Abbots v Brooks Brothers

[gotta_fly]

Another question regarding Abbots... does anyone have a bridge coat? Are they worth purchasing? Is Abbots worth the extra 150 bucks over the NEX?

I have a bridge coat that I got on ebay a couple of years ago, which saved me a ton of dough. Unless you're going to be someplace cold, I wouldn't bother with it. Wearing it as a raincoat is also not always a good thing- if it gets too wet the wool stiffens in weird places when it dries. It also reeks after that, and costs ~$20 to get dry cleaned.

 

[A4sForever]

Another question regarding Abbots... does anyone have a bridge coat? Are they worth purchasing? ...

I had one -- only wore it as a MIDN. It's STILL hangin' in my closet. Don't ask me why. It was a sharp looking coat, but had very little Fleet squadron application or utility. You'd have to look hard to find a place to wear it. Save your money.

If memory serves ... some guys had theirs cut down into a "reefer coat" (?) but I guess the only question would be: WHY???

 

[phrogpilot73]

Do you know anything about this company?
http://www.militarysabers.com/navy-premium-sword.html

I purchased PSW that very sword, and I can tell you that it is very well made, and all of the details that they show in comparison to a standard sword are indeed noticeable. As a nod to our mil-mil relationship, we cut the cake with her sword even though I was the one in uniform. And since I'm still just working on being a reservist, I'm the one that got the butt-slap. Not your average wedding.

Behold! The U.S. Navy Officer's Sword, model 1852, still in use today, some 156 years later . . . albeit not with an edge . . . and the Marines say we don't have tradition. :icon_tong

The Mameluke sword was presented to Lt Presley O'Bannon by Prince Hamet of Tripoli in 1805, and was adopted for wear by Marine Officers by Archibald Henderson in 1825. It is considered the oldest weapon in the U.S. Military Arsenal. We've got you beat by 27 years. HA!

 

[schwarti]

I had one -- only wore it as a MIDN. It's STILL hangin' in my closet. Don't ask me why. It was a sharp looking coat, but had very little Fleet squadron application or utility. You'd have to look hard to find a place to wear it. Save your money.

If memory serves ... some guys had theirs cut down into a "reefer coat" (?) but I guess the only question would be: WHY???

I think that the Reefer is what you call the Peacoat when you put on the gold buttons and the shoulderboard tabs. (I guess that would give you the same thing, but without having to cut down your bridgecoat.) It's in the uniform regs under [FONT=&quot]Reefer (Officers/CPOs)[/FONT] Article 3501.42 http://buperscd.technology.navy.mil/bup_updt/508/unireg/chapter3/3500_seriesArticles/3501_42.htm

 

[whalepelt]

I think that the Reefer is what you call the Peacoat when you put on the gold buttons and the shoulderboard tabs. (I guess that would give you the same thing, but without having to cut down your bridgecoat.) It's in the uniform regs under [FONT=&quot]Reefer (Officers/CPOs)[/FONT] Article 3501.42 http://buperscd.technology.navy.mil/bup_updt/508/unireg/chapter3/3500_seriesArticles/3501_42.htm

My ROTC CO (a SWO) is saying that we're supposed to have both a Reefer and a Bridgecoat when we commission. With the whole aviation pipeline on the Gulf coast that seems a little ... unnecessary.

Is it necessary to fork over for either right away, or should I hold off?

 

[A4sForever]

My ROTC CO (a SWO) is saying that we're supposed to have both a Reefer and a Bridgecoat when we commission.....Is it necessary to fork over for either right away, or should I hold off?

What is it?? Don't you guys listen??? Just 'cause I'm an ol' man, do you believe that reality has changed??

Your NROTC CO, while an Officer & a Gentleman, doesn't know what he's talking about in this instance. Maybe it's just Black-Shoe world; maybe he's just super, super "old school". Perhaps he's going to give you all a sea bag inspection prior to putting the butter-bars on you. In any case:

YOU WILL NEVER NEED A BRIDGE COAT NOR A REEFER COAT AS A NAVAL AVIATOR.

Unless you "look" for a reason to wear one. The operative word(s) being ..."need" and "look".

 

[phrogpilot73]

YOU WILL NEVER NEED A BRIDGE COAT NOR A REEFER COAT AS A NAVAL AVIATOR.

Unless you "look" for a reason to wear one. The operative word(s) being ..."need" and "look".

Truth be told, those two pieces of gear are the only thing I miss from my Academy days. Damn, they're warm.

 

[A4sForever]

Truth be told, those two pieces of gear are the only thing I miss....

Me too ... mebbe THAT'S why I've still got mine hanging in the closet ... ???

'Course then ... there's the Service Dress Khaki's, the Aviation Greens, the Trop Khaki's, Trop Whites, Service Dress Blues, the old baggy, super-lightweight green flight suits .... *pant* pant* .... and don't even get me started on the leather and nylon flight jackets. Or the brown shoes ... or ... or ....

 

[Old R.O.]

When we walked on board Ranger at NAS Alameda for a winter mini-cruise (what we used to call the workups before cruise before they gave them an acronym), our AI was wearing his Reefer (Peacoat with gold buttons). To a man, everyone in our San Diego-based squadron said: "What the hell is that????" It's the first time any of us had seen such a thing. He'd picked it up at Lowery AFB in Denver during his AI training. Worked for him... but a little too blackshoe for the rest of us.

 

[zab1001]

YOU WILL NEVER NEED A BRIDGE COAT NOR A REEFER COAT AS A NAVAL AVIATOR.

Unless you "look" for a reason to wear one. The operative word(s) being ..."need" and "look".

(I guess you can count accepting odd orders as "looking" for a reason)

I'll caveat the following with this: buying a bridge coat as an O-1 is a waste of money. If you have to pick one up, you should be able to find one at a base thriftstore or on ebay.

That said, while my career has been anything but typical, I have in fact needed a bridge coat on multiple occasions. Never say never, strange things happen.

 

[Pags]

My ROTC CO (a SWO) is saying that we're supposed to have both a Reefer and a Bridgecoat when we commission. With the whole aviation pipeline on the Gulf coast that seems a little ... unnecessary.

Is it necessary to fork over for either right away, or should I hold off?

I got a hand-me-down reefer in NROTC. I used to wear it in NROTC instead of the Ike jacket, which I think is dumb looking. Since school, the only time I've ever used it was when I was in SDBs for a winter wedding up in NH. Makes a nice overcoat. I could have just as easily used a bridge coat in that setting (I think). But that's the only chance I've ever had to use it in 5+ years.

Day to day, the my various flight jackets gets a lot more use. We hardly ever wear SDBs, and when we do, it never fails that it's 70+ deg outside. There's just not a lot of times when you're in SDBs and outside in the cold (i don't stand on bridge wings, and if I was going to, it wouldn't be in a wool coat).

 

[MasterBates]

As an Aviator, this is what you need for coats:

SDB & Choker coats (duh)
Green summer flight jacket
Leather flight jacket.

Nice to have
Aviation Green jacket
Green winter flight jacket
Tan summer flight jacket

That's about it.

 

[Scoob]

Another question regarding Abbots... does anyone have a bridge coat? Are they worth purchasing? Is Abbots worth the extra 150 bucks over the NEX?

If putting wings on your car or sporting the leather jacket to Trader John's (yes, I know...) doesn't quite tempt the Naval Aviation Gods enough for you, then by all means, PLEASE go get yourself a bridge coat. I'm sure your API instructors will be more than happy to help you realize your dreams of being a shoe; then you can wear the sweater, Ike jacket and khaki combo cover to your heart's content.



For God sake, man. Help me help you.

 

[DanMa1156]

Truth be told, those two pieces of gear are the only thing I miss from my Academy days. Damn, they're warm.

Love my reefer and the warmth is provides on the windy Annapolis days. O-Coat, on the other hand... starting with '09 they started issuing these crappy looking and much cheaper Gore-Tex issue jackets which serve as both a Raincoat and and O-Coat/Bridgecoat... it's pretty ugly.

 

[nittany03]

Love my reefer and the warmth is provides on the windy Annapolis days. O-Coat, on the other hand... starting with '09 they started issuing these crappy looking and much cheaper Gore-Tex issue jackets which serve as both a Raincoat and and O-Coat/Bridgecoat... it's pretty ugly.

I wonder if this is another brainchild of TFU . . .