Italian San Marco Desert Camo Flak Vest

Although never actually used by the San Marco to my knowledge, this vest was used in the Early 90s by the Italians in Somalia and Mozambique (Alpini). I was very lucky to find it, as Italian items from the 80s and 90s has gotten very scarce.

The same vest was available in OD, a unique desert pattern (which I will post later), and a woodland San Marco which is very difficult to find. The vest is made by Sistema Compositi (Cassoni).

Not sure why Italian items like this are getting so hard to find these days.

Use in Mozambique:

Head of Italian troops in Somalia, Gen. Bruno Loi, wearing the vest. The UN dismissed him from Somalia in 1993 for failing to follow orders and moved the Italian contingent out of Mogadishu.







I have found a few pictures of other Italian troops wearing the vest as well.

There was also a woodland version but made by Induiyco.

Used during 90's balcans operations and early 2000's.

Here's colo moschin during SFOR (Bosnia)




I will post more photos if you deserve!

Stefano

Yes please, post more!!!

Absolutely! This era of gear is my favorite for just about all countries, and you're right, Italian stuff is getting REALLY hard to find.

Here I'm going to post some pics of all these flak (in my knowledge ) and their applications on the fields.

First of all I think that there was 2 different versions: the first (like your own) made with a cotton like material camo cover (is it?) on the external, with squared and oblique pockets and with no button on the shoulder elastic band; I know the desert San Marco's camo and OD green camo of this type. Please see photos below.






Their use:

IBIS, Somalia 1993



Albatros, Mozambique 1993 (as you already posted)





The second type was made in a nylon like (as the waterproof jackets, you know?) camo material and they had squader and long pockets and buttons on the elastic band on the shoulders; moreover they had rubber pieces on the shoulder maybe for stopping slip of the vest.
They was in San Marco woodland, classic woodland and desert (unique, as you said) camo.
Here they are:










Their use:

9° col moschin during SFOR


alpini during national op. Riace 94-95


San Marco's naval infantry during trainings early 2000's

Awesome pics! I will need to go grab my Italian vests and post them all now!

Is this the same vest you posted?

I know this photo. It refers to an old product's list of a local shop in Italy... It looks brighter than others but I think it is a fault of the camera... I've never seen different types of this OD flak vest in particular

Someone is interested in these italian flak vests (in OD version)? Maybe I can find some but I have to know in hurry!

SO MUCH NEED *size small, please

PM sent

They all have XXXL size on label but they wear in M size. I'm 1,78m tall and 60kg of weight... I wear it with no problems, I can show you photos weared if you need. PM me, I can have some others if I do fast.

Is the guy in the middle Charlie Sheen?