seven different styles of undergarments, Merk said, including silk-weight boxers and t-shirts, feather-weight long-sleeve crew neck and mock neck tops with matching pants, and a mid-weight top and pants.

All seven garments are made of varying weights of military-specific Polartec Power Dry fabric.

InSport will offer these products, designed specifically for the Navy SEALS, to the public and other branches of the U.S. military through its retailers and Web site.

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