Särmä TST L4 Field Jacket

The L4 Field Jacket was designed for pure functionality. Smart materials and a purpose-built design guarantee the best possible comfort regardless of what type of fighting and/or sustainment load you´re carrying. This is a great alternative for the Finnish military-issue jacket, which suffers from a load of compromises due to the fact that it was designed to double up as parade wear.

• Relaxed fit to accommodate warm mid layers
• Full length two-way front zipper w/ interior storm flap
• Button and hook-and-loop exterior storm flap
• Underarm ventilation zippers, 2-way zippers in the new version
• Elastic draw cord adjustable hem
• Hook-and-loop cuffs
• Reinforced elbows with elbow pad pockets (we recommend CPE insert pads)
• Hook-and-loop for name, rank and sleeve patches.
• Four pockets:
  • Two zippered chest pockets
  • Two zippered upper arm pockets

Does the zipper feel difficult to close at first? This is due to the sliders not being fully in their bottom position. Make sure you´re not pressing the lower slider upwards, the easiest trick is to put a little downwards pressure on the top lock and it will push the bottom one into correct place too.

Functionality and easy maintenance

We haven’t sacrificed simple reliability for functionality, the L4 Field Jacket is wear-resistant, easily cared for, and - when need be - also easily repaired. The materials are simple but functional. All buttons are Canadian-style slotted buttons and wear-prone details, such as hook-and-loop fasteners are designed to be easily replaced if needed. The L4 Field Uniform stands for simple functionality, the stuff that you learn to value when you’re out there for extended periods.

Designed for all-year-round use

When it comes to comfort, the most important detail apart from the quick-drying fabric is the minimalistic torso: no buttons, no zippers, no press studs, and no cord locks that could cause discomfort when pressed against by armor and load-bearing gear. The armpit vents ease thermal load resulting in less sweating and less sweating means less freezing in cold weather. The protective collar and longer back hem offer added protection from the elements. These details extend the L4 Field Jacket´s use far beyond the warm summer months.

Model update 2023

The latest version has the hem adjustment cord connected to the hem seam and not the zipper. This is a better way. There are also 2-way ventilation zippers, and the fabric is also updated. Additionally, the storm flap now has the hook panels, and the chest side has loop panels - they used to be the other way around. The new M04 jacket version also has M04 patterned Cordura elbow reinforcements.

Four simply sensible pockets

The L4 Field Jacket has no pockets that could under any circumstances be more useless than useful. There are no hem pockets: in a hem of this length, they would just be squeezed beneath body armor or rucksack hip belts. The chest pockets are flat and open up from the outer sides, this means they are somewhat accessible when wearing body armor and the zippers won't cause discomfort under hard armor plates. Both sleeves feature zippered upper arm pockets, these are always accessible no matter what kind of fighting/sustainment load you´re using.

Materials and details

The fabric is 50% cotton and 50% polyamide, ripstop, 225g/m². Cordura reinforcements and Kroko zippers. DWR treatment. The retiring version M04 fabric is 50% cotton and 50% polyester, ripstop.

Other neat details include the reinforced elbows with pad pockets. The hook-and-loop cuffs offer enough adjustment range to sit tight around any wrist. There are no seams or stitches on top of the shoulders, a small but nice details that further adds to the overall wearer comfort.

NIR-compliant materials

Camouflage prints and visible accessories are 100% NIR-compliant. If you wish to ensure that the NIR-compliant properties of the camouflage print are not diminished, we recommend being very careful when using common detergents. All-natural stuff without any optic brighteners should be safe.

L4 - Field Wear

The fourth layer of our clothing system could be regarded as "standard camouflage dress". L4 clothing offers protection against the outside world through camouflage and abrasion resistance. These garments are designed for minimal thermal load for effective layering.

Take a look at our Särmä TST Clothing System!

New Finnish M04 desert camo

This pattern is fantastic in the desert environment, from Arizona to the Middle East and beyond. Also quite awesome on shooting ranges, too.

History

The Finnish Defence Forces started developing new camouflage patterns in the early 2000s. Finland’s participation in the UN peacekeeping mission at the border of Ethiopia and Eritrea in 2000 made their own desert fatigues the priority. The first prototype camouflage pattern to see use was the K2004, which was deployed in 2003. The first models had a rather thick twill cloth but later models switched to lighter ripstop fabrics and eventually evolved into the official M04 Hot Weather Uniform.

Unlike the FDF, we at Varusteleka started developing our take on the M05 Clothing System in a different order: we started with woodland and winter models more appropriate for the Finnish climate. Now that we have those aspects covered we've finally developed our own versions for the arid and desert climates.

For hot climate

In the retiring desert version, we replaced the Foxdura in the elbow reinforcements with the jacket fabric. It isn't of course quite as strong, but it breathes way better, which is damn nice in a hot climate. However, in the latest version we decided to have the reinforcements made of more durable Cordura. The retiring version jackets are marked so in the size table.

Sizing

The measurements in brackets are the recommended user chest circumference and height. These are very slightly loose-cut to accommodate warm mid-layer clothing.

Sewn in the EU

These are now made in Poland by Unifeq.