Checking military surplus condition comes down to matching the item to one of four MOD-style grading bands — New/NOS, Grade A, Grade B, and Graded/bulk — then confirming stitching, hardware and issue stamps actually match that grade before you pay for it. Skip the check and you'll pay Grade A money for a Grade B blanket with moth holes hiding under the fold.
- Check military surplus condition against four bands: New/NOS, Grade A, Grade B, Graded/bulk.
- Grade A means issued but lightly worn: no rips, working zips, clear MOD stamps.
- New Old Stock (NOS) is unissued warehouse kit, sometimes decades old, and the top grade for collectors.
- Genuine MOD stamps, size tags and NSN codes confirm authenticity faster than fabric feel alone.
- Military Mart grades every listing on the product page in 2026 — read the description before you order.
Why this matters
Surplus dealers don't all use the same grading scale, and "good condition" means nothing on its own. One seller's "used" is another's "Grade A", and the price difference between the two can be £30 or more on a jacket.
Cadets kitting out for first term, bushcraft hobbyists buying a bergen for a wet weekend, and militaria collectors after a genuine reissue all need the same skill: reading a listing's grade against what actually turns up in the parcel. Get that wrong once on a genuine army surplus jacket versus a replica and you'll check every future purchase twice.
How to check military surplus condition
Start with the grade stated on the listing, then physically verify it against these checkpoints.
| Grade | What it means | Check for |
|---|---|---|
| New/NOS | Unissued, never worn, straight from depot stock | Original packaging, stiff unwashed fabric, no size-tag fading |
| Grade A | Issued, worn lightly, still serviceable | Clean stitching, working zips/poppers, no repairs |
| Grade B / Used | Full service life, honest wear | Fading, minor repairs, all hardware still functional |
| Graded / bulk | Mixed condition lot, sold as seen | Wide variation between items, no single wear pattern |
Run your hands over seams before you look at the fabric. Stitching failure at the crotch, cuff or shoulder seam is the single biggest tell that a "Grade A" listing is actually Grade B — a good seller will say so, a lazy one won't check.
New/NOS military surplus: unissued and boxed
NOS stands for new old stock: kit made for military issue that never left the depot before the contract ended or the unit was stood down. It's often decades old but genuinely unworn — stiff canvas, unbroken creases, and size tags that haven't faded from washing.
The Ex-British Military Extra Heavy-Duty Ratchet Sling is a good example of what NOS should look like: genuine MOD issue, never used, sold exactly as it left the depot. NOS is the grade to buy when you want kit that will outlast a working lifetime rather than finish one — buy if the price reflects the condition, and confirm packaging or depot markings before paying a premium.
Grade A military surplus: issued but barely worn
Grade A means the item saw service but not much of it. Expect faint creasing, maybe a name tag removed, but no repairs, no fabric thinning and every zip and buckle working as designed.
Boots are the easiest place to spot fake Grade A grading — check the sole wear pattern and the tongue stitching. The MOD Altberg Defender boots are a genuine Grade A benchmark: issued MOD stock with light wear, not shop-fresh but nowhere near worn out. Buy Grade A when you want issue-genuine kit at a lower price than NOS and don't mind the odd scuff.
Grade B / used military surplus: honest service wear
Grade B is honest wear, not damage. Fading, a repaired seam, maybe a replaced button — all fine, as long as the core structure and hardware still function.
The British Army wool grey blanket is a typical Grade B item: genuine issue wool, some fading from years of storage or use, still warm and structurally sound. Buy Grade B when function matters more than looks — camp use, dog bedding, workshop cover — and hold off if you need something to photograph well for a display cabinet.
Graded or bulk lots: mixed condition lots
Graded or "bulk" listings are sold as a job lot: condition varies item to item and the seller isn't grading each piece individually. That's fine for someone buying ten ammo pouches for a scout troop, less fine for someone after one perfect webbing set.
Skip graded lots if you need a specific, uniform condition. Buy them if you're stocking a group, a reenactment unit, or a workshop where variation doesn't matter.
Why military surplus condition varies
Grading isn't arbitrary — a handful of real factors drive it:
- Storage conditions — depot stock kept dry and boxed grades higher than kit stored in damp warehouses
- Decommission batch age — older contract stock has had longer to fade even if unworn
- Country of origin — Dutch, Swedish and British surplus each use different fabric weights and hardware that wear differently
- Fabric type — cotton canvas shows wear faster than synthetic ripstop, even with identical use
- Hardware quality — steel buckles corrode where brass or alloy survives; check hardware separately from fabric
- Reissue history — some kit is refurbished and reissued once, which changes wear patterns from a single-owner item
If the stitching fails at the seam before the fabric fades, the grade on the listing is wrong.
Is used military surplus still good quality?
Used surplus is still good quality when it's graded honestly — Grade B kit built for military service was made to survive harder use than most civilian gear ever sees. The difference between used and new is cosmetic wear, not structural failure, provided the seller actually checked stitching and hardware before listing it.
How can you tell if military surplus is genuine?
Genuine military surplus carries an MOD or NATO stamp, an NSN (NATO Stock Number), and a size tag matching the issuing country's format — replicas almost never replicate all three correctly. Check seam construction too: genuine issue kit uses flat-felled seams and bar-tacked stress points that cheap replicas skip to cut cost.
What does NOS mean on a military surplus listing?
NOS means New Old Stock — unissued kit that sat in depot storage, sometimes for 20-30 years, before being released to the surplus market. It's the highest grade available short of a modern reissue, because it was never worn despite its age.
Is Grade A better than Grade B?
Grade A is higher condition than Grade B — Grade A means light issue wear with no repairs, Grade B means full honest service wear including fading or minor fixes. Both are genuine issue kit; the choice comes down to whether you want it to look sharp or just work hard.
Grading terms like these show up across the catalogue, not just on clothing — ammo tins, webbing and vehicle spares all get the same New/NOS, Grade A, and Used labels.
FAQ
How do you check military surplus condition before buying?
Check military surplus condition by matching the stated grade (New/NOS, Grade A, Grade B, or Graded/bulk) against the stitching, hardware and fabric wear in the listing photos. In 2026, most reputable sellers state the grade on the product page — read it before you check anything else.
What's the difference between Grade A and Grade B military surplus?
Grade A means light issue wear with no repairs and fully working hardware. Grade B means full honest service wear, possibly including fading or a minor repair, but still structurally sound.
Is NOS surplus better than Grade A?
NOS (New Old Stock) is unissued and unworn, making it the highest grade available, above Grade A. Grade A has seen light service use; NOS never left the depot.
How can you tell genuine military surplus from a replica?
Genuine military surplus carries an MOD or NATO stamp, an NSN stock number, and country-specific size tagging that replicas rarely replicate correctly. Check the seam construction too: genuine issue kit uses bar-tacked stress points.
Does used military surplus still hold up?
Used (Grade B) military surplus holds up well because it was built to a service specification tougher than most civilian gear. Wear is cosmetic, not structural, when the grading was done honestly.
What does 'Graded' or 'bulk' mean on a surplus listing?
Graded or bulk means the lot is sold as seen with condition varying piece to piece, rather than individually graded. It suits buying for groups or units rather than a single showpiece item.
Should cadets buy Grade A or Grade B kit?
Grade B suits cadets buying kit for regular training use, since it's genuine issue at a lower price and built for the same abuse. Grade A is worth the extra cost only if the item needs to look sharp for inspection.
Why do surplus grading terms vary between sellers?
Grading terms vary because there's no single industry standard — storage conditions, country of origin and decommission batch age all affect wear differently. Buying from a seller who states grade consistently across the catalogue removes most of that guesswork.
One last thing
Depot-stored NOS kit sometimes still carries a faint smell of cosmoline or storage wax — that's a genuine sign of unissued stock, not a fault to complain about. Wash it once before wearing it, not before buying it.
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