BCB Brown Fleece with Goretex - trial item?

Bought the attached for the well known government surplus site, there was a few of these. I know BCB provides trial items, wonder if this is one. Very well made fleece with Goretex reinforced shoulders and elbows...for £20 it's a bargain.

Looks like a copy of the Austrian Alpine fleece to me!!!
even down to the thumb holes, Velcro arm shields, Most Austrian army patches are shaped this way to fit!!
£20 is a very good price tho!!!

Very nice fleece, happy with it, just wonder why BCB have produced it?

Now thats what I call a cheeky copy. The German Bundeswehr also
copied the Austrian fleecejacket cut,Miltec and MFH did it too for commercial pieces.

BCB don't produce anything, like the boot contractor Itturri, they source things from other manufacturers and supply them under a whole contract. It's called smart procurement but represents poor value for money as each company wants a profit and the MOD pays more.

Interesting that James as I got it from the MOD supplier, there was quite s few of them so only can presume they were procured for testing but binned?!

I'm not sure Lee, some units can write a requirement and get kit, others can purchase kit as a Regimental purchase. I know this isn't the SF Fleece, that is a lovely thing, although it has patches on the shoulder and arms like this one.

If you can get a pic of the SF fleece, would love to see it!

Sorry but they are photo shy.  I was an ex military civil servant with the MOD History section now I work as a consultant historian. I spend less time where I used to work but there were always a lot of SF people around, 18 Sigs mostly but a number of others. None of them were keen on having their photos taken.  Although the museum at Blandford Camp is open to the public, has an SF display (lots of kit there and you will usually see SF people in the cafe.

Their fleece is like a softshell-microfleece in Coyote tan with matching waterproof zips on the pockets, velcro patch on each arm and goretex on the shoulders and forearms.  Nice as it happens, part of the new Tantalus clothing system the seem to be some with a hood and others without. Other oddities of the Tantalus range is a blue thermal working suit for the SBS, combat trousers with spandex panels behind the knee with detachable knee pads and a matching UBACS shirt, some of the latter are MTP but others Multicam. There is also some type of AKU Boot thing

Thank you James really insightful read!