Crye Precision "GEN 1" Combat Shirt and Pants
Crye's Combat Shirt and Combat Pants are their more specialized articles of clothing, designed more for DA (Direct Action) than general use. Again, let me start by saying a big 'Thank You' to Crye for the opportunity to preview these just before they came out. Some pre-orders should be shipping out at the time of this writing. Visit Crye Precision for more information.
Meant to be worn in conjunction with body armour, the 'A-line' Combat Shirt and Pants include semi-rigid joint protection on the elbows and knees for operation in MOUT or close quarters, where those parts of the body are always prone to getting bashed.
The Combat Shirt, as mentioned above, was intended to be worn under body armour. When worn over regular BDUs, an armoured vest usually limits the utility of the pockets on the chest or torso, while the seams and extra bulk of a loose-fitting BDU top might prove to be uncomfortable. The Combat Shirt streamlines the torso area by eliminating torso pockets (which provides more comfort under the armour) and more protection has been added to the elbows than a normal BDU top.
High, zipper collar - this can be worn up or folded over, open or closed.
Moisture-wicking fabric torso - Made of 81% Performance Polyester and 19% Elastine. The colour is an olive green, and the material is very soft and smooth to the touch. It's form fitting, and is donned pullover-style. An ultra-lightweight, non-itch American Merino wool torso version for cold weather will be available.
Engineered cuff with velcro closure - Like the Field Shirt, the cuffs extend past the wrist on the outside to provide some hand protection, and for a better fit. The inside part of the wrist is a bit shorter, and the cuff finds its 'natural' position and centers itself on the wrist.
Upper arm zip pockets - these are flight-suit style instead of the larger, bellows pockets of the Field shirt, for a lower profile when moving through doorways. The zipper opens to the front of the pocket, and there is a smaller, secondary pocket inside. A 5.5" x 4" velcro patch is sewn to the outside.
MIL-PRF-MCCUU 50% Nylon 50% Cotton lightweight twill sleeves
Heavy gauge size B and F Bonded Nylon thread used throughout which exceeds military standards for garment production.
Made in accordance with Fed Spec.VT-295 type II
500D Cordura elbow reinforcement for abrasion resistance
Removable joint protection - This is the same type of insert as used in the Field shirt, with an additional semi-rigid cap attached to the pad, which is exposed to the outside of the sleeve through an opening in the 500D elbow reinforcement. It has a slightly rubbery, non-slip surface. The pad is inserted from the outside through the opening in the elbow pocket, which has internal velcro, which further secures the pad. An elastic forearm strap can be adjusted to keep the elbow pad snug against the arm to prevent shifting or rotation.
Crye Range vest can be worn over the Combat Shirt to provide pockets and protection when armour is not worn.
The Combat Shirt really feels comfortable to wear - very cool and airy. There aren't any bulky pockets or folds of material to be felt when wearing load bearing gear or armour over it. I put my Paraclete RAV on to show the coverage over the Combat Shirt. The Crye Range Vest, when worn over the Combat Shirt, provides more storage than a regular BDU top has, and protects the torso material.
Crye Combat Pants
The Combat Pant is arguably the most advanced and engineered article of clothing I've ever seen. Made of MIL-PRF-MCCUU 50% Nylon 50% Cotton heavyweight twill for hard wear, it's chock full features:
Like the Field pants, 2" waist increments for a better fit - instead of going with the S, M, L etc sizing with adjustable waist, There is no adjustment or elastic in the waistband, and it's meant to be worn with a BDU belt.
Velcro waist closure and zipper fly - A velcro tab instead of a button secures the waist. The very lightly padded waistband is higher in the back, and 500D bartacked cordura belt loops will accept 2.75" wide pistol belts. The thin padding really does make a difference in comfort when a stiff belt is worn. It doesn't 'dig' into your hips as much.
2 large bellows cargo pockets - There aren't any normal side/slash pockets; all pockets are located below the pistol belt gear line to allow access when wearing a belt kit. The cargo pockets have a webbing-reinforced top, which provides some shape to the opening. The opening is closed by tucking the corner of the fold into the forward corner of the flap, which is sewn down in front, and snapping the buckle on the 3/4" tiedown strap. The strap not only serves to keep the pocket closed, it also provides support and height adjustment for the knee pads.
Deep bellows rear pockets located low and close to the side for easy access. These have the most unusual closure I've ever seen. Hard to describe, but easy to use, the top of the pocket sort of unfolds when you open it. It's then folded and tucked back under the flap (which secures one corner), and the flap closed, securing the pocket.
Like the Field pants, the Combat pants have a fully shaped leg construction for increased mobility. Enough material where it's needed, and none where it's not, and darts/tucks in the fabric to conform to the natural shape of the knee.
Semi-rigid external knee protection and internal knee pad - This works just like the one on the Combat shirt. A Cordura pad pocket on the knees retains the semi-rigid knee pad, with an external cap protecting the outside. The external cap has a non-slip surface. The pad slips through an opening in the front of the knee, and the pocket opening material is sandwiched around the internal pad and the 'rim' of the external cap. Velcro lines the hole and further secures it to the pad. It's not too hard to remove and replace, and can be left in the pants for laundering.
Internal adjustment for knee pad - Besides the cargo pocket tiedown strap, which also serves to support/adjust the height of the knee pads, there is an elastic strap behind the knee which can be shortened or lengthened to hold the knee pads closer to the leg. It doesn't have to be tight - just snug enough to keep the knee pad against the knee to prevent shifting or rotation.
500D Cordura lower legs - the front of the legs from the knees and the back of the calves are made of 500D cordura for additional protection and durability.
Velcro lower leg closure - The pants are meant to be worn outside the boots, although I suppose they can be tucked in as well. The velcro lower leg closer snugs the bottom of the pants around the boots.
Full length heavy duty side zips - the pants unzip completely from the bottom of the leg to the hip (they can be opened from the top as well). In event of a zipper failure, eyelets for 550 cord are located along the length of the leg so that the legs can be laced up. The full length zipper makes it easier to adjust the internal knee pads straps, tie your boots, or provide a medic a means of accessing the leg without having to cut off the pants in case of wounds. The wounds can be dressed, and the pants leg zipped up again over the dressing.
Integrated waste management zipper - Basically, you can take a crap without having to doff your pants and gear. As shown below in the pictures (I have kept it civil by wearing some thermal underwear under my pants for illustration only), the zippered opening starts in the front, and works its way around to the back. Unzipping the flap allows access to do whatever you need to. No further explanation needed. Both this and the fly opening zipper pulls have rubber pull tabs. It's also easier if you unzip the side leg zippers from the top to aid in pulling your skivvies down.
Misc features - internal labels are located so they do not touch the skin, all pockets have drain holes and all stress points are bartacked.
Like all of Crye Precision's other products, the attention to detail in the design of the Combat Pants is apparent. Surprisingly comfortable to wear yet extremely rugged feeling, a testament to the human engineering and thought put into the design of the pants. I'll update this writeup after I get to use these in the field.
Crye Precision "GEN 2" Combat Shirt and Pants
Here is the Crye Precision "Gen 2" Combat Shirt and Pant AC. Based off of the concept of the Gen 1 Combat Uniform was that is was designed to be worn with a soldier's full compliment of armour and equipment, and to provide the most protection for DA or more specialized missions. The Combat Shirt had a form fitting torso for comfort under body armour and vests, and the Combat Pants were heavily reinforced and loaded with features. While the Gen 1 Combat Shirt was extremely lightweight (even more so than a regular BDU top), the Gen 1 Combat Pant was relatively heavier due to the added padding, numerous features and cordura reinforcements. With the Gen 2 Combat uniform, officially designated the Combat Shirt and Pant AC, revisions have been made to streamline the uniform with light weight as a major design driver while still providing integrated protection. Actually, the AC uniform is not simply a lightened version of the Gen 1; it's a different animal. The addition of stretch panels in key areas on the pants is a new feature which allows more mobility and range of motion than before while the pants have a completely new pocket layout. The 'Gen 2' label is misleading, as there have been a least a dozen versions of Crye's Combat Uniform, each one tailored to meet the requirements of the various customers. 'Gen 2' just refers to the second version commercially offered by Crye Precision. They are offered in MultiCam, Black, Sand and Green (close to ranger/smoke green).
When wearing body armour, a vest or chest rig, access to torso pockets is limited and normal BDU sizing tends to be on the looser side, causing bunching of excess material under the armour or gear. The Combat Shirt concept eliminates the torso pockets and bulk, instead replacing the entire torso with a streamlined, form fitting wicking material that provides the most comfort when worn under gear. The upper arm pockets provide storage while the integrated elbow pads offer greater protection with less weight than separate elbow pads.
Here's a summary of the features on the Combat Shirt AC, size medium shown:
Material - The Gen 1 Combat Shirt utilized a stretchy 'Underarmor'-type slick nylon material for the torso. Synthetic wicking base layers became popular in the Armed Forces as they provided comfort by transporting perspiration away from the skin to outer layers, keeping the user drier and more comfortable under most conditions. Back in April 2006, the Marines banned the use of polyester or nylon-based athletic clothing while conducting operations 'outside the wire' in Iraq (source). This was due to the danger of such clothing melting and fusing to the skin when exposed to extreme heat and flames, a concern for users who might be exposed to flash fires, flames or IEDs etc. The Combat Shirt AC torso now utilizes flame-resistant (FR) driFIRE modacrylic fabric. driFIRE uses dri-release® performance fabric technology produced by Optimer with Freshguard® odor control. dri-release® is moisture-wicking technology that combines wicking with fast-drying properties. While polyester/nylon-based garments will melt or drip when exposed to flame, driFIRE will not. It's not a flame-resistant treatment - the properties are inherent in the fabric and will not deteriorate over time. The sleeves and collar are made of Crye's 50/50 NYCO ripstop fabric.
High, zipper collar - this can be worn up or folded over, open or closed.
Conventional cuff with velcro closure - the cuff has been changed from the Gen 1 engineered cuff that extended past the wrist to a conventional cuff with velcro tab closure. Crye found that users found the engineered cuffs difficult to fold back and roll up, due to their shape, and preferred a conventional cuff.
Upper arm pockets with velcro panel and closure - the Gen 1 flight-suit style pockets have been replaced with larger, more roomy bellows pockets similar to the R6 Field Shirt. Instead of loop velcro ID patch covering the entire sleeve pocket, there are now two patches - one on the pocket flap, and another on the pocket itself . The lower patch is partially covered by the flap as it serves as the flap closure, so the effective area exposed is 3.5" x 4". I like the larger pockets of the AC more than the Gen 1, as I think they add more utility.
Heavy gauge size B and F Bonded Nylon thread used throughout which exceeds military standards for garment production. Made in accordance with Fed Spec.VT-295 type II
Removable joint protection - like the Gen 1 Combat Shirt, the AC offers joint protection with a molded/shaped pad covered in nylon fabric, with an additional semi-rigid cap attached to the pad, which is exposed to the outside of the sleeve through an opening in the elbow reinforcement/pad pocket. The pad is inserted from the outside through the opening in the elbow pocket, which has internal velcro, which further secures the pad. An elastic forearm strap that is connected to the elbow pad can be adjusted to keep the elbow pad snug against the arm to prevent shifting or rotation.
The Crye Range vest can be worn over the Combat Shirt to provide pockets and protection when armour is not worn.
