Improved Combat Uniform

[Halifax Tar]

Certainly true  in the case of this fella... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lW-cZEzP2A 

He loves it that much he posted a 'how to clip' on youtube  making it look oh so easy!!.....The idea to use Walmart ponytail ties (and the like) is revolutionary (choke) and could be the answer for those who find blousing leaves marks/indentations on their legs.....blousing lower over the boot not on top of.....of course prevents that painful affliction....

That's my three cents on all this blousing bollocks......

lol Thank you!

 

[Wolf117]

If you're impairing the circulation to your feet, you have your pants bloused way too tight. It takes a good deal of pressure to occlude the blood flow to and from your feet.

I use large velcro wraps instead of those idiotic green elastics they sell at Canex.  It really matters not how loose or tight I put them on, prolonged wearing of them leads to poor circulation.  There's a reason that airlines give out loose fitting socks on long haul trips.  However, even with the looser fitting socks there is still going to be some reduced circulation and red marks left afterwards.  The same principle is true of boot bands.  Troops don't just unblouse in the field to look like rockstars, it's because it make practical sense.

 

[Michael OLeary]

Have you spoken to an MO about poor circulation? I've been blousing combat pants for over thirty years and have not had this problem nor has it been brought to my attention as an issue.

 

[old fart]

Have you spoken to an MO about poor circulation? I've been blousing combat pants for over thirty years and have not had this problem nor has it been brought to my attention as an issue.

One more cents worth....DITTO.....

 

[aesop081]

  However, even with the looser fitting socks there is still going to be some reduced circulation and red marks left afterwards.

I can't say i have ever had that problem and i fly some pretty long missions, sometimes multiple times a week.

 

[ballz]

Troops don't just unblouse in the field to look like rockstars

But now that you mention it, that is a pretty good reason...

 

[DirtyDog]

Wow, what a whinefest in here.

Circulation problems?  Please.

I've rarely (let alone "every second") had a bloused pant come undone, and that's through all kinds of terrain.  No issues with kneepads either and I always wear a knee pad.  Same goes for running.  Never thought to myself "Man, if only my pants were unbloused, I'd make it to that piece of low ground faster!".

The only benefit I've ever found from being unbloused was that little bit of fabric between my boot and the desert sun, and that they dry out a little quicker (although my sandtraps are always tucked in anyway).

I generally prefer to be bloused in the field and most times I don't have a choice anyway.  And that includes the sandbox.  It's just more streamlined and neater.  Much less chance on things getting snagged and no dragging cuffs around in mud (or Afghan "fertilizer" for that matter).

Believe me, I'm not one to generally tow the party line and my combat pants were nearly the only issue piece of kit I wore, but it is a lot about wanting to look like a rockstar.  Of that I have no doubt.

If troops were unbloused there is absolutely no doubt we would look a lot less professional.  I have short legs and unless my pants were tailored, they'd be pretty damn sloppy. 

 

[DirtyDog]

I use large velcro wraps instead of those idiotic green elastics they sell at Canex.

I tried those wraps... once.

They now keep my ridgerest neatly rolled up.

 

[SoldierInAYear]

Just open it tactically...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSK3maq8Cyk

Hahaha

 

[ballz]

I have short legs and unless my pants were tailored, they'd be pretty damn sloppy.

Maybe that's why you have no problems with blousings coming out. I have to pull the bottoms of my pants legs down everytime I get out of my car just because sitting in the car makes them ride halfway up my calf. I had to take the sandtraps out because nearly everytime, for the same reason, parts of the sandtraps would get pulled out and stick out.

Again, personal preference. I don't really care whether you've never once had your blousing get effed up by something ( : ). I have.

Or maybe I'm just making that up, and so is 51% of the CF.

 

[dangerboy]

Or maybe I'm just making that up, and so is 51% of the CF.

Where did the number that 51% of the CF has problems with their pants being bloused come from.

 

[OldSolduer]

Where did the number that 51% of the CF has problems with their pants being bloused come from.

I'd like to know as well.

 

[DirtyDog]

Maybe that's why you have no problems with blousings coming out. I have to pull the bottoms of my pants legs down everytime I get out of my car just because sitting in the car makes them ride halfway up my calf. I had to take the sandtraps out because nearly everytime, for the same reason, parts of the sandtraps would get pulled out and stick out.

Again, personal preference. I don't really care whether you've never once had your blousing get effed up by something ( : ). I have.

Or maybe I'm just making that up, and so is 51% of the CF.

So your pants are literally that short on you?  I know there's sizing issues for uniforms, but i'd have thought there would be a pant length that was ample.  Maybe you need longer pants?  I'm not doubting you, but it seems improbable that your pants are so short you can't even bend your legs without them riding up.

Also, I said rarely, not "never once".    Of course I'm not some guy with a dozen years under my belt, but I've been around a little bit and have done a few things.  It's just not an issue.  I'm curious what wealth of field experience you draw from?

Where did this 51% come from?

 

[ballz]

So your pants are literally that short on you?  I know there's sizing issues for uniforms, but i'd have thought there would be a pant length that was ample.  Maybe you need longer pants?  I'm not doubting you, but it seems improbable that your pants are so short you can't even bend your legs without them riding up.

Also, I said rarely, not "never once".    Of course I'm not some guy with a dozen years under my belt, but I've been around a little bit and have done a few things.  It's just not an issue.  I'm curious what wealth of field experience you draw from?

Where did this 51% come from?

I'm not sure what the problem is. I am not awkwardly proportioned. I am 5'10, 180 lbs. When I first got issued combats I was 210 lbs and they were a size bigger in the waist, but AFAIK they were not longer in the legs. I never had problems until I lost weight and switched to a smaller waist size. I *am* going to clothing stores to exchange a pair of ripped pants and I am going to get a different size to try, however, without blousings my pant legs rest on the top of my foot nicely (but dont go under my heel), so I don't think length is the issue.

I have almost no experience. I used to even have a disclaimer saying so but I liked that Helen Keller quote. But I think I have enough experience to know blousing doesn't work for me in the field and I definitely prefer unbloused.

The 51% was meant to be a metaphor, I didn't think it would be interpreted as a hard stat.

Anyway, thank you Jim for providing the info about puttees and the origin of this tradition. I am out of this one because it's pretty clearly established by all the shenanigans (mine included) that it's personal preference in the field, and I don't have a dog in the debate over garrison.

EDIT: Oh yes and honest, sincere apologies for misquoting you DD. Not sure what I was smoking on that one but I will share next time haha.

 

[DirtyDog]

I'm not sure what the problem is. I am not awkwardly proportioned. I am 5'10, 180 lbs. When I first got issued combats I was 210 lbs and they were a size bigger in the waist, but AFAIK they were not longer in the legs. I never had problems until I lost weight and switched to a smaller waist size. I *am* going to clothing stores to exchange a pair of ripped pants and I am going to get a different size to try, however, without blousings my pant legs rest on the top of my foot nicely (but dont go under my heel), so I don't think length is the issue.

I have almost no experience. I used to even have a disclaimer saying so but I liked that Helen Keller quote. But I think I have enough experience to know blousing doesn't work for me in the field and I definitely prefer unbloused.

The 51% was meant to be a metaphor, I didn't think it would be interpreted as a hard stat.

Anyway, thank you Jim for providing the info about puttees and the origin of this tradition. I am out of this one because it's pretty clearly established by all the shenanigans (mine included) that it's personal preference in the field, and I don't have a dog in the debate over garrison.

EDIT: Oh yes and honest, sincere apologies for misquoting you DD. Not sure what I was smoking on that one but I will share next time haha.

No worries.

Trust me, I understand the intricities of "personal preference" and I've made my feelings clear on a whole host of kit I have a problem with.  I've just never considered the boot blousing thing to be a big deal although a lot of my peers do.  I really do think the "rockstar" mentality is a large part of it and the compulsion to want to rebel against the dinosaurs.

People complain about it a lot, but there are no massively compelling arguments against it, just as there is no hugely compelling reasons for it. 

 

[Wolf117]

No problems with circulation here.  I blouse my boots the way the brits do, over top of the boot instead of directly on the leg.  That eliminates any discomfort from pressure points.

But there is a legitimate reason as to why hospitals give out compression stockings and airlines hand out flight socks.  But don't take my word on it, ask any doctor about DVT.

Actually come to think about it deep vein thrombosis is probably more of a concern for those working in a cubicle and in a garrison setting.  Think I recall a lively debate on that a page or two ago.

In any case I'd just like to ask CDNAviator how many times he blouses his flightsuit on those long flights.

 

[aesop081]

In any case I'd just like to ask CDNAviator how many times he blouses his flightsuit on those long flights.

I'm sorry, you were talking about socks and loose fitting socks, not blousing anything :

  There's a reason that airlines give out loose fitting socks on long haul trips.  However, even with the looser fitting socks there is still going to be some reduced circulation and red marks left afterwards. 

Now i wear the issue socks (not too loose fitting) and have never, in all my flying career, had reduced curculation problems nor red marks afterwards. I can;t speak for anyone else of course.

 

[darkskye]

I would like a copy of the link to the powerpoint presentation sent to my DIN account. Send me a private message and I will send you my DIN account.

 

[Wolf117]

I'm sorry, you were talking about socks and loose fitting socks, not blousing anything :

Now i wear the issue socks (not too loose fitting) and have never, in all my flying career, had reduced curculation problems nor red marks afterwards. I can;t speak for anyone else of course.

I was using the example of compression flight socks given out by airlines to illustrate a point that there does exist an issue with people having reduced circulation and being more prone to deep vein thrombosis as a result of prolonged pressure points.  In that case it would be caused by civilian attire socks or the like.

I never said there was anything wrong with the issued military socks, and I for one have never experienced any issues from any of the issued socks.  (Perhaps that's because they cut off higher on the calf than sport socks do or higher still than where the blouser sits on one's leg).

But the fact remains that prolonged sitting on a flight (anyone who's flown over the Atlantic or Pacific as a passenger can attest to this) will lead to blood pooling in the lower extremeties and that pressure points are not helpful in reducing this.

The airlines don't give out these socks because they think they're stylish (for they surely are not).  Nor does the hospital issue compression leggings to make you look like you're about to perform a ballet when you clearly are going under the knife.

Now perhaps you're situation on your flights are different.  Perhaps you get to move about the cabin more frequently.  And as I've said, the combination of military sock, boot and unbloused pantleg (which I'm assuming is how you go to work) lends itself to a more comfortable feel.  I've spent hours sitting in the swing seat in the air sentry position of a LAV and can agree with you that I've never had the military sock reduce circulation in my legs in those cases.  However, force me to wear a blouser in the manner that most Canadians wear them and I'll find it uncomfortable in the way that ballz described it.  That's why my platoon overseas had a policy of unbloused outside the wire (if you want to) and that's the main reason the majority of my peers chose to go this way.

 

[aesop081]

Just for curiosity's sake, can you tell me what airlines do this ?

I have flow trans-oceanic on a few airlines and all i ever got was hot pieces of wet cloth. I sure hope those were not socks because............  ;D