British army canvas gaiters - who were they designed for?

[presterjohn]

I have just taken delivery of some very nicely made British army gaiters. They were for a fair price and are clearly new and have never been used. Quite frankly I was thrilled when I first inspected them. The problem is I have no idea what the average squaddies legs are but these would not fit the legs of a catwalk model. I don't have fat legs (all my extra weight is above the waist line) but I can't get even near to doing them up.

Is this a known thing and if so what were the army thinking when they decided to make them so small?

 

[Clouston98]

Are they adjustable and do they come in different sizes? That's all I think it could be?

 

[presterjohn]

The rubber strap that goes around the boot is adjustable but the actual gaiter is not. I can't fathom how any soldier with calves developed enough to get him through basic training could fit one of these on.

 

[Clouston98]

Do you think they could have been made for female soldiers or under 18s in the TA?

 

[bojit]

Are they maybe horse gaiters ?

Craig. ......

 

[Balloonatic]

They are usually pretty tight and not very forgiving. Keep in mind that a lot of squaddies are wirey little buggers!

 

[presterjohn]

Are they maybe horse gaiters ?

Craig. ......

Not unless horses wear boots in the army these days.

 

[presterjohn]

Do you think they could have been made for female soldiers or under 18s in the TA?

I did wonder if they were for female solders but nothing in the info tag suggests that.

 

[carabao]

Only ever got issued these in Norway and we never bothered with them, we all bought Berghaus yeti gaiters. We found the issued ones were always tight, and froze whilst skiing.

 

[bilmo-p5]

What size are they?

Mine are 'Standard' size and are 40cm around, which is ok for me but I don't have big calves. Perhaps you should look out for a large size pair.

 

[widu13]

Yep, they are "sized". Mediums nowhere near ever fitted me. I was never a racing snake. Most soldiers are not wirey!

 

[Miyagi]

I had the same problem, big calves, even large were too small.

Well built they are but no good to me.


Liam

 

[Balloonatic]

Widu, maybe it's a TA thing, some of our guys are skinny as anything (not me I might add, built for comfort and all that).

 

[presterjohn]

What size are they?

Mine are 'Standard' size and are 40cm around, which is ok for me but I don't have big calves. Perhaps you should look out for a large size pair.

View attachment 23393

Well I went for the long version. The sizes standard and long refer to the length of them. I think it is 15cm and 17cm or something like that.

 

[bilmo-p5]

Well I went for the long version. The sizes standard and long refer to the length of them. I think it is 15cm and 17cm or something like that.

Ah, right, my error.
I stand corrected, thank you.