DefenseReview.com (DR): An online tactical technology and military defense technology magazine with particular focus on the latest and greatest tactical firearms news (tactical gun news), tactical gear news and tactical shooting news.
by David Crane
david@defensereview.com
All photos contained in this article were taken by, and are the exclusive property of, DefenseReview.com. Click on photos below to view them full-size.
Tactical kneepads (or, knee pads) and elbow pads are now required gear for military Special Operations (SPECOPS) units and law enforcement (LE) SWAT teams. A company called KP Industries has been fulfilling this requirement quite well, for awhile, now. In fact, it could be argued that KP Industries has taken tactical elbow pads and knee pads (kneepads) to their ultimate conclusion with their Tactical Ultra Flex III tactical knee pad and Armor-Pro Tactical Elbow Pad.
However, as good as these products are, they only protect against blunt force impacts and scrapes. Well, KP Industries has now teamed up with a Canadian company called Ceramic Protection Corporation, Inc. (CPC) to…
change all that. Together, they’ve created a really interesting tactical kneepad (tactical knee pad)/knee guard and elbow pad/elbow guard designed specifically to protect against ballistic threats like shrapnel and IED (Improvised Explosive Device) blasts. According to a CPC representative, they will also protect the wearer against edged weapon attacks (knife attacks). CPC showed DefenseReview this product at their booth at IACP 2005 Miami.
Chuck Knox, President/CEO of KP Industries, provided DefenseReview with the background on the project over the phone and through email. Mr. Knox communicated the following to DefRev via email: "The origional call for a shrapnel resistant leg or knee protection system came to KP through Matt Bevan at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab. Matt talked to Kurt Wuerful at K&E Logistics and Services, who because of his knowledge of existing products, realized that the KneePro Ultra Flex pads offered the best platform for this technology. Kurt was familiar with Rick Karst at CPC, and suggested that we contact CPC regarding using their new aramid fiber technology to make the shells for the project. We have begun testing this combination of proprietory products to get the Army what they have been asking for."
According to Richard Karst, CPC’s Manager of "Personnel Armour Sales", the pads are comprised of aramid fibers and fiberglass-like cross fibers that are sandwiched within a special resin to create a proprietary composite blend. The KP Industries/CPC kneepads weigh approx. .325 kilos. Defense Review doesn’t yet have weight specs on the elbow pads.
It’s DefenseReview’s opinion that the KP Industries/CPC kneepads and elbow pads deserve a look by Mil/LE Spec-Operators and general infantry personnel. By the way, CPC also makes NIJ Level III (approx. 2 lbs) and NIJ Level IV (approx. 2.75 lbs) side protection plates (pictured below).
If you’d like to learn more about Ceramic Protection Corporation’s (CPC)/KP Industries’ shrapnel-resistant/blast-resistant knee pads and elbow pads, we suggest you contact both companies at the phone numbers and/or email addresses below:
KP Industries
760-599-9882 Phone
800-956-3377 Toll Free
info@kpindustries.com
Chuck Knox is President/CEO of KP Industries. You can contact him via email at cknox@kpindustries.com
Ceramic Protection Corporation (CPC)
403-250-0502 Phone
866-209-1007 Toll Free
403-735-1001 Fax
cpc@cerpro.com
Ceramic Protection Corporation (CPC)
403-250-0502 Phone
866-209-1007 Toll Free
403-735-1001 Fax
cpc@cerpro.com
Alison Durnin is Ceramic Protection Corporation’s Armor Sales & Marketing Coordinator. Richard Karst is CPC’s Manager of Personnel Armor Sales. You can contact Ms. Durnin at adurnin@cerpro.com. Mr. Karst can be contacted at rkarst@cerpro.com.
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