3 minute read
KIT & GEAR: VIPER V-CAM BLACK
ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO STAY COOL IN THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT, STEVE T TESTS VIPER TACTICAL’S NEW GEN2 ELITE TROUSERS AND MESH-TECH SHIRTS.
I’ve used Viper’s original Elite pants for about a year now, particularly in warmer weather when their slightly thinner construction helps me stay cool. This year, Viper introduced its GEN2 pants with the addition of the VCBK colourway - in other words, an unlicensed version of MultiCam Black. Pardon the pun but colour me interested!
And in a perfect confluence for hotheads everywhere, Viper has also released mesh tops with both short and long sleeves in the same dark camo, to help fat sweaty so-andso’s like me stay cool. It was an instabuy combo for me all-round then. mesh shirts feel considerably cooler than any UBACs I’ve tried, without sacrificing camo cover. I just wish Viper made a proper combat shirt in the same pattern to pair with the pants outside of a heatwave.
PANT-A-LOON Well priced at around £70, the quality seems good too. Everything about the original Elite pant has been improved, from the introduction of flex panels to more malleable removable armour.
Still constructed from 60/40 Ripstop Polycotton, the label assures me they are “100% Tactical”. There’s still a velcro waist fastening above the fly but the waistband is slightly stiffer and broader on the V2, albeit sacrificing adjustment.
The basic pocket arrangement remains mostly the same but the height adjustable straps for the knee armour are no longer accessed through the hip pockets, so now your change won’t fall out around your knees on the way to or from a game!
If you ever managed to find a use for the original’s shin pockets though, then think again because they’re gone. No great loss.
Overall, the GEN2s seem well made, comfortable and a good upgrade from the originals - especially if you want a camo pattern that will work in woodland sites.
SHIRT HOT! I don’t know about you but I start sweating the moment I pull a UBACS over my head! Viper’s Mesh-tech shirts could be the end of that.
The 100% Polyester construction means that it’s not only more lightweight and feels cooler as soon as you put it on, but also faster wicking than conventional cotton blends. Both long and short-sleeved versions work best when worn snug against the skin, but if you’re at all body conscious, I’d go up a size - or even two - and they’ll still work great. The camo pattern is slightly lighter than on the pants, but things get lighter the higher they are, right?
I’m happy to confirm that they totally work at reducing body temperatures, but while the full-length sleeve option has an adjustable zip collar, the short-sleeve can feel a bit tight around the neck. That’s something I particularly dislike though, so it might not bother you. Either way, they might not be the last word in battlefield authenticity but both
There’s a trade-off for using cooler fabrics in that you will sacrifice physical protection. Of course, we’re not talking about bulletproof layers but rather knocks and scrapes against the terrain. This base layer might not be as thin as the most sheer exercise tops, but I still have a question mark over durability. I doubt it would shrug off an encounter with a nail, but the thin construction is part of how the shirts achieve their cooling performance. At least you’ll be able to feel every single hit.
CAMO DELIGHT I’ve not had chance to skirmish either shirts or trousers since we’re in the midst of the Corona lockdown but I tested them during exercise instead. I found that the GEN2 trousers are more comfortable than the previous generation thanks to those stretch panels, while the mesh shirts both help considerably with cooling.
Viper Tactical has a track record of providing costeffective kit that outperforms its price point and on this evidence, the new 2020 lines don’t disappoint. In fact, for my budget, the new camo options strike the perfect balance between price and performance. AA
STRETCH PANTS
