Scarves from flightstore.co.uk

[Grinder]

Hi Guys and Gals,

Has anyone had any dealings with flightstore.co.uk? In particular had anyone ordered this http://www.flightstore.co.uk/aviators-silk-white-flying-scarf.asp

I have :eusa_doh: and I'm not happy . The copy described it as:

"This is the classic white aviator scarf. It is a 100% silk fabric that has been folded so it is made of two layers. This is excellent quality silk. with a no fringe finish
Essential for any antique aircraft or open cockpit pilot's wardrobe. It is long enough to flow and wave correctly in the slipstream and it is practical, too as it can be worn under a flight jacket or shirt. "

What I received looks just like the picture except it is single ply.

I wrote them to say I order what I thought was a double layer and received a single layer and could they explain.

The response:

"Hi Sir If you are not happy please feel free to retunr for a full refund, enclose a copy of your sales receipt and this email

Kind Regards"

Hmm :rage:


What I expected was something alone the lines of " we're sorry, we made a mistake on the copy. You are free to request a refund" or "as it is single ply and this is our mistake we can offer a 50% refund if you wish to keep it or a full refund if you return it"... or anything along those lines.

To date the website still describes the scarf as folded double.

I intent to keep the scarf as a) single ply is fine for the summer and b) to remind me not to order from flightstore again.

So I am still looking for a decent double layer, fringe free white or ivory scarf.

Anyone any thoughts on this baby? http://www.fashionscarvesandshawls.com/silkaviatorclassic.html

The copy on the website looks remarkably similar:

"This is the classic white aviator scarf. It is a 100% silk fabric that has been folded so it is made of two layers. This is excellent quality silk. Not cardboard feeling like some sold for more money. Masculine looking for men to wear, generic enough for women to wear. No fringe."

Or the extra long 72" ?

Thankfully their shipping charges to Ireland are reasonable but I don't want to spend an evening stitching theirs to the other one to make a double layer


Apologies if off-topic or in the wrong place.

G

 

[havocpaul]

Maybe no help but I wear a Tootal scarf, 100% pure silk and worn extensively by RAF pilots during WW2 as seen in many photos including Bader....

http://www.atomretro.com/category.cfm?start=1&category_id=207&man_id=0&order=product_id desc

 

[Creeping Past]

Bad luck. They sound like an untogether outfit. Hopefully this review of their product will alert them to some changes in description that need to be made. Items not as described are effectively missold.

fftopic:

I was wondering if, in your search, you turned up any useful links to heavy knit silk scarves...

 

[Edward]

Try these:

http://www.silvermans.co.uk/Product...cription/SILK+SCARF/ItemId/13257/Default.aspx

From Silvermans.co.uk

I ordered two a while back, GBP9.99 eah. Superb stuff - perfect for Winterwear. I'm not sure what the deal is with the 'lilac...almost white' reference; mine are more of an ivory.

 

[de Stokesay]

"...silk fabric that has been folded so it is made of two layers..."

To me this does not say that it is 2-ply at all, merely that it has been or could be folded. How wide is the scarf, is it like a pashmina (really wide) that really has to be folded in half lengthwise to function as a proper scarf? If this is the case, then their phraseology would be correct and you would have to wear it folded double anyway. If this isn't the case then I would agree with you.

de Stokesay

 

[Grinder]

fftopic:

I was wondering if, in your search, you turned up any useful links to heavy knit silk scarves...

It depends on what you mean by "heavy knit silk". I do have a heavier than normal silk scarf from Tyrwhitts - CT Shirts - blue polka dot - so could be considered a flying scarf but too short and loads of tassels - which have gotten caught in the zip more than once to the detriment of both.

From time to time I receive scarves from Wittchen, a Polish fine accessories company, as gifts - these are excellent if expensive. Look for wittchen.com or www.sklep.wittchen.com. Be warned thought, these are more dandy than pilot but they do have excellent printed, tassel free, examples.

While I haven't bought a scarf from them yet Woods of Shropshire are great to deal with and have plain and polka dot 72" scarves, but also with tassel fringes.

 

[Grinder]

"...silk fabric that has been folded so it is made of two layers..."

To me this does not say that it is 2-ply at all, merely that it has been or could be folded. How wide is the scarf, is it like a pashmina (really wide) that really has to be folded in half lengthwise to function as a proper scarf? If this is the case, then their phraseology would be correct and you would have to wear it folded double anyway. If this isn't the case then I would agree with you.

de Stokesay

I'm all for giving e-companies the benefit of the doubt but in this case
I don't think it is implied that it could be folded to produce a double layer, it is more explicit that it has been folded to be a double layer.

Other than that the dimensions are similar to other scarves - 60"x8"

 

[Creeping Past]

It depends on what you mean by "heavy knit silk".

I'm thinking of silk scarves that have some weight to them and look knitted rather than finely woven. I can't find any pictures or examples to link to so I'm in the dark... other than I have seen old examples, used by bikers here in the UK.

Ah well.

 

[Grinder]

I'm thinking of silk scarves that have some weight to them and look knitted rather than finely woven. I can't find any pictures or examples to link to so I'm in the dark... other than I have seen old examples, used by bikers here in the UK.

Ah well.

Sorry mate - nearest I've seen are artisan scarves that are hand knitted in silk. The only place I've seen them is at Christmas markets and are quite feminine - not quite biker fare.

 

[Smithy]

Just to add to the fire...

Can't speak for USAAF but RAF pilots often did wear Tootal scarves as Havocpaul has mentioned but these were usually the ones with a silk front and a wool backing. If you can pick one of these up they are magic, supremely comfortable but warm. The wool backing also means the scarf doesn't work itself into a skinny width.

Better than the purely silk scarves IMHO but not nearly as common now. I have a very nice navy blue/white polka dot one with navy blue fine wool backing. Best scarf by a country mile!

 

[Grinder]

Result!!!

Update to the latest goings on....

I found www.trustpilot.co.uk which appears to be a Review blog which already had a couple of reviews of flightstore.

When you post it copies in enquiries@flightstore.co.uk so they are aware of what's going on, so I posted my faintly damning review.

Not long thereafter I received a brief email admitting that the website _is_ wrong, and they will updated it and that I can still avail of the refund if I wish.

All in all not bad although if I had known it was single layer in the first place I wouldn't have bought from them as theirs could be considered overpriced and I wanted a double layer but that's life.

 

[de Stokesay]

I'm all for giving e-companies the benefit of the doubt but in this case
I don't think it is implied that it could be folded to produce a double layer, it is more explicit that it has been folded to be a double layer.

Other than that the dimensions are similar to other scarves - 60"x8"

There you go. I obviously was mistaken in my original post as I was assuming a width or 20 inches or so. If you fold a scarf that is only 8 inches wide in half lengthwise you no longer have a scarf, you have a ribbon...

de Stokesay

 

[Flying Mariner]

Always had good service from Flightstore

I can't comment on the scarve as I have never purchased one from Flightstore.
I have however purchased lots of aviation related stuff from them, charts, headsets, flight guides etc and the service has been 1st class.
Regards,
Wayne.

 

[jeep44]

Check out the beautiful scarves,both black and white,on this Japanese site "Mode by Rockers"-they are a short ways down the page.

http://jhv692k.exblog.jp/

 

[Grinder]

Check out the beautiful scarves,both black and white,on this Japanese site "Mode by Rockers"-they are a short ways down the page.

http://jhv692k.exblog.jp/

They look great - unfortunately I don't read Japanese and try as I might I'd be a bit nervous about ordering through their site.

However it appears they have a London presence

350 High Road, East Finchley, London N2 9AB UK

Might give it a shot when I'm over there for the High Voltage festival in July

 

[Grinder]

I can't comment on the scarve as I have never purchased one from Flightstore.
I have however purchased lots of aviation related stuff from them, charts, headsets, flight guides etc and the service has been 1st class.
Regards,
Wayne.

No worries Wayne - I didn't take the refund so still have the scarf to remind me of the experience.

Their website has yet to be updated though and while it gives dimensions at 70" x 11" it's closer to 60" x 8" and still implies it is a double layer scarf. I'm sure these things take time and it will be updated at some point.

I'm sure they're fine on their bread and butter business with pro\am pilots.

Compared to their higher value items a scarf is trivial but that's not the point. Another issue here is how many people put in a high value order with someone they don't know?
I like to try a company with a small value item first and see how we get on. If that works I'm likely to go back again. If there is a problem and it is dealt with professionally I'm just as likely to continue with them in the future.

The attitude that came across initially left me with a bad taste, but given that they have emailed me to say that they will fix the website I'll take them at their word.

If at some stage in the future I want get a pair of binoculars, a GPS system or a watch (these being the other items I am interested in) at this point in time given my experience how likely am I to go to Flightstore again?

On a note closer to home they are also resellers for the "modern" Irvin. How likely am I to use them if I decide on an Irvin instead of an Aeroleather B-6?

Ok, we know the answer to that - deal direct with ALC.

On the review site I used another comment was that how they treat you is directly proportional to how much money you spend with them.

In the Interweb world that kind of thinking in a commercial operation doesn't work.