Escorsche Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 Hi all, can someone please help me I'm looking at buying dispatch rider authentic gear and helmet, does anybody make reproduction of this stuff thanks chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatchFuzee Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 I've just found this:- http://www.milweb.net/webverts/60700/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
79x100 Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 In general, if you're talking British then there is still an adequate supply of original stuff. Although prices have increased, they're not realistically above the cost of making decent replicas. Boots are perhaps the main exception to this. Early-war stuff is difficult...but many 'Motorcyclists' rather than appointed DRs simply wore battledress and a greatcoat initially. What period are you looking at and do you intend to dress in rubberised canvas ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 Most of the war time stuf is similar if not identical to cavalary gear. A Pythchley rubber riding mack (And a weight lifting course to wear it) plus cavalary breeches, not Johdpors, breeches, the one that finish below the knee with laces. Jods go all the way down and are bloody uncomfortable to wear with long boots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_bish Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 I got a few items from here http://westland.nl/product/Dispatch13 http://westland.nl/product/Dispatch6 http://westland.nl/product/5464 http://westland.nl/product/1234 Hope that helps, helmets pop up on eBay as do the goggles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escorsche Posted June 21, 2015 Author Share Posted June 21, 2015 Thank you for all your help, I will post a pic of the sort of gear I'm after later, but was mainly wondering if new stuff was made as original is getting a bit too old to wear I think, but may go old helmet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_bish Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 I have not seen any repro items of DR gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_bish Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 apart from the trousers. So you could repro BD and some of these http://www.sofmilitary.co.uk/dispatch-riders-battledress-trousers-product,5872 Just the boots then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REME 245 Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Reproduction helmets were for sale on e-bay. Unless you have a very small head you are unlikely to find an original. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoseman Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Reproduction helmets were for sale on e-bay. Unless you have a very small head you are unlikely to find an original. There's a DR coat on eBay at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ford 369 Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 helmets come up fairly often but are getting rarer due to being converted to para spec as the shells are the same,anything above a size 7 is rarer but they do turn up at fairs,as has been mentioned soldier of fortune do breeches and standard bd blouses,boots are a problem particularly in larger sizes but did continue in use into the 70s so occasionally turn up,personally I just use bd trousers and dms boots as I don't fancy riding in hobnails. Dr macs also turn up quite often but weigh a ton,take a look at the wd motorcycle forum header picture at the moment to see what people are wearing and it maybe worth putting a wanted ad on there Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REME 245 Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 I prefer to modify Ammo Boots rather than wear post-war DMS Boots. I have rubber heels fitted to my ammo boots and rubber soles stuck on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escorsche Posted June 22, 2015 Author Share Posted June 22, 2015 Managed to pick up a helmet on eBay size 7, my friend is an upholsterer so can make it bigger for me, dm's sound good, looks like the trousers and top are available new so will go down that route, have gloves, but may struggle with the waistcoat, are some of these leather ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
79x100 Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 The jerkins are indeed leather and quite popular as they do give some protection in the event of a slide. Woollen cloth of course isn't ideal for taking a trip up the asfalt in. They're around but like all this stuff, are not so common any more and prices have gone up. Post-war Belgian look similar but have a different surface finish up close and need the buttons changing but they look OK from across the street. The boots mentioned, if you're not going for the later-war high leg 'DR' boots are the standard issue ammo boots or the others referred to, the post-war equivalent 'Boots, ankle, DMS' (Direct moulded sole) They look fairly like ammo boots but the construction does differ a little...Not 'dms' if you were thinking of Dr. Martens.... If you're buying reproduction battledress, Panther Store are very good and straightforward to deal with. http://www.panther-store.cz/en/catalog/en/british-militaria-1914-1945 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_bish Posted June 23, 2015 Share Posted June 23, 2015 The jerkins are indeed leather and quite popular as they do give some protection in the event of a slide. Woollen cloth of course isn't ideal for taking a trip up the asfalt in. They're around but like all this stuff, are not so common any more and prices have gone up. Post-war Belgian look similar but have a different surface finish up close and need the buttons changing but they look OK from across the street. The boots mentioned, if you're not going for the later-war high leg 'DR' boots are the standard issue ammo boots or the others referred to, the post-war equivalent 'Boots, ankle, DMS' (Direct moulded sole) They look fairly like ammo boots but the construction does differ a little...Not 'dms' if you were thinking of Dr. Martens.... If you're buying reproduction battledress, Panther Store are very good and straightforward to deal with. http://www.panther-store.cz/en/catalog/en/british-militaria-1914-1945 I can vouch for Panther BDs really nice kit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ford 369 Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 repro leather jerkins are available from Silvermans surplus on the Mile End road London,they often sell them on ebay,also a very similar jerkin was used post war by the Belgians and these sometimes come but do need the buttons changing to make them more authentic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REME 245 Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 Beware of the colour of some foreign jerkins as chocolate brown is not a British army colour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 If the jerkin is real leather , then using a Neatsfoot oil dressing will darken the leather down to a 'Used' condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
79x100 Posted June 26, 2015 Share Posted June 26, 2015 Belgian jerkins, in addition to the poncey brass buttons with the lions on are contructed of chrome-tanned leather with a brown surface finish but they remain grey underneath. The originals were vegetable tanned and do indeed darken down. I wore a Belgian jerkin for yonks when I was landscaping and it never softened down or became 'lived in'. If you really want to look the part, they're not really good enough but better than DPM camo and a full-face helmet ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.