Tactical Tailor

Now, THAT’S Some Expensive Camo

20140628-210851-76131233.jpg

Granted, ERDL camouflage is one of the most collectible out there, but no one expected this 22 yard remnant to go for a whopping $1613.88 on an eBay auction.

20140628-211958-76798764.jpg

The Engineering Research and Development Laboratory pattern was developed in 1948 and adopted for operational use during the Viet Nam war. Several color variants were produced including the Green dominant version in this auction. It remained in use for many years and eventually used as the basis for the Woodland camouflage pattern (ERDL was blown up 60% and the colors altered) adopted in 1981.

Tags:

20 Responses to “Now, THAT’S Some Expensive Camo”

  1. Mike says:

    PEO Soldier bought it so they could announce it as the next Army camo after OCP 😉

  2. pyronaute says:

    The only pattern I can imagine rivaling this in terms of price ($73.36/yd) would be Rhodesian ‘brushstroke’. Combined, the two patterns are the most memorable and significant of the 20th century. (IMHO)

  3. AbnMedOps says:

    Wow. I will lock my one ea. pair of ERDL trousers in the gunsafe, along with my reversible oak-leaf steel-pot helmet cover, and made-in-South Africa Rhodesian boonie hat. One cool thing about those trousers is a one-button wallet pocket inside the left cargo pocket – wish we still had that.

    Until the interwebz stripped the camoflauge away from the history of camo, I had only known ERDL as “Nam leaf” pattern. I wonder if anyone serving in VN had ever even heard of “ERDL”?

  4. OC Tactical says:

    This guy had some great stuff stacked away. Managed to get a partial roll of the brown dominate ERDL from him. Paid normal fabric prices for it though, that is a little too rich for my blood.

  5. Patrick says:

    I remember at one point there was a $6,000 Crye Precision AirFrame helmet up for auction hydro dipped in AOR1. I think some schmuck bought it too.

  6. Ex Coelis says:

    Whoa, thats a lotta gabbagool(even for a piece vintage ERDL rip-stop cotton)… Good on the seller, though!! Only fly in the ointment is, a long with a .30 odd cent insertion/listing fee, eaglemilitaryoutfitters now owes eBay a cut of almost $166.00 in ‘Sellers fees”.

  7. pbr549 says:

    I’ve got a pair of ERDL jungle fatigues that one of my Dad’s SF buddies from the Vietnam war gave me. I dont think I could ever part with them, but I wonder how much they go for in the collectors market? The only thing my Dad has left from his Army days is one Green Beret, his black boonie hat from his SOG days, his Randall model 14, and a bunch of unit insignia. Hmm, that gives me am idea to put all that together for a display case. I asked him why he didnt have any tiger stripes and he said he was too tall and couldn’t find any to fit him.

    • Matt says:

      Your ERDL’s are worth some bucks if they have insignia. As for your dad’s stuff the Green Beret and SOG Black Boonie are worth quite a bit being you know who owned them and if there’s a picture of him in it that boosts the value as well. Depending on what insignia he’s got left SOG patches easily bring $400 and on up to 3-4 thousand.

  8. id10t says:

    I got a full set of viet nam ERDLs with a boonie… tore the bottoms from knee to crotch running around in the woods. I should probably take better care of my things…

  9. firedoc says:

    When I joined 20th Group in 1983, we were still being issued ERDL fatigues. Some were green dominant and some brown. Almost all had the slanted pockets. I still have a very nice set of brown dominant ones. I also got several sets at a surplus store outside Ft. Bragg.

    The ERDL fatigues were replaced with OG-107 fatigues. I still have a set of those but they are in rough condition. Both uniforms were excellent and very comfortable.

  10. bulldog76 says:

    http://www.mooremilitaria.com/prod02.htm ill just leave this here for guys looking for some kit in the pattern

  11. Mike says:

    I have two sets hanging in the garage closet (they do not fit anymore). The ERDL was the daily uniform and we all received 4 sets when we got to the Battalion. B 1/75 Ft Stewart Ga 1976-77

    • AbnMedOps says:

      Mike, what did you guys call this pattern back then? Did anyone actual call it “ERDL”?

      Interesting that the pattern was developed in 1948(!) and sat on the shelf for 20 years until finally fielded late in the Vietnam war, after years of Dock Hunter, Tiger Stripe, OD, etc. Bet there is a sad, but familiar, story there..

      (I do remember a 70’s Saturday Night Live skit where (Garrett Morris? Eddie Murphy?) wore this camo, and prematurely ate his suicide pill during a pre-mission brief…FWITW.)

  12. 32sbct says:

    I think this would be the perfect pattern for the Army ACU for jungle use. I think it is better jungle cammo than M81 woodland which they are evaluating for the new jungle pattern.

  13. Kevin says:

    I would give my left nut for some cordura in this pattern…