NorArm Kandahar Hooded Combat Shirt
NorArm Kandahar HoodedCombat Shirt
By Greg Chabot
Photos Sasha Steadman
I stumbled upon NorArm Tactical quite by accident. A good friend of mine sent me a picture of a hooded combat style shirt. I remarked how much I liked it, so he ordered me one as a gift. Researching NorArm, which is based in Aros, a village just outside of Oslo Norway, I recognized the CEO Milan Zangana AKA Mike Peshmerganor the author of Blood Makes The Grass Grow a Norwegian Volunteer’s war against the Islamic state. It is an excellent memoir of life in the Norwegian armed forces and what life was like fighting as a volunteer with the Kurdish Peshmerga in Northern Iraq. Corresponding with Milan he explained what motivated him to start NorArm.
“I spent 18 months straight in my Crye precision uniform while fighting ISIS in Iraq.” “Great products made by a great company; I saw potential for improvements.” “That is how this company was founded by myself and my friend Thomas, an active-duty soldier in the Norwegian Home Guard.” “Who preferred high-end uniforms for use in his duties, he felt they were often overpriced.” “So basically, we wanted to make a quality uniform that is also affordable.”
My shirt arrived from Oslo in the fall of 2020. Right off the bat I noticed the quality of the shirt. There were no Irish pennants, all cuts of material were even. The zipper was centered correctly and stitched properly. Fit was to size with enough to tuck in that even under hard conditions the shirt should not come untucked. Material for the sleeves and hood is 50/50 NYCO ripstop with mesh in the armpits for ventilation. Sleeves have the option for joint protection inserts available separately from NorArm. Sleeve pockets have vertical and horizontal access with loop material to attach patches. Three colors are available- Multicam, Savage Green and Norwegian Woodland. What sets this shirt aside from others on the market is the hood. The hood was comfortable and functional. Unlike some hoods, it did not obstruct my vision or hinder the wearing of hearing protectionwhile shooting. The drawstrings were placed for easy access and did not hinder the wearing of a chest rig or get caught in a sling. The color and stitching held up through multiple washings with no signs of wear. I also wore this shirt for various outdoor activities including hiking and mountain biking and stacking firewood.
Don’t just take my word for it, NorArm products are currently being used downrange by various units of multiple nations. Afghanistan, Donbass and Syria are just a few of the conflict zones where NorArm products have been put to the test. Would I recommend this shirt? Absolutely, the quality is excellent and above all comfortable. Looking at some of the competition, it prices out well for what you are getting. I also recommend Milan’s book it offers a look at how the Peshmerga were equipped and trained and how they waged war upon ISIS. An interesting memoir with a unique perspective that readers will enjoy.
Special thanks to Jeff Steinbrecher at Legal Arms Co for a great gift, forever grateful brother.