Huge early issue DPM parka

Picked this for a song as nobody wants parkas in summer. Its a 188/120 sized one and its a huge love monster of DPM.

It is as new , maybe laundered once, bright green stitching and brown tint reinforcement nylon and the actual DPM print indicates an early example.

Nice mate, very nice.

is there a definitive way to identify the differences in early and later Parka's, I have one of these which puzzles me...but not in this size!!!

Easy Gee wrote:Nice mate, very nice.

is there a definitive way to identify the differences in early and later Parka's, I have one of these which puzzles me...but not in this size!!!

Thanks , auction never said size other than large , it comes midway up my shins so it's like a 9/10 rather than a 3/4 !!!!! The chest pockets lay about where my stomach is , this is huge huge beast.

As for date , its a hard one because each one I've ever seen have had metric measurements inside. I have yet to see one stamped SIZE3 etc......

Now this has a few indicators it's early, camo print is early and the inside is even more early 1st issue. The reinforcement nylon is brown which is another indicator of age as later issue sported green. The stitching of the garment has bottle green 77patt para smock zip colour.
The insulated hood is also a soft nylon where as later stuff feels a little more stiffer.

Other than little things like that there is no other way as I can see. I can say this however , I've never seen any in the 85 patt camo ie modern camo what was introduced 1985 ) stuff so they are all pre-85.

Wow,

I am usually after huge pieces of kit, but this thing is scary big....

Great find...

I have yet to see one stamped SIZE3 etc

I have one on here somewhere.

Gulf91 wrote: I have yet to see one stamped SIZE3 etc

I have one on here somewhere.

Just seen it ! Wow , looks one of a kind.

I wonder with the parka that these are all old stock maybe relabeled in some cases. The parka its self is impractical in any climate other than extreme cold weather so soldiers arnt going to own one. I'm guessing unlike temperate smocks etc... These are turned in and reissued rather than sent to surplus. I think this is why we are seeing very old style camo prints on these and kind of a lack of more modern prints.

Another theory about lack of parkas stamped 'SIZE X'. During the Falklands war didn't our supply ship containing cold weather sink due to enemy fire. This could mean all existing stock of the parkas the MOD had went down with the ship ?? I remember lads telling me a period after the war they didn't have any camo gear and had to go on EX with green lightweights. This kind of ties in as I remember from surplus shop days seeing 68patt smocks for £90 back in the 80's !!!!

There are a few period pics of some troops wearing them during the Falklands conflict,easy to spot as they are almost down to the wearers ankles.

I believe my Parka is very rare and the matching liners are non existant.

Gulf91 wrote:There are a few period pics of some troops wearing them during the Falklands conflict,easy to spot as they are almost down to the wearers ankles.

I believe my Parka is very rare and the matching liners are non existant.

My jacket is sooooooo long I'm gonna call it my LMFAO jacket , cos everyday I'm shuffling when this is on as its sits about 6" off the floor and I'm 5' 11" !!!!!!!

Man, the more I hear about this beast, the more I want one....  

think ive got two hanging up in my attic ,will get them down and take some pictures, pretty sure they both have liners too  

ripcord wrote:Man, the more I hear about this beast, the more I want one....  

I have another somewhere sal but postage to the US would be a killer.

Seems the outer of the early (old size range) and later (metric sized) parkas varies, not only in fabric but in detail such as the pockets flaps, hood drawcords, nylon semi-lining, etc.........later parkas were indeed made in the same cotton-based DPM fabric as normal combat clothing........

Quote off another forum regarding these Parkas.

another CW parka nice 68 pattern  i love it!