Reefer/ Bridge Coat

[Flash]

the Abbotts site had the Bridge Coat for $500. Worth it?

I will echo what others have said, not really worth it and you can usually get a good deal at a thrift shop or ebay. Another option, if you are in the right place at the right time, is that the Marines at USNA sell off their stuff when they commision and the bridge coat is among them, I knew several guys that got theirs that way. Not sure if it is still the case.

And if you really want a bridge coat, the Abbott's version really is not worth it. I got an NEX one a few years ago, it was considerably cheaper than $500 and it is plenty nice. I actually wore it about once or twice a year (and will in two weeks) and it always looks nice, especially if you wear it 'right' with a white scarf and black gloves.

Now...how come no one wears a "Boat Cloak" anymore???

One of my instructors at the Citadel wore that. Of course he enlisted in 1947 and never wore khakis, too much of a 'working' uniform for him, so that ought to tell you something. It looked sharp, I have to give him that.

 

[HAL Pilot]

For all of you 'paroled' SWOs...is it common to wear these while standing watch on the boat?

After freezing my ass off standing OOD Inport in SDBs on the carrier, I bought a Reefer. Watch was a lot more comfortable the next time.

and it always looks nice, especially if you wear it 'right' with a white scarf and black gloves.

NOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo

Must we make you trade your gold wings for Air Farce tin?????

 

[Flash]

NOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo

Must we make you trade your gold wings for Air Farce tin?????

It just looks that sharp.

 

[nittany03]

NOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo

Must we make you trade your gold wings for Air Farce tin?????

There's a difference between wearing a scarf to avoid freezing your neck off, and institutionalized metrosexuality. I bet you don't ski, either. :icon_tong

 

[HAL Pilot]

There's a difference between wearing a scarf to avoid freezing your neck off, and institutionalized metrosexuality. I bet you don't ski, either. :icon_tong

OK I'll go along with this. It's just the idea of a scarf with any military uniform doesn't work for me. And I have seen the white scarf worn with the bridge coat on the carrier - we bashed them unmercifully.

I tried skiing twice after I retired. My knees wouldn't take it and my doctor said never try again. Pissed me of because I had a blast trying.

 

[Spekkio]

The NEX uniform website shows Pea Coats for $131 and 40L Gold Buttons for $1.40 a piece. It would be way cheaper to go that route, and you could put your savings into hookers and blow.

Along this route...

The uniform shop here has the enlisted pea coats (black buttons, no shoulder epaulets), but the people working there were totally dumbfounded when I mentioned wanting to obtain the officer version. The way I read the NEX online store, it sounds like you can purchase the enlisted pea coat and the buttons separately.

So, two questions: 1) does the NEX online sell the reefer, or just the enlisted peacoat? 2) if they only sell the enlisted version directly, how does one go about getting the darn thing converted when the local uni shop has no idea what to do?

 

[navy09]

I was just looking at the NEX site. They sell the Peacoat and the gold buttons seperately.

After that, just sew on the epaulet loops and you've got a Reefer.

 

[Spekkio]

I was just looking at the NEX site. They sell the Peacoat and the gold buttons seperately.

After that, just sew on the epaulet loops and you've got a Reefer.

Well, it's not that simple. For starters, the enlisted peacoat comes with black buttons already sewn on it. My question stemmed from hoping that there was some way to get the reefer without having to chop it up. If it's unavoidable, then it's unavoidable, but I wanted to double check before purchasing.

Secondly, there are no epaulets for sale at the uniform shop here, and I didn't see any available online.

Thirdly, there is no guideline in the uniform regs on where the epaulets go relative to the shoulder/collar.

Now pair this with the fact that I can barely sew as it is and the job would take me a full day to do. Re-attach a button on my khakis? Sure. Reconstruct a $130 coat? Not so much. If there's a way to pay a tailor a few bucks and save myself the headache, I'm all for it.

 

[navy09]

I think you may be 'nukeing' this

I'd assume that any professional seamstress can, at the very least, sew buttons. Cut the black ones off, replace with gold.

I don't know if anyone sells the loops. I assumed they were just spare pieces of fabric. Look at your whites to see right where they need to go.

 

[Spekkio]

I'd assume that any professional seamstress can, at the very least, sew buttons. Cut the black ones off, replace with gold.

Of course, but, like I said, I was wondering if the whole immediately cut buttons off jacket step could be avoided.

Look at your whites to see right where they need to go.

Was more a matter of making sure that they are straight/even.

I think you may be 'nukeing' this.

Probably, but I don't like looking like a bag of ass. Especially when the coat is friggin expensive to begin with.

 

[navy09]

As has been suggested, you could also check a thrift shop. I also saw a few on ebay for about half the price of the NEX.

 

[Flash]

Of course, but, like I said, I was wondering if the whole immediately cut buttons off jacket step could be avoided. Was more a matter of making sure that they are straight/even. Probably, but I don't like looking like a bag of ass. Especially when the coat is friggin expensive to begin with.

Jeez, just wear your leather jacket for crissakes!!

Oh, wait......

 

[ea6bflyr]

By cutting off the buttons, no harm will come to the P-Coat. The epaulets are just pieces of elastic. ANY tailor shop can sew the buttons on and attach the elastic epaulets. That's how I converted mine when I was going through the NROTC. This one is too easy. Don't sweat it.

-ea6bflyr

 

[lmnop]

If there's a way to pay a tailor a few bucks and save myself the headache, I'm all for it.

Just take it to a decent military tailor shop and they should be able to sew on the buttons correctly and tack on some fabric for the epaulet loops. Easy day. I got mine done, and it was a simple process. I've worn it exactly zero times since, but it looks spiffy in the closet.

 

[a_m]

I was issued both and haven't worn either since March of 2005. They are amazingly warm, though.