You shouldn't wear that, it's disrespectful to the troops! Why?

For as long as they were available, I wore surplus Jungle Boots at work.

It’s not that they were cheap—though they used to be.

It’s not that I loved the boots.

I loved the sole.

It really did have an embedded steel plate, to protect against punji sticks. I took a sole apart once, just to check.

On a construction site, Jungle Boots protected my feet when I stepped on a nail.
 
I'm a military veteran and see no problem with you wearing "military surplus" clothing.

If it bothers you and you feel uncomfortable, why don't you just mix up the camo scheme, different jacket than trousers so they don't match.

When I'm hunting I wear BDU trousers and a Carhartt camo jacket, the camo patterns don't match but the deer don't know that.

As others have said, wear whatever makes you happy and don't worry about it.
 
I'm a veteran. I wear surplus and my own leftovers all the time. But I never wear a complete set of anything in public, because then it does look like a "uniform" and suggests my motivations for wearing what I'm wearing isn't just convenience. And that makes me self conscious.

But that's my problem, not anyone else's. If I was bow hunting, I'd wear a complete set. Anyone who tells me I'm being disrespectful is just looking to be offended.



I think there are way too many adult males who have lost their sense of proportion in wearing "tactical" or military crap all the time. It isn't a matter of disrespect but self respect. Act like a grown up so people take you seriously. In an emergency, the tacticool dude would be my last choice to task with something important.
 
The closer you live to a base, the less likely people will be okay with someone just wearing uniform gear around. Just the way communities get I guess, they feel protective of "their" base.

In other news, I didn't know CADPAT was now available for sale to civvies, last time I was in a surplus store in Canada, they only had ACU and MARPAT.
 
It is possible that there are way too many crybabies in this world who are always looking for reasons to tell other people how to live their lives. Serving in the military - or having watched Saving Private Ryan on tv - does not bestow upon a person the right to tell everyone else what pants they can wear.
 
RX-79G said:
I'm a veteran. I wear surplus and my own leftovers all the time. But I never wear a complete set of anything in public, because then it does look like a "uniform" and suggests my motivations for wearing what I'm wearing isn't just convenience. And that makes me self conscious.

But that's my problem, not anyone else's. If I was bow hunting, I'd wear a complete set. Anyone who tells me I'm being disrespectful is just looking to be offended.



I think there are way too many adult males who have lost their sense of proportion in wearing "tactical" or military crap all the time. It isn't a matter of disrespect but self respect. Act like a grown up so people take you seriously. In an emergency, the tacticool dude would be my last choice to task with something important.
Click to expand...

I totally take offense at that I refuse to grow up! lol
 
This could be a generational issue. Protesters of the Vietnam war/conflict sometimes wore fatigues with embroidered flowers or peace signs on them. It was widely viewed as not supportive of the troops. These sensitivities seemed to have lessened over time for most of us. As a Veteran, I have no opposition to people wearing surplus gear nor demonstrating against Government. These are rights I was ready to defend.
 
Point #1: If you pay taxes you are "supporting the troops".
Point #2: If you think that what your country's troops do in the service of your country is noble & worthwhile you are "supporting the troops".
Bottom Line: You have the right to wear whatever you want **. That's the whole point of a free & democratic society.

-----
Some additional perspective:
I'm a Navy vet, and I don't take offense to anyone who wants to wear surplus uniforms.
In fact, I'm glad that someone takes pleasure in wearing the things.
I hated wearing uniforms. I wore them for 10 years, and over that time they became symbols of everything I hated in the Navy.
The uniform came to represent all the bad COs and XOs that I hated.
The uniform came to represent all of the hypocrisy and waste that was sanctioned by the military.
The uniform came to represent my buddy who was blown up in Afghanistan by an IED.
The uniform came to represent all of the long & miserable hours that I worked in the shipyard.
The uniform came to represent the embodiment of all my fears, weaknesses, and insecurities; constantly held up as a banner of shame.

SO. . .
If you feel like a pair of camouflaged trousers & a blouse allow you to enjoy the outdoors & freedom that you have, by all means do so.
At least YOU will get pleasure out of wearing those clothes.

-nate

----

** While I support your right to wear anything you want, I might not want to hang around you if you wear tasteless or inflammatory images/slogans.
 
I don't see any problem with it since you aren't trying to fool anyone. They're just clothes.

Never thought about it before, but maybe I should be more careful with my cool weather attire. I prefer flannal shirts because they're comfortable and warm. All these years I may have been greatly offending real lumberjacks along with their friends and family...
 
I'm retired military.

Don't care what people wear. Would bother me if they sewed a commie flag on it or went out of their way to be a tool about it, or if they claimed to be something they weren't. However, a guy wondering the world wearing what he likes is fine with me.

The people looking to lecture you are just walking around looking for a reason to be butt hurt.

Could always buy non-Canadian stuff if you get tired of being bothered by them.
 
If its comfortable, affordable, and you like it then wear it. i see nothing wrong with It. Often, its well made and more affordable than anything else.
 
Maybe it's a Canada thing?

All over the United States military surplus or military-looking camo stuff is quite common, especially at hunting season or among people who work outdoors. As a field archaeologist I wore BDU pants all the time, and our 'uniform' at a mining company is miltary-issue BDU pants and shirts (solid color). I can't recall anyone ever thinking I was in the military as a result.

Military-issue BDU doesn't look any different than any other cargo-pocket khaki pants. I wonder how folks can even tell? :confused:
 
Bob W, a while back Canadian forces went from a mostly OD green solid color uniform (or mission specific camo, but garrison stuff was OD to the best of my knowledge) to a Digi-cam style uniform, so its far more noticeable, people recognize the CADPAT as a military uniform, where-as I used to own lots of DOD-woodland BDUs and they were just camo-pants to most people. I had few interactions regrading the camo, it just became a normal thing. Pretty much the only time a stranger commented on it, I was wearing a pair of ACU pants (in Canada) and a black t-shirt, was walking fast in a mall (needed to get to the other end in time for a movie) a guy backed up, and I had to dodge to miss him. His buddy said something like "That dude would have messed you up if you had bumped him!" I guess he thought I was some sort of a bad-ass. I'm like 5'10, and 155 soaking wet, but I guess I was moving fast and act bigger than I am?
Truth is they were comfy pants with useful pockets. I'd love to own solid color pants in the new style.
 
I tend not to wear the pants as much as the shirt/jacket and hat, I'm not too keen on the fit of the pants, they get worn when I'm in the woods, camping, hiking, paintballing or playing hide and seek with my nephews, nieces and little cousins. Fast little buggers can all out run me, I need some sort of advantage!

The patrol cap is my favorite piece of gear period. I wear it EVERYWHERE.
 
gadgetgeek said:
Bob W, a while back Canadian forces went from a mostly OD green solid color uniform (or mission specific camo, but garrison stuff was OD to the best of my knowledge) to a Digi-cam style uniform, so its far more noticeable, people recognize the CADPAT as a military uniform, where-as I used to own lots of DOD-woodland BDUs and they were just camo-pants to most people. I had few interactions regrading the camo, it just became a normal thing. Pretty much the only time a stranger commented on it, I was wearing a pair of ACU pants (in Canada) and a black t-shirt, was walking fast in a mall (needed to get to the other end in time for a movie) a guy backed up, and I had to dodge to miss him. His buddy said something like "That dude would have messed you up if you had bumped him!" I guess he thought I was some sort of a bad-ass. I'm like 5'10, and 155 soaking wet, but I guess I was moving fast and act bigger than I am?
Truth is they were comfy pants with useful pockets. I'd love to own solid color pants in the new style.
Click to expand...

Gadgetgeek, tru-spec makes lots of solid color versions of the ACU cut pants. I know of tan, brown, green, blue, grey and black. So you might want to take a look at those.
 
I think that freak shows like this were making folks a bit touchy up here.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/fra...soldier-at-remembrance-day-ceremony-1.2836655

Both of my grand fathers were in the Ontario Regiment in W.W.2. Running tanks in Italy, the whole nine yards. My father was militia, I did Army Cadets as a kid. I wear surplus now and then. And as long as a dude isn't going freak show as above, I see zero issue. If someone starts wearing cap badges etc. and playing it then they are looking for a good boot f......, and rightfully so.
 
Being a Veteran NOTHING pisses me off more than someone pretending to serve that did not. But, Someone buying a uniform because you like it is a good thing. Do you think the Green Bay Packers get mad at someone sporting a Packers jersey? I bet a good percent of the people crabbing at you didn't serve either, so they have no business telling you what to do. There is a HUGE difference between a SOLDIER and a guy on the street wearing BDU's. No unit patch or rank--just keep walking. Enjoy your new clothes. :thumbup:
 
It's how you wear it that may determine if wearing it is disrespectful.

It's why you wear it that may determine if wearing it is disrespectful.

Never wear any badge, award, or patch you aren't entitled to wear. That's disrespectful regardless of how or why.

My adult son wears an old BDU coat of mine from my days in the Army, but I first removed the rank, the special skill badges, the shoulder sleeve insignia, and even the U.S. Army tape. The only thing I left on was the name tape.
 
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