History of One Hundred Concepts
One Hundred Concepts is a small team company based out of Tennessee focussing on the development of tactical kit and equipment that provides an edge for customers across the globe. Frustrated with gear and lack of ingenuity, the team are building upon a line of products and striving to make our lives easier through better kit applications.
For more info - visit the One Hundred Concepts website.
Why the HelmetScrim and PackScrim by One Hundred Concepts?
Camouflage, one of the basic concepts taught to soldiers and one understood by many. To blend in with the environment can mean the difference between life and death or when out hunting, eating a meal or not. As well as camouflage clothing that helps to break the shape and outline of a person, what we carry i.e. our kit, also can have straight lines and un-natural colours in certain environments. Working in a variety of environments requires the need to be adaptable. This is where the HelmetScrim and PackScrim from One Hundred Concepts took my interest. Having already bought several products from OHC, I knew that what I was looking at was a quality, well thought out design. When operating in a wooded environment in early or late light, the HelmetScrim could help to marginally break up the shape if silhouetted on a hilltop, whereas the PackScrim would help break the outline and shape of the pack when moving from one safe location to another. It'd be incredibly useful too for the stashing of the pack at a safe location hidden amongst dense foliage and vegetation.
One Hundred Concepts have kindly given permission to use their product photos of the HelmetScrim and the PackScrim in this blog.
Product details
Herein lies the product description from the website;
One Hundred Concepts - HelmetScrim
HelmetScrim attaches to your high-cut helmet, breaking up its silhouette and improving its camouflage in both the visible and IR spectrums. It attaches via a simple shock cord, stretching over your helmet, and has a rectangular cut out for your NVG mount. It is made in the US using licensed camouflage patterns and durable, NIR compliant materials.
The HelmetScrim was designed around the very popular Team Wendy helmets and easily installs without any finessing. For other helmet brands, it works best when it paired with a helmet cover where it can be secured by its Velcro attachment tabs at the border of the helmet cover. HelmetScrim is lightweight and durable, and quickly stows away in your pack or pocket when not in use.
This is certainly not a new concept, but we've made some simple but meaningful improvements to it. The front of the scrim has a rectangular cutout to clear the NVG shroud, allowing you to install mounts unhindered. Like our PackScrim, instead of weaving through the netting, we've added specific holes around the border for the included shock cord to be woven through. This system provides a more substantial mounting interface and simplifies the process of installing shock cord. Additionally, the elliptical netting pattern maximizes the area between cuts, providing more uniform strength across the netting.
One Hundred Concepts - PackScrim
PackScrim is a simple solution that allows you to quickly add camouflage to most packs. This is especially useful for the solid-color backpacking bags that many civilians already have. It is a rapid, rugged, lightweight, quiet, & packable solution for camouflaging in both the visible and IR spectrum. As the durable 500D fabric expands, its mesh opens, breaking up the silhouette of your backpack or rucksack. It attaches via a simple, adjustable shock cord that is stretched over your pack and can be removed as quickly as it is installed. Once removed, it can be used as a versatile camouflage netting for an observation post, hide site, etc.
How does the Scrim work?
This is a rather simple design and method which is extremely effective. Simplistically a 500D Multicam licensed material shape is laser cut (for a helmet or a pack). This shape then has numerous laser cuts into the material in the shape of a crescent moon along a horizontal line, after which the next line is cut using an inverted crescent moon and so on. When laid flat, the material doesn't offer any real noticeable shapes, however once stretched over an item such as a helmet or pack, the laser cut shapes take effect creating a ruffle / silhouette breaking form. The design coupled with a Multicam Tropic pattern also helps to create light and dark areas on the surface of the Scrim as well as on the item underneath it ultimately enabling it to blend in better with the environment.
Packaging exterior
The HelmetScrim and PackScrim arrived in two separate toughened sealable transparent bags. The only features on the exterior of the bags were the product labels detailing the company logo and product name.
Components
The HelmetScrim and PackScrim come with only three components in each package; Scrim netting, shockcord lock and a length of tan shockcord (60cm HelmetScrim and 200cm PackScrim).
HelmetScrim exterior in detail
The HelmetScrim is manufactured using 500D cordura material which is official licensed Mulitcam Tropic and is NIR (Near Infra-Red) compliant.
Measurements
The HelmetScrim measures;
Height 10.5 cm
Width 1 9 cm
Width 2 6 cm
Thickness 2 mm
The HelmetScrim weighs 47g.
As mentioned, the HelmetScrim is manufactured using genuine 500D cordura material Multicam Tropic material. Around the edge of the scrim are a series of holes (22 in total) through which the shock cord can be threaded and then locked using the shockcord lock.
Fitting the HelmetScrim
The HelmetScrim as mentioned in the description is designed for the Team Wendy style helmets. To fit the HelmetScrim, thread through the shockcord and lock it off. Prior to fitting it to your helmet you need to look at your mission requirements as this will affect the next steps. The HelmetScrim can be fitted over the top of attachments such as a strobe, helmet torch, V-Lites and battery packs for example, however access to these whilst not impossible may be slightly more fiddly. Switching on the strobe for example may take an extra second or two and the output may be slightly affected. Always fit, test and re-fit if required. The other option is to remove all attachments and run a slimline no frills helmet.
Placing the HelmetScrim over the helmet, line up the front of it where the NVG shroud is cut out to the NVG shroud on the helmet. Roll the shockcord edge of the HelmetScrim over the edges of the helmet, hold in place and gently tighten the shockcord until it's firmly held in place.
In the images below the shockcord has been threaded so that there is a small section of shockcord visible at the front of the helmet under the NVG shroud.
Adjustments can be made on the fly by tightening or loosening the shockcord via the lock. As shown below, the shockcord can be looped around parts of the Team Wendy Carbon EXFIL helmet at the front and rear therefore tightening the HelemtScrim and providing more anchor points for it.
Once the HelmetScrim has been fitted and adjusted, the L4G24 has been added and as seen is not restricted by the HelmetScrim in place. The L4G24 further helps secure the HelmetScrim in place so it won't move off centre.
In the images below the shockcord has been threaded so that there is no shockcord visible at the front of the helmet under the NVG shroud (preferred option).
As above, when the L4G24 is fitted there are no issues with it catching or snagging on the HelmetScrim.
One priority choice to make is around placement of the NVD retention cords. They can either be run over the top of the HelmetScrim or underneath of it. Both have pros and cons such as;
| Over | Under |
Pros | Retention cords are accessible and do not get snagged in HelmetScrim with adjustments being easily made. | Retention cords are kept tidy and won't be snagged easily. |
Cons | Flattening of HelmetScrim can effect break up shape designed to replicate. | Retention cords not easily accessible or adjustable. |
To remove the HelmetScrim, simply open the lock up fully, loosening the shockcord and lift off the helmet.
PackScrim exterior in detail
The PackScrim is manufactured using 500D cordura material which is official and licensed Mulitcam Tropic and is NIR compliant.
Measurements
The PackScrim measures;
Height 10.5 cm
Width 9 cm
Thickness 2 mm
The PackScrim weighs 222g.
The PackScrim as described above is genuine Multicam Tropic material. The PackScrim has a noticeable shape and is designed to be used one way up, with the more curved edge at the top and the less curved edge at the bottom. There are a number of laser cut holes (32 in total) around the edges of the PackScrim through which the shockcord is threaded and then locked using the shockcord lock.
Fitting the PackScrim
The PackScrim is designed to fit packs ranging from between 50 - 90 litres. Anything smaller and there will be excess bunched material, which could be tidied away but increases the risk of snagging. To fit the PackScrim, as with the HelmetScrim, the shockcord must be threaded through the holes on the PackScrim and locked off using th4 shockcord lock. The wider less curved edge goes at the bottom of the pack and is designed to be able to accommodate for packs that utilise rocket pouches or side pouches. Once the PackScrim is fitted, it should be noted that accessing any pockets or lids will be extremely difficult.
Placing the PackScrim over the pack, the edges can be brought up and over the edges of the pack and the shockcord slightly tightened to provide some elasticity and resistance. Once in the right position, the shockcord can be tightened further and then the shockcord stretched around the outside of the pack with adjustments being made as you go. Once fitted the PackScrim should not come loose.
To remove, simply open the lock up fully, loosening the shockcord and lift off the pack.
HelmetScrim and PackScrim testing
The above were tested in a typical woodland environment in both light and dense vegetation to illustrate how well the Scrim design works by breaking up the outline of the helmet and pack. Both were used in a number of different environments such as deep forest, woodland and open ground to look at how the Scrims break the silhouette of the helmet and pack at a variety of distances (1m, 5m, 10m). Below are some examples of Scrim vs No-Scrim in a wooded environment.
The below images show the Scrims in use at night and how the NIR (Near Infra-Red) material enables it to blend near seamlessly into the background. A blog by UFPRO explains in greater depth NIR and the effects which can be read here.
Helmet with and without scrim
Pack with and without scrim
Maintenance
Maintenance of the HelmetScrim and PackScrim is minimal.
Check shockcord for damage as well as shockcord lock.
Check holes around edge of Scrims for damage such as stretching or rips in material.
Wash in cold water using hands only to remove dirt and debris.
Allow Scrims to hang dry naturally.
Thoughts and opinion
The HelmetScrim and PackScrim and two lightweight, no fuss products, cleverly designed to provide the operator with an additional level of camouflage and reduce their overall shape during day and night. Tabbing with packs on across undulating ground whether it be open plains interspersed with wooded copses or dense pine forests up and down hills, the addition of the Scrims provided an extra level of blending into the environment with little to no effort. The HelmetScrim breaks up the operators helmet and head area whilst the PackScrim breaks up a distinctly uniform shape and block of colour when being carried. At distances both near and far in both day and night movements, the Scrims do indeed help break the shapes down and reduce the reflectiveness picked up by night vision. As seen in the above photos during night movements, the Scrims really can reduce the overall signature of the operator. A reduction in signature could mean the difference between being spotted at distance or not. The added bonus of the PackScrim being able to be used to cover a small OP or top half of a person when laid up again is a nice bonus.
One Hundred Concepts has again created an affordable, simple to use and hugely beneficial camouflage system to support users from across a range of trades and environments. Stepping out into the field the Scrims will most definitely be attached. If you're into milsims, range weekends or hunting over river and dale, the Scrims are certainly worth their weight in coin.
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Final Note
I am not paid for my blogs by the manufacturers or companies that I purchase my items from. I am not offered freebies to promote a product. These blogs are purely written from my own experience in truth to help advise and inform others who may wish to purchase the items or understand more about them. If I am sent a freebie to review this will be stated at the beginning to make you aware.