question Berets with Nylon as opposed to Leather Edge/Trim.

[Scotch Harry]

Any ideas please what the deal is with the nylon/cloth banded British berets,IE when they came into service etc as i remember quite a while back someone saying that all Falklands period berets were nylon/cloth banded and NOT leather.

 

Thanks

[RecyMech]

Memory is a funny thing, but I'm pretty sure cloth banded berets were in as early as 1972 when I joined. I don't recall me ever having been issued with a leather banded one, although I have seen them obviously.

 

H

[2 para]

i had a nasty habit of losing my beret quite often , pretty sure that most if not all of the replacements had a leather band.

p.s i anybody around the shot area come's across a cherry beret with a SLR gas return spring plug in the lining " IT'S MINE" lol

Edited May 9, 2012 by 2 para
still can't spell popperly

[wdbikemad]

To the best of my knowledge, leather-banded issue berets were made up to the early 60s..........then PVC took over.....

 

Around the early to mid-70s, the nylon-banded type appeared......they were on issue to Air Cadets by 76, so must have been issued to regulars well prior to then.......I was issued a new nylon-banded RAF beret in my last year of service (85) and I think it must have been the 90s before the style changed again back to leather........over all this time period, the beret gradually shrank in width to the small size worn today........

 

Just after WW2 there were only 5 manufacturers of Berets in the UK.......these included "Compton Webb", "Kangol", "British Beret Basque" and "Supak" (I can't remember No.5....).........

 

During my time in the mob, berets appeared to be made by either "Kangol" or "Comptons", no others..........they had a plate of hard fibre behind where the cap badge fitted and a sewn-in diamond of clear pvc beneath which the issue and sizing details sat...........first thing most did on issue of a new beret was to cut-out all the lining above the headband, plus remove the fibre plate, then bung the remains into hot water, put it on, shape it, and let it dry on your head.......I still have my (well worn) beret in my sock-drawer.....just in case....:-D

[2 para]

I still have my (well worn) beret in my sock-drawer.....just in case....:-D

i bet that if you asked most members that served in the forces not many would not still have their beret :laugh:

[Scotch Harry]

_{How its allowed/tolerated these days i dont know but have you seen the shape and badge position of some berets these days}:cry::cry::cry::cry:,its not a fashion parade,what next,wearing their trousers half way down their ankles:D:D

 

So looks like the Falklands theory of berets being cloth as opposed to leather banded is correct?

[wdbikemad]

It seems that beret-fashion has always been in-vogue.......the RTR frequently wore berets equally folded down on both sides....something to do with headsets...! And at least from the 90s, many paras seem to have worn the beret with the badge at an odd angle......

 

From my own experience, the fashion in the early 80s was to get your beret as small and close-fitting as possible.....although in the RAF at least, the badge was always worn above the left eye........

 

As early as the 80s, you could buy your own beret from suppliers, but weren't always allowed to wear the thing.......usually, these had fine "silk" linings and a leather headband........whilst officers could generally go by this practice, for other ranks it was not always permissible........but I seem to recall reading that by the 90s privately purchased berets were fairly common......and accepted.....