British 1970s DPM Tropical Combat Uniform

A look at the 1970s/early 1980s British issue DPM tropical combat uniform.
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[@muskett4108]

The DPM did change over time, the earliest with more colour-ways and the dots. Almost identical to early windproofs. Brighter print as then they didn't go dark when wet, and jungles are wet. The zip and buttoning up was to jeep creepy crawlies out. "Jungles" weren't generally allowed in Norther Ireland due to the proliferation of petrol bombs and polyester melting to the skin. They were seen all about Brecon. The draw cord was to accommodate weight loss from water loss as the body naturally sheds water in hot climates. Fully hydrated and not is about 10%body mass, or 2" on the belt. Lastly, there was a way to role up the sleeves so the "white" back of the cloth doesn't show with sleeves rolled up. Combat 95 was heavily influenced by the design.

[@AnvilAirsoftTV]

70s Tropical! Peak DPM.

[@richthompson1234]

Tucked in....in barracks, untucked....in the field. Cyprus 79-80 😁. Also, many of us had rucksack covers made for us by a local civvy tailor in 'downtown' Larnaca, out of the same lightweight DPM material. Good memory trigger 👍.

[@Rkolb2798]

I found them very comfortable to wear , the shirt still fits but as for the trousers I think they shrunk in the wash 😊

[@davewellings6281]

Funnily enough my whole suit has shrunk over the years....Must have been a bad batch!

[@Rkolb2798]

Funny that 😊

[@billgriffin7346]

It's something to do with the humidity in your wardrobe!

[@chrissheppard5068]

The only uniform they got right that along with the Arctic Winter uniform in particular the jacket windproof smock. The combat 95 incorporated the best of both and even more so now.

[@DavidSherratt-xo3sb]

I can remember that we wore the jacket with the plain green denim's. Plus for a while we were issued with 37 / 44 pattern webbing, & M 16 armalite rifles. David

[@Yandarval]

Jungle trousers took a lovely crease on the rare times I had to parade in combats.

[@andrewhaddock7996]

The idea behind the zip and button fly was to stop things getting in and holding wild parties in your joy Division.

[@mikel6517]

Best issued combat kit “ever” the tropical shirt and trousers. These and the JHW are the only items I kept after leaving.

[@misolgit69]

as the (really) old joke goes...ah Tropical Kit I remember her well also worn by those lucky enough to get everything as a second base layer or first intermediate layer under various arctic issue wear due to its quick drying capabilities

[@johnhughes8016]

I still have a pair of those trousers, in that exact colour... issued in the early 90’s, and believe it or not, they still fit.... often used when walking the dog and working in the garden.... love them still. Went from DPM and left in MTP in 2014......

[@GavTatu]

30 years later, still got my shirt. two pairs of trousers i have worn till they were unwearable. my original trousers was the day glo dpm.

[@davidsayer3325]

Great design and material, wore these for Operation Granby before desert pattern was issued 😊

[@keithorbell8946]

I have mine I was issued on a 3-Week familiarisation visit to the resident infantry battalion in Belize 1991 as a Potential Officer. Amazingly the jacket still fits, possibly a letter pattern with the right upper-arm field dressing pocket.

[@petesheppard1709]

DPM--I'm a Yank, but this is my hands-down favorite camo pattern! Except for those trousers--'garish' is an understatement...Pity the troopie who fell in wearing that jacket and trousers!

[@Tancred2494]

The button up collar was good for keeping insects out, especially the midges in Scotland.

[@taquilla46militaria4]

Hola a todos! Sr. Moore, como siempre un trabajo estupendo. Lo felicito! Por mi parte y en relación al tema del color tan claro y llamativo de este patrón antiguo tropical puedo decir algo que escuché no se donde. Al ser un uniforme para utilizarse en zonas tropicales que, aunque sea de secado mucho más rápido que los otros más gruesos, en patrullas o combate irremediablemente se va a mojar por el sudor. Bien, al mojarse la tela, cualquier tela, se oscurece, correcto? Entonces si introducían unos colores más oscuros éstos al mojarse harían que el camo casi desaparezca, se vería como una prenda por decirlo así casi negra. Es por eso que subieron los tonos hacia tonalidades mucho más claras para que una vez mojados o humedecidos se oscurecieran pero no tanto como para perder totalmente sus cualidades en la jungla. Espero haberme explicado bien. Es aceptarlo o no...

[@mattvye9228]

The army should've just issued this as Standard it was just better than having the useless 84 pattern rubbish issued throughout the 80/90s it was hardish wearing and like you said quick drying unlike the temperate which stayed wet for days,a better combat jacket could've been designed to go with it saving money on the temperate trousers it deffo influenced the soldier 95 uniform I do believe the Paras adopted as there working dress eventually,it was typical everything that was actually not bad was only issued in hot & cold theatres then you had to give it back! During the late 80s and 90s British soldiers spent there money on buying surplus tropicals/Windproofs etc as the temperate was crap and showed that the British soldier knew what worked!,and yes the tropical jacket was mainly worn tucked in to my annoyance as it confused the drill pigs who loved uniformity lol I always got bollocked for wearing it correctly 😂

[@neilcastell6951]

before CS95 was issued, i used to wear a pair of jungle trousers and a para smock when in the field, (as i understand it, last production run of jungle uniforms was around 1988/89 and it was noticeably darker shade of dpm)

[@Bones-912L]

Loved my trops, grandson nicked the trousers for fishing ,seems shrinking in the wash is a common fault 😂

[@davewellings6281]

1970's .....These are the DPM colours I found the best. Nice contrasting colours. As the 1980's/90's came and went it just got darker and darker.

[@SafetyProMalta]

Kept my second issued set and paid the fine after returning from Cyprus. Still packed away somewhere and no way in hell would they fit me now 😂 Known as no9 dress I think.

[@Tancred2494]

I almost exclusively wore my tropics.

[@arndmarx480]

In the classic "The Wild Geese" they wore it.

[@stevethomas5849]

With Doc Martens and Uzi's.

[@user-ov6fn4yh9m]

I got a pair of New Zealand dpm that’s almost identical to this

[@mikel6517]

There was also a airtex vest issued to go with them to keep the hot shirt off your skin, far better than a cotton t shirt

[@SafetyProMalta]

And the airtex undies....🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️

[@mikel6517]

Thankfully never got them

[@jaws666]

So how many "offical" variants of these govt issued DPM uniforms are there

[@mac4564]

I served from 99-12, so caught the tail end of temprates, obviously wore CS95 and onto MTP. Always wore trop trousers on exercise before MTP. But never got why they had button belt loops, can anyone tell me the reason or logic behind it?

[@TimStamper89]

I'm really digging the very recent uptick in videos released Hopefully the exams went well ?

[@davidbrennan660]

Junglies!

[@bill8784]

Nice looking shirt jacket.

[@muwuny]

Do you know when the green buttons were introduced to replace the brown ones? And similarly, do you know when they changed to metric sizing?

[@carlstirling103]

I love these.trying to find the shirt in 190/120 and 85/104/120 in trousers. I have the 85/96/112 they barely fit but are great 👍

[@lib556]

I always wondered about the 'funky' colour shades. I also wondered ... why a zip closure in tropical environments? The poly/cotton mix is better for quick drying and strength. Our Canadian uniforms from 65 - 2000 in OD and then into CADPAT utilized that quick-drying material. It did have downsides, though. We jokingly called it 'shrink wrap' given it's flammable nature. In extreme climates (like Somalia) the cloth would get crusty with sweat and became quite raspy against the skin... like along the back of the neck.

[@DomFlan]

Pretty sure the zip closure along with the button on the collar was to try and keep the bugs out as much as possible

[@lib556]

@@DomFlan Tough balancing act: trying to keep bugs out while also trying to ventilate and stay cool.

[@planes124]

Nice, any more videos on 44' pattern webbing?

[@stevethomas5849]

Glam Rock DPM

[@smudd71]

I got hold of a suit of these in about 1982 much brighter I don’t remember the jacket having a zip ?

[@andrewhaddock7996]

Could anyone out there see the pen pocket??,

[@martinryder6910]

Whoever was responsible for the trousers DPM yellow chicken curry pattern should be flogged

[@dewiowen4538]

Combat 95 was copied off this as everyone was wearing it anyway.