Gorka suit - history and variations
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Writer's pictureVlad Besedovskyy

Gorka suit - history and variations

When talking about Soviet Army gorka suits, we have to remember that there were two distinct versions, both having considerable differences from each other. In this article we will look, in details, into both suits and other mountain related clothing which was issued (or purchased) to the Soviet soldiers and officers.


Gorka suit (early version, ~1981 - 1987)


Costume includes jacket and pants. The suit was produced from 1981 to 1987


Materials used in the tailoring of a gorka suit are:

  • Raincoat fabric with water-repellent impregnation in a protective (khaki) color Application: suit main fabric

  • Gray baize Application: burlap halves of the side pockets of the jacket

  • Calico of olive color Application: strips of fabric covering the elastic band on the back of the jacket and in the trousers at the level of the knees, the inner lining of the waistband of the trousers

Features of the jacket

  • the hood is sewn to the collar of the jacket and reinforced with a strip of fabric sewn around the perimeter of the collar

  • tightening of the hood in the front part is carried out with the help of a drawstring from a keeper tape along the drawstring, located around the entire perimeter of the edge of the hood; the ends of the keeper tape are free

  • the central fastener of a jacket is made of five buttons; all buttons on an open fastener

  • the front of the jacket has a yoke

  • rectangular patch pockets on the chest; pocket flaps are formed by the yoke

  • cut-in side pockets

  • cuffs at the bottom of the sleeves with slits fastened with a button with an open fastener

  • at waist level, along the entire width of the back, an elastic band is sewn in

  • tightening of the jacket in the lower part is carried out with the help of a drawstring from a keeper tape along the drawstring, located around the entire perimeter of the bottom of the jacket; the ends of the tightener are fixed in the drawstring; fixation of the drawstring protruding from the welt loop in the left side of the jacket is carried out using a loop of twill tape sewn into the side seam from the wrong side.

Gorka suit
Early gorka suit jacket

Features of the trousers

  • A breastplate in the front part, held on the figure by suspender ribbons

  • Ribbons are sewn to the trousers in the back; in the front part they are fixed on the bib with the help of buttons located on it with an open clasp

  • Bands of suspenders have inserts from an elastic tape

  • Four loops are sewn to the belt to wear the belt

  • In the belt between a pair of side loops sewn inserts of elastic tape

  • Rectangular half-suitcase pockets in the front flaps above the knees with pentagonal flaps on two buttons with an open fastener

  • The back of the halves of the trousers in the upper part is reinforced with curly overlays

  • Along the outer semi-perimeter of the halves of the trousers, at the level below and above the knees, an elastic band is sewn

  • Cuffs are formed due to the elastic tape sewn around the entire perimeter

  • At the bottom, the strings made of elastic tape

Gorka suit
Early gorka suit trousers

Features that are partially not shown in the drawings


Jacket:

  • A drawstring from a keeper tape in a hood

  • A tightener from a keeper tape in the lower part

  • Sewn-in elastic band at the waist along the width of the back.

Trousers:

  • Sewn-in elastic band at the waist between a pair of side loops

  • Sewn-in elastic band along the outer half-perimeter below and above the level of the middle of the halves of the trousers

  • Sewn-in elastic band along the perimeter of the cuff of the bottom of the trousers

  • Suspenders with elastic band inserts

Gorka suit
Early Gorka suit jacket

Costume stamps

The hallmarking of the costume was carried out by applying stamps indicating the manufacturer's factory, fabric article, technical conditions, size and height, as well as the year of manufacture.

The stamp on the jacket is located on the burlap of the left inset pocket, on the trousers - on the inside to the left of the pelvic area.


Sizes of a early version Gorka suit

Determined by a combination of height and chest width.

Height values: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Chest width values: 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64.


Gorka suit (late version, 1987 - 1991)


Costume includes: jacket, trousers and braces for trousers.

The tailoring of the costume was done at the Moscow PSHO "Spetsodezhda", Moscow.

The suit has been produced since 1987 according to TU-17-7394-76.


Materials used in the tailoring of the Gorka suit are:

  • Raincoat fabric with water-repellent impregnation in a protective (khaki) color Application: suit main fabric

  • Gray baize Application: burlap halves of the side pockets of the jacket

  • Calico of olive color Application: strips of fabric covering the elastic band on the back of the jacket and in the trousers at the level of the knees, the inner lining of the waistband of the trousers


Features of the jacket

  • the hood is sewn to the collar of the jacket and reinforced with a strip of fabric sewn around the perimeter of the collar

  • tightening of the hood in the front part is carried out with the help of a drawstring from a keeper tape along the drawstring, located around the entire perimeter of the edge of the hood; the ends of the tightener are free

  • the folded hood is fixed with a slotted loop in the hood and a button located in the center of the jacket collar

  • the central fastener of a jacket on six buttons; the top button on the open clasp, the rest on the inner clasp

  • a hidden patch pocket on the left side of the trigger with a button with an open closure

  • cut-in side pockets with a leaflet

  • cuffs of sleeves are formed at the expense of the elastic tape sewn on all perimeter

  • at waist level, along the entire width of the back, an elastic band is sewn in

  • tightening of the jacket in the lower part is carried out with the help of a drawstring from a keeper tape along the drawstring, located along the entire perimeter of the bottom of the jacket; the ends of the tightener are fixed in the drawstring; fixation of the tightener protruding from the welt loop in the left side of the jacket is carried out using a loop of twill tape sewn into the side seam from the wrong side.

Gorka suit
Late Gorka suit jacket

Features of the trousers

  • four loops are sewn to the belt to wear the belt

  • in the belt between a pair of side loops sewn inserts of elastic tape

  • the trouser valve is fixed by a vertical row of four buttons and a fastener on a trouser hook; the top button with an open fastener, the rest with an internal fastener

  • Rectangular half-suitcase pockets in the side part above the knees with pentagonal flaps on two buttons with an open fastener

  • the back of the halves of the trousers in the upper part is reinforced with curly overlays

  • along the outer semi-perimeter of the halves of the trousers, at the level below and above the knees, an elastic band is sewn

  • at the bottom of the strings made of elastic tape.

Gorka suit
Late Gorka suit trousers

Features that are partially not shown in the figures:


Jacket:

  • a drawstring from a keeper tape in a hood

  • a tightener from a keeper tape in the lower part

  • sewn-in elastic band around the perimeter of the sleeve cuff

  • sewn-in elastic band at the waist along the width of the back of the trousers

  • sewn-in elastic band at the waist between a pair of side loops

  • sewn-in elastic band along the outer half-perimeter below and above the level of the middle of the halves of the trousers

  • trousers made of elastic band

  • Suspenders with an insert from an elastic tape;


Suspenders:

  • are formed by three strips of fabric with holes for fixation and a connecting node in the form of a pentagon

  • Elastic band at the back

  • suspenders are fixed on a trousers belt; for fixing, the trouser belt has three vertical rows with two buttons

Gorka suit
Late Gorka suit jacket

Costume stamps:

The hallmarking of the costume was carried out by applying stamps indicating the manufacturer's factory, fabric article, technical conditions, size and height, as well as the year of manufacture.

The brand of the jacket is located on the burlap of the left inset pocket, on the trousers - on the wrong side to the left of the fastener;


Sizes of Gorka suit:

Determined by a combination of height and chest width.

Height values: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Chest width values: 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64.



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