(Click a question to reveal its answer)

About the products

• Q Do the vests have armour plates?

  A No, none of the vests come with plates unless specifically indicated in the item description. The MOLLE plate carrier, MOLLE releasable armour carrier and MTP Osprey Mk4 armour carrier have internal pockets for plates.

• Q Do the vests come with foam padding?

  A No, the vests do not come removable foam padding. Some of the plate carriers may have an enclosed foam pad which is sewn into the vest and cannot be removed. Further details on specific items are in the item description.

• Q Which tops have velcro patches on the sleeves?

  A Most UBACS, ACU, Enhanced Raid BDU, PCS, CPU, Operator Smocks and Shirts have velcro patches on the sleeves, and further details on specific items are in the item description.

• Q What is the difference between New and Used condition items?

  A New items come to us from the factory or the wholesaler direct, or arrive factory sealed if they have come through a military disposal system. Used items come to us via military disposals only and usually have run through their expected life cycle prior to being sent to us. They will still have a good amount of wear in them, and their main features, such as zip flies, button waists, shirt poppers and central jacket zippers will be working. We try to avoid items with damage, but where this occurs, it will usually be minor and reinforced/repaired. All used items are sold subject to usual wear and tear expected over a military life cycle and their quality will not be as high as new items. Generally, a good guideline for used items is that textile items are 33-50% faded, velcro surfaces may be less effective if the garments have been washed at high temperature repeatedly, plastic buckles and slides may show scratching, bending and other signs of wear and trousers may be more worn at the seat and knees.

• Q What grade are your used items?

  A We aim to get the best product available at the best price possible, but we don't employ the grading system due to concerns about differing opinions on what constitutes grade 1 or grade 2. This sometimes means that supergrade items items are included in the used category at no extra charge, simply because they have been sourced via the disposal route and have not been delivered in factory packaging.

• Q How can I tell genuine issue items from other items?

  A We use the key words "genuine", "issue", "army", "forces" to mark out genuine issue items from non-issue items. Additionally, some items may be made from original fabric ordered for government contracts, but then assembled into products which are not part of contract orders. These will have the key words "original", and in some cases "quarpel" as well as "genuine fabric" in the item description.

• Q What is "Gucci" gear, and how do I tell it apart from import copies?

  A Some forces allow for the development of specialised clothing and equipment that can be used alongside, or instead of, standard equipment. In jargon, this gets called "Gucci" gear, although it has nothing to do with the actual fashion label. This type of equipment is often produced by specialised development and production companies who carry out manufacture of contract wear and have a specialised division. You will often find Gucci products by brand name. Import copies are usually produced at a lower quality standard for construction and/or materials, and these are usually cheaper than a comparable standard or Gucci product.

• Q I can't find an item on the website?

  A We update the webpage several times a week to keep the information on stock availability as current as possible. If something is not on the website, chances are that we don't have it in stock, and are in the process of restocking. Please contact us if you would like more information.

• Q Do the prices shown next to the items include shipping?

  A No, they do not.

• Q Is the inert ammunition legal to own?

  A Inert dummy rounds are not restricted in the UK by firearms legislation and are legal to own. Our inert rounds contain only the metal casings and soft metal tips. The metal casings are mostly fired, so they have a deactivated primer in the bottom.

• Q Can you be sure the inert ammunition is free from explosives?

  A All inert ammunition is assembled from individual, inert, components to ensure they are free from explosives. All inert ammunition offered by us is assembled on site and we do not offer inert ammunition from other companies. We do not offer oil-injected primers in place of full deactivation.

• Q Can I insert inert ammunition in a gun chamber or use it as a 'Snap Cap'?

  A The inert dummy rounds are not for insertion into firearms, but as accessories in apparel (eg. leather cartridge belt) or visual display. The casings are visually true to size, but they remain uncalibrated after prior use so they will likely jam if this is attempted. Additionally, if you have a replica gun, the manufacturer of that replica will ensure that the internal sizings are not the same as on real firearms, regardless of any markings on the outside.

Shipping

• Q Do you ship to my country?

  A Flecktarn.co.uk ships worldwide through Registered Airmail and international courier. Most countries are catered for on our automatic shipping calculator which is located in the checkout. If, when you reach the checkout and have entered your country, an automatic quote for shipping has not been produced, we would be happy to produce a quote for your order manually. Please state that you would like a quote to include shipping and we will email this to you. Please note that there may be restrictions from time to time in place on certain types of item and/or certain destinations, depending on export or end-user certification requirements or courier contraints.

• Q How long does shipping take to my country?

  A Shipping times vary depending on location. For most locations, we can show you the expected times of arrival next to the courier service chosen. These are located in the checkout area of the webpage, after you have selected your country. We regret that we cannot show a table of charges because there are too many locations and weight/volume variations, all of which are subject to change depending on courier terms and conditions.

• Q How much is shipping to my country?

  A Shipping charges are calculated in the checkout, depending on the products ordered, the destination of the package and whether an express service is requested. If shipping charges are not shown, this is either due to your browser blocking cookies (required to calculate the weight and volume of your selected products) or your location not being currently supported in our shipping list. If this is the case, shipping charges will be charged on top of any subtotal shown, and we recommend obtaining a quote first.

• Q Can I return a product for exchange or refund?

  A If you wish to return a product, please ensure that it reaches us in as shipped condition. and any branded packaging that was originally included is sent intact and in good condition. A general rule is that the product should be returned in the condition in which you would wish to receive it. Returns must be received within 7 days after the date of delivery. Please contact us if you require extra time. Customers from outside the EU, please note that returns must be marked 'Return', otherwise, any extra Customs charges that are payable will not be paid for by us.

• Q How do I return an item?

  A Please ensure any returned items are accompanied by a www.flecktarn.co.uk/returnsform.pdf returns form. Information about the invoice number is required to trace your return to your order. Returns must be received within 7 days after the date of delivery. Please contact us if you require extra time. Return shipping charges must be paid for by yourself. Customers from outside the EU, please note that returns must be marked 'Return', otherwise, any extra Customs charges that are payable will not be paid for by us.

• Q How do I return a faulty or incorrect item?

  A If the product is incorrect or faulty, please accept our apologies for the fault or error. The item should be returned to us for exchange or refund. Please include a receipt for your postage so we can refund that for you. With respect to refunds of your postage, we will refund up to the amount it would take for us to send the same item to you on a tracked or signed for service, and not additional charges for enhancements including, but not limited to, same day and timed delivery. Customers from outside the EU, please note that returns must be marked 'Return' or 'Faulty', otherwise, any extra Customs charges that are payable will not be paid for by us. We regret we are not able to arrange or promise refunds over the telephone or by email.If a product is being returned due to a fault, it will be passed on to supplier for replacement.

• Q An item was missing from the order?

  A If an item was out of stock when the order was placed, and the option to ship the remaining items was ticked, the out of stock item is removed from the order and not charged for. If you have paid with Paypal, the balance will be refunded to you. If you would prefer to be notified in case the whole order cannot be shipped at once, please check 'notify if something is out' on the checkout order form before submitting it. We will contact you by email or telephone.

• Q My items or package was damaged?

  A If a package arrives damaged, please accept our apologies and report the damage within 24 hours so it can be logged on the courier's damage daybook for compensation purposes.

• Q I received a package tracking number or notification that the package has shipped out, but it but hasn't turned up yet?

  A Domestic (UK) couriers have a policy of trying to deliver to neighbours unless specifically instructed not to. They should leave a card or notification if they have done so. If your parcel is travelling by APC, FedexUK or DHL Domestic, please contact us if you do not receive any notification five days after the expected date of delivery. If your parcel is travelling by Royal Mail, please contact us if you do not receive any notification 15 days after the expected date of delivery. For international parcels travelling by TNT, please contact us if you have no package or notification within seven days after the expected date of delivery so that this can be logged onto TNT's loss logbook. For international parcels travelling by Registered Airmail, please contact us if you do not receive any notification 25 days after the expected date of delivery.

• Q I'm just buying something small. Can you just put a stamp on the package?

  A We regret we cannot do this. Orders leaving the warehouse go on tracked or signed for shipping in case anything goes wrong during transit. Untracked post, no matter how small, will not be compensated for if lost or damaged, and therefore cannot be sent under distance selling rules.

• Q Can't you just post inert dummy rounds in a large letter?

  A Royal Mail and other postal authorities prohibit the transport of inert dummy ammunition on their network. Shipping of inert dummy rounds is restricted to courier options only because the rounds look identical to live ammunition on a pre-flight x-ray security scan and the package will be destroyed; this includes internal flights in the UK.

• Q Why is shipping of inert dummy rounds so expensive when the package is so small?

  A Shipping of inert dummy rounds is restricted to one courier only due to the need to pre-notify the rounds which look identical to live ammunition on a pre-flight x-ray security scan. Shipping inert dummy rounds outside the UK also requires a UK export licence due to International Arms Trade regulations. The individual parts of the rounds are controlled by the regulations. The preparation of the licence requires extra work and processing by UK government.

• Q If I am outside the UK, what do I have to do to receive inert dummy rounds?

  A If you are outside the UK, there may be regulations about the import of any parts of ammunition, even if they are inert, and you should check with your Police, Justice or Customs authorities. Our courier will deliver to the destination but you have to complete all import procedures and duties before you can take possession of the items. Additionally, if we are required to complete a UK export licence application for you, we will be asking you for required supporting forms and any additional information which have to be completed and returned for us to attach to the application. If we don't hear from you, then we will assume you have abandoned your order after 40 days.

Miscellaneous

• Q I have not received any confirmation emails from you, why?

  A Some emails may not have been received, or bounce if your mail box is full. Please also check to ensure that you have spelt your email address correctly when entering your details in the order form.

• Q I no longer have my invoice sheet/returns form but want to return an item, what should I do?

  A If you no longer have your invoice, returns form or confirmation email from us for your order, please contact us and we will do our best to find out what it is and help you with your enquiries.

• Q I need to change my card/address details, what should I do?

  A Please contact us. If you need to change your address, you can email, phone or fax us the new details, with who it is going to, and an invoice number if available. Please note that if a package has been dispatched, the address cannot be changed. If you need to change your payment details, please DO NOT email them to us. Please either phone us with the new card numbers, fax the details to us with information about the order, or email us and ask to cancel the order, and then re-place the order via the website.

• Q I received an email immediately after submitting my order, but I noticed that the amount I was charged was different. Why?

  A The first email you receive is an automatic confirmation email which we send to acknowledge that you have placed an order with us. It also lists the products and the details you have entered so that any mistakes (such as address numbers, post codes, or forgotten items) can be corrected by contacting us immediately. It is not a quote generator, and does not calculate shipping charges, which have to be added based on your delivery location and requirements. Please contact us if you have any queries about your order.