Military Surplus is exactly that, Surplus gear, items, and clothing that have been either replaced with newer gear, abandoned as underused items or overstock not worth the cost of storage, and overused items removed from circulation due to normal wear and tear. This being the case, Milsurp comes in a wide variety of conditions. From brand new in the original packaging to tattered and heavily damaged.
Every item that arrives at the RO warehouse is thoroughly examined, graded, and sorted for quality and condition. Below is a breakdown of the various grades which gear will fall into and be listed as.
NEW: This includes gear and items which have never been used or issued, and often remain in their original packaging. This is the best possible condition, with such items being free of any signs of use, wear, or damage. They may be a little dusty, but they are in the same condition they left the manufacturer in.
GOOD: This is the most common grade of surplus. Items in good condition have been issued and used to some extent. As such, they may show some minor signs of use such as discoloration and markings, such as fading, minor abrasions and pinholes, and stains. This could also include markings and stenciling such as the previous owners name or graffiti art. Items in Good condition will be free of any significant damage that would impact form or functionality. All buttons, buckles, and straps will be present and functional, the material will not be heavily worn, tattered, or ripped. These items have a lot of love left to give and will likely serve you for at least the rest of your life with basic care, and come with the added bonus of being broken in and full of character and history.
SERVICEABLE: Serviceable items are used items which have seen a little more use than Good quality items. They will include many of the characteristics of Good items, such as abrasions and discoloration, but to a much more noticeable degree. Furthermore, these items will feature minor damage such as small rips, fraying, and broken or missing buttons, buckles, or straps. These items have clearly seen hard use in the field and have the scars to prove it. Despite this damage, these items are still perfectly usable. They will still function for their intended purpose, and with some repair and modification, can be restored significantly. This is a great option for those looking for a budget friendly fixer-upper that will get the job done or someone who intends to modify or repurposed the item to suit their own custom desires. It's also great if you're looking for an authentic battle worn aesthetic for your next impression or LARP.
SCRAP: Scrap items are the lowest level of quality. These items feature major damage that significantly detracts from the items form and functionality, and would require significant repair to restore to full use. They are typically also badly worn and frayed. Examples would include ripped waterproof bags, a pack with a hole or non-functioning straps, a dry rotted tent with missing poles. Basically items which are broken or missing key components. Why buy scrap? Because it is a small fraction of the cost of the same item in good or serviceable condition. More importantly, military equipment is built with rugged and durable materials and components. Scrap items can be used for raw material to repair other gear, like using a ripped waterproof bag to patch a hole in another, or pulling buttons and clips off of an old bag to fix another. Or they could be completely repurposed to serve entirely new and creative functions beyond the original design.
DYED ITEMS: All dyed items are drawn from GOOD grade. This is to say, all items which have been dyed will meet all of the criteria of GOOD quality, showing signs of previous use but otherwise being fully operational and free of damage. Also, all Dyed items have been hand dyed by the RO staff in bulk following our own internal process. This being the case, slight variations in dyed items is to be expected, such as darker or lighter shades or the occasional small blotch.
Naturally, the quality and condition of an item will effect its overall cost, with higher quality commanding higher value respectively. But what makes milsurp so magical is the value, utility, and versatility that it represents to the imaginative and discerning connoisseur. Whatever your needs or budget, you can always find a solution.