The time has come for a new set of Digital Woodland. My issue US issue MARPAT has seen better days, my gear has worn a hole through it and it's faded at least several shades from continuous wash and wear. So our friends at Airsoft Park had asked me to evaluate some new gear, and I decided maybe it was best to get with the times and get myself a modded combat uniform.
So I had them send over the Emerson Gen2 Official Tactical Training Uniform ($105.99) in digital woodland, size XL. BE WARNED: THESE RUN SMALL. Take the size you normally wear and order the next one up if you plan on buying. The sizing chart here is obviously not for fat Americans. US issue XL pants would look like MC Hammer pants on me, but the Emerson pants look like skinny jeans. (The younger kids are wondering what an MC Hammer is and where they can buy one).
About The Uniform
The combat shirt is a 65% polyester 35% cotton ripstop blend. There's pockets sewn into the tops of the sleeves with Velcro for patches and/or name tapes, removable plastic neoprene backed elbow pads attached by Velcro, Velcro tightening fasteners on the cuffs, and a full collar with front zipper. The collar is nice to have, considering some other combat shirts have t-shirt collar that leaves your neck exposed. The t-shirt material on the torso of the combat shirt also extends into the arm pits to make it more breathable.
The trousers are also a 65% polyester 35% cotton ripstop blend. They feature the same plastic neoprene backed integrated knee pads with Velcro attachment. They've got large sturdy belt loops with enough clearance for thick utility or rigger's belts. There's standard trouser pockets on both sides as one would expect, large utility pockets with Velcro on the sides, back pockets with Velcro, 2 small utility pouches located front thigh, and finally 2 small utility pouches on the sides near the end of the pant cuff. There's Velcro tightening fasteners on the pant cuff and also behind the knee pads. The waist is not adjustable, and features a Velcro fastener with a standard zipper.
The final feature to note would be the elastic materials around the knee pads and above the buttocks, allowing for more flexibility. And here I was thinking the elastic on the butt was a fart vent, in the case of most Airsofters this is probably true.
Material Quality
The colors and pattern are spot-on. I can't really notice much of a difference when I compare the pattern to my actual US issue MARPAT boonie cover. The color has also held fast through 1 wash so far and a game in the blaring sun light.
Most of the seams and the material seem solid. The collar on the combat shirt is very sturdy, and a nice option when you want to protect your neck from being shot or stop that cheap sling from digging into your neck. It's a welcome alternative to combat shirts with t-shirt style collars. The arm pockets are very secure, I prefer zippers to Velcro but these aren't bad. There's plenty of room for a team patch or an AP patch if you are cool enough to have one.
The knee pads held up well. Being a long time user of external knee pads, I was afraid that these would get snagged on things and tear my pants, but so far they've been holding up fine. I really like how they stay in place, there's nothing more annoying than having your knee pads on your feet by the middle of the day. These are easy to remove by simply detaching Velcro that's attached under a folded seam in the pants.
The elbow pads however, they're probably going to die. I've already ripped some stitching off one of the elbow pads. There's a single stitch line attaching the plastic part of the pad to the neoprene backing, I'm pretty sure this one is going to fall off after the next use. That's unfortunate, but luckily you can order replacement pads if need be. These were more difficult to remove, by the nature of the design you'll probably end up ripping the plastic cap from the neoprene backing by removing it often. Honestly I don't plan on using the elbow pads anyway.
Conclusion
Considering the price of purchasing a base camo set and having mods done yourself, or taking the time to do it yourself (time is money), the Emerson uniforms are a decent value in my opinion. There's minor weakness around some areas such as the elbow pads, but if you are clumsy like me you pretty much plan on ruining BDUs and having to buy new ones often. If you aren't a DIY kind of guy and you want a modded uniform, this is probably the cheapest and quickest way to get one.
You can find Emerson uniforms and other Emerson products at Airsoft Park.