Ranger Green was developed specifically to fulfill an Army SOF requirement for a new color for armor and load carriage systems. Ranger Green is more desaturated than OD Green, with dull gray undertones. Due to its gray tint, Ranger Green works well in environments with dark foliage, and it blends into the darkness in low light.

 

Ranger Green Development

Pre-9/11 there was a color in development called Mouse Grey, but it was deemed too grey for effective use. Fabric dye processes at the time produced inconsistent color results with striations that got worse over time when exposed to the elements. 

 

The immediacy of requirements early in the Global War on Terror pushed the color development project to the back burner, but a need to field common armor and load carriage across Army SOF led to the adoption of a variation of the Maritime Load Carriage System fielded to Naval Special Warfare, and along with it a unique color consistent with the Army’s needs. As a result, the color development project was revived in 2003, and a color with a richer green hue was settled upon. This was named Ranger Green in honor of the unit which would see its initial fielding. 

 

In order to get the desired consistency and durability of color in the fabric, Ranger Green became the first instance of solution-dyed Cordura for military use. Today, solution-dyed Cordura is one of the components of ULTRAcomp®, the high-performance laminate that makes up the core of most Blue Force Gear load carriage equipment and accessories.

Hat tip to Eric at Soldier Systems for the history lesson.

See Popular Ranger Green Pouches