REVIEW: WARRIOR VKBO 7TH LAYER Warm Vest

01/07/2021By Redaktion

"Warmth of the soul," says Grandma. And she's right. We don't know what that word means in Russian, but the Level 7 jacket of the new Ratnik VKBO uniform is exactly what Grandma meant. Let's remember: In Russian, the system is called Всесезонный комплект базового обмундирования – for those who can't read Cyrillic: Vsesezonnyy komplekt bazovogo obmundirovaniya. Abbreviated to VKBO. In simple terms, in German: Year-round basic equipment. The Level 7 vest accompanies the warrior through three seasons with ease and comfort.

The item from behind: it is a sleeveless, quilted jacket that can be worn over and under. Wearing it on top is particularly practical because it keeps the core warm, while all movable limbs remain lightly dressed outdoors, keeping you warm and able to move without sweating too much.

The collar is fleece and snuggles against the neck.

Inside, it looks like a sleeping bag. Cozy and warm. The Russians say it's good for minus 10 degrees, in combination with other layers up to minus 40. But then you'll need the winter jacket over it...

It's interesting that repair patches are included with every Russian piece of equipment...

And at the bottom inside, there is a width adjustment on the right and left, so that the Level 7 vest fits snugly on the hips and doesn't let cold air in.

The vest from the front. The length is ideal. Everything kept in beautiful Digital Flora. It's easy to see why the Russians call the uniform "Pixelka" at first glance.

The collar from the side. The cut here is reminiscent of a Western bomber jacket.

The sleeve openings are nicely finished with a flexible fabric.

You can open the zipper from the top...

The zipper is backed by a sturdy bar that ensures nothing goes through, and topped with a solid strip that prevents the padded part from getting caught.

On the left and right, there is a belly pocket, also with a zipper. The zipper pulls are made of Russian Paracord.

Inside, the pocket is lined with fine fleece, so quickly warming your hands works well.

The zipper can also be opened from below, super practical when you want to get something out of the pockets of the jacket behind. Or if you want to ventilate because it gets hot inside the vest.

Of course, wearing it open is also possible. By the way, we have the excellent, thin CARINTHIA TLG as a layer underneath - VKBO Level 7 catapults us into the winter.

"Pixelka" is, by the way, a very good pattern, as we find out every time we get VKBO equipment, which has proven to be very effective and extremely well camouflaged in our area.

CONCLUSION: VKBO Level 7 keeps you warm. And is a simple, extremely practical piece of equipment that accompanies you through the seasons.

You can get the VKBO 7th Layer Vest directly from Russia from GREY SHOP. It costs 33 euros.

GREY SHOP online: grey-shop.ru

The Russian Ministry of Defense online: eng.mil.ru