We continue our look at modern Australian equipment this week by considering the modern foot powder container. Foot powder is used to help dry the sweat from a soldier feet before he puts his socks back on. Dry feet reduce the risk of fungal infections and help make the wearing of boots more comfortable as dry feet rub less than damp ones do. Foot powder has been a standard item of equipment in a soldier’s pack since the First World War. The modern Australian issue example comes in a small, squat green plastic container:

The foot powder is accessed by twisting the lid which opens up a series of holes to allow it to be dusted on the feet, just like a talcum powder tub in the bathroom:

The front of the container shows it holds 50g:

COLBAR QSR PTY LTD is located in Dandenong South, VICTORIA, Australia and is part of the Personal Care Products Manufacturing Industry. COLBAR QSR PTY LTD has 25 employees at this location.

The rear of the container gives details of the foot powder’s ingredients:

The Australian Army pays close attention to potential skin problems amongst its troops, including their feet. This is understandable as it tends to deploy to tropical and sub tropical regions in the Pacific. The army worked with scientists and researchers during its 1999 deployment to East Timor to study the affects of the climate on the Diggers’ skin and a number of academic papers resulted that were published detailing the effects of climate on the dermatology of soldiers.