Trousers, Combat (Tropical)
General Information
Name: Trousers, Combat (Tropical).
Country of Origin: The United Kingdom.
Date of Production: c 1977.
Manufacturer: James Smith & Co (Derby) LTD Staveley.
NATO Stock Number (NSN): 8415-99-132-3789.
Contract Number: A/78/CLO/54225/CB(CT)4B.
Camouflage Pattern: Tropical Disruptive Pattern Material .
Uniform Family: No. 9 Tropical Combat Dress.
Size: 20.
Number Of Pockets: Five.
Volume Capacity: 9L.
Weight: See individual objects
Windproof: Yes
Waterproof: No.
Similar Objects
History
The Trousers, Combat (Tropical) were designed for use in jungle and arid environments. Made from a lightweight blend of cotton and polyester, they featured a printed tropical DPM camouflage pattern.
First issued in the early 1970s, these trousers replaced the 50 Pattern Trousers, Drill Green, which had been issued since the 1950s. They were part of the No. 9 Tropical Combat Dress, worn by British soldiers stationed in tropical regions around the world.
The trousers were favored by soldiers in temperate environments due to their quick-drying capability and in barracks for their ability to hold a crease. They were often worn by specialist soldiers during the Falklands War.
However, they were banned from use in Northern Ireland due to the risk of severe burns from their polyester content, particularly in an environment where petrol bombs were commonly used.
Throughout their service, the trousers were produced in a range of Tropical DPM patterns in an effort to find one that would be effective when the uniform was wet. However, the actual design of the trousers remained largely unchanged until they were withdrawn from service with the introduction of the 94/95-Pattern clothing system.
As with the Jacket, Combat, Tropical, the Trousers, Combat, Tropical also served as the basis for the later Trousers, Combat, Tropical, Desert DPM.
Description
The trousers close at the front with a single button and feature a zip-up fly with a button-over cover that conceals five buttons. The waist is equipped with five button-down belt loops, and both sides of the waist have button-down adjustment tabs with two adjustment points each.
Internally, the trousers include a draw-cord stored inside the waistband, allowing them to be drawn in around the waist, eliminating the need for a belt. The fly has a two-inch-wide internal storm cover. The belt loops and the tops of the pockets are reinforced with small sections of the trouser cloth.
The trousers have six pockets: two hip pockets with slash entries on each side, a ‘patch’ style back pocket on the right side, and large bellows cargo pockets on each side. The back pocket and cargo pockets close with rectangular-shaped button-down lids.
The trouser cuffs have olive green draw-cords that allow the leg cuffs to be bloused over the boots, sealing the bottom of the legs to prevent insects and other similar creatures from entering.Examples
Example One
This example is printed in an early variation of the Tropical DPM camouflage pattern.
Volume Capacity: 9lt.
Hip pockets- 1lts each
Back pocket- 1lt.
Thigh pockets- 3lts each.
Object Number: 8735-826-46108.
