The BDU shirt is built on a four-pocket coat pattern: two pleated bellows pockets on the chest and two below the waist, each closing with a button-down flap. A button-front placket, two-piece collar, and adjustable button-tab cuffs complete the silhouette. The cut accommodates a t-shirt underneath and worn over BDU pants.
BDU shirts are offered in two fabrics: cotton-polyester ripstop, woven with reinforcing crosshatch threads that stop tears from spreading, and cotton-polyester twill, a heavier, smoother weave with a softer hand. Ripstop is the traditional field choice for tear resistance in brush; twill runs warmer and presses cleaner for garrison wear.
Patterns span the full Battle Dress Uniform color history. Woodland camo (M81) is the original four-color pattern. Tiger stripe references the Vietnam-era jungle uniform. Digital pattern variants and solid options — olive drab, black, navy, khaki, charcoal — serve security, cadet corps, paintball, and civilian field use.
Field durability comes from two reinforcement points: double-layer elbow panels that resist abrasion when crawling or shouldering equipment, and a bi-swing back yoke with action pleats giving the shoulders full forward and overhead motion. These details separate a true BDU coat from a casual camo shirt under load-bearing gear.
BDU shirts use alpha sizing from X-Small through 5X-Large with Short, Regular, and Long length variants so the shirt hits at the proper hip break. Men's, women's, and youth options are available in select patterns. Refer to the Propper and Rothco vendor size charts for chest measurements specific to each SKU.
| Brand | Model | Material | Price | Colors / Patterns | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Propper | Long-Sleeve Ripstop BDU Coat | Poly-Cotton Ripstop | $$ $39.99–$44.99 | Black, navy, woodland, khaki | Duty / uniform |
| Propper | Short-Sleeve 2-Pocket BDU | Poly-Cotton | $$ $29.99 | Black, navy | Hot-weather wear |
| Rothco | Rip-Stop BDU Shirt | Cotton-Poly Ripstop | $$ $45.99 | 10+ patterns incl. tiger stripe, digital, woodland | Surplus look |
| Rothco | Twill BDU Shirt | Cotton-Poly Twill | $$ $45.99 | Olive drab, khaki, navy, black, woodland | Casual / training |
| Rothco | Vintage Fatigue Shirt | Cotton Ripstop | $$$ $55.99–$71.99 | Olive drab, tiger stripe (Vietnam era) | Reenactor / vintage |
Prices reflect current Army Navy USA pricing at the time of publication; the product grid above is the authoritative source for live pricing and availability. Price tier: $ entry · $$ mid · $$$ premium.
A U.S. military uniform manufacturer that has produced contract gear for the Department of Defense since 1967. Propper BDU coats are cut to military specification and finished for duty wear.
One of the largest U.S. distributors of military and tactical surplus apparel. Rothco BDU shirts cover the widest pattern range — woodland, tiger stripe, digital camos, and solids — at the most accessible price point.
Matching six-pocket cargo trousers in the same fabric and pattern range as the BDU shirt.
FootwearCombat and tactical footwear from Corcoran, Belleville, Bates, and Altama to complete the uniform.
ApparelThe cold-weather military coat layered over the BDU shirt for full field readiness.
BDU stands for Battle Dress Uniform — the camouflage combat utility uniform issued to U.S. military personnel from the early 1980s through the late 2000s. The set comprises a four-pocket BDU shirt (technically a "coat"), six-pocket BDU trousers, a patrol cap, and a t-shirt worn underneath. It replaced the solid OG-107 utility uniform of the Vietnam era.
The BDU shirt is no longer active U.S. military issue. The Army replaced it with the Army Combat Uniform (ACU) in 2005, the Marine Corps with the MARPAT MCCUU, the Air Force with the ABU rolled out from 2007 to 2011, and the Navy with the NWU beginning in 2010. BDU shirts remain in use today by security personnel, cadet programs, reenactors, paintball and airsoft players, and foreign militaries.
Propper BDU shirts are built to U.S. military uniform specification by a Department of Defense contractor and cut for duty wear. Rothco BDU shirts are surplus-style reproductions offered in a wider pattern range — including tiger stripe and multiple digital camos — at a lower price. Both are made from cotton-polyester ripstop or twill in the four-pocket coat pattern.
The BDU is the older 1980s–2000s uniform with a four-pocket front-loading coat, square pockets, button closures, and Woodland (M81) or Desert (DCU) camo. The ACU is the newer Army Combat Uniform with angled chest pockets, Velcro patch panels, a zipper-and-Velcro front, and Universal Camouflage Pattern (later replaced by OCP).
BDU shirts are made from two fabrics: cotton-polyester ripstop, the original field-grade weave with a reinforcing crosshatch thread pattern that stops tears, and cotton-polyester twill, a smoother and slightly heavier weave used for garrison and drill wear. Specific blend ratios vary by manufacturer and SKU; both fabric types are wash-and-wear and require minimal pressing.
A BDU shirt should fit loose enough to wear over a t-shirt, with the shoulder seam sitting at the natural shoulder and the cuff reaching the wrist bone. The BDU is cut generously by design, so most wearers order their standard alpha size. Check the Propper or Rothco vendor size chart for chest measurements specific to the SKU before ordering.
BDU shirts are commonly worn for civilian use in solid colors and non-issue patterns. Standard wear includes private security, paintball, airsoft, hunting, range work, military reenactment, cadet corps, scout leaders, ranch and field labor, and casual surplus styling. Tiger stripe and woodland camo BDU shirts are also collected by military-history enthusiasts.
