[americanophile]

Fitting since America’s space program is being phased out too...

[karnage]

Took ‘em long enough to figure out that velcro sucks. A whole new generation of milspec gear will have to be produced. In addition to buttons, they may go back to snaps and - gasp! - zippers!

[NavyCanDo]

Note to self. - First thing Monday morning sale my Velcro stock, and buy humble button.

[Sarajevo]

Good! Velcro was a PITA. Buttons, zippers, and sew on patches work fine.

[KoRn]

Velcro has its applications, and the uniform of a soldier shouldn’t be one of them...

[LeoWindhorse]

time to identify a good quality sewing kit that can be sent to our troops en masse

[apillar]

My dad hated Velcro, his nickname for anything that fastened with Velcro was the rather politically incorrect
“retard straps”. As in, “What are you doing wearing those shoes with retard straps, don't you know how to tie a shoelace?”

[chasio649]

and now can the Navy get rid of the Village people cracker jack outfit...i hated wearing the dress blue in the winter...miserable wool thing that never fits right.

[ErnstStavroBlofeld]

Ping

[HiTech RedNeck]

The “burr” side of Velcro inexorably collects lint, rendering it eventually worthless.

[Sax]

another case of over-engineering crap. If the tried and true works reliably under all conditions - go with it. The wizz-bang factor too often disappoints.

[ASOC]

LOL

I can remember when the old head troops bitched abut the ‘new’ nylon button replacing the ‘tried and true’ metal buttons.

BTW - it ain't a Zipper son - it is a fastener, interlocking slide, metal. Zipper is a Brand Name you know, like Trojans or Marlboro.

[mamelukesabre]

As a hairy person, I can attest that the worst thing for velcro performance is to have hair stuck to it.

[alexander_busek]

[the] US army has decided to ditch that once most fashionable and space-age of fasteners from the pockets of trousers issued to soldiers in Afghanistan, and replace it with the humble button.

It seemeth that the lowly hook would be yet plainer, whilst also saving a goodly amount. What thinkest thou, FRiend?

Yr humble servant,

[BigCinBigD]

“A Swiss engineer, George de Mestral, came up with its ingenious hook-and-pile design in 1948”

Ha! Everybody knows it was a Vulcan invention!

[Wonder Warthog]

Actually, I like Velcro pocket closures. But as a soldier I would most definitely not want such a noisemaker on my clothing. In this situation, it is an “inappropriate technology”.

[Wolfie]

I’m guessing the people we’re fighting over there don’t give a second thought to this kind of bullshit. Bad portent of the future.

[Tijeras_Slim]

aeroplane antimacassars

Sounds like something my great aunt would collect.

[CharlesWayneCT]

I have some clothes with velcro, and it has it’s place, but my wallet with velcro is a problem when trying to open it in a quiet place; I’d hate to be a soldier trying a covert op and having to get something out of a velcro’d pocket.

[Nik Naym]

“betraying soldiers’ positions to the enemy”

Well no chit! As soon as these things came out (ACUs) everyone said the same thing.

I can’t for the life of me understand how velcro got there in the first place. Didn’t the design team for the ACU have any soldiers on it? You know, the people who have actually worn a uniform and know what they need?

Now if they will just ditch the damned frog hat (beret) and return it to the Rangers and etc. who EARNED the right to wear one I will be happy.