US Army ECWCS & How Soldiers Actually Use It 

70’s-90’s was so much simpler, but colder. 😁

When sleeping inside a sleep bag with wet/muddy boots on, slip them into waterproof bag to keep the sleep bag dry and clean. The old, issued waterproof clothing bag turned inside-out does the job and still allows the inside to remain dry and clean.

I’m a laborer and I implemented ECWCS into my layering system. I like it because it’s not only warm but keeps me dry and offers mobility.

Old Ironsides, good unit. I was a tanker in 3AD to the north in Germany back in the Cold War/desert storm days. Congrats on your retirement and I really appreciate your reviews of this "new" gear I was unfamiliar with.

Heh. Pretty funny that you don't use L4 and L5. They are actually the result of the highest-tech research done on the ECWCS at Natick Labs. Apparently they were designed based on input from SOF. As you say, L4 doesn't stop wind. What it does do is: breath ferociously while providing permanent rain resistance. Theoretically, when working at 7 METs (like 10-mile run pace), body heat moves moisture out of the system faster than rain can get in. L5 is a better windbreaker, still with the same permanent water resistance. Again, best use is when you're active. That permanent water resistance is superior to most civilian gear, which uses DWR that eventually fades. It is also superior to GoreTex (L6) when you're active, because L4 and L5 breath MUCH better than L6. The recommendation for L6 (GoreTex) is to use it only when you're static and not working hard (or in sub-freezing weather).

Finally found a proper channel that explains all the layers in detail with the actual clothes shown. Thank you for your video man your a genius! Well done :)

Well, first your videos help me for the Ranger roll and now for the cold weather gear ! I can’t thank you enough ! I am not a military guy just a military surplus enjoyer from France but your videos help me a lot ! Many many thanks !

Great video as always Randall! Love the insight on the layering systems … I do a lot of winter backpacking up in New England and I always like hearing other viewpoints on staying warm. love ECWCS as well.

Very Glad I discovered your channel! I'm a militia type survivalist and this is great information for my purposes.

I've used the cold weather shell over the fleece, over the regular top, over the waffle top, and stood at a traffic control point at 18-25° in the November breeze and thought "this doesn't suck as much as I thought it would" Thanks for a great tutorial, ill be sharing it with some of my Joe's.

Awesome gear review! Congrats on your retirement, and thank you for your service!

Thank you for your service - in the Army and on this channel.

Lots of good information as always. Thanks Randal

Outfreaking standing, congrats on the retirement! I love your knowledge bombs and nuggets. Still want more atv shenanigans and trips showing off and testing more gear! I am healing well from my back surgery and looking forward to doing some atv camping this year! I have amassed a significant amount of gear and ready to begin testing and utilizing it.

big congrats on the retirement and thanks for the great info as usual...Yah bless...doug

Thanks man for the vid - and congrads on your retirement. Best of luck, find a good gig after discharge...and I hope it involves more vids. It would be interesting to hear how operations (the behind the scenes info of how missions, supplies, whatever) all works...I like how you explain purpose for things all the time. A lot of people don't understand that intuitively. Anyways, again, thanks for the vids and hoorah for the service.

Congratulations on retirement. Gotta love those FIIGMO moments. Thank you for your service. Damn, it looks like the poor ground pounder would go nuts trying to figure out what kind and how much winter clothing he/she should carry in the field. Is the clothing allowance still crappy?

I've been mixing & matching the newer base layers with my older woodland ECWCS outer layers for a long time. You bring up a good point that too many people often overlook, you can mix and match and make your own system that works for your situation and environment. Side note.... you don't happen to have a good source for the level 7 usmc coyote booties by chance do you? I've looked high and low and haven't had any luck finding any.

Thank you for your service

Fantastic video. Went from Marines to Army and nobody explained this system to me! Thanks man!

I found the issued gear to be really great in cold weather. I had a lot of outdoors, backwoods, skiing experience before I went in. I continue to use surplus items since I left service. The sleep system is a must have item. I’ve slept in it in the snow. I was very warm. I hope that you are enjoying your retirement. You have earned it. Thank you for you service. - - BTW - Absolute truth about SMGs. We looked like dorks wearing foliage green fleece caps with multicam in the field. Black would have been a improvement. (AFG AO Circa 2012).

Sound was perfect for me, 'cept that guy Randall kept interrupting. 😆 Good explanation on a clothing/sleeping system, that''s years worth of field experience and knowledge. Congratulations on your full retirement, Randall. atb

This is a great synopsis. I've come to several of the same conclusions. For several years I was an instructor out on the ranges where weather and temps turned on a dime. So now my assault pack almost always has gortex top and bottom (I prefer the level 6 pants and the level 5 top), light glove inserts, watch cap, and wind shirt. Outside summer I keep a light weight compressed down jacket in as well. I like the wind shirt because I'm out in the desert, so it helps to keep the chill off while being light and breathable. I find with this load out I almost always have the optional layers needed to stay comfortable in a wide range of conditions. Obviously the waffle top and others are substituted in and out. I almost never have the waffle bottoms for the reasons stated in the video. I've seen guys heat cat in (almost done it myself as well) during winter movements due to improper layering.

Excellent video, very useful and well explained, thanks for sharing your experience.

This is extraordinarily helpful - thank you VERY much. I'm on the learning curve in the colder parts of northeast Asia where a lot of gear I brought from California for cold weather is next to useless. Your content is helping me get educated and caught up. Liked and subscribed - cheers, brother! 👍🏻

I remember the switch from the old field jacket with liner to the Gen 1 ECW jackets and trousers with the brown bear fleece liners. It was a huge improvement. The new stuff has only gotten better.

A trick I've done with the booties was to spray flex-seal on the bottoms and about an inch up the sides. Improves durability when stepping out in the night onto gravel or wet ground

Love the videos bud keep em coming. Stay safe and be well. Strength and Honor...

Thank you for your service sir!

Thank you for your service!

Compared to the heavy and somewhat impractical system we have the ECWCS seems like an excellent system. Most of our stuff is more geared towards Barracks wear than out in the field so it's often heavy and bulky.

I certain I've seen you touch on the levels before in some small way, but this all is one super comprehensive explanation was very interesting. Great work!

Hey Randall, great video, always love the practical hands-on information. One thing I wanna add, the green flyers gloves (by Masley) have a Goretex lining (at least mine have), so they in fact are waterproof. I love those, they are so warm for a pair of finger gloves! 👍

I completely agree on the level 4 being not really useful but it's more because the level 5 does the same thing but with better waterproofing/resistance. It's been said before by other guys, but worth saying again, the level 5 jacket is good for anything that isn't pouring rain with the idea that it dries faster when it does inevitably wet out. With anything above that, you use the level 6 goretex.

I agree with everything you said. I never understood why someone would need a jacket for wind lol. The level 7 stuff is so warm i love it.

great video - thx

I hilariously am getting/already have everything in this video which is how I found the channel; my outer layer will be my camo parka jacket I’ve had for years but I’m going to follow it up with that thick German tarp looking poncho when it rains

I was never a big believer of the system but we worked with the Canada's Reservist in the Artic Circle and that changed my mind. The system works and it was -70F.

DUDE!! Congrats on retirement!!!! I hope it lasts longer than you served, gotta get your money's worth, right? I love your videos, the no BS presentation style, the honest reviews of gear. But I really love seeing all this modern gear you're issued, absolutely fascinating! In the 80's we didn't have ANY of this stuff! The warmest clothing we had was that mf-ing MOPP gear chemical suit LOL. Kinda funny thinking about Cold War stuff given the current world situation. We had a 1st Sgt who spent his entire career as a Drill Sgt and many years as a recruiter. How the f*&k he got put in charge of a line unit is beyond me. Had us bring shoe shine to the field to shine our f-ing boots. Hope you got to keep enough toys to have fun with in the mountains, you earned it!

Great explanation, videos like these are always helpful 👍

Most information I've ever seen crammed into a youtube video. Good job.

In the Finnish army we actually call mittens "no can do". They are pretty warm though and with our weather it saves our digits. We pair the mittens with underlayer gloves of course.

Congratulations on your retirement!! And Thank You of your service!! Thanks!! That helps a lot. Good to know. I buy a lot of surplus stuff for camping and hiking, I figure if it works good for you guys, it's going to be good for me.

I’m glad you said what you did about the boots because I have a pair of Lowa Renegades’ that are definitely waterproof as I soaked them for a couple minutes with a water hose until my feet got a little cool and a little made its way in (probably from the boots not going up my calves), but they’re not insulated; I doubled down on 6 pairs of darn tough wool socks

"Welp guess your Unit sucks, wait till you get to the next one" hahahaha loved it!!! This is why I love this Dude, he´s always just himself!!!

Side note with mittens. We would use them to kneel on Ice fishing to keep our knees dry.

Hey bud I’ve got seven sleep systems from the old down and the attic bag which is so big but warm as hell lol I’ve got three ecws bags also thanks for the video I didn’t know the patrol bag went over the intermediate bag that is helpful thanks again Eric

Great video man!

Congratulations on your retirement! Remember that all Sergeants Major are not assholes. I’m a retired Sergeant Major and I really enjoy your Vidieos!

Hello from home! Old combat medic here from Mississippi. My time started before you and was in a little after you had just joined I believe. We might have pounded some of the same sand/mudd😂😂😂. Just came across you and subscribed. My son got issued all the new toys also… He brought it home some we could set up all his gear, however he wanted it with me making a suggestion occasionally, but I was amazed and a little whiny, no lie. They did issue us some of that but most of it came out after I got busted up. I actually traded a goretex for a bivy bag from a British team guy, can’t remember what sandbox I was in at the time,and I also had my 2 woobie’s.. Even with my large ruck ,space was a factor. I did go out and purchase all my own equipment so I could modify it AND it made turn in go a whole lot smoother…I look forward to watching your other videos and what you put out next…

Winter mittens are now available with all four fingers in half-length finger gloves, plus a mitten cover that flips over the entire hand, or stays folded onto the back of the hand. Not just single-finger shooting gloves.

The parka is phenomenal. I use it when I play with my son in the snow. I can literally sleep on the snow with the parka

this ECWCS system is so warm that when we ruck in -30 degrees it is a good rule of thumb to have only lvl 1s on and lvl 5s, once you are 30 minutes deep in that ruck march mid winter that foot march is gonna start feeling like summer environment real quick

Thank you for your service! Very much appreciated!

Love the vids and congrats on retirement. Next adventure awaits I’m sure!

I am hunter. I use some of ECWCS. Mainly 1-4. I do like the LVL 4 wind breaker. Its NOT wind or water proof but it fits in bottom of backpack and I like to pull it out right before dark when temps drops. I tried the LVL 6 one time and will never wear it again. Way to noisy. Its also bulky in backpack. I have worn it running a trap line and its great for that. But NOT for hunting. Another great video!

Thanks for your service Grunt. Thanks for the info, especially the glove stuff. I don’t see how operators can perform with gloves on in any weather!

How Dare You! 🤣😂🤣 Good stuff man.

Thank you for this. I'm educating myself on military stuff as a civilian and I have a mil-sim event in a week (late october) and wanted to know what I should acquire not to freeze during the night. Best wishes from Poland!

LOL the happy suit 16:00 it looks warm

Great stuff Randal. I really like that happy suit. Came across a coyote brown jacket a few years back and I'm kicking myself for not grabbing it when I had the chance. Nate

Congratulations!

That wool insert inside leather outer glove system is identical to the ones issued to me per TA-21 in March 1962. Winter temps in Germany got down to 10 below F with frequent daytime temps in single digits. Clearly the GI gloves were not enough. I drove a jeep in the field, so it mattered to me. One fellow in my company had Inuit style mittens that came up his forearm, but I made do with some crappy commercial insulated leather gloves. Protecting hands and feet in the wintertime was a major shortcoming for Uncle Same in those days. - Z

Sound advice brother.

I’ve owned and used the Gen I, Gen II and Gen III gortex jackets. Gen II is the best ever (except it’s only in ACU). It’s a real jacket unlike the Gen III, plus is has pockets. Wish they made a Gen II jacket in OCP. Thx for your reviews.

Excellent video. I completely agree with you. Also, 2nd gen Goretex jackets make a great outer jacket for skiing

Always liked the D3A gloves inners and outers.

Congratulations on your retirement and thank you for your service to our country. You are America's Sergeant! (Kind of like Captain America, but more Grunty).

Excellent video brother! Very detailed explanation! Happy retirement!

the hardest thing is balancing when you are on the move then stop, then on the move again. best to just stay cold/cool and wait until you are set in for the night before layering up. oh, and i love that pinup on the wall in the corner....got a link for that?:) Congrats on the retirement!

Randall, could you make a video about a minimalistic survival / bug out kit? You have very realistic, down to earth approach. I would love to see your opinion on this topic

Thanks!

I just got to say this stuff although in ACU slight different as it was previous gen I think, but true words, level 6 is great however it can slice very easily a sharp edge can tear through it fast, also lower level 6 layers in cold wet, along with good cold wet boots with liners. In super cold weather though its good to have a second cold weather bag. The level 7 permalofts can be closed up at the bottom and used to keep your feet warm, but you need to generate a little body heat first. Having patches for the bivy although its hardy it can still be easily punctured. patches are one of those things you want to have a bunch of with you that and a sewing kit. While the kit is made super hardy, over the years I have noticed that tears and seam loss does happen. It took a whole lot longer on the gen 1 jacket to loose its seam liner. The hoods also come in handy when it is super cold out. Thermals are only useful in super extreme cold or if you are static as for some reason they cause sweating way faster even in the cold if you are active. The stuff I add to my kit that arn't part of ECWS are a merino wool sweater, but any soft wool sweater will do, a zip up thermal layer that is synthetic fleece with zipper pockets, a balaclava rather than the beanie, non chaffing boxer briefs, in summer may do shorts, a thin ski sock smart wool liner under the thicker socks, and a wool scarf I found a green goat fur scarf that is super warm. Also I might throw on a Turksh or Russian style hat with eat warmer flaps. I picked up a few new pieces of cold weather kits to try out this winter the m65 liner, and cold weather face mask (the white one) from older kits. In actual cold weathr without a heater the second bag can make the difference between getting up at 2am or not. Note this is not for US military use this is just the gear I like wearing when out in nature. That said I picked up some OD green outers to check out this year due to like war and stuff. Also ballistic goggles like ski goggles, even better if they can be used underwater, protects from eye pokes and hard hails etc.. The eyes become a weak link in cold winds. Sadly due to the ongoing war in Ukraine I don't feel comfortable buying Surplus military gear as I may be seen as a combatant by opposing forces etc.. not so much an issue in peace time but the outer layers need to be swapped out if there is a possiblity of hostilities to avoid confusion or being identified as a combantant accidentally. There is also the chance that older generations might be put back into service if a draft happens and there is a supply shortage on uniforms etc..

I wore one pair of Belleville 950 mcb for 2 years during my mountain hiking and snowshoeing up in northern Norway until they started to leak in water. Needless to say, the soles are safe to use on slippery wet or frozen mountain rock, but unfortunately they have been discontinued in production.

Very informative 👍thank you😊

Great job thank you

Back in the 1970s we (2/75 Rangers) didn’t have goretex, we wore artic parkas, wool pants and shirt. The goretex would have been nice, but wool is warm even when wet.

ECWCS are awesome. You know they work when 20 degree weather feels like summer time with just silks, no waffles

Those level 7 puffy jacket/pants were designed by climbers. I have an OLD issue set, from way back. I have slept in just that and a bivy sack. The set I have came with a hood and booties, all made of the same stuff. the bivy pants also had a high waist, so that there was no drafy. Also, I still have my original issue bivy sack. Thing has to be 30 years old now. I use Big Agnes bags in them now though.

Flashbacks from Ranger school with the Brown Poly Pro….”Crazy Jakes” (bottoms cut long ways with the Velcro)

Those sleeping booties look awesome! I'm constantly battling cold feet at night. Where do those booties come from? And are they as warm as they look? Thanks. Congrats on retirement. I spent some years in Korea. Coldest damn place I've ever been. Especially at night!

Fantastic video, brother. Very nice and succinct. As an old ass retired guy,(me), I am going to head out to the surplus store and see about putting some of this in my kit. Instructions: disassemble then reassemble. Glad I found ur channel, funny how I got here. Stay Safe, Bee Free

👏👏 Thank you for your service 🇺🇸

Such an excellent, no nonsense take & wisdom from experience. Thanks for another excellent video.

I have the level 3 flecce jacket can't wait to wear it during November and Winter😍

Another Abso Great video.. I have 1, 2, 3 and 6. More that sufficient, down to 15-20° or so (with movement) but i'm from Michigan. Lol.. Oh yeah.. Welcome to the next stage, of your journey. Now its 🕙, to do the things You want to do. 🍺..😎

Dude this video was great.

Very helpful... Thank you

done fixed it!! just learned about you .

Good stuff, man

Great video presentation. I've long thought that the level 4 wind shirt and level 5 parka/trousers were too lightweight to be effective against cold/wind/precipitation as well as too thin in material composition to hold up well in the field, with particular lean toward abrasion resistance, et. al. For the cold, like you said, wearing the issued ACU jacket over the level 1&2 base layers will in most cases be enough given combat loadout and activity level. For even colder conditions, why not issue each soldier a one-size over ACU jacket that would allow for the first three layers (which includes the fleece jacket) to be worn underneath it? That is until the US Army adopts another reasonably-well designed cold-weather coat which would hopefully resemble some of the British/European army combat smocks, with perhaps a nod here and there to the venerable M-65. Thank you.

This shit saved our asses down to -40 here in Alaska this winter, you should do a video on the Akhio tent system cheers from 3-21 IN

Welp! I'm about to spend some money. Great video, man very informative.

I still got my black leather gloves from the 90s. Can't believe they still issue them

Cool vid

Really appreciate your explanation and real world application for this gear. Thanks for your years of service. Looking forward to more of your videos! :)

As a civi I’m looking for one price, functionality and this can include blending into my local environment, and that durability that we came to expect.

Congratulations on your retirement, you earned it. Good luck in your civilian life, keep up your channel.

I second most of what you said for what I've found works well for me. I like to wear the ninja suit when it gets down to 40 with the IHWCS and then standard FR set below 30 (active in dry with light to no wind). Waffle suit stays in my pack and only goes on if I'm stationary for a good while like around camp or LPOP and gets swapped with lvl7 if its freezing. Fleece is likewise for warming layer around camp. Lvl 4 are like Princess Bride ROUS's...I dont believe they exist. I actually do like the lvl5 more than the lvl6 most of the time. They stop a moderate amount of wind but still stay more breathable than the goretex...and they're a good bit more quiet too. Goretex I save for when its really wet and I can't just throw on a poncho for whatever reason. The jacket is great but the pants I dont like much unless I'm having to kneel in snow or when its past damp into the wet range and/or taller undergrowth thats soaked. I love goretex for keeping moisture out but if I'm active no variation of layering is keeping me dry enough from sweat, it breaths, but not well enough for that. I do like to couple the goretex jacket with the lvl5 trousers. Lvl7s...well I can't describe it better than the Marines so I'll leave their description alone and just second it. For footwear I like my belleville 320s until its cold and wet then I've got a pair of 790s I'll be breaking in for next fall. I like to have at least 2 pairs of socks plus the ones I'm wearing. 2 pairs that are the same weight of warmth/cool for wearing around and switching and one warmer pair for sleeping in. Got those same darn tough t4021 and the next lighter ones too that I like quite a bit. I've also been trying some Fox River ones (recommendation of Gritty Soldier, I'd love to see a collaboration with you two btw) and liking them so far. Whatever the case I like to start moderately cold and thats about right once moving without having to peel layers, stopping for more than about 10 mikes I'll have a layer in an outside pocket to throw over me and then stuff back away again pretty quick.

From the standpoint of a civilian, Gore-Tex is very expensive. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me to break it out every time there is some light rain, it has to be absolutely pouring. This is how I use my softshell jacket -- whenever it is chilly and windy and there is a chance of light rain, which happens quite often even in summer, it serves as both the insulation layer and the weather layer at once. If the forecast predicts low temps, I can take my fleece. If the forecast predicts heavy rain, I can take my Gore-Tex. This way, wear and tear as well as dirt and mud are spread out between different pieces of gear, which is important when you bought all of said gear yourself.