Spike Devil offers two very different Spike solutions! AUTO-SPIKE formerly know as Spike Devil is our accordion type spike system. Auto Spike has its own training website, we invite you to go to www.autospike.net to learn more about our Accordion type systems.
Spike belt is our multi sided spike system, which uses STRIPS that are housed inside a deployment sleeve. The above illustration shows multi-sided systems in a 9 foot and 12 foot form, on a roadway, next to our Accordion options. We also shown our Spike Belt in its 12 and 18 foot option. Our Accordion systems cover a much wider portion of the roadway, yet fold up and fit the bag of a motorcycle. Accordion systems also work on all surfaces, as they use the Strip and base to support the spike on softer surfaces. Accordion systems are durable and most often the only service needed is the replacement of the spikes.
The leading Multi-sided system, become very popular because of its «goof proof deployment». Many agencies have been willing to pay the higher price of replacement sticks, and sleeves, for this convenience. No doubt its a popular feature, however it has not been goof proof, and has had some serious issues, which were going to address.
MULTI-SIDED SYSTEMS VS. ACCORDION TYPES
Accordion type systems, are designed to slide on road surfaces, and open up smoothly until fully extended. When recovered, they are suppose to neatly fold up and not be a hazard on the roadway. Accordion systems slide on road surface to achieve a goof proof deployment, some officers might have a difficult time posturing low to slide accordion systems, the trick is to spread you legs by taking a step backwards with one leg. Agencies with officers, not able to do this might better consider a Multi-sided option or maybe not issuing spikes to those officers.
Multi-sided systems deploy in mid air, and typically land crooked on the roadway, the officer must then lock crank on the cord-reel and pull to open up the Spikes and reposition the spikes on the roadway. All types of Spike designs, old and new have the ability to be pre-deployed on the opposite side of the roadway, then pulled into the path of the target, a safer deployment, but were going to deal with the curb side deployment styles here, as the risks are not common to both deployment styles.
The above picture shows the Accordion deployed neatly on the road with cord laying on the ground, and the officer has long reached cover. The other two picture show the deployment of a multisided system, without time to readjust the system. The first car passed over the spikes. The second car is very close to doing the same thing. Multi-sided systems need post deployment adjustments, which make them slower to deploy than certain accordion versions.
Spike Belt has solutions over other multisided spikes, they work if crooked on the roadway. Three sided Spikes, that land crooked point at a 45 degree angle and away from the tire, and fail due to being folded up and/or pointing away. Spike Belt Spikes point straight up, and work regardless of the approach angle of the target vehicle. The Spike belt sleeve, tightly fits the Spikes and does not allow them to tangle, and deploys in a fashion, which is more open. When deployed the officer can allow the cord to pass thru his hand and grip the cord to allow the Spike belt to open up and land in a more extended fashion.
Above we see an accor dion system, which has fallen over because it does not have over-extended stops. both these systems sustained damage and lost spikes, but the officer can pull the system from traffic, while safely behind cover. Auto-Spike in the illustration, shows its auto lock on the center post, and notice no arms, this keeps it from over extending. Spike Belt with its Foam core, and Corrugated cover, will set a new standard on leaving Spikes in the system and off the roadway.
Accordion systems use durable frames held together in three points, so they do not come apart in traffic. Their spikes are light and held in tightly with rubber. Accordion systems sometimes loose spikes, but I have never seen a system come apart and create a Hazzard on the roadway. This is why you do not see the type of incidents where officers are hit by pursuit officers, recovering spikes. Accordion systems require inspection of spikes, and loose Spikes need to be pushed into place.
Spike Belt with its ballistic nylon cover will approach a higher level of ruggedness, on a level better than accordion systems.
Retrieval: When pulled from traffic, Multi-sided systems, do not neatly fold up, in fact they often stay on the roadway, leave debris on the road and occasionally come apart and scatter the sections on the roadway. This is illustrated below, as Multi-sided systems have had a history of deployment officers being struck by pursuit officers, as officers enter the roadway to recover the system.
Multi-Sided systems need a sleeve for safety. The sleeve holds the 3 foot Spike Strip sections. Some designs, use NO SLEEVE, these should be avoided. Sometimes, these systems are deployed in a fashion called Singular deployment. In the tabs labeled Singular Deployment and Cord Reel failure, we discuss the safety issues in greater detail, with training solutions.
In the picture above, you see the many points of a Multi-sided system, this is inside a enclosure that when hit, is cut open by spikes. Notice in the picture, the deployment «officer» is standing upright, and the cord and cord reel is elevated, where it can snag a cars bumper. This problem results, in a system being dragged down the road, and scattering debris, and a nightmare for officers trying to clear the road of spikes.
Spike Belts design is superior, our curved edges are designed to float over a curb, and not stay on the road. Our system is made of tough ballistic nylon, designed not to come apart in traffic and dump the Strips. We use a 360 handle designed to grab from any side, so your officer wastes no time in deployment nor retrieval. Our winder system is much simpler, and can be deployed much further with less effort. Spike Devil has taken the measures to make Spike Belt much simpler than other multi-sided systems and as safe as accordion type systems.
Our spike is one piece, and its tightly fitted in the foam Strip, The Strip has a top and bottom corrugated carton panel designed to hold the spike if it is pushed through, but not picked up by the tire. We use a plastic tube bag designed to protect the contents from the weather. Notice our handle wraps around the sleeve and is accessible from any angle, this makes Spike Belt easier to grab and retrieve or deploy.
Cord-reel problems: The Cord reel has to be opened to deploy, then closed to adjust on the roadway, opened up to seek safety, closed again to recover. All these actions are in seconds, and the leading cause of why officers grab the cord, elevate the cord, to snag cars, and struggle with the deployment process. All this due to a cord reel being locked up, or to complicated to function. When they struggle they remain dangerously close to the curb, susceptible to a deployment where a system is torn, and they enter to recover spikes, and many other issues.
Trooper Kilgrow, used a Stick and a wound up cord, this cord lays on the roadway, and was designed to be handled, low close to the surface, and only for moving the system. In the photo above notice the Accordion systems deployed and cords are laying on the surface and the officers not visible. We have added the loop winder design to all our products, due to its speed and safety. Winders like these do not use a crank that has to be handled, and the officers has to think. The cord lays on the roadway, and we feel this will make for the safest multi-sided system on the market.
Accordion systems can be re-used many times, and some can be converted into a trainer by pulling Spikes. Our Spike belt, unlike lesser Multisided designs, can be re-purposed as a trainer so you don’t lose your investment. We did this by using a foam core, that goes back to its original shape, and allows for multiple hits. We think training is a very important part for officer sucess and we made the Spike Belt to be re-purposed after its use, as a trainer model. simple pull the spikes out, and mark the unit as a trainer with a special patch that is velcroid to the system.