US Military Cold Weather Gen III Midweight Fleece Shirt

Gen III Midweight Layer

This is the US military's Generation III midweight fleece shirt, the Level 2 piece of the ECWCS (Extended Cold Weather Clothing System), the Army's layering system for cold-weather wear. It goes over a base layer and under a shell, holding warmth when you are moving hard or sitting still in the cold. Soldiers wore it as a working insulation layer, and it is just as useful to hunters, hikers and anyone who wants issued kit instead of a commercial fleece.

Features

• ECWCS Level 2 Midweight — It is the second layer of the Gen III system, made to sit between a lightweight base layer and outer insulation or a shell.
• Grid Fleece Construction — A grid pattern of raised fleece channels traps warm air while the thinner lines between them let moisture and excess heat escape.
• Polyester Fabric — Polyester fleece keeps much of its insulating value when damp and dries faster than cotton.
• Half-Zip Front — A zipper runs from the collar to mid-chest, so you can open it to dump heat on the move and close it when you stop.
• Stand-Up Collar — The tall collar zips up to cover the neck against wind and cold.
• Fabric Zipper Pull — A tab on the zipper is easy to find and work with gloves on.
• Flat-Stitched Seams — Low-profile seams lie flat against the body, which cuts down on rubbing under pack straps and outer layers.
• Tan Colorway — The neutral tan shade matches desert-tone uniforms and goes with most outdoor clothing.

Issued Layering System

The Gen III ECWCS was built as a set of layers you add or remove for the conditions, and this midweight shirt is the piece most often worn by itself in cool weather. As genuine US Army issue, it was made to a government specification for field use, not cut for retail fashion. It suits buyers who want a dependable fleece layer, collectors putting together a complete Gen III set, and reenactors who need correct-issue clothing.