More importantly how different is the colour scheme and will we kit tarts be left bereft as we're forced to retire our Ally kit?

Perhaps I shouldn't worry?

arent we best trying to find something that is good in the desert and also in a more temperate climate, bearing in mind how the green zone in afghan being right next to more desert type terrain.

Is the PECOC stuff going to be displayed at DVD this week. This year the people who do defense clothing and equipment are going to be there so i'm just wondering.

I've sort of been on the periphery of PECOC and I've been impressed, both by the equipment they are looking at but more so by their attitude.

A few things. Firstly webbing. It has been accepted that soldiers will mess with their webbing and customise it to death. Therefore, PECOC will most probably see options for belt, vest and on-armour load carriage. The individual will get a bag of pouches - more than they need - and will set about rigging it up as they find best.

Much of the clothing is comparable with current good civi otdoors kit; think buffalo, lowe, sealskin. They are also looking at keeping labels on the kit, meaning that if it's made by a known company their label will be on it so the blokes know what it is and like to use it. Oakley eye protection, anyone? Also, as well as being functional, the blokes will have to like the kit. If it looks duff it won't be bought.

On cam. Digi isn't doing very well in trials; DPM is much better. The first to get digi were Canada. This was by accident. The first step to developing a new cam is to digitise it, before developing further. However, people saw the prototype and liked it, mainly because it looked all "starship troopers". The Yanks then jumped on the bandwagon and the rest is history. We may end up with a slightly modified DPM; same colours and patterns but perhaps a different balance of colours. There is talk of webbing being a hybrid cam which will work in both temperate and arid, so that you don't need new pouches when off to Iraq or Afghanistan.

All of this may sound like a waste of money, but when you see defence spending you'll see what a real waste is. Camouflage stops you being seen and therefore shot - a bonus I would have thought. Our current load carriage is good, but could be better; and anyone who's carried the real Infantry load on ops will know we need all the help we can. Amongst the things being looked at is a daysac that sits properly over Osprey and/or it's replacement. Surely a good thing and a development driven by need? New kit, most importantly FIST, is being developed so current loadbearing kit may not match the new requirements at all.

One advantage that the DC IPT dealing with PECOC have is the relatively low cost of manufacture and the fact that clothing is really a consumable. Struff can be fielded and then observations and lessons learned can be introduced as clothing is replaced through wear and tear. PECOC will be good. It's not a waste of defence money; not like aircraft carriers, the third tranche of Typhoon and the posh chairs in the MOD.

Oh, and the boots!! The plan is to have three or four types available and the individual chooses which ones he likes most and finds most comfortable. Tell me that's not very sensible.