Circa 1990s
In the mid-late 1990s, the USMC actively explored ways to improve concealment in built-up environments, recognising that the four-colour M81 Woodland pattern was poorly
suited to concrete, asphalt, and shadow-dominated urban landscapes. The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, working with both internal design teams and external suppliers, trialled various solutions ranging from simple recolours of existing patterns to entirely new geometries.
Around 1994, an experimental two-colour urban camouflage pattern emerged on a reversible Urban-Woodland uniform. Aside from a single photo from Nattick Labs and another from a training exercise, no other available resources reference this uniform, and it appears to have been a short-lived, small-scale trial.
Within this broader process, in 1998, recoloured "Urban" Woodland camouflage uniforms were briefly trialled by C Co., 1st Bat, 6th Marines during an Urban Warrior training exercise, 'Limited Objective Experiment 1' (LOE-1) at the Military Operations on Urban Terrain (MOUT) facility in Camp Lejune, North Carolina. The use of commercially available uniforms represented a low-cost, readily accessible test bed for gauging the visual effectiveness of grey-scale camouflage against urban backdrops. While never intended as a final design, it offered a practical stepping stone, helping inform subsequent trials that would lead to purpose-built patterns like the T-block, tested the following year, then, in the early-mid 2000s, an experimental variant of MARPAT, recoloured for urban terrain.
The exact procurement path of these uniforms remains unclear. No known official records indicate a formal Marine Corps contract for an “urban” camouflage in 1998, and photographs from the exercise suggest that they were almost certainly sourced from commercially available stock. At the time, surplus and sporting goods stores across the United States commonly sold grey/black/white Woodland BDUs to hunters, airsoft/paintball players, and law enforcement. Well-known manufacturers such as Propper, Tru-Spec, and Prestige Sportswear were among the most prolific producers of mil-spec-style uniforms in this era, making it highly probable that one or more of these brands supplied the garments used during LOE-1.
Additionally, there were no other uniform components that were printed with the pattern, further cementing the theory that they were commercially produced. On the contrary to this, however, one photograph, shown on the cover of a report titled "Urban Warrior Conceptual Experimental Framework, April 1998", features a Marine with a monotone Woodland helmet cover, indicating that at least one was produced, although likely from repurposed fabric, and perhaps only for the purpose of this photograph.
The uniforms were cut to the standard Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) pattern, constructed with a black thread, and printed with a monotoned 1981 Woodland pattern. Marines wore them alongside other standard-issue uniform components and equipment such as Woodland ECWCS Gore-Tex parkas, Load Bearing Equipment, Helmet covers, and MILES gear.
Ultimately, Urban Woodland uniforms were a one-off experiment, issued solely for the duration of LOE-1, which ran for just a few days. Once the training concluded, the pattern disappeared from Marine Corps use.
The set is in excellent condition with light signs of real wear as seen - All buttons, fittings and fixtures are present. Some light fading/discolouration is present. The labels are present and legible.
Flat garment measurements (inches):
Jacket
Chest: 42" (21" P2P)
Length: 28"
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