We Need Better Pants
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30 August 2011
Kandahar Province, Afghanistan
Task Force Spartan
Rip, rend and slash are all in a day’s work here. Yet I have never seen so many troops with so many pairs of pants that are ready to fall off.
Last week this mortar crew was firing at some people who were trying to kill us. We have plenty of ammo. No complaints there. On the larger bases, the gyms are outstanding. The dining facilities have ice cream. Our troops are supremely outfitted and resourced, and so this missive is specific in nature and not a general resourcing indictment. Generally speaking, we are good to go in Afghanistan, other than never having had enough troops and aviation having been an issue at times and places. But overall, no complaints on the way units are outfitted. Five stars. The outfitting is so good that it’s embarrasing to complain. My tent has airconditioner. The showers have hot water. I live far rougher (other than the bombs and bullets) on some of my vacations. That’s a fact. But since we are talking about pants in combat, it’s worthwhile to say something.
Combat operations last week: body bags make okay sleeping bags.
The troops need better pants. For every ripped image here, I’ve seen many others. Usually the troops will duct tape their pants together, or sew when time permits. When your pants rip at midnight and you still have hours to move before sunlight, you might be wearing shorts and sporting bleeding legs before there is a chance to sew. I saw one troop who had sewn his trousers with parachute cord. (Must have used a knife for a needle.)
The End
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Comments
Are there available solutions that would solve the problem, without leading to supply-line problems or increasing pack weight/decreasing breathability? I sure see the justification, but is this a wish or something that could be rolled out with the proper will?
Surely it's not cost, considering that a day's ammo probably cost more than a year's pants.
While I understand the sentiment -- I don't think he's running the sewing machines, if you get my drift. Procurement...
Seems like a crotch gusset and some extra stitching could solve most of the problems. The other photo, with a broken beltloop and some small tears is normal wear. Anyone figures out how to keep beltloops attached is up for a Nobel. Eventually, they just tear loose from the base cloth.
Hey -- fund the new pants and build awareness. Ship combat-used pants back before they're a complete loss and sell at a premium as a fashion line... "War Shots" or something like that.
'Course, if they're dropping hotshots of water and ammo together, I doubt pants are high on the priority list.
PS. Michael, the 234th over at FOB Ramrod is waiting for a visit from you, maybe you could spend a coule of weeks running with them too.
Stay Safe
BTW, I love use of the cargo pants pocket for a bottle. It seems I do have something in common with soldiers.
Multi-cam, ACU, DCU, BDU, makes no difference. Only ones I've never seen tear like that were the old heavy or 'winter weight' cloth BDUs. And I wouldn't want to wear those in the heat in Af-stan or Iraq.
I think the solution would be to expand the reinforcing patch that currently covers the backside part of the crotch (visible in the pic of the sleeping troop) to overlap the inseam over both legs, down the knee, by about 2-3". Could get tricky, because you don't want to cover up the fly.
WTF
Having spent my career in coveralls, I can vouch that the finest fabric in the world, save for something that doesn't breathe, is going to rip...and going to rip right there. Duct tape sewing is unfortunately the general solution, until later. I do like the idea of giving this problem to some HS/College students and seeing if they can design a better pant. Or better yet, give it to Under Armor...I'm sure they could figure something out.
The comment above about speedballing water and ammo in reflects reality. Your out on a long op with minimal supplies its hard to rustle up a spare set of breechs. Sleep in the dirt, crawl in the dirts, sweat, kneel, sweat, run, sweat and jump. Then repeat for days in what ever guuci pants you have and eventualy you will blow out the crotch.
Did you miss the part about: "The outfitting is so good that it’s embarrasing to complain."
I've torn BDUs, ACUs, FRACUs, AC2Us, etc. in the same way. Every set of BDUs I took to Ranger school was sewn up in the crotch by the time it was over. You get guys with big legs (especially big thighs), and those pants will rip out constantly.
Once the guys and gals in the procurement chain figure out the best solution it will be fielded, it may take a whole career for it to get fielded though, seeing how slow the system responds to such issues!
I hear they have the latest in running foot wear
I'm not an Obama supporter by any stretch of the imagination, but this isn't his fault or problem IMO. It's an issue for the commanders/pentagon to deal with - if they feel they need to.
There is a new "Combat Pant" coming similar to the Crye Precision pant that should be even better. I like Michael a lot, but he left some info out here and left some of you commenters expressing thoughts that are already well known by the military and have been or are being addressed.
mech
I have the answer to a better pair of pants. Actually so much better that you won't believe it. I am a professional tree climber. My pants cost nearly $200 a pair, and take much more of a beating than my BDUs did back in my service days. I buy two pairs at a time, and wear them a day or two before throwing them in the wash. Two pairs last approx. 6 years of grueling abuse before I'll finally get a tear, and usually then it's minor, but I retire them because any repair, stitching will causes chaffing to my legs.
These are awesome. Absolutely awesome...and the comfort level beats the hell out of anything else.
http://www.arborwear.com/products/pants/ascender-pants
Yet Bush was supposed to be on top of EVERYTHING when he was in office?? He was personally blamed for anything the soldiers didn't have, so guess what...Obama might as well be personally sitting at the sewing machine, because he isn't doing ANYTHING else except sinking us further into a financial hole!
The Army has never taught sewing to soldiers, and even if they did, it's not possible to take off and sew up your pants while you're occupied on a mission, which is usually when you get the blowout. That aside, the material in the ACU is so flimsy that they defy stitches, and rip from the weight of the thread a few days after they've been repaired.
PS lol at the bottom pic, peepshow time!
http://www.military.com/news/article/combat-pants-rushed-to-afghanistan.html
this isn't news to those of us who had the first generation ACU's. It's why soldiers started wearing boxers after going commando for a generation at least (that's for chafing and hygiene reasons, not social).
Sound slike quick action to rectify a problem.
All the best, Mike.
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