putting it on improperly

[OC Richard]

These days people are rather puzzled by the amount of military kit I have got - they are obviously unaware of how cheap and plentiful Army (and other forces) surplus was back in the 1960's and 70's. It lasts better than most modern stuff.

Exactly. From 1970 to 1975 I was in an informal backpacking club some friends started at school. At that time the "army surplus stores" (as we call them) were chock-full of everything. As you say it was cheap and plentiful and enabled us to get fully kitted out on a very low budget.

We all wore the boots we called "Vietnam boots", durable, lightweight, and comfortable, made of green canvas with leather reinforcements and rubber sole. Likewise our trousers and shirts were ex-army things, camouflage, very comfortable and with big pockets all over. (We had to remove the badges of course.) Water bottles, backpacks, anything you needed was there in the shop for a few dollars.