BGS Splittertarn mitten

[Collectinsteve]

I've had a set of these gloves for many years and am wondering if anybody knows anything about them. They are standard "trigger finger" mitten type with leather strap designed to button onto something. There are three interesting features:

1. They are made from BGS Zeltbahns

2. The Splittertarn material is on the inside

3. They are not reversible, so the white side is always shown

Here are two pics:





I have always assumed these to be "fakes" of some sort, but I would like to know for sure.

Thanks!

Steve

[Martin Gruner]

Hi Steve!

Very interesting.
I have a pair of those gloves, too. And I am also unsure if they are real or fake.

I think that the leather straps are to be connected with buttons on the jacket (I woud say Schlupfhemd)
Because the Schlupfhemd was used as snow camo.

Mine are extremly big. Thats why I thought that they are to worn over "normal" gloves and also because for winter temperatures the Splittertarn gloves are way to thin.

Regards
Martin

[Gordon Craig]

Steve,

I would tend to think these were an issue item. Possibly for the BGS. The leather tabs would be useful if the gloves had to be removed to fire the rifle. They would be attached to the upper garment by the tabs and if the mittens were removed they would not bet lost in the snow. It is not very easy to put this gloved finger through the trigger gaurd of a rifle and fire it successful. It is more likely that a 5 fingered glove was worn underneath this white mitten.

Regards,

Gordon

[jonni]

3. They are not reversible, so the white side is always shown

I have severeal pairs of these, never used, got them some years ago from a army shop for very small money, and I have no problem to turn them inside out.

[Hugh Zillmann old]

Hello Gentlemen,

If I recall corectly, the 'first pattern' BGS suits were reversible from camouflage to white. If this is the case, then the mittens/gloves ('gauntlets' is my preferred term) should equally be reversible. I base this on the material in the Peterson booklet.

Steve, would you mind posting a shot of yours 'reversed', ie. to the splintertarn side?

Regards,

Hugh

[Collectinsteve]

Hi Hugh,

I'll try to take some pictures of various things in the next day or so. Mine are definitely not reversible as the inside are all exposed un-hemed seams. For things to be reversible the tailor needs to be quite different.

And yes, the very first BGS camouflage uniform was reversible Splinter/White. Probably made from the same material as the Zeltbahns. Best we figured out here is that they were made in 1955 or perhaps 1956 and only experimentally.

Steve