Review of GEN III, Level 6, MultiCam Extreme Cold/Wet Weather jacket/trousers
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- čas přidán 7. 09. 2024
- Review of the US Army GEN III, level 6, extreme cold/wet weather jacket and trousers. Lightweight and very compact! A great replacement for bulkier GoreTex parka and trousers when space and weight is a major consideration.
Last November I wore this jacket during infantry ftx. Living in foxhole for a week during freezing rain in 20° weather. Was one of the worst weeks ever. This jacket did not keep me dry. Maybe the conditions was more than it can handle. But it seemed to me and every one in my platoon didn’t like these. We also never got issued the pants. Also the Velcro didn’t hold up on the sleeves I had to Constantly reattach. Could be from all the sand. And the plastic Tiedowns on my hip fell off. Mine was made by coachy & associates LLC no tag on hoodie only on bottom.
I was never issued the pants and I can't find at any clothing sales or online now that I am out
I bougt one and also bougt some "waffle" layer and it was very warm with T shirt - also below zero. Its really worth for that money around 150 - 200 dollars.
I believe the smaller teeth for the chest and the fly zipper. The teeth are smaller on purpose to minimize the moisture and water to go through. That’s because when you zip it it looks like a tighter seal.
Been a big fan of the L5 and L6 sets for a while now. Looked around and couldn't find any videos on them to be able to direct people to, so I did my own video just yesterday. Now today, I find your videos... LoL. Figures. Good review!
Alpha-Charlie Concepts Thank you very much!
Ken
Smash up job on this video showing the detail of the stitching and elastic. Thank you so much.
love them because small packable, lightweight, reinforced elbows, adjustable hood with the velcro strip, quality velcro, ripstop, suspender loops.
amazingly clear details with the natural light and hand work to aid focusing.
best review you've done.
also the elasticated braces (suspenders) are very good, nice and simple design and well made.
agree with your zip gripes too - i would prefer chunky yk zippers throughout - i guess its cost cutting and gets another sale for a replacement set.
top video ken - ill mention this :)
take care - email sent earlier bro
darren
Yeah I love how they are so much more compact than the Gen I and II gore tex that I was issued with in the Marines. These take up no room at all in my bag and I love the layering concept.
Thanks for the compliments buddy! I have always had issues with watching some videos on gear reviews and the person would never show any up close detail shots of what they were talking about. Always frustrated me! I hope that I have helped viewers make a better decision when researching bits and pieces of kit and hopefully saved them some money as well as frustration. TTYS Darren.
Cheers
Ken
Just a heads up, the NSN varies based on size. Great review!
when i look for reviews on the new gear thats out now compared to when i was in the marines i always look for a devil dog thanks and simper fi
+Still Bill Thanks! Semper Fi!
Ken
Great video. Thank you for the work.
I was about to get one of these jackets but ended up getting a USMC APECS parka like I used to be issued instead. The lack of pockets turned me away. As you said, this would definitely be good choice for someone who is more concerned about space and weight.
Yeah I still like my USMC issue parka and trousers much better for colder weather. I guess because I've worn it before in all kinds of weather and environments so I know it will stand the test.
Ken
Awesome kit there Ken, durable, lightweight and reliable. I have the British army version which are almost identical. The suspenders look darn good for their age! All the best, Stef
Talath Dirnen Thanks Stef!
ADS has a CZcams video that finally helped me understand the different levels.
Lee, Indianapolis (BushRadio on BCUSA)
just bought the jacket at a military surplus store, going to use it for fly fishing
+Steve Belliveau Hope it serves ya well. Good choice :) Good luck with the fish lol
Ken
Definitely can't go wrong with surplus gear
No you can't!
Looks like its worth getting. I have the lvl 1and 2 . having the side zip would be nice way to allow a lil cooling during long winter hikes. Great review subbed
The Joe Proffitt Channel Yeah it is a nice feature for sure! Thanks! Very much appreciated Joe.
Ken
well done, well presented & shown .All the best Siemion
Thank you very much.
Need vents under arm pits to cool off. Chest vents not helpful when wearing body armor or IBA. Also need pockets. Gen 1 gortex is better & holds up to rough use better
The navy gortex has a removable fleece liner that zips in.😊
Wish it came in ocp
Why do you need suspenders for them? I was never issued them with the Gortex trousers. Thank you for the video and walk through.
Elastic from 1952 still good, elastic I buy goes bad after some years. Have to wonder what's the difference. I suspect the massive zippers only work well on long pulls. The teeth are so far apart. I'd like to see it tried.
Great review, Thanks very much 👍👍
I prefer arcteryx Leaf Alpha jacket gen 1 or gen 2 that we get issued in Norway (SOF)
Are the pants supposed to be baggy as hell? I got a size that fits my waist, a little longer than I need but the legs are huge in space, like I’d have to put on a lot of pairs to make it look not baggy
please tell me where to buy such suspenders or similar ones?
Thanks a lot for your review!
I'm confused: what layer to choose lvl 5 or lvl 6 for a hiking in mountains (August, 12-18C, light rains). And what trousers should I wear under? Is layer 2 enough or should I wear other pants?
Thanks for your advice!
TontoGenio I would use the level 5 for hiking in the mountains or anywhere for that matter. They're a lot more comfortable, softer material and they are a bit more stretchable than the level 6 GoreTex. As far as what to wear underneath any type of trousers would be ok. I wouldn't recommend jeans, but a type of trouser like hiking pants would be perfect. If the weather is a bit colder than wear some type of cold weather underwear such as polypropylene or a lightweight wool blend and you'll be fine. Hope this helps?
Ken
Thanks for your advice's!
I'm not clear about level 5 waterproofing - is it good enough for walking under rain and on a wet long grass?
And hiking pants - is it OK to ware cotton pants under level 5 or level 6? Cause I worry they can become wet because of swearing. What do you think?
Thanks in advance!
TontoGenio The level 5 is just as waterproof as the level 6 GoreTex. I double checked it outside just now with the garden hose and it def repels the water with no issues whatsoever! It will be perfectly fine with walking through a rain storm or wet grass.
Wearing cotton pants would be fine to wear underneath the trousers. I highly doubt that you would get them that wet through sweating and if you did they should dry out perfectly fine afterwards. I tend to wear a ripstop cotton type of trousers. If they get wet they will dry very quickly. The reason I said I wouldn't recommend jeans is that they take forever to dry and I find them very uncomfortable to hike in.
Ken
See this video - czcams.com/video/RGfQloGzHlA/video.html Gore-Tex does not breath hardly at all if wet or in cold below 25F. Level 5 is very RESISTANT (not waterproof) to rain and can be covered with a poncho if rain gets heavy. It also breaths many times as well as Gore-Tex.
Thanks for the demo. How water proof is the parka and trousers? Can you wear the set as an outer layer in the winter in heavy snow and rain over well layered set up? Thanks !
Good job, but I think I’ll stick with my USMC Gen II issue.
I agree with you. The Marine Corps issue Goretex is 100% better.
What is better about the Gen II USMC's? Trying to decide which to buy. Thanks.
@@faceinthewindow. They're a much heavier material and in my opinion provide better protection from the elements. You can't go wrong with purchasing the Marine Corps gen II Goretex 👍
very informative video can you make the video of the usmc gortex thank you
+george melendez Thanks George. I will add that to my list of video ideas.
Ken
I think that parka sucks don't like the camo. The GEN 1 ECWCS Parka is way better features; Velcro large chest pockets inline with the full zip chest zipper, the flap on the inside keeps it on your body when unzipped, triangle pockets at the lower portion are nice for keeping your wool glove inserts, the inside has a actual liner which made a difference totally, the hood can attach a fluffy part for snowing weather, plus if you wanted to you could add buttons to put the quilted M65 jacket liner inside!
No pit zips on jacket?
Are the Goretex seams sealed?
On the jacket front access "pockets" , is there a potential for leaks?
Great presentation.
Dennis M No pit zips at all on the GEN III GoreTex parka. Maybe they eliminated them to cut down on weight? Yes all the seams are sealed with Gore tape. Very well put together! I would say that you may get some leakage on the front access pockets, but it would have to be a very heavy rain otherwise I think they will hold up pretty well and keep the rain out. The protective rain flap does a pretty good job at doing this. Thank you very much for the compliment Dennis!
Ken
sweet review ...thanks.
+최재혁 Thank you!
Ken
Are the jackets sized larger since they are meant to be worn over plate carriers etc? If I was wearing this as a regular jacket, would I probably want to size down?
I’m confused. Is this supposed to provide warmth as well as wind/water protection? Or just wind/water protection? I am looking for something that is going to be warm enough for 20 degree’s with 50 mile an hour winds.
This paired with a fleece good to go?
What's the difference between this one with the grey gortex and the one made by tennier with the silver lining?
I was wondering the same thing
marine corps version of this? you mean the desert marpat version of it, right? when could I see that review? btw is this gen 3 level 6 multicam gore tex good enough for rain protection? I tried the level 5 softshell in heavy rain and an hour later, I was soaking wet :(
Do you rhino that going with my standard bdu size will work fine for the jacket and trousers? I don't want to end up not getting the pants on over. Are the level 6 cut to be larger to accommodate within the same bdu size?
Sweet piece of kit man, love it, how about the price? Thanks, Konrad
I just checked Ebay and there was a set going for $104.50 starting price. They vary from seller to seller. Anywhere from $100-$300 so you just need to look around.
kjumper1 yea, i was checking too, for sure worth a buy, thanks for your reply man, realy like your vidoes btw, thanks again, Konrad
You bet! Thank you very much :)
Ken
Is there a sizing chart for these so we know what the sizing ratings are calibrated to?
+LefteyeRighthand Here is a website that breaks down the different military sizes. Hope this helps?
www.armystudyguide.com/content/army_board_study_guide_topics/uniforms/army-combat-uniform-acu-s.shtml
Ken
Thanks for the detailed review. Any idea how to wear these in deep snow? Would you recomend tucking into boots or over them?
I haven't had the opportunity to test these particular model of trousers in snowy conditions, but it would be safe to say that they would do just fine. As far as wearing them in the snow I would highly recommend wearing snow gaiters with them. You could either wear the gaiters on the outside of the trousers or under them depending on how deep the snow would be that you would be walking through. I have personally always worn them on the outside of the GoreTex trousers. Hope this information helped?
Ken
+kjumper1 thank you very much for the well put together information. I am from California, and gaiters didn't cross my mind. You made many future trips much more enjoyable
My pleasure Thomas!
Just want to work out your trouser and jacket is the
medium and short size? THank you , looking for one on ebay, your response is greatly appreaciated
The parka is a Large Regular and the trousers are Large Regular as well. If you do a Google Image search for
ECWS Goretex Size Chart
You will see all the different measurements for each size parka and trousers.
Thanks for the reply, I used to have the HElikon and they are hot as hell when I used them in summer just for a rain jacket..... do you think the one u have got on is better than HElikon ?@@kjumper1
Good afternoon!
Tell please how much is all summer set of clothes for the soldier and what there enters?
Hey boss, how's the durability on these gen iii's? I have a set but I haven't really put them through their paces, so to speak. I know the Gen 2 set that I have is bomber. What's been your experience? Thanks.
Good informative video. I have been looking for something lightweight in goretex. What are the MSN numbers for the top and bottom?
wbaisjeff The NSN are displayed at 6:07 and 6:18. They are listed as Stock Numbers. Here is a link to Armyproperty.com for a full listing of NSNs for all 7 levels of the Gen III issue items.
www.armyproperty.com/Resources/NSN-Listings/ECWCS.htm
Hope this helps!
Ken
Thank you
wbaisjeff Very welcome!
For some stupid reason, I was issued both the jacket and pants but was told to return the pants. Oh yea, I'll stay nice and dry except for half of my body.
Sounds like the gold old standby to reduce costs: underequip soldiers in garrison. Were you active or reserves?
I make those pants for a living... and they don't have to have the black tag for them to be real. We only do government and commercial contracts, marine, navy, Air Force and army. And we don't put the black tags in...
Patricia Allen which company do you work for?
Where do y'all keep finding this stuff? I haven't even been issued it yet.
Sorry to bother you again, would it be possible for you to tell me what sized dry bag/compression sack the system would fit in (excluding levels 3 & 4). I've spent months searching and I have no clue weather or not it would all work together. Much thanks :).
+Alex Stewart A large dry bag would be ideal for everything. Better to have more room than not enough. The bag I use is a large and everything I carry in my BOB fits with extra room. Hope it helps.
Ken
kjumper1 Do you know the liter count on your large drybag? Thank you.
The ILBE assault bag which I use is 56 liters and the larger ILBE main bag is 65 liters.
Thank you very much, and thank you for your past service.
+Alex Stewart You're very welcome and thanks
Do you recommend the Jacket for a daily use in winter?
Yes, but definitely with insulating layers underneath
Спасибо! Было интересно!
Excellent review! Thanks!
+krobak47 Thanks
Ken