I was watching an episode of MacGyver where they break into a museum to steal a jade dragon. No gloves, and they go in through a ventilation duct. All high security buildings have spotlessly clean air ducts large enough to accommodate fully grown men, naturally.
In such a situation, I think to myself, drab-colour coveralls would probably a very good idea.
After the heist, the coveralls may be discarded to eliminate forensic evidence and change appearance. Anyone who looks like they have been crawling through dirty air ducts is going to draw attention.
Also, dressed in drab-coloured “boiler suits”, anyone that does see you may assume they are seeing maintenance or cleaners. You are probably less likely to be challenged than someone in wandering around in civies or a black polo neck.
The approach or departure to the target building may involve moving though rural terrain or parkland. A drab-coloured coverall provides a measure of camouflage in such conditions.
As an aside, I know of an airgunner who used to hunt wearing a pilot's flight suit. It was a single colour, but the loose cut created folds and patches of shade that tended to break up his shape. Fooled the bunnies, anyhow!
Around the same day as I was watching that Macgyver episode, I had been reading one of James White's “Sector General” books.
Implied in the book was that Monitor Corps personnel spend a lot of time wearing coveralls. Since most of the Monitor Corps in the books are spaceship crews or perform maintenance on the hospital station, and changing into environmental suits is fairly common, this makes good sense.
If I was designing a military-style organization from scratch, a range of coveralls for general and working wear seems a good start. Like the Spanish nearly a century ago, it may be found they are useful for field wear too.
That night, a Ghostbusters movie comes on. Dark tan coveralls are their uniform.
Before was an episode of Knight Rider, and it looks like the henchmen are wearing dark blue coveralls with a beret and police belt.
I also watched the Indian movie “Fighter”, where everyone is wearing flight suits, even if they are just cadets marching around the academy grounds.
At least two or three Bond films have the henchman spear-carriers in coveralls.
Synchronicity, or is the universe telling me to write about coveralls?
Coveralls, Overalls, Boiler Suits and Jump Suits
In British English, coverall and overall are essentially interchangeable. Americans reserve “overall” for the bib-and-brace type garment that paradoxically leaves the arms and shoulders uncovered. Brits usually call the latter “dungarees”, not to be confused with the USMC garments of the same name! Mia Goth demonstrates American overalls don't cover all below:
“Boiler suit” is another term for a coverall, unless aircrew are wearing them, when they become flight suits. Jumpsuits tend to be a snugger cut, particularly if used for free-fall jumps.
Honourable mention goes to the siren suits that helped many Brits through the Blitz.
Raider Wear
Another episode of MacGyver features Treasury men raiding a nightclub. This provides the bizarre spectacle of men in suits and ties lugging around a battering ram.
You would think that a “non-uniform” law enforcement organization would have a few “riot coveralls” or “squad suits” for such occasions.
As well as the obvious protective benefits, having a few people in such garb would at least provide some uniformed presence and prevent an operation being mistaken for a mafia outing.
An old Shomer‑Tec catalogue I have describes the Topps Squad Suit as “a rugged, low‑cost, professional‑looking garment that can be worn over, or in place of, a uniform during demanding operations.” and suggests keeping one in a patrol vehicle.
The coverall would need some form of distinction. “Law Enforcement” on a back panel would encompass the needs of most potential users. Velcro patches on sleeves and breast for more specific identification.
Elsewhere I have discussed the influence of police uniform colour on both the wearers and those they interact with. The Topps Squad Suit and many similar items come in black or very dark blue. This would be very uncomfortable in sunny locations, and looks very fascist, which may be counter productive. Dark colours also really show up any dirt.
In many parts of the world many civilians dress dark, so there is a potential for misidentification.
A coverall in police blue-green would be useful, and be an economical way to introduce and experiment with the concept.
Possibly the best single choice is “wolf grey”, as is used already by some police tactical units. As a neutral colour, it offers some concealment in many rural or urban environments and low‑light conditions for when this is needed.
Monos
During the Spanish Civil War, many of the militias were formed from factory workers. Many fought in their work overalls and coveralls, known as “monos”. Monos were found in greys, browns and khakis, but many of those of industrial origin were dark blue. One anti-fascist publication even called itself “El Mono Azul”.
The Soviet Union, Nazi Germany and Italy (among others) supplied the combatants with tanks, aircraft and advisors. Included in the military aid supplied were coveralls for tank crews, air crews and maintenance staff.
Monos became popular, not just for crewmen and technicians, but for front-line use, and not just with the ex-factory workers.
Many Spanish police formations had elaborate duty uniforms that were not suited to hard wear and combat. Police units that traditionally wore blue often selected dark blue monos.
Browns or khaki monos were more common with more conventional military units.
While the fashion of using monos as combat wear probably began with the Republican (left-wing) factory workers, troops on both sides used them.
“Osprey Men-At-Arms 074: The Spanish Civil War 1936‑39” has a number of photos and images of Nationalist (right-wing) troops wearing monos. “Osprey Men-At-Arms 498: The Spanish Civil War 1936‑39 (2) Republican Forces” notes that monos were appreciated for their pocket capacity. An International Brigade veteran recalled his comrades buying new ones before the battle of the Ebro in 1938 (MAA 498 p.44).
The Spanish CIvil War had a number of influences on military fashion, but oddly, the mono was not one.
The US Army did experiment with a one-piece jungle-fighting outfit during World War Two. Dysentery was quite common in such campaigns, so the one-piece was found to be “less than ideal” in such situations!
The Bottom Line
That brings me to a “fundamental” issue when selecting a coverall. Does it have a “bomb‑chute” or not? A number of outdoorsmen who have experimented with one‑piece outfits have failed to consider this feature!
Another common error seems to be attempting to use the pocket capacity for dense items such as water bottles and ammunition. Since coveralls are loose in cut, this often proves uncomfortable.
It occurred to me that a coverall or two might be a useful thing for an individual outdoorsman to have available, too.
Coveralls seem warm for their mass and bulk. This may be because you are trapping a single body of air that can freely circulate, rather than separate masses for the lower and upper body. Clothing riding up on your lower back is less of a problem. Coveralls can also be combined with other warm clothing, either over or under.
I suggest that for general use you buy uninsulated coveralls. It is easier to add more insulation under or over than sweat it out in milder conditions. There should be enough room to wear your coveralls over other garments.
With just a shirt and shorts beneath, a coverall should be comfortable in warmer weather.
Bug‑Out Outfits
In previous posts we have talked about the need to have a bug‑out outfit as well as a bug‑out bag. Something that you can don quickly and easily that will provide some protection from the elements and possibly help conceal you from hostile observation.
Many coveralls meet these criteria and will fit over whatever you might happen to be wearing at the time.
A good coverall usually costs less than a combat jacket. Some police riot coveralls include Goretex as well as being fire‑resistant.
If a coverall is a full‑time addition to your bug‑out kit, you can pack the pockets with useful low density gear: hats, gloves, fire kit, cordage, space blanket, compass, plastic mirror, whistle, earplugs, sun glasses and so forth.
If you are going hiking or hunting, a coverall can ride rolled up in your pack until the terrain gets rough or you are away from civilization.
Coveralls that lack a bomb‑hatch tend to be very reasonable in price, being mass produced by the thousands for painters and mechanics.
The main challenge may be finding a set in a suitable tactical colour. Army surplus outlets often have a selection, some of them being intended for tank, AFV and aircraft crewmen. Most examples are single colour, camouflage patterns in such garments being rarer.
Choice of coveralls “with bomb‑hatch” is narrower. Most of the examples I have seen have been tank- or AFV-coveralls.
My First Coverall
I am not a great fan of MTP, since it tends to blob‑out to a khaki‑drab monotone shape. On the other hand, at closer distances the pattern may make dirt or stains less obvious. I was also a little concerned the sand/beige‑coloured monotone AFV‑coveralls might be a little light for general use. I don't intend this garment as my primary camouflage, but khaki‑drab is probably the ideal monotone for British countryside.
What swung it was the MTP coveralls I was offered were cheaper than most alternatives, and were in flame-retardment material!
When the coverall arrived, I was pleasantly surprised that it was lighter in mass than I expected. I am used to military gear being on the heavy side! The cloth was actually quite soft and comfortable. I would swear it was a good quality poly/cotton, but the label says it is all aramids and other flame‑resistant stuff.
What did puzzle me was the lack of pockets. This example had only two pockets, located on the upper thighs. The examples I had been looking at definitely had chest pockets, among others.
From what I can make out, the British Army currently uses two types of AFV‑coverall.
One type (NSN 8415-99-226-0794) is currently for training only, made from poly/cotton, and of the same design as earlier monotone AFV-coveralls (NSN 8415-99-212-5330), with about a dozen pockets. The exact NATO stock number (NSN) will vary with garment size
The other type, COMBAT FR, MTP for CR2 (NSN: 8415-99-313-5415) is for combat use, made of flame‑retardant materials and of a newer design that has only two pockets!
Because of the camouflage pattern, seeing pocket details can be difficult in on-line photos. The combat coverall has no flaps on the thigh pockets. The training version does, and additional pockets on the chest, hips and lower leg. The older design has a waist drawcord (missing on my example), while the newer uses Velcro waist adjustment.
Pocket detail of the older design is easier to see on photos of the sand/beige‑coloured version.
Adding More Pockets
Now, I would rather have pockets and not need them than need them and not have them.
Luckily, I came across a reasonably priced damaged MTP training coverall. The coverall is too small for me, but was designed for someone of my height, so the pockets were be of the right size. Chest size was too small to fit me, but I could salvage the pockets and fit them to my flameproof coverall.
This makes my coverall slightly less flameproof, but I don't drive a tank or an F1 car, and will make an effort to avoid catching fire.
And so I spent a couple of weekends unpicking stitches and sewing pockets onto the newer coverall.
Buy the older pattern poly/cotton “training”coveralls and you can save yourself some sewing.
My coverall now has 15 pockets!
• I added a small internal pocket inside one hip pocket to hold my debit card. Also inside this pocket is a D‑ring I can hang my keys from. (The keys are mounted on a carabineer)
• Added to the left breast pocket is a loop of webbing a snap‑link can be mounted on. This folds away beneath the pen pocket flap when not needed.
The damaged and now pocketless training coverall provides me with a lot of cloth and a couple of zips and Velcro patches for other projects. I may use some of this cloth to reinforce the elbows and knee areas of my coverall. I plan to use some to add some sleeve pockets when the 12 cm zips I have ordered arrive. Armpit vent zips are another option I am considering.
Admittedly, I have not yet put the coverall to particularly challenging uses yet. I jump into it if I want to fetch something from the local shop, hence the debit card pocket and key‑hanger. I don't even need to take my dressing gown off!
It has been quite cold recently but the coverall has been comfortable with just a light hoodie thrown on over it.
Inevitably, when I get back from the shops I often lounge about in the coveralls, and have been quite comfortable without needing the heating on.
Pockets Galore
The modified coverall now has the following pocket arrangement, in addition to those already mentioned:
• Two large chest pockets, with “napoleon” zip-fastened access. Mounted on the outside of each of these is a Velcro-flapped pocket designed to hold four pen or pencil‑like objects.
• Two roomy patch hip pockets, with slanted zip-closure. Zipped pocket closures are a feature many expensive combat and outdoor trousers often lack!
• Two Velcro‑flapped thigh cargo pockets. On the outside of each is a pocket designed to hold and allow the use of a notepad when seated. These are rather like those found on flight suits, but have a sideways opening panel to hide the notepad when not in use. The notepad inserts from one side.
I sewed the thigh pockets to the upper surface of the existing thigh-top pockets the coverall had. These latter pockets are roomy, bellowed and have a side‑zip, allowing them to be accessed when seated.
• There are also two roomy calf‑level cargo pockets. These are probably best used for low density items such as cordage, emergency toilet paper in a ziplock, and a space‑blanket. If I have to use bowyangs with my coverall, I may experiment with passing them under the flap of the calf pockets. Calf pockets are a logical place to store bowyangs.
Adding pockets to a coverall proved to be a relatively simple task. Despite the different material, mine were a near perfect match. It doesn't really matter if the cloth you are using is not an exact match. Variations in hue and shade will add to the disruptive effect.
Zips and Handles
The main zip of the coverall is two-way, opening at each end. This zips up all the way to the points of the collar, rather like a Norwegian Army shirt. The left side is thoughtfully provided with a flap of material that prevents the zip teeth contacting your neck or cheek when the collar is worn open. The older version lacks this flap, but it is easily added.
Decades past, I read a book or comedy skit where a character claims fly zippers were mounted the wrong way, and should pull up to open. The coverall zipper does pull up to open, and that character is actually right! It is much easier to operate such a zipper one‑handed!
And a few days ago I came across some rain pants I brought in British Columbia (where they know about rain!). The zips on the side pockets pull up to open! Something to think about if modifying gear.
A two‑way zip is handy for situations other than a call of nature. You can open the lower end more to access garments and pouches worn under the coveralls.
If you keep your trousers up with a rigger's belt, opening the zip from the bottom allows you to use this, combined with your carabineer keyring.
On the subject of calls of nature, both the training and the combat coverall have a J‑shaped zip at the rear, covered by a Velcro flap.
What appear to be shoulder straps are in fact grab handles. On the newer coverall, these are held down with Velcro so they are less likely to catch on projections within a vehicle or out in the field. A one‑piece garment and such handles allow a wounded or stunned man to be pulled up out of a damaged vehicle.
These handles could be used like shoulder straps to display rank, but would need a wrap‑around rank insignia rather than a slip‑over. Poppers are probably the best way to achieve this, although buttons, Velcro or hook and eye fastening are other options.
Both MTP coveralls have side vents that allow you to access the hip pockets of garments worn underneath. On both coveralls, the left is secured by Velcro and the right by a zipper. I have no idea why!
The right vent could be used to increase air circulation to the coverall interior. I suppose the rear zip could be used in this way too.
I have heard it claimed coveralls are often long in the body or short in the leg, but this example is actually a very good fit for me, and I am long‑legged.
Many old soldiers seem obsessed by the topic of blousing trouser legs. Doesn't matter that young soldiers have inadequate camouflage practice and their vehicles have no armour, rant about those trouser bottoms!
Many coveralls have elasticated ankles, so “problem” solved! If blousing is so essential, why don't combat trousers have the same? (Not really an issue with me, and I am an advocate of gaiters when available).
Many coveralls also have calf zips that allow you to put them on or remove them without removing boots. It also lets you roll up the legs, should there be a need.
Cons
Other than less than the expected number of pockets, my major complaint about the coverall is that the fly (flap of fabric over the main zip) and the baffle (draft excluder flap behind the zip) seem to be made the minimum width necessary. Someone doubtless worked out this would save so much cloth and so many pence per hundred coveralls made.
It would have been nice if the fly had been wide enough to allow popper fastening as an alternative in hot weather to using the main zip. I could always open the lower end of the zip, I suppose, provided there are no objections to me having my flies open!
The main zip and that of the right side vent have a tendency to catch on the fly or the baffle if you are not careful when zipping up. This may be due to the zips themselves, which have quite small teeth. The zips on the training coverall seem better in this respect, although the main zip on mine was the major incidence of damage.
The Velcro on many of the pockets is a potential source of noise, which means you may not wish to access those pockets in certain situations.
The Velcro pile on the sleeve cuff sometimes catches on a square of hook Velcro on the chest pocket, resulting in unintentional noise. Admittedly, this mainly occurs if the cuff has not been fully closed, so is more likely in hot weather. The square of hook holds the pen pocket flap open, so could be removed or covered by various means. Or construct a tape‑like strip of cloth that covers the exposed section of pile on the cuff.
Update
Zips arrived. I based the sleeve pockets on those often seen on many bomber jackets, with a vertical side zip. A five inch zip is a little small for this, even with my small hands, so I would suggest using six-inch.
The armpit zips have an opening less than five inches, but using a smaller zip might have been too fiddly. It is easier to shorten a longer zip.
Reasonably happy on how the sleeve pockets and armpit vent zips have turned out.
The grey zips are much less obvious than the flash photography makes them appear.
Coveralls are easily modified or customized. Some of the features described on this page may provide you with inspiration. If anyone is interested, I can provide details and measurements of the pockets I used.
Does a coverall have a place in your outdoor wardrobe? If you are not sure, it is within most of our means to experiment with one of the lower priced examples. It will probably prove useful for something, even if it is just doing the gardening or clearing out the garage.
Just please don't rob any museums.
