Paratrooper Felt Shoulder Pads

Reproductions of the felt shoulder pads used extensively by the 101st Airborne in Normandy and Holland along with some members of the 82nd.  These pads greatly helped to reduce the stress of M36 suspender an musette bag straps.

Paratroopers salvaged these felt pads from other parachute equipment such as the endcaps of A-5 ariel drop containers and bump pads for A-6 ariel drop containers.  Original pads varied in color from light dark brown all the way to gray.

Our pads are made of 100% natural fiber felt just like original pads and are dark brown in color.  Just like original pads, these come with no slits cut into them for your suspenders.  This gives you the opportunity to cut the slits in whatever location works best for your kit.  Personally I place mine 1" from either side and I make the slit on one side slightly narrower so it stays in place at the base of my suspenders.

Keep in mind that these pads are made up of many different natural fibers that all vary in color which leads to flecks of different colored material in the felt.  There may even be a few spots of green, orange, or other colors, this is not a defect in the material, it is simply how it is made.  If you do not care for the random flex of colors you can easily pluck them out with a pair of tweezers of needle nose pliers.