New Balance, Asics or Adidas? How SAF selects trainers and different private gear for servicemen

SINGAPORE: From bland gymnasium footwear to established manufacturers like Asics and Adidas, the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has come a great distance in deciding on bodily coaching (PT) sneakers for its servicemen.

In September final yr, the SAF unveiled its newest line up of PT sneakers from New Balance and Asics, making it the sixth change since servicemen bought the black “kungfu” sneakers up till 1995.

A PT shoe change often makes headlines and will get troopers throughout generations speaking about how the brand new fashions evaluate in consolation and design, judging by the variety of information articles and dialogue threads on-line.

On Feb 4, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen posted a video on Facebook of him making an attempt out the brand new New Balance and Asics sneakers. His verdict: “Tried both and like them very much.”

But past the views of people, how precisely does the SAF select its PT sneakers?

It all begins with an open tender detailing a set of technical necessities for the brand new sneakers, Military Expert (ME) 6 John Tan, head of the System Development Branch at HQ Supply, advised CNA on Thursday (Mar 17).

These necessities will take into account previous suggestions on the present sneakers and technological developments available on the market, and embody how sturdy and secure the brand new shoe should be.

“I don’t think I would really put it out there, but in the tender, we would be very specific about our requirements,” ME6 Tan stated, including that he’s unable to disclose an excessive amount of to protect the integrity of the tender course of.

“The tenderers are well aware of what they need to meet, and some of them will still try even though they may not meet all our requirements.”

The tender is led by ST Logistics, SAF’s procurement arm. There will often be greater than 5 suppliers providing totally different manufacturers participating, though this may rely on the kind of private gear being bought.

“Things like PT shoes, there will definitely be a lot of players out there,” ME6 Tan stated.

A panel comprising SAF and ST Logistics personnel will then examine technical paperwork introduced by the suppliers and make a primary minimize primarily based on whether or not they meet the “cardinal requirements”. At this stage, the merchandise is not going to be bodily examined to minimise manpower necessities.

REAL WORLD TESTING

After the primary shortlist is finalised, the suppliers will ship SAF their sneakers for “human factor trials”. They will attempt to make these take a look at pairs as generic in look as potential to cut back model bias, ME6 Tan stated.

The sneakers will probably be issued to greater than 30 servicemen, comprising regulars and full-time nationwide servicemen (NSF), for a minimum of two months to make use of throughout day-to-day coaching. This contains working and static workout routines.

The sneakers are evaluated on components like utility, consolation and design. This contains whether or not the sneakers have good shock absorption and sturdiness, and whether or not they can permit servicemen to coach safely.

“Design-wise we make sure that, for example, when a group sits on a rough surface cross-legged, their shoes can withstand the abrasion and it doesn’t create holes after a few months of wearing,” ME6 Tan stated.

“We additionally be sure that we embody reflective prints as a security function in order that at night time they’re nonetheless seen.

ME6 Tan believes the sneakers’ security, when it comes to guaranteeing servicemen don’t get injured throughout coaching, is a very powerful issue adopted by sturdiness.

“There is no point in having a safe shoe that can only last one week or two weeks, especially when our shoes touch everybody from NSFs to NSmen (operationally ready national servicemen), who use them once every year or so,” he added.

After the testing interval is over, the servicemen will full a survey with their experiences sporting the totally different sneakers.

The questions are associated to the components being examined, and might embody one thing like whether or not the shoe supplies good cushioning. Trial individuals may even state their design desire.

SUPPLIER RELIABILITY AND PRICE

Beyond these consumer exams, the SAF will assess the reliability and monetary well being of the suppliers, which ME6 Tan stated is “very important”.

“Having a reliable supplier also means that we’ll have a constant supply of our PT shoe, especially in times of COVID and with supply chain issues being faced by everyone all over the world,” he stated.

“Generally, we really look at the background of the contractor … So, it’s not just about the best shoe they bring forward, but it’s about the reputation and how the company has been doing.”

Once these evaluations are accomplished, the ultimate issue is the price of the sneakers.

“We will then open up the price envelope and do a comparison,” ME6 Tan stated, stressing that the procurement course of doesn’t rely on value alone.

“With a good mix of price and our evaluation, we ensure that as a baseline everything meets our our cardinal requirements. Then, through certain metrics we will then select the best value-for-money product.”

The New Balance and Asics sneakers value S$43.55 and S$35.90 respectively on the SAF e-mart. While servicemen can select to put on different manufacturers, the fashions chosen by SAF are bought  cheaper than retail costs. They will be paid for with money or credit score.

FINAL DECISION

The identical panel then makes the ultimate resolution on which sneakers get chosen. The present observe is to pick two fashions – for prime arc and low arc toes – to cater to 2 “distinct” teams of runners, ME6 Tan stated.

“(The decision is made by) an entire board … so that it is definitely fair. We have a report that we also table out to ensure that everything we say is backed up with data, and ensure that things are done in a transparent and fair manner,” he added.

ST Logistics will then enter right into a purchase-on-demand settlement with the provider, which means it will bulk purchase the sneakers primarily based on a “steady stream of demand”, like when new recruits enlist each quarter.

“It basically reduces the need to stockpile,” ME6 Tan stated, declaring that this minimises the cupboard space wanted.

“You should be aware that running shoes have got shelf life. If we buy too much (without people using them), the rubber (on the soles) will deteriorate and all that.”

The procurement course of, from tender launch to product supply, takes a few yr.

ME6 Tan stated the SAF’s different private gear, like the military polo T-shirts and standard-issue admin T-shirts, undergo the identical course of, though there will probably be some variation relying on the amount and worth of the merchandise.

For occasion, some private gear like fight boots will undergo lab exams on high of consumer trials to make sure their specs match worldwide requirements, whereas different combat-related private gear may be developed in home.

“For things like PT shoes, we don’t need to do that because who else is better than the commercial sector? They are having the latest technology and developing it,” ME6 Tan added.

“So, there is no need for us to waste effort, and probably we will not be as fast as them in this aspect as this is not our core business to develop, say, running shoes.”

As for the way usually the SAF refreshes its private gear, ME6 Tan stated this may rely on the gear and the contractual settlement with the provider.

For PT sneakers, it’s usually round 4 years, he stated, though there are clauses within the contract to permit for design modifications, like a tweak in color, each two years.

“The SAF constantly reviews our personal equipment to improve the NS experience of our servicemen,” he added. “Our range and designs have evolved to meet utility and comfort needs.”