Understanding Military Surplus Grading

August 11, 2026

Understanding Military Surplus Grades

One of the things that makes genuine military surplus interesting is that no two items are necessarily identical.

Some stock reaches the surplus market completely unused. Other items may have been issued, worn, stored for years, washed repeatedly or carried through service before eventually being released.

At The Old Kitbag, we want the condition of an item to be clear before you buy it.

Every surplus item is checked and assigned an appropriate condition based on its overall appearance, wear and serviceability. Where an individual item has a significant defect or unusual characteristic, we aim to make that clear in the product description.

Our grading system is designed to be straightforward:

New / Unissued → Like New → Grade 1 → Grade 2 → U/S

Here is what each grade means.

New / Unissued

Unused military surplus with no meaningful evidence of previous service wear.

These are the highest condition items in our stock.

A New / Unissued item may have been held in military stores for a considerable period before being released as surplus, but it should show no meaningful signs of having been worn or used operationally.

You may occasionally see minor characteristics associated with long-term storage, including:

light creasing;
packaging or storage marks;
minor label ageing;
very slight colour variation; or
marks associated with military storage and handling.

These do not necessarily mean that an item has previously been issued or worn.

Best suited to: collectors, replacement uniform items, gifts and customers wanting the cleanest available example.

Like New

Excellent surplus condition with little or no obvious evidence of previous use.

Like New items may have been issued, tried on, handled or lightly used, but remain extremely clean and presentable.

You might occasionally find:

very minor signs of wear;
light storage marks;
slight fading;
previous-service markings; or
small differences between manufacturers and production batches.

Overall, however, these items should remain close to new condition.

This grade is particularly common with items such as berets, dress clothing and surplus that has spent most of its life in storage.

Best suited to: collectors, uniform use and customers who want excellent-condition genuine surplus without necessarily paying a premium for completely unissued stock.

Grade 1

Good used, fully serviceable military surplus.

Grade 1 is likely to be one of the most common conditions you'll see across The Old Kitbag.

These are genuine military items that have previously been issued or used but remain in good functional condition.

Normal Grade 1 characteristics can include:

minor fading;
previous laundering;
cosmetic marks;
small scuffs;
service numbers or ownership markings;
signs of normal wear;
minor wear to buttons, zips or other fittings; and
minor variations in colour between individual examples.

The important distinction is that Grade 1 remains serviceable and suitable for normal use.

We do not expect Grade 1 items to be pristine. They are genuine used military surplus and will usually have some evidence of their previous life.

However, significant damage inconsistent with Grade 1 condition should either cause the item to be graded differently or be specifically disclosed.

Best suited to: outdoor use, cadets, airsoft, workwear, everyday military clothing and customers wanting good-value genuine issue kit.

Grade 2

Heavily used surplus showing greater evidence of previous service.

Grade 2 items have generally seen considerably more use than Grade 1 examples.

They may remain perfectly suitable for a particular purpose, but customers should expect noticeably greater cosmetic wear.

Depending on the product, this can include:

heavier fading;
more obvious marks or staining;
small repairs;
patches;
worn areas;
previous-service markings;
minor holes or fabric damage;
missing or replaced minor fittings;
heavier wear to hardware;
greater colour variation; or
other signs of prolonged service use.

Where a Grade 2 item has a specific issue that materially affects its appearance or use, we aim to make that clear in the individual listing.

Grade 2 can offer excellent value, particularly for workwear, outdoor use, projects or customers who are less concerned about cosmetic appearance.

Best suited to: workwear, gardening, outdoor activities, airsoft, restoration projects and customers prioritising function and price over appearance.

Unserviceable (U/S)

Surplus that falls below our normal standard for serviceable Grade 2 stock because of significant damage, defects or reduced functionality.

U/S items have generally seen considerably more use than Grade 2 examples.

They may remain perfectly suitable for a particular purpose, but customers should expect considerably greater wear, staining or damage.

Depending on the product, this can include:

major holes or tears;
significant staining;
substantial fabric damage;
broken or missing essential fittings;
extensive repairs;
significant deterioration; or
another defect making the item unsuitable for normal use without repair.

U/S items are clearly sold as damaged or unserviceable surplus and the condition should be considered carefully before purchase. Known defects will be described wherever reasonably possible. This grading does not affect your statutory consumer rights, including applicable cancellation rights for online purchases.

U/S can offer excellent value, particularly if a customer is willing to repair, or wishes to upcycle.

Best suited to: DIY clothes, upcycling projects, repairing.

What does “Serviceable” mean?

You may occasionally see the term serviceable used in military-surplus descriptions.

Generally, this means that an item remains functional and capable of performing its intended basic purpose, even though it may show evidence of previous use.

A serviceable garment, for example, may be faded or marked while still being completely wearable.

Serviceable does not necessarily mean cosmetically excellent.

That is why we combine condition terminology with photographs and product-specific descriptions wherever possible.

Genuine surplus naturally varies

Military clothing and equipment is produced over many years and often by multiple contracted manufacturers.

As a result, two items carrying the same military designation can differ slightly.

Normal variations can include:

shade of fabric;
stitching;
labels;
manufacturer's markings;
dates;
buttons;
zips;
fabric composition;
insignia placement; and
other minor construction details.

This is part of the nature of genuine military surplus.

Where we hold multiple examples of the same product, photographs may sometimes show a representative example rather than the exact individual item you receive.

The item supplied will nevertheless be checked against the condition advertised.

Our grading process

Our aim is simple:

describe the kit as we would want it described if we were buying it ourselves.

Our stock is sourced through recognised MOD surplus auctions and trusted surplus channels before being checked and graded by our veteran-led team.

We assess items based on their overall:

condition • wear • cleanliness • functionality • cosmetic appearance

We don't artificially upgrade stock simply to achieve a higher selling price.

Where an item sits between two grades, we would rather take a cautious approach than leave a customer disappointed.

Military surplus is not factory-new retail clothing

Unless an item is specifically described as New / Unissued, customers should expect genuine surplus to have some degree of individual character.

That might mean a name written inside a garment, a faded label, slightly softened fabric or signs that the item has previously done exactly what it was designed to do.

For many surplus buyers, that's part of the appeal.

But we also believe that “it's surplus” shouldn't be used as an excuse for poor descriptions.

You should have a reasonable understanding of what you're going to receive before you order it.

What if my item isn't as described?

Our grading system does not affect your statutory consumer rights.

If an item arrives with a significant defect that wasn't disclosed, is materially different from its description, or you otherwise believe there is a problem with your order, contact us at:

sales@theoldkitbag.co.uk

Please include your order number and, where useful, photographs of the issue.

We'll take a look and help resolve it.