Helikon Tex PCS Smock

Helikon-Tex is a Polish company that started out dealing in army surplus, but is now a manufacturer of quality, military-style clothing and equipment.

The Helikon-Tex Personal Clothing System Windproof Smock is make in accordance with the British Army specification from pretty tightly woven 50% cotton, 50% polyester fabric printed with an ‘MP’ camouflage design of Helikon-Tex’ own pattern.

Cut large to accommodate several layers of clothing worn underneath, the PCS smock is bristling with features which make it suitable, not only for the military, but also a whole range of civilian outdoor activities.

Starting at the top, the smock has a very large attached hood that can roll up to be held by a button and tape loop, leaving a deep collar.  The hood has a deep wired ‘snorkel’ to allow you to shape it to your own needs, while drawcord locks clip together to form one central unit.

The front of the jacket closes with a full-length, double-ended, chunky toothed zip and has both a Velcro tab-closed storm flap and a drip strip behind the zip.  A ‘rank tab’ is mounted on the storm flap. 

Plenty of Pockets

Each side of the front zip there are zipped chest ‘dump’ pockets, large, angled box pleated chest pockets and large lower box bellows pockets.  The zipped pockets have a 21cm toothed zip opening that gives access to a mesh backed pocket covering the whole chest area from yoke to waist, front opening to the sleeve seam and contains a patch pocket sewn to hold 3 pens.  If you leave the zip open the mesh backing of the pocket aids ventilation.

The 20cm x 18cm x 2.5cm bellows pockets on the chest have concealed buttons on the fold-over ‘envelope’ style closure with 3 soft tape loops inside.  The left chest pocket also sports a 7cm x 13cm open-top pocket on its lower left front with a ‘button hole’ for securing a lanyard.

The 22cm x 21cm x 3cm lower front pockets are flapped in the same style as the chest pockets.  Behind the bellows pockets there are fleece lined pockets with vertical open access.  In the armpit of the sleeves there are double-ended ventilation zips with extended pullers, while the sleeves feature reinforced elbow/forearm patches, Velcro tab cuff adjustment and large, 16cm x 13cm angled upper arm pockets with Velcro tab closed top flaps and 3 internal tape loops.  The front of the arm pockets is faced with Velcro for mounting patches and come with Velcro backed covers in MP camo.

Other Useful Features

The outer back of the smock is plain, although inside there is mesh yoke that extends down to the waist drawcord. The hem drawcord is elasticated and has cordlocks each side of the front zip.

The buttons found on the smock are all of the taped “Canadian” pattern and 2 spares are attached inside the “drip strip”.

The PCS smock is very wind resistant, showerproof (the proofing can be renewed with commercial wash-in type reproofing products) while being quiet and comfortable to wear. It’s easy to wash and pretty quick drying, while in use it.  The smock, fully zipped up, proved warm and windproof, but easily ventilated to avoid overheating.

A fully practical field smock, the Helikon-Tex PCS smock is rugged and can carry a lot of gear and, with its unusual camouflage, is a little out of the ordinary.

The camo pattern itself seems to work well in a variety of terrains with the mix of colours and shapes not only blending in with the background, but also breaking up your outline.

Helikon-Tex PCS smock comes in sizes S - 2XL and costs around £89.95 in the MP Camo only.

For more details contact Heinnie Haynes on tel. 033 0300 0400 or visit www.heinnie.com