The army discovers there is a difference between male and female anatomy.

[FannyCann]

Looks like the army are discovering there is a difference between male and female anatomy. As so often, it will be the compensation cases that make them sit up and acknowledge the problem.

Female Army recruits suffer injuries from battle kit designed for men

mol.im/a/7464293

(sorry, my first sentence reads a bit wrong - I mean I'm guessing since I'm ancient i probably was - most of my lot have retired now…)

@Brefugee took me slightly too long to figure out that Gortex socks were the game changer for me when it came to doing a CFT in boots the were too big. The weird, smooth material of the socks and all the layers inside made it so the sock rubbed the boot rather than my foot. If I’d only worked that out a few months earlier, my poor trotters would have been saved a lot of pain, and retained more skin
I have fallen victim in the past of removing my socks after a particularly horrible tab/boot run etc and half the skin from my heels coming off too.

Yeah - don't miss all that

Me either.
I’m quite partial to having skin on my feet and comfortable shoes these days

Great pic of a navy GP

I used this story as a way to whine about my recent experience in an publicly-funded outdoor centre:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3695320-Women-harmed-by-kit-that-doesnt-fit

Long story short, the event price included the kit hire (I have my own but didn't bring it for logistical reasons). The centre's kit didn't fit me at all so severely curtailed my ability to participate.

Of course the centre thinks that I'm the problem as by and large not many women do this activity. There may be a reason for that - and it's not women's level of interest or competence.

Anyone who has ever done some serious hiking knows that bag shape and design, not the weight alone, is important. As also are boots. Why are the army treated as shit all the bloody time? Their equipment and the way they were having to get basic supplies off the Americans in the Gulf was just fucking disgusting. Good to see that lessons have been learned from all enquiries as usual.