Issued British DPM Pattern 68 Combat Smock

Looking for an original Pattern 68 DPM Smock? You’ve come to the right place! These smocks are genuine vintage British military surplus dating from the 1970s and 1980s.

The Pattern 68 Smock is famous for its use during the Falklands War and The Troubles. It was also very popular and well-liked among British soldiers for its durability and practicality. 

Due to its popularity among British troops many of the Pattern 68 Smocks in existence have seen heavy wear and tear, making them a relatively rare find in the modern surplus market.

Disruptive Pattern Material & Its History

This classic British camouflage pattern traces its origins back to the Paratrooper Regiment's Denison smocks of WWII. This camouflage was used only by special units at first. As time wore on it became clear that standard issue camouflage uniforms for the average soldier were the future.

The British Ministry of Defence began developing a camouflage pattern that would become general issue for all British soldiers in the early 1960s. That pattern was the now iconic Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM), which was first issued on a small scale in 1963.

By 1966 the pattern was adopted for use by the British armed forces in the form of the Pattern 60 DPM uniform. The later Pattern 68 uniform would become the first general issue camouflage uniform of the UK in 1972. 

Several versions of the DPM uniform would be produced between its initial adoption and replacement by the Multi-Terrain Pattern (MTP). The first iteration was the Pattern 60, a short-lived camouflage uniform based on the olive drab Pattern 60 uniform cut.

The second and perhaps most famous DPM uniform is known as Pattern 68. It was this uniform that was worn during the Falkland Islands War. This uniform was very well-liked by British servicemen and many of them were worn out by everyday use, making them a desirable collector's piece.

Then came the Pattern 84, first fielded in 1985. This uniform was influenced by lessons learned during the Falkland Islands campaign of 1982. The P84 served for ten years before being replaced by the very briefly used Pattern 94.

Pattern 94 DPM uniforms were only produced for a short time, serving for less than two years before being replaced by the final iteration of DPM uniform: Soldier 95. 

The S95 uniform was the first DPM uniform to be produced using ripstop fabric. It was also the last DPM uniform adopted by the UK's armed forces before their adoption of a Multicam/DPM blend called Multi-Terrain Pattern (MTP).

The Short & Sweet:

• Genuine British military surplus
• Disruptive Pattern Material colorway
• Pattern 68 uniform cut, vintage 1970s production 
• Four front pockets
• Button-up and zip-up front
• Several interior pockets
• Button-adjustable cuffs
• Drawstrings at waist and hem