Crusty gnas dress code - bottoms

[Barry C]

Combats are ok, i have always warn a pair of faded to white ones - the gestappo never blinked an eye lid.

[Rik]

Originally Posted by wingate_52

Nearly everyone was in waterproofs today. Should we all be made to wear green waterproofs, matching tops and bottoms obviously!

Gah, no!
I managed to find a pair of waterproof trousers (Goretex) which might charitably be called "dark green", though I think they're actually too light for that. I've never seen a good waterproof dark green top (not for want of looking). I currently use a (fairly bright) red canoeing kag, which isn't ideal, but at least has a good neoprene seal at cuffs and collar and no daft hood to flap around... I'd love to find a nice Gore (or similar) top with a better fit and darker colour, but I've not seen one, on-line or in shops.

Prescribing a daft colour for gear which has a purpose and has to perform, would be truly silly...

Originally Posted by smudgepuss

(although I have just dyed my trousers what i hope is the right green (dylon 09) and have removed some of those problems... Where can you find what the right green is btw?)

The rule book says "dark green". So anything which is dark green, is right. Any attempt to tell you it should be a particular shade is just trouble-making. If it can reasonably be called "dark green" then it's within the rules. If you believe a colour to be dark green, and the judge doesn't think it is, then they should give you the benefit of the doubt. It's not something which affects shooting results, after all...

[geoffretired]

The last time I was involved with the issue of waterproofs, it was legal to wear any colour so long as the weather was deemed to be inclement. If the weather improved they had to be removed and standard dress rules were back in force.
Has this rule been changed since then I wonder.
Some people wear their waterproofs under a standard close-fitting garment so they get good weather protection and no problems with baggy sleeves etc.

[grantwomack]

I was under the impression that if the weather was declared inclement for the day, the decision couldn't be reversed... I am possibly wrong but I remember shoots with a miserable inclement morning, breezy dry afternoon and archers shooting in red/maroon/blue/black tops all day long.

[cliveanne]

I have not voted on this issue, I do not think a dress code is relevent to shooting, unless it involves safety. I wear Green/White on Sundays (I was asked to, by the club,not told. I wear Green/White if I am on any club business,ie. "Have-a-Goes" (To give our customers confidence )
I wear Green ?White 'cause I got it. I am not interested in tournaments where you have to wear the the colour(s), I've been to a few in the past as field team member,& quite frankly...did not like the atmosphere.
Thank you I'll stick with what I do best...Enjoying my archery...in my own way

[Deadeye Doc]

At an indoor competition in January (Furface's) a comment was made about the absence of Archers between the ages of 20 and about 35 years old. In pictures of international competitions we can see youngsters shooting in jeans quite happily. I wonder if the absence of young archers might be related to the dress code? Do our international contingent have any comment about dress codes for competitions?
Blue-Bow mentioned a very strong showing of young archers when he visited Northern Ireland, but may have noticed a similar gap in the age range.

[geoffretired]

Grant, That's an interesting situation you described. I'm not sure of the rules, either, but it would seem odd if the weather suddenly worsened and you had to stick to fine weather clothes because the decision couldn't be reversed.
The other issue is, do the clothes we wear, for inclement conditions, have to be green/white or registered club colours? It was a free for all when I last needed to know!!!!

[bluebow]

Originally Posted by Deadeye Doc

Blue-Bow mentioned a very strong showing of young archers when he visited Northern Ireland, but may have noticed a similar gap in the age range.

The Portsmouth tournament in NI was split over two days, with the junior's shooting on the second day. I didn't see them shooting, but was told, by the organiser following the event, that they had 98 juniors shooting. So I can't comment on how tightly the dress regulation was applied to juniors.

I thought there was a fairly even spread of age in the senior event (when I shot), which might reflect that some of the clubs are only fairly recently established. One thing I did notice, was that most of the clubs had club colours and many had sponsorship.

Maybe if clubs can find local sponsorship to pay for clothing, then members who do not shoot at tournaments because they won't buy regulation clothing, might be encouraged to do so.

[Li'l Boy Blue]

Grant's right, if the day is deemed as being inclement for weather, it is inclement for the entire day.

I've been quiet about this issue for 20 years now but having spent the last hour reading all the opinions, I feel it's my turn.
This poll is badly worded (sorry to whoever did it) the same as the poll the AUK did a couple of years back. I've not voted cos the truth is, I believe there should be a dress code but it should be relaxed and there is not section for that.
The AUK did one a few years ago (for the GNAS) and the options were:
1. stick with green and whites
2. Adopt a club colour
3. abolish the regulations all together.

IMHO, this was a farce because by having 2 options for the 'non green and white' crew, it split the vote and sure enough, green and whites won it (despite the fact that the 'non green and whites' totalled more votes than the green and whites!)

I started shooting when I was 8. Back then I felt like a muppet for wearing green/white. Obviously I grew a bit and then suffered problems trying to find GNAS legal clothing. Even now, I struggle to find legal clothing that looks good. I'm now 28 and although I'm not massively influenced by fashion, it's not out of the question to allow those that are to be allowed to express themselves within reason.

As I read earlier, the main agruements for green and white are:

1. It's traditional : before the GNAS rules of shooting were written, what colour did people wear? It's only the ROS that has created this so called tradition.

2. It looks good to see a line of green and white : Who the hell stands there looking down the line thinking, 'wow, this looks really good!' and how does it look good when you're at Lilleshall in white trousers (I've now abolished green on the basis that I look like a pillock in it) and you've got the famous Lilleshall mud splattered up your legs?

I can't see anything wrong with allowing archers to wear black bottoms. I don't think it would look out of sorts on the line, it would open the door to a lot more clothing for us that do actually want to look half decent on the line and yes, despite what people think, the GNAS have lost several archers through the current regulations, especially around the younger archers (just go to an NFAS shoot and ask how many don't do GNAS because they don't want to dress like a snowman!)

[bluebow]

Originally Posted by geoffretired

The other issue is, do the clothes we wear, for inclement conditions, have to be green/white or registered club colours? It was a free for all when I last needed to know!!!!

Still a free for all. Although I'm sure the wording in the GNAS rules includes a statement along the lines of that waterproof clothing is available in dark green.

Since I also use my waterproofs for hill walking and therefore prefer bright jacket colours for safety, that's what I use.