God your touchy this weather...

Thank god this is all out in the open now! As someone involved in the early days and seeing the childish in fighting that was in danger of breaking out (I can say that now I am out! ) I for one think the result is much better than it could have been. Sensible and pragmatic heads seem to have won the day up in Main Building. Good job all-round and its good to see that this is an evolution that can trace its data way back to the early days before CS 95.

Just to have my say in the few areas:

Tuck in or out? It will take a generational change in the higher ranks before this will happen. When you grew up in lightweights and KF shirts you cannot see past anything that is not based on that. I work now in North America and people think its eccentric but barking that the UK wears its shirts tucked in. The fact is that with such a wide range of sizes and shapes coupled to the fact that the uniforms are cut for combat not to fit like civvies means we always looked like a sack tied around the middle with a brightly coloured belt. And that’s in the morning when you walk in, by lunch time shirts are half in and out and most people have resorted to a t-shirt. The fact is that the shirt (Lightweight jacket actually) is not cut as a shirt to stay tucked in.

FR PECOC: The IPT in charge of the FR aircrew stuff was briefed up and were looking at keeping in line with PECOC. There may be a disconnect in timing because of existing stock and commitments to the old FR material. I was impressed by the people they had working on the uniforms from techies to users so I would predicate a good outcome once the inevitable FR colour problems have been overcome.

Made in China: The only first world countries actually making large quantities of textile garments within their own borders do so under the blanket of protectionism, like the US Berry Amendment. The result is that the US pays well over the odds for everything but it keeps jobs in the US, which is just about possible because of the large internal market. Most textile items that come out of the US which are destined for the non-US markets originate in China.

Whoever said of putting MTP into boots, look at the Canadian offering:

Do you really want something akin to this?

Black leather or suede desert boots would make far more sense if you ask me. Maybe brown or grey leather or nubuck, or similar, if you want to get away from black leather for NVG/IRR/daylight cam reasons.

Inbuilt strobe light.

I'm more concerned about the number of tins of polish needed to match...

Whoever said of putting MTP into boots, look at the Canadian offering:

Do you really want something akin to this?

Black leather or suede desert boots would make far more sense if you ask me. Maybe brown or grey leather or nubuck, or similar, if you want to get away from black leather for NVG/IRR/daylight cam reasons.

Stable Belt is Not dead. Not only does it look good, it also gives us yet another chance to show off our regimental pride. Saying that I suppose not everyones stable belt is maroon!

Good to see Bristol UOTC represented on this thread. Wellcome!

Whoever said of putting MTP into boots, look at the Canadian offering:

Do you really want something akin to this?

Black leather or suede desert boots would make far more sense if you ask me. Maybe brown or grey leather or nubuck, or similar, if you want to get away from black leather for NVG/IRR/daylight cam reasons.