Boot Bands (Blousing Bands)

[Future93]

I just bought some boot bands and the way I put them on looks good usually but I know it isn't the right way. I can't find anywhere about HOW to wear them. Do they teach you in Boot Camp? Can anybody tell me the correct way to wear boot bands? I need to know for school this year, they don't teach us there or even give us boot bands and I want my uniform to look good.
Thanks

[BR34]

They'll teach you in boot camp. It's no one set way to do it though.

I just put them on my boots, fold my trousers under them, then pull my trousers to the top of my boots.

My drill instructor would fold his trousers a few times first, then fold them under the bands.

Just do it the way that looks the best without making them ride up.

[darkgreen0311]

When you're in phaseI of boot camp you won't be wearing boot bands anyway.

[BR34]

Hell, there was a time in Phase III when our SDI made us unblouse our boots, put the glow straps back around our necks, button up our blouses to the neck, and wear our cover like a ball cap!

...don't know what my point is, but DAMN we were NASTY!!! haha

[darkgreen0311]

Oh yeah i know the feeling.

[Achped]

FutureMarine, you seem pretty sure you are a Future Marine...

[Future93]

I apologize, I don't mean to sound cocky or anything, if that is what you mean. If I do I'm sorry. I just want to be a Marine more than anything and I have a lot of questions.

[Sonic13]

I remember the range coach i had on the rifle range kinda talked to me like a normal person down on the island because i shot expert, and he showed me how he had metal boot bands, their awsome ill never go back to those stupid green things lol

[Pete0331]

Boot Camp way:
Take two boot bands and tie them together at the center with a square knot.
Fold your pant legs 2 or three times so that the bottom of the cuff hits the mid length of your boot.
Wrap the boot band around the boot and connect the 4 ends, making sure that the boot band is between the first and second boot eyelet.
Fold cuff under boot band.

When you get to SOI don't buy the metal ones, or the elastic ones.

[egbutler1]

I hated the metal ones, always tied together 2 of them green ones. In Iraq I never bloused my boots but than again I wore the tactical six oakley boots aswell go ahead call me a "****bag". Not exactly standard issue or accepted but out in the desert my command didn't really care, and they where way more comfy than the CTEP issue i got.

[Fubar5812]

you don't even rate too blouse your boots in bootcamp as a recruit until after intial drill,so what makes you think you can do it as a poolee? and why the hell do you need your boots bloused for school?

[Future93]

I go to St. Johns Northwestern Military Academy and we wear uniforms everyday so I need to know how to wear the uniform correctly.

[Big Jim]

They'll teach you in boot camp. It's no one set way to do it though.

I just put them on my boots, fold my trousers under them, then pull my trousers to the top of my boots.

My drill instructor would fold his trousers a few times first, then fold them under the bands.

Just do it the way that looks the best without making them ride up.



THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO WEAR THE BOOT BANDS I'VE DISCOVERED...THEY DON'T SLIP OUT FROM UNDER THEM AND IT KEEPS THE TROUSERS FULL AND AWAY FROM YOUR LEGS, (THAT LOOKS LIKE SOME ARMY CRAP). BUT I FOUND SOME METAL SPRINGS THAT REALLY WORKED WELL...I HAD THOSE METAL BOOT BANDS FOR YEARS!!

OH ONE OTHER THING...EVERYONE HERE AND YOUR WHOLE WORLD PROBABLY KNOWS YOU WANT TO BE A MARINE...BUT DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND DON'T CLAIM THE TITLE UNTIL YOU EARNED IT, OK? TAKE THE NAME MARINE OUT OF YOUR TITLE AND JUST PUT WANNABE OR SOMETHING...BUT YOU HAVEN'T EARNED IT YET...AND THATS THE TRUTH...WHEN YOU GET IT YOU CAN PLASTER IT ALL OVER EVERYTHING YOU CAN TOUCH!! BUT NOT UNTIL THEN, UNDERSTAND??

[USMC3381]

I am guessing you are in ROTC in school thats why you need to blouse your boots cause yo have to wear cammies to school. Like BR34 there is no wrong way to do it what ever feels comfortable to you and looks good. Usually your take your bootband and hook it between the 2nd and 3rd eyelets then drop your trouser leg down over the bootband.Then grab the sides of the bootband and tuck the excess up under the bootband.Hopefully this helps you out

[Future93]

I understand, I apologize, I will change that today.

[Adikt916]

Your allowed to wear a watch in uniform?

[Future93]

Yes we can wear watches,rings,and necklaces as long as they aren't too big and flashy and stuff like that.

[SlingerDun]

Watches sure, Marines get in trouble when they are late. Sometimes big troublehttp://www.leatherneck.com/forums/images/icons/icon13.gif

[Zulu 36]

I wore metal spring blousing bands for years. Once carefully stretched to the exact size for you, they're the best. But, to each their own.

[egbutler1]

Your allowed to wear a watch in uniform?
Yeah but it has to be "tactical". I.e. no metal shinny crap, best just get a 10 buck digital watch. I had the same watch for all 4 years and it still works to this day, it cost me 30 bucks at SOI.

[Pete0331]

Your allowed to wear a watch in uniform?

Not in Boot Camp, unless they changed that rule as well.

[HurricaneRJ]

I have the metal springs. Best investment I've ever made. For the record, in Boot Camp, we were told to wrap the bands between the 2-3 buttons on your boots. Then fold your trousers like that. Once you hit the fleet, you see all these salty Devil Dogs with them down near there ankle.

[Realbigo]

Does anyone know a mailorder place to get the Spring Blousers? I'd love to have a couple of pairs. The elastic ones never worked for me

[benw2200]

I always blouse right above my boots, not on the boots. First off, they usually end up slipping up above the boots anyway.. second, I think they look more squared away right above the boot, not like some freakin DBZ character. I think it depends from area to area as well, cause I noticed all my MCT instructors bloused a lot lower than everyone else, but at PI they always bloused high. Maybe because blousing low is more practical in a field environment, while high looks more squared away if you're in garrison?

[JWDevilDog]

I always blouse right above my boots, not on the boots. First off, they usually end up slipping up above the boots anyway.. second, I think they look more squared away right above the boot, not like some freakin DBZ character. I think it depends from area to area as well, cause I noticed all my MCT instructors bloused a lot lower than everyone else, but at PI they always bloused high. Maybe because blousing low is more practical in a field environment, while high looks more squared away if you're in garrison?

I've noticed Hollywood Marines tend to blouse theirs a bit lower on the boot, while PI Marines tend to put the blouse just above the boot, such as I do.

Field environment, though, I keep em low on the boot. The purpose of boot blousing is to keep bugs and other critters out while in the field (at least that's what I was taught). You have a better shot of doing so if they are lower.

[Fubar5812]

i agree with JW that's what I have noticed.

in the field I tend to blouse them right on the boot,below the top eyelet,but in garrison it's right on my ankle or an inch above the top of the boot.