Comrades, in an effort to get an extra gym, and find a new dealer, I recently ordered two gyms and a pair of sharovari from koliya1985:

http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/koliya1985

I ordered a size M M43 (44" chest) and a size L M35 (47" chest). My chest measurement with a shirt on is just over 42", and I wear a size 42 suit. I received my order on Saturday. I can barely put on the size M M43, and I can wear the size L M35, but if I raise my arms, it is too tight across the shoulders. I would have thought that by ordering a gym a size or two larger I would be more that safe. I had a friend who is a size smaller than me try on the M35, and he has the same problem with it as I do. Another online friend/fellow RKKA reenactor here in the U.S. just got an M35 gym from him and is having the same problem. When three different people try on the same garment, and all experience the same fit problems, it seems to me that there is a problem with the patterns, etc.
As I understand it, the 2nd Guards utilize this individual for obtaining some of their M35 gyms. Has this been your experience with his products as well?
I wrote Sun on Saturday, but he has not answered back. I also wrote him this evening.
Curious, Yuri

I've quit buying gymnasterkas, etc from overseas sellers. Had problems with boot sizes and misrepresentation of a meshok. I pay more to buy from sellers in the US. If there is a problem, it is easier to get things handled. Stuff is cheaper from the Ukraine and Hong Kong, but you are rolling the dice.

-My 2¢-

I have bought several repro M35's from Russian sources and also one from Trident in US and they are all like this. Almost certainly a fault with the pattern. But why this should be so for gyms from american and russian sources I don't know. Perhaps the patterns share a common origin.
There is a wartime photograph showing a surrendering russian soldier and his shirt has ridden right up with his arms over his head indicating he has the same problem with the cut of his shirt. It can be aleviated by sewing a vent into the armpit seam of the sleeve to allow greater range of movement.

_________________
Saninstruktor Iosef Trofimovich Grushenko
or
Voennii Vrach Ibrahim Ibrahimovich Shapiro

Either's good.

crikey - send him an angree e - mail, see if that works

_________________
"THEIR PUNY WHITE FLAGS ARE NO MATCH FOR OUR MACHINE GUNS!"
- kirill mickailovitch pavlov - Radzymin august 1944

Actually, he wrote me back, said something about how, on gyms, you are supposed to order a tunic 6-8" larger than your chest size. He said this was regulation, I've never seen it myself. In any event, he is trying to make good on it.
I had a good source for tunices from the Ukraine on ebay, but it dried up. I just ordered a 44 or 46, and the fit fine, no problems. Interesting to know that the gyms from Trident are like this Shabby as they were the next stop on my quest to find a consistent source for gyms. This is good for me to know. Thanks comrades.

Yuri

The gym in question was the first m35 I bought and was there original pattern in orange/khaki cotton, the sharavari were weird in cut as well being almost straight cut with no flare above the knee. Hopefully their stuff has improved.

_________________
Saninstruktor Iosef Trofimovich Grushenko
or
Voennii Vrach Ibrahim Ibrahimovich Shapiro

Either's good.

Just to let everyone know where my experience with this stands. Sun was more than helpful in this, and my gyms are speeding their way back for an exchange. He explained it to me thus:

Original gyms are patterned on somewhat of a triangle, with the narrow end being up on your shoulders. He told me that one needs to order a gym that is 6" to 8" larger than your chest measurement. (I wish he had stated this in his ebay ad.) He says this is per old RKKA regs. I haven't seen it, but I'll just have to take his word for it unless y'all can tell me otherwise.

Anyway, it looks like a happy ending to all of this when I get my new gyms.

Yuri

He seems to have added the sizing information on his listings now.



http://cgi.ebay.com/WW2-WWII-Soviet-Rus ... 911.c0.m14

Yes, he did this after I wrote him, and we agreed on an exchange. Spaciba!

Yuri