Which would you choose?

[persnick]

Hi guys,

I am trying to figure out a few things about two officer style coats that Im considering and would love some outside advice. One is the Crombie greatcoat and the other is a Fidelity Naval Bridge Coat.

A kind fellow poster, Sloan, has gone to great lengths explaining how warm and durable his Crombie is, so I know the greatcoat is good quality. However, the Bridge Coat is 32 ounce melton wool (75% wool the rest nylon...). Does anyone know a thing or two about the wool for the Bridge Coat? Is it comparable and durable? The Crombie is more luxurious being 90% wool and 10% cashmere. Does this make a obvious difference in the look of the coats?

The prices are also very different, and the Bridge coat is easier to purchase. I think the Bridge coat will cost me something like $200 whereas the Crombie will cost me around $1000. So there is a big price difference, and my main question is how far apart are these coats in quality?

My initial thought would be that the Crombie is more elegant and formal in appearance and as expected is a little more luxurious but not enough to warrant a huge price difference. Do you guys think I am wrong in thinking so? Also, which coat do you guys prefer?

 

[persnick]

Here is a nice looking fellow wearing the Crombie greatcoat...just so you get a better comparison between the two coats.

 

[thor]

Here is a nice looking fellow wearing the Crombie greatcoat...just so you get a better comparison between the two coats.

The bridge coat is made for Officers and Chief Petty Officers of the US Navy. It's warm and stylish and quite durable (the design dates back to the 1940's I believe). It also has a bit more flair and panache!
I'd get the Navy bridge coat.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I have come close to ordering a Fidelity Bridge Coat more than once. I almost got one just last week, but found a great after-Xmas deal on a topcoat at my local Macy's (a nice single-breasted, charcoal London Fog - $99!) that satisfied my long wool coat craving!

I got my daughter a Fidelity pea coat a few years ago, and I thought the quality was excellent - pretty comparable to my own Sterlingwear, and the Schott pea coats I've handled.

The best prices I've found are at the Barre Army-Navy store (whom I've bought lots of stuff from in the last decade): http://www.vtarmynavy.com/bridge_coats.htm

The only other suggestion I would offer is that since pea coats (and their brother bridge coats) are NOT generously sized like overcoats, you should pay VERY close attention to Fidelity's size chart for the bridge coat when determining your size:

https://www.fidelitysportswear.biz/EZ/EZSizeComp.aspx

 

[Foster]

I do not think you will notice much visual difference, but the feel of the fabric will be different. Cashmere is quite pleasant, in my opinion!

As for the wool/nylon blend on the other, if you are likely to be wearing this frequently in wet rainy conditions, that one with the nylon will dry faster. The nylon is also likely to cause pilling (the little fuzz balls that don't come off without using a fabric shaver or by picking them off by hand) on the fabric surface on any areas that frequently have abrasion (under the arms and inside the cuffs).

 

[persnick]

I did not know the nylon content means piling..This is always the case?

And what about coats that use polyester vs nylon? Is nylon considered a better choice?

Generally, what is a good ratio of wool and other stuffs in a coat?

I don't think I'd ever know this stuff without a good resource like Fedora Lounge--thank you guys!

 

[Peacoat]

My bridgecoat is official Navy, and it is a warm coat. The material isn't as heavy as the peacoat, but the coat is longer--over the knees--and traps more body heat with the added length. The Navy version has a zip in liner which makes them even warmer. Unfortunately, my zip in liner is now zipped out and has departed the ship.

For a warm winter coat, I like 100% wool. The more nylon, the less warm the coat will be. But it may not be noticeable unless one is in a cold climate.

 

[Foster]

Polyester and nylon both are prone to pilling. Another factor is the length and cross section of the fibers themselves, but as a general rule those fibers have enough tensile strength to not break as quickly as the wool fibers and this is one of the causes of the pilling. In some cases the synthetic fibers are the core of the yarn, with the wool wrapped around it. Some will say the synthetic is "sealed" inside the other fibers, but when the fabric is then napped to felt the surface, it is usually done with barbed needles which punch and perforate the fabric, and the will bring some of the synthetic to the surface.
Personally, I like 100% wool but this is not always possible. Wool and cotton blend is a better option than the synthetic. If it must have synthetic fiber I would hesitate to go beyond 10% but many places these days make it only 85% wool and 15% synthetic.

 

[dmdmorris]

Can't speak about the materials. But, from a purely aesthetic point of view, I like the the look of the Bridge coat better.

Aside from the material (which is warmer) I really think it comes down to a style question. When and where will you be wearing it? If for business, I would probably lean more towards the Great Coat, if not, as I said, I like the look of the Bridge Coat better.

Just my opinion.

Good luck and let us know what you do.

Dave

 

[Tkecks]

I have a few greatcoats, including a US Navy issue 46L bridge coat and a 44L pea coat (both current issue I think). I got the bridgecoat in a slightly larger size for some layering.

The peacoat is heavier wool than the bridgecoat, but I think the bridgecoat is a bit more elegant. Most of my greatcoats have a buttoned back belt, but the bridge coat lacks one. I prefer it without the belt. I do not know if your bridgecoat of choice has one, but the crombie greatcoat has a back belt IIRC. My bridgecoat also has black buttons (like you see on the pea coat), which I prefer to the flashy gold types.

I like both your choices.. but would probably go for the crombie if I had the money.

be sure to check Ebay listings as there are a lot of military-issue bridge coats on there, many of them brand new and at good prices. At the least you get to see more styles for comparison.

 

[persnick]

Polyester and nylon both are prone to pilling. Another factor is the length and cross section of the fibers themselves, but as a general rule those fibers have enough tensile strength to not break as quickly as the wool fibers and this is one of the causes of the pilling. In some cases the synthetic fibers are the core of the yarn, with the wool wrapped around it. Some will say the synthetic is "sealed" inside the other fibers, but when the fabric is then napped to felt the surface, it is usually done with barbed needles which punch and perforate the fabric, and the will bring some of the synthetic to the surface.
Personally, I like 100% wool but this is not always possible. Wool and cotton blend is a better option than the synthetic. If it must have synthetic fiber I would hesitate to go beyond 10% but many places these days make it only 85% wool and 15% synthetic.

Thanks to Dave and Tkecks, great advice. I will try to come to a decision soon!

Foster your post is very impressive, I have none of the knowledge of fabric that you have. Where does one learn this, have you read about it?
I am very confused about the issue of fabric, and I see even the sterlingwear peacoats have high degree of nylon content, around 20%. Thus, are the sterlingwear peacoats not very good? I have the cash to buy the Crombie, but my issue is that I don't like spending unnecessarily for the luxury of cashmere or a name. I do not care about cashmere or looking expensive, but rather I care about durability and value.

I can't quite figure out if the 90% wool, 10% cashmere blend of the Crombie is worth $1000. Is the 90% wool five times better than the 32 ounce 75% melton wool? Or is it marginally better and am I paying mostly for the Crombie name and duties? Also, I can just change the buttons of the bridge coat if I don't like the gold--how much different are the two coats really?

I am planning on buying an Aero parka as well, so if I save on the Crombie it would be nice--but, ultimately, I want something that I will have for a long time and enjoy, and if that costs me more so be it.

 

[Foster]

I learned the foundations of this growing up as a child and grandchild of a family that worked in textile mills, and then officially got a college degree in textiles. After that its just been work experience and reading up on industry developments.

My favorite professor had a saying, that every man made fiber tries to copy wool in some fashion. I also believe this to be true. Wool is a remarkable fiber (for those not allergic to it) with exemplary thermal properties which is a discussion in and of itself. But making quality wool is expensive, as there are many things which must be done to the fibers to prepare them into yarns and then woven into fabric. Comparatively, the uniformity of man made fibers allows a cost reduction of sorts, combined with some attributes the synthetics offer (like faster drying out, or ease of cleaning).

Is the one worth five times as much? Good question. It is difficult to say without the benefit of feeling the finished fabric, that makes a difference much of the time but not to everyone. But you are probably paying mostly for the name. Wool has a reputation for being scratchy but cashmere is known for being a bit softer than the 'usual' wool. Synthetic fibers can (but don't always) degrade with UV exposure and differing humidity, but when the garment is stored in a closet at consistent temperature this isn't really much if a problem. Wool of any percentage is subject to moth damage, so I recommend a cedar lined closet if practical (smells better than moth balls, just sandpaper the surface every year to bring out the natural scent again). When taken care of, wool is very long-lasting. Wool with synthetic fiber content is a little more likely to allow you to experience the charges of static electricity in my experience, but at this point I am talking about minor differences. If you do get the one which contains nylon, just be prepared for some pill balls to emerge, and know they are easily removed with a fabric shaver. It may not be necessary but it is much more likely to happen in time.

 

[persnick]

I have a single breasted cashmere overcoat--it is thin and very smooth..I also have a single breasted wool coat with some nylon content, it is thicker.
They don't look dramatically different, and I haven't seen piling on the nylon one.

Also, I have heard many good things about the sterlingwear coats..they hv nylon and I havent heard any complaints about piling from owners. So I am quite confused about what is better quality and what is really worth it.

The only difference I take away from this is that the cheaper Bridge coat may pile, and I suspect might be thinner than the Crombie. Is that worth $800-900, I can't say. How then do you gauge what is worth it? By touch, and what does the touch tell you?

The way you framed the man-made vs natural debate leaves no illusion as to which you prefer, but I really do not find solid reason to prefer one over the other after reading your post. I am sure you are just writing for a novice like myself...this textile business is tricky stuff.

 

[persnick]

Also, does anyone about what this dashing fellow is wearing??

 

[Foster]

If you have feedback from people who own the same coat which contains the nylon, and they have no issue with pilling, then I would not worry at all. I was speaking in general terms, about possibilities and what I would expect but having information on specific garments is what matters more to the discussion. Two varying fabrics can have the same marked fiber content of synthetic, but the way it is incorporated into the finished fabric can be different, but I tend to assume the worst but then hope for things to be better in reality. This is somewhat on my mind as I am to the point of discarding a sweater which I really like, due to pilling from the synthetic fibers in it. So perhaps that experience of mine is clouding my thoughts here.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I haven't seen any pilling on my 32oz, 80 wool/20 nylon Sterlingwear pea coat after over five years of wear. And I never saw any on my daughter's Fidelity pea coat (22oz, 75 wool/25 nylon) either.

I would advise getting the bridge coat and seeing how you like it - for a mere $150, I supect you'll be happy. And face it: it probably won't be your last long wool coat. You can always get another, nicer/more expensive one later. (I've been buying about one jacket/coat a year since I caught the flight jacket bug in 2001!)

 

[Peacoat]

Dr. Strange gives excellent advice.

 

[persnick]

I do appreciate Dr. Strange's advice...and I agree with him.

Now, the question which Navy Bridge Coat is the best choice? I have heard things about Abbott's military tailors...does anyone know whether I should just get the fidelity or contact Abbott's?

 

[Peacoat]

Call Abbotts first. They may be more expensive than you want to pay, but need to check them out first. Ebay often has the bridgecoats at reasonable prices. I would try for a US Navy bridge coat. They won't be "issue" coats, as officers have to buy their own uniforms, but they will be "official." Good luck in the hunt.

 

[persnick]

You are most helpful...God bless you.

Anyways, just to make sure--we are talking about these guys, right?

http://www.abbottuniforms.com/Abbott-Uniforms-welcome.cfm