Tomahawk Performance was founded to meet the needs of those for whom the performance of their gear is vital in achieving mission success. The idea sparked when a group of warfighters came to us with a problem: the solutions available for arctic concealment didn’t fit the needs of their mission. We partnered with them in a collaborative process to match their subject matter expertise with our product prowess. They needed a garment that could stand up to the toughest environmental conditions while being packable, lightweight, and most of all, breathable–and it needed to fit neatly into their layering system and allow for easy kit access.
They do the real work– our job is simply to listen to what they need, and help problem solve to equip them with the best tools for the job. With an engaged end-user group, we can go from conversation to concept in just over a month – and that’s just what we did.
To match the specific fit of their cold weather jacket, we built our Overlayer Anorak to slide smoothly over it with a side zip placed to allow access to equipment underneath.
The end-user group provided an initial fabric suggestion to maximize breathability. The first prototype was executed with the requested fabric option, and we offered an alternative to focus on breathability without sacrificing weather protection. To put our idea to the test, we produced a prototype for each material choice so they could compare the functionality of the two in practice.
The prototypes were taken to an Advanced Mountain Warfare Exercise in Montana where they were tested against a full spectrum of alternative garments. Their mission required the garment to last longer in the field than the norm for arctic concealment, but the durability of the prototype far exceeded even that high bar.
After testing, they selected the second prototype, and through iteration we worked with them to further improve the fit of the garment in their layering system, adding zippered ports to access essential kit underneath. Wind and weather protection stayed a priority with a focus on retaining breathability—along with an impressive durability to weight ratio.
By listening to user requirements and going a step beyond, our solution outperformed expectations. Building on our design and production capability by partnering with user groups positions us to serve their specific mission needs. We’re proud to play a supporting role in their mission by enabling them to push beyond their limits and meet their objectives.
