Updated review DPM cotton smock

[Lightspeed]

OP kindly donated one of these DPM jackets to me last year, when I was trying to identify the ancient British Army Jacket that I had been using as a "Chore coat" as our friend MB would put it.

Since then I've identified that my old and much beloved jacket ( somewhat worn-out) is a 68 field DPM model. Its made of a cotton duck type canvass and is fully lined in cotton. Its snug fitting and length, kind of mid-bum length.

The newer version described in this OP is made of Polyester-cotton mix. It has turned out to be a surprisingly good bit of kit, and one that has seen it become the first choice jacket for dog-walking, whenever conditions are windy, wet, or cold. I've never been a fan of camo gear as daily wear, but this thing has proven so good that its overridden the old view.

It turns out that there are a couple of variations of the 95 model

Original Poly-Cotton, which comes in several versions: Removable hood, fixed hood, also with and without rank slide holder on the front, and with or without small (Knife?) pocket on the left shoulder.

Updated Rip-stop version, again coming in several versions: Removable hood, fixed hood, also with and without rank slide holder on the front, and with or without small (Knife?) pocket on the left shoulder.

There is also another version that I have yet to lay my hands upon. This one is often described as Special forces version in the adverts ( probably untrue) and sells for a premium price of more than 3x the normal versions. Its principal differences are reinforcement to shoulders and elbows, and the addition of what I can best describe as a button-down poacher's pocket across the bum. It certainly looks a good bit of kit, but I cannot justify the extra cost.

We now have a collection of these jackets for all of the family. We feel that the Poly-cotton is superior to the rip-stop versions and this was bit of a surprise.

Hoods: The built-in hood is very effective, coming with a wire snow peak and an internal draw-string to create a close fit around the face. The press to release toggle stops have a useful clip on their ends that clips the hood against the upturned collar below the chin. This arrangement has tested to be very effective at keeping out cold, wind and driven rain/snow. The down-side to the hood is that when stowed, it is quite cumbersome to rucksack straps, dog leads etc.

Removable hood: I've just ordered a button-on removable hood. It hasn't arrived yet, but I'll update this review once we've played with it a little.

Shell only: These jackets are un-lined shells. For cold conditions its necessary to wear base layers with them. They are generously cot so no size adjustment is needed. I've been using the thermal liner of a German Flackentarn (sp?) field jacket and its proven toasty in everything I've ventured out into since last spring.

Conclusion: For our use, the best one to go for is the Poly-cotton hooded version with shoulder pocket and rank slide (useful for clipping stuff against the chest) At around £20 for a completely pristine unissued one, its something of a must have.

If you read this NR, thankyou for opening my eyes to this amazing bit of kit.