USGI M81 BDU pants, surplus

Original US Army BDU (Battle Dress Uniform) trousers in the traditional woodland pattern. These trousers have a button closure and six pockets. The leg cuffs usually have drawstrings and double fabric at the knees and seat for increased durability. All button closures are equipped with fabric flaps and are not visible and will not catch on equipment or branches.

The material is mainly a cotton-nylon blend (50%/50%) without ripstop. The material proportions may vary, due to several different manufacturers and production batches. Depending on the batch, there are always R/S cotton versions in the mix. We do not differentiate.

Genuine, variously used, but intact US military surplus, made in the USA.

History

The United States Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) was the standard field uniform of the United States Armed Forces from the early 1980s to the mid-2000s. It was introduced in September 1981 and quickly became widely used by all branches of the military - from transnational operations to everyday military operations.

The suit was designed to be durable, comfortable and functional. It was initially made of cotton, but later the durability was improved by using a blended fabric. The pattern of the suit is a six-color camouflage pattern. The knees, elbows and the back of the trousers were reinforced for increased durability.

The United States Marine Corps initially wore BDUs without nameplates, officially calling them "camouflage utility uniforms" (CCU). In 1991, authorities began adding nameplates to align with NATO requirements; in 1992, this became mandatory. The BDU was later replaced in field use by new uniforms - including the six-color DBDU ("chocolate chip") and the three-color Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCU) - but the Woodland pattern remains popular in civilian and field use, and has in turn inspired later patterns such as Cryen's MultiCam.