BW Wool Blanket, Unissued

Achtung, nothing new on the western front but something awesome and old instead. Our raiders of the lost Atomic bunker fought through hordes of radioactive zombies to bring you this amazing treasure. Original Bundeswehr blankets, which are very difficult to find nowadays. And when you do find them, they cost a piece of your soul. To make the matters even better, no bundeswarrior has ever used these because they have been sleeping in darkness waiting for that final Götterdammerung.

Features

In West Germany, Cold War became a tad warmer when you wrapped this huge blanket around yourself. People weren’t cheap when it came to blankets on the better side of the Wall. The ones we checked seemed to be from 1962-66, and from several manufacturers. Therefore the details can vary to some extent. The tag on the blanket says that they are 200 x 210 cm (79” x 83”), but in truth they are 200 x 200 cm (79” x 79”) plus/minus a couple of centimeters (inch or two). I guess, it isn’t precision engineering in bundesmeasurements. In any case, you can fit a person of any size inside these.

These are in greenish in color, some greener and some more brown. They feature the text “Bundeseigentum”, which means the property of the army, either in brownish-burgundy or gray. There can also be other colors and varieties, so think of these a bit like collectable cards. Buy a bunch and trick your friends into getting the more common ones. The wool content is not given but they feel quite woolsome. The weight is around 2.7 - 2.9 kg (5.9-6.4 lbs). These are not for ultralight hikers but for megaheavy ones.

Use

Why would I buy this heavy and bulky monstrosity might some heretic wonder? Well, because they are bloody awesome! You can use them as a blanket at home or as a beautiful wall hanging. Or make yourself an epic blanket coat out of these. You could also take it in the wilderness, curl inside it and dream of detente.

Care

Wool doesn't require much washing. If the blanket gets soiled, it's best to spot clean it with soap and mild water. If it gets absolutely covered in vomit or something, you can probably try to machine wash it in 30 degrees Celsius. Use wool care products and lanoline to make this fresh and "alive". Hang dry. For basic care just airing out and brushing the blanket is enough. Ahhh, wool.

Condition

Unissued West-German military surplus. Clean, intact and fantabulous. These are in incredibly good condition but they do have that slight smell of surplus. But that is simply the smell of freedom. You can air it out if you want.