RAID Modifying BDU's

[Tombstone]

Forgive me if there is already a thread about this. I thought there was, but 30 minutes on the search bar turned up nothing.

I have an old woodland BDU blouse here that I want to RAID modify. Has anybody done this before? Can they point me to a good guide?

I just have the blouse now, but I'm also interested in if anybody has ever modified the pants as well?

[Nec]

PM D. Chauon the TAC forums, he's done this many of times.

[-Shifty-]

Talk to Rico also. He told me how to RAID mod my woodie camo.

[Beran]

i know what needs to be done, but i've never done it. i have a couple of blouses i want to modify over to raid, i just haven't taken the time to do it.

[Redmoney]

Someone should make a guide, then stickie it.

[Tombstone]

Someone should make a guide, then stickie it.

If somebody would be so kind as to link a guide, or write one, I will see to it that it is stickied.

[Tombstone]

I'd rather not have to open another account on a different site to get an answer to this question.

[Limpy]

I'd rather not have to open another account on a different site to get an answer to this question.

Aha, that makes sense. He has an account on AP, and I talk to him frequently on Facebook. It'd be a simple job of PMing him on AP, mailing whatever you need RAIDed, and the PayPalling whatever he charges, which I think is $20 or something.

Everyone I know who has dealt with Chau have been satisfied, as far as they've told me.

[Tombstone]

Ah, and there is the rub.
I want to do it myself. On the cheap, as it were.

[Order_66]

It's just moving the bottom pockets to the top, slanted if you want them, and moving the upper pockets to the arms at a angle. Also adding velcro to the arm pockets. Another part of the Raid mod is having a mandrin style collar, but that is a little more involved than just moving pockets around.

[Rico]

I modified my woodland BDUs for the SEALs loadout for the BSP impression series. There are a couple ways you can do this, on the cheap.



First, order velcro, it might take a while to arrive so get on that. I got mine here: http://www.veltye.com/inc/sdetail/110

I got OD velcro, but I have seen photos with black, sage, and coyote brown also, so it's all up to you.

Next, get a seem ripper. This is going to be really important. If you or your mom doesn't have one, they are 99 cents at a fabric store.

I took the bottom pockets off of my woodland BDUs, but some people prefer to use the top pockets because they are smaller.

You don't really need either set of pockets on the blouse, but some people move the large pockets up to the chest and the small pockets to the arms.

Once you have your pockets carefully removed with the seam ripper, cut two square velco patches and two rectangular velcro patches to fit the pocket and the pocket flap. Leave some space around the edges for sewing.

I decided to keep the button on the flap because I don't like how loud velcro is, if you do this, you have to be carful not to sew the velcro rectangle over the button slits. The other option is to remove the buttons and user velcro on the inside flap to secure the pocket down.

When you sew on the velcro, I prefer a sewing machine. Sew around the perimeter and then sew an "X" though it to keep it fasted to the fabric.

One the velcro is all sewn onto both pockets and both flaps, line them up on the shoulders using the seem on the should to split of 1/3 of the pocket. 2/3 of the pocket should be on the front facing side of that seam.

They should be about 2-3 inches down from the shoulder seam.

Pin the pockets in place and then carefully try the jacket on to make sure the pockets line up with each other and appear to be in the right place for you.

I used OD thread, you can get it pretty much anywhere that sells thread.

I used a sewing machine to sew the top and bottom of the pockets onto the jacket, but sewed the sides by hand. It only takes about 15 minutes per pocket to do it all by hand, but probably not as good of a stitch. Make sure to double thread the needle if you sew it by hand.

[Tombstone]

Rico shoots, HE SCORES!!!
Thank you!

[Rico]

You are very welcome.

[Jewish Ninja]

Tombstone, I have a RAID modded woodie top you can borrow if you need a visual to work off

[Tombstone]

I may take you up on that.
I sat down to take the seam ripper to my top, and reached for the left breast pocket to find that it wasn't there O_o
So now I've got to hit goodwill or A&B for a new set of woodland bdu's.