G-1 Leather Jacket by ALPHA INDUSTRIES

[Sgt.MikeHorvath]

Hi guys,
i'm considering the hypothesis of buying this jacket.
it's goatskin with a real fur collar.

does any of you own this ALPHA jacket or has seen once?please let me know

if you have any picture can you post it

any opinion and information about it is welcome

thanks

 

[Sgt.MikeHorvath]

a photo taken from alpha site

 

[Phantomfixer]

I don't think that you can wrong with an Alpha jacket. They have been producing jackets for the US military for along time. Good luck with it

JZ

 

[johnnyjohnny]

miLspec insanity

alpha looks tremendous...howevahhhhh

if you have a disease (which i often do) that requires you to get actual milspec versions that have been manufactured for the u.s. military or according to contract specs, then the alpha will not do.

i fell in love with it and contacted an alpha dealer whether the jacket was made to milspec, and whether it was made according to any u.s. military contract specifications (i guess that's kinda redundant) and the answer was no...that it was officially a civilian jacket that, while possibly meeting all or most u.s. military contract specs, alpha does not guarantee that it does meet most or all milspec contract requirements for the g-1

again, gorgeous jacket, but if you have 'the' disease, you may wish to find an official u.s. contract milspec jacket...

 

[Sgt.MikeHorvath]

thank you for your advice johnnyjohnny but i've not your ''desease''

the jacket seems great and i'd like to know about the leather's quality and how it fits,so it would be useful to see,possibly, some photos while wearing it

thank you

 

[Doctor Strange]

Nothing against Alpha, I've owned their nylon jackets and they're very nice. But...

At Alpha's own online store, the price for this jacket is $358 and it shows that the sizing runs S-M-L-XL.

Gibson & Barnes' military issue G-1 is the same price, but is sized in numbered sizes (38-40-42-44), plus its made in Short/Reg/Tall lengths. (Since you're not super-concered with it being milspec, consider the Civil version that adds handwarmer pockets, and is available in a lighter seal goatskin as well as the dark brown, for an extra $20.)

(A couple of other makers for comparison: US Wings' bargain Black Label version is only $245 and is sized S-M-L-XL; their Signature milspec version is $368 and comes in numbered sizes. Legendary USA's military model is $380, and is also in numbered sizes.)

Anyway, my point is, why go for extremely generic sizing on the Alpha - which is pretty hit-and-miss - when you can get a G&B in a much wider variety of sizes (including different lengths) for the same cost? G&B's jackets are very well made, and they use great materials. (I've got a couple of their goatskin flight jackets, and they're excellent.)

Again, nothing against Alpha, but you might want to keep the sizing issue in mind...

 

[captaincaveman1]

Cockpit USA also makes a version in a similiar price range. Tried on a few at the NYC store. My next fall jacket will be their G-1. Just need to wait for cooler weather and it's mine.

 

[johnnyjohnny]

how strange...

thanks doc strange for pointing out the sizing issues as well, and some other choices...

for my money, literally, i went for leatheretc's g-1 milspec made by excelled, and it's one of the actual contract g-1's supplied to the military, tall and numerical sizing, plus the price is almost $100 lower than the others...

regular sizing on a military jacket is not good, especially if your size turns out to be in the half-range big or small of the size you got...AFter you bought the jacket

why not go with excelled...i've had the more expensive ones, but excelled is the one i bought to keep not just for the price, but it's the actual mil issue, and it's fully milspec...also very friendly customer service...just look the jacket over after getting as all of these brands can have some imperfection and if you find it and let them know, they'll pay your return shipping and send another out to you...here's the link:

http://www.leathercoatsetc.com/p-137-authentic-g1-navy-flight-jacket.aspx

 

[captaincaveman1]

Nice jacket but the faux collar is a deal killer for me. I know real mouton is no longer spec but I understand it used to be. My G-1 would have to have the real thing.

 

[Fifty150]

The problem that I have with Leather Coats Etc is that I have seen jackets on the market sold under the Excelled label. I was not impressed. Perhaps the G-1 that they supplied under contract was of better quality than their normal retail line. But from what I understand, they no longer have the government supply contract. I believe that Excelled's contract ended in 2004, and the current supplier is Pharr Brand Name Apparel. On that note, while Alpha Industries may have supplied items under contract, they were never contracted to supply the G-1.

 

[HackerF15E]

While Excelled is the current contractor to the USN for the G-1 (at least, that's what is actually being currently issued out to new students in Pensacola), most naval aviators don't have a very high opinion of them. Just being "mil spec", or being an actual producer of the military issue product, is in no way an indicator of a quality product. Read up on this thread in the AirWarriors forum for a lengthy discussion over the course of several years and covering several different types of flight jackets, but which discusses their discontent with the Excelled product:

http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/sh...ing-buying-Leather-NOMEX-WEP-jackets-patches)

Regarding Alpha, which jackets specifically have they made? I've had a lot of USAF-issued 36/Ps and 45/Ps in the last 15 years or so, and don't recall them being made by Alpha Industries.

 

[Atticus Finch]

The problem that I have with Leather Coats Etc is that I have seen jackets on the market sold under the Excelled label. I was not impressed. Perhaps the G-1 that they supplied under contract was of better quality than their normal retail line. But from what I understand, they no longer have the government supply contract. I believe that Excelled's contract ended in 2004, and the current supplier is Pharr Brand Name Apparel. On that note, while Alpha Industries may have supplied items under contract, they were never contracted to supply the G-1.

I have a fair amount of contact with USMC aviators stationed at New River and Cherry Point. I have seen many examples of the newly issued Excelled G-1s and the answer is no...the issued jackets are not better the civilian version. Yes, I will readily admit to being a G-1 snob and no, I've never seen a civilian Excelled G-1. But I know in my heart that the civilian version cannot be worse than the Excelled jackets now issued by the Navy. If it was, Excelled couldn’t sell it.

Sgt.MikeHorvath, I think the day is long past when a person could count on getting good quality simply by purchasing mil spec. I think that most medium priced reproduction G-1s are probably better than what is being issued to young pilots today. And I'm learning from another member here that the same may be true with respect to the new USAF A-2s. I think the Alpha G-1 you are considering would be a good jacket, but I agree with Doc and others that the G&B would be better for the money. I also think that, with only few exceptions, you should avoid issued G-1s made after 1972.

AF

 

[Atticus Finch]

Regarding Alpha, which jackets specifically have they made? I've had a lot of USAF-issued 36/Ps and 45/Ps in the last 15 years or so, and don't recall them being made by Alpha Industries.

HackerF15E, Alpha has had contracts for both of the jackets you mention...but, until recently, Isratex seems to have been the primary producer of Air Force Nomex. I think the quality of Isratex products came seriously into question a year or two ago, and I'm not sure if they are even still in business.

AF

 

[HackerF15E]

HackerF15E, Alpha has had contracts for both of the jackets you mention...but, until recently, Isratex seems to have been the primary producer of Air Force Nomex. I think the quality of Isratex products came seriously into question a year or two ago, and I'm not sure if they are even still in business.

FWIW, that's not what I've observed in purely non-scientific samples of flying gear in both my personal collection and in looking around the squadron today.

I have (and saw around the squadron) Alpha CWU-45/Ps, two 1995 models. Every other 45/P that I saw made later than that was a Valley Apparel LLC (several samples from both 03 and 05).

In the 36/Ps (sage green), the '95s were made by Gibraltar PR, Inc, the '00s were made by Propper International, and the '03s and '05s were made by Valley Apparel LLC.

For desert/tan 36/Ps and 45/Ps, the two I have are both 05 models made by Ashland Sales and Service.

Haven't seen any Isratex on any labels at all.

What reference do you guys have that says Alpha and Isratex currently supply? I don't see any evidence of that in my purely non-scientific research (limited to samples issued in the USAF fighter, bomber, and trainer community).

Note: There are obviously Isratex jackets that have been issued in the past, but the examples I've seen are from the early 90s, and definitely not current USAF issue.

 

[Atticus Finch]

Well I just looked. All of my CWUs are older than I remembered. I have two 1995 Alpha CWU-45/P jackets. One 1992 Isratex CWU-45/P and one missing label, seventies CWU-45/P. I think the old jacket is a first edition. If that is true, it was made in the late seventies. It has a place inside for an orange distress marker, an action back and an old style Serval zipper. But I don't know who made it.

As to CWU-36/P jackets, I have only two...a Carter Industries and an Isratex...both were made in 1993.

I did notice that two of my late eighties M-65s were made by Isratex and so were both of my mid eighties "poplin" nomex helicopter pilot's jackets...as well as my one tanker jacket. I guess my unscientific sample led me to believe that Isratex was more prolific than it really was.

After my post this morning, I googled Isratex. Seems they got into trouble earlier than I remembered...it was 2000 or 2001. Isratex made some defective chemical suits for the military and suffered for it.

See...that's the problem with being as old as I am. Stuff that happened ten years ago seems like it happened just the other day.

AF

 

[HackerF15E]

Does anyone keep a list of CWU-36/P and 45/P contractors, and when they made them?

 

[Fifty150]

But getting back on topic, The Alpha G-1 is being sold by Jax Mercantile for a very reasonable price. The lower price makes it a lot more attractive. I've owned Alpha jackets in the past, and I find that their quality level is acceptable. With no sales tax, and free shipping, I am buying this one instead of the Excelled version.

 

[kojax]

what size would i get in the g-1 alpha jacket i am a size 38 sport jacket thanks

 

[Atticus Finch]

what size would i get in the g-1 alpha jacket i am a size 38 sport jacket thanks

I'm not sure about the Alpha repros, but my experience has been that issued G-1s generally run a bit small. I wear a size 46 sports coat, but size 48 G-1s feel about right on me.

AF

 

[Phantomfixer]

regarding 45P and 36P. Contracts were awarded and made by different venders. Once made they went into the supply/storage system. A 95 made jacket could be issued 5 years later, or issued right away. I have seen boxes of new flight gear at DRMO sales, still in sealed bags with the tags etc. A complete list would be nice to have. If it can be done with WWII A-2 contracts, I am sure it could be researched.