Questions About the United States Navy Peacoat

[vintagewool]

Does anyone know any details about the USN transition away from the kersey-wool pea coat?

I recently saw a pea coat out in public. There was a man inside it so I questioned him:

-He said it was his father's from USN service in the early 1980s.
-He opened the coat and said there was no quilted lining.
-It looked to me like it had no quilted lining and had only something like a half-length lining of that thin kind of sheet to slip easily.
-It looked black to me (in indoor lighting).
-I did not get any information on the type of wool or weight of wool.

Can anyone explain this combination?

Let me know if I should have posted in a different thread.

Thank you.

PS: I am patiently looking for a good deal on a vintage kersey-wool pea coat, not necessarily USN, the COAT's outside pit-to-pit chest measurement of about 44-46" pending further research about fit, in case anyone is looking to lighten their collection.

 

[Peacoat]

I didn't say the post 1979 coats had a quilted lining. I said they had an insulated lining. This is between the outer shell and the inner lining. It can be felt but not seen.

The Navy and Sterlingwear both say the post 1979 coats are dark blue. They aren't; they are black. with a Melton shell.

So, the post 1979 peacoat you saw in the wild had a black Melton shell with an insulated liner to give it warmth. The Kersey coats didn't need this additional liner. They were plenty warm without.

Good catch.

 

[vintagewool]

I didn't say the post 1979 coats had a quilted lining. I said they had an insulated lining. This is between the outer shell and the inner lining. It can be felt but not seen.

The Navy and Sterlingwear both say the post 1979 coats are dark blue. They aren't; they are black. with a Melton shell.

So, the post 1979 peacoat you saw in the wild had a black Melton shell with an insulated liner to give it warmth. The Kersey coats didn't need this additional liner. They were plenty warm without.

Good catch.

OK, I keep running into partial or misleading descriptions, such as which named details do or don't match the military specificition.

Sterlingwear = "fleece"
Rothco = "Quilted"
Lands' End (not pea coats) = "Quilted Fleece"
Cockpit USA = No mention of any insulated lining; melton not kersey wool; seems to show a full-length slip lining

STERLINGWEAR.COM: The Authentic - Men's

Rothco Naval Heritage Pea Coat

Rothco’s Deluxe Pea Coat features buttons showcasing the classic US Navy Anchor insignia and a warm quilted liner. Rothco carries a massive selection of outerwear, including flight jackets, rainwear, military vests, and more.

www.rothco.com

Quilted Fleece Jackets | Lands' End

Discover the latest collection of quilted fleece jackets at Lands’ End. Stay warm and stylish with our cozy and versatile jackets, perfect for any outdoor adventure or casual outing.

www.landsend.com

Authentic Admiral US Navy Peacoat | Men's Wool Peacoat

Stylize your winter wardrobe with the classic look of the Admiral USN Peacoat. Stay warm, stylish in this authentic US Navy peacoat made from premium wool.

cockpitusa.com

Is there a good photograph or cross-section diagram of the post-1979 USN mil-spec layered construction?

Thank you.

 

[Peacoat]

"OK, I keep running into partial or misleading descriptions, such as which named details do or don't match the military specificition."

Yes, you have identified the problem. These are all civilian copies of the peacoat; they aren't peacoats. The closest is the Sterlingwear as that company had the Navy contract for years. But the pictured coat isn't a peacoat, it is just another civilian copy.

Disregard all you read about these coats as they aren't the real deal.

I don't have a cross section of the coat, but it is straight forward: outer shell, insulated liner, and then next to the body is the inside lining.

 

[vintagewool]

What USN peacoat sizes were made at various times, including any "longs"?

How many inches more than the person's chest size were in the USN peacoat's cut at various times? Someone mentioned that they became less form-fitting but I am looking for hard numbers, such as in TM 10-265 (uploaded PDF available at the link below).

Thank you.

1941 "M1941" "M41" "Parsons" Field Jacket Sizing Guide: Database Comparing Vintage and Reproduction ("Repro") Jackets

Add your pre-shrunk jacket's actual measurements to this thread. The descriptions and repro-sizings of these field jackets are a mess, so this thread is intended as a resource to restore sanity. There are 3 important points about the actual WWII 1941 field jackets, gleaned from the technical...

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