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By: Mad Matt
My introduction to modern Russian camouflage was in a news article that pictured Mikhail Kalishnilkov wearing what impressed me as one of the more distinct, disruptive and effective camo patterns I had seen to date, one long absent from modern inventories. Horizontal “tiger” striped and based on a brown dominant theme it stood out among it’s woodland green and desert contemporaries. Containing dark red brown , khaki earth yellow and dark forest green and small similarly patterned areas of black it gives the appearance of jungle underbrush, the browns of tree trunks and dead fronds, as well as the living greens of other foliage. In certain parts of the world this pattern and coloration is next to perfect. Research and a reintroduction to the hobby of uniform collecting revealed this new camo to be called ”Kamysh” , Russian for “cane”, it’s use intended to be in tropical environments. The uniform I soon acquired from a friend in St. Petersburg , an M7 model BDU, is made of a light weight sail cloth material with plenty of ventilation in the arms and crotch to accommodate use in hot and humid environments.
DESCRIPTION The uniform set consists of jacket with two chest and sleeve pockets, an internal map pocket and one small pocket on the lower right sleeve near the cuff:
The pockets all run vertically, no slant as with American “MARPAT” BDUs and all secure with medium size covered buttons, the chest pockets having two and the sleeve pockets having one each.
The jacket secures down the front similarly, with a total of six buttons, four hidden and two exposed. The small lower arm / sleeve pocket is the only one having a Velcro closure.
There is an adjustable elastic band that runs the bottom of the jacket and buttons to one side allowing the wearer to tighten the lower jacket around the waist. Epaulets with rank sliders button on the shoulders.
The pants have cargo pockets on the front thighs ,with two covered buttons, large enough to dump magazines or to store MREs etc but they do not expand across the bottom as do U.S. bdu cargo pockets nor is there any accommodation for water drainage.
The one left side rear pocket, secured by Velcro, expands on one side and across the bottom.
Hand warmer pockets are spacious and could hold a magazine if necessary.
Two specialty pockets, set to the rear on each hip, are provided for knives and flairs. The knife pocket secures its cover flap vertically with two metal snaps, covering the handle of the carried knife, the blade and sheath slipping into a form fitting lower pouch.
The flair pouch has two sections with elastic retainers under a single flap held down by Velcro.
Three hidden buttons are topped by two more to secure the fly.
The waist is elasticized and is not adjustable but can be further tightened with the addition of a belt ,the loops allowing for one up to 2.5 inches wide. Knees are reinforced and padded. By opening the Velcro strip on the bottom of the knee the foam pads slide right out. Lastly the lower ends of the legs contain “sand traps” a section of material stitched into the inside of the leg made to be tied around the ankles and tucked into boots. The outer leg section is then pulled down over the boot and bloused around the shin with elastic.
The Jungle hat , Boonie to some and Panama to others, has four metal grommets for ventilation and a chin strap that adjusts with plastic fastener. It does not have foliage loops or other an inner sweat band.
FIELD TEST
I first spent a few evenings wearing this uniform around the house before a trek out into the local wilderness. I am not particularly fond of synthetic material blends in clothing, preferring cottons and twills etc, but given the light weight nature of this design it is acceptable. It was rather noisy, at first ,but with use and washings it has become much quieter. Whether tucked into the pants or hanging loose the jacket was well fit, roomy and has no restrictions to movement. Same with the pants. The button holes wear very tight , initially, but they have loosened up with use. The metal snaps of the “knife” pocket are difficult to use and can annoy if you roll across them. To date I have not lost one button, had a tear, nor has the suit needed repairs.
The northern California temps are mild this time of year (50 to 60 F) and I immediately noticed how thin the material feels. Once I dressed in layers I was quite comfortable. Again this uniform and material were designed for warmer climates.
With warmer temps I began to appreciate the ventilation of the armpits, crotch and the button hole down the jackets front. All this keep body temps comfortable. The material seems to soak up sweat well enough, but again I would have preferred a cotton rip stop material like my old issue BDUs. The material’s real virtues shine in hot weather as you immediately appreciate it’s thin, light weight nature.
The Jungle hat feels rather thin in direct sunlight and at some point I plan a trip to the tailor to add a liner to the top for more protection from the sun. Wind protection is adequate, again for a lighter weight uniform.
All pockets were accessible while wearing my Load Bearing Vest (review to follow) and there was no annoying rubbing from buttons. The thigh cargo pockets , however , should be moved to the outer leg , like US BDUs , as they do not feel comfortable to me, when in use.
Concealment in the browns of northern California summers and winters is very good, filling a much needed gap in my inventory of woodland green, Vietnam tiger stripe, and desert tan buds. One can easily find concealment among the undergrowth, dried grasses, branches, and leaves. The Jungle hat’s lack of foliage loops annoyed me as it left my head without brush to disrupt my shape.
I have washed the uniform several times, cold water by hand, and found that it dries fast, has not noticeably faded, and has relaxed considerably.
RECOMENDATIONS / MODIFICATIONS I would make some recommendations and changes, the first being to slant the jacket pockets, remove the specialty pockets , move the cargo pockets to the side like US BDUs, and redesign the pocket flaps to utilize only one ,slightly larger, button. The Jungle hat could use foliage loops , reinforcement of the top, and a more comfortable sweat band.
CONCLUSION My overall impression of this uniform is very good. A smart well made BDU that provides the wearer much needed cover in a browner, drier environment. It’s light weight though sturdy material allows users to dress in layers when needed, yet to remain cool on warmer days. From the “sand traps“ that keep dirt and grim out of boots, the padded knees, to the ventilated crotch and armpits this is one well designed uniform.
All in all I am impressed with the quality and design of this BDU. It has proven comfortable to wear, accommodating to the storage needs of the user, and very effective as concealment in the bush. If this is typical of modern Russian combat utilities , I can look forward to collection, wearing and reviewing many of Russia’s other new uniforms!
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