Tropentarn

Tropentarn
Tropentarn camo pattern
Type	Military camouflage pattern
Place of origin	Germany
Service history
Used by	See Users
Wars	War in Afghanistan Mali War

Tropentarn ("tropical camouflage") is the name of a lighter weight polyester-cotton (PolyCo) fabric printed with the German 5-color Flecktarn camouflage pattern used by the Bundeswehr for their military uniforms. Some tags say 20% polyester ^[1] , some say 15% ^[2] , and others say 35% ^[3] .

Wüstentarn ("desert camouflage") is often mistakenly called Tropentarn by non-German speakers, ^[4] which is instead a 3 color pattern used by the Bundeswehr in arid and desert environments and also printed on Tropentarn fabric. ^[5]

Pattern

Design

Soldier on the left is wearing Tropentarn. Soldier on the right is wearing Wüstentarn

Tropentarn is Bundeswehr 5-color Flecktarn printed on lighter weight fabric. Colors consist of dark green, grey-green, red brown, and black over a light green or tan base depending on the manufacturer. On the tropentarn fabric the brown screen is more of a "rust" color and the black screen contrasts sharply against the dark green and grey-green screens. ^{[6] [7]}

Outside of Germany, the term is sometimes erroneously used for Bundeswehr 3-color Wüstentarn desert camouflage. Both patterns are printed on the same fabric type. ^[8]

Manufacture

Uniforms made in this fabric are for service in warmer, tropical regions. Because of the nature of the material, the colorway of the Flecktarn pattern differs from the colorway of the heavier weight Flecktarn uniforms, appearing lighter, brighter and with greater screen separation. ^[9]

References

1. "German Army Tropical Camo Field Shirt Jacket Tropentarn Flecktarn Desert Camo | #3831617843". Worthpoint. Retrieved 2025-07-25.^{[ better source needed ]}
2. "Tropical 'Tropentarn' Camo German Parka | Durable Military Style". Top Rank Vintage. Retrieved 2025-07-25.^{[ better source needed ]}
3. "Fatigue Jacket Size Small (GrNr 13)". eBay. Retrieved 2025-07-25.^{[ better source needed ]}
4. https://soldiersystems.net/2025/08/05/multitarn-one-camo-to-rule-the-all-in-deutschland/
5. "Fabrics used by Zentauron".
6. "Flecktarn-different color versions". iacmc.forumotion.com. Retrieved 2023-06-13.^{[ better source needed ]}
7. "Flecktarn Color Palette". www.color-hex.com. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
8. German Bundeswehr Wustentarn URL=https://easterncostume.com/wardrobe/foreign-military/german-bundeswehr-wustentarn/%5B%5D
9. "Uniformen der Bundeswehr" (in German). Bundeswehr. Archived from the original on 2016-07-04. Retrieved 22 August 2016.

Bibliography

• Larson, Eric H. (2021). Camouflage: International Ground Force Patterns, 1946–2017. Barnsley: Pen & Sword. ISBN   9781526739537.