Here is an example of the Army Combat Pant in the Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern (MultiCam). New readers should check out the article we posted earlier this month on the Propper variant of the ACP.
As you can see they integrate the patented Crye Precision knee pad. Crye has this IP locked up pretty tight with not only the knee pad but also how it integrates into the trouser.
Tags: Crye Precision
OK, I’m from Missouri. When I transitioned to BDU’s, I noticed that the designer’s idea of where my knees should be located was a bit more idealistic than the reality. Near as I could tell, somewhere I got shorted about 2″ in the thighs, and have paid the price my entire life.
Knees aren’t always where some clothing architect put them. And pads attached to pants where somebody else thinks they should go are going to be a problem for some. It forces the soldier – who already knows the clothing supply system can’t get him his size – to get expedient. Another mod to fix what removable pads get more right already, and the loss of being able to drop them out of the way. The troops answer will be to take them to the tailor, or bungee them in place where they belong on him.
Rhetorical questions: How come no mention of the equally ill placed elbow pads? And if we’re now attaching all this directly to the uniform, why not a hardened battle tunic with plate carrier and integrated hydration, all one big heavy piece of Pals webbing, with attached sleeves?
Next, boots with interchangeable soles for different environments?
Point being, manufacturers typically won’t follow the statistically more accurate bell curve of sizing, and ship increments of ten each in every size. That means never having enough med-regs, and years later, finding a warehouse full of ex/small short getting surplused for pennies on the dollar.
I’m from Missouri, show me how this is going to fit right on every soldier.
MarkM,
You may be a new reader so I have altered the article with a link to an answer to your concerns that we posted a few weeks ago.
https://soldiersystems.net/2011/10/03/army-combat-pant-prototype/
Read SSD everyday. You’ll be surprised what you find.
It isn’t the manufacturer that decides how many of each size they are going to produce or when. That is dictated in the contract from the buyer.
The black gloves set the look off nicely
I love how his brand new piece of crap plate carrier has his side plates riding right on his hips, I’m sure that’s comfortable when walking up a mountain to an OP
@MarkM- I understand your frustration and see your point, but the Crye Combat pants have adjustments built in to get those knee pads in the correct spot for the user. Now I don’t know about the Army’s Crye look a like, but if they haven’t integrated the adjustment feature in, you do have the option of not running the air flex pads and going with something else.
I personally liked using the Crye knee pads on the Crye pants, but I found the Arcteryx Sphinx/Knee Cap version to work slightly better for me. I’ve always liked the more traditional style though.
I gotta say this too. This guy looks shared away until you see the bloused boots. That has got to go!
@Doc – speaking of side plates, some guys are ignoring the top female buckle and adding a QASM to keep the plates up higher. Seems to be working.
@Doc – he isn’t going to be spending much time in the prone either it appears
So apparently these pants do have the knee pad adjustment system MarkM. The “administrator” posted the link to the other article posted here not long ago, so I’m assuming he is saying the adjustment system is on these pants as well.
Everyone’s pants has an adjuster. In fact, these may well be the Crye ACP version.
Yeah, sorry about that. I still have that military mentality that, if it doesn’t say it’s there……it’s not there.
Funny thing about the knee and elbow pads…anyone ever actually been issued the inserts for their ACUs? First time I saw some in person was at AUSA.
So how do the designs differ between Crye’s, Propper’s and Massif’s Designs? And When the hell is the Army going to transition to Multicam… Hopefully operating under budget constraints will force the Armys hand into a better camo patter to the benefit of the soldier. The UCP’s utter failture must be a tough pill for the big Army decision makers to swallow.
The pants are straight crye. We had some of the ACU variants when the 101 rolled into RC-East a few years ago. Almost identical to the MC versions I had.
The massif combat shirt is absolute trash, and the Army would be well advised to go to the crye version as well. Who wants a shirt that smells terrible out of the bag and WHO THE HELL thought elastic sleeves were a good idea?
Ive never seen the ACU style kneepads, but I do like the crye version in both the field and combat pant and never had a problem with either.
Rick
Rick,
Go read that link I put up. They may not be a Crye model.
Norrbis,
That pesky link I posted has some of the answers you are seeking.
Prone who gets into that anymore lol, that’s why I also hate that new modular assault panel their issuing that thing is crap too.
I think there is a common mentality among readers. Most of the new Army kit is junk! Now I wouldn’t necessarily go that far. I believe soldiers are just becoming more in tune with what they need to accomplish their missions. The Army kit isn’t junk, its just not optimal for combat veteran soldiers that require functionality. The Army is generally speaking, 5 to 15 years behind when it comes to gear and weapons training. They continue to try closing the gap, but each time they come up with a solution that begs more solutions. The procurement system is a problem, but the overall mindset of Army doctrine is the bigger problem. Let’s hope our soldiers can makes use of these new pants before they’re obsolete.
As long as Army (and DoD for that matter) are worried about appearance more than performance, the machine will remain broken.