Quality Coat/Jacket

seventyfive

Well-known member
Jan 3, 2010
4,280
100
over there
Take a look at Dale of Norway. I’ve been using one of their weatherproof jackets since 2010 and it’s still great. Their styling is hit or miss some years. The ones from back then were a bit more jacket and a bit less sweater than their current line up. I highly recommend their products if you want durability, warmth, and dryness.
I have a Norskwear sweater. https://www.norskwear.com/product-page/soIf it’s really cold I wear my leather jacket over it. The leather jacket has wider arms, as it intended to be an over coat but it’s jacket length so it can also be worn as a jacket without being baggy or sloppy in the torso


Obviously I don’t look like an overland adventurer but I hate pockets, and I like to look good.

To Matt and kennith’s posts, Carhartt is over priced and the quality is terrible. You can’t layer it without sacrificing mobility. Their ‘insulation’ is nothing more than the stuff hotel pillow stuffing.
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
I have a Norskwear sweater. https://www.norskwear.com/product-page/soIf it’s really cold I wear my leather jacket over it. The leather jacket has wider arms, as it intended to be an over coat but it’s jacket length so it can also be worn as a jacket without being baggy or sloppy in the torso


Obviously I don’t look like an overland adventurer but I hate pockets, and I like to look good.

To Matt and kennith’s posts, Carhartt is over priced and the quality is terrible. You can’t layer it without sacrificing mobility. Their ‘insulation’ is nothing more than the stuff hotel pillow stuffing.

Carhartt was better in the past. You're certainly right about that mobility issue, and that's where those details they are missing matter. I don't gripe about tailoring for outdoor clothes without reason, after all. That's why the stuff is binding all up.

That kind of ticks me off because I'm a bit of a hoodie/shirt-jac combo fan, and their shit was previously outstanding for the price. They made a really damned good hoodie, but now it just feels phoned in and out of shape. Same goes with their shirt-jacs. They weren't cheap, but they were good for the price and held up well.

Eh, I happen to like pockets. There's personal experience and life at play there, though. I've just always had them, and I really happen to like the field jacket pattern in general. You're more likely to find me wearing a leather jacket or a hoodie.

I'm not going to pretend for a second that the closest thing I have to a "style" isn't a little expo-chic, but I've been dressing like it's 1872 since I was able to tie my shoes. It's just easy. It's the same reason I just slick my hair back. Fuck, it doesn't matter what year it is. It takes thirty seconds and works everywhere.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

LRflip

Well-known member
Oct 8, 2006
5,741
25
none of your fucking business
I'm more likely to see it on a college student than a laborer these days. It kind of sucks that happened.

Cheers,

Kennith

I wear the light dungaree pant, in relaxed fit. Other than some colors being just a little tighter than the others; I've found them to be quite durable and cheap enough that if I ruin a pair after a month or two, I don't sweat it.

Laborers on the other hand, in NC don't wear carhartt. They wear the cheapest shit they can get their hands on...because they (atleast in my particular line of construction) are going to need to throw it away after a few weeks.

The duck pants, are absolutely becoming inconsistent, which is probably what you're referring to. I find them to be too heavy for NC summers and they're just not required in the winter for me anyways. I used to only wear the duck pants but I like the lightness and flexibility of the lighter gear.

For the jackets however, I've got a really nice fleece lined carhartt coat in Petroleum Blue that has aged wonderfully. It's got a really cool worn pattern to the material that almost looks like a worn "comfort colors" t-shirt. I love the fucking thing. I survived with it many cold nights in North Dakota and Colorado...

It's just overkill in NC, but I'll never part with it.
 

ERover82

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2011
3,899
450
Darien Gap
I'm not going to pretend for a second that the closest thing I have to a "style" isn't a little expo-chic, but I've been dressing like it's 1872 since I was able to tie my shoes. It's just easy. It's the same reason I just slick my hair back. Fuck, it doesn't matter what year it is. It takes thirty seconds and works everywhere.

Cheers,

Kennith

Like this?
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kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
Like this?

I do not dress like either of those people. :ROFLMAO:

Despite my Carhartt complaints, here is precisely what I was wearing today:

1: Carhartt work pants in sort of a grayish green color; but not the baggy units.

2: Tilley's classic long sleeve outdoor over-shirt made of that "Adventure Cloth" stuff in ivory.

3: A faintly patterned black synthetic T shirt by Russell. It's actually pretty nice. All my T shirts were plain black, but I decided to try a faint, ghosted pattern to snazz things up a bit.

4: Wigwam wool socks. Wool is the best for socks in any weather.

5: Some kind of Haynes boxer briefs.

6: A custom made 2.5" wide bridle leather belt in dark brown with a big, square, brass center bar; the only proper buckle on a leather belt.

7: Danner Mountain Light II boots in dark brown.

8: Maui Jim Shoal sunglasses in black with gray lenses.

9: A beaded ring some kid gave me overseas for kicking someone out of a town, in "Rasta" colors. I really like that thing.

10: A square white gold necklace with a piece of a rare variety of Tourmaline I was allowed to keep after finding it myself in a setting I designed.

11: My Filson/Shinola watch.

12: Hair slicked back like it's 1934 and a goatee.

I dress that way year-round. I'm not uncomfortable in the summer, and I'm not uncomfortable in the winter. It's fine in all conditions down to thirty degrees or so without having to layer more under a coat.

I mean, I've got some cheap stuff to get dirty, or for when I roll out of bed and want to grab a snack or drink at a convenience store, but it's honestly the same uniform; just uglier and cheaper.

Cheers,

Kennith
 
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LRflip

Well-known member
Oct 8, 2006
5,741
25
none of your fucking business
That was the least sexy "What are you wearing?" response I've ever seen.

This is also pretty much what you were wearing last time I saw you...glad to see some things don't change.

Did you ever get the blood stains out of that couch?
 
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kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
That was the least sexy "What are you wearing?" response I've ever seen.

This is also pretty much what you were wearing last time I saw you...glad to see some things don't change.

Did you ever get the blood stains out of that couch?

Yup. My "fashion" is certainly consistent. It works for everything, it's comfortable, and it never really changes unless something breaks.

I got rid of the couch. I mean, let's face it... It was a pretty stupid couch and too big for the room, anyway. :ROFLMAO:

Cheers,

Kennith
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
I thought the grandma floral pattern covered in blood kinda worked for the space...

Thread officially derailed.

It kind of did, in a way. Honestly, I just got tired of tripping over it once I was home more often.

This place has been updated quite a bit since then; as much as I can be bothered to do, anyway. The decor, however, has remained minus the couch.

I've done a lot of painting and stuff, though; as well as added some new tile features and RGB lighting everywhere.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
Actually, I don't really know how I feel about the Wigwams. I bought them at some point or another and got a few, but they haven't held up as long as I'd have expected (perhaps long enough, but maybe not as well as I'd have expected); nor are they particularly tolerant of machine washing. There's a lot of pulling them back into shape around the ankles and snapping invisible elastic that's apparently not necessary in the process.

I mean, I've been doing it for quite some time and they still work, but I've certainly had better. I'm sure there is some "official" way to wash them, but I can't be bothered to separate laundry. The universe is complicated enough as it is without having to do that. I think it's just the way they're assembled. Every manufacturer has it's own ideas, in that regard.

They sort of just gave up around the calf section and didn't ensure the construction matched the materials as closely as it should have.

I'd say the best socks I've ever worn out of uniform were made by Tilley, but they certainly weren't the most comfortable. I'm wearing some Orvis socks right now that I like, but they've never seen any real abuse. I do like the fact that they've adjusted material thickness in various places, but I don't yet know how that would hold up in really abusive environments.

It'll be time to try something new in a month or so. I'm all about keeping stuff working, but patching socks is asking for trouble.

Wool is my favorite, but finding someone that strikes just the right balance is difficult. Some do, but then feel the need to try and fashion things up with constant change... People, we've known how to make this stuff for over a century. Stop trying to complicate something so simple. I wouldn't feel the need to be so detail oriented if people just made shit to work properly and went home.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

SGaynor

Well-known member
Dec 6, 2006
7,148
162
52
Bristol, TN
I've been wearing Smartwool nearly exclusively (like 28 out of 30 pairs) for 15+ years now. Solid socks and last years. Although I do think the quality slipped a bit in the last 5 years.

Other good socks I've found:

Farm to Feet

FITS
 

SGaynor

Well-known member
Dec 6, 2006
7,148
162
52
Bristol, TN
Searching the web i found this. I may be buying more FITS and less Smartwool. especially since my local outdoor shop carries FITS:


"The company that made Smartwool and several other major brands parted ways with Smartwool a couple years ago. But they still make the same socks, just with their own label, FITS. They are somewhat hard to find in stores, but you can mail order from their website." - Bill S

Thats right Bill. But a quick background to that. Smartwool was bought out several years ago by Timberland, and had a five year non-competition clause with the original founders. After that time the original founders of Smartwool started up Point6, which in my opinion is a better product. I am assuming the company Timberland had outsourced the majority of their smartwool production was to Crescent Hosiery, which also made socks for such companies as Columbia.
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
Searching the web i found this. I may be buying more FITS and less Smartwool. especially since my local outdoor shop carries FITS:


"The company that made Smartwool and several other major brands parted ways with Smartwool a couple years ago. But they still make the same socks, just with their own label, FITS. They are somewhat hard to find in stores, but you can mail order from their website." - Bill S

Thats right Bill. But a quick background to that. Smartwool was bought out several years ago by Timberland, and had a five year non-competition clause with the original founders. After that time the original founders of Smartwool started up Point6, which in my opinion is a better product. I am assuming the company Timberland had outsourced the majority of their smartwool production was to Crescent Hosiery, which also made socks for such companies as Columbia.

That certainly saves me a lot of head scratching.

I hate tracking down who makes what in the garment industry, because sometimes even the company has no idea who makes their stuff. I was planning on checking out Smartwool next time around, but it's nice to have a better idea of where the original ideas ended up. It's hard to keep track, as there's a lot of private labeling going on.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

luckyjoe

Well-known member
Oct 10, 2004
455
118
New Jersey USA
I've phased out Smartwool for Darn Tough. I have Darn Tough purchased in 2013 (yes, 2013) that are still in service. Like all brands, they have a myriad of styles and flavors, but once you figure out which ones you like, you're golden.
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
I've phased out Smartwool for Darn Tough. I have Darn Tough purchased in 2013 (yes, 2013) that are still in service. Like all brands, they have a myriad of styles and flavors, but once you figure out which ones you like, you're golden.

I like the fact that they're stitched to be a more tailored fit. That's a big deal, and as soon as people started doing that, it was probably the first real improvement in socks in decades. Moisture wicking isn't new; that's one of the benefits of wool, but actually making them properly fit feet and changing the material density in various places is nice.

That fitted arrangement is what I like about the Orvis socks I've got. There's nothing wrong with using other materials in construction (Smartwool tried when I got mine, but they didn't take it all the way), but I like wool as a base.

Cheers,

Kennith