REQ: Latvian Digi Uniform, info

[Britboy]

Evening all.

Recently saw a pic on MP.net of Latvian troops in their new togs. The jacket and trousers are ACU design, and digitally patterned, but the pixels are larger than usual and the colours are more rustic than grey.

A quick search led me to this website:

http://www.mod.gov.lv/Nacionalie%20brunotie%20speki/NBS%20jaunais%20formas%20terps.aspx

And the English version is reached by clicking the 'English' tab on the left column twice, then clicking on National Armed Forces tab, then the 'new field uniform' story.

Now, a few questions to anyone who may be in the know.

A) Is it possible to buy the Latvian uniform commercially? Obviously wouldn't be able to wear it for mil stuff, but I am a bit of a collector as well (or just have a penchant for unusual kit p-)), so does anyone know anywhere that sells it? Google hasn't helped me find a Latvian army surplus store :(

B) On the Latvian-language page there are 2 more pics than on the English language one. The guy in the centre picture, left hand side - is that a Snugpak Softy jacket he is wearing, but in brown with a patch on the arm? Looks like his jacket has got the same white-and-orange pull tab on the zipper as my Softie does...

Clicking on the PDF link just above the pics takes you to more detail on the new kit, and they have a pic of a Snugpak Sleeka jacket on there, but in green (along with a lot of other kit in old colours like US Woodland ECWCS). So did Latvia get Snugpak to make them jackets in brown to suit the multi-environment digicam?

And are they buying US PCU underlayers too, as seen on that PDF?

If there are any Latvians on MP.net I'd be v interested to hear what the new kit is like, and where I could buy such a distinctive set of cammies :)


Cheers!
BB

[Trenk]

check thread about latvian SUV (SF), you can see couple of pics there... what I read is that the pattern is from swedish Barracuda company, and it´s developed for arid areas, but latvians took it like universal pattern, for whatever reason...
PS: hey latvian members, that SUV thread is sleeping pretty long time, what about some more pics and info??:-) Thanks

[Britboy]

Cheers for that, I saw the SUV thread on here, one of the things that kinda provoked my interest in getting a set of these distinctive cammies.

I also read on the PDF on that page, the English one, it said that Latvia wants a uniform that camouflaged well in built-up areas since more and more people live in the cities rather than the countryside. But it must also be decent in rural areas. And it must say 'Republic of Latvia' when someone looks at it, not US Woodland.

Are you a Latvian serviceman Trenk? What do you think of the new kit?

[Trenk]

No I am not, but I served together with latvian guy, who was pretty hispeed, I was amazed how proficient he was. So I also wanted to get some more info about latvian SF, but there is not much on the internet, sh.t doesn´t count

[Britboy]

Ah, goodo. I noticed on that SUV thread, people had the impression that the Latvian Armed Forces were really developing into a potent force.

Also, found this:
http://www.maldenmills.com/contentmgr/showdetails.php/id/1427
If you click on the PDF link on the right, you will see what they are buying from Polartec.

Cheers
BB

[Trenk]

it´s designed by Saab Barracuda, maybe you can get some uniforms on this site: http://www.brasa.lv/

[Britboy]

Cheers, thanks a lot for that!

I'd searched for Saab and Barracuda, and it did come up with outdoors/field kit makers, but they were based all over, such as in Australia...

So I will now get reading that website you put up!

Regards
BB

[Kachinjsh]

Hey! Sorry for a late post, but the main thing basically is that you can not buy that uniform or any part of the kit except for the Bates M9 boots. This is mainly because the uniforms are made exclusively for Latvian armed services and MOD has decided that they are not going to be sold commercially. Don't ask me why, because I don't know!
As far as the brown poop color parka goes, it's a weird cold weather thing and there is also another one that comes in the digital pattern, but it's not for the cold winters.
All the stuff in old US woodland camo featured in that PDF is the digital pattern and frankly I don't know why they are shown otherwise.

[Britboy]

Ohh a shame it isnt available, its a v unique pattern! I wonder if its a case of potential security, or if other people are allowed to have it but just no-one has decided to sell it. I suppose its possible for the sale of this kit to be against the law if they really wanted no risk of imposters etc!

Yes that brown coat looks like a Snugpak jacket, or 'Softy', lots of British troops use them but you can only get them in green. Starting to make them in that kind of colour might be good for the company since if they can provide their kit in that shade of brown it might attract other countries' servicemen and even maybe contracts - countries who issue brown/coyote/universal coloured kit rather than olive green.

Good to hear that the kit featured in woodland is now in the Latvian digital though, it looks a very distinctive pattern, so people will instantly associate it with your country, compared to however many other countries have used US woodland.

[wildcat]

as a side not, I really like the Latvian camo.

[Britboy]

I kind've want to get a set and see how it works in real life since its pretty bold. Could get a Latvian shirt and a DPM one for example, hang them up in the woods and see what happens.

Plus it'd just be an immensely rare gucci pattern to have summat in, and would also be goodo for playing opfor/third parties in exercises.