European Clothing Sizes

Thomas Linton

Thomas Linton

Joined
Jun 16, 2003
Messages
20,201
OK. So I can deal with metric sizing. "114" = 45". But what in the world is a size 14 ("GRNR. 14") in a German surplus parka? (Not a "good deal" if it doesn't fit.)
 
Doesnt sound like any European sizing Ive come across so far, mens coats in Germany normaly are called "38" or "40" etc. upwords in size designation I recall? {There the smallest sizes they do, I think, so size 14 would be like baby clothes }

You get size. 14 in English womens clothes. :D

mmmmmm is it definatly a sizeing? not a NATO or army designation for Germany or something? seem to recall thats a 12 though, unless theve changed it with the unification.

Spiral
 
The tag reads, in full:

G.E. Spekon [I find reference to Spekon only as a textile manufacturer.]
Q/B21B/YO153/YO817
1999
8595/0510 (GrNr. 14)
8415-12-322-1228

What I have learned so far:

The NSN (Nato Stock Number) is incorrect for a parka (or even field jacket). Accourding to a govenrment site, it is the NSN for a camoflage anorak.

What I guess at:

Supported by how tight it is, the "8595" refers to 85-95 CM (33.4-37.4"), a "Medium," rather than the claimed Extra Large. (As you may know, military outer garments are cut very generously to go over other layers and allow freedom of movement - baggy. A "Large" would be called an "XL" if it were on the label of a civilian garment. I ordered an XXL Swedish surplus parka years ago, and I and my ten-year-old son could both get inside.)


Since this is a replacement for a French Parka they sent me (seven weeks ago!) which was a Small instead of the XL I bought, it would seem that, at best, Sportsman's Guide has a serious knowledge problem.

It may have been make last month in China.
 
Spekon is Spezial-Konfektion - a former GDR military manufacturer. The Military has some strange size-measurements that are not easily to convert with the regular "civilian" sizes.

look at thie fourth chart ("Oberbekleidung") on this page)
http://www.bw-online-shop.com/cgi-bin/shop/front/shop_main.cgi?func=htmlserv&wkid=15744130516707216&tmpl=shop_text_win.html&in=std_groessentabelle
the civilian sizes translate into US-sizes as follows:

Zivile (Normalgrösse) 46 48 50 52 54 56
US Universalgrösse S M L L XL XXL

Bundeswehr 14 is a civilian 106 that is basically a longer civilian size 54 or XL

size 14 is intended for Persons 185-195cm large with a breast-width of 105 cm

Hope this helps.
Andreas
 
A few years ago, I bought some milsurp german/swiss (don't remember now) BDUs to kick around in. I asked for medium. They sent their version of medium, which was small.

(yes, I know I've gained weight, but I measured the suckers!:mad: )

Sent them back. Cost of shipping was not refunded, but in subsequent catalog mailings, they changed the designation.

Sportsman's Guide ... uh ...nevermind.
 
Hello Andreas. :)

Pan Tau said:
Spekon is Spezial-Konfektion - a former GDR military manufacturer.
Click to expand...
"Konfektion" sounds like the English "confection" = candy/sweets. :D

look at thie fourth chart ("Oberbekleidung") on this page)
http://www.bw-online-shop.com/cgi-bin/shop/front/shop_main.cgi?func=htmlserv&wkid=15744130516707216&tmpl=shop_text_win.html&in=std_groessentabelle
Click to expand...
I do not get any tables or the word "Oberbekleidung." Probably a problem with my computer.

Bundeswehr size 14 is intended for Persons 185-195cm large with a breast-width of 105 cm
Click to expand...
I have heard that XL in German is 44-48"/112-122 CM chest diameter.

I am a 46" chest.

The garment I am speaking about will zip closed but I could not wear anything under it. It is smaller than the older Bundeswehr parka I have in green, and it is is labeled "180/190/105."

It has a NATO number for an anorak (8415-12-322-1228). Would the Bundeswehr call a "parka" an "anorak"?

It has no snaps to attach the liner that is used with the Bundeswehr parka, so it is more like what in the U.S. we would call a "Field Jacket."

I think is is a replica, not the real Bundeswehr issue equipment

Thank you.

Tom
 
deovolens said:
The US L= Europe XL =56 Yes we are"slender" in Europe.
Size 14= small L in the US
Click to expand...
And is was sold in the U.S. by a U.S. company - which should know better.

By the way, operating on the idea that clothing ran smaller in Europe, I ordered an XXL Swedish surplus parka as noted above. It was WAY too large for me - gigantic! Maybe they are not so "slender" in Sweden? :D (Ducking head.)
 
Thomas Linton said:
Hello Andreas. :)
I do not get any tables or the word "Oberbekleidung." Probably a problem with my computer.
Click to expand...

The link only shows the main page. Try the grey link "Größentabelle" (it is the second one at the top of the page) - then the fourth table. I try to copy it into this post - see below. BW is the military size of the Bundeswehr

Thomas Linton said:
I have heard that [American??] XL in German is 44-48"/112-122 CM chest diameter.
Click to expand...

... uuhhh - my bad English - I do not think you have breasts :). About German XL: That depends. :) The mix of sizes is not too easy to manage. From time to time we see US-Sizes, then "European" S/M/L/XL-sizes, traditional sizes, military sizes etc. But if you ask me the chest diameter of 48 is too large a diameter to be a German XL here it would be XXL or XXXL. If you have a chest diameter of 46" I would recommend a Bundeswehr size 16

Thomas Linton said:
It has a NATO number for an anorak (8415-12-322-1228). Would the Bundeswehr call a "parka" an "anorak"?

It has no snaps to attach the liner that is used with the Bundeswehr parka, so it is more like what in the U.S. we would call a "Field Jacket."
Click to expand...

No, the Bundeswehr calls a parka a "Parka" or "Feldparka" and a field-jacket a "Feldbluse". The newer Parka in "Fleck-Camo" does not have snaps for a liner, there is a separate cold weather jacket that can be worn separately or together with the parka.


The table below gives the "civilian" size and behind the slash the size according to Bundeswehr (BW)-size-system for jackets, Overalls, Parkas and this type of clothes:

It is up to you to do the math with centimeters and inches - Yvsa posted good help recently

Größenvergleich für BW Oberbekleidung

body heigh.......165 - 175 cm.....175 - 185 cm.....185 - 195 cm.....195 - 205 cm

chest diameter
90 cm...............23 / BW 1........46 / BW 6
95 cm...............24 / BW 2........48 / BW 7..........98 / BW 12
100 cm.............25 / BW 3.........50 / BW 8.........102 / BW 13 ..........BW 17
105 cm.............25 / BW 4.........52 / BW 9.........106 / BW 14 ..........BW 18
110 cm.............26 / BW 5.........54 / BW 10.......110 / BW 15 .........BW 19
115 cm...................................56 / BW 11........114 / BW 16 ..........BW 20

Andreas
 
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