the bdu. buyers beware! all are not equal!

THE BDU. BUYERS BEWARE! ALL ARE NOT EQUAL!
The Battle Dress Utility or BDU is the official combat uniform of the
United States Forces. From the late seventies to early 2003 It was worn
by all the American military branches. Many police forces, emergency
medical services, and security guard companies have selected the BDU
for daily uniform use. Special teams such as dog units and Search &
Rescue teams use the BDU. The BDU ultimately traces it’s roots to the
U.S. Airborne Paratrooper Uniform of World War 2, which in turn
evolved into the Jungle Fatigue of the Vietnam conflict and finally the
BDU of today.
Today the BDU has become so popular in paramilitary and civilian
circles that many commercial sewing houses have tooled up to make
copies! Some copies are good (common) and some copies are very good
(rare) Other copies, very bad (very common).
The reasons for the BDU’s popularity are varied, but the most
common reason cited by everyone from civilians to soldiers is the
garment’s comfort factor. Being a combat uniform the pants are a full
roomy cut and feature adjustable waist tabs so the trouser may be sized
for the perfect fit.
Paramilitary users like the BDU because of the wide range of earth
tone coloring and camouflage prints available. These users have noted
that all the pockets are double flapped, preventing the pocket buttons
from snagging on bushes. The pleats on the pants cargo pockets are
swept back to resist snagging as well.
Heavy duty, hard core users, point out that the seat, knees, and elbows
are double layered for extra durability. Stressed areas are bar tacked or
backstitched further increasing durability.
The Battle Dress Utility
Comfort Plus!
Details, its all in the
details!
Durability
Plus!
There are many fabric types, but only two basic weaves are used in the The Low Down on
construction of BDU’s. First, a 100% cotton in a ripstop weave is used
Fabrics
for hot weather wear. This fabric is extremely comfortable, but
unfortunately not that durable. Blends of nylon/cotton and polyester/
cotton ripstop have been developed and are phasing out the cotton
ripstop, but it is an expensive fabric when compared to the pure cotton
ripstop.
The second basic fabric is a twill weave, almost always a cotton
synthetic blend. Either a cotton nylon 50/50 blend or a cotton polyester
in various percentages. The cotton nylon blend is specified by the
military and is the most durable blend. The 50/50 cotton nylon is also
very expensive, because it is only the military that uses it and it is
printed in special dyes to help defeat night vision equipment! The cotton
polyester blends are usually not military specified, but in fact produced
to satisfy the demands of the commercial markets that include civilian,
police and security users. The cotton polyester blends are more
durable than pure cotton fabrics, almost as durable as the nylon
cotton blends but are available in the greatest variety of colours
and somewhat less expensive.
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THE BDU. BUYERS BEWARE! ALL ARE NOT EQUAL!
The History of BDU’s and the
Commercial Market
In the late seventies all one could find available on the commercial
market was used genuine issue BDU’s in Woodland, 6 Colour Desert,
Olive, and Black or new BDU’s from government contract overruns and
factory seconds from the same contracts. In those days supply was
spotty, and size availability was inconsistent, but you were getting the
same BDU’s as the soldiers were issued.
In the early eighties, shrewd makers of BDU’s began to build
commercial copies of the genuine BDU, using the military fabrics, but
cut corners to reduce costs. Buttons were not attached as well, pocket
linings were not as durable, drain holes were eliminated, and straight
stitches replaced backstitches & bartacks. These cost cutting measures
did not affect the utility of the BDU for commercial and civilian use
adversely and it did help to increase size and color availability.
In the nineties, military spending had been cut back, hence uniform
Care and feeding the BDU:
contractors were looking to civilian markets to keep sewing machines
humming. The BDU had been on the commercial market for almost 30
years and had become a fashion staple. With the addition of more
To maintain the crispness of the
camouflage print the BDU’s should manufacturers producing product, the market became extremely retail
price competitive. Manufacturers cut corners to reduce costs and remain
be laundered, inside out, in a mild
price competitive.
soap that is scent removing or at
The BDU had now devolved into a poorly made “commodity”
least scent neutral. The BDU’s
product.
should hang dry, away from the
The buyer of the BDU faces a hodge podge of BDU choices ranging
sun. If machine drying, use a low
from the top of the line better than military specification to cheap copies
heat.
made from low grade fabric in foreign sewing mills. To confuse things
even more, some of the contractors that build the genuine article have
two quality levels!
How to Buy a BDU with Confidence
Quite simply purchase ours. Our management does not view them as a
commodity piece, but a proper, heavy use, uniform garment. Although
we build BDU’s for commercial sale, they are aimed at professional
users, such as SWAT teams. Not being a commodity, fashion garment,
our BBU’s aren’t cheap, but they won’t let you down either.
We build our BDU’s in the same facility that builds the famous Drop
Zone military products, on the same computer controlled machines, by
the same fastidious operators. We select the best heavy use polyester/
cotton twill fabrics that wear very well and dry very fast. We use the
How to Buy a BDU with famous Canadian Military specification buttons that are held on with
Confidence seam binding tape rather than thread so you should never require a
replacement button!
Military BDU pants have button flies, a hold over from the sixties
when zippers were poor and failures had to be field repaired. Times have
changed and zippers are reliable. We use a much handier, heavy duty
nylon coil zip from YKK® for the fly.
All military BDU pants have waist adjustments, that take the waist in
four inches. It is made of narrow 5/8" cotton webbing and a metal
tabular buckle. Our BDU pants use 1" hook and pile with a six inch
adjustment!
Buy with confidence. Buy the Drop Zone Better BDU Pant.
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THE DROP ZONE BETTER BDU SERIES
These are not pussy pants!
It is not a commonly known fact, but it is damn near impossible to
get a genuine U.S. Government specification BDU pant off the
commercial shelf, despite the claims to the contrary made by many
producers & sellers of commercially available BDU’s. The reasons
for this short supply of the real deal, range from government
contracts only allowing the overruns and factory seconds to be
sold to the public to the sewing factories determining the public
would not pay for the very high quality standards (and associated
Velcro waist adjusters
Seven 2¼" (57mm) belt loops
YKK fly zipper
Pocket linings are
the same fabric as
the entire pant!
In 1996 we reviewed the BDU
pant market and determined a
quality unit must be produced.
Double butt
& knees
Hidden clip
knife pockets
Superior Canadian
Military "Sling" Button
U.S. Military Button
Tape drawstrings
better bdu pant
by dropzone
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THE DROP ZONE BETTER BDU SERIES
costs) required by the government specification.
Both points are valid. However, regarding price, we feel it is up
to the purchaser to determine what is too expensive.
Prior to undertaking manufacturing, over the years, we sold
hundreds BDU’s purchased from other suppliers. We probably
purchased almost as many back! We saw butt and knee patches tear
off. Inseams come unstitched, and practically every button fall off.
Wash them and look out. Shrinkage destroyed them. Puzzling, as
these BDU’s were from the better factories!
In 1996 we reviewed the BDU pant market and determined a
quality unit must be produced.
Not being based in the U.S. and being very small we could not
hope to build a “milspec” BDU, but undaunted, we determined we
could exceed government specifications and offer Police forces
and the general public the highest quality BDU pant in North
America.
We did and these are not pussy pants!
We looked at construction, fabrics, and findings (zips, buttons,
etc.) and bought the best we could find.
We tracked down the finest fabrics. In our solid colors we use a
7.5-ounce per square yard 65/35 poly cotton blend we call Tactical
Twill™.
But it only starts at fabric. The original BDU pant specification
called for a button fly that could be repaired in the field. This made
sense as the specification was written in the early sixties and
zippers still had reliability issues. Times have changed over 40
years and we use YKK® zippers for the fly.
Waist adjusters used cotton webbing and a metal buckle.
Awkward to use and uncomfortable when carrying a backpack with
a waist belt. We’ve replaced that with a Hook and Loop adjuster.
Tactical Grade Better Bdu in
Swat Black
Color: Swat Black
Originally specified for night time
commando raids, sold to swat teams, the
BDU pant in black is a fashion basic, and
great for casual wear. Perfect for a work
uniform!
Fabric: 12 ounce, 65/35 Cotton Polyester
Blend, Tactical Twill
Sizes: Sm to XXL, Regular or Tall
Here is a good shot
of the famous
“Canadian” military
button.
Order: 60-01011502 Drop Zone Tactical
Grade Better BDU Pants, Swat Black.
TM
DRO pzone
TACTICAL MILITARY
CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT
TS!"
D GU
"JUST AD
CLOTHINg, Pants & Belts - 5
No dealer in your area? Order toll free U.S.A. or Canada 1-877-461-5700
THE DROP ZONE BETTER BDU SERIES
Tactical Grade Better Bdu in
olive green
Much more comfortable. Our Hook and Loop comes from
Velcro® . Buttons, the scourge of the BDU, and those that have
worn them will know what I am talking about will appreciate our
solution. We use Canadian Military tape mounted buttons. Unlike
the original specification, the Canadian buttons will rarely come
loose.
The time-honored ritual of re-sewing buttons on your brand new
BDU pants has come to an end.
Once the fabric and finding issues were nailed, construction was
the priority. We use a 4-thread safety lock on the main seams for
strength. All stress points are bar tacked on a computer controlled
tacking machine. Knee and butt patches are given extra seam
allowance to resist lifting.
“Taped” drawstrings
are used instead of
“cord” drawstrings.
Cords make big
uncomfortable
knots, especially
when bloused within
the boot!
Color: Olive Green
Seasoned vets believe olive green is the
best all around colour for camouflage
clothing. Olive green is a classic colour for
casual wear too!
Fabric: 12 ounce, 65/35 Cotton Polyester
Blend, Tactical Twill
Sizes: Sm to XXL, Regular or Tall
Order: 60-01011501 Drop Zone Tactical
Grade Better BDU Pant, Olive Green.
TM
DRO pzone
TACTICAL MILITARY
CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT
UTS!"
DG
"JUST AD
The pocket linings are the same fabric as the rest of the pant.
This prevents premature wear. What are your pockets lined with?
True to the original, all pocket flaps are doubled to prevent
buttons from snagging. The belt loops are a minimum of 2”
making it easy to thread trouser belts. Starting in 2004 a hidden
knife pocket will be added to the left hand cargo pocket. This
feature has been on the right hand side pocket since 1998.
The cut is full, baggier than many so called BDU pants, as we
build these trousers for professional users. Professionals may be
called to climb or run at a moments notice and need the extra
room.
The “Hollywood cut” might be great for posers, pussies, and
carpet cops but it will not stand the test our customers put them
through on a daily basis.
The waist is high, helping to keep shirts tucked in and belts on
the crest of the hips. Nothing says “amateur” more than an armed
CLOTHINg, Pants & Belts - 6
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THE DROP ZONE BETTER BDU SERIES
Tactical Grade Better Bdu in
police navy blue
guard with plumber butt!
Order the BDU that raises the bar, the Tactical Grade Better
BDU from Drop Zone . . . or . . . the Garrison Grade Better BDU.
A new grade introduced in 2006 at a lower cost.
Data Sheet
For Tactical Grade Better BDU :
Better than standard BDU mil-spec construction.
Ykk® Fly
Drop Zone’s domestically produced Tactical Twill Fabrics™
Two hidden knife pockets on pants.
Canadian military buttons
52 mm / 2” triple stitched belt loops
Drawstring hems
Doubled seat
Doubled knees
Sizing:
Waist Size
Small:
27" to 31"
Medium:
31" to 35"
Large:
35" to 39"
Extra Large:
39" to 43"
Double Extra Large:
43" to 48"
Regular:
Long:
Color: Police Navy Blue
Leg Inseam Length
29" to 32"
32" to 35"
Our Navy Blue Better BDU pant is one of
our biggest sellers. We sell them to SWAT
Teams, Security Services, Dog Handlers,
Forensic Investigators, EMT’s and
Tradesmen, all to use as a comfortable,
inexpensive, work uniform. Like all our
BDU’s they are great for casual wear.
Fabric: 12 ounce, 65/35 Cotton Polyester
Blend, Tactical Twill
Sizes: Sm to XXL, Regular or Tall
TM
DRO pzone
TACTICAL MILITARY
CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT
Order: 60-01011503 Drop Zone Tactical
Grade Better BDU Pants, Police Navy Blue.
UTS!"
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"JUS
CLOTHINg, Pants & Belts - 7
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THE DROP ZONE BETTER BDU SERIES
Tactical Grade Better Bdu in
desert tan
Color Chips
Color Code 01 – Classic Olive. A standard
military uniform color for over 6 decades. Some
believe it is the very best general purpose
“camouflage” color yet.
Color Code 02 – Classic Black. What can we
say? The standard “Swat” color for decades.
History shows us it has been popular for night
time “commando” raids.
Color Code 03 – Classic Navy. A very dark,
almost black version of blue. So close to black
we have to look twice at it when picking orders.
If ever there was a “standard” police/security
uniform color, this is it!
Color Code 04 – Classic Tan. Call it sand,
desert tan, or dust. This is a very light, dusty
sand color. An ideal color for hot weather
uniforms. Used as a background color for many
desert camouflage patterns including ACU
Universal.
Color Code 09 – Khaki. Give our Classic Tan a
sprinkle of Olive and you have Khaki. It is lore
that the British Army soaked their white
uniforms in tea, in an effort to darken them up
for warfare in the desert, creating Khaki.
Color: Desert Tan
The Tan BDU is considered by many to be
the standard for casual travel wear. This
pant exceeds the features of the original
military specification pant yet without the
paramilitary look. Ideal for grassland
hunters. Great for arid climates.
Color Code 16 – Concrete Grey. We think the
name explains it all. A popular police/security
uniform color.
NOTE: Colors, of the actual finished product, due to variances in output
devices, such as monitors and printers, may, or may not, match the chip
shown.
Fabric: 12 ounce, 65/35 Cotton Polyester
Blend, Tactical Twill
Sizes: Sm to XXL, Regular or Tall
Order: 60-01011504 Drop Zone Tactical
Grade Better BDU Pant, Desert Tan.
TM
DRO pzone
TACTICAL MILITARY
CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT
TS!"
D GU
"JUST AD
CLOTHINg, Pants & Belts - 8
For the most complete and current information visit: www.dropzonetactical.com