City soldiers have been told to take the liners out of their new parkas if they want to avoid having their hands blown off by explosives. Edmonton's 1 Combat Engineer Regiment was warned earlier this month that static buildup caused by the new Gortex parka rubbing against its fleece liner could be hazardous for soldiers working with explosives. Top brass fear a spark jumping from the parka could set off a detonator or exposed explosives. If a detonator did go off, it would take off a few fingers. Soldiers from the 450-strong regiment have been issued the new Gortex breathable fabric parkas over the past year.
Troops now wear sweaters under the parkas instead of the fleece liner.
Military clothing experts tested the Gortex shell for electrostatic build-up and passed it as safe. Tests were not done on the fleece-Gortex combination, but they're being done now. We welcome your feedback. All rights reserved.