Soldier Operational Clothing and Equipment Modernization

[Infanteer]

A good initiative since the issue jacket is essentially a windbreaker and soldiers training Ukrainians were soaked to the bone in the rainy UK climate.

 

[KevinB]

A good initiative since the issue jacket is essentially a windbreaker and soldiers training Ukrainians were soaked to the bone in the rainy UK climate.

Wait what? You mean to tell me in 2024, that the CA is in the same place for a raincoat that it was in the 80’s?

 

[rmc_wannabe]

Wait what? You mean to tell me in 2024, that the CA is in the same place for a raincoat that it was in the 80’s?

Yes. The issued rain jacket turns to an issued sponge suit after more than 2o minutes of continued exposure to rain.

 

[MJP]

Wait what? You mean to tell me in 2024, that the CA is in the same place for a raincoat that it was in the 80’s?

Yea everyone got enamored with the RCAF rain jacket when it came out despite it utter inability to effective in the rain. It is a great tarmac jacket for their purposes. As pointed out it is a great wind breaker and everyone wore it vice the bulky useless combat jacket usually layering it with a puffy for cold weather. So in essence we didn't get a rain jacket we just organically solved the issue of having a bad combat coat.

 

[dimsum]

Yea everyone got enamored with the RCAF rain jacket when it came out despite it utter inability to effective in the rain. It is a great tarmac jacket for their purposes.

Is that a failing of the jacket, or of the CA for thinking that a tarmac jacket should also be really good in a different situation?

I have no idea what the SOR mandatory requirements were (specifically “how much rain in how long a period it should keep out”) but my guess is that the RCAF didn’t think of the CA’s requirements when designing a jacket meant for the techs on the flight line.

 

[MJP]

Is that a failing of the jacket, or of the CA for thinking that a tarmac jacket should also be really good in a different situation?

I have no idea what the SOR mandatory requirements were (specifically “how much rain in how long a period it should keep out”) but my guess is that the RCAF didn’t think of the CA’s requirements when designing a jacket meant for the techs on the flight line.

I won't pretend to know what the thought process was and how they assessed the jacket for the CA. I do know at the time everyone wanted one cause the RCAF totally "solved rain gear" despite it being a subpar rain jacket at best. It was a definite improvement over what the CA had but a garbage bag was better than what the CA had at the time so ya for incremental improvements?

 

[dimsum]

I won't pretend to know what the thought process was and how they assessed the jacket for the CA. I do know at the time everyone wanted one cause the RCAF totally "solved rain gear" despite it being a subpar rain jacket at best. It was a definite improvement over what the CA had but a garbage bag was better than what the CA had at the time so ya for incremental improvements?

I’m guessing it was “that looks cool - I want it”.

Another reason why despite allies (or in our case, another element) using something, it’s probably worth testing it out to be sure it actually works for the organization.

 

[PuckChaser]

I’m guessing it was “that looks cool - I want it”.

Another reason why despite allies (or in our case, another element) using something, it’s probably worth testing it out to be sure it actually works for the organization.

It was a lot of that, but as MJP said literally anything was better than the OD green jacket at the time.

 

[daftandbarmy]

It was a lot of that, but as MJP said literally anything was better than the OD green jacket at the time.

I've got a couple of these if anyone's willing to part with a few shekels

 

[Halifax Tar]

I've got a couple of these if anyone's willing to part with a few shekels

View attachment 86598

Those with a fleece liner and you can be pretty comphy in a duck blind.

 

[Rifleman62]

Wait what? You mean to tell me in 2024, that the CA is in the same place for a raincoat that it was in the 80’s?

Add the 70's, 60's etc. We wore the US Army rain jacket, reversed, in 1968 Germany.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Wait what? You mean to tell me in 2024, that the CA is in the same place for a raincoat that it was in the 80’s?

 

[dimsum]

I've got a couple of these if anyone's willing to part with a few shekels

View attachment 86598

I can smell that picture

 

[Remius]

I can smell that picture

I start sweating just looking at it…

 

[dapaterson]

I won't pretend to know what the thought process was and how they assessed the jacket for the CA. I do know at the time everyone wanted one cause the RCAF totally "solved rain gear" despite it being a subpar rain jacket at best. It was a definite improvement over what the CA had but a garbage bag was better than what the CA had at the time so ya for incremental improvements?

If you wear it from the parking lot at Carling to your office at Carling it's more than adequate. Isn't that adequate User Acceptance Testing?

 

[KevinB]

It was a lot of that, but as MJP said literally anything was better than the OD green jacket at the time.

Imagine looking at either the US Army or British Army rain gear since like 1984, and wondering how the fuck the CA can botch it so badly...
Pathfinder Platoon used to be issued the Brit DPM Gortex, when the CAR had their going out of business sale, those all got struck off the doc's but for a long time afterwards A Coy 1VP looked mostly Brit DPM when it rained...

 

[childs56]

I wear the US Army and or British Gore-Tex when out in the bush. It can be a torrential downpour walking trough shrubs and such and I am dry as can be. I use to also wear the same on my motorcycle. even with driving in torrential down pour riding 100-110 ish km/hr. I stayed nice and dry. With Cdn Gear not so much.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Imagine looking at either the US Army or British Army rain gear since like 1984, and wondering how the fuck the CA can botch it so badly...
Pathfinder Platoon used to be issued the Brit DPM Gortex, when the CAR had their going out of business sale, those all got struck off the doc's but for a long time afterwards A Coy 1VP looked mostly Brit DPM when it rained...

Gary Gore-tex ... our hero

 

[dimsum]

I wear the US Army and or British Gore-Tex when out in the bush. It can be a torrential downpour walking trough shrubs and such and I am dry as can be. I use to also wear the same on my motorcycle. even with driving in torrential down pour riding 100-110 ish km/hr. I stayed nice and dry. With Cdn Gear not so much.

Why is that? I haven’t worn the US or Brit stuff but it’s all Gore-Tex, no?

 

[KevinB]

Why is that? I haven’t worn the US or Brit stuff but it’s all Gore-Tex, no?

It’s a Gore-Tex fabric but layered. It’s been years since I really was serious about rain gear (I have three different weight Arc Multi-Cam sets) but if IIRC there are 1-4 ply version of Gore-Tex, the heavier duty ones are louder but can be worn for out gear even in moderate cold. I have an Alpha jacket that I wear if the weather really sucks, and some super light ones to wear if I’m being ‘active’ and want mobility and not to overheat.

The third set is a middle ground I don’t think they have left the Pelican case I store a bunch of gear I don’t use.