Shrinking cadpat

[P Kaye]

I have just been issued new Cadpat combats (I was previously in Olive Drabs).  I think I have 3rd generation stuff (all the buttons are covered).  The arms on the combat shirt are a bit long... I am hoping that they will shrink up a bit with the first wash.  Does anybody have experience with this?  Will the cadpat uniforms shrink at all the first time you wash them, or are they all "pre-shrunk"?

Also, I read that if you soak them in water with a cup of vinegar before the first wash, this will prevent fading.  Is this true?

 

[MJP]

They won't shrink in the wash.  As for your other question, don't worry about fading third Gen Cappat is pretty durable and I haven't had any appreiciable fade in mine beyond getting rid of the "new sheen".

 

[P Kaye]

>> They won't shrink in the wash

hmmm... I wonder if I should go back and try on a smaller size.  They're not bad... just the sleeves are a little long, so they don't look as crisp as they could.
I know the pants go in size increments of 4... I normally wear a size 32, but my choices were 30 or 34.
Do you know what the size increments for shirts are?  i.e. is the next size down considerably smaller, or just a bit smaller?

 

[Armymedic]

If all it is, is that you sleeves are a little long...don't bother as long as your body length is good and they aren't overly baggy on you.

Shirts are in incements of 4 as well.

remeber fleece can be (and occasionally should be) worn under the shirt.

 

[P Kaye]

Thanks... that sounds like good advice.  Always better a bit big than a bit small.
I can't believe how much more rugged this new stuff (3rd gen cadpat) is than the old Olive Drabs I used to wear!

 

[thorbahn]

I'd rather have arms a bit too long then my current considerably-too-short sleeves.

 

[Byerly]

Cadpat uniforms come in two sizes: Too big, or too small. 

Stu

 

[P Kaye]

Perhaps if I go to the gym 5 times a week for the next two years and develop a stack of hugely impressive muscle mass, my cadpat uniforms will then fit just perfectly!

 

[chrisf]

I can't believe how much more rugged this new stuff (3rd gen cadpat) is than the old Olive Drabs I used to wear!

You're joking right? How long did you wear the olive drabs for?

My old pants were made before I was born (Literally)... still perfectly serviceable... where-as I've gone through 4 pairs of cadpat pants and two shirts in a year (Including two pairs of the new style).

In my own experience, I found the old uniform to be a far better combat uniform in all aspects except the obivious of concealment... but that's my experience.

 

[P Kaye]

Interesting.  I found the material used for the ODs was great because it was cool and dried fast, but bad because it seemed to wear out pretty badly (knees in particular) and get that screen-door texture.  Of course, part of that could be the age of most of the ODs in circulation... a lot of that stuff was probably 3th and 4th issue, and about 15 yeras old.
The new pants I have feel much thicker than the ODs.  Perhaps you're right, though, and I'll discover that the material disintegrates anyway.
I read that the stitching on the 3rd gen cadpat is much better than the early stuff.

 

[Gayson]

That thick feeling in the Cadpat will go away pretty quickly.

 

[chrisf]

Interesting.   I found the material used for the ODs was great because it was cool and dried fast, but bad because it seemed to wear out pretty badly (knees in particular) and get that screen-door texture.   Of course, part of that could be the age of most of the ODs in circulation... a lot of that stuff was probably 3th and 4th issue, and about 15 yeras old.

What you're saying is that you were issued uniform that were well used, and if after 3 or 4 times through the system, the worst damage to the pants is that they've turned to combat lingerie, I think that's a testament to the fabric... the problems you may have had weren't with the fabric, but the supply system, which hadn't had a new influx of uniforms in quite some time until the cadpat issue...

The better question is, have you ever actually ripped the knees totally out of the old pants? I'm *guessing* your answer is no (Though I'm sure many many people have... as they're certainly not indestructible, just far more durable then the new uniforms)

 

[P Kaye]

No, you're right.  Okay, I retract my comment.  The ODs were very good.  If they'd kept up with production and not continually re-issued ancient stuff, I'm sure I would have loved them at the time.

 

[Love793]

If all it is, is that you sleeves are a little long...don't bother as long as your body length is good and they aren't overly baggy on you.

Shirts are in incements of 4 as well.

remeber fleece can be (and occasionally should be) worn under the shirt.

Fleece isn't designed to wear under the combat shirt.

 

[Armymedic]

Fleece isn't designed to wear under the combat shirt.

really? Are you sure? >

 

[George Wallace]

If fleece is a 'next to skin' item, it would have to be able to be worn under the Cbt coat (shirt).  ???

GW

 

[hammond]

This may be a little off topic, But I was watching Tactical to Practical on the HIstory channel, and they showed the US Marines new way to fit uniforms. They have this large scanner that new recruits stand in for 30 seconds. The computer then takes the data and shoots out a set of sizes that will fit the new recruit perfectly. I thought it was very interesting sure beats the old tape measure.

-Hammond

 

[Bartok5]

Hammond,

We have a very similar optically-based uniform measuring system.  It is currently in use on our major bases..... 

 

[Love793]

really? Are you sure? >

Last I checked.  No body listens to it, but it's not.

 

[PViddy]

I was doing some surfing on the Defence web site particularly "clothe the soldier".  I was under the impression that the polypro undershirts were designed for the next to skin layer ? with polar fleece going over top that, replacing the combat shirt in extremely cold weather, then over top that you would have you gortex stuff.

The priciple being:  Polypro wicks moisture away from the body onto the polar fleece which drys very quickly, evapourating moisture, gor tex is breathable etc.  Please correct me if i am worng, as i would love to know.

cheers guys

PV