What does it mean when a product says “MIL-STD-810” on the package label and the spec sheet?
It might not mean what you think. MIL-STD-810 is a document developed by the U.S. Department of Defense advising its suppliers how to test their products for a range of military needs. For starters, it’s helpful to understand what MIL-STD-810
does not mean:
- It’s not an official certification declaring how well the product performed on any of these tests.
- It does not mean the U.S. military has tested or approved the product.
- It does not mean the manufacturer hired an independent laboratory to conduct the testing (some companies test internally; others hire professional external labs).
So MIL-STD-810 is not quite the Good Housekeeping Seal. It simply states that a product was tested in specific ways for common scenarios. Of course, no laboratory can simulate everything that can happen in the real world, so buyers need