The zib one's postwar, and not at all like the ww2 one.
The rangercamp ones available through solder of fortune are perfectly reasonable. Well made and fairly accurate. their code's BE422, and it's £99.
Yes you can get cheaper, Belgian ones, or more expensive and 'more accurate' ones, but it's a good compromise between cost and accuracy.
I bought mine from soldier of fortune last year and im quite happy with it. I did get the chance to look at it before i bought it though, which is always helpful.
However it could do with it being a bit muddied up.
The SoF ones are the only ones I'd buy. But then I already have one so don't need to.
I too had an SOF one, although I could have done with the size bigger I think
Unfortunately the size I got was the bigger size, I've got a wierd torso shape, it always plays hell with getting clothes!
do you ebay??
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Denison-Smock ... 500wt_1413
I was very cautious of that sale, as they've stolen the picture from this guy here: eBay item: 170774891342
Also, they're supposedly based in Hemel Hempstead, so I'd be extra cautious, knowing what a state most of Hemel is...
A Proud Member Of 'Team Spleen!' who play mainly at Gunman Airsoft, Tuddenham, Suffolk.
If you feel flush then G-Max still make the 'King &Country' smock.
Available on eBay.com or from various US dealers like Military Tour.
aka Stigroadie
AFRA
better by design
"Truth is a shining goddess, always veiled, always distant, never wholly approachable, but worthy of all the devotion of which the human spirit is capable. "
I've got both a K&C smock and a first run of the rangercamp ones.
The only real difference in them is slightly nicer wool on the collar of the K&C and about 200 quid...
The later SOF/rangercamp ones are a bit green for my liking but i think they fade out well over time.
Whats most important really is to get the same model as the rest of your team/group/mates are using or a damn close match.
Nothing looks dodgier in re-enactment groups than ten guys all wearing different make smocks in different cuts/patterns/eras.
I saw one lot a few years back and one guys had some tattered wwii original on faded to near beige all over, a few guys had some very green WPG smocks on, one or two had replicators ones that had gone that sandy yellow shade they wash out to, there were a few K&C smocks a belgian one and one guy weirdly in a fairly modern italian combat jacket (he'd have looked better in just battledress, plenty of pics of chaps in arnhem without smocks)... while some individual impressions looked great the overall look was slap dash across the group.
In PBI we used to ask folk to get the SOF/rangercamp one if they could for standardisation. 'course if you're not playing alongside a regular group of guys its impossible to standardise but the two main types you see are the SOF/rangercamp and the replicators ones.
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
one lot a few years back and one guys had some tattered wwii original on faded to near beige all over, a few guys had some very green WPG smocks on, one or two had replicators ones that had gone that sandy yellow shade they wash out to, there were a few K&C smocks a belgian one and one guy weirdly in a fairly modern italian combat jacket
They are still around I think, average age 65?
I like them, they make me feel young.
aka Stigroadie
AFRA
better by design
"Truth is a shining goddess, always veiled, always distant, never wholly approachable, but worthy of all the devotion of which the human spirit is capable. "
Has anyone come across these?
That's not trying to be a WW2 denison?
Horrible camo.
aka Stigroadie
AFRA
better by design
"Truth is a shining goddess, always veiled, always distant, never wholly approachable, but worthy of all the devotion of which the human spirit is capable. "
I'd personally avoid that.
The colours are wrong and too blocky, the 'drawings' of the camo pattern don't look right and the cut looks iffy.
Yep it's cheap but it looks more like a modern dpm jacket than a denny.
If you can bite the bullet and save an extra 50 quid for the sof one. Not only does that *look* right but it will be worth at least 50 quid to sell on second hand and they do appear to be fairly hard wearing. (mines still going strong and i've had it for years.
Here's a comparison of the K&C one that cost about 250 quid next to a 90 quid rangercamp one. Now bearing in mind that the K&C one was few years old and had done a fair few events by the time i bought the rangercamp one, and that when it was new the colours were as sharp at the RC one... there really isnt much in it.
Ah Poacher, you know the lads I mean then.... loads of potential let down massively by everyone doing their own interpretation of the same unit rather than just agreeing on a standard 
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
It does however seem to be the *only* thing thats cheap on silvermans....
their webbing prices are either an injoke or the web guy was on drugs when he put the page together....
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Half.
Full zip were officer only and not all officer wore them.
aka Stigroadie
AFRA
better by design
"Truth is a shining goddess, always veiled, always distant, never wholly approachable, but worthy of all the devotion of which the human spirit is capable. "
Indeed, half zips were the issued type. Full zips were tailor made or converted from half zips by adding the diagonal zip from the OG jump oversmock... consequently a lot of genuine full zips have a full zip thats two or three inches too long at the hem of the smock.
As it was essentially a 'combat overall' and for working and fighting in and not (as most re-enactors seem to think) to be worn for walking out or general duties, most officers didnt bother having a special one made up.
Montgomery wore one with a full zip because he was special and Browning had an oddly tailored unique one too but most officer of a majority or less didnt bother.
Officers in WWII had three choices when it came to clothing (in general)
1. wear government issue stuff as the ORs, the cheaper option but I doubt you'd live it downin the mess of most regiments (eg wearing ORs BD blouses but with the collar turned back and with a shirt and tie)
2. Wear Ors kit tailored to officers requirements (like issue BD tailored to have an open collar with faced lapels)
3. Have completely tailored kit to war dept patterns (like an open collared barathea BD blouse like that worn by Montgomery)
Junior officers in the field with any sense wore as much ORs stuff as possible as Japanese and German snipers were notoriously good at spotting things like collared shirts and ties, unique webbing arrangements and other signature equipment.
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
If you're in the South Pacific like myself (probably not the most common concern on these forums heh), the SOF one will cost you as much in postage as the smock itself (understandable, it is a rather bulky item). Luckily, this guy in HK does one that is pretty close, and with shipping that doesn't put the prices over the edge: http://www.ebay.com/itm/British-Para-De ... 518fc8fdd7
Friends meet to part - love laughs at faith;
True foes, once met, are joined 'til death!
Looks like the one in the main pic is a rangercamp, early type, and it looks different to the other pics which might be of the later langercamp type. Could this be rangercamp selling these?
Anyway, I can't remember if he is based in HK or China propper, but he can contacted directly via the ww2 reenacting forum, he will probably tell you what's what for getting one of his smocks if you want one.
If you want to be fussy then 2nd pattern did not see much service.
There were a couple in Normandy, really, one or two.
A few at Arnhem, the story is the Poles had a number.
It's not until Varsity and the re-equipped 6th Airborne that they show up in any great numbers.
I dont notice the crotch flap, you can fix it to the side on a first pattern if it does bug you.
First pattern gives you the whole war to play with.
aka Stigroadie
AFRA
better by design
"Truth is a shining goddess, always veiled, always distant, never wholly approachable, but worthy of all the devotion of which the human spirit is capable. "
Yup as poacher says, 1st pattern is probably your best bet.
If the 'ape tail' bothers you the vast majority of non jump personel cut them off (that would probably include yourself if you have a jeep as other than the few paradropped sas jeeps they would have been horsa landed). Obviously this knackers the resale value of your smock so a lot of us just put a few stitchs or a safety pin in to pin it up on the inside (you can fasten it to the side adjusters but it tends to pop off all the time).
Most re-enactors and airsofters buy them too small to be honest, it should be mahoosive. If the hem comes anywhere between mid thigh to your knee its fine really.
Originally the idea was for the denison to go over everything including your webbing but it wasnt really practical.
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Aye i'm familiar with welbikes
You'll be wanting to keep your ape tail then...
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
