SASS smock and Para Smock
- Thread starter Pang
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The SAS, or windproof, smock is made from cotton gaberdine, is windproof and fairly quick drying, has a wired hood in varying sizes depending on whether it is an arctic smock or not, has four pockets on the front and pockets on the arms for a FFD and pens, all with large buttons. Plastic zip with baffle on the outside, poachers pocket at the back, sometimes has rank slides front and rear, often contains a Commando!
P Smock is a more robust cotton, knitted cuffs, metal zip with internal baffle, rats tail fitting to keep the smock from rising above the head when jumping from airplanes, four pockets on the front although I cannot remember if there are pockets on the arms. Press stud closure on the pockets. No hood fitted. Normally contains a nutty Para with attitude!
Which is the best? Depends what you want it for. When a P Smock gets wet, it is like wearing a house! Very heavy and takes a while to dry out. The zip is robust though and won't melt. The fabric will also not burn quickly, the thinner gaberdine may char away quicker. P Smock will take more abuse from thorns and spikey shrubberies. It is all a matter of what you want in a smock really.
P Smock is a more robust cotton, knitted cuffs, metal zip with internal baffle, rats tail fitting to keep the smock from rising above the head when jumping from airplanes, four pockets on the front although I cannot remember if there are pockets on the arms. Press stud closure on the pockets. No hood fitted. Normally contains a nutty Para with attitude!
Which is the best? Depends what you want it for. When a P Smock gets wet, it is like wearing a house! Very heavy and takes a while to dry out. The zip is robust though and won't melt. The fabric will also not burn quickly, the thinner gaberdine may char away quicker. P Smock will take more abuse from thorns and spikey shrubberies. It is all a matter of what you want in a smock really.
Para smocks are only good for Parachuting which is what they are designed for.
I think you mean the SAS smock which is what the SASS smock is designed from.
The SAS smock is a very good all rounder, it has plenty of pockets, a hood, and because its made from Gaberdine it is windproof.
You can also get an Arctic smock which is basically the same but it has a wired hood.
SASS make the SAS smock in Ventile and gaberdine with or without a wired hood depending on which one you want and also with or without woolen elasticated cuffs again depending on your personal preference.
I hope this helps.
Fingers of lightning! 
I think the only real differences between a SAS smock and an Arctic smock is the hood and maybe the rank slides. SAS has rank slides on the rear aswell as the front, Arctic hood is massive and wired. This is so that a helmet can be worn under the hood apparently, although the normal reason is so that when you are on a Herc you can oull the whole hood over your head to cover your face and wob out, or hide the fear in your eyes from your mates!
I think the only real differences between a SAS smock and an Arctic smock is the hood and maybe the rank slides. SAS has rank slides on the rear aswell as the front, Arctic hood is massive and wired. This is so that a helmet can be worn under the hood apparently, although the normal reason is so that when you are on a Herc you can oull the whole hood over your head to cover your face and wob out, or hide the fear in your eyes from your mates!
Fingers of lightning!
I think the only real differences between a SAS smock and an Arctic smock is the hood and maybe the rank slides. SAS has rank slides on the rear aswell as the front, Arctic hood is massive and wired. This is so that a helmet can be worn under the hood apparently, although the normal reason is so that when you are on a Herc you can oull the whole hood over your head to cover your face and wob out, or hide the fear in your eyes from your mates!
I used my arctic smock in anger in Norway and it was the dogs, the hood is big so you have plenty of air space inside when you close it up to your face in the event of an avalanche. The poachers pockets were used for holding your boot toe covers that you would carry in order to wear when Ski-orring(I think thats how you spell it) to prevent frost bite.
I'll be sure to wear mine next time I'm caught out in an avalanche then
If you pull it too close you can you keep your nose warm as well as trap an esential layer of air to breath 
Phil.
Just to clarify Pang,
SAS smock - Made from cotton gaberdine, no rank slides and an unwired hood. Two lower bellows pockets, two upper bellows pockets, pen pocket on left sleeve, sometimes a FFD pocket on upper right sleeve. Velcro adjustable cuff's. Poachers pocket on inside lower.
Arctic smock - The same as an SAS smock but with rank slides on chest and inbetween shoulder blades and a wired hood.
Para smock - Made from cotton modal, similar pocket configuration as above but with press stud closure. Rank epaulette's on shoulders, small collar, no hood. Crutch strap, external on rear. Knitted cuff's.The design of the para smock, i believe, was similar to the Denison smock used in WW2 and up to the early '60's. It was meant to go over the webbing and battledress so any of the parachute lines did not get caught in the straps and buckles. That is why the pockets have press stud's instead of buttons, so if there is a snag, it will just pull the pocket open. It was meant to be discarded with the parachute at the DZ after landing.
Cotton modal is very hard wearing but not very quick at drying, Cotton gaberdine is quick drying and windproof, but not as hard wearing as modal. In the old days, before commercially available upgrades, we used to remove the pockets from our SAS smocks and replace them with the pockets from Para smocks, that way we had the windroof, quick drying smock with hard wearing pockets that lasted. We sometimes fitted the knitted cuffs as well.
Hope that helps
SAS smock - Made from cotton gaberdine, no rank slides and an unwired hood. Two lower bellows pockets, two upper bellows pockets, pen pocket on left sleeve, sometimes a FFD pocket on upper right sleeve. Velcro adjustable cuff's. Poachers pocket on inside lower.
Arctic smock - The same as an SAS smock but with rank slides on chest and inbetween shoulder blades and a wired hood.
Para smock - Made from cotton modal, similar pocket configuration as above but with press stud closure. Rank epaulette's on shoulders, small collar, no hood. Crutch strap, external on rear. Knitted cuff's.The design of the para smock, i believe, was similar to the Denison smock used in WW2 and up to the early '60's. It was meant to go over the webbing and battledress so any of the parachute lines did not get caught in the straps and buckles. That is why the pockets have press stud's instead of buttons, so if there is a snag, it will just pull the pocket open. It was meant to be discarded with the parachute at the DZ after landing.
Cotton modal is very hard wearing but not very quick at drying, Cotton gaberdine is quick drying and windproof, but not as hard wearing as modal. In the old days, before commercially available upgrades, we used to remove the pockets from our SAS smocks and replace them with the pockets from Para smocks, that way we had the windroof, quick drying smock with hard wearing pockets that lasted. We sometimes fitted the knitted cuffs as well.
Hope that helps
Are you sure youre on about the WW2 oversmock?, it was an og thing with 2 elasticated pockets, fastened with a front zip and a jump flap.
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