Why is it so much cheaper then? I'm looking into getting a set from Seals, and it is gonna cost like $250 just for the basics. Even $250 most people would consider relatively cheap for real multicam, but Propper is only $80?? There must be some reason...

Good chance it's the clone MC. The colours are somewhat different (not as dark or as deeply printed). Just be careful with washing it since the clone stuff easily fades (I have a Gen 3 BDU shirt and it faded after a few washes and wearings) but my real MC BDUs haven't faded yet, just looks a bit that way because of the cotton 'fuzzies' on it. And, a couple guys here bought the Gen 3 BDUs, and one of them, within about two games, had his stitching start to rip out and the BDUs were falling apart on him. So he got the Drop Zone BDUs have swears by them (instead of at them).

It's not real Crye made material or pattern.

No, it's the real Crye Multicam pattern, it's got the trademark tabs.

and the Propper set I have is nice feeling as well! I like the feel of the Propper cuts as well. I also have the tiger stripe from Propper and they are a good product all the way around!

Because crye/whoever else can charge that much and people will buy it. The good old supply and demand. As for the propper stuff I am quite sure that it is genuine, if only because first they say so, and two, they are based in the states and would have had their (donkey - jack) sued off by now if it wasn't.

Which trademark tabs? The ones you can buy separtately and sew into the stitching? I still have my doubts about it being made of the real Crye cloth, especially if the set is only $80.

Just doing so research on Proppers' website, they DO NOT use Crye Multicam fabric they use the Crye PATTERN which they put on their own fabric.

Direct from their own website

So it is quasi-real Crye Multicam, hence the price. Don't know how much difference the fabric itself makes, but there must be some.

It's not the Crye cloth, it's the pattern. ;)

The material used, as Galahad indicated above, is the same ripstop material used in ACU.

Yes as I first stated, the Propper stuff is the 65/35 polyester/cotton ripstop mix as opposed to 50/50 nylon/cotton ripstop. (Note, that sounded crankier than I meant it to.) The 50/50 nylon/cotton ripstop mix will be stronger but don't think it matters that much for us. Also just the change in fabric won't affect the cost that much as the 50/50 nylon/cotton mix ACU that propper sells is only a bit more than there 65/35 polyester/cotton ripstop ACU. I still think that cyre is just pricing it that much because they can.

Edit, crap, people getting in replies while I type. Anyway, actual combat ACU is also in that 50/50 nylon/cotton ripstop mix, but most knock off bdus seem to use the 65/35 polyester/cotton ripstop mix.

Ok, what I meant was, very similar pattern, but the colours are off and the small digital pixilations aren't there either. And the dye job isn't as deep as the Crye material is. Crye yo ucna see the dark browns on the inside of the material, the clone you can barely see it. Explains why the clones fade easily, similar to the way Parkland's BDUs do. I honestly think it's dryer related, so anyone that gets the MC clones, either avoid the dryer all together or warm the BDUs for 10mins, then hang dry.

Alternatively, get real Crye Multicam ;)

My advice is get what you can afford now. If you can only afford the cheap stuff, get it, it'll help you decide if you want to save up for the real multicam and also give you a uniform to use until you get the real stuff.

This comes back to
 

The old, repro vs real debate.

I buy a lot of kit ( from my perspective ) typically my budget is about $400 a month on new stuff...

as a rule of thumb... if you are going to use the stuff.. buy the best you can afford.
Repro stuff .. will get you the look... but it won't get you the feel and the utility of "real" and durability will suffer.
So Save.. buy the good stuff.. and buy it once...

Or buy cheapo... and end up replacing it with what you should have purchased in the first place.

New players ( I've been involved in the community for 2 years now, so I guess I'm not new anymore ) tend to rush and buy a lot of stuff that looks cool... but is really not what they need.

As you advance in the activity and become "more serious" your desire for quality will outstrip your desire for quantity..

Witness the recent sell off of AEG collections as players trade up the Systema PTWs.... It is the same with kit... the classified section is filled with people selling off the repro stuff that they regret buying... trying to get some money out of it to buy real stuff.

If you are looking for multicam.... you want real CP fabric, with real CP pattern... in a modern BDU cut.. this will cost you $200 at least and up fron there... that is the the cost of entry into the Multicam club.

I would not agree, this dilutes resources.

Everyone should start out with a solid OD setup, then build from there with good quality pieces picked up when they can be afforded.

OD is pretty much universal... and inexpensive.. and LB kit in OD will go with any camo ( pretty much ) aquired later.