CLAW GEAR: "We want to let actions speak instead of words"

Claw Gear is back. And yet it is completely new and has nothing in common with the old company of the same name. New gear, designed in-house, is in the catalog (download link at the end of the article) and much of it looks quite exciting. SPARTANAT has requested an interview with Claw Gear - who presented themselves as a new company for the first time at IWA 2013 in Nuremberg and thereby set a real highlight - and wanted to know what the new gear from Claw Gear can do.

SPARTANAT: Claw Gear is back! What can friends of good gear expect from you?

Claw Gear: You can look forward to high-quality products that are fully focused on ergonomics and performance. We are not afraid to use unconventional solutions. We want to make a name for ourselves as innovators and convince with well-thought-out equipment. As a special treat, our equipment will also be available in Genuine Multicam, A-TACS AU, and A-TACS FG.

SPARTANAT: Your new sets of Stalker and Raider look exciting and very distinctive. Did you develop them yourselves?

Claw Gear: Yes, we developed these two models from A to Z in-house, from the initial drawings to the final prototype. We also created the patterns ourselves, and the prototypes were sewn by our own seamstress. It took over a year to get to the final result, countless hours were spent on it, dozens of designs and ideas were discarded during this time. We are very pleased with the result and we are convinced that we have set new standards, especially in terms of ergonomics. But it should also be a small taste of what else can be expected from us.

SPARTANAT: You offer a whole range of armor. What were the requirements you wanted to meet?

Claw Gear: With the nylon equipment, we were able to draw on a very broad spectrum, which we have revised and optimized. We also paid special attention to improvements in the production process and the choice of materials used. However, the range is far from complete. We have been working on a comprehensive and coordinated system for some time, in which we will also incorporate our extensive expertise in ballistics, but there is still much work ahead due to the complexity.

Weapon accessories from CLAW GEAR: the AUG is consistently upgraded.

SPARTANAT: Extraordinary: There are even knives now from Claw Gear. Why these four models between Tanto and Karambit?

Claw Gear: We have first-class production capacities available in this area, which we wanted to use as well. Originally, we focused all our attention on the Tanto and the Utility Knife. Based on feedback from tests, we then decided to also create the Neck Knife and the Karambit. The knives symbolize that more gear can be expected from us that is not anticipated.

SPARTANAT: Give us a glimpse: What else can be expected from the new Claw Gear?

Claw Gear: Above all, we want our actions to speak louder than words, that's why we don't want to reveal too much yet. For a start, we focused on the basic range, which will be further refined in the coming months. Each product needs its time, so we don't want to rush anything and put ourselves under time pressure. Currently, we are focusing in particular on functional textiles and also want to further specify the carrier system during this year.

SPARTANAT: The old Claw Gear has nothing in common with the new Claw Gear. How long did it take to reposition the brand?

Claw Gear: Claw Gear quickly earned a good reputation at the time, but had to deal with severe misconduct in management. About a year and a half ago, we were asked to get the brand back on track and set it up professionally. We accepted this challenge because we were convinced of the brand's potential and production capacities. We were aware that it would not be easy, yet it was a surprise to see how big the mess we found actually was. This chapter is now closed for us, but the work on the "new" Claw Gear is far from finished.

CLAW GEAR was founded in 2009 and quickly earned a good reputation, but the rapid development of the still young company was heavily slowed down by serious misconduct in management. In the summer of 2011, a line was drawn and the brand was placed under Swiss-Austrian management, which brought not only organizational competence but also a lot of military experience. In addition to structural changes, there were significant changes in production, and a development department based in Switzerland and Austria was established and equipped with state-of-the-art technical tools. Production capacities in Europe are now also available. The range developed by the new management will be presented to the public for the first time at IWA 2013. HERE you will find the new Claw Gear website and the catalog for download.

CLAW GEAR on the Internet: www.clawgear.com