View Full Version : Swedish Smock
steven andrews
14-08-2004, 14:13
I was looking for a "beater" smock for times when I didn't want to risk damaging my Snowsled Classic Ventile and came across this:
http://img67.exs.cx/img67/1659/swedsmock.jpg
http://img67.exs.cx/img67/9273/swedsmock2.jpg
http://img67.exs.cx/img67/7356/swedsmock3.jpg
I bought it from ExArmy (http://www.exarmy.co.uk/exarmy.htm) where it is £30. I initially bought a black one , as they only have black and white listed, but when I received it I asked them if they could get it in green and they provided. The colour is a very khaki-ish green which I love. Very retro!
It seems to be very well made - it is cut baggy to be worn over warm kit, has a nice big hood, big secure pockets and a strap at the crotch that buttons from back to front to stop the smock blowing up.
It has the Swedish three crowns and "OSB Industrier" stamped inside. A small label with "2" on it is stitched in (size?)
Edit: Apparently it is a Swedish Army M60 Smock.
I recommend it.
Let the "Telemark Hero" within you out!
(Sweden is close to Norway) :wink:
Nice Jacket.May get one of them meself i reckon.
bigjackbrass
14-08-2004, 17:03
I wore one of these in Sweden during the winter, largely to protect my other clothes (such as a Buffalo Special 6 shirt) during bushcraft activities. A very handy piece of kit, nothing magical or revolutionary about it, simply a thoroughly functional and useful item, available very cheaply. Inevitably, if you are going to get it wet then it takes a while to dry (not so much of a problem where I was due to having good stoves in the hut) but a treatment with Nikwak Cottonproof helped to give the smock a decent water repellancy. The front pockets are practically bottomless, and I seem to keep finding an endless supply of bark fragments still in them.
Nice jacket - who makes or supplies them?
A smock like that would probably serve me well when I am back in Canada too where did you get it?
It's the same pattern as the swedish army arctic smock - just a different colour (obviouslty the arctic smaock is white). You can dye the arctic smock to whatever colour you like. The stitching dyes too.
Martyn isnt the arctic smock a thin over smock? This one looks like it is either poly/cotton or ventile!
Martyn isnt the arctic smock a thin over smock? This one looks like it is either poly/cotton or ventile!
The arctic smock is like a heavy cotton canvas. Not sure what the one above is made from, but the pattern is the same at least.
steven andrews
14-08-2004, 22:44
I gave the link to the supplier, ExArmyLtd.co.uk in my orginal post above.
The smock is fairly heavy duty cotton, or at least it feels like it. There are no labels on the smock apart from the one that I have shown in the pic.
RAPPLEBY2000
15-08-2004, 00:24
:banghead:
i saw these last year in a surplus shop, in white!
i've also seen somone wearing exactly the same jacket dyed sky blue... :-?
not sure about that! sky blue!
Aww shame its cotton - nice though.
RAPPLEBY2000
02-09-2004, 00:36
GOOOOOD NEWS!!!
i have found a newer version of the swedish army smock!
it is identical in every way to the white version, (including the makers stamp)but has a button front (and even a crotch raiser!) with a wierd but effective two sided fastening i'm going to leave the buttons done up! at first sight i thought it was cotton, it is not, it's probably a poly cotton.
the colour itself is just off white, it seems more an extremly light grey, which almost seems more effective than pure white :shock: though it might be from washing it wrong :?:
i have dyed it!
ive dyed it brown (coffee no. 7 Dylon muti purpose dye),
because of the polyester it comes out a little lighter, best description i can think of is the colour of a Deer or Rabbit, but would suit sandy conditions also.
the dye has also coloured the plastic buttons a mushroom brown colour.
i assumed i would have to swop the buttons to a dark colour.
i am very impressed with it's weather proofing! Damn it's practically waterproof!
i have TX-10 treated it (nikwax cotton proof), to replace the incredible proofing it already had.
when first washing the jacket (prior to dyeing) i could not soak it!
the water really did just fall off, as on a waterproof! i had to wash the jacket in washing up liquid to remove the coating so i could dye it!
:super:
and only £14.99 :o): :o): :o): :super: :super:
steve (manager) said he had a few left, i would ring first to confirm:phone: .
mine was bought from:
Hoopers surplus,
20 pottergate,
Norwich
01603 665585
(best to find it on foot, the one way system is horrible, you'll never figure out how to get to the shop and back by car :drive: :nono: )
park in the city center, find the city hall.
With the city hall to your front, walk down the pedestrian street 50yards(ish) to your right(lower goat lane), walk to the far end of lower goat lane about 100yards.
turn left past the chippy, and Hoopers is 10 yards on your left.
worth a look round loads of kit, make sure you have a rummage upstairs, it's where i find my bargains!
mention my name"Richard from the outdoors shop " you might get the price lowered! :deal:
:wink: :biggthump
It´s only cotton, the swedish army did only have cotton (and wool for the winter) in all their clothes before the early 90´s and then the poly/cotton clothes came.
@rappleby2000,
What you have is a M-62 Snow Jacket. The heavier version in the first message in the thread is in fact a M-60 Windproof smock.
There is also a smock called M-40. It´s similar to the M-60, but I´ts snowy-white instead of light-greenish white.
The M-62 version was made in two qualities, one 100 % cotton and one a poly-cotton blend of 65/35 (not sure if cotton is 65 or 35). The M-60 and the M-40 was always made in 100 % cotton.
When I did my military service in an army ranger unit back in the early eighties in Sweden, we normally used the M-62 poly-cotton version. But sometimes, when doing long excercises in the mountains we were sometimes issued the heavier but more windproof M-60 Windproof smock.
Both jackets are originally dyed in a light greenish-white color, very efficient in snowy conditions but a little to dark in some light.
The M-60 is a very good smock for winter-use, although I may be a bit partial to it :).
//J
ChrisKavanaugh
03-09-2004, 06:50
Cotton usually carries a bad rep for outdoor clothing anywhere but extremely hot environs. The routine goes " cotton has no insulating ability, especially when wet- The best dressed corpses in missing hiker cases wear cotton." Now transport yourself to Sweden in cold,DRY snow. Tightly woven cotton is a marvelous windbreaker and venting material for perspiration. Naturally, we have lots of good insulating wool or pile underneath it. In this scenario the Swedes got it right.
RAPPLEBY2000
07-09-2004, 08:59
and that is my intended use, cold, dry, and windy conditions.
for rain i have goretex or a poncho.
still it does have pretty amazing water repelency concidering, far better than any other non-water proof jacket i've had, literally like water off a ducks back! some waterprofs don't even do that!. it definitely will cope with showers!
cotton/polycottens are very comfortable, and durable!
that's why they are so popular!
:nana:
Cotton usually carries a bad rep for outdoor clothing anywhere but extremely hot environs. The routine goes " cotton has no insulating ability, especially when wet- The best dressed corpses in missing hiker cases wear cotton." Now transport yourself to Sweden in cold,DRY snow. Tightly woven cotton is a marvelous windbreaker and venting material for perspiration. Naturally, we have lots of good insulating wool or pile underneath it. In this scenario the Swedes got it right.
I think the whole "cotton kills" thing has given a very unfair kiss of death to connon coats. They wont kill on contact. :D
I do agree, they are NOT idiot proof. By that I mean like any tool, you need to use it properly and appropriately. If you are reliant on a cotton coat for insulation in wet conditions, you're in trouble. But if you have a waterproof shell (poncho) and good insulation such as a wool jumper, then a light cotton coat is fine. If you're going somewhere that is constantly wet, gtx is probably a better option, just for simplicity's sake. But still, no reason you cant use cotton combined with a lightweight waterproof. For medium showers, no problems with cotton. The comfort, durability and breathability of cotton makes a strong argument, when married with appropriate waterproofs and insulation.
I think all the "dead hikers" have probably been caught short and found themselves reliant on wet cotton for insulation.
I think the whole "cotton kills" thing has given a very unfair kiss of death to connon coats. They wont kill on contact. :D
Cotton wont kill as long as it´s not the the clothing that you have closes to your body. But there is an exception, undershirts that are made ot of net.
bigjackbrass
07-09-2004, 11:30
Cotton wont kill as long as it´s not the the clothing that you have closes to your body. But there is an exception, undershirts that are made ot of net.
Does anyone have practical experience of this sort of net underwear under trying conditions? I recall reading about it in Colin Fletcher's "Complete Walker" some time ago, apparently developed for commando use in WWII (clearly not "going commando," then...), and it can still be found for sale. Nauticalia, for instance, a mail order company in the UK (and I believe they are on the Web too), offer longjohns and a top made of cotton net. Although the principle is perfectly sound, I've never been sure enough of thermals made wholly of cotton to give them a go. Having said that, now I think about it my trusty L.L. Bean River Driver's Shirt, basically a two-layer Duofold shirt, is entirely cotton on the inside.
Size advice for said smock.
I ordered a medium sized smock from Exarmy, which has just arrived.
It has on the inside Size 1, I'm a 44 inch chest but this thing is huge it works out at a 54 inch chest.
I gathered rthey might be a large fit but this is a bit to big.
Can anyone measure their smock and give me a clue to what size the number printed on the smock is in inches or cm's.
Ta very much.
jim
Coooooool I might find one to fit my 58" :biggthump
steven andrews
12-09-2004, 13:23
Size advice for said smock.
I ordered a medium sized smock from Exarmy, which has just arrived.
It has on the inside Size 1, I'm a 44 inch chest but this thing is huge it works out at a 54 inch chest.
I gathered rthey might be a large fit but this is a bit to big.
Can anyone measure their smock and give me a clue to what size the number printed on the smock is in inches or cm's.
Ta very much.
jim
Jim, I ordered a medium. Mine has a label with "2" stitched into it.
I layed the smock out and measured seam to seam under the armpits.
27 across - total 54 inches.
I'm a 39 inch chest but I am happy with the size of the smock. The arms are the right length, as is the length of the smock.
I know that I will be able to fit loads of warm kit underneath - even my Rab down jacket.
Steven,
Thanks for the reply. It sounds like they are all one size (huge..).
I must admit the thing is growing on me.
Might keep it ow just for the giggle factor. Plus Exarmy want 15% for handeling plus the postage, might be worth keeping the thing.
Jim
Moonraker
06-10-2004, 02:05
Hi
This looks really good piece of kit.
Can anyone confirm if the 'Swedish Snow Smock' They have on the Ex Army (http://www.exarmy.co.uk/jackets.htm) Jacket section is the Swedish Army Snow Blouse (OG version) pictured by steven at the beginning of the thread please? They have it for £25 inc delivery.
I was a bit confused because it says there M62 version but later JR says the other one is the M62. Think I would prefer the poly/cotton.
Thanks
Simon
Hi
This looks really good piece of kit.
Can anyone confirm if the 'Swedish Snow Smock' They have on the Ex Army (http://www.exarmy.co.uk/jackets.htm) Jacket section is the Swedish Army Snow Blouse (OG version) pictured by steven at the beginning of the thread please? They have it for £25 inc delivery.
I was a bit confused because it says there M62 version but later JR says the other one is the M62. Think I would prefer the poly/cotton.
Thanks
Simon
A bit late this answer, but as far as I can see the smock in this picture is a M-40 windproof smock and not an M-60. You can tell the difference because the M-40 lacks an internal waist draw-cord. I´ts also snow-white instead of light white-green (hard to tell from this picture though).
Cheers,
//J
Does anyone know of anywhere in the UK apart from Ex-army where I can buy an M-60 Windproof smock like the one shown in the first post on this thread. I ordered one from Ex-army 10 days ago but when I rang them to see why it hadn't arrived I was told that they had sold out and they wont be getting any more :(
Bogman10
16-01-2007, 14:47
I just got a m-62 off of e-bay ( from the uk ) because I wanted something for both Hunting and Sitting around the fire when Icefishing (sparks are not the best when combined with nylon on Down Parkas )
Bought a large/x-large before finding this post. Thinking of using it as a tent now ( kidding ) but no problem getting it over Heavy Canada weight winter clothes!
TheGreenMan
16-01-2007, 17:24
Does anyone know of anywhere in the UK apart from Ex-army where I can buy an M-60 Windproof smock like the one shown in the first post on this thread. I ordered one from Ex-army 10 days ago but when I rang them to see why it hadn't arrived I was told that they had sold out and they wont be getting any more :(
Original colour, not dyed, one size only:
http://www.factsurplus.co.uk/10245.html
Best regards,
Paul.
A very handy piece of kit, nothing magical or revolutionary about it, simply a thoroughly functional and useful item, available very cheaply. Inevitably, if you are going to get it wet then it takes a while to dry (not so much of a problem where I was due to having good stoves in the hut) but a treatment with Nikwak Cottonproof helped to give the smock a decent water repellancy. The front pockets are practically bottomless, and I seem to keep finding an endless supply of bark fragments still in them.
Yep - tried the Nikwax thing. It helps a bit but results weren't as good as I'd hoped. Great outer layer though. Picked mine up for just less than 20 quid so it pays to shop around.
TheGreenMan
17-01-2007, 16:15
Wow, I should check dates before I post! :D
dommyracer
29-01-2007, 21:23
Okay, I'm bringing this post back because I'm really interested in getting one of the jackets in Mr Andrew original posts, but all I keep finding are very similar ones that are buttoned all the way up (I believe this is the M62 parka)
Does anyone know anywhere that has M60 over the head smock like in the original post?
There was one the same or very similar for sale on EvilBay recently. Went for just over £10.
green windproof bushcraft smock 38/44 chest Item number: 270073143498
big_swede
30-01-2007, 08:33
Okay, I'm bringing this post back because I'm really interested in getting one of the jackets in Mr Andrew original posts, but all I keep finding are very similar ones that are buttoned all the way up (I believe this is the M62 parka)
Does anyone know anywhere that has M60 over the head smock like in the original post?
It's readily available here fro £3.5. PM if interested, think the shipping would be £5 or so.
retrohiker
30-01-2007, 16:33
I just picked one up (just like in the very top photo) but not dyed. Sort of a very light greenish grey -- or dingy off-white. Went for a 5.5 km hike the other day...temperature was about -4 C with light winds. I am completely sold on this as an outer garment!!! Water sort of beads up on the surface in a mist (don't count on it being water proof for long though) and it totally blocks the wind. Being cotton, it'll be great around the fire. Huge pockets for carrying frequently needed items. Very heavy material so it looks like it will last quite a while even under strenuous conditions. Picked mine up for about 17 USD. Think I'll pick up another one and try dying it like the one in the photo.
Rain man
25-02-2008, 23:26
Hi Was thinking of getting cheap smock and dying it, treating it and having a lovely shell for keeping wind out, found this thread and its answered some questions but caused more. I found that site which sells the arctic smock but I was unaware of the different types. I was about to order a Large (as I usually take large for most things) but by the sounds of it, its quite tent-like even at medium. I'm 6 foot and average build, 43" chest, 32" waist, 34" leg and annyingly long arms! trousers and shirts are always too short, will the medium be too short in the arms for me? :(
I would like the thinnest weight of material I can get, so it would possibly be used as a summer bush shirt if the weathers not great, and just as a shower/wind proof shell for winter. all cotton is fine by me but would poly still dye ok?
Which shirt am I after? please anybody less confused than me come to my rescue!!
Just noticed the top one is different to mine; it has a waist draw cord, mine doesn't.
This thread has lots of extra info...HTH
http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25996
Rain man, while I'm not quite as tall as you, I have a 44" chest and suffer from the same monkey like affliction as you with almots disproportionatley long arms to the rest of me.
I ordered the large and I'm glad i did, plenty of room for layering and i think it helps break up the "man shape" when i'm out shooting too,
I can't praise this smock enough, I've just proofed min with some homemade greenland wax so I'll be updating my thread about the smock shortley.
Besides if you feel its far to big chuck it in a hot wash and shrink it down a bit, just be carefull though, the polycotton full length opening coat might not shrink so much.
Andy