Special Forces Season 5 (2026): What the Recruits Wear, the Cast and the Episode Schedule
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Quick answer — Season 5 recruits wear plain dark long-sleeve tops and full-length pants, with no visible brand logos, plus camouflage patrol caps on some tasks. FOX has not named a supplier, so nobody can tell you the exact garments. The setting explains the choices: a Malaysian jungle, a backward dive from a helicopter into water, a mud crawl, and later rope work 300 feet up. Heat, humidity and mud decide what works there.
When do new Special Forces season 5 episodes air, and where can you stream them?
All times Eastern. FOX's eight-week slot, as listed by Yahoo Entertainment on Sept. 24.
| Episode | Date (ET) | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (premiere) | Thu, Sept. 24, 9:00 p.m. | FOX; Hulu next day |
| 2 | Thu, Oct. 1, 9:00 p.m. | FOX; Hulu next day |
| 3 | Thu, Oct. 8 | FOX |
| 4 | Thu, Oct. 15 | FOX |
| 5 | Thu, Oct. 22 | FOX |
| 6 | Thu, Oct. 29 | FOX |
| 7 | Thu, Nov. 5 | FOX |
| 8 (finale) | Thu, Nov. 12 | FOX |
That is one episode shorter than season 4. Hell's Kitchen season 25 is the 8 p.m. lead-in; our Hell's Kitchen chef whites guide covers that kitchen. The wider slate is on our competition shows grid for Sept. 21–27 and the sister site's new on streaming list.
Who are the 15 recruits in season 5?
| Recruit | Known for |
|---|---|
| Matt Barnes | NBA champion |
| Alycia Baumgardner | World champion boxer |
| Candace Cameron Bure | Full House, Fuller House |
| David Charvet | Baywatch, Melrose Place |
| Brandi Glanville | The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills — medically withdrawn, episode 1 |
| Collin Gosselin | Jon & Kate Plus 8 |
| Oliver Hudson | The Cleaning Lady, Rules of Engagement |
| LeSean McCoy | Super Bowl champion |
| Maxim Naumov | Olympic figure skater |
| Ruby Rose | Batwoman, Orange Is the New Black |
| George Santos | Former congressman |
| Hannah Stocking | Comedian |
| Breana Tiesi | Selling Sunset |
| Alexia Umansky | Buying Beverly Hills |
| Mauricio Umansky | Buying Beverly Hills |
The Directing Staff are Rudy Reyes, Billy Billingham, Jason “Foxy” Fox and Jovon “Q” Quarles. Recruits can withdraw at any point. For the wider reality slate that week, see Reality TV Next Week.
What happened in the season 5 premiere?
| Moment | Who | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Backward dive from a helicopter, swim to a floating platform | Candace Cameron Bure, Alycia Baumgardner, Oliver Hudson, George Santos | Passed; Hudson helped Santos out of the water |
| Same dive | Collin Gosselin, David Charvet, LeSean McCoy, Hannah Stocking | Failed |
| Same dive, feet first | Ruby Rose | Allowed for a past neck injury |
| Same dive | Brandi Glanville | Over-rotated, landed flat, hurt her sternum; medically withdrawn |
| Combat fitness test | Candace Cameron Bure, David Charvet | Singled out as strong |
Results as reported in TV Insider's recap on Sept. 25. The full reality recap lives on Reality On Air.
What do the recruits wear in season 5?
From FOX's season 5 promos and the official first-look clip below, the kit is plain and military in spirit. We describe cut and color only.
| Piece | What it looks like | Why it suits the jungle |
|---|---|---|
| Top | Dark navy or slate long-sleeve work top, collared, loose through the body | Covers skin from thorns and bites; dark fabric hides mud |
| Headwear | Camouflage patrol cap on boat and field tasks | Shades the face without trapping heat like a hat with a full brim |
| Pants | Full-length, dark, no visible logos | Knees and shins survive crawls and rope |
| Brand | None visible, none announced | Production-issued kit is rarely credited |
Interview segments are shot in plain white T-shirts, so do not read those as training clothes.
Why does a jungle change the kit more than a desert or a Welsh hillside?
Earlier seasons went to Jordan, New Zealand, Wales and Morocco; cold rewards layers, dry heat rewards shade.
A lowland rainforest in Malaysia is hot and humid through the whole year, and it rains in every month. Fabric that absorbs water stays wet for hours, and the ground adds mud, thorns and insects.
👈 The next two sections are about function. We are not claiming any recruit wore a particular brand.What should a top and pants do in heat, mud and rope work?
| Requirement | Why it matters in the jungle |
|---|---|
| Long sleeves, full-length pants | Trade a little heat for protection from scratches, sun and bites — the same compromise military jungle uniforms make |
| Mostly synthetic fabric | Polyester and nylon hold less water than cotton or viscose, so they dry faster once the rain stops |
| Flat seams, no pockets under straps | The 300-foot suspension task means a harness across thighs and shoulders; bulk under a strap rubs all day |
| Nothing that hangs | Drawstring loops and loose hems catch on vines the way they catch on a rig |
| Dark or muted color | Mud stains light fabric, and wet pale fabric turns see-through on camera |
The snagging problem is the same one we covered in what physical-competition training kit is built for.
What does a long-sleeve jungle-ready top cost at three prices?
Prices checked on each brand's own site on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, at about 11:45 p.m. ET. Stock by size moves daily.
| Tier | Top | Price | Fabric and trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Bubblelime UPF 50+ Long Sleeve Rashguard Swim Shirt, Black, XS–XL (all sizes in stock at check) | $20.98 | Built to go in and out of water, with a UPF 50+ rating and flat seams. Cut slim like a swim shirt, so it sits close to the skin; size up if you want air underneath. No hood or thumb holes. |
| Mid | Free Fly Women's Bamboo Shade Long Sleeve II, Dark Forest (XS, S and XXL in stock at check) | $68.00 | UPF 50+, 68% viscose from bamboo, 29% polyester, 3% spandex, 180 GSM. The softest of the three and naturally odor-resistant, but the viscose holds more water than an all-synthetic knit after a soaking. |
| Premium | Janji Women's Sunchaser 50 Hooded Long Sleeve, Mist (S and M sold out at check) | $88.00 | UPF 50, 84% recycled polyester and 16% spandex. Adds a large hood, thumb holes and underarm perforation, and the relaxed fit leaves room for airflow. |
If the shirt will spend most of its life on hikes and humid runs, the budget or premium synthetic makes more sense. The bamboo blend is the better pick for travel days and dry heat. For the water side of the same question, our Survivor season 51 wardrobe breakdown covers how fabrics behave in salt water.
Will we ever know the exact pieces the recruits wear?
Probably not, unless a brand announces a deal. No such announcement exists for season 5 as of Sept. 25. We read cut, fabric and color the same way for Physical 100: Mexico and Physical 100: Italy; the method is in how to find workout clothes you see on TV. We will add notes here if a later episode shows new gear, such as harnesses for the 300-foot task.
What else is on this week?
Dancing with the Stars season 35 is in its early weeks, and its rehearsal footage is the closest thing to training wear on network TV; our DWTS season 35 rehearsal wear guide prices that look. The Challenge keeps dropping Wednesdays on Paramount+, as in episode 7's release time. Browse more in Fitness Shows, Competition Shows and Shop the Look, or read what this site covers and will not claim.
TL;DR
- Special Forces season 5 airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on FOX through a Nov. 12 finale; episodes stream the next day on Hulu.
- Brandi Glanville was medically withdrawn on Day 1 after the helicopter dive.
- Fifteen recruits, including Candace Cameron Bure, Ruby Rose, LeSean McCoy and Maxim Naumov, in the Malaysian jungle.
- On screen: dark long-sleeve tops, full-length pants, camouflage patrol caps, no visible brands. FOX has not named a supplier.
- Three long-sleeve tops: $20.98 (Bubblelime), $68.00 (Free Fly), $88.00 (Janji), checked Sept. 14 at about 11:45 p.m. ET.
Sources
- TVLine, “Special Forces: World's Toughest Test Season 5 Cast Includes Candace Cameron Bure, Ruby Rose, And George Santos” — full cast and premiere date.
- TV Insider, “Special Forces Season 5: Cast, Trailer, Directing Staff, and More Updates” — Malaysia setting, tasks, Directing Staff, Hulu next-day streaming.
- Yahoo Entertainment, season 5 sneak peek coverage (Aug. 21, 2026) — jungle footage description.
- Yahoo Entertainment, “Special Forces Season 5 Release Schedule” (Sept. 24, 2026) — eight-episode dates.
- TV Insider, season 5 premiere recap by Alyssa Norwin (Sept. 25, 2026) — dive results and Glanville's withdrawal.
- FOX season 5 promos and the Reality Club first-look clip — kit description, viewed Sept. 25, 2026.
- TVmaze episode listing for Special Forces: World's Toughest Test (season 4 dates, season 5 premiere slot), retrieved Sept. 14, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Special Forces: World's Toughest Test — earlier filming locations and withdrawal format.
- Product pages on bubblelime.com, freeflyapparel.com and janji.com, checked Sept. 14, 2026, about 11:45 p.m. ET.
- What to Wear for a Mud Run: What Special Forces Season 5 Gets Right
- What Do Physical 100: Mexico Contestants Wear? Dark Sleeveless Tops, Grip Gloves and a Stone Arena
- What Do Physical 100: Italy Contestants Wear? The White Tee, the Shoulder Number and the Plank Over Water
- What Physical-Competition Training Kit Is Built For: Grip, Water, Camera, Heat