Soldier 2017

[X-RayOne]

Smock changes look promising.

Detachable hood definitely a plus.......Truck Driver, hood looks like it attaches over stand collar so rain should run off to shoulders and not down your neck! TBH looks like the way the old OG combat hoods worked has made a return.

Not sure about the sleeve pockets though! They seem very low on arm and am I right saying they are only on one sleeve?? a bit pointless if so.

[DeV]

Detached hood = lost hood

What is so hard about having a rolled up hood (eg into the collar)?

Isn't the smock supposed to be worn over GSBA? If so why get rid of the chest pockets?
Are there there vested chest pockets in the new smock?
The pockets on the smock arms look a bit like those on the sniper smock

The shirt with no pockets make it look like a maternity shirt.

The material across the board looks like that plastic type material all the newer stuff is made from that is way too warm.

Like the look of the tan coloured tshirt but then back your back to "DPM outer"

[holdfast]

Any word on boots for on island and o/s. Color, spec etc

[Buck]

What I don't get, right, a reason for the shirts not having pockets (in my mind) is that they can then be worn with CBA. But you shouldn't wear the shirt with CBA if you have the UBACS (which you should). Then the smock not having top pockets (also looks leaping) could also be so you can wear CBA. But Apod said on here a while ago that you're meant to have the smock on over your CBA anyway, so having top pockets isn't a factor anyway.

So now we're left with a DPM version of something you'd get normally under a suit with a load of flash all over it that looks abysmal. The smocks look like a factory mistake where they forgot to sew on pockets on the top half. Don't get me started on that mental looking sleeve pocket.

What's the point of these changes? The no pockets I mean.

[ODIN]

What's the point of these changes? The no pockets I mean.

Some Col wants to leave his/her stamp on the uniform prior to retirement?

[X-RayOne]

Detached hood = lost hood

What is so hard about having a rolled up hood (eg into the collar)?

Basic admin keeping your detached hood from getting lost. Either put it somewhere secure when not in use or leave attached. Design seems to allow hood to be rolled into collar by looks of Apods' collar photo. Rolled up hood on current smock just gets in way all the time, especially the way units seem to want it completely zipped up then rolled.

Isn't the smock supposed to be worn over GSBA? If so why get rid of the chest pockets?

Vest still goes over smock! Fiddily getting at pockets with it on.

The shirt with no pockets make it look like a maternity shirt.

Agreed!

The material across the board looks like that plastic type material all the newer stuff is made from that is way too warm.

Agreed.

[apod]

Is there room for Cultaca flashes? :D

Always Although the smock has the tri-colour in the same place as the old one so maybe not.My bugbear is that they have gone with a pre sewn tricolour instead of putting velcro panels and blanking plates on the bicep pockets.This simple measure would have reduced the amount of tailoring troops have to do when deploying overseas.By that token why go for a separate FFD pocket? By standardising the pockets on the smock,UBACS(and shirt???) you can standardise the carrying of med kit across all garments.

Detached hood = lost hood

Correct.Or people just wont bring them.Both points were made in the 1996 Report into the Combat uniform by the ARW and the attached hood was recommended.

What is so hard about having a rolled up hood (eg into the collar)?

Lazy cnuts. That's what.

Isn't the smock supposed to be worn over GSBA? If so why get rid of the chest pockets?
Are there there vested chest pockets in the new smock?
The pockets on the smock arms look a bit like those on the sniper smock

Smock is supposed to be worn over CBA. How we are going to do that now the smock is tighter fitted(spot the darts under the arms?) and the drawcord is on the inside I don't know.There are NO chest pockets.Unless you count the useless inside pocket that you can't access.
The lower right arm pocket is a FFD pocket.There is a redundant open two pen pocket on the lower left sleeve.Redundant as the bicep pockets have pen slots in the pocket lid.

The shirt with no pockets make it look like a maternity shirt.

It's a disaster.Designed to cut costs as the female shirt is discontinued and to keep those wearers happy.I wouldn't have minded the loss of the chest pockets had they migrated them to the sleeves but I guess some senior officer didn't like that idea

The material across the board looks like that plastic type material all the newer stuff is made from that is way too warm.

God I hope not.That material is shite.

Like the look of the tan coloured tshirt but then your back to "DPM outer".

That.Along with the other items is a prototype.They have looked for "An agreed shade of green".

What I don't get, right, a reason for the shirts not having pockets (in my mind) is that they can then be worn with CBA. But you shouldn't wear the shirt with CBA if you have the UBACS (which you should). Then the smock not having top pockets (also looks leaping) could also be so you can wear CBA. But Apod said on here a while ago that you're meant to have the smock on over your CBA anyway, so having top pockets isn't a factor anyway.

So now we're left with a DPM version of something you'd get normally under a suit with a load of flash all over it that looks abysmal. The smocks look like a factory mistake where they forgot to sew on pockets on the top half. Don't get me started on that mental looking sleeve pocket.

What's the point of these changes? The no pockets I mean.

No pockets because we have a battlevest that precludes access to the smock upper pockets.The shirt changes are because of the reasons I outlined already.Simple as.

Now my tuppence worth.
The changes ,form what i can see are being brought about for a few reasons.
1/ Cost cutting. Hence the dumping of some really good items(Norgie/gaiters)and the rolling of two items into one(male/female shirt).
2/ Parade ground smartness. Hence the "tailored" smock design.The smock adds one useful feature(bicep pockets) but wadis all the other useful ones(integral hood,loose fitting design,exterior drawcord).Going back to the OG t-shirts so you can't dress down as required.
3/ Keeping the females happy. Nuff said.
4/ Some senior officer who never liked the DPM's design and hankers back to the old OG's "smartness". God help us.

My genuine opinion is that this "upgrade" is going to be a disaster.

[apod]

Boonie hat neck cord.jpgBoonie hat neck veil.jpgDPM trouser pocket detail.jpg

[apod]

Waterproof suit.jpgWaterproof Jacket pocket detail.jpgWaterproof jacket sleeve detail.jpg

[apod]

Where they are getting the idea from. France(FELIN T4) and Denmark.Only difference is theirs look good.One other thing.Why go for concealed buttons on the pants ala PCS but keep the exposed buttons on the smock pockets??Kinda defeats the purpose(no snag hazard).


http://iacmc.forumotion.com/t7288-fr...ration-uniform

http://iacmc.forumotion.com/t8891-issue-multicam(see post 19.look familiar/ at least they kept some chest pockets)

[The real Jack]

My ****ing god the state of the pants hahaha, christ why do they make these changes. If they'd any sense all upper garments would have the same shoulder pockets as the UBACs.

[DeV]

Boonie hat cord - doesn't look as hard wearing as old one
Neck guard - looks very heavy material and again something else to get lost
Trouser pockets - like the slant and then they put 2 buttons on it rolleyes
Wetsuit - looks fairly good

What's the D ring on the wet suit for?

[apod]

Nobody will ever wear the neck guard unless they want to look like a mong.
To be fair the trouser pocket design is good apart from the forward slant.How we are supposed to get into them I dunno.
The D ring is to attach gloves.That may just be a prototype feature though.

[Buck]

These uniforms are going to look so leaping.

Why can't we just have good uniforms like every other military in the world. Had a look at a German friends dpms and they're infinity better than ours. Just super usable and practical.

[apod]

I recently stocked up with a couple of the current trousers and shirts.They should last me for the next 2-3 years.Hopefully by that time someone will have realised that the proposed new shirt and trousers are hideous ala the elvis shirts, and make changes to the next tender.

That was the plan.Two new shirts.Same size as previous issue.Same manufacturer.Different year of manufacture.

Different sleeve length!! Seriously.An orangutan would feel at home in them(No jokes smartarses.)

Plan f***ed.

PS: The 2016 trousers with the gusset are fairly good.

[X-RayOne]

To be fair the trouser pocket design is good apart from the forward slant.How we are supposed to get into them I dunno.

Slant supposed to allow easier access to pockets when kneeling, prone, etc. Although I've seen pockets designed with same thought process behind them with the slant to the rear instead....which would seem more practical, ergonomic to me in kneeling.

[na grohmití]

The further this thread goes, in my opinion, the closer we are getting to a return to the old combats, except in DPM. All the advantages the DPM brought on its introduction seem to have been deleted.

[The real Jack]

I'd imagine the wonky pants pocket make things easier to take out when you're sitting down, pity about the walking thing....

[The real Jack]

The further this thread goes, in my opinion, the closer we are getting to a return to the old combats, except in DPM. All the advantages the DPM brought on its introduction seem to have been deleted.

At this stage they might as well go back to barracks dress before they ****up the uniform any more, there'll be ties next

[apod]

I'd imagine the wonky pants pocket make things easier to take out when you're sitting down, pity about the walking thing....

Actually quiet the opposite.

[hedgehog]

As one who trained in overalls and khaki shirt, I am so fecking jealous of the Gucci kit.

This is probably one of the best threads on IMO.

Well done APOD.

[Buck]

As one who trained in overalls and khaki shirt, I am so fecking jealous of the Gucci kit.

This is probably one of the best threads on IMO.

Well done APOD.

Fully agree. Cheers APOD for the insights (abysmal as they may be)

[AATWT]

That kit is atrocious. If the people in procurement actually put in the time and effort to conduct proper consultation, trials and testing they would most certainly come up with kit that is fit for purpose instead of that garbage.
Too busy looking at cutting costs and quantity over quality. My suggestion would be to introduce a hard wearing, practical, fit for purpose uniform for tactical training (2 issue max) and an everyday barrack uniform. That would insure troops aren't destroying uniforms on a massive scale when conducting tactical training.
An example of such a system would be that utilised by the ADF.
http://www.defence.gov.au/dmo/NewsMe...combat-uniform

[Buck]

That kit is atrocious. If the people in procurement actually put in the time and effort to conduct proper consultation, trials and testing they would most certainly come up with kit that is fit for purpose instead of that garbage.
Too busy looking at cutting costs and quantity over quality. My suggestion would be to introduce a hard wearing, practical, fit for purpose uniform for tactical training (2 issue max) and an everyday barrack uniform. That would insure troops aren't destroying uniforms on a massive scale when conducting tactical training.
An example of such a system would be that utilised by the ADF.
http://www.defence.gov.au/dmo/NewsMe...combat-uniform

No no no, you have that all arseways. You're talking sense man!

[na grohmití]

Like working dress?