The Adventurer's Gear Thread

[Mike K.]

Have you seen this one?

http://www.jamd.com/search?assettype=g&assetid=2638506&text=pith+helmets

 

[BellyTank]

Sahariana. Want one?

There are Italian "WW2 style" Sahariana jacket/shirts for sale at
www.hessenantique.com

The item:
http://www.hessenantique.com/Italian_Sahariana_Tunic_p/haco007.htm

Hessen is a US based reenactor supply vendor, who specializes in German gear.
These are a one-off, close out- movie costume pieces, unused and only in size 40 chest, $75.

I have this Sahariana and am very pleased with it- the fit is an excellent vintage fit, with high-cut armholes, skinny sleeves and a generally impressive, close fit. The colour is a good khaki and the cloth is a slightly brushed cotton drill/twill.
If you're a s40, or a marginal 42, it would be a good buy if you like it.

But they are sold as "costume pieces"- maybe this is why the buttonholes on mine don't appear to have the usual bound buttonhole stitch. Upon closer inspection, it needs a couple of stitches here and there, if I'm going to wear it in an active way- not aproblem as far as I'm concerned- You don't see tese available very often and the usual reenactor vendor ones are rubbish- even if the detailing is a little more WW2 correct- the fit and proportion is all wrong. Also, the buttons are not as originals and the epaulet buttons are the metal, pebbled, Geman variety. Thes details may differ from piece to piece, however. I will change the buttons on mine.

As far as authenticity goes- this jacket is all but identical to an original I have, which has been identified as post-war, or wartime manufacture but not issued during the War. Examples such as my original are however, frequently sold on eBay, as WW2 pieces. Nevertheless, it's a classic piece of stylish khaki-wear.

I recommend this Sahariana to those who like it.
It looks brilliant and the fit is perfect.

But my choices sometimes include items for reference or for use as patterns, resource material, etc., rather than for immediate wear. I am different in this respect.

(I also bought the Pantaloons but the cut of them seems to be confused with another garment- too short in the leg- only reaching the knee- they do not function as the original would)

Originals of this style appear on eBay regularly, from an Italian vendor but in small sizes- they go for around $100+

Here is mine from Hessen Antique:

I had to share.


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[Baron Kurtz]

That scalloped upper chest panel/pocket flap is an interesting feature. This is true to the original? Very interesting, and a great idea.

bk

 

[BellyTank]

Yes, it's a feature of a Sahariana- although, strictly speaking, from an Italian perspective, a "Sahariana" is a Bush Jacket(or even a military jacket with pockets- or nowadays, a non military jacket, or in French- Saharienne, which is an even looser term).


But talking ABOUT Italian uniforms, this is a "Sahariana", although there are also others without the front and rear caped yoke... pullover ones, without the yokes- "Camiciotto Sahariane" but then there are also button-through versions... Come to think of it, I've seen a pullover one with caped yokes.
Italian paratroops in WW2 had collarless versions(senza colletto), (V-neck closure, rather than a band collar).

Hmmm... This is difficult to explain.

In my eyes, this is a classic "Sahariana" and the caped yoke IS a feature of it.

The term; Sahariana, would, I guess come from Italy's pre-WW2 Colonial African exploits.


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[anglophile]

Reading this thread has really made me excited for my upcoming trip to South America. I'm going to Chile, back to Peru, and Easter Island.

No fedora but I am bring a panama.Nothing special, just a cheap Bailey Gibson with a back hatband.

 

[BellyTank]

You should be excited- all my adventures over the last 6 months have been in my front room- on the internet.


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[BellyTank]

Baron Kurtz, these are also Sahariane:

Generally, when folks talk about "the Sahariana", it's in the North African, theatre of WW2, or pre-WW2 Italian/African conflicts. Khaki!


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[Creeping Past]

Italian "WW2 style" Sahariana jacket/shirts for sale [...]

I had to share.

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Great shape to it, with the deep pockets accentuating the waist and belying its being a relatively short garment.

Nice looking fabric, too. Do you know/have you guessed the weight?

 

[BellyTank]

Don't know the weight- not so heavy.
Definitely a jacket weight but not too heavy- quite soft.
Perfect, I'd say.


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[Kodiak]

BT- why the huge buttons on that first pic? All nice looking jackets, I especially like the pullover style of that one with the enormous buttons, and I've always been a fan of the scalloped pockets.

Dr. Trinidad- Try looking at primitive reenacting/camping websites. Panther Primitives has something along the lines of what I think you're looking for, although I don't know if they have a website. If you look hard enough, there's probably somebody making what you want out here on the World Wide Web.

Dave- buy one of those metal water bottle/canteeny things from SIGG, the Swiss company (I think it's Swiss...). Mine is kinda kidney shaped, came with a metal pot/cup that can be used to boil water. It's very nice, doesn't rattle like you might think it would.

 

[BellyTank]

BT- why the huge buttons on that first pic?

Why not?
Hmmm...
Ask me another.
I really don't know why.


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[Kodiak]

To BT- The reasons why not

They'd be terribly hard to fit through the holes unless the holes were made insanely large, and regardless they would hurt the throat when you move your neck, like a collar that fits too tightly. They would also get caught on things when moving through dense brush.

Simply don't look very practical to me.

 

[BellyTank]

Right-o.
Thanks for that.

I guess it's probably why Italy lost.
Button size superiority wasn't a pracstical stragedy.


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[carebear]

Right-o.
Thanks for that.

I guess it's probably why Italy lost.
Button size superiority wasn't a pracstical stragedy.


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But they looked damn good doing it. Which is something.

 

[BellyTank]

Yes, they definitely had the style-edge over the other war-losers...
well, most of them.


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[carebear]

Yes, they definitely had the style-edge over the other war-losers...
well, most of them.


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I only mean that half jokingly. The Italians, the more I'ved learned about them, win the prize for troops ill-served by their leadership.

The commando raid on the British Navy in Egypt was a masterpiece.

 

[BellyTank]

Me too.


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[Jerekson]

I thought this was sort of cool looking.

 

[Trotsky]

Adventuring is never easy, especially when there's a war on!

This is our 1940 Desert display we did in early June.

 

[BellyTank]

I thought this was sort of cool looking.

The BAG is cool but the print has transformed it into "Streetwear".

I've seen so much useful vintage surplus turned into "Streetwear", with the addition of red stars, prison numbers, etc. One of my favourite surplus stores, in Copenhagen seemed to take their whole stock of European vintage military clothing and give it this treatment- rendering it useless for my purposes.


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