The secrets… of military clothing

For this first issue, as you have understood, I will once again address the subject of military clothing. You can consider that it follows the episode on PKU in Let's Talk Clothes . You will therefore have all the tips and tricks to face an apocalypse (yes an apocalypse).

For this episode we had the chance to go to the Terrang boutique in the 15th arrondissement of Paris. Here is the link to their website if you want to know more about military equipment.

What fascinates me above all is understanding how soldiers or civilians dress when faced with extreme conditions. And you know that modern military clothing inspires me a lot. This is why at BonneGueule we use some textile technologies developed especially for this universe such as Polartec Alpha, Polartec Power Stretch or Climashield Apex .

Soldiers equipped with high-end outfits. Credit: Arc'teryx LEAF From Conception to Realization (youtube video)

What I like about these outfits is the mix between the very innovative and functional side that the materials bring, while remaining stylish. Conversely, I hate the bright colors that we regularly find in sports. Here, the clothes retain a certain sobriety that I particularly appreciate.

To understand how military clothing became a true technological feat, we must start from the requirements of the profession. Needs accelerate progress. Which explains, among other things, the arrival of increasingly innovative outfits.

How does a soldier dress when he goes on a mission?

Above all, the notion of comfort is truly essential . Indeed, the more comfortable the soldier is with his outfit, the more efficient and concentrated he will be during his mission. How do you adjust a shot or follow a procedure if you're shivering from the cold or wet? How do you keep your spirits up to tackle a snowy mountain when you don't have confidence in the effectiveness of your warm jacket ?

A soldier who is warm, dry and comfortable in his clothes is a successful soldier. And ultimately it's not that far from my vision of clothing which should allow you to only worry about the present moment and not other issues. I invite you to look at the Clothing Palons that I made on the subject right here .

1. The military specifications

Above all, the military has an absolute need for reliability : a bag zipper that breaks on a family hike is painful but it's bearable. On the other hand, imagine if this happens during a risky mission, then it is more restrictive.

Risk of broken zip. Credit: Science Sir Via YouTubeScience Sir (YouTube)

You therefore need clothing that is resistant to all types of situations. The soldier may have to crawl or walk through brush, but also face the risk of explosion or fire. In these cases, it is essential to wear suitable clothing , which does not melt in extreme heat, for example. (in English, you may see the expression FR for Flame Resistant or no melt no drip)

Credit: Army Sniper School - Rifle Familiarization / Camouflage (youtube)

There is also an obligation for sun protection . The objective is therefore to cover the skin as much as possible to avoid the slightest risk.
The notion of rapid drying is at the heart of the requests. Soldiers don't necessarily have a heater to dry their outfits, so you need a fabric compatible with this type of situation. As you can imagine, there are many other constraints, such as ease of maintenance requirements, ease of supply of materials, political games linked to camouflage, etc.

Sun gear for an elite sniper. Credit: The Striker HT Combat Pants│ Stay cool under pressure (youtube)

Concretely, how does this translate on the fabric side? Well there is one that manages to combine robustness, comfort, quick drying and controlled production costs: the Nyco.

2. The underside of Nyco

It is a must-have for military clothing . It is widely used for pants, combat shirts, combat jackets, etc.

Field Shirt used in the 1970s.

Why did he take over from 100% cotton?

100% cotton has two main advantages: its production price and its softness. The only constraint is that it's a nightmare when it's wet. To see this, I invite you to walk in the rain with a 100% cotton jacket and pants and you will have an excellent overview of the limits of this material.

What is the added value of Nyco?

Nyco is the result of a mixture of cotton and nylon (50/50). Cotton always provides comfort, breathability and even flame resistance. Nylon provides resistance and quick drying.

Note that recently, a new Nyco appeared, the Nyco extreme, lighter, quicker to dry, more breathable, in short better than the others. They simply changed the nylon/cotton ratio. But not only that, they have also changed the way they construct the nylon thread, this requires real technical skill.

Before Nyco, what was it like?

More than 20 years ago, the military wore what we call field shirts . It is a very versatile jacket, equipped with several pockets. Above all, it was very durable and produced on a large scale economically. You can see her in cult films like The Falcon Down by Ridley Scott or Blood and Tears by Peter Berg. This iconic jacket has, of course, been declined in all flavors through different periods.

Credit: Blood and Tears by Peter Berg

But what are the people asking for then? Well he demands more comfort! The first problem remains with drying. When you wear body armor and there's zero stretch, nothing dries.
So some people said to themselves: what if we took inspiration from sportswear. That is to say, keep the very resistant fabric on the arms, while introducing a stretch fabric, jersey like a sports t-shirt for the torso.

It seems simple like that, but in reality not really. The idea of ​​wanting to create a stretch fabric, light, breathable but above all abrasion resistant is a nightmare for a textile supplier . Because between the Velcros which will hook the fabric and the Cordura straps which will rub the material, the fit is put to the test, unlike a football jersey for example.
So we had to wait for new advances in synthetic materials to achieve this balance between comfort, stretch, and resistance...

Equipped with a combat shirt and a bulletproof vest. Credit: Combat Shirt Comparison 2019 (Arc'teryx, Crye, Patagonia, First Spear, Beyond Clothing) Youtube

And yet, there is one brand that has managed to solve this equation, it is a very special company that has played a major role in military clothing over the last 20 years: Crye Precision.

3. The incredible story of the American Crye Precision

To place Crye Précision, I would say that it is a bit like the Hermès of tactical clothing , namely a reputation that is well established, but with very high prices which raise questions. A Crye Precision combat shirt in France costs €400.

In addition to being the brand of Bane's pants in Nolan's Batman saga, it is also the combat shirt worn by the operator who neutralized Bin Laden (and since then, the Crye set has been proudly displayed at the HQ of the brand).

Bin Laden Killer's Equipment. Credit: Photo by Lisa M. Collins

Some operators are even willing to pay more than €350 for pants from Crye Precision because they consider them to be much more than a work tool.

One journalist compared the founder of Crye Precision to the “Steve Jobs of military clothing.” To tell you to what extent it is a brand apart. Moreover, one of the co-founders, Caleb Crye, is not even in the military, he is basically an art student! This is surely his strength because he has much more creative ideas to solve problems related to military clothing.

Caleb Crye the founder of Crye Precision. Credit: The Bridge

The other founder: Greg Thompson graduated from engineering school. They met in a sculpture shop, so nothing to do with the military world.

What led two civilians to create the most influential military clothing brand?

Caleb admits to particularly liking the military world. The founder wants to give a more positive image of the profession. Freedom is preserved, according to him, thanks to soldiers.

I'm not going to dwell on the ideology behind it, but it just gives you a context to understand how this brand was built. However, the beginning of their project was nothing like what it is today. The two friends began by creating a computer prototype to calculate missile trajectories. They never found a buyer.

Then comes the idea of ​​revolutionizing military clothing and its protective elements. However, it was difficult for them to find a manufacturer. They then took the risk of founding their own clothing workshop , in the heart of Brooklyn, and absolutely not near a barracks. It's quite daring. To give you an image, it's a bit as if BonneGueule, in addition to imagining clothes, set up a factory to create them. It's a frankly daring strategy, but design and industrial manufacturing are two very different professions.

First Crye precision manufacturing premises. Credit: The Bridge

They are therefore at the origin of the invention of the combat shirt, you had to think about it! The design has obviously been adopted almost everywhere and by many other brands. It has become the basic clothing of the fighter .

I find it truly incredible that the idea for this widely used and copied garment came from a former art student. Especially right in hipster territory in New York.

They have not only innovated in terms of combat shirts, their pants are also famous. Here too, the goal was to start from scratch on the needs of a fighter. They therefore invented a system which allows knee protection to be placed directly in the pants, unlike classic protection placed on top, like when skateboarding . The objective was to prevent the knee brace from slipping little by little.

Pants equipped with Crye Precision knee pad. Credit: Crye Precision Combat Pants Comparison (Youtube)

So in fact, having spoken with an operator who works with Crye Precision pants, in the long term, few use them. These are not so practical protections, which keep you very hot in an arid environment and which restrict mobility.
This is why some brands, like UF Pro, are exploring other avenues, such as a simple layer of foam sewn at the knee.

It was also Crye Precision which popularized the addition of stretch materials to certain strategic areas of the pants , notably at the lower back or at the crotch.
It may seem trivial, but at a time when there was a tendency to double certain parts of combat pants to increase durability, you had to be really bold to say "well no, we only put one layer of fabric, and what’s more it will be stretch”.

The addition of the stretch side to the pants Credit: Crye Precision Combat Pants Comparison (youtube)

Having spoken with someone who had them, he told me that the stretch was really pleasant to use and that the solidity was well established.
On the other hand, there is one detail that intrigues me about these pants . Apparently, the waist tightening tab system is very comfortable.

To give you an idea, Crye pants in France cost around €400, so they're really clothing reserved for elite units. On the other hand, it is one of the most famous combat pants. At Arc'teryx Leaf, you have a few equivalents, like the Assault Pant Art 2 or the Combat Pant Gen 2.

Here too we are looking at prices around €350. It's really a garment where the prices soar when you want the best of the best. At €400, in civilian life, you have access to the most beautiful pants in the world!
Crye Précision is above all the brand that invented multicam camouflage. It is intended to be much more efficient than the others. The license to use it is quite expensive. This is why sometimes multicam military clothing is more expensive than different colors.

The effectiveness of Multicam camouflage

They also distinguished themselves by making the military's ballistic helmets lighter and by creating a bulletproof vest that was much more discreet than the competition. Recently they came out with a funny jaw protection against flames and splinters. The visual gives the impression of an ancient Greek soldier.

Crye Precision helmet with jaw protection

They also have even fancier projects, like a diving suit that fully protects the operator from polluted water. But that's not all, hold on, they had the idea of ​​pants where you can do your business in them (literally).

Ah, and on the civilian side, apart from their Climashield jacket (yes he uses Climashiel like us), I don't see what clothing could find its place in an urban environment or even hiking.
In short, it is truly a very unique brand in military clothing, whether in its products, in its way of approaching design or innovation in the general sense.
But Crye Précision is not the only brand in the “ luxury ” military clothing niche, there is also Arteryx Leaf.

4. Arc'teryx Leaf, military in the city

Arc'teryx Leaf is quite simply the military range of the Arc'teryx brand. Leaf stands for Law Enforcement and Armed forces.
We feel that there has been real thought put into the design to make attractive military clothing that even civilians would want to wear. This is what I appreciate about them and what sets them apart from others.

For me, this is a range that really excels on two points: clothing against the rain, with the Alpha Jacket Gen 2 (which has been catching my eye for a while) in a Gore-Tex specially reserved for the military market . And light clothing, like Alpha LT (LT for light), very sober but which I find really successful.

They symbolize all of Arc'teryx's know-how in this type of clothing. On the other hand, you have to pay a high price: 1000 euros for the Alpha Gen 2. But at this price, you have high-end Canadian manufacturing!
For the record, Virgil Abloh (founder of the Off-White brand and artistic director at Louis Vuitton) loves the multicam model.

The other type of clothing where Leaf excels is cold weather gear. They have made their famous Atom jacket available in a military range. To get it, this jacket is truly fantastic. They, like us, added climashield inside. The thickness is 67 gr per M2. It's a bit like the reference thickness for a breathable, insulating and lightweight jacket.

Still with Climashield, they released the Cold WX range. With its very refined design, I think we could find a use for the jacket for civilians.

Cold WX Jacket

There is the Cold WX LT (light) with Climashield at 85g per m2, the Cold WX SV (Severe Weather), used for very low temperatures. But they went even further with the Cold WX SVX, a huge €2000 down parka for patrolling the coldest corners of the planet . A piece that I have never had the chance to see in real life but which also intrigues me enormously!

The incredible Cold WX SVX

I would like to take this opportunity to take a quick digression about the civilian outdoor brands which are available in military clothing:
Patagonia has a branch dedicated to the military. However, they are much more discreet about it. It cannot be found for purchase, probably so as not to go against their brand image.

Patagonia Jungle Jacket.

We have, for the moment, only mentioned American brands but that does not mean that we have nothing in Europe on the brand side. You'll see that it's even quite full.

5. UF Pro and Tilak, European brands worth checking out

Despite American domination, certain European brands are doing well. This is the case of the company UF Pro. It's a bit like the European Crye Precision, but with more affordable prices. Of Slovenian origin, the company puts a lot of effort into communicating the value of the product and all the innovation that goes around it.

For example, each new product is entitled to a very polished demonstration video, with the added bonus of the creator speaking. It's a bit like what we do at BonneGueule, except that instead of talking to you about merino wool and lapel size, the center of the discussions revolves around Gore-Tex, Nyco or an assembly of shoulder to easily throw a grenade.

Do you remember how difficult it was to find stretch jersey for combat shirts? Well, they went further, with a mixture of lyocell and polyester whose resistance they boosted thanks to the addition of ceramic points. They call this fabric Lizard skin, the visual appearance is very particular, quite intriguing. UF Pro claims this is a fabric they developed themselves .

Lizard Skin fabric developed by UF Pro

However, UF pro is not the only European company in this field, there is also Tilak. Personally, Tilak is my favorite and I don't understand why this brand is so poorly distributed in Europe. Based in the Czech Republic, the company has the particularity of having its own manufacturing workshop.

As a reminder, there was an exchange of good processes between the Acronym brand and Tilak, where the German brand designed for military clothing and in exchange Tilak manufactured for Acronym. The military range is really great.
As much as UF Pro in civilian and urban use is a little complicated, TMG (for Tilak Military Gear) has outfits that could work.

As for clothing, it's really heavy. The flagship piece is obviously the Raptor Mig in Gore-Tex Pro. So you don't have the military Gore-Tex specially developed for Leaf but you still have the best in civilian Gore-Tex and for a reasonable price at €500.
The Power Stretch pieces are very cool and they have a softball, the Noshaq that I own which is frankly impeccable in terms of finishes and functionality.

They also have a part which is the equivalent of the Atom at Leaf, it is the Ketil Mig with the same level of Climashield and which is a little bit cheaper. In my opinion, it is clearly a brand that deserves more visibility, with excellent value for money.

Gloves and shoes, why it is so important

How can we talk about military clothing without talking about what you wear on your feet and hands. We must not forget that it is their main working tool!

1. Gloves

Gloves play an essential protective role! Imagine if a soldier is ever injured in the hand, he can quickly become inoperable. How do you actually reload your gun if you have a big cut or burn?

But unlike a worker on a construction site, there are very big dexterity challenges. You can imagine that when he pulls the trigger on his gun, he better be able to easily feel it.
He must also be able to easily handle his equipment. The glove must therefore be relatively fitted. This is why there are what we call tactical gloves, which meet all the expectations of a soldier. In truth, in hindsight, motorcycle gloves fulfill quite similar needs.

The best known are the Mechanix, which you have most likely seen in war films. They are very Instagrammable, especially with its huge logo and a very photogenic visual design.

Mechanix black glove

But you also have a host of other brands, like Kinetixxx, made in Germany, also distributed by Terrang.

Instantly, let's mention a very French brand, Racer Tactical, which also offers tactical gloves!

French military glove Racer Tactical

2. Shoes

It might surprise you if I tell you that a soldier's number one work tool remains his feet. So you obviously need comfortable and sturdy shoes. I will surely disappoint you but the era of full leather rangers is now over in the French army!

Ranger in black leather

Today it is the Haix brand which supplies military shoes and they are known to be of good quality. Honestly, I don't see much possible civilian use but hey...
Note that certain units are sometimes required to carry very heavy loads. Sometimes going up to 50, 60 or even 70 kg on the back. As you can imagine, the demand is still different. You need very stiff, thick, and very stable shoes because if your ankle starts to twist with 70 kg on your back, it can quickly turn into a disaster...

Personally, I really like Salomon's military range, the Salomon Force. I like its visual side, especially the all-black speedcrosses that I own and love. The comfort is great, they can easily find their place in a techwear outfit if they are not damaged. On the other hand, I wonder what this model is for knowing that the military only wear high-top shoes...

Salomon low range military

What place for the military in the city?

We sense a desire to bring the practicality and functionality of military clothing into civilian clothing. For example, you have the 5.11 brand which caused a raid on the “urban tactical” market. The reason ? Very accessible prices and innovative marketing , since you have 5.11 clothing in certain video games.

The European equivalent would be Helikon Tex, which comes from Poland, with many lines of clothing for many uses, always at affordable prices . And then these famous hybrid brands with one foot in each universe, like Thrudark founded by two former SAS. We can also mention Triple Aught Design, Goruck, Prometheus Design Werx and Beyond Clothing. These American brands make clothing for “adventure” and which I have already talked about in my video on outdoor brands, which you can find:

My passion for the outdoors: brands and CSR (2/2) – Parlons Clothing #46

Faced with an industry where sportswear currently mixes with streetwear which mixes with techwear, which mixes with outdoor, which mixes with military, including among global brands like Nike, we are truly witnessing a crossroads never before seen before.

Obviously, I will always be happy to talk to you about it and help you decipher it all. There you go, I think I was able to say everything I had to say on the subject, I think I am now finished on this subject !

I would like to thank a commando operator who will recognize himself for giving me 1h30 of his time to explain to me how a soldier dresses in the field.