MiliPants - an undergarment solution designed

for military campaigns in the outdoors.

 

 

My name is Yiannis Hatzopoulos. I am a Greek  electrical and computer engineer with expertise in e-Payment Systems for  the banking sector. Moreover, I am a reserve-force Sub-Lieutenant of the Greek Army’s Signal Corps. During my military service, I participated in several military exercises under  harsh weather conditions. Being exposed to the elements in sub zero temperatures of mud, snow, ice and rain, I realised the short-comings of military battle uniforms; and most import of  undergarments used in the military.

 

In the market place , one can locate  military / outdoor solutions for isothermal undergarments,  bacterial suppresser underwear or moisture removers.  Still, having used similar products in  outdoor campaigns, although they work quite well,  I realised that sooner or later they all had to be changed into new fresh underwear. Unfortunately it is very difficult to change lower-undergarments standing  on mud or snow - since one must remove  boots, shocks, trousers and isothermal insulation first.  Believe me, this is not always possible.

 

This made going back to the drawing board an absolute must. Thus , I designed a piece of low cost underpants - which was named MiliPants - specifically made to address the above problem. A military underpants solution, that a soldier could change into, in  approximately 20 seconds, without removing his boots, just by lowering his trousers and isothermal insulation a few inches. As you probably understand, the Milipants prototype was developed for my personal use. Nevertheless, I believe that it would be useful not only to the military but to mountaineers and possibly hunters as well.

 

I tried to locate products with similar functionality in the local and international market, but I reached no conclusive information sources. Patent searches did not help much either.

 

When my military service was over and I was placed in the reserve forces, I decided to register the design at the Greek Industrial Property Organisation. The design is available on limited numbers for testing purpose to selected parties. Marketing and manufacturing options/ suggestions are welcomed.

 

 

Yiannis C Hatzopoulos

Electrical and Computer Engineer

Tel +302310 798432 (+fax) / SKYPE: yhatzopoulos

Cellphone +30 697 91 01 702

<yhat@egnatia.ee.auth.gr>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Buttoned up front view of Milipants)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(MiliPants fully unbuttoned, spread flat )

 

 

 

 

 

 

USAGE INSTRUCTIONS

 

1st Step      The Soldier, still wearing his boots on and possibly  his battle gear as well, lowers his trousers and lower body isothermal insulation a few inches. Then he holds MiliPants from the waist strings, back and round his waist.

 

 

2nd  Step    He ties MiliPants around his waist to stabilize it.

 

 

3rd  Step    The Soldier slides the front part of MiliPants under his groin and lifts it up close to the tying knot.

 

 

 

4th  Step     He buttons-up the top two buttons and then continues downwards.

 

 

5th Step      When the buttons are all buttoned up, the stabilization knot can be untied and the strings be placed out hanging loose. From this point-on MiliPants functions like any other conventional undergarment. The described procedure lasts approximately 20 seconds.

 

 

 

To remove MiliPants, a Soldier would just need to lower his trousers and isothermal insulation a few inches, unbutton MiliPants and pull it up diagonally from the back.

 

 

The buttons used can be ordinary ones, or  costumed designed ones – that cannot be cut, using tiny flexible nylon U-shaped one-way plugs that are affixed on the button holes.

This feature article was published in Soldier Magazine, a publication of the British defense ministry.

Latest update: 06/06/2005