INTERVIEW: Gear Made in Denmark - Tardigrade Tactical

Danes don't lie. Otto already knew that. Danes also produce good gear. Birk Anton Knudsen is the head of TARDIGRADE TACTICAL (in the picture above, however, his partner Fredrik H. Thomson can be seen. Dirk can be seen at the end of the article). We personally asked him for an interview and he explains how he came to sewing as a soldier and what the guys there in Denmark do.

SPARTANAT: Tardigrade Tactical, you come from Denmark. What are you specialized in?

Tardigrade Tactical: We specialize in the development and construction of equipment for military and police end users. Gear that reduces weight and bulk and puts functionality at the forefront of every design. We work hard to combine all essential functions in one layer. And not to work in multiple layers, each with a different function. - This means both in the literal sense of the word "layers of fabric" as well as in a more holistic sense the entire equipment. Of course, we know that our products will become part of the complete setup of the end user - most likely together with an issued kit and along with gear from other brands.

At the core, it's all about helping the gear user perform as best as possible. We mainly produce products that are specifically designed for integration with the kit issued by the professional end user. We know that some military departments and the Danish law enforcement agencies have strict guidelines on what can be worn. We embrace this challenge with the concept of "Low Footprint Integration", which basically leads to designs that look like an integrated part of the original equipment. This makes it much easier for the end user in the authorities to wear the equipment and focus on their task, rather than worrying about what their leaders might think of an "unissued" product - which is often a very real problem nowadays.

SPARTANAT: How long have you been producing gear? How did it all start?

Tardigrade Tactical: We have been producing gear since 2011. But it all started when I was deployed with a small reconnaissance unit of the Danish Army in the Helmand Province in Afghanistan in 2009. Back then, we bought a lot of equipment for our own kit and spent tons of money to make our setup perfect. We imported most of it from the USA, but the integration with our then-issued kit was never perfect. It simply lacked a "Danish touch."

During our downtime in the FOB (Forward Operation Base), I started sketching various designs and thought that I also needed a creative hobby to focus on in my spare time when I returned to Denmark. When I returned to Denmark after my deployment, I bought my first industrial sewing machine and spent a few years learning various design and manufacturing processes - basically, I learned the "source code" of how to transform fabric and webbing into a piece of gear. For a few years, I designed sewn equipment for my comrades in my basement, but things really escalated in 2015 when we set up shop in an old building in Copenhagen.

Today, my business partner Frederik and I run the company and have two employees working daily at our factory, producing gear for various webshops and retailers, as well as the government and specifically SOF units.

SPARTANAT: You have a logo that is not easy to identify. What does it show and why?

Tardigrade Tactical: We are often asked this question. And I always enjoy answering it. The Tardigrade is a small organism that is gaining more and more popularity due to its special characteristics, known in German as "Bärtierchen." Tardigrades are able to withstand extreme temperature fluctuations, radiation, and even the vacuum of space. The creature is not larger than 1 mm, but exists in every corner of the world, making it a truly great mascot for our brand: robust, versatile, and with a small footprint. I have always been very fascinated by science and biology and have always admired the small profile of the tardigrade, which, on the other hand, is likely the only living organism that will survive all others here on Earth.

SPARTANAT: What is your favorite product from your range?

Tardigrade Tactical: My favorite product? That's hard to answer. I love all my children ... I'll choose the one that has been best received by our customers, especially by the Danish Army: The "Low Profile Laminate Belt (beta)" has proven to be a great piece of equipment for soldiers wearing heavy MOLLE belts. It is really lightweight, has a very slim profile, and is extremely easy to adjust, with Velcro.

The belt is designed to follow the curve of the hip and does nothing else but keep the wearer's pants in place. The idea for this came from wearing large, bulky riggers belts (which serve no purpose other than holding up the pants) under the thick MOLLE belts. Stacking large belts on top of each other causes fatigue, skin irritation, and rubbing during longer patrols. The "Low Profile Laminate Belt (beta)" is not like that, as it is so light and thin that you hardly feel it when wearing it. We plan to crowdfund the final version of the belt for an international audience within a few months, as we believe it has great potential.

Also worth mentioning is the combination of our "Tardigrade Tactical - Speed Reload Pouch, 5.56 Rifle" and "Tardigrade Tactical - Light Weight Dump Pouch." Both products have been available since about 2012. Much effort went into the development to give the gear user the ability to place two pockets in the same space normally used by one. The "Tardigrade Tactical - Speed Reload Pouch, 5.56 Rifle" is a very lightweight, very small, but very functional magazine pouch designed for the shooter to have full access to the magazine for quick reloading. The design allows for adjusting the tension for the magazine, and the opening allows for easy insertion of a full magazine during breaks in operations: A soldier should never take his eyes off the danger, even when rearranging his full magazines.

SPARTANAT: Is there something special you would like to tell your customers?

Tardigrade Tactical: Absolutely! A big thank you for supporting our brand and our entire project! Also, a huge thank you to all soldiers in service who use our products in operations and provide us with highly valued end user feedback! This helps us continuously develop products that meet the needs of future end users, as they are also used worldwide. Ultimately, I appreciate the help of many different people we meet during trade shows who help us gain a greater and better understanding of the industry as a whole and in detail.

Tardigrade Tactical – Bio:

Name: Birk Anton Knudsen.
Age: 30
Home: Copenhagen/Denmark
CEO and founder of Tardigrade Tactical.
Military background: Corporal in the Danish Army since 2007 - Reconnaissance and Panzergrenadiere (PNINF), Gardehusar Regiment, Slagelse.

Deployments: Helmand, Afghanistan

TARDIGRADE TACTICAL on the Internet: https://www.tardigradetactical.dk

TARDIGRADE TACTICAL on Facebook: www.facebook.com/tardigradetactical

TARDIGRADE TACTICAL on Instagram: www.instagram.com/tardigradetactical

Contact: [email protected]

... and something very special for your EDC from TARDIGRADE