Swedish Army M90 Parka

[Viking]

Last year I picked up a brand new Swedish Extreme Cold Weather Coat for £60.

It's in goretex and comes in the Swedish camo pattern, which is a lot like some of the splinter patters but adapted (I presume) to fit the colours of conifer/birch forests of Scandinavia. Fully lined, snow skirt, pit zips, wire peaked hood. I'm very pleased with it.

It´s called FJS02 and is made by a company called Taiga. There is also a civilian model called forest. Both the jacket and trousers are great to use when the weather is really bad. They are also made in desert and winter camo.

Not issued to many people but many officers buy them, since it´s the best alternative available, but the soldiers in Afghanistan i sissued the model with desert camo.

A new model is coming up now but are going be a lot more expensive.

More info is available at www.taiga.se

 

[Dunelm]

It´s called FJS02 ...More info is available at www.taiga.se

Yes, that it. I got it in a local surplus store. I know some people here object to camo - I recall somebody pithily likening those who wear to numpty's re-enacting the Balkan War's in their local woods - and usually I agree but this pattern is actually quite beautiful and it was a bargain. Although global warming has so far preventing me from using it in the snow...

 

[big_swede]

Yes, that it. I got it in a local surplus store. I know some people here object to camo - I recall somebody pithily likening those who wear to numpty's re-enacting the Balkan War's in their local woods - and usually I agree but this pattern is actually quite beautiful and it was a bargain. Although global warming has so far preventing me from using it in the snow...

For £60? That's incredibly cheap! Do your local surplus store have a website?

 

[Dunelm]

For £60? That's incredibly cheap! Do your local surplus store have a website?

I bought this from Genuine Army Surplus, Darlington. http://www.genuinearmysurplus.co.uk/ I know some people have had very negative experiences ordering through their web-store, also their web-store stocks only a fraction of the stuff in the shop. Luckily for me I'm only a 20 minute drive away.

 

[big_swede]

I bought this from Genuine Army Surplus, Darlington. http://www.genuinearmysurplus.co.uk/ I know some people have had very negative experiences ordering through their web-store, also their web-store stocks only a fraction of the stuff in the shop. Luckily for me I'm only a 20 minute drive away.

They didn't have it on the site, which is a bit sad since it's more than £200 here!!! Maybe I should send them an email...

 

[Dunelm]

They didn't have it on the site, which is a bit sad since it's more than £200 here!!! Maybe I should send them an email...

It's worth an email. As a shop they should be open to custom from any where using any method.

If I knew how to post pictures on this site I'd show you all my coat...

 

[big_swede]

It's worth an email. As a shop they should be open to custom from any where using any method.

If I knew how to post pictures on this site I'd show you all my coat...

Upload the photo to www.photobucket.com, click on the uploaded photo, copy the url, and put the url between

 

[Alex...]

I popped up to www.surplusandadventure.com yesterday to have a look at the M90. A couple of bits of advice, they have two types of Parka/Jacket there, one with an insulated hood and one without.

I also tried on the trousers as well, and was very very tempted to buy the whole kit for under 40 quid! I've got a Rugby build (chunky!) so even I struggled with the larger size trousers. I can honestly say though that the kit seemed damn good, and I would imagine you would have to be somewhere damn cold to feel chilly in this. My only real gripe is that those Swede must have elongated Torso's as I found the hood was WAY too big and high up!

I however made a mistake!

I had been mulling over the US ecwcs jacket and trousers for some time and thought the price was a bit steep. S&A are looking for about £100 for the complete outfit. I know Ebay has them a lot cheaper, and I dont mind good grade 1 secondhand, because if i use them, I intend to get them dirty and damages a bit.

So, i tried on one of the Medium Regular jackets and hey.... I'm sold. I'm off to ebay now to get a medium regular (thought I would near large!). But overall I was very impressed with the store and the staff, they all seemed very helpful.








Footnote: A word of warning...i used the AA routemap to get there, and I would suggest you dont use it. It send me through stratford upon avon, where people dont seem to understand a road is for cars, indicator lights have obviously been made illegal and it would appear everyone is knows their relations in a carnal way!

 

[Mikey P]

@ Feygan

The water resistance is OK when the coat is new. If your coat is worn a lot, before you bought it, the surface of the cloth is not plain. I do not know if I use the right words or expressions but what I mean is that if you iron the coat (outside) the surface will not "catch" the water. It just runs of. If this wont help, use a water resist reconditioning for cloth made in polyester and cotton. I believe that the cloth in the coat is 50/50 (poly/cotton). There is different methods to threat garments depending what brand of reconditioner. Some recommend soaking in water or using a washing machine. But add heat in any form: ironing or tumbledry.

This sounds very much like it is treated with a durable water repellent (DWR) coating. Generally, they are activated by heat (ironing/tumble drying). If the heat-treatment no longer works, you need to be careful about how you reproof the garment:

DON'T wash it with detergent (normal washing powder/liquid)! The detergent actually prevents the material from repelling water. Either handwash it in warm water, or use soapflakes (I think Fairy used to do some?). Better still, probably the best solution is to wash it in something like Nikwax Techwash. This cleans the material without ruining its water-repellent properties. Then treat with a product like Nikwax TX.Direct.

I've used Nikwax as an examle as it's worked for me (I'm not tied to the company, etc) but there are other treatments out there.

A top-tip is either handwash the garment (make sure the container is free of all detergents) or, wait until your mate buys a new washing machine and use that before he puts detergent in it! If you insist on washing in your own used machine, run it on two very hot wash cycles to try and clean most of the detergent from the machine.

OK, this all sounds like a lot of messing about but when you're lying there, cold and wet, becuase your jacket/clothing is sponging up water you'll wish you'd have made the effort.

Alternatively, for 20 quid, you could chuck the old one away and get another!

 

[Viking]

I popped up to www.surplusandadventure.com yesterday to have a look at the M90. A couple of bits of advice, they have two types of Parka/Jacket there, one with an insulated hood and one without.

Theon that has a insulated hood are an older model, and the reason for te big hoods are becasue soldiers can use it over helmets. But those big hoods are really great when it´s really cold.

 

[TAHAWK]

Thank you for all the good information about the M90 parka. It convinced me to buy one. Only one vendor seems to have them in my size on this side of the pond, but the price was very good. Many vendors on your side seem to have them.

I will shortly have two Swedish parkas. I already had the model that seems to have been used before the M90. It came in light blue, a button-in liner, and a shoulder flash that says "CIVILFORSVARET." Very heavy.

 

[big_swede]

Thank you for all the good information about the M90 parka. It convinced me to buy one. Only one vendor seems to have them in my size on this side of the pond, but the price was very good. Many vendors on your side seem to have them.

I will shortly have two Swedish parkas. I already had the model that seems to have been used before the M90. It came in light blue, a button-in liner, and a shoulder flash that says "CIVILFORSVARET." Very heavy.

That blue one is from the civilian defense organisation, they're very rare, I have never seen one.

 

[TAHAWK]

That blue one is from the civilian defense organisation, they're very rare, I have never seen one.

A surplus company was selling them a couple of years ago for $9.99 U.S. The ones in OD were $19.99. They were sold as new and the one I received certainly did not seem to have been worn.

 

[TAHAWK]

The M90 parka arrived today. Nice features and nicely made in Sri Lanka. Very impressive zipper and practical pockets, as noted above.

The vendor may have sent the wrong size. If sized correctly, it is rather tight-fitting for an "XL/TG" military parka. Not as much room under for other garments as I'd hoped. It may be a "Large" ("VIKT 85").

I notice that, like the older model blue one I have, it has a strap that buttons across the chest. Any ideas on what function such a device would have?

Tom

 

[Swede]

The M90 parka arrived today. Nice features and nicely made in Sri Lanka. Very impressive zipper and practical pockets, as noted above.

The vendor may have sent the wrong size. If sized correctly, it is rather tight-fitting for an "XL/TG" military parka. Not as much room under for other garments as I'd hoped. It may be a "Large" ("VIKT 85").

I notice that, like the older model blue one I have, it has a strap that buttons across the chest. Any ideas on what function such a device would have?

Tom

If you stop for a moment (a break for example) you are instructed (in the swedish military) to keep warm. If you don´t want to thread your arms through the sleeves you can put the parka just over your shoulders and secure it with the strap. We are told to pack the parka on top (under the lid) of the backpack for easy access. Vikt means weight in kilograms. /Swede

 

[TAHAWK]

Tack. (I could not find "kroppsmatt" in any online dictionary.)

 

[Bisamratte]

Just translated the page from that manual for the rolling bit.

Some of it's abit disjointed but I blame the translation software personally.

I'm not sure you are supposed to but I just tried this with my m65 jacket and it works quite well, it doesn't have any straps to tie it round your waist but does form a neat bundle. Of coarse this was without the lining in it because then it doesn't fit in my bag never mind its hood

I often wondered how I could carry it in my rucksack without filling it completely.....now I know

 

[big_swede]

Tack. (I could not find "kroppsmatt" in any online dictionary.)

literally 'body measure'

 

[TAHAWK]

So if "vikt 85" (weight 85 kilos) is "Large," what is the next size up? Vikt 95?