Guide to Marpat Uniforms and Gear

Buyer Beware
This is a guide to help buyers on making a good decision on purchasing military gear and Marpat design uniforms..

Believe it or not. Alot of gear on okay is stolen military gear
Do you remember when that soldier ask Rumsfeld why they don't haveenough armor to protect them? This soldier was referring to the hard armor that is attached to Humvee but there is also much needed gear that is in short supply due to thieves. Such items include SAPI plates, newer versions of the FLAK jacket, newer versions of the issuedILBE packs, and Kevlar ( helmets). This is just a small list but the more expensive items. There are thieves in the military who either organize their crimes to obtain gear from the supply departments, there are service members who find lost gear, and there are service members who break in to cars, barracks room etc, to resale gear for profit.
Beware of this gear, there are serial numbers that can be tracked
I understand you might not know that you may or may not be purchasing stolen government property. You're taking a chance. The higher priced gear (kevlar, Sapi Plates) have serial numbers that are logged and then tracked by the Navel Criminal Investigative Services. The seller will be caught and you may find yourself involved in a criminal investigation. I know they investigate on okay, I used to be a military police officer.
So what to do? Ask the seller questions, check their previous sales, check location
So how do you protect yourself. Well first, ask the seller questions about the product. How did they obtain it? Why are they selling it? Are you military or former military? Do you have a sellers account with the gepany that makes the gear? Ask whatever question you need to ask to make you feel gefortable with the purchase. Check their previous sales. If they are selling the same product over and over and for a long period of time, then there is a chance they may be a dealer of know how to purchase them legal. Check their location. If they live near a major military installation, this should raise red flags, ask detailed questions about how they obtained their product. There is a chance they are a service member who obtained the gear in some way. Some service members believe that if they find lost gear that it belongs to them, they couldn't be more wrong. The gear still belongs to the military and they are obligated to turn it over to their gemand.

What about Marpat issued gear?
Marpat gear is tricky. All orginal Marpat (Marine Corp Pattern "digital camo") can only be purchased by U.S Marines or there dependents. The Marine Corp has a patent on the design and no unauthorised gepany can make the same design that the Marine Corp has. This gear is sold at the PX on base. Marines can purchase this gear for their own personal use and/or for field use. Some Marines and/or their spouse, purchase the items from the PX and resale on okay for a profit. They pay retail at the exchange and then inflate the price for the civilians who want to purchase the items. There is nothing wrong with this. This is simply supply and demand and good old capitalism at work. They have access to the product and make it possible for others who can't get it but want it. So of course, they charge a sur charge for their leg work.
This gear is safe to purchase but be careful. There are imitation marpat uniforms. The real Marpat has the Marine Corp symbol in the design on the cloth. The Marpat"gear" does not have this indicator but that does not mean it is not real Marpat. Also, the fake Marpat uniforms have "pull tags" on the hips. This is the tag that is used to make the uniform better fit the individual. The Marine Corp's version has an elastic band on the side, that is built under the cloth. Make sure you see detailed pictures before you purchase.
Marpat ILBE packs
The ILBE pack is the newest version pack that is issued to Marine Infantrymen. They are rare and they aren't sold at the PX. There are packs sold on okay from time to time. I don't have any proof if the ones on okay are stolen. I know you can't purchase them at the PX and I know they are only issued to the infantry due to them being so new and not enough has been purchased to outfit the whole Corps.
If you see a used ILBE pack on okay, there is a chance it is stolen. Considering they are hard to obtain legally. So beware and ask questions. Chances are they've already been sold multiple times that it is hard to figure out if it was stolen. On the other hand, there are legal ILBE packs on okay. If you see a Brand New pack for sale, in geplete form, chances are, the seller can afford and obtain the packs legally from the manufacture. The geplete form would be that they are selling the Main pack, assault pack and hydration pack all together.

Rare items, don't miss your chance
Well, there you have it. Most of the Marpat items are rare. If you don't bid because you think you'll see another one down the road, chances are you'll never see another one. Well for atleast for awhile. So go ahead and get the gear you want. If the price seems high, it's because you're paying over retail. And you're paying over retail because someone is willing to go to the store, list it, package it, and take it to the post office for you.
I hope this helps. Just remember, ask questions and look at the pictures.