Boot Blousing

[biggesto]

Maybe a silly question, but for a non-military guy... what is the proper way to blouse your bdus inside combat boots to get a professional appearance?

[MikeD]

In the Marine Corps, we used boot blousers. They're little elastic cords, or big metal springs if that's your style, that you hook together around your calf. You tuck your pant leg up into it from underneath; people have different ways of folding/managing excess trouser to get the proper amount of blousing and trouser length.

Some people/organizations blouse the trousers around the upper of the boot, some just above the boottop. I think the Army does something different, involving the trouser actually being inside the boot, but I'm not sure exactly what the procedure is.

If you don't have boot blousers available, a big rubber band can stand in; you just have to slip it over the boot from the toe (or over the boottop before you put it on). You can get blousers from a military exchange; I imagine they're available online somewhere, too.

MD

[HawkDrvr]

For protection from insects and other things getting knocked into your boots, tuck your trousers into the boots. Socks on, pulled high. Stand up so that the pants hang all the way down (if your sitting the pants are pulled higher and you will get too much of a blouse). Simply pull the boot on over your pants leg and smooth the material so there are no large folds/clumps of material (when you tie your boots these will cause pressure points and "hot" spots). Then simply tie your boots, usually you have to wrap the laces around the top of the outside of the boot before tieing them. I just use a simple square knot and then tuck the remaining laces into the tops of the boots after pulling a bit of the legs out of the boot to give it the blouse. The first few times you do it make sure you stand up and "pull" the legs back down and check your blousing in a mirror. If you blouse them so they "look good" while your bending over then when you stand up they will be bloused too much. You also don't want the "peg leg" look (not enough blousing). I prefer tucking the pants legs in, it keeps bugs out of my boots and stops them from crawling up the inside of my pant's legs (the first time a large insect crawls up your pants leg will be the last time you use a blousing strap or the first time you have a ring of insect bites about an inch high around both shins), also when you sit your pants remain in place. The blousing straps tend to ride up showing either your socks or your shins when you sit which to me isn't very professional looking....but whatever you do just keep your laces tucked in (my personal pet peeve if I had to choose one over boots).

It is pretty simple but we all had to be given a "lesson" when we were issued our first pair!

Hope that helped.

[UncleSugar]

HawkDrvr's recommendations are spot on for the best way to keep the bugs out. However, for comfort I prefer blousing straps. I get the twisted green elastic ones.

http://www.actiongear.com/agcatalog/pics/hog98a.jpg

[DJOHNSON954]

I'm not sure if there is an actual "Army Way" when it comes to boot blousing. When I was in the Army, I observed many different ways. I prefer the same boot blousers shown in UncleSugar's picture. I used them while I was in the Army and still use them today when in BDU's and boots. They last forever. As far as the springs go, I had a pair of them and even placing them over the boots, they leave an indent in your leg and tend to cut off circulation. As stated above, rubber band work just as well; however, they do tend to break easily.

[Dog Off Leash]

Metal Spring blousing devices + leg hair = PAIN!

[MikeD]

Metal Spring blousing devices + leg hair = PAIN!

Ah, yes. The "Epilady" phenomenon. A good reason to talk them up to your friends...hilarity ensues.

The other bad thing about the metal ones is the fact that they kind of cut off your circulation.

[Dog Off Leash]

Ah, yes. The "Epilady" phenomenon. A good reason to talk them up to your friends...hilarity ensues.

The other bad thing about the metal ones is the fact that they kind of cut off your circulation.

Running with them on bites too.

[bike123]

In the Army you will find many different methods to include not blousing the boots while in the field. It is all user preference and what is comfortable to the Soldier. The past couple years I simply used the ties at the end of the pants leg to cinch the excess material together. The ends of the pants sat on top of the boot which allowed air circulation and full range of motion of the legs (if not wearing knee pads). I have heard many arguments of professional appearance and comfort, my view is that there is a time and place for everything.