ATF HBT Trousers Question

[1961MJS]

Hi

I own two pair of At The Front's Herringbone Twill 1st Pattern HBT Trousers and wear them regularly. The size 36 pants are 11.5 inches wide at the bottom. My regular khaki pants from Cabelas are only 9 inches wide at the bottom.

Does anyone own ATF's Khaki pants? I'd like opinion's on how good they are. So far everything I've purchased from ATF has been well made. I also own the 1st pattern jacket.

Thanks

 

[MPicciotto]

Are you asking about the size of the legs at the bottom on the khaki's? I would imagine closer to the Cabelas and further from the HBT's. As HBT's were originally meant to be worn OVER your uniform they would have been cut generously.

Matt

 

[1961MJS]

Are you asking about the size of the legs at the bottom on the khaki's? I would imagine closer to the Cabelas and further from the HBT's. As HBT's were originally meant to be worn OVER your uniform they would have been cut generously.

Matt

Thanks, in general I wanted to know quality too. I have a bunch of WPG stuff too, and it's all been great EXCEPT the khaki pants. The belt loop frayed, which I've never seen before. I'd worn them 3-4 times by then too.

The HBT's ARE really baggy pants.

Thanks

 

[filfoster]

At the Front

Just my two cent plug for Rollin and his company. I have many items from him, including a full set of USMC HBT utilities, and everything is first class. I can't speak directly to your khaki's question but his field and tanker jackets, and the HBT utilities have received raves from some very discriminating folks. (A dealer friend of mine who contributed help with the USMC museum gave At the Front utilities high marks). The stuff is well researched and made, in most cases, using originals as patterns and his dyes are spot on. Enjoy his pages on 'khaki' and 'field gray'.

Some complain of his 'attitude' but reading his 'rants' (on the 'new' page on the site), he has well earned his opinions. This is a very, very fine, if opinionated, vendor.

 

[Baggers]

I bought two pair when they first came out and love them. After hemming, the bottoms measure about 9 3/4 inches (36 inch waist with a 31 inch inseam). They've been washed three or four times so far in cold water with a drip dry and I have not seen any shrinkage in either the waistband or inseam length. A good ironing with lots of spray starch and they look great.

I've also got two of the officer's shirts and they are equally as nice. The pattern is perfect. Nicely fitted in the shoulders with hardly any overhang of the shoulder seams and the collar lays properly with a nice curve to the lower edge as it sweeps around the back of the neck. WPG's shirts were always way too baggy in the shoulders for me.

The only faults I've experienced so far are a couple of buttons coming loose, but that's all.

Cheers!

 

[1961MJS]

Thanks Baggers, I'll have to order a couple pair. I'd like to get the shirts too, but I'm 17.5 x 35, which is exactly halfway between his sizes. I'll have to go try on a 17 x 35 at the mall to see what I can buy. 17.5 isn't too tight.

Later

 

[Zemke Fan]

Restored as a separate thread...

Fred H.

 

[1961MJS]

I bought two pair when they first came out and love them. After hemming, the bottoms measure about 9 3/4 inches (36 inch waist with a 31 inch inseam). They've been washed three or four times so far in cold water with a drip dry and I have not seen any shrinkage in either the waistband or inseam length. A good ironing with lots of spray starch and they look great.
...
Cheers!

Hi Baggers

I have the two pair of khaki's in the car, and am wearing my roughouts to day to go get the pants hemmed. The HBTs still hit the top of the shoes, but seem / feel high water. Do you have your pants hemmed with a "break" or straight across? I'm thinking I'd like the extra material.

Later

 

[Baggers]

Sorry, I just saw your reply. Things must have gotten scrambled when they merged this thread with another about their herringbone twill fatigue trousers and then tried to separate them.

Anyway, it's probably too late to be of any help, but I had mine hemmed straight across without a break, as per the military fashion of the time. These haven't shrunk at all in length, and still hang correctly even when I don't press them. Yes, they look short when compared to the way everyone else wears their trousers these days, but I don't care. I dress to satisfy myself, not the rest of the world. On the other hand, if that seems too short to you and you're not going to be using them for reenacting or any other sort of "retro" purpose, feel free to hem them the way you want.

And just to keep on topic according to the new thread title, I never bothered hemming my HBTs. I just roll the bottoms a couple of times so I don't drag the ground with them and go on my merry way.

Cheers!

 

[1961MJS]

Sorry, I just saw your reply. Things must have gotten scrambled when they merged this thread with another about their herringbone twill fatigue trousers and then tried to separate them.

Anyway, it's probably too late to be of any help, but I had mine hemmed straight across without a break, as per the military fashion of the time. These haven't shrunk at all in length, and still hang correctly even when I don't press them. Yes, they look short when compared to the way everyone else wears their trousers these days, but I don't care. I dress to satisfy myself, not the rest of the world. On the other hand, if that seems too short to you and you're not going to be using them for reenacting or any other sort of "retro" purpose, feel free to hem them the way you want.

And just to keep on topic according to the new thread title, I never bothered hemming my HBTs. I just roll the bottoms a couple of times so I don't drag the ground with them and go on my merry way.

Cheers!

Thanks Baggers. Based on my HBT's I just washed both pair of Khaki's, will iron them and take them to be hemmed probably Wednesday after work. I'll also probably order a third pair of the HBT's and not have then cut either. I was surprised that the HBT's shrunk at all.

Thanks again

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I just washed the Khaki's again, and they're noticeably shorter. They were washed in cold water and hung in the basement to dry. I think I'm going to wash them again tonight and possibly even dry them for say 10 minutes. The were originally hitting at my insole and they're closer to the heel now. I JUST CAN'T bring myself to have them hemmed. I really hate :rage: the high water look.

Later

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I washed and fully dried my ATF Khaki's, not they fit. I washed them again in cold water, and hung them out to dry. I hope that they're still the same length.

later

 

[priestyboy]

Always found ATF to be top notch.

 

[1961MJS]

HI

ATF Khaki's are now roughly 34.5 inches long and the waist still fits. I haven't had time to shrink the fatigues yet. I hope I don't have to make them into shorts. ATF apparently isn't going to make more, and I can't see $90.00 for WWII Impressions version.

later

 

[Trotsky]

I like mine, but I ordered a 42 and even after shrinking, they are just too damn big for me. They're even hemmed to a 29".

Anybody want a slightly used pair of ATF HTBs?

On that note the Marine ones I bought from them are fantastic.