Guide: Crye Precision A-line BDU (combat)

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A while ago,
I started to focus a bit more on Gear & Apparel, when taking a more closer look at SOF BDUs, I found out that Crye Precison dominates this market.
Crye has several BDU versions (GEN's), and with some searching, I found lots of info on the web, though a bit shattered on multiple forums & blogs, I found this was quite difficult for me, to get the overview of the various Gen's, so I started with collecting photos in separate gallery's, and writing down the main features of each version, after a while it was become a quite huge document on my PC. And since here isn't yet such a compiled CRYE A-line guide, I thought I could be interesting to share it here?

Crye precision
Is a Joint Venture of the 2 students Caleb Crye and Gregg Thompson. they started their business in 2000 purely as a leisure activity, in a small studio above a department store, 20 years later they are grown into a company of more than 7900m2, employing 200 people in New York, and New Jersey.
Crye and Thompson get to know each other at the Cooper Union in Manhattan,  Crye, is an Art Student, passionate about the military, Thompson, is an Industrial Engineer.
For their 1st project they design a Field Computer for calculating mortar fire. However, this turns out to be unsuccessful, just because they aren't familiar yet with the working of the US military which requires solutions to current hanging problems, instead of their own suggestions for improvement. 
Eventually, in 2001, they win a design competition for the Scorpion Program, later known as the FCS program  (Future Combat Systems)
 


For their first real assignment Crye and Thompson design a revolutionary helmet with integrated com's, camera, eye, and NBC protection, but halfway their project the US is hit by 9/11 and everything suddenly changes.  With the start of The “War On Terror” the development of new material becomes a priority for the SF community, a golden opportunity for Crye precision, 

Crye Precision owns their success mainly to the fact that they maintain close contact with soldiers on the field, listen to their needs, design, and make solutions for them.
After a while Crye and Thompson became frustrated because the men in the field want their stuff, but they have no control on the supplying, since they are only designers and not producers.
That is why they decide to take a new step, and become not only designers but also producers, this move turned out not to be without any challenges, as the US defense provides that all gear items must be made with resources from the US , the so-calledBerry Amendment, Crye Precision are forced to adjust their designs , but in the end they become producers.

In 2002 they move from their studio above the department store to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, a historic site of the former shipyards, which has been parceled out into commercial real estate.





A G2 NC BDU used at the UBL Raid exposed at Crye Precsion.





Some well-known Crye- designs are the CPC, JPC, AVS plate carriers, and the Airframe helmet.
But the most well-known (patented) invention of Crye Precison is perhaps the MultiCam in 2004. MultiCam differs from other camo designs due to the fact that it does not have a recurring pattern, so the human brain cannot distinguish it from the background, and therefore extremely effective. Multicam is just one of the many parts of the Scorpion program.




Another design that Crye will achieve great success are their designs for upgrading the Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) Crye Precison eventually designs a complete clothing line, including a B-line field BDU, and an A-line combat BDU, fully designed with DA (Direct Action) in mind 

What follows is an overview of the different Crye Combat A-line BDU's based on the info i could find on following sites and blogs, if you wanna read the full reports and reviews, you can find them here (recommended) each GEN chapter is accompanied by a dedicated and compiled photo gallery
https://www.militarymorons.com/index.php
https://s23gearmonkey75.wordpress.com/
https://atrg.blog/2019/04/03/__trashed-3/
https://thefull9.net/
https://kommandopost.com/index.php/2019 ... eld-2010s/
https://thereptilehouseblog.com/

 

The 1st GEN Combat Shirt
Was specially designed to wear under Plate Carriers, and Chest Rig's, where classic BDU shirts can be annoying due to pockets, seams and excess textile, Crye has a stretch torso, for increased wearing comfort the so-called (UBACS Under Body Armor Combat Shirt) concept.
The Collar can be worn in various ways, and is ment to protect the neck from equipment belts and straps 
The sleeves are reinforced with Cordura, around the elbow area, and can be oufitted with an extra Elbowpad, the so-called Joint Protection. This is inserted from the outside, a small Cap remains exposed, the Joint Protection can be fixed along the inside, by means of an elastic strap.
Flight Suit Style Pockets are located on top of the sleeves instead of the larger Cargo Pockets, to become a slimmer profile in narrow passages, Velcro pads for wearing patches, are stitched on top of the pockets . Velcro Cuffs, which are longer on the outside, provide extra protection for the wrist and keep the sleeves in place.

The 1st GEN Combat pants
Are one of the most sophisticated military apparel designs ever.
The Waist is equipped with a light Padded Belt, which is higher at the back, and equipped with extra strong Cordura belt loops for gun belts, at the front a zipper fly, and velcro closure instead of buttons, to enable a better seamless fit.
The side/back pockets are different than usual, these are a kind of foldable Cargo Pockets
which can be closed by a flap with velcro closure, they are also positioned, under the Belt Line, and slightly backwards,for not to interfere with Belt Kits.
The 2 large Cargo Pockets, are extra deep, also located under the Pistol Belt and placed frontal
The pockets are closed by a multifunctional Strap with a Buckle, this Strap also serves to adjust the height of the knee protection.

Same as with the Combat Shirt, the knee zones are reinforced with Cordura, and can be equipped with an extra kneepad, this is inserted from the outside, leaving a Cap exposed on the outside, inside the Pants there is an adjustable elastic strap to keep the pad positioned. 

The Pants are designed to worn outside the boots, with velcro closures at the ankles they can be made fitted around the ankles.
The full length zippers on the outside of the legs, are perhaps one of the most remarkable features of the G1 Crye Combat Pants
These are ment to adjust the knee straps, tie shoelaces, and provide faster access in case of injuries to the legs.
The “sanitary zipper” around the bottom, is most likely the most unique and special feature, it allows a quick sanitary stop without having to take off your full gear.

CHECK HERE MY DETAILED GEN 1 PHOTO GALLERY 






The GEN 2 BDU
Officially designated as the AC (Army Custom), was designed as a lighter version of the G1,
GEN2 actually refers to the 1st commercially available version, between the G1 and G2 numerous other versions were tested.

The Pants
 Have eventually became a completely different design, the main changes are the Stretch Zones for the crotch, back, and knee, a completely different pocket layout,
The longitudinal and sanitary zipper have been omitted, as well as the extra Cordura zones.
Furthermore, the height adjustment of the knee protection has now been located internally.

For the Combat Shirt
The main change was the material of the body, where the G1 this was a single moisture (sweat) absorbing material, this becomes a fire-retardant material with the G2
this due to a new USMC guideline in 2006.
Furthermore, the G2 has cargo pockets on the arm instead of the flight suit pocket on the G1
The cuff at the bottom of the sleeve has been simplified and the Cordura zone around the elbow has been omitted.



The NC (Navy Custom)
Is a G2 version with some specific US Navy features, it is made of AOR Camo, the Waistbelt in the back is straight instead of raised on the AC, the pockets have extra classic buttons because Velcro tends to fail in water, and the Elbow Pockets for the Joint Protection does not have the opening for the exposedCap like the AC.

CHECK HERE MY DETAILED  AC (Army Custom) PHOTO GALLERY 
CHECK HERE MY DETAILED  NC (Navy Custom) PHOTO GALLERY 







The GEN 3 BDU
Basically in an updated version of the G2, the differences are really in the details.

For the Pants 
he built-in Waist Adjustment System is the main novelty, furthermore, Multicam fabric is now used for the stretch zones, a front zipper instead of buttons, a reinforced seat, the back pockets are now equipped with zippers instead of flaps, an integrated knife holder, simplified Knee Height Adjustment and integrated flaps to cover the opening when the Airflex is not being worn, an elastic strap in the cargo pocket to keep a mag or bottle upright are new

For the Combat Shirt
Most striking is perhaps the other color of the Torso (khaki instead of tan) which matches better with the Multicam of the rest, the collar is better finished with a protection around the zipper, the arm Cargo Pockets are now equipped with an eyepro, and pen holder , and equipped with a Crye name label (to make counterfeiting more difficult), the Velcro zones for patches now consist of 2 strips, instead of 1 large field, (to allow more flexibility tot he patches) and the Elbow protection no longer has an opening for an external cap.


CHECK HERE MY DETAILED GEN 3 PHOTO GALLERY 








The GEN4 BDU
Is the latest version of the Crye BDU, the main goal of this new concept was weight saving, and a tighter cut
The G4 is completely made from the new VTX Ripstop Stretch Material, according to Crye itself, this fabric should be quieter because it is softer, 17% lighter, dry 60% faster and breathe 4 times better?  By using the VTX stretch it is also possible to make a more slim fitting cut.

The Combat Shirt
 Now also comes with a Multicam torso, the G1's Flight Suit Arm Pockets are back, and the elbow pocket is now located inside the sleeve.
The shirt is stitched in a specific cut pattern under the arms to optimize mobility

The Combat Pants, 
has also undergone some changes,
The rear flaps of the G2 back, at the front there is now an internal pocket for smartphones, with a mesh liner, the large side Cargo Pockets now also have a mesh liner, and the height adjustment of the knee pads has been moved from the front to the large Cargo Pocket.
Above the large Cargo pockets are “pass throughs”, with extra loops at the top and bottom to fix long tools and explosives, the “Dedicated Knife Pouch” is now located higher and only on the right.
The Airflex Joint Protection has a new design, and the knee pouch is also lined with a Mesh Liner on the inside. The Waist belt has a larger Velcro closure and is lined with a moisture-wicking liner.

CHECK HERE MY DETAILED GEN 4 PHOTO GALLERY