Aye Up All,
As mentioned in the Part 2 OP I have now completed the upgrades identified to the KA03 jacket.
Elbow patches have been added extending down to the cuff (think prone obs);
A seat/heel guard has been added to the rear extending from just below the waist line to the bottom hem (heel guard? think kneeling);
A cape-let has been created for the shoulders (I will cover this in a separate post);
A detachable hood has been created (image to be posted in due course).
The material used for the modifications is PU coated nylon recovered from a damaged, Austrian surplus poncho (£6.99).
This material is reasonably robust and a very good colour match for the KA03 material itself.
Although already waterproof I have given the upgrades a double coating of Fabsil Gold as I have found that this works well on my rucksack covers and poncho/bashers, not only in terms of water repellence but also in reducing the sheen of the nylon. (It also darkens it slightly).
Cotton used is the strong Gueterman 976 upholstery thread.
All-in, the cost is still well under forty quid (my time excluded!)

As mentioned in the Part 2 OP I have now completed the upgrades identified to the KA03 jacket.
Elbow patches have been added extending down to the cuff (think prone obs);
A seat/heel guard has been added to the rear extending from just below the waist line to the bottom hem (heel guard? think kneeling);
A cape-let has been created for the shoulders (I will cover this in a separate post);
A detachable hood has been created (image to be posted in due course).
The material used for the modifications is PU coated nylon recovered from a damaged, Austrian surplus poncho (£6.99).
This material is reasonably robust and a very good colour match for the KA03 material itself.
Although already waterproof I have given the upgrades a double coating of Fabsil Gold as I have found that this works well on my rucksack covers and poncho/bashers, not only in terms of water repellence but also in reducing the sheen of the nylon. (It also darkens it slightly).
Cotton used is the strong Gueterman 976 upholstery thread.
All-in, the cost is still well under forty quid (my time excluded!)


