ABU IS EXPENSIVE

[Stonewall]

Okay, I just posted a reply in the KBU thread, but thought this deserved its own thread.

ABU Top:  $47
ABU Bottom:  $47
1 (yes, 1) ABU undershirt:  $7.75
ABU Hat:  $12
ABU Belt:  $10
ABU Gore-Tex Jacket:  $300
ABU Gore-Tex Pants:  $150
ABU Boots:  $120 (hot weather are the cheapest)

Let me do the math for you.

ABUs alone, with the cheapest boots:  $243.75

Include a Gore-tex jacket:  $543.75

Include Gore-tex pants:  $793.75

Granted, like anything else, prices for ABUs will come down, but how much?  I seriously doubt they'll ever come close to the same price as BDUs or even the ever so popular KBU as proposed here.

And of course, I didn't include all the accouterments such as insignia, patches and if you don't do it yourself, sewing.  Throw another $20 on top of the prices listed above.

Guys and girls, I got my first set of ABUs issued to me this past weekend.  They're neat in the fact they're something new for me to play with.  I'm a self-proclaimed gear queer, so I like anything relating to the military, law enforcement, EMS, etc.  But I just can't bring myself to think that ABUs are the right way to go for CAP.  Your mileage and bank account may vary.

[NIN]

I'm telling you..

BITD, my group got a shipment of jungle fatigues.  Shirts and trousers, still in the bundles inside the boxes.  Brand spanking new. Extra-small short. Every last one of them.

(We later surmised that these had probably been part of a gigantic run of jungles manufactured for the ARVN that never made it over to SEA prior to the fall of Saigon, so they sat in some Defense warehouse for 15 years before someone said "yeah, uh, lets get rid of these, eh?")

Extra-small short = good cadet sizes

Unfortunately, my group supply officer, while having secured probably 20 boxes each of shirts and trousers, decided that he liked to show off his nice and full supply room as a model of efficiency, so they sat there for a year or two unissued. (Jungles were not, at the time, authorized.  That doesn't mean we weren't wearing them, it just meant we weren't wearing them to anything but ES missions out in the boonies..)

Plain OD jungle fatigues.  Easy to care for, lightweight, cheap, and most importantly, we had a glut of cadet sizes...

*sigh* Those were the days.

[Stonewall]

I'm telling you..

BITD, my group got a shipment of jungle fatigues.  Shirts and trousers, still in the bundles inside the boxes.  Brand spanking new. Extra-small short. Every last one of them.

~snip~

*sigh* Those were the days.

Yep, jungles were thrown at us BITD.  Unfortunately we could only wear those for what, a couple years or so?  Before the transition to BDUs we wore fatigues (pickle suits).  I used to go to the Navy Uniform shop at Mayport Naval Station and buy the top/bottom for about $7 a piece.  Can't beat a $14 uniform.

[Stonewall]

Got this from the official FAQ page on the AF Portal.

The cost analysis I did up top is based on an authorized provider of ABUs.  I'm guessing the below list is more in line with what the AF will be selling them for in AAFES, which does make me feel better.

Q20:   How much does an individual set of the ABU cost?  What about accessories like the jacket, t-shirts, socks, etc.   

A20:  The cost of one set of ABUs is $81.37 plus badges and rank.  The following is a complete breakout of costs for the ABU and accessories:      ABU Hat - $5.98; Men's Trouser - $41.96; Men's Coat - $39.41; Women's Trouser - $41.96; Women's Coat - $39.41; Sand T-shirt - $4.35; Green Boot Socks - $2.30; Sand Riggers Belt - $3.15; Desert Tan Boots - $97.50; AF Green Boots - $100.55; AF APECS Parka - $173.25

[RiverAux]

Granted, like anything else, prices for ABUs will come down, but how much?  I seriously doubt they'll ever come close to the same price as BDUs or even the ever so popular KBU as proposed here.

Why wouldn't they come down? They're just a piece of clothing.  Right now demand is high, but supply is low.  That will eventually switch. 

It will be interesting to see what the other paramilitary organizations (police mostly) out there that have traditionally copied military uniforms do.  Which service will they copy?  Or will they go with something else? 

[Hawk200]

It will be interesting to see what the other paramilitary organizations (police mostly) out there that have traditionally copied military uniforms do.  Which service will they copy?  Or will they go with something else? 

A few have already gone with the TRU (an ACU from Tru-Spec, usually in solid colors). Others are using the 5.11 series uniforms(which seem pretty practical). There will probably be BDU's made in solid colors for awhile, but the woodland seems to be fading away.

[LtCol White]

Okay, I just posted a reply in the KBU thread, but thought this deserved its own thread.

ABU Top:  $47
ABU Bottom:  $47
1 (yes, 1) ABU undershirt:  $7.75
ABU Hat:  $12
ABU Belt:  $10
ABU Gore-Tex Jacket:  $300
ABU Gore-Tex Pants:  $150
ABU Boots:  $120 (hot weather are the cheapest)

Let me do the math for you.

ABUs alone, with the cheapest boots:  $243.75

Include a Gore-tex jacket:  $543.75

Include Gore-tex pants:  $793.75

Granted, like anything else, prices for ABUs will come down, but how much?  I seriously doubt they'll ever come close to the same price as BDUs or even the ever so popular KBU as proposed here.

And of course, I didn't include all the accouterments such as insignia, patches and if you don't do it yourself, sewing.  Throw another $20 on top of the prices listed above.

Guys and girls, I got my first set of ABUs issued to me this past weekend.  They're neat in the fact they're something new for me to play with.  I'm a self-proclaimed gear queer, so I like anything relating to the military, law enforcement, EMS, etc.  But I just can't bring myself to think that ABUs are the right way to go for CAP.  Your mileage and bank account may vary.

Your prices are not accurate on this. These are the retail prices if you purchase from US Cav or some other commercial source. AAFES prices are lower

[mikeylikey]

^ Give it a year and they will drop even more from all sources.  Once production ramps up again we should see an influx of ABU articles in MCSS.

[Stonewall]

Your prices are not accurate on this. These are the retail prices if you purchase from US Cav or some other commercial source. AAFES prices are lower

That's why, after only 3 or 4 posts, I posted this:

Got this from the official FAQ page on the AF Portal.

The cost analysis I did up top is based on an authorized provider of ABUs.  I'm guessing the below list is more in line with what the AF will be selling them for in AAFES, which does make me feel better.

Q20:   How much does an individual set of the ABU cost?  What about accessories like the jacket, t-shirts, socks, etc.   

A20:  The cost of one set of ABUs is $81.37 plus badges and rank.  The following is a complete breakout of costs for the ABU and accessories:      ABU Hat - $5.98; Men's Trouser - $41.96; Men's Coat - $39.41; Women's Trouser - $41.96; Women's Coat - $39.41; Sand T-shirt - $4.35; Green Boot Socks - $2.30; Sand Riggers Belt - $3.15; Desert Tan Boots - $97.50; AF Green Boots - $100.55; AF APECS Parka - $173.25

[Nick]

Yeah, not only are they expensive, but they're so desperate to get supply from any vendor that'll make it, now the shelves are stocked with mis-matched shades of the uniform.  I went in to buy a set today, found a dark, rich colored shirt and a light, looked-like-faded pair of pants.

I didn't buy them.

[Stonewall]

Yeah, not only are they expensive, but they're so desperate to get supply from any vendor that'll make it, now the shelves are stocked with mis-matched shades of the uniform.  I went in to buy a set today, found a dark, rich colored shirt and a light, looked-like-faded pair of pants.

Yep.  A MSgt in my squadron had mis-matched top/bottom and his nametapes look extra extra dark, almost olive green.  All came from supply, so not sure what happened.

[O-Rex]

ABU Top:  $47
ABU Bottom:  $47
ABU undershirt:  $7.75
ABU Hat:  $12
ABU Belt:  $10
ABU Gore-Tex Jacket:  $300
ABU Gore-Tex Pants:  $150
ABU Boots:  $120

Looking absolutely squared-away in any environment: priceless

[mikeylikey]

Yeah, not only are they expensive, but they're so desperate to get supply from any vendor that'll make it, now the shelves are stocked with mis-matched shades of the uniform.  I went in to buy a set today, found a dark, rich colored shirt and a light, looked-like-faded pair of pants.

Yep.  A MSgt in my squadron had mis-matched top/bottom and his nametapes look extra extra dark, almost olive green.  All came from supply, so not sure what happened.

Nothing worse than walking around in two-different shades!  I loved the way my old BDU's lightened up after starching them and washing them like 30,000 times.  I wonder what shade the ABU's will eventually turn.  I am guessing a hazy grey.

[Nick]

Nothing worse than walking around in two-different shades!  I loved the way my old BDU's lightened up after starching them and washing them like 30,000 times.  I wonder what shade the ABU's will eventually turn.  I am guessing a hazy grey.

Yep. I saw a pair of ABU pants (initially a lighter shade anyway) that had been ran through the dirt and then washed plenty of times ... they have the same symptoms of the ACUs -- all the darker colors start to blend into the gray background.

[Slim]

It will be interesting to see what the other paramilitary organizations (police mostly) out there that have traditionally copied military uniforms do.  Which service will they copy?  Or will they go with something else? 

I've seen Detroit SRU snipers wearing ACUs.

[Stonewall]

It will be interesting to see what the other paramilitary organizations (police mostly) out there that have traditionally copied military uniforms do.  Which service will they copy?  Or will they go with something else? 

I've seen Detroit SRU snipers wearing ACUs.

We just got authorized to wear the 5.11 TDU (dark blue fatigue) tuck-in type uniform at my department.  Thankfully we don't wear collar brass any longer.  Has to be straight pockets, but any brand like TruSpec, 5.11, Propper, etc., as long as they meet the fatigue standard and are straight pockets.  Needless to say I'm very happy that I can retire my polyesters.

[JayT]

It will be interesting to see what the other paramilitary organizations (police mostly) out there that have traditionally copied military uniforms do.  Which service will they copy?  Or will they go with something else? 

I've seen Detroit SRU snipers wearing ACUs.

I've seen cops on TV wearing MARPAT a few days ago actually.

Good question through.