[Blackthorne]

I think there a re 2 real types of fading here:

-Fading from repeated washing

-Fading from UV exposure

The Sunblock will work, but you have to re-apply regularly and it's really only neccessary if you are operating in the sun ALLOT. You won't notice it working unless it gets exposed to the same amont of sun as, say working on a boat offshore in the summer (which is where I got the idea from.. )

I think some of the desert Milsims might match that..

I have heard (but have not yet Googled) of a chemical that they use in the dying process to "fix" the color. I would think that soaking in that a couple of time would slow down the fading process, at least the fading that happens from repeated washings.

On the other hand, with all the other cash we spend on this sport, if one set lasts you even 6 months, that's $200 a year. Not too bad if you ask me.. :-)