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I am considering the B110 for routine field use (target practice, shooting/reloading drills, hiking, outdoor activity, etc.).
My understanding is that these are intended to be used in lieu of a tac vest, LBV, or other load gear. I may be mistaken, however.
Anyone own/use one of these smocks and if so, how do you like it?
Thanking you in advance for any user feedback ...
I cannot speak to Arkis, but I have gotten a couple of British Army surplus smocks that I think would compare favorably (excepting the Gore Tex and specialty Arkis models).
These surplus smocks are heavy, sturdy fabric. I always treat them with Nikwax cotton proof.
You can get a new in the wrapper British Army surplus smock for $50-$60 if you look.
The British surplus come in their version of Multicam (almost indistinguishable from Multicam) and old school DPM.
Check out ebay, including European vendors.
Had a lengthy post but lost it.
Present range and hiking jacket is a Polish Direct Action Smock. Looks Tactical Timmy, but a real field jacket compared to the US M-65.
As noted, I used a well worn British surplus DPM smock for years. The Brits have the Smock concept down and Arktis is well respected for a reason.
When in doubt - https://soldiersystems.net/?s=Smock
I too have had the British smocks. One was British Multicam and the other one was dessert DPM. These are solid pieces of kit and are in metric sizes. You have to layer with them, as they are not warm by themselves, but they will keep the wind off you. The Aktis ones look pretty solid. If you go the surplus route just check your sizing as they run big and long.
Thanks much for the excellent info and feedback, Gentlemen - it is all very gratefully appreciated.
I had some Arkis gear 30 years ago. It was well made and typical of "British" issue (meaning overbuilt).
As others have said, love Brit Surplus smocks.
I posted this on another site:
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My recent dabbling with the smock.
The US Army's January 2021 uniform guidance uses a terrible modified recycled line drawing of the old field jacket with pocket sleeves drawn in as the new Coat, ECWCS Gen III, that doesn't look anything like ECWCS Level 4, 5, or 6.
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFile...eg-2244887.JPG
Using that as a start point, we proceed to stitch-bitch a usable-functional, good-looking piece of Soldier field equipment.
Flea Bay has a number of British army surplus stores that carry new, in-the-plastic Multi-Terrain Pattern (MTP, or British-licensed modified Crye Multicam) smocks. Order knowing NATO sizing is in centimeters, so for me I chose 170-112 for the equivalent of 67 inches tall and 44 chest. It fits comfortably -- I wear a 44, over either a legacy black OIF 300-gram Polartec "Smoking Jacket" fleece (what is now the Navy Working Uniform brown Gore Tex parka liner), or a GI Gen III tan fleece.
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XaoAA...oN/s-l1600.jpg
The windproof smock fabric is lighter than the old Army field jackets -- think heavy-weight BDUs. I doubt it's water repellant, so think cold-dry. I'd wear it in place of the Level 5 soft shell.
The British smock was originally made in China, and recently comes from Cambodia (probably because someone pitched a fit like our Barry Amendment stuff).
Velcro on the Cambodian sleeve pockets is in an outline pattern:
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFile...pg-2244911.JPG
Chinese sleeve pocket velcro is an olive green rectangle. Both come with a blanking pad with a little Union Jack:
https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/DqQAA...om/s-l1600.jpg
OK, let's modify smocks. I did three: one for a major, one for a sergeant major, and one for me.
I first removed the British rank flap and button, and sewed on a velcro pile patch so a US stick-on will fit on the chest:
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFile...PG-2244947.JPG
Next, add sleeve flap velcro and replace the pocket velcro to match. I did this with both new and salvage velcro off an old set of multicam fatigues.
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFile...PG-2244949.JPG
Next, add velcro for US Army and name tapes. Crye's special forces combat fatigues and Nomex aircrew jackets both have slightly-inclined pockets, so I followed SOF practice and centered and leveled them over the flap:
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFile...PG-2244945.JPG
The waist is adjusted using internal shoe-lace type pulls. I untied the knots and added barrel locks:
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFile...PG-2244951.JPG
I did what Diz recommended and rounded the hood so you don't look like a cone-head. It fits over a Gunfighter-cut 2002 MICH.
I took out the left-hand bitch-style British zipper and on mine sewed in a right-pull #10 YKK zipper. The little link and smoke grenade pin ring zip pull are to connect and secure your gloves:
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFile...PG-2244953.JPG
I've spent an awful lot of my life in the prone, or crawling, so added 500-denier Cordura elbow pads to minimize wear-through holes, using ACU or BDU elbow pad pattern (I have 500-D on-hand, and would probably use 330 if I had it). The British and American camo patterns are a little different, but the colors and shades are the same::
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFile...PG-2244962.JPG
I've worn it outside walking the dog at temps around 30-degrees Fahrenheit and it's comfortable with an issued fleece. I am considering sewing in buttons for a field jacket liner to minimize donning and doffing.
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFile...PG-2244969.JPG
Two of my kids at the Army shooting championships in standard Polish Hellikon smocks, straight out of the package. The Cambodian-made smocks have zips for the warming pockets:
https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFile...44-2244928.JPG
Everything I have read indicates they are supposed to be water repellent and the Chinese production/barely used one I have will still bead up light/short term rain instead of wetting through.Quote:
Originally Posted by sinister
Yep. British practice with their older DPM (Dispersed Pattern Material -- think woodland camouflage) was to wear a thin "Pac Lite" style Gore Tex jacket underneath. This helped cut down swoosh-swoosh fabric noise when moving in the woods. I use a Mountain Hardwear or Moonstone Pac-Lite.
That'll work with the Gore Tex ECWCS level 6 shell.
I think Brigade Quartermasters may have sold that undersuit in a dark charcoal gray or black color. They sold it at the same time they were selling a British made puffy jacket and bottom prior to Snugpak becoming more common here in the US.Quote:
Originally Posted by sinister