Before there were black track suits and balaclavas, there were ManJams. The original uniform for the middle eastern and southwest Asian guerrilla warrior, the ManJam has many features that make it suitable for nearly any casual or tactical situation.
The freeflowing top is light and produces a cooling draft in the summer, and can be cinched down for warmth with a stylish sash in the winter. Seen in different weights and lengths, the longer length offers reinforced protection for the knees and butt. Though not quite as protective as knee pads, what you lose in protection, you gain in comfort since there's nothing strapped to your knees. The shorter length, shown above on some local workers at a coalition base in eastern Afghanistan, is more casual and practical.
For load carriage. Just reach down and grab the hem of the ManJam top. As you lift it up, it creates a wide open, easily accessible pouch as long as you can hold it up. I'm guessing there are tactical ManJams that have been modified with a webbing loop tacked at each end inside the hem so that it can be looped over the head to make a hands free ManJam chest rig.
ManJam bottoms are usually light, loose fitting pants with an elastic waistband. The baggy outline is cut for comfort and freedom of motion.
Camo is suprisingly effective. It can be harder to see someone in ManJams at a glance, since the silouette has a long trunk and short legs. Earth-toned ManJams can really hide a person in the rocks when viewed from a couple hundred meters.
