Issued British DPM Pattern 85 Combat Smock

The British DPM Smock is a highly practical piece of military surplus clothing. Lots of pockets, velcro cuffs and a neat camouflage colorway with a vibrant history.

This listing is for the Pattern 84 Combat Smock. It is sometimes referred to as the Pattern 85 as it was first designed in 1984 but not fielded until the next year.

This smock is made of a midweight cotton fabric. It features four large front pockets, a zip-up and button-up front as well as velcro adjustable cuffs.

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 it was adopted for general use by the British armed forces in the form of the Pattern 60 DPM uniform. In doing this the British army became the first military to adopt a camouflage pattern for use by all of their troops.

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 khaki 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 Army surplus
• Issued; Good condition
• Disruptive Pattern Material Colorway
• Pattern 84 uniform cut
• Four front button-up pockets
• Velcro-adjustable cuffs
• Pen pocket on left arm
• Drawstring waist and hem
• Large interior pocket on the butt