http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/Dec 1st 2006 12:04AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/
I wouldn't expect to be able to take an acid bath in one of these suits, no. But seriously...eat right through the suit?

And regardless, if its biological you can't take the suit off without a decon anyway, I mean lets say you get hosed down with, I dunno, anthrax for giggles...you can't just go "WHEW! ok, I've survived that initial dusting so, no matter the fact that I'm covered in Anthrax, I can safely pop out of my suit.

Once whatever it is the suit is saving you from is on, um, the suit...you aren't getting, safely, out of that suit without decon.

And if you are talking about a small enough quantity that getting out of the suit IS safe without decon, I highly doubt its going to eat right through your suit. Again, not that it would matter. If you could safely get out of the suit without decon then why couldn't you just take it off before the suit melts?

It doesn't make any sense.

I don't think anyone REALLY expects you to have a happy ending without a decon, but without that suit, immediate or no, decon isn't going to save your ass.]]>Dec 1st 2006 12:19AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/Dec 1st 2006 2:46AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/
As an evil scientist, I will start my work on a .9 nanometer chemical weapon asap. Muahaha!]]>Dec 1st 2006 1:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/Dec 1st 2006 9:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/Dec 1st 2006 3:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/Dec 1st 2006 3:21AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/I remember the first time my platoon was exposed to tear gas with them on; myself and 3/4ths of my buddies were burning everywhere we had sweat on our bodies (think about it...) and then even our lungs.

I wouldn't trust them to save me from the perfume department at WalMart. ]]>Dec 1st 2006 3:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/Dec 1st 2006 9:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/Dec 1st 2006 12:54PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/Dec 1st 2006 4:26PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/
I don't know where you get your information, but I'm guessing it's from movies like The Rock. Let me assure you that our warfighter have the best available equipment. Certainly we are always looking to improve. I can tell you from first hand experience testing and evaluating our equipment that the suits provided will not have agent eating through it. They are made to withstand more than the most "benign of chemicals like tear gas" and definitely to last more than the 20-30 minutes you state.

Also from experince in the military going through the tear gas chamber, we were not in our chemical protective suits, just the regular BDOs with mask. This may be why your body was burning Matt, NOT because our chemical protective suits don't work.

Stop misinforming people.]]>Dec 1st 2006 4:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/
I get my information from Army NBC classes and training. Please refrain from personal attacks. ( ie the Rock ) Let me asure you that our warfighters don't have the newest and best equipment for NBC and even if they did by the time they dug it out and put it on they would be long dead. Yes they are made to withstand more than the most benign of chemicals like tear gas but only if you have them on properly before you are exposed. Lab testing does not equal field use. In out testing 85% of troops can't properly put even their gas mask on correctly in time let alone their entire MOPP 4 gear. And yes I assure you that there are chemical weapons that will eat through your suit. And no you did not test with these chemicals because they don't test with them as they are too dangerous. Most that we are at risk for being exposed to will not however I was quoting a worst case situation. All that said if you are paying attention when we fit your masks they can save your life and I would rather have one than not but they do not provide the protection that some would have you believe.]]>Dec 2nd 2006 2:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/Dec 3rd 2006 12:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/
I know this is a bit late. I've been busy. Anyhow, I never said our warfighters have the newest equipment. I know that. The aqcuisition process takes a long time and by the time something is fielded we are already testing its replacement. I somewhat agree with part of your comment. You basically state that we have training issues which is not the fault of the equipment. Lab testing does not equal field testing, that's why we do both. Yes we do test the equipment with the dangerous chemicals. I work at US Army Dugway Proving Ground. Look it up. We have to specifically test to these dangerous chemicals in order for the equipment to get passed. Lastly, you mentioned the blood agents as the most nasty. Well FYI, blood agents (in particular hdrogen cyanide (AC) and cyanogen chloride (CK)) are primarily vapor threats and the primary mode of entry is by inhalation. They also have extremely short persistence and dissapate quickly. It would not have the 20-30 minutes to "eat your suit." The mask is what would be important here, not the suit. The rate of action if inhaled is quick and death could occur within 5 minutes if inhaled in high concentrations. The agents that suits must protect against are Nerve and Blister. These cause symptoms when in contact.

Don't try to teach me and everyone else chem bio defense and about our equipment when it's obvious you don't have the expertise to do so.]]>Dec 6th 2006 12:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/http://www.engadget.com/2006/11/30/colorado-scientists-invent-breathable-rubber/Sep 16th 2008 11:16AM