I am looking for a long sleeve shirt in multicam to wear in the woods (hunting etc).
The Vertx gunfighter top looks interesting as does the SKD BDU top.
Most of the used Army tops I have seen in Ebay are pretty rough.
Any input would be appreciated.
The military OCP uniform is fire resistant material which is not very durable, multicam is also available in poly/cotton and nylon/cotton blends. The military uses a 50/50 ny/co blend for BDU’s for a reason and that is the material I would stick with. So I would find a shirt in ny/co in the style I liked.
The mil surplus multicam tops’ color fades quickly with any amount of use. If it was my money, I wouldn’t get actual mil ocp acu tops.
I don’t have any experience with other brands though, sorry. But vertx makes good stuff in general.
Vertc pants run small, so their shirts might too. Tru spec does too.
What kind of conditions will you be wearing this in? I wear multicam for turkey hunting and when it’s warmer I’m wearing an UnderArmor multicam loose long sleeve shirt.
This and a UA type shirt are great from the high 40’s to the mid 50’s.
FYI it is a ‘fitted’ style shirt - but the sizing is true.
I second this. Always order a size up in VERTX. I would also like to know who carries multicam shirts and jackets in tall sizes ?
I have the SKD BDU in the “Charlie” and Button version.
http://www.skdtac.com/SKD-Enhanced-BDU-Shirt-p/skd.104.htm
It is pretty good. Gets the job done. Not as light or breathable as the other options, but it’s a pretty good value. I like it over the Vertx Gunfighter because it has 2 chest pockets versus the Vertx’s flat front.
If you are in really hot or humid weather, I’d go with one of the more technical softshell fabrics, in a lighter weight.
Get the British mtp top, thinner material than the US tops and less velcro. They even come with a mtp panel to cover velcro on the sleeve pockets if you’re like me and don’t care for patches.
This is the exact top I am considering. It seems to have all the things I want in the top…but still isn’t inexpensive.
I have Vertx multicam pants, so I wanted to match the fabric and print.
I am in WA and the temps can range from 35-70…so I like the 50/50 blend.
I’d check out A2CU tops on ebay. It’s what is issued to Army helicopter crews. They’re nothing like FRACU tops despite looking similar- they’re made of a much much more durable material that doesn’t fade quickly and is very comfortable as well as quick drying. Also has a combination of velcro and zippers. I’ve been using them since 2008 overseas and in the field. My unit allows them for non garrison use and a lot of us prefer them (both tops and bottoms).
Go with the OEM multicam battle shirt brother. Is nice and breathable and flame retardant.
Here is what I would recommend its long sleeve breathable in flame retardant. The OEM multicam battle shirt you can pick them up brand new for about 20 bucks at your local military surplus store.
Top left is the Issue OCP top with permethrin imbedded in the fabric, as you can see they fade but its still effective at night through NVGs. Top right is the Massif fire resistant shirt that smells like cat piss even after 20 washes and sucks in hot and humid weather with or without body armor. The top on the bottom is the British MTP pattern combat shirt, cut is pretty much the same as a Crye shirt and the body is made of coolmax or a coolmax-like material that feels great, and the sleeves are the same cut as a BDU/ACU type shirt, not tight like the cat piss Massif shirt. If you are tall or have long arms, buy a size larger than normal otherwise youll have 3/4 sleeves and a tough time keeping it tucked in. This shirt is not a good choice under NVGs, the coolmax part sticks out with or without IR light, not as much of an issue if you wear armor.
Pants on the left are the SKD multicam pants, patterned after BDUs but feel tighter than my issue BDUs, Im constantly pulling them down so my nuts dont hurt. Pants in the middle are issue OCP bug repellant, faded but comfy. On the right are the British MTP pants, belt loops are huge to facilitate their goofy dress belts that they like to wear with their field uniforms, cargo pockets are huge and have one big button closure. These pants are sized by waist and inseam instead of like US mil pants taht are either small, med, or large and short, regular and tall. Price on these pants and the tops are good, but you’ll have to buy from the UK if you want new or like new stuff.
While the Massif softshell jacket and pants are great, their combat shirt leaves much to be desired. I do not recommend it unless on a budget.
N.Franklin thank you for your review, it is spot on. I ended up buying the British MTP pants based on your review. They are definitely a thinner material but that does not matter to me this time of year. My only complaints are no left rear back pocket and the funky belt loops. There is a hidden zippered money pocket in the left front pocket. The Canadian style buttons on the pockets are also nice in a hunting or tactical environment. I would order a size up in the British MTP pants. Normally I wear a 40 waist and 34 inseam but had to go to a 42 waist and 34 inseam (English size 85/108/124) in these pants. I also ordered the SAS smock in MTP but have to exchange it due to the size I ordered being too big. It is a quality piece of kit and looks good in the MTP/multicam pattern.
