Collection: Buy Irish DPM surplus

Irish DPM Surplus

Irish DPM, often nicknamed "Paddyflage" by collectors, is one of the most elusive European camouflage patterns on the surplus market. Introduced in the early 2000s, it marked a major shift for the Irish Defence Forces, who until then had used plain olive drab uniforms. The design was created specifically to suit Ireland’s unique landscape, and while it remains iconic, it’s hard to buy today due to strict government restrictions.

What Makes Irish DPM Camouflage Unique?

Irish DPM was officially introduced in March 2000 and developed by the Belgian company Seyntex. The pattern features four colors—black, reddish-brown, olive green, and light olive green—arranged in a flowing, brushstroke style similar to British DPM, but with a softer and more blended look. It was tailored for Ireland’s mix of grasslands, forests, and rocky coastal terrain. Unlike many NATO patterns, Irish DPM was entirely unique to Ireland and helped visually distinguish its armed forces on international missions.

Original Irish DPM Uniform Details

Irish DPM has several small variations depending on when and where a uniform was made. In the early 2000s, many smocks and trousers featured a small Irish flag patch sewn just above the left sleeve pocket, and some had a cloth name tag or “Óglaigh na hÉireann” (Irish Defence Forces) embroidered on the front or right pocket. These identity features helped distinguish official gear during overseas deployments.

There are also different versions of specialized shirts like the UBACS combat shirt introduced in 2012. The first pattern had fully DPM-printed fronts and sleeves and featured Velcro forearm pockets for removable padding, with rank and name patches that differed slightly from later versions. Later models switched to simpler layouts and partially plain fabric. Some early pieces even include unit or rank slides stitched directly into the fabric, while newer replacements often left these off, giving a cleaner but less personalized look. Around 2014 onward, many items were factory-labeled in English with "Defence Forces Ireland" rather than Irish, reflecting updated standardization.

Why Irish DPM Surplus Is So Hard to Find

Irish DPM is difficult to find outside official use because the Defence Forces do not release surplus uniforms to the public. In Ireland, selling military clothing is restricted, and most used items are collected and destroyed once they’re no longer in service. As a result, only a small number of original DPM pieces have made it out, often through soldiers on foreign missions or exchanges. These few items are rarely seen on the market and are of interest mainly to collectors and camo enthusiasts.

Irish DPM Items for Sale in This Collection

Luckily, I managed to get my hands on some of the items, including shirts, smocks and trousers, so hurry up and get your item today!

Rare Desert Irish DPM

Alongside the standard version, a desert variant of Irish DPM was developed for international deployments. It features a lighter color palette with tan, brown, and muted green tones, designed for arid environments like Chad and Afghanistan, where Irish forces took part in peacekeeping operations. The desert version was issued in small numbers and is very rare to find today. It’s definitely high on my personal wishlist.

Irish Navy DPM – A Hard-to-Find Variant

A naval version of Irish DPM was also created for the Irish Naval Service. It keeps the same general layout but uses darker shades like deep green, blue, and black to better suit coastal and shipboard settings. This version is also extremely rare and hardly ever shows up, making it another pattern I’m always on the lookout for.

Current Use of Irish DPM and Its Legacy

In recent years, the Irish Defence Forces have begun transitioning away from DPM toward a Multicam-style camouflage developed in collaboration with Crye Precision. While this new pattern is becoming more common in training and deployment, Irish DPM is still seen in regular use, especially among reserve units and in older stocks.