Mil-Tec is a brand of the German company Sturm. They are responsible not only for selling surplus to civilians but also for creating a wide variety of outdoor and military equipment and accessories.

One of their latest releases is the A-TACS AU ACU Uniform that is comprised of three parts: the pants, shirt and bonnie which are available through Military1st.

So if you, like me, never had any product from Mil-Tec, let’s see how it performs and why we should consider this brand for our Airsoft loadout.

I would like to thank Military1st for making this review possible.

QUALITY, MATERIALS AND CONCEALMENT

The material used on this uniform and on the bonnie is 50% Polyester and 50% Cotton, which translates in a very strong and rugged fabric that feels like it can withstand years of use. The fabric also has what appears to be the popular and renowned Ripstop reinforcement, which I don’t know why it is not mentioned by the maker. One thing is for sure, it surely is reinforced in a very similar fashion of the Ripstop fabric since you can clearly see an interlocking thread pattern.

Now, this is something that at first made me worry, not because it was reinforced, but rather because on top of the awesome A-TACS pattern you could notice this other pattern which at close range does have some interference on the A-TACS pattern making it look a bit square. This is something which is quite noticeable on most close range photos.

But, if you look at the photos of the uniform at medium and longer distances, you won’t notice this and it blends perfectly in the scenarios where it is meant to and supposed to blend.

These scenarios include rocky settings in which you’ll agree with me this uniform works great, and I tried to stretch the A-TACS AU pattern usage a little by taking it to a different setting with lots of vegetation. The result is quite good nevertheless. And you can witness that on some of the following photos.

Also when used together with other A-TACS AU gear and accessories like the Danner A-TACS GTX-TFX boots, the level concealment is increased. I only wish I had some A-TACS AU furniture to go along with this uniform and something I have not seen till today: a pair of A-TACS AU gloves. In case you know about a pair of gloves in this pattern send me a tweet @Op7airsoft.

For your information, one of the ways I like to test the quality of a piece of gear or uniform is to go through some wild thorn bushes, and when I come out the other side if the fabric is good I won’t have any scratches on my legs and arms.  This is what happened with this set.

Even though the fabric is tough and strong on the outside, I noticed it to be soft and very comfortable on the inside, and the pants side and back pockets are made of a different material, strong but not so rugged.

This is a very nice touch since these parts will get in direct contact with your skin and rub on it a lot. So this type of material will increase comfort on the long term.

FEATURES AND DESIGN

This is in every aspect a classic ACU, being that most features are similar to what you will find in most ACU-style uniforms out there, with the occasional exception and of course with a very good quality.

That said, I believe that Mil-Tec could have innovated a little more by adding new features to the traditional ACU design making it stand out from the crowd.

However I do understand why they might not want to do this, since this is a proven standard and many military and paramilitary organizations often go with what has been tested and approved rather than taking chances and be early adopters having to serve as testers to new and not field-proven products.

This is why when you get an ACU uniform you will be getting a proven design with standard features commonly used by most of the world’s military service people out there. And that will have the exact same familiar features on your next ACU.

Well, almost because depending on the manufacturer there are some nuances that sometimes make the difference:

In this case I really enjoy the fit of the trousers and shirt because they are not loose fit like some I wore in the past, especially the ACM ones. I prefer a uniform that is not too tight but I prefer it to be tighter than loose.

In my case, most Medium-Regular sizes would have to be adapted because they are too wide on the legs or sleeves, but somehow Mil-Tec have hit the right spot for me.

I also prefer the cargo pockets where you have Velcro closures, rather than buttons which make it harder and slower to access, especially like these that have two small square-like panels rather than a large horizontal panel which creates more resistance when you pull it up.

The YKK two way zipper on the shirt is also very nice and buttery fast. Too bad Mil-Tec did not use it on the fly for the pants.

On the bonnie I also liked the inclusion of a small pocket to conceal documents which Is pretty cool.

CONCLUSION

With so many ACU uniforms out there, and a standardized design, it’s on the small features and quality that most brands have to bet.

Mil-Tec surely has the quality side covered, and they do show attention to details adding some nice features I value and enjoy to having on my loadout.

They also stand out when they choose to have materials on that aren’t much abrasive when in contact with the skin making very comfortable and functional gear.

The whole set will set your back £104, around 130€, but its overall quality and design makes it quite worthwhile.

Pros

• Very good quality fabric
• Comfortable inside
• Great fit
• Attention to details

Cons

• Close range interference of the Ripstop fabric on the A-TACS pattern

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