Review: Metropolis Gorka 4 by Perunika

Introduction

Those who follow my Social Media accounts know already that Perunika has a PenCott Metropolis project going on, offering several items in this hard to get urban camouflage. I got the Gorka 4 model for myself and thought you might be interested in some insights. If you are interested to learn more about PenCott Metropolis, click here.

So let’s jump right into it.

The Perunika Gorka 4 in PenCott Metropolis

Overview of the Gorka 4 in PenCott Metropolis

When distinguishing between Gorka Models, one needs to know that the type 4 Gorka is an Anorak design, which you put on like a pullover/sweater. The type 3 on the other hand is a jacket with a front opening that you can close with buttons.

The layout of the Gorka 4 is very traditional, following the concept of the original Russian Gorkas with the occasional twist in the design. So you will find the chest pocket, which is closed by two small velcro areas and which features no internal admin options.

Perunika Gorka 4 in Metropolis — Chest pocket on the Gorka 4

On the upper arms there is a flat pocket, closed by a velcro lid. The lid as well as the front of the pocket feature a large loop velcro area to attach insignia or morale patches. Just like the chest pocket, the ones on the upper arms are left without any loops or slots.

The sleeves feature elastic cuffs which close comfortably around the wrist, as well as elastic elements around the lower sleeve to provide a better fit of these roomy sleeves. The elbow areas are reinforced with an additional layer of fabric.

There are side pockets on the left and right, which connect to a roomy compartment in the belly area. The openings are closed by overlapping flaps, but there is no velcro or other option to close them up tightly. The opening becomes nicely invisible, with the overlap.

To provide a better fit at the bottom of the jacket, there is a single compression point, using a diamond cord and a cord lock.

Coming to the hood. It is very roomy, providing enough space for a helmet to be worn underneath. A cord on the backside gives the user the option to make it tighter. Other than that it features the typical Gorka type visor. Two more cords to the front make it possible to cinch the hood down around the face.

Buttons and drawstring at the hood opening

To make it easier to put on, the collar has a large opening with several buttons to close it. That way, there is a big enough opening for your head to put through.

Size and Fit of the Gorka 4

Gorkas are famously roomy and baggy. This one is no exception and me being 1,80m tall and around 80kg heavy, a size L fits very comfortably, with room to layer underneath. You will not find the typical Russian sizing system like 50-4, 50-5, 52-4, 52-5 etc, but the more simplistic Western system ranging from Small to XXL. Perunika has a no-nonsene size chart on the homepage, which you can trust.

Roomy cut – note the drawstring at the back of the hood

Quality of Manufacture

The overall look and feel of the Gorka 4 is very good. Since the Anorak is a simple but proven design, there is not much high tech manufacturing behind it. The stitching is very tidy and well done, and several areas are reinforced with zigzag stitches.

The overlapping flaps for the side pockets give the jacket a high quality feel and the only thing I could criticize are the upper arm pockets with some unhemmed edges on the inside (which is nerd level criticism).

The Metropolis Gorka 4 in use

Easy to put on and off. A sturdy outer layer because of the 50/50 NyCo, but because of that not as water resistant as a Gorka using the thick 100% cotton plash fabric. On the other hand one will get all the upsides of the NyCo and a much better color retention. The NyCo is NIR treaded and as a result performs very good under night vision.

PenCott Metropolis under NIR using a PVS-14 from Lunox Nightvision

PenCott Metropolis is among the best urban camouflage patterns, so that in combination with a garment that is easy to don on/off is a very useful thing to have. The Gorka 4 is comfortable and leaves enough room for movement. As there is no zipper or opening to the front, it also wears comfortable under load bearing equipment like chest rigs or plate carriers.

Conclusion

It was quite hard to get anything in PenCott Metropolis for several years. Perunika finally made it possible to offer users in Europe an affordable option to purchase this camouflage pattern. Before that you were limited to Far East productions or limited US runs.

The Gorka 4 is an excellent anorak that does what it is designed for. Everyone who likes the Gorka look and appreciates good camouflage might consider taking a closer look at the line up of Perunika.

With that being said, I want to thank Perunika for their support. Don’t forget to use “pinesurvey10” to get 10% of your Perunika order.

Many thanks for reading!

Take care!