The MagLife

In this week’s episode of The MagLife Podcast, Daniel Shaw interviews Jason Henkel, Director of Sales and Operations at ShotStop Ballistics.

For those unaware, ShotStop Ballistics is a leading manufacturer of high-quality NIJ-certified lightweight body armor. Specifically, ballistic armor plates. They’ve distinguished themselves from much of their current competition through their innovative Duritium technology, which provides high threat level protection without the weight traditionally associated with armor plates.

Join the discussion as Daniel and Jason dive deep into ShotStop’s amazing product offerings for 2021, the future of the company, and the future of ballistic protection technology.

https://media.blubrry.com/gunfightercast/content.blubrry.com/gunfightercast/178_The_Present_and_Future_of_Armor_ShotStop_Ballistics.mp3

Host: Daniel Shaw

Guest: Jason Henkel

Introduction/Timeline: Eric Huh

01:41 ShotStop’s mission for their customers.

Jason gives a brief overview of the vision and goals of ShotStop for their clients within the ballistic protection sphere. ShotStop does not seek to merely meet the bare minimum requirements of government contracts, but to surpass expectations and to be pioneers in the industry.

“Bad guys don’t stand 40 feet away and [shoot] at a perfect perpendicular angle, and the temperature is 32 degrees. We just want folks out there on the front line to have legitimately, real protection in any given warfighter or law enforcement situation.”

02:43 What makes ShotStop stand out?

Daniel inquires about what specific technological advancements have allowed ShotStop to be ahead of the curve in armor plate development. Jason explains that ShotStop has mastered a unique form of polyethylene material that offers an incredibly high tensile strength but at a fraction of the weight of competitor plates at the same threat level.

This technology is their patented Duritium technology. As an example, ShotStop’s GT2 10”x12” plate weighs only an

05:37 Quality of protection.

ShotStop offers plates for all the relevant threat levels, ranging from III to IV+ all while staying thin and light.

All of their plates have been rigorously tested by NIJ-certified third-party institutions. Many of their customers have publicly put their armor plates to Youtube video “torture tests”, in which these plates are subjected to unheard-of levels of abuse and still being able to effectively stop rounds. The company has full transparency of all of their plates, including official NIJ laboratory test results.

“We let the people do the talking”

07:56 What is new for 2021?

Jason unveils ShotStop’s new Duritium HA, a level IV multi-hit rated plate that weighs an unheard of 4.3 pounds. This particular plate has been rated for and tested to six rounds of M2 AP 30-06. Additionally, this comes with a 10-year warranty. By comparison, most level IV plates by reputable companies will weigh at least over 5 pounds per plate. In accordance with their company mission, ShotStop went above and beyond what any armor manufacturer is doing

09:43 Long-term cost savings.

Daniel brings the question of what the real cost savings are with armor plate extended warranties and long-term expiration dates. He notes that many law enforcement agencies buying armor in bulk for their officers are limited by their department budget and do not necessarily get the best items on the market. Having an extended warranty and expiration date can add great value and savings per unit purchased.

10:14 Jason agrees and further elaborates how ShotStop products fit that bill by offering individual clients and law enforcement agencies these long-term cost savings. One should consider the full cost of ownership versus the short-term upfront charge. Most armor manufactures offer just 5 years of warranty while ShotStop offers 10-15 year warranties on their products. This effectively means the price of one plate replaces what would otherwise be the cost of owning two plates from a competitor.

11:25 How does the average armed citizen get this level of protection?

All residents of the US can go to the ShotStop website and use the “Find a Dealer” search function to find local vendors that are verified to sell their products. Google is always the preferred option for finding local dealers.

12:18 “Boob cut” or female body armor considerations.

While not in the immediate pipeline until the end of 2021 or Q1 of 2022, ShotStop is currently in development for proper female anatomy-designed armor plates. Currently, there are three models in consideration for small, medium, and large breast sizes. Daniel adds that there is a demand for this kind of product offering, as more and more female law enforcement officers participate in tactical units and combative scenarios.

14:35 ShotStop ballistic shields.

Coming soon, ShotStop will be releasing rifle-rated ballistic shields. Meant for the patrol officer or the average citizen, this product line offers protection up to level III for rifle caliber threats while providing the same level of lightweight materials as seen in their previous plates. This will come in different sizes: 18”x30” and 24”x36” (perfect for use as cover while inside a vehicle).

17:01 Learn more about ShotStop

The best place to find out more about ShotStop, visit https://www.shotstop.net.

Their website gives full transparency and discloses NIJ-certified ballistic lab reports for each plate and how they performed to each caliber.

17:43 What are other future projects ShotStop is working on?

Beyond the current lineup of 2021 products, Daniel asks Jason, what are future products ShotStop is either currently or planning on working on?

Jason reveals that ShotStop is further improving upon their base armor designs by combining their current polyethylene technology with carbon, which will shave 15%-20% off of the weight. This innovative design is called Carbon Duritium.

“The future is … to out-innovate everybody. The East can go ahead and copy-cat us, by the time they get their first thing shipped into the US, we’re gonna be onto our next thing. Duritium never stops evolving.”

19:31 Jason goes into further detail as to what direction ShotStop wants to take this Carbon Duritium technology. As a long-term goal, they wish to inject multi-walled carbon nanotubes at a molecular level into the strands of their polyethylene material. In theory, this would result in a 15 times increase in tensile strength.

Jason expresses that the potential of this kind of material is almost limitless. He states that even something as thin and flexible as a shirt could possibly stop green tip rounds. ShotStop is already developing a John Wick style armored clothing for correctional officers, in which everyday attire such as jackets, suits, shirts, or pants would be slash, stab, and even down the line bullet resistant to small calibers.

Article/Show notes by Eric Huh

In this week’s MagLife Podcast, Daniel meets with Jack Lapham, Sig Electro Optics Product Manager, in charge of enclosed red dots, magnifiers, and battle sights. While already having a rich history in the firearms industry, Sig Sauer has firmly established itself within the optics world with their Romeo and Juliet product lines.

Jack dives into Sig’s latest offerings, the Romeo 7s and the Juliet 3 Micro. Along the way, he discusses with Daniel the developmental process and brief history of SIG optics, other soon to be released products, and general trends within the usage of optics.

https://media.blubrry.com/gunfightercast/content.blubrry.com/gunfightercast/176-SIG_Romeo_7s_and_Juliet_3_Micro.mp3

Host: Daniel Shaw

Guest: Jack Lapham

Introduction/Timeline: Eric Huh

03:44 What is the design philosophy and vision behind SIG Electro Optics?

Jack recalls the origins of Sig Optics when the division itself was only 4 people and much of their materials and manufacturing had to be done by outside sourcing. The goal, however, was always to bring their products into some form of an in-house production within their Oregon-based facility. The key was to build enough infrastructure and employees to do so.

04:36 Sig is now fully capable of in-house manufacturing of its signature optics. Jack uses the examples of the Sig Romeo 0, a pistol reflex sight that is tailor-made for the Sig P365 sub-compact carry gun.

“The Romeo 0, I don’t know that I’ve worked on anything that’s more American made than that product.”

05:04 Balancing Cost Efficiency and Quality

Sig quickly realized that there was a market for gun owners who are more cost-conscious in their optic purchases. And while Sig is capable of in-house manufacturing stateside, the ability to cater to customers on a budget comes with the reliance on outsourcing some of the production abroad. The goal is to offer a product to cover customers in all budget ranges.

05:36 Daniel adds that the current quality trend of overseas product manufacturing has drastically improved over the years. No longer is a product that is made in Asia synonymous with being low grade or unreliable. Other optic companies have made incredible progress with quality and affordable red dots and reflex sights while keeping manufacturing in Asia.

06:23 What is the future of Sig Electro Optics? What customer concerns is Sig hoping to answer?

While Jack and his team are currently working on a new optic, unfortunately, they cannot divulge any information at this time. However, Jack is able to speak upon the soon-to-be-released Sig Romeo 2. This is a duty grade pistol reflex sight that can fit other Sig Electro Optics footprints.

Sig based this optic on the strengths of other competitor products such as the rugged durability of the Trijicon RMR and the small enclosed housing of the Aimpoint Acro. It is drop safe, rated for 10mm recoil, and features a modular shroud that protects the optic, essentially making it an enclosed emitter. The Romeo 2 presents a 28mm open reflex sight with an ARC (Anti-Reflection Coating) glass.

10:48 The Sig Romeo 7s— What’s the difference between the new model and the original?

The brand new Sig Romeo 7s takes the base full-sized red dot model and shaves off 30%-40% in size, weight, and emitter window. The original 7 accepts AA batteries while the new 7s take AAA. This optic features the industry-standard 50,000 hours of battery life with a 2MOA red dot.

12:07 Optic technology improvements over the years.

Daniel reflects upon how much technology, particularly battery usage, has improved greatly over the years. Going back to the old Trijicon reflex sight, Aimpoint Comp M4, and the like and how much battery life they quickly drained. Optics today are able to sustain a reticle for up to five years without replacement, using the same battery in most cases.

13:01 The developmental trend of emitter technology.

Jack goes into a short historical retelling of the development of red dot optic emitters and how Sig became one of the first to take advantage of the point source emitter technology.

Previous generations of red dot optics would use normal emitters that were simply too large and used up a lot of battery power. To get it down to emit a 2MOA or 3MOA dot a mask plate was put in front of it. While this projected the correct size of the dot, it offered zero energy savings.

Point source emitters that are used today emit the appropriate amount of energy to project the intended dot size, saving battery life in the process. Some companies, in order to increase battery life, will use a notch filter in their glass to better reflect back the red dot (it is presented as a blue/green glass). The trade-off is that it will be much worse for night vision and is a less clear glass.

14:52 Shooting with astigmatism.

Daniel discusses living and shooting with astigmatism in his eyes. And while it’s a daily challenge, when it comes to actual shooting, it does not prevent him from being proficient. However, what has been a constant source of hindrance is attempting to shoot a standard red dot with astigmatism. Aiming with astigmatism using a red dot ends up presenting a “sprite” or “burst” instead of a clear dot.

17:00 Jack responds by saying there is no clear cut all-inclusive solution to shooting with astigmatism with a red dot.

However, speaking from his personal experience having astigmatism, Jack advises shooters with this condition to be mindful of what glasses they wear when shooting. Depending on the glasses lens, it can either positively or negatively affect how the red dot is perceived by the user.

Other than this, alternative optics for shooters with astigmatism would be holographic and battle sights.

22:07 The SIG Juliet 3 Micro Magnifier.

The new Juliet 3 Micro similarly presents an update on its previous base model by reducing its size and weight by roughly 30%. The smaller form factor could possibly make the Juliet 3 among the most minimalist among duty grade optics.

Jack emphasizes that the proprietary technology Sig has implemented in their optics is something truly unique and that future forthcoming magnifiers will reflect this. Other Sig red dot designs that focus on smaller footprints such as the Romeo 5 were inspired by Aimpoint Micros.

26:20 Sig’s rigorous testing standards.

Jack is confident Sig is able to be highly competitive in any of their optic product lines given their practical designs and rigorous standards. Sig Sauer is able to seamlessly tie in their product development and field testing at their facilities.

“I’ll put our team up against anyone else’s at this point”

27:10 All Sig electro optics are abused to their breaking points, requiring hours upon hours of just shooting. Jack laments how after thousands of rounds and countless days, the joy of shooting becomes lost in the process. However, this is what is needed to ensure superb quality in this industry.

30:53 Additional features of the Romeo 7s and Juliet 3 Micro

•Push button to move to the side when not in use

• 1.41” and 1.63” mount height options

32:57 1.93” Mount height for red dots?

Daniel and Jack discuss the pros and cons regarding mounting optics at a 1.93” height. Daniel praises the benefits of this height using a Low Power Variable Optic but discourages the use of the same height for a red dot.

32:48 Modern practical shooting stances and techniques have facilitated the use of higher mounts for optics. More commonly, shooters are more erect in their stances, allowing them to see more in the environment and process more information. A raised mount for their optic assists in this.

36:52 Daniel further adds the benefits of utilizing a full-length buttstock, standing erect, and making the head stand more upright, allow for the body to use its skeletal structure to mitigate recoil and increase comfort.

37:50 Romeo 7s and Juliet 3 Micro—price and release dates.

Juliet 3 Micro will be shipping end of February while the Romeo 7s will be shipping in March.

Juliet will be priced at $299.99 MSRP or $199.99 at “street” price.

Romeo 7s will come in both red and green dot configurations, at $199 and $220 respectively.

38:25 Why is a green dot more expensive than a red?

Jack explains that the market overwhelmingly favors red dot optics, as such the current economy of scale in the industry is adjusted for red emitters. Additionally, the lens coating at the front of the lens must use a different material to accommodate a green emitter.

What is little known about green lasers and emitters is that they naturally take up more energy than a red variant.

Article/Show notes by Eric Huh

This week, Daniel speaks with Jon and Sarah Hauptman, founders of the PHLster Holster line. You’ll learn a lot – including more than you’ll expect about the unexpected Enigma holster.

Kydex holsters might not be a dime a dozen in this industry, but they’re certainly ubiquitous — and widely varying in quality. Unlike many traditional holster companies (of all sizes), PHLster does far more than “heat and bend”. They continue to produce genuinely innovative products by hyper-focusing on real-world application, ergonomics, and anatomical conformity in their designs. They made a splash in the gun world with the best, “closest-to-universal” holster we’ve seen yet (the Floodlight) and more recently an even bigger splash with the appropriately named Enigma concealment system.

Jon and Sarah tell the story of how PHLster was founded, what led to their unique designs, some obstacles they faced, what they believe the concealed carry holster industry has been missing, and what the future holds for them.

If you’re in search of new conceal carry options, take a listen and you might find PHLster has something for you.

https://media.blubrry.com/gunfightercast/s/content.blubrry.com/gunfightercast/175-Creating_an_Enigma.mp3

Host: Daniel Shaw

Guests: Jon and Sarah Hauptman

Introduction/Timeline: Eric Huh

03:06 PHLster’s Origins

Jon and Sarah recall PHLster’s humble beginnings from a “Do It Yourself” holster channel to a world-class holster company. Having a background as an auto mechanic and art student, Jon dove into the holster making world with very few technical resources available.

04:15 After getting into firearm ownership and ordering a holster with a very lengthy lead time, Jon challenged himself to create his own holster and to find out if he could do better.

05:26 Jon’s efforts were noticed and he began receiving emails from gun owners looking for custom holsters. Having found that his newfound passion was not only more profitable but also more fulfilling, he took the risk and committed fully to holster making.

“It wasn’t long after that, that I realized I had made more money answering my email than I was gonna make wrenching on cars…”

07:14 Growing Pains: Understanding Division of Labor and Business Efficiency

Jon describes the obstacles faced in accommodating demand and the growth of PHLster. Like being “stuck on a treadmill”, Jon found himself glued to purely holster making to meet the demand of his customers instead of spending time to create new designs.

07:55 Jon recognized the lack of efficiency in his operations of trying to micro-manage all aspects. He instead decided to relegate other tasks to those most proficient at them and shifted his efforts on the creative design side. As an artist and mechanic, this is where he shines the most.

09:51 PHLster’s Floodlight holster caught his eye due to their products being able to meet these demands. While universal holsters are certainly not new, Floodlight, in his experience has been the only product to execute the concept effectively.

10:28 Daniel details his personal experiences with conceal carrying a weapon, weapon-mounted lights, and the unique requirements for his line of profession.

He explains the importance of having both a weapon light and a separate handheld light. The Floodlight holster works by using either a Streamlight TLR-1 or a Surefire X-300 weapon light as the anchor point for the gun, allowing the user to have a near-universal option for a gun with a light as well as freeing up space to use a separate light.

12:02 What sets PHLster apart from other kydex holster manufacturers?

Jon explains that PHLster goes after truly cutting edge designs that solve immediate problems in the industry. For instance, the ARC Enhanced Weapon Mounted Light Switches offers the end-user several different extended switches to actuate their weapon lights and can accommodate different hand sizes.

13:43 PHLster also offers the Pro Series appendix carry holsters, which is among their most popular line of products. This holster provides comfort and concealability to the user due to its form factor and molded-in wedges.

15:08 The wedge shape for their holsters allows for fewer fatigue points on the user as well as being ambidextrous. All holsters by PHLster including the Pro Series are ambidextrous to both cut down on cost from having to produce both right and left-handed holsters and to accommodate all users.

16:05 Emphasis on ergonomics over the idea of “comfort”.

Jon and Sarah found that by focusing on superior ergonomics of a holster design, this naturally lends itself to comfort for the user. Most manufacturers today have a misconception of what constitutes “comfort”, especially in the women’s concealed carry industry. Companies often will create holsters with sharp points and simply throw a soft pad on it which does little to alleviate pressure points.

It is far more effective to build the holster from the ground up around the anatomy of the user so that pressure points can be avoided altogether.

17:44 Conceal carry is overwhelmingly about trial and error.

Jon describes the conceal carry world as something people have to learn on their own and not something with an exact science. Daniel adds it is very much typical for the average to conceal carrier to have a collection of old kydex holsters in their pursuit to find the “right” one. As Jon says, “People ‘luck’ into what works for them.”

18:56 Concealment vs. just carrying.

Sarah expands further by stating that even today, the vast majority of online resources are dedicated to firearm usage, but very little on pure concealment principles. PHLster is looking to change that going forward into 2021 by providing training videos and educational tools.

20:21 Counterintuitive ideas in conceal carrying

Jon explains the misconception that a smaller gun is automatically more comfortable than a larger gun in all aspects.

Smaller guns with a shorter barrel tend to be heavier at the base, causing them to tip out during carrying. The Pro Series adds more smooth, contoured surface area for smaller guns that make contact with the body to add concealability and prevent tipping. The “hot spot” or high-pressure point zones are mitigated as a result.

21:47 Sarah circles back to the idea of shape conformity and ergonomics over soft fixes after the fact, saying, “It’s a root cause solving of this problem rather than a Band-Aid on top.”

Once again, most companies will attempt to add comfort by employing hybrid designs such as padding behind a holster. This may be a fix for temporary comfort but it sacrifices the concealment benefits.

22:09 Holsters that adapt to you.

Jon elaborates on the design principles of PHLster, in which they prioritize holsters that can be modified to adapt to the end-user.

The main Pro Series holster shell includes an array of mounting points that allows for any standard clip (soft clips, tuckable clips, etc.) or belt loop system and concealment wing. These same principles apply to the Floodlight holster, which indexes the gun to the weapon-mounted light and allows for virtually any standard duty grade pistol to fit with micro adjustments.

“We try to make gear that’s a little more of a sandbox than a sand castle”

Sarah Hauptman and Jon Hauptman discussing their “sandbox” and opened ended design philosophy in their holsters.

24:31 Introducing the PHLster Enigma.

Daniel discusses how his everyday carry needs have trended towards more minimalist setups and that this has necessitated the need for a minimalist gun-carrying solution. The new PHLster Enigma fulfills this need by being the described “belly band that doesn’t suck.”

26:34 PHLster Enigma Launch Trailer

The PHLster Enigma is neither a belt, a holster, or a belly band at a technical level.

It is the world’s first “concealment chassis”, a system with straps that can be paired with other IWB holster designs or the PHLster Pro Series that can be conformed to an individual’s body regardless of {or lack of} clothing. The holster plate can be adjusted for grip rotation, tilt, and counter-rotation.

This takes PHLster’s “sandbox” design principle for conceal carry to the next level without sacrificing safety, comfort, accessibility, or rigidity.

30:24 The origins of the Enigma design

Jon first gained the inspiration for the Enigma from a fellow holster making friend, Jules, who designed a conceal carry holster with a belt rig set up used in the Shivworks ECQC classes and meant to be worn inside tight-fitting clothing such as sweats or yoga pants. Jon collaborates with Jules to further improve upon this design and bring it to the mass market.

After spending over a year in R&D building off this design, Sarah happens to take a few materials from another item and essentially builds the final components needed to make the Enigma viable.

34:54 How does the Enigma work?

As touched upon before, the overall design of the Enigma needed to be concealable, accessible, and durable enough to survive actual combative scenarios such as doing Jujitsu. This is done by how the holster plate is constructed. It allows different sides of the plate to be adjusted independently, preventing the gun from tipping, sagging, or printing underneath clothing.

36:31 Rethinking the conceal carry.

Jon discusses that for years the conceal carry conversation has centered on the quality of a belt. He believes while a high-quality belt can certainly help with conceal carrying, this notion has limited the scope of superior options. A standard belt can only operate tension on the holster in one direction, essentially squishing the gun to the body.

37:08 Going back to the design of the Enigma’s faceplate, the shape is curved in such a way where it changes the center of gravity for the gun. Pressure can be applied towards the top of the gun for greater concealability without discomfort.

38:43 The Enigma uses a high strength magnetic buckle that has a quick-release feature. It is further complemented by a belt system and a leg leash that keeps the entire chassis down when drawing.

40:18 With all of the Enigma’s components working in conjunction with one another, one could conceivably carry more concealed wearing track pants with the Enigma than someone carrying with just an IWB holster on the belt with a pair of jeans.

41:44 Jon further adds that a beltline is not necessarily the best area for comfort or concealment. The Enigma allows for the user to wear the holster in an area above the waistline, further facilitating different concealment options in various clothing types.

42:31 Traditional belt carry offers limited clothing options.

Sarah explains that as a woman who conceal carries, the traditional belt holster carry method severely restricts the clothing options for women to only pants with belt loops. Daniel adds that in other instances, this may force off the body carry such as concealing a gun in a bag or purse.

43:38 Body Movement with the Enigma

Jon and Sarah play a customer submitted video of herself doing full-on parkour and acrobatics while conceal carrying with the Engima [Video is visible in the full-length interview].

45:55 Innovation in the gun industry

Daniel reflects upon the sad trend of very little innovation throughout the gun industry. Much of this can be attributed to complacency in the past years and over-emphasis on marketing over R&D. However, PHLster’s Enigma stands out as genuinely pushing the gun industry forward by executing innovative and practical ideas.

47:31 Meeting the customer demands for the Engima

Demand for the Engima has been at an all-time high and PHLster has had to make operation enhancements to accommodate demand. Initially, the Enigma was created outside of the current manufacturing infrastructure that was already in place for the other holsters. The industry as a whole can be unpredictable and one must be cognizant of customer behavior, customer purchasing power, inventory paralysis, and gaining material supplies.

49:00 The Future of PHLster

PHLster is now producing 3-4 years’ worth of Enigmas in the next 60 days. The waitlist for the Enigma has come to a point where they have had to deny people’s money until they are sure that demand can be met. PHLster is working alongside Axl Advanced, with an entire facility dedicated to only manufacturing Engimas.

50:30 New Enigma holster models

Jon reveals future Enigma models that will accommodate the Floodlight holster and other light bearing holsters. Additionally, a smaller, simplified version of the Enigma with a preinstalled faceplate has been planned.

51:44 PHLster Community

PHLster’s customers have an active user group on Facebook known as the PHLster Concealment Workshop. Users post their own unique Enigma and other PHLster designed holster setups and exchange information on the best methods to carry. Beyond offering great support for new customers, this community provides vital feedback to Jon and Sarah as they continue to work on future designs and improve upon their products.

54:25 PHLster contact and additional information

For more information about PHLster Holsters, visit phlsterholsters.com

Join their community at facebook.com/groups/139735863409843

Article/Show notes by Eric Huh

Banner image credit: Terry – ninexnineteen.