I'd like to clariffy the debate on "Fake" SAS Smocks and some of the incorrect advice/information given here on ebay by certain self appointed "Expert Armchair Warriors" who obviously have no idea what they are talking about - there is one Guide written by such a person which I would take with a bucketfull of salt, let alone a pinch!
Yes, current issue SAS Smocks are made of 100% Cotton. A label inside will give that information. As for NSN or NATO Stock Numbers, at least one armchair critic here on ebay is supplying any would be purchaser with guides containing false information relating to NSN's.
All NATO Forces Clothing and Equipment has an NSN/NATO Stock Number. Thereason being, during a war involving NATO Forces, any country could pull up a generic list used by all NATO countries and order/demand any item from a solitary nut to an Aircraft Carrier Hull with relative ease - in reality, things were never that easy and all manner of kit used to turn up in the Stores Section due to a slip of the finger and a wrong digit being entered!
The information/guide supplied by one Armchair Critic who apparently has inspected ONE SAS Smock with an NSN Nato Stock Number 8415-99-132-3960 and claims it incorrect is suspicious to say the least.
I know for a fact that this person has not checked this NSNthrough the official MoD channels but rather a 3rd Party Website!! The MoD does not give public access to this information i.e. NSN numbers, it is restricted and classified for obvious reasons - you cannot access an Official Military NSN number via your Home PC whilstbrowsing the Internet - let's be serious about this for a minute!!! Mind youthat would be fun though, you could pop in a demand for a couple of hundred Challenger Tanks using the NSN (yes, they have one as well) and watch them delivered to your nearest Military base!
Therefore the claim that it is a 1960s obsolete poncho is rediculous, the MoD doesn't stock obsolete kit which is a dead give away this Critic has notbeen using or checking NSN's through official sources.
More interesting is the Armchair Critic fails to supply any relvant information regarding the NSN and what you should be looking for i.e. actual NSN numbers, but rather informs you to ask the seller for the NSN. Correct, if none is supplied, it is a copy or fake as all Military Kit has an NSN!
Suspicions should be raised straight away on the credibillity of the advice being given by the armchair critics as no NSN numbers have been given in their Guides for you to double check - if you want to knock an item, at least give the relevant and current information and stop confusing buyers.
We had a saying in the Army, "Don't give me problems, give me solutions". Critics, take note.
I'm all for people giving out relevant and helpful advice to would be buyers out there, after all we all want as much info on a product as we can get.
However I fail to understand why individuals claim themselves as "Experts" and then only give out irrelevant information gathered from unofficial sources and in some cases "What they think"!! which can only bedesigned to confuse rather than help.
If you have a query, ask the seller and if in doubt, check their feedback and policies - any genuine and decent seller will have a high positive feedback score and a returns policy.
If you want more help on this, drop me a line anytime - I might not be an expert, but with 14 years Regular Army Service under my belt, I like to think I know a thing or two on Military Clothing and Equipment!!!
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