Varusteleka has had the Särmä TST L4 Combat Trouser in development for three years now, but now they’re finally Finnished.
Originally, the idea was to produce a homegrown version of a standard combat pant, but turned out quite different in the end. The biggest thing that changed over the years was the fact that they are making these from a new mechanical stretch fabric.
The new fabric is a mechanical stretch ripstop (made from a 60/40 cotton/polyester blend using spiral polyester fibers which provide the stretch). This has eliminated the need for separate stretch fabric details, like the new Crye G4s. The camouflage print is done according to Finnish military NIR specifications.
They feature reinforced – double fabric reinforced seat, diamond gusset crotch, 500D reinforced knees, cuffs, and insteps. With all these hard wear areas reinforced these will last hard, extended use.
One little “special” thing is the cargo pockets flaps which can be closed with hook-and-loop (fast and noisy), a button (slow and silent) or both (superior security, slow and noisy) depending on user preference.
Knee pad inserts can be added, but the design works equally well without any inserts due to the standard enclosed design of the knee reinforcements. The enclosed design mitigates snagging issues and prevents snow and mud from clogging the seams where an internal-external hybrid knee pad (such as Crye) protrudes through the knee fabric.
These will be released in June, but may go on pre-order sooner. Learn more at www.varusteleka.fi/fi/product/sarma-tst-l4-taisteluhousut.
Tags: Varusteleka Oy
Glad to know they’ve Finnished the product/development!
First thought: that looks really similar to CADPAT…
I own some clothing and pouches in it. Looks more like Marpat with light green added.
There’s no difference between MARPAT and CADPAT than the USMC stamps and the color scheme.
05 is more like pixelated/hexagonal Vegetato, if you want to compare it to anything.
I own every pattern we are speaking of. M05 is very close in color to Marpat, but much more basic in pattern than vegetato. Still very effective in the environment it was made for.
So it took 3 years to design Crye all weather field pants in a different camo pattern is what we are saying? Ok.
ehrm, no. Similar yes, but then you could say that most of these 200€+ trousers are “crye copies”.
To be in development isn’t the same as designing, but design is a small part of the development cycle. Where I work, we have 3 year development cycles as well.
TORILLE!