|
|
P7 News – July 2026
|
|
On Location with PROJECT 7 Armor
Last week, we headed north to put our newest armor platform through its paces—and capture it in action. Between hard training, incredible feedback, and a full slate of photo and video content, the trip gave us plenty to be excited about.
The countdown to our newest armor is on. Stay tuned.
|
THE P7K9 IS CLEARED FOR LIFTOFF
Upgrade your P7K9 with our new Leg Loop Harness
|
Rappelling or hoisting a K9 creates control challenges, as the dog’s rear end can shift during vertical movement. Standard vests provide protection but may lack the stability required for rope operations.
The P7K9 Leg Loop Harness attaches to the vest’s rear MOLLE webbing to secure the hindquarters, stabilize the vest, and improve positioning during aerial insertion, hoisting, and rappelling.
|
MOLLE Integration – Attaches directly to P7K9 vest's rear webbing for secure, weight-distributed connection
Hindquarter Stabilization – Prevents rear-end shifting during vertical movement, maintaining proper vest positioning
Safety-Rated Design – Only rated for rope operations when paired with P7K9 vests equipped with COBRA® buckles
|
Why it matters: Better control during rope operations means safer insertions and extractions for both your K9 and your team.
Available in Black, Multicam, or OD; requires P7K9 vest with COBRA® buckles for rope operations; $49.00
|
Details Matter: End-User Input
Why operator collaboration is the most important part of the P7 design process.
|
The best tactical gear doesn't start at a desk. It starts with a problem in the field. An entry team finds that a platform restricts movement during a breach. A K9 handler notices that a vest slows deployment. An operator identifies a small detail that becomes a major issue under stress. Those observations are not afterthoughts. They are where PROJECT 7’s design process begins.
Most tactical manufacturers design in isolation, then hand products to operators who must adapt their tactics to work around gear limitations. At P7, we collaborate with teams to drive design requirements. SWAT teams, special operations units, patrol officers, and K9 handlers help shape every product—from the earliest concept through final testing—so real operational challenges lead to better equipment.
Prototypes are tested during demanding training evolutions, where pressure points, access issues, mobility restrictions, and other problems quickly become impossible to ignore. That feedback continues after the gear enters the field. Every lesson learned gives us another opportunity to refine existing platforms and build better ones.
Because operators should never have to change the mission to accommodate their gear.
Do you have feedback for us? We always want to hear it.
Contact Us!
|
Platform Spotlight
The Ultralight Plate Rack: Maximum mobility with hard armor protection
|
|
High-speed operations such as maritime assault, aerial insertion, and vertical access demand maximum agility, but traditional plate carriers can restrict movement and add unnecessary weight. Operators need hard armor protection without the bulk that slows them down during critical phases.
The UPR removes everything non-essential while maintaining rifle plate protection. Its minimal profile and ultralight construction support natural movement, while structured-texture shoulders create a stable shooting platform without external padding or hardware that can snag or shift.
|
Hard Armor First Design – Prioritizes rifle plate protection with optional soft armor scaling, letting you configure protection level to mission requirements
Structured-Texture Shoulders – Creates consistent weapon mount without buckles, straps, or pads that can interfere with shooting position or catch on gear
24 Size Combinations – SAPI-based platform sizing with multiple cummerbund options ensures proper fit across different operator builds and gear requirements
|
Why it matters: The UPR delivers rifle plate protection in a streamlined platform built for speed, agility, and unrestricted movement.
SAPI platform sizing, 3-piece cummerbund system, Tubes closure, internal/external wire routing, webless or traditional MOLLE options.
|
Beyond the Cake: Why Your Team Needs Basics Before Biohacks
By Jon Becker
Are you pursuing marginal gains at the expense of your basic needs? These days it is very easy to chase all kinds of icing and forget about the cake. My latest article is about the lessons taught by Nathalie Pattyn who is that rare blend of practitioner, scientist, and educator.
Picture this: Your tactical team is researching heart rate variability monitors and the latest recovery technology while half your operators are chronically sleep-deprived, surviving on gas station coffee, and working unsustainable schedules. Sound familiar?
This scenario plays out daily across tactical teams worldwide, and it represents what Nathalie Pattyn calls the "icing without cake" problem. A physician, researcher, and former military flight surgeon who has worked with everyone from astronauts to special forces operators, Dr. Pattyn brings a uniquely practical perspective to human performance optimization.
"Stop asking me about icing on the cake. We have no cake," she explains. "If people don't sleep well, if they don't train well physically, if they are not well fed, if they don't rest, there's no point investigating some fancy headband that will trigger specific brainwave to enhance recovery because your basics aren't there."
|
How To: Field Replace Worn Elastic on Your Upper Arm Carriers
Elastic on your upper arm carrier will eventually stretch out or fail, usually at the worst time. That's why P7 designed platforms with field replaceable elastic. Here's how to swap it in the field without sewing or shipping gear back to us.
Break Down the Carrier
- Remove the upper arm component from the vest.
- Open the upper arm carrier's Velcro® closure fully.
- Pull the ballistic insert out and set it aside.
Release the Old Elastic
- Reach inside the carrier and find the hard plastic tab, roughly 2" long, attached to the elastic.
- Turn the tab sideways so it aligns with the anchor slot.
- Feed the tab lengthwise through the slot to release the elastic from the carrier.
Install New Elastic
- Feed the new elastic's tab through the same slot, angled sideways to fit.
- Turn the tab flat once through to lock it in place.
- Reinsert the ballistic insert and re-close the Velcro®.
- Reattach the upper arm component to the vest and check for a snug, secure fit.
That's it. No sewing, no waiting on repairs, no downtime. Just pop in a fresh elastic and your upper arm protection is back to a snug, secure fit. Keep a spare elastic kit on hand and you're never one worn-out strap away from degraded protection.
|
Visit Us at an Upcoming Trade Show
RMTTA Patrol and Tactical Conference
August 10, 2026
Lone Tree, CO
NTOA Law Enforcement Operations Conference
August 30-31, 2026
Nashville, TN
We will be in booth #137 with AARDVARK Tactical!
|
That wraps up July’s P7 News. Stay safe, and keep an eye out for next month’s edition.
If you know anyone that would be interested in this type of P7 info, tell them to subscribe @ www.project7armor.com/p7-subscribe
—The PROJECT 7 Team
|
|
