How dirty is your kit?

[Sheikh Al Stranghi]

I just washed my tornister today, and after 5 changes the water was still black. How often do you wash your kit and when do you think it gets really necessary? I washed my gas mask can strap yesterday and like magic it turned from light brown to dark green.

How many cakes of mud blanco have you gathered in your kit?

[SplinterB]

Don't wash any of it at all. Apart from stuff that touches my skin like shirts/underware etc. We go for a rough as f**k look so its better not to. Obviously Polish your boots but thats a given!

[Sheikh Al Stranghi]

Well, my "rough as ****" impression started falling apart due to neglect, so in the future I'll take a little more care...

[GraemeMac]

Seldom wash kit. Let the muck dry, beat it/shake it off. Got to the point where I had a pair of Drillich's that were that dirty they just had to be washed - a year from new with weekly use - a nice cool wash and they came out looking great. Nicely worn in.

I take care of my kit, in the way that if its damaged, it gets repaired or replaced as you would. Leather kit/parts get oiled/dubbin'd/maintained. Just vests/shirts/underwear that gets washed regularly.

I wear my Drillichs and smocks, etc while working on the airsoft site I help run. I regularly wear kit digging trenches, filling sandbags, shifting timber, etc between that and actually playing/battling(and training with the group!), my kit gets dirty in a way that it would of for real. Be it muck from digging a fighting position, or from diving for cover into a water logged ditch - no designer mud on my kit!

[Jonny]

was always rotten lol

[feldman]

I clean it as the average German WW2 soldier did. A soldier takes care of his uniform / equipment.

[Jaws]

I'm just reading a book called "The Forgotten Soldier" by Guy Sajer. In there he writes that even after travelling across Poland and the Ukraine in the russian mud, straffed by the red air force and attacked by partizans, they were ordered to clean their kit, boots and uniform for a parade. Pointless as the parade was in deep mud!

Regards,

Gary.

[Botty]

Hand wash underwear/socks/shirt, all leather work treated, boots cleaned and dubbed after each event. Beyond that it is a case of let mud dry the brush off, repair any rips, lost buttons etc before putting way.

[Jonny]

I'm just reading a book called "The Forgotten Soldier" by Guy Sajer. In there he writes that even after travelling across Poland and the Ukraine in the russian mud, straffed by the red air force and attacked by partizans, they were ordered to clean their kit, boots and uniform for a parade. Pointless as the parade was in deep mud!

Regards,

Gary.

I remember this part of the book... It is my favourite book... Read it a few times... I have to say though I have been reading Phillip Kerr and I am hooked...

Jonny

[Peiper]

Don't wash any of it at all. Apart from stuff that touches my skin like shirts/underware etc. We go for a rough as f**k look so its better not to. Obviously Polish your boots but thats a given!

Same although have got two pair of boots, one repro low pair i keep scuffed/dirty for combat and a pair of resoled/studded
genuine jackboots i keep for parades etc, saying that for the Unit i belong to now i have three tunics (four if you count the
Allgermeine one i keep for private functions etc) but the three combat tunics have all been badged up for this one Unit except
they are an M36 i keep for parades/drill, the M40 is my muddy/worn/stained combat tunic and the M42 is a semi worn in but
reasonably clean for off duty, drill/camp wear

[feldman]

Cant understand this with keeping boots dirty ? Clean and treat leather after every event - or they will soon fall off your feet.. Shoe care is a big thing in the army, you see, both now and then, in most armies.

[Peiper]

Cant understand this with keeping boots dirty ? Clean and treat leather after every event - or they will soon fall off your feet.. Shoe care is a big thing in the army, you see, both now and then, in most armies.

Can understand that but they are new repros so the leather has got some life yet, also prior to dirtying them they were treated
with leather preservative, as i say my originals are kept polished/clean due to what you just mentioned

Cheers Pipes

[dbloge]

I'm just reading a book called "The Forgotten Soldier" by Guy Sajer. In there he writes that even after travelling across Poland and the Ukraine in the russian mud, straffed by the red air force and attacked by partizans, they were ordered to clean their kit, boots and uniform for a parade. Pointless as the parade was in deep mud!
Regards,
Gary.

Not pointless, it keeps the troops busy, and makes sure that they remember to follow orders.


DL

[Sheikh Al Stranghi]

And by then they probably looked like tramps already, so it would be a good moment for maintenance.

[SplinterB]

Look after you feet no.1 priority. mY Boots are my most important kit, always clean and polished.