REVIEW: PCU Level 4 - Windshirt for all occasions

Wind is a disgusting opponent. But it takes little to stop it. In the Protective Combat Uniform (PCU), Level 4 is a windshirt. SPARTANAT took a closer look at this good piece.

L4 comes very simple: connoisseurs say that the fabric it is made of can be called Epic Praetorian. We think it is a rather simple plastic skin in Alpha Green color that can be worn over or under your gear to repel light drizzle and wind. The cut is uncomplicated.

A zipper allows L4 to open up to under the chest. The collar is cut high, leading into a hood. There is also a slanting second zipper on the chest that gives access to a large mesh interior pocket.

Interior detail with tag from manufacturer Orc Industries: Here the mesh of the chest pocket is very visible. The loop is not for hanging L4 on a coat hanger, but with its help, the hood can be rolled up.

Here is the outside of the hood. The loop at the top helps in rolling the hood into a collar piece when it is not needed. The drawstring can be used to tighten the hood over the head, similar to Russian camouflage suits. This way, the hood sits tight and doesn't inflate in frontal wind.

The hood laid down.

At the bottom, an elastic band, which can be adjusted on one side, ensures everything stays tight.

The sleeves are adjusted with Velcro.

The tag from Orc Industries on the L4 windshirt.

CONCLUSION: PCU Level 4 is a small, fine piece of equipment that can be easily stored in your luggage. It takes up extremely little space. Rolled tightly, the windshirt fits in a coffee cup. L4 is not a miracle weapon: as mentioned, it is a plastic skin. As such, L4 serves its purpose without frills. After comparing several, we are surprised again by the tolerance in the production: one L4 was so heavily rubberized inside that the shirt was almost sticky. Another did not seem to have such a layer at all. The third specimen was a middle ground between these two extremes - subtly coated.

PCU Level 4 has a list price of 78 dollars, on sale at Orc Industries for 57 dollars. On Ebay.com, the windshirt can be found for around 50 euros.

ORC INDUSTRIES on the internet: www.orcind.com

The almost non-existent weight and small pack size of the L4 windshirt is striking, here compared with a coffee cup.