Clothing and Equipment Fit Among Male and Female Canadian Armed Forces Members.

This article examines the fit acceptability of eight items of military clothing and equipment—combat shirt, combat pants, rucksack, small pack, tactical vest, fragmentation vest, helmet, and ballistic eyewear—among male and female members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). Using an online survey, fit ratings were analyzed according to participants' relative stature (categorized by sex-specific percentiles) and occupational group, which reflected varying dependency on equipment. Results indicated that both stature and occupational group significantly influenced fit acceptability for several items, with shorter female soldiers and those in high-dependency occupational groups (e.g., infantry, combat engineers) reporting lower fit ratings for certain equipment. The study highlights the need for tailored design or sizing solutions to improve equipment fit, which is critical for soldier health, protection, and operational effectiveness in a diversifying military force.