ECWCS Gen III Level 1 is a high-activity thermal underwear and the basis of the Extreme Cold Weather Clothing System (ECWCS) Gen III multilayered clothing currently in service with the US Army.
Although the multilayered approach to clothing is far from new, and the Extreme Cold Weather Clothing System (ECWCS) itself has existed since the 1980s, the creation and distribution of new technological materials has allowed this system to reach a whole new level. In the first generation of ECWCS, the system included more than 20 items of clothing and accessories. The current third generation (Gen III, or Gen3), also known as the Extended Climate Warfighter Clothing System, which began arriving in the United States since 2007, includes only 7 layers and 12 items of total weight of 5.82 kilograms, which are capable of providing fighter adequate protection against corrosive environment at temperatures from -51 to +4 degrees Celsius.
We will be getting acquainted with the ECWCS Gen3 system in our next few publications and will start off as appropriate from the layers closest to the body, so get acquainted - the reliable basis of the whole system, the ECWCS Gen III Level 1 thermal underwear, which has absorbed the following features.
- Base layer for increased levels of physical activity that
associated with intense sweating.
- Good moisture removal qualities and high drying speed.
- Flat seams that do not cause discomfort.
- Ability to use on its own as well as in combination with other layers of ECWCS Gen3.
- Main Material: Polartec Power Dry Silkweight (100% polypropylene).
- Available colors: Desert Sand.
The following is an overview of the ECWCS Gen III Level 1 thermal underwear kit in the only Desert Sand color available so far.
As I noted above, reducing the overall weight and number of items in ECWCS Gen3 has been made possible through the use of advanced technological materials. One of these materials was Polartec Power Dry Silkweight (100% polypropylene), which became the main component of the ECWCS Gen3 Level 1. Thermal underwear package. The design and qualities of Polartec Power Dry were specifically designed to perform the main tasks of the Underwear base layer: absorbing and spreading moisture over a large area. with subsequent acceleration of its evaporation.
As you know, water conducts heat 25 times better than air, so it is extremely important to keep it as far away from the surface of the body as possible, especially at low and extremely low temperatures. ECWCS Gen3 Level 1 is responsible for this. As the ambient temperature rises or the physical activity level suddenly increases, excess heat can penetrate through the thermal underwear layer and the sweat and moisture formed is absorbed by the material and with heat flows away from the internal the surface of the material to the outside, protecting you from hypothermia. That is why the Polartec Power Dry is thin and sleek, and at first seems cold to the touch. However, after only a few seconds, it accepts body temperature and feels warm and comfortable due to its elasticity and antibacterial qualities, which will come in handy with prolonged use.
But from the features of the material, let's go to the features of cutting shirts and leggings included in the kit ECWCS Gen3 Level 1 thermal underwear.
As you can see in the photo above, the kit is made of a body material in Desert Sand color that is close to bodily, so that the use of thermal underwear does not come into sight if parts of it appear from under clothing or other ECWCS Gen3 items. The shirt has a broad collar, simple cuffs and relatively elongated back. Pants for extra comfort are equipped with a pin and an extra crotch insert. But let's look at all of these features in detail and consistently.
As is the case with underwear, all ECWCS Gen3 Level 1 seams are flat, and use a special part-joining technology that does not accumulate layers of base material on top of one another without limiting the product's elasticity. However, on the shoulder I would advise to move the seams forward, or lower on the shoulder blade, because in its current placement the seam can cause discomfort with prolonged wearing of shoulder pads and unloading vests, because it will carry the main weight and load. However, if another item of clothing (shirt, jacket, etc.) is present between the ECWCS Gen3 Level 1 and the straps, the relevance of the problem is reduced.
Underarms use the same basic material and flat seams, so there are no comfort issues. There is a point where four seams converge at the same time, but if you choose the right size of shirt you will not even notice it. Everything is very simple in this field because of the absence of any inserts or meshes, but it is no less effective.
The ECWCS Gen3 Level 1 shirt cuffs have the same flat seams and are drawn mainly by the elasticity of the base material. Again, a simple and effective design that should not cause material buildup or conflict with other layers of clothing or accessories (watches, bracelets, etc.).
In the vertical seam, an additional hole is present near the ECWCS Gen3 Level 1 shirt cuffs. It is designed to skip the thumb as shown in the photo above. You may need this feature to avoid losing the edges of the base layer cuffs when putting extra layers (such as ECWCS Gen3 Level 2, ECWCS Gen3 Level 3, etc.) on top of it, or if you want to protect it further because of a lack of gloves. the outer surface of the palm from the wind.
The final feature of the ECWCS Gen3 Level 1 kit shirt that should be noted is the lowered back (see photo above). There are several advantages to this feature. First, using your shirt and pants, you already have 2 layers of base material in your waist and buttocks, which creates an additional barrier to get cold air and wind. Secondly, with active movements (tilts to the sides, lifting, squatting, jogging, etc.), the lowered back of the shirt remains in the pants / trousers, clamped with a belt. As a result, you do not open across the cold air and do not have to constantly tuck your shirt back under your belt.
The ECWCS Gen3 Level 1 Pants Belt is made using a wide elastic strap, the task of which is to press the tucked shirt tight against the body. Particularly effective this belt works in conjunction with the low back of the shirt, as I wrote above.
Just below the front is a trowel made by the cross-overlay of two layers of the base material, through the openings of which you have the opportunity to meet the natural need, without removing the pants completely. A very useful design feature in field use, especially when you consider the fact that on top of ECWCS Gen3 Level 1 you can have one to several layers of Extended Climate Warfighter Clothing System in place at one time or another.
Another feature that has a positive effect on long-term comfort is the extra crotch insert. Thanks to it, there is no single point at which four joints converge at the same time, similar to the one under the armpits of the ECWCS Gen3 Level 1. Shirt, which in turn saves you from possible problems with rubbing and discomfort, and also slightly increases the freedom of movement of the feet, t .I. thanks to it the material is better drawn. This will be especially important in the case of prolonged movement with difficult terrain or with complex movements of the legs (lunges, hand-to-hand combat, etc.).
The lower edges of the pants of the ECWCS Gen3 Level 1 pants are as simple as the shirt cuffs; there is no additional opening here, since there is no need for it.
As of 2019, the ECWCS Gen3 Level 1 kit cut may seem a little simple to many of you, especially if you are familiar with sports thermal underwear, which often uses combined weaves, zonal material distribution, ventilated inserts, compression effects and other technologies. This is true, but it is also worth taking into account the fact that such sports specimens are expensive and niche products made by relatively small batches for a narrow segment of professional athletes and purchased for personal use. At the same time, ECWCS Gen3 Level 1 ships to the military with contracts for tens and hundreds of thousands of state-funded kits simultaneously. In such circumstances, the relatively simple design allows for a number of advantages: a democratic price, a faster and simpler cycle of production and quality control, and most importantly, the reliability of the product.
If a professional athlete can afford to change thermal underwear sets every few competitions, and damage to the combined weave during the race does not critically affect his outcome, then a thermal underwear kit for a soldier who has been in extremely cold conditions for several months is a critical element of the dispute. the failure of which is capable of putting the task in question. Also, please note that, with a relatively simple and reliable design, Milliken Textiles manufacturers (contracted as a sample from our review today) do not economize on materials and use the original Polartec Power Dry for ECWCS Gen3 Level 1. So you can rest assured that your ECWCS Gen3 Level 1 thermal underwear kit will meet all requirements of quality and reliability, and the material used will cope with its main tasks.
We thank the shop punisher.com.ua for the ECWCS Gen3 Level 1 thermal underwear provided for review. You can always find out about the size and current cost of the kit on the store pages.
Source: secretsquirrel.com.ua
Author: MAD
