USN Deck Jackets period / repop

[breezer]

Thanks Sloan! And Dan - I think you might be over thinking this - pull the damn trigger already! ( please take this comment in jest, no offence meant - Houston brand is a fine & a cheaper alternative to the more expensive BR's and RM's )

 

[wdw]

I bought a BR N-1 through Rakuten earlier this year. BR do two versions, the cheaper one I think with the grey lining and the dearer one (Demotexed) with brown real alpaca lining, possibly a tougher shell and I believe Talon zips. I got the dearer one and am very happy with it. I've not noticed any shedding from the lining.

Mine came with the small USN stencil, but I rubbed it off with warm water and prefer it that way.

As for Rakuten, I've bought maybe 10 items this year and I think 4 got through customs with no fee.

 

[Sloan1874]

Rakuten's a great little resource for finding stuff that you can't get over in the UK. I keep an eye on it as they hold sales every so often, and you get some great discounts - I got my Mister Freedom jeans for £100, as opposed to the £200+ they go for on the MF website.

 

[breezer]

made in USA alternative:
http://www.endclothing.com/gb/clothing/jackets-and-coats/freemans-sporting-club-deck-jacket-211011-2.html

 

[wdw]

I like the look of the wax finish, but amn't keen on the patch pockets. But that guy needs at least one size up.

If anyone's tempted, End have a 20% voucher valid until midnight uk time tonight.

 

[breezer]

I think that lad models every male garment for End……and they always look too small!

 

[DanielJones]

Thanks Sloan! And Dan - I think you might be over thinking this - pull the damn trigger already! ( please take this comment in jest, no offence meant - Houston brand is a fine & a cheaper alternative to the more expensive BR's and RM's )

Breezer, none taken. If I had the coin in pocket right now, yes, I would be pulling the trigger. But, I am also one to do months of research before I purchase something like this on the old inter-web. Thanks too for showing the End clothing version, but that there is way our of my price range right now & I have a hard time justifying a cost like that. Something to keep in mind though for the future. Do enjoy a good waxed cotton jacket.

WDW - Checking out the History Preservation site they do have two versions. Like you said the grey lining is the less expensive one and the one higher up in the price range is their heavy duty model.

Definitely something to mull over for a couple of days.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Blackadder]

I bought a BR N-1 through Rakuten earlier this year. BR do two versions, the cheaper one I think with the grey lining and the dearer one (Demotexed) with brown real alpaca lining, possibly a tougher shell and I believe Talon zips. I got the dearer one and am very happy with it. I've not noticed any shedding from the lining.

Mine came with the small USN stencil, but I rubbed it off with warm water and prefer it that way.

As for Rakuten, I've bought maybe 10 items this year and I think 4 got through customs with no fee.

Both the grey and the Demotexed versions have real alpaca/wool mix as lining and repro talon zippers. The demotexed lining is softer.

 

[DanielJones]

I've run across one that doesn't have the USN stencil on it. All the same jacket, just sans the stencil. Just may work out. It has the grey liner. If I find one with the brown liner I may have to pull the trigger sooner.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[ButteMT61]

The Pike Bros comes with a stencil kit. I have not yet done mine as I am trying to get the right ink and nerve to do it...I personally like it, but many don't.

 

[davyjones007]

Looks good. Those jackets didn't keep you very warm though. They were not deck jackets per say. Those blue ones were issued to every sailor regardless if you went to sea. The green ones with corduroy color and wool lining were considered foul weather jackets and usually only issued to deck hands. Now days deck jackets issued to BM's are from a company called Mustang. I think they also makes foul weather jackets for the USCG. The crow you have sown on is not correct, I think, for that jacket. Unless the Navy changed it before I joined, it was a generic crow with no rating above the chevrons. Just my $.02

R/ David

Not exactly the deck jackets, but..

Original US Navy 'utility jacket' from the 80s


Earlier type of the utility jacket from the 70s (darker navy color)


Shade comparison


And how I patched up and stenciled one of them

 

[bentusian]

Looks good. Those jackets didn't keep you very warm though. They were not deck jackets per say. Those blue ones were issued to every sailor regardless if you went to see. The green ones with corduroy color and wool lining were considered foul weather jackets and usually only issued to deck hands. Now days deck jackets issued to BM's are from a company called Mustang. I think they also makes foul weather jackets for the USCG. The crow you have sown on is not correct, I think, for that jacket. Unless the Navy changed it before I joined, it was a generic crow with no rating above the chevrons. Just my $.02

R/ David

I guess you mean impermeable A-1 deck jacket.


You are very much right about the Navy regulation on putting only generic crow on utilities, but I've seen some photos of sailors wearing crow with specialty mark on their utilities and all I got was such type..

I recently decided to replace the crow with one of darker background color (this time quartermaster specialty) to match the jacket better.

 

[davyjones007]

I guess you mean impermeable A-1 deck jacket.


You are very much right about the Navy regulation on putting only generic crow on utilities, but I've seen some photos of sailors wearing crow with specialty mark on their utilities and all I got was such type..

I recently decided to replace the crow with one of darker background color (this time quartermaster specialty) to match the jacket better.

That is very similar to our deck jackets except the pockets didn't have a flap. But there are several variations. The dark blue rating badge you have is from our dress blues. Your right though, it is a QM (wheels) badge. Funny thing about all of our uniforms, we never could keep anything in our pockets by regulation.

 

[Mike1973]

Apologies for the poor photos. I'm not entirely sure exactly what this jacket is ... I've posted it up before but years ago. (I've had it nearly 10 years now.)
I was told it was a Navy issue jacket ... an N?? but I've since forgotten.
Navy Contract NxsX96660 on the label. Which I think dates it to 1945.
I've since replaced the knits and zip. The canvas is pretty worn though which is a shame, but it comes out occasionally when the weather is especially cold.



USN Deck Jacket, 1945 by Mike, on Flickr


USN Jacket by Mike, on Flickr


USN Jacket by Mike, on Flickr


USN Jacket by Mike, on Flickr

 

[Peacoat]

That jacket is the predecessor to the N-1 deck jacket. The N-1 retained the collar but eliminated the knitted waist band and the external knits at the wrists. They were re-designed to fit inside the sleeves, much like the Aero Highwayman. Current issue deck jackets, A-2 (permeable) and A-1 (impermeable) retain this feature. The knitted waistband was replaced by a drawstring, which is not used on the current issue A-1 or A-2. Buckle side adjusters are used on the A-1 (similar to that used by Aero) and a single buckle adjuster at the rear is used on the A-2.* Your jacket was phased out and replaced by the N-1 prior to the end of the war. I believe I remember that a contract number of NXss indicates a jacket that was produced prior to 1944. The next label was NXsx.

With the coming of the N-1, the color changed to khaki. The A-2 and the A-1 have gone back to the olive drab (green).

Sorry but I don't know the nomenclature of your jacket. I am surprised it isn't on the tag at the collar. May be on a tag hidden in one of the pockets?

*Correction: Both the A-1 and the A-2 have side adjusters. Don't know why I said that. Just took my A-2 off and noticed the adjusters are on the side and not at the rear. I must have another jacket with the adjuster at the rear.

 

[Mike1973]

Thanks Peacoat. So would this be an evolution of the blue tanker style deck jackets?

 

[Peacoat]

Yes, I believe the blue zip up tanker style deck jacket was the predecessor to the jacket you have.

 

[thor]

Just to add my two cents about current-issue Navy shipboard deck jackets (I just retired from the Navy after 26 years): the top one is a flame-resistant Aramid cloth jacket (very warm and comfortable) that I wore the last 3 years that I worked on deck aboard Navy cargo/supply ships. The bottom photo shows the Mustang brand floatation/survival jacket that lots of the boat crews wear (the Coast Guard also wear them but in an orange and black color). Often the ship's name and/or hull number is stenciled across the back in reflective material.
Both these jackets are commercially available for civilian use.

 

[Peacoat]

Thor, thanks for posting pics of the Navy's current issue deck jackets. When I used that term in the above post, my definition of "current" was back in the 60s and 70s. I was only 40 years behind the times! That was when the A-1 and the A-2 were the current issue deck jackets Looks as though things have changed a bit since then, although my A-1 (impermeable) and my A-2 (permeable) are still giving good service. In fact I wore the A-1 in the snow today. High temp of 25 (wind chill in single digits) and snow, but I was warm and dry. The Navy has always had good stuff.

 

[Dr H]

Here are some images of a post war ('50s with a Scovill zip?) Excalibur deck jacket. This civilian copy of an N-1 was produced by Spiewak. Picked it up in a good price and excellent condition from EBay, having sold on a Buzz Rickson N-1 that was a little small for me.
The quality of manufacture is very high and the weight of Jungle cloth is great.
This one is really comfortable, needed no alterations, and is getting lots of wear at the moment.