The army PT uniform — officially the Army Physical Fitness Uniform, or APFU — is the black-and-gold ensemble every soldier wears for physical training: T-shirt, trunks, jacket, pants, plus authorized accessories like the fleece cap and gloves. It replaced the gray IPFU years ago, and despite loud talk of a redesign, it is staying. Below is the full breakdown: every component, current prices, the AR 670-1 wear rules that actually get soldiers corrected, and what changed in 2025.
TL;DR — Army PT uniform at a glance
- Official name: Army Physical Fitness Uniform (APFU)
- Core pieces: black/gold T-shirt (short and long sleeve), black trunks, running jacket, running pants
- Accessories: black or coyote-brown fleece cap, gloves, commercial running shoes, plain white or black socks
- Governing regs: AR 670-1 and DA PAM 670-1 (physical fitness uniform chapters)
- 2025 change: runner’s phone belts (up to 4 inches wide) now authorized with the APFU at commander discretion
- Redesign status: paused — the black-and-gold APFU is here to stay for now
Table of Contents
What Is the Army PT Uniform (APFU)?
The APFU is the Army’s standardized physical training uniform, worn year-round by all personnel when prescribed by the commander. It consists of a black running jacket and pants with gold Army logos, black trunks with “ARMY” in gold, and black short- and long-sleeve T-shirts with the same gold lettering (Source: DA PAM 670-1, via AR670.com). It replaced the gray-and-black Improved Physical Fitness Uniform (IPFU), which soldiers had complained about for over a decade — a 2012 Army Knowledge Online survey of roughly 76,000 soldiers drove the redesign (Source: U.S. Army, army.mil). Our guide to Army PRT drills and exercises covers the training this gear is built for.
The fabric matters more than the color scheme. The jacket and pants are 100% nylon, the trunks 100% polyester, and clothing-bag T-shirts 100% polyester; optional-purchase shirts run 86% nylon / 14% spandex for a closer athletic fit (Source: DA PAM 670-1). Everything wicks moisture and dries fast — a genuine upgrade over the cotton-heavy IPFU, which anyone who ran a winter PT session in the old gray shirt will confirm was a sponge.
One insignia rule worth knowing: the only insignia authorized on the APFU is the Physical Fitness Badge, sewn on the upper left front of the T-shirt above the word “ARMY” (Source: DA PAM 670-1).
APFU Components and Prices
Here is every piece of the uniform and roughly what it costs at the Exchange (AAFES) and authorized military retailers. Enlisted soldiers receive the initial issue through the clothing bag; replacements come out of the annual clothing allowance, and officers buy their own.
| Component | Description | Approx. price (Exchange / authorized retailers) |
|---|---|---|
| APFU T-shirt, short sleeve | Black moisture-wicking polyester, “ARMY” in gold across the chest | $12–$13 |
| APFU T-shirt, long sleeve | Same design, long sleeve for cooler weather | $13–$16 |
| APFU trunks (shorts) | Black polyester, “ARMY” in gold on left leg; key pocket; optional versions with liner | $13–$25 |
| APFU running jacket | Black 100% nylon, gold Army logo, zip front | $42–$50 |
| APFU running pants | Black 100% nylon, gold logo, zip ankle openings | $20–$25 |
| Fleece cap | Black or coyote brown, worn in cold weather | $8–$15 |
| Gloves | Black, cold-weather wear | $10–$20 |
| Running shoes | Commercial, soldier’s choice (no five-toe shoes) | Varies |
| Socks | Plain white or black, calf- or ankle-length, no visible logos | $5–$12 per pack |
Total cost to outfit yourself from scratch, minus shoes: roughly $110–$140. That is cheap next to what you would spend on civilian equivalents from a name brand, which is part of why plenty of soldiers wear the jacket and pants long after ETS.
APFU Wear Chart: Summer vs. Winter Combinations
Commanders prescribe the uniform combination for organized PT, and unit SOPs set the temperature cutoffs — there is no Army-wide temperature chart in AR 670-1. That said, the combinations themselves are standard. This is how units typically run it:
| Conditions | Combination | Accessories authorized |
|---|---|---|
| Warm weather / summer | Short-sleeve T-shirt + trunks | Ball cap only if commander prescribes; reflective belt per unit SOP |
| Cool weather | Long-sleeve T-shirt + trunks, or short-sleeve + jacket | Gloves at commander discretion |
| Cold weather | Long-sleeve T-shirt + jacket + pants over trunks | Fleece cap (black or coyote brown), gloves |
| Extreme cold | Full APFU + fleece cap + gloves; units may add ECWCS layers by SOP | Neck gaiter only if unit policy allows |
Three rules that generate the most on-the-spot corrections:
- Socks: plain white or black, calf- or ankle-length, no logos. Ankle socks must fully cover the ankle bone (Source: AR 670-1 / DA PAM 670-1).
- Shoes: commercial running shoes are authorized, but shoes with five individual toe compartments are explicitly prohibited — the reg says they detract from a professional military image (Source: DA PAM 670-1).
- Mixing layers: wear the combination your commander prescribed for formation PT. Individual PT gives you more latitude, but the pieces still have to be worn as designed — no jacket tied around the waist, no pants rolled up.
Where you can wear it off duty: the APFU is authorized on and off post unless your commander restricts it, but not for commercial air travel and not at social or official functions — no APFU at the funeral, the wedding, or the promotion ceremony (Source: AR 670-1, via AR670.com).
Headphones, Phone Belts, and Electronics Rules
You can wear headphones or earbuds with the APFU — but only inside installation gyms and fitness centers during individual PT, and only if your commander has not prohibited it. The policy dates to a 2016 Army uniform policy update (Source: U.S. Army, army.mil, 2016). The fine print:
- Headphones must be conservative and discreet; ear pads can’t exceed 1.5 inches in diameter.
- The moment you step outside the gym, they come off — you can’t wear them around your neck or clipped to the uniform.
- A solid black armband for carrying your phone is authorized in the gym, same boundary rules.
- No headphones during a record fitness test. Ever.
The bigger recent change: as of the September 2025 uniform policy update (Army Directive 2025-18), soldiers may wear a small runner’s phone belt — up to 4 inches wide — with the APFU, at commander discretion. The Army wrote the rule because too many soldiers were running with phones in their hands (Source: Task & Purpose, 2025). The belt is APFU-only; you can’t wear it with other duty uniforms.
The New Army PT Uniform: What’s Actually Happening
Short version: there is no new Army PT uniform coming, and the black-and-gold APFU is staying. Here is the timeline, because search results on this topic are a mess of outdated headlines:
- October 2024: Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer announced at the AUSA conference that the Army would redesign its PT uniform, saying the current gear doesn’t “represent who we are as warfighters,” with a new kit planned for 2025 after beta testing (Source: AUSA, 2024).
- Late 2024: The Army walked it back — no redesign, but it would look at letting soldiers buy alternative shirt and shorts styles keeping the black-and-gold scheme. Weimer was blunt about the reason: “we’re spending no Army money on new PTs … we have so many higher priorities” (Source: Stars and Stripes, 2024).
- January 2026: Weimer confirmed the redesign is paused entirely, admitting he “got out over my skis” on the original announcement (Source: Task & Purpose, 2026).
So if you are a new soldier or a recruiter is about to ship you: buy and maintain the current APFU. Nothing on the horizon replaces it. The only real 2025-era changes were policy-side — the phone belt authorization and broader AR 670-1 grooming updates in Army Directive 2025-18 — not the uniform itself.
Where to Buy the Army PT Uniform
Four legitimate channels, in order of how most soldiers actually use them:
- Military Clothing Sales (on post). Run by the Exchange. Guaranteed-authentic, certified pieces, and the place to spend your clothing allowance. Best option for fit, since you can try sizes on.
- shopmyexchange.com (AAFES online). Same inventory, shipped. Requires Exchange shopping eligibility (military ID holders and veterans who’ve verified online eligibility).
- Authorized DLA-certified retailers. US Patriot Tactical, Marlow White, and similar vendors sell certified APFU pieces to anyone. Useful for ROTC cadets, recruits buying ahead of ship dates, and veterans replacing worn gear.
- Surplus stores. Fine for a spare jacket; risky for anything you’ll wear in formation. Check tags — genuine APFU items carry the certification label, and knockoff “Army” PT gear is everywhere online.
Skip Amazon third-party listings unless the seller explicitly states DLA certification. A $9 “Army PT shirt” with slightly-off gold lettering will get flagged in formation, and you’ll buy the real one anyway.
What to Wear on AFT Test Day
For the Army Fitness Test — the AFT score chart and standards took over as the test of record on June 1, 2025, replacing the ACFT — you take the test in the standard APFU with commercial running shoes (Source: army.mil, 2025). Practical specifics for the record test:
- Prescribed combination: the OIC/NCOIC sets it, usually short-sleeve T-shirt and trunks regardless of season, with jacket and pants authorized during warm-up in cold weather.
- No headphones. Explicitly prohibited during the record test.
- Watches: a conservative watch is fine and worth wearing — pacing the two-mile run off your wrist beats guessing.
- Gloves: typically not worn for the deadlift or sprint-drag-carry at a record test; follow your grader’s instructions.
- Shoes: flat, stable shoes help the 3-rep max deadlift, but you’ll run two miles in the same pair, so most soldiers compromise with a firm trainer rather than a true lifting shoe. Test sites provide all equipment — you bring nothing but yourself in uniform.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you mix APFU pieces with civilian workout clothes?
Not during organized PT — the uniform is worn as a complete prescribed combination. During individual off-duty workouts, commanders generally allow civilian gear entirely, but mixing (APFU shirt with civilian shorts, for example) isn’t authorized wear of the uniform under AR 670-1. Wear all APFU or all civilian.
Do Army Reserve and National Guard soldiers get issued the APFU?
Yes. Enlisted Reserve and Guard soldiers receive the APFU through the initial clothing issue, same as active duty, and it’s the required uniform for battle assembly PT and fitness testing. Officers purchase their own.
What are the glove and fleece cap rules for winter PT?
The fleece cap (black or coyote brown) and black gloves are the two authorized APFU cold-weather accessories per DA PAM 670-1. Your commander or unit SOP dictates when they’re worn — there’s no Army-wide temperature trigger in the regulation.
Can you wear the Army PT uniform off post?
Yes, on and off the installation, on or off duty, unless your commander restricts it. Exceptions: no commercial air travel in the APFU, and no wear at official or social functions like ceremonies, funerals, or weddings (Source: AR 670-1).
Are earbuds allowed with the PT uniform?
Only inside installation gyms and fitness centers during individual PT, unless your commander prohibits them, and ear pads can’t exceed 1.5 inches across. They’re never authorized during a record fitness test, and you can’t wear them outside the gym even hanging around your neck.
What socks are authorized with the APFU?
Plain white or plain black socks, calf-length or ankle-length, with no visible logos. Ankle socks must cover the entire ankle bone. No-show socks aren’t authorized.
Sources and verification
- AR 670-1 / DA PAM 670-1 physical fitness uniform guides — AR670.com
- DA PAM 670-1 10-2 APFU composition — AR670.com
- New Army PT uniforms result of Soldier feedback — army.mil
- Army rolls out uniform changes and allows phone belts with PT gear — Task and Purpose, 2025
- Weimer: Army to Redesign PT Uniform — AUSA, 2024
- Army considers new options for PT uniform, but design will stay the same — Stars and Stripes, 2024
- Top enlisted soldier says he got ‘over my skis’ on new Army PT uniform — Task and Purpose, 2026
- Headphones now permitted in uniform for individual PT — army.mil, 2016
- Army establishes new fitness test of record (AFT) — army.mil, 2025
- U.S. Army PT Uniforms (APFU) and Gear — US Patriot Tactical (pricing reference)
- Military Clothing program — AAFES
