East German Blue Neck Gaiter

NVA Wool Neck Gaiter

This blue neck gaiter was issued by the East German Army to conscripts as basic cold-weather kit. It is a plain knitted tube that keeps wind off the neck and can be pulled up over the face or head when the temperature drops. Hunters, campers, motorcyclists and collectors of Cold War gear all have a use for it, and it packs small enough to live in a jacket pocket.

Features

• Wool Knit Construction — The knitted wool fabric holds warmth around the neck and stretches to sit close without binding.
• Seamless Tube Design — A simple closed tube with no straps, snaps or ties, so you pull it over your head and it stays put.
• Three Ways To Wear — Wear it low as a neck warmer, raise it over the nose as a face covering, or draw it up over the crown as a head cover.
• Stitched Hems — Both open edges are turned and stitched so the knit holds its shape through regular use.
• One Size Fits Most — The stretch of the knit lets one size fit a wide range of head and neck sizes.
• Approximately 17½ x 9½ Inches Flat — Measured laid flat, that is about 44 x 24 cm, enough length to cover the neck and lower face together.
• Original Issue Blue — The dark blue color is the original-issue variant, a plainer look than the grey or olive pieces more commonly seen.
• Genuine East German Issue — Supplied to the NVA, the Nationale Volksarmee, rather than made for the civilian market.

Issued By The NVA

The Nationale Volksarmee was the armed force of East Germany, and this gaiter came out of its supply system as standard issue for conscripts. Its construction is typical of NVA field wear: one knitted wool tube with stitched edges and nothing extra to fail. For reenactors building a Cold War East German impression, or anyone who wants a wool neck warmer with real military provenance, it is the original article.