Clothing | Prepper=Survivor

What is PCU (Protective Combat Uniform)?

Prepper Clothing, ECWCS, Winter November 23, 2015PCU, Protective Combat Uniform

>Protective Combat Uniform (PCU) Visual Guide

What is PCU (Protective Combat Uniform)

PDF: Protective Combat Uniform (PCU) Visual Guide Download

PCU stands for Protective Combat Uniform. This type of uniform is comprised of seven levels of clothing that are worn in layers in order to accommodate the conditions of a particular mission or environment. This could be an environment with varying weather conditions that bring about heat, cold, water, rain, wind or any other challenging atmospheric discharges that impact your ability to survive the area. The PCU will keep the person who wears it comfortable enough to endure these conditions without having to suffer through them or experience health complications from them.

You don’t necessarily have to wear all seven layers together. The layers of the PCU will typically be worn differently each time. It all depends on the conditions you anticipate yourself going into. Just choose the layers that will help protect you for whatever conditions you are about to face. You will not be removing or adding layers while you are in the environment, so you have to prepare the layers and wear them correctly in order to maximize your comfort level. The first level that gets worn next to the skin will usually be a silky fabric that absorbs moisture from your bodily sweat and then dries out fast. This fabric goes by the name “Polartec Power Dry.” It helps make sure your clothes aren’t soaked from constantly sweating all the time. This level will have boxer shorts and a crew neck T-shirt. The next layer will be made of a similar fabric, but will consist of pants and a long sleeve top that has an invisible zipper. This will assist in absorbing moisture from more areas of your body that the first layer doesn’t reach.

The third layer is a light jacket made out of a fabric called “Polartec Thermal Pro High Loft.” This is a water repellent fabric that will also help insulate the person and keep them warm in colder temperatures. The fourth layer is a microfiber material that also repels water, handles cold temperatures and works as a softer shell for the fifth layer. The fifth layer is the most important layer of the entire uniform. It consists of pants and a jacket that is made of soft shell fabric with fibers made of silicone, which makes it windproof and very stretchable. You can use this solely with the first and second layer to stay warm in cold weather conditions.

The sixth layer is a hard shell nylon jacket that is oversized in order to cover up your gear underneath. It also provides maximum ventilation through the armpit zippers and contains lots of pocket openings to store items. The final layer is used under extreme conditions only. It is a combination of a lightweight vest, jacket and pants that keeps you warm when it is wet. The encapsulated silicone fibers of the material removes water and will keep you warm with its Primaloft insulation material.

How to choose socks?

Prepper Advice, Clothing April 22, 2015choose, socks

How to choose socks?

Many people don’t think too hard about the socks they are going to wear for the day. They just look in their dresser drawer and grab the next pair of socks to wear without thinking twice. But it is important that you choose the right socks, especially when you go shopping for them at the store. The first factor about socks that you have to consider is whether you want cut socks or crew socks. Cut socks are the kind that you don’t roll up past your ankles. The top of the socks touch your ankles and it leaves the rest of your shins completely bare. On the other hand, crew socks are the ones you do roll up past your ankle. They usually cover about half your shin if you roll them all the way up. So which is better? It all depends on your environment. People wear crew socks in cold environments because it helps keep both their feet and legs warm. But if you are in a hot environment then you will want to keep your legs exposed to the open air, which means you need cut socks.

Another factor to consider about socks is the cushioning. There are some socks with extra cushioning on the bottom that add extra protection to your feet. This protection comes in handy if you have sensitive feet that frequently hurt from walking, which is often seen in people with flat feet. So if you have flat feet then you might want socks with this kind of cushioning. They also protect your feet when you walk around the house and step on a small object. These cushion socks are usually a few dollars more than the regular socks, which is a small investment for the amount of comfort it will give you on a day-to-day basis.

Besides your comfort, you have to decide upon the color of your socks. The most popular color choice for socks is white. However, this color shows dirt and stains a lot easier. So you might want to consider a darker color, like black or blue. Of course other people might judge you by the color of your socks. For example, there is a stereotype that people who wear colored socks are gay. It doesn’t even matter what color they are because anything other than black or white will be seen as strange. Now some people may be concerned about getting stereotyped like this while others could care less. What you need to remember is to just choose socks that you think make you look good.

What is Polartec? What is the difference between the different types of Polartec?

Prepper Clothing, Thermal underwear March 25, 2015Polartec

What is Polartec? What is the difference between the different types of Polartec?

USGI Military Polartec Silkweight Power Dry Thermal Underwear Pants

Polartec is a special company brand of thermal clothing made from advanced textiles. Their fabrics are designed for the sole purpose of keeping people warm during cold outdoor environmental conditions. The best part is their fabric is lightweight, so you won’t even feel like you’re wearing much clothing at all. But at the same time, you can walk around outside in low temperatures and feel protected from the cold. There are many Polartec fabric choices for you to choose from such as t-shirts, long underwear, pants and more. All Polartec clothing is easy to care for and do not hardly stain.
Polartec has gone beyond just dealing with thermal fabric insulation. They also design fabrics for wind protection, repelling water and flame resistance. Their Windbloc textiles are designed to make heavy wind conditions more comfortable for those that wear the fabric. Windbloc will block the power of the wind by reducing its impact on your body. So if you are in the middle of a thunderstorm, you will still be able to stay warm and comfortable when heavy winds are blowing in your direction. You could also mix this fabric with the Power Dry textiles. Power Dry is specifically designed to repel water, such as rain water from nasty weather. If you were to wear this as outerwear then you will reduce your chances of getting soaked during these rainy conditions as well.
Perhaps one of Polartec’s most impressive lines of textiles is the one that pertains to flame resistance. The Thermal FR, for example, is one of their fabrics that provide comfortable insulation in areas where there is intense heat. So if you are a firefighter or work in hot environmental conditions then you should definitely consider getting the Thermal FR, Power Dry FR or any of the other flame resistance clothing from Polartec. The best part is they are still lightweight, so you can wear them underneath your normal clothes and not even notice.
Polartec is one of the best textile manufacturers in the country. This is the reason why the U.S. military contracts with Polartec to design the fabric for their soldiers’ clothing. As a consumer, you can just go to polartec.com and see for yourself what they are all about. If you are interested in purchasing their clothing, you will see links to all of their clothing retail partners that are authorized to sell their fabric brand such as L.L. Bean, Lowe Alpine and BTC Group.

Rothco Fleece Watch Cap Foliage Green (8460) Review

Prepper Cap, Clothing, ECWCS, Rothco February 10, 2015February 10, 20158460, Cap, Fleece, Foliage Green, Review, Rothco, Watch

Rothco Fleece Watch Cap Foliage Green (8460) Review

Rothco Fleece Watch Cap Foliage Green, manufacturer code: 8460.

This cap is very warm and soft. But be careful because it is pretty big and may not fit you. I felt that it is too wide and doesn’t cover my ears properly. Also, it is not wind proof, made of pretty thin fleece.

This cap is simple, comfortable, inexpensive but doesn’t have any special features. But if you have big head, it will be perfect choice for you.

What is ECWCS? What layers does this system have?

Prepper Clothing, ECWCS, Winter February 6, 2015November 7, 2015ECWCS, layers, system

What is ECWCS? What layers does this system have?

The Extended Cold Weather Clothing System, or ECWCS, is a special clothing system designed by the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center. This system was first created in the 1980s with the sole purpose of keeping soldiers warm when they have to face cold environmental conditions. The system uses a combination of various clothing and accessories made out of protective fabrics in order to accomplish this task.

There have been three generations of this system that evolved over the years. The original first generation system used over 20 pieces of individual clothing. The main articles of clothing were the cotton & nylon trousers and white camouflage parka. The other clothing included undershirts, underwear, polyester shirts, bibs, nylon boots, nylon socks, caps and barrier boots for extreme cold weather. The shirts were made out of polypropylene, which is a thermoplastic that is made to create warmth when cold air hits it.

The second generation system added two new layers made with Polartec fabrics, which are high quality textiles designed to keep people warm during all kinds of outdoor activities. Polartec, formerly Malden Mills, creates these fabrics for both the military and individuals. But the two layers the military uses in this system are the Polartec 200 Fleece Overalls and the Polartec 300 Shirt. The combination of these layers mixed with the previous layers from the first generation system creates cold weather protection for temperatures in the -40°F and 40°F range. The parka even had slight improvements made with the added vents to make it more breathable.

The third generation system is a complete redesign of the older systems. This one has seven newer layers that use three of the Polartec fabrics; Two Polartec Power Dry and the Polartec Thermal Pro High Loft. This third generation system was first used in the actual battle field in August of 2007 by the 73rd Cavalry Regiment who fought in Afghanistan. You may think that Afghanistan is hot all the time because it is a desert environment. The truth is that Afghanistan gets very cold, especially at nighttime. In fact, during the winter season it can get under 30°F. So it is truly beneficial for the U.S. military to have special thermal insulated clothing to keep them as comfortable as possible when fighting the enemy under these conditions.

The ECWCS is always being improved by the U.S. Army and their affiliations with various fabric engineers and manufacturers, like Polartec. The next 30 years may prove to be even more revolutionary for the system than ever before.

It is easy to find and buy ECWCS levels online. There are army issue and commercial issues.

Level 1, Highly breathable, moisture wicking material, Commercial Issue by Rothco

Level 1 – Army Issue

Level 2, light insulation, Commercial Issue by Helikon-Tex

Level 3, insulation layer – Commercial Issue by Rothco

Level 4, Wind Jacket – Army Issue

Level 4, Wind Jacket – Beyond Clothing

Level 5, The key element of the ECWCS clothing system – – Special Forces Issue

Level 5, The key element of the ECWCS clothing system – Commercial Issue by Helikon

Level 6 -Wet weather, hardshell Army Issue

Level 7, Extreme cold weather, Primaloft, Army Issue

Level 7, Extreme cold weather, Primaloft, Beyond Clothing

USGI Military Polartec Silkweight Power Dry Thermal Underwear Shirt & Pants Set

Prepper Clothing, Hypothermia, Thermal underwear December 17, 2014Military, Pants, Polartec, Power Dry, Set, Shirt, Silkweight, Thermal Underwear, USGI

USGI Military Polartec Silkweight Power Dry Thermal Underwear Shirt & Pants Set

Very good thermal underwear which is used as Level 1. Base layer is used to keep you dry. Keeps your skin dry when you sweat, good for both hot and cold weather. Higly breathable, dries quickly.

The most comfortable and lightweight thermal underwear I ever used.

Made for Marines, so you can be sure that it is a high quality product.

Manufactured by Peckham Inc under the Polartec brand.

Very good, reliable and inexpensive set, highly recommended.