Who makes the BEST repro M442/ G-1?

[ButteMT61]

Well, this is a piece of good first-hand information. Does G&B produce its jackets in the USA?

San Diego, CA. SEARCH YouTube. They have videos there.

 

[Aerojoe]

San Diego, CA. SEARCH YouTube. They have videos there.

Great! I'll probably give them a try.

 

[ButteMT61]

Never heard anything bad about them. Only concern was the shape. They appear to be the real deal, and I've read over and over, great people.

 

[Fanch]

Fanch, if I'm down there, I'd definitely stop by. Not in the market as it stands...As for me, 1.5 years ago I'd have needed that extra room, but no more. I'm 48x36 and 6'-4", 220. I was a 50x40 and 255lbs. Much easier now to get clothing again. I haven't shrunk yet, but no doubt that's coming one day lol

ButteMT61, you don't need to be in the market to pay a visit to G&B. I definitely wasn't when I visited but still walked out with two jackets, and almost three. Hopefully, you have more sales resistance than I do. If nothing else, you can answer your question regarding how G&B fit. It was fascinating to go through their factory. Keep in mind that G&B sell a significant number of their jackets to military and police.

 

[ButteMT61]

ButteMT61, you don't need to be in the market to pay a visit to G&B. I definitely wasn't when I visited but still walked out with two jackets, and almost three. Hopefully, you have more sales resistance than I do. If nothing else, you can answer your question regarding how G&B fit. It was fascinating to go through their factory. Keep in mind that G&B sell a significant number of their jackets to military and police.

You're joking, right? I'm like a 12-step guy In a BevMo. I walk in, I ain't coming out empty. Well, except maybe the passenger seat of my car where my wife used to be lol

 

[pauleway]

Hi Pauleway,
Do you have one of these? I have considered one of these before. I would love to see some pics and fit advice.

I do own one. They are very nice jackets. Soft, slightly aged goatskin with the smaller sized light brown mouton collar which I prefer over the large fur collars. I would order a size up on your normal size unless you only wear a T-shirt under it. Sorry - I do not have any pics to post.

 

[Fanch]

You're joking, right? I'm like a 12-step guy In a BevMo. I walk in, I ain't coming out empty. Well, except maybe the passenger seat of my car where my wife used to be lol

If not for my wife, I would be like the old lady with 89 cats, except in my case, 89 jackets and other assorted stuff that I could do without. My other collection is Alden shoes, although that is another story ...

 

[ButteMT61]

If not for my wife, I would be like the old lady with 89 cats, except in my case, 89 jackets and other assorted stuff that I could do without. My other collection is Alden shoes, although that is another story ...

As we've discussed, watches, shoes, boots and other things have dominated at times too. I tend to spend more than I make lately. Hence, I'm broke lol

 

[Fanch]

As we've discussed, watches, shoes, boots and other things have dominated at times too. I tend to spend more than I make lately. Hence, I'm broke lol

That will change when your last child leaves the nest. Hence, the old saying: "Life begins when all the kids leave home and the dog dies!"

 

[Jaguar66]

I agree with Coffee. The vintage G-1s are readily available, and while not cheap, certainly can be had for a few hundred $$. Normally anything before about 1969 will have the thicker goat with the real mouton collar. I don't remember the exact series, but think the ones to get are the B, C and perhaps the D series. My oldest G-1 is a 1962 Irvin B. Foster in the B series. A relatively rare G-1.

There are some real G-1 experts on here; perhaps they will chime in as to which was the last of the really good series. There are also various G-1 threads over the years you might find interesting.

This site is good reference site for original G1's

http://moorecustom.com/jackets/Moore_Jackets_navy.htm

 

[Brettafett]

So, G&B M442A, anyone has any pics? They do look nice and for roughly the same price as a Cockpit Vintage G-1 (which, and I may be wrong, tend to run a little short in the body, long in the arms?), seems a good bet. Look forward to a Bill Kelso review.
I am keeping my eye on the 'Bay, but for all the cited reasons above, I am a little reluctant. Perhaps one day I will find the right one...

 

[kojax]

i have the cockpit g1 vintage i like the jacket very much it fits well. the goatskin is very nice, the jacket is very nice to wear

 

[Peacoat]

Jaguar66: Great link, thanks.

 

[tonypaj]

I have a 55J14 from early 50's. It is as good as I can imagine. I do not know if anyone was killed in it. Then again, I'm a bit of 6 feet under stuff, my grandfather was an undertaker, so dead or alive makes little difference. And I used to dig graves, as well, but that had nothing to do with him, just part of my job when I was trying to make a few bucks being at university. The other job was was at a liquor store. Both funny...

I'd go for the original, they can be had for less money than the repros, and even with a little work, they end up being more than somewhat nice.

 

[aswatland]

There are still plenty of decent, wearable G-1s out there to be bought. They still fetch in most cases less than a high end repro. As far as originals being in poor condition there are still 100% complete examples around. I have a near mint G&F M422A which is eminently wearable and cost me much less from a fellow collector than a GW naval jacket.

 

[ButteMT61]

The Cockpit (Avirex) made nice coats, no doubt. I've had a couple. They just fall short in the old "accuracy" topic. So, if that don't matter, they are a jacket that should last for decades. My son has an '82 (I think) G-1 and it's really great. Nothing wrong with their quality.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I've had a G&B Historical M-422A for seven(?) years. It's an excellent jacket and has held up to frequent wear (and rain) with hardly any change in appearance. It's quite tough and well-made, and I'll take the wool knits on G&B's Historical line over the "texturized nylon" knits in their standard line any day. (I also have one of their Civil A-2s, which is even older and has held up equally well - the only thing I don't like on it are the ratty looking knits, which seem to have been designed to quickly fuzz out and look well-used... even though the individual threads are so tough that they nearly can't be cut.)

Really, my only complaint with these jackets are my own sizing issues - on any off-the-rack jacket I buy, in order to get a big enough gut/waist, the sleeves/shoulders are always too long/loose. (I finally just got a custom-sized Good Wear A-2... at last, no tunneling on the wrist knits!)

This is what it looked like new. Aside from some coarsening of the collar fur (after getting wet numerous times) and some wrinkling at stress points, it looks virtually the same now (no, the leather finish hasn't begun to fade anywhere):

 

[Brettafett]

Thanks for the pic, looks like a nice jacket.

 

[hpalapdog]

The new BK W&G M422 is an awesome jacket and is up there with GW at the top of the list IMO. My BK W&G will be arrving in August and I'll post a review here.
http://www.billkelsomfg.com/site/#!willisgeiger

Looking forward to it.

For most in the UK GW USN jackets must seem insanely expensive once import duty has been added.
As a rough guide, can anyone say how much in percentage terms this adds to the price ?

 

[bburtner@moran]

Agree get an original.