CP Gear OTW Shirt. Review?

[Matt_Fisher]

DirtyDog,

Thanks for the feedback.  We're continually looking at ways in which to improve our products and as such I value what you have to say.

Regarding the price of the combat shirt, the cost is largely dictated by the price of the raw materials and also bear in mind that these shirts are produced in relatively small batches in a Canadian factory, using Canadian labour.  When compared to the price of several comparabe shirts, the CPGear OTW shirt is pretty much in the same range.

Blackhawk High Performance Combat Shirt $179.99US  http://www.blackhawk.com/product/ITS-HPFU-Performance-Shirt,1219,187.htm

Crye Precision Combat Shirt $145US  http://www.cryeprecision.com/P-APRCS4602XL/Combat-Shirt-Ac

Massif Army Combat Shirt  $169.99US  http://www.massif.com/massif-gear/combat-shirts/army-combat-shirt-acs.html

In regard to the seam durability, I will consult with our head sewer to see if there is a different way of joining the material together in order to form a more durable stitch pattern.

The CNS tailor option is certainly alot cheaper, but we can't run a business in Canada charging third world labour rates, and the customer has to supply the raw materials (t-shirt and CADPAT AR combat shirt).  Also remember that alot depends on the mood of the supply tech at clothing stores when a deployed CF member comes back to Canada and turns in their CADPAT AR kit; the supply tech may have wised up that troops are having their combat shirts cannibalized to be made into hybrid/OTW type shirts, and as such could require that the government be reimbursed for the loss/destruction of missing shirts, so in the long run that $35 CNS produced shirt may end up costing close to what the CPGear OTW shirt does.

 

[DirtyDog]

It's not so much the cost, which is understandable, it's the fact the garment wears after such a short time.  I have 3 shirts in rotation (that's roughly $400 worth of shirts) and two of them are showing signs of heavy wear (seams failing, holes in fabric) and I'm only half way through tour.  The 3rd I don't wear near as much as I believe it's an older gen with no velcro on the collar and doesn't fit as well as the other two.

Another complaint I have, which really isn't the shirts fault, is the fit of the sleeves.  Being relatively short and stocky, the sleeves are much too long for me and tightening the cuffs just doesn't cut it.  So I'm forced the roll the cuffs up which is less then desireable.  In the future, I would have them tailored to fit better.  I like the fit of sleeves on standard combat shirts where the length suits me and they aren't so baggy.  A lot of guys however like the bagginess of the sleeves for breathability.  I preferr a little tighter fit.... less sloppy and prone to getting in the way.

Lastly, I find the sleeve pocket zippers almost impossible to operate with one hand.  With the kevlar brassards now being mandatory however, it's moot as pockets are covered up.

Although I don't wear the CNS shirts outside the wire (I preferr having moisture wicking, fire retardness, and a collar to reduce chaffing on the neck) some guys do.  It's an OK alternative for those not wishing to spend a lot of money but it's hardly accessible to anyone now that CNS is in US hands.  We were just lucky to have been there for a short time.  Point of note, I won't mention how the tailor aquired CADPAT material, but all you had to provide was a tan t-shirt for him to make you a hybrid.

Everything said, I can't imagine not wearing the CP OTW shirts here in the summer and I would buy them all over again.  Infact, the only time I didn't wear one in subsitution of the combat shirt, was on the flight from Mirage to KAF.

 

[Matt_Fisher]

I talked to our sewing staff about the fabric separation issue and we're going to be putting a double instead of single needle stitch where the DRIFIRE and the CADPAT fabric come together.  The upside is that it should reinforce the material and increase its strength and durability as such.  The downside is that it will make for a slightly 'chunkier' piece of material where the two fabrics meet.

 

[iciphil]

Hi Matt,

Why the OTW sale ?

New design coming ?  or are the Army one's being issued in theater ?

Thanks

Phil
Fo 3-10

 

[Matt_Fisher]

Hi Phil,

Every month we select various products to put on special; sometimes they're ones we have overstock of, other times we will select our best sellers to boost sale.  This month is just happes to be the OTW shirt.

Cheers,

Matt

 

[BDTyre]

I talked to our sewing staff about the fabric separation issue and we're going to be putting a double instead of single needle stitch where the DRIFIRE and the CADPAT fabric come together.  The upside is that it should reinforce the material and increase its strength and durability as such.  The downside is that it will make for a slightly 'chunkier' piece of material where the two fabrics meet.

I had the same issue on my tour, and for me and other guys in my platoon, we're fairly certain it was actually the contracted laundry services. Whatever they were using was eating away at the seams and the dri-fire material. Some guys actually developed huge holes in their shirts from it. I noticed mine stopped getting worse after I stopped sending it to the laundry.

 

[NL_engineer]

DirtyDog, I never had a problem with the OTW in the Afghan Summer, yes after wearing it for a while it was a pain in the a** to get off.  As for rips and tears one of my two shirts got a rip; due to a wire hooking it.  Other then that I had no problems (since we were never in KAF or CNS long enough to use laundry services, that may have helped).

 

[Jammer]

Matt,
I have both colour OTW shirts and can unequivocally say that they have done well for me over tours in Afghanistan and here at home.  Never a complaint about the quality of items purchased from CP Gear.

Cheers,
Paul

 

[Franko]

Matt,
I have both colour OTW shirts and can unequivocally say that they have done well for me over tours in Afghanistan and here at home.  Never a complaint about the quality of items purchased from CP Gear.

Cheers,
Paul

Jammer,

FYI - Matt no longer works with CP Gear.

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/97949/post-997918.html#msg997918

 

[DirtyDog]

DirtyDog, I never had a problem with the OTW in the Afghan Summer, yes after wearing it for a while it was a pain in the a** to get off.  As for rips and tears one of my two shirts got a rip; due to a wire hooking it.  Other then that I had no problems (since we were never in KAF or CNS long enough to use laundry services, that may have helped).

I know this is an old response, but I came across it today while looking something up.

In regards to the laundry service being a possible culprit for premature wear; I only ever used a laundry service 1 or 2 times while in CNS.  We only lived their for a few weeks and everywhere else was self serve or hand wash.  So, at least in my case, I don't beleive it had to do with the laundry detergent or rough washing.