Zipr Shift exhibited at AUSA in the Innovator’s Corner last week.

Zipr Shift has soooo much interest from Army contractors.
Army Labs are probably still trying to get around our IP and make a better closure than this, however…haha.

NEGATIVE (-ish) Feedback we got from AUSA from the Army:

Have you tested it opening and closing many times to see if it fails? (referring to the reciprocating test)
NOPE! Why? Our zipper doesn’t work like toothed fasteners. We won’t have teeth alignment issues…which is basically what that test is for. It answers, Does the zipper fail after 500 cycles of opening and closing it under stress? Where “Fail” means it doesn’t align right.
That test is not applicable to our closure…just like it’s not applicable to zip track closures.

Well coil zippers have about 340 lbF of lateral strength….
Sure. But, they aren’t watertight or air tight. Oh and they still have tiny, interlocking parts that fall off and break off the fabric tape.
So we beat the coil zipper on hermetic nature, strength, and durability.
Our closure has more contact area than the coil zipper which is why it’s stronger no matter the size (just like toothed fasteners – a size #5 coil and a size #10 coil have a large strength gap but not compared to the strength difference between a size #10 coil and size #10 plastic molded): http://www.zipintothefuture.com/explaining-the-tensile-strength/

“There’s a ‘cultural issue’ with switching from the current zipper to yours.”
That’s not what Army contractors and soldiers say when they cold email me and came up to me during the event!
I’ve noticed that my biggest problem is higher ups don’t want disruption. They don’t want to be forced to use a proprietary zipper.
However, the contractors see this closure and their eyes get wide and bright! They’re tired of duct taping closures shut in ColPro shelters!

The people (soldiers and contractors) who need and use the closure are ready to switch. The Army leaders who sit in offices are terrified of change…especially change that looks like a sole source.

Just like everyone is contacting Natick (NSRDEC) on my behalf and no one from Natick will respond to them or to me.
The top and the bottom of the Army want different things.

POSITIVE Feedback:

Well, let’s just say I’m swimming in contractors who want samples.