Military Termal Polar Fleeces (Jacket Liner, Winter Army Fleece)
Also Known As: extreme cold protection, military fleece, winter outerwear, skiing apparel, snowboarding apparel, extended cold weather clothing system, ecswcs, eks waks, winter jackets, army winter wear
History
The Extended Cold Weather Clothing System (ECWCS; pronounced /ˈɛkwæks/ ek-waks) is a protective clothing system developed in the 1980s by the United States Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, Natick, Massachusetts. The first generation ECWCS consisted of parka and trousers plus 20 other individual clothing, handwear, headwear and footwear items which are used in various combinations to meet the cold weather environmental requirements of the US military (and others).
The second generation (2G) ECWCS includes two different layers made with Polarfleece fabrics: the Polarfleece Classic 300 shirt and the Polarfleece Classic 200 overalls. When used in combination with other layers in the ECWCS system, the system provides protection between +40 °F and −40 °F (+4 °C and −40 °C). 2G ECWCS is currently being worn by US Special Forces, US Army and US Air Force soldiers stationed in extreme environments from Norway and Bosnia to Afghanistan.
The 3rd generation (3G or Gen III) ECWCS is a radical redesign of the clothing system. It features seven new layers of insulation including 3 polartec fabrics, 2 layers of polartec power dry and a layer of polartec thermal pro high loft. There are many variations to ECWCS types but most abide to the basic rule of better protection in extreme cold weather. Gen III products are 25 % lighter than previous ECSWCS Generations. These products are exceptionally quiet for added stealth with integrated Near Infrared Textile Technology (NIR).