road less traveled for jacket nuts? the N-2B flight jacket...am i crazy 4 loving it?

[Doctor Damage]

I've been temptedc by the Alpha but held off for exactly that reason: I have to justify any jacket I buy on a utilitarian basis; I really want one in the original weight. Maybe I'll save up for a used Buzz, whenever I eventually manage to get to Tokyo...

Keep in mind I live in Canada and when I say that civvy Alpha's aren't warm enough for serious cold I'm talking about well below freezing and serious wind chill. I'm pretty sure they'd be fine in the UK, and in fact the vintage/repro ones with the accurate wool/cotton padding would probably be too warm for most of the UK unless you're schlepping around in the Scottish highlands. I'm pretty sure BN1966 will broadly agree with me on that. Horses for courses. The polyfill civvy jackets have their place and for most people in most climates they're probably the more versatile choice as long as one isn't too fixated on historical accuracy. The shell on my USA made ~1990s civvy N3B is the same weight as the shell on the 1950s Albert Turner N3B that I had for a while, it's only the insulation which was different.

My understanding was they went synthetic across the range some time around 1977/78, but I don't recall where I picked that up

It's hard to pin down dates with some of this stuff unless one is a total "tag queen" since all versions of the mil-specs aren't easily available (usually only the most recent document is available).

 

[Edward]

I gather they are a lot heavier than the norm, though I wear an Irvin and a B3 in London - it seems I run a bit colder than some folks round here. Be interesting to compare the N2x withe the sheepskins in that way, actually, given that they were a sort-of replacement...

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

A couple months ago I picked up an Alpha Industries N-2b from the 90s (I think) for literally little more than postage. I decided to use it as an experiment and not spend $15-20 on dry cleaning. Dry cleaning quotes were more than the cost of the jacket. It was just a little bit dirty. I washed it in a front loader on the delicate setting in cold water 3Xs, one wash after another. Line dried it. Visually, I don't think I did any damage to it at all. Nevertheless, I'm wondering if it lessened the warmth factor. I don't see why washing it would make it less warm, but who knows? Any opinions on that? Do you think water could have screwed with the makeup of the synthetic interlining? I guess I'll see in the winter, but I was just thinking about it as I put it away.

 

[Blackadder]

A couple months ago I picked up an Alpha Industries N-2b from the 90s (I think) for literally little more than postage. I decided to use it as an experiment and not spend $15-20 on dry cleaning. Dry cleaning quotes were more than the cost of the jacket. It was just a little bit dirty. I washed it in a front loader on the delicate setting in cold water 3Xs, one wash after another. Line dried it. Visually, I don't think I did any damage to it at all. Nevertheless, I'm wondering if it lessened the warmth factor. I don't see why washing it would make it less warm, but who knows? Any opinions on that? Do you think water could have screwed with the makeup of the synthetic interlining? I guess I'll see in the winter, but I was just thinking about it as I put it away.

I think it may depends on the year of the jacket. Is it wool-syn or 100% syn? Take for example, the white syn fur hood lining used in the military issued N-2/N-3 in the later years, it seems the fur would harden and curl up after wash. The current brown faux fur hood lining seems to fair better after wash.

 

[Ernest P Shackleton]

100% synthetic interlining on mine. The stupid choice of delicate white collar fiber got a little matted, but it didn't fall off to any great degree or become damaged beyond probably hitting it with a lint brush to fluff it back up. It's sort of like compact discs. Let's make these objects, that will be handled thousands of times, out of a type of plastic that scratches if you lay the disc on your leg while you put the jewel case back in its slot. Brilliant. They might as well be made of butter. Same for these stupid hoods. I don't understand why they used such finicky fibers to make them.

I'm guessing here, but I think most of the damage you see with the white trim fur is from being machine dried at too high of a setting. It's a military jacket for F's sake. I bet people wash and dry them without even thinking about it. Or shoddy ebay resalers never reading tags. Air drying did nothing to the trim, and I'd even bet that in a dryer with an actual low temp on the low setting wouldn't bother them either. I never machine dry anything when I'm going through cleaning experiments. That's for later...or never.

 

[hooman foroozan]

If I'm not wrong, early N jackets had a layer of wool in the inside and were quite heavy. At some point, wool was replaced with nylon but these jackets still were meeting military specs.

That’s right I got one that’s refer to it’s attached label it has been made at 1978 and has a thick layer of wool in the inside that’s makes it so heavy although it has been made about 42 years ago but it’s quite in great shape

 

[bn1966]

Had one with the with the wool interlining that seller must have washed, that did appear affected and changed the shape and feel of the jacket.
Have another which is completely different & I presume hasn’t been washed.

 

[hooman foroozan]

Bear Dude here.

Quite right, the NB3 would be the deal for this climate but I am looking into the US Artic parka
(heavy fabric with a thick lining)

I got both a 70s made n2b with thick wool layer and a n3b one both xlarge size for sale

 

[hooman foroozan]

Had one with the with the wool interlining that seller must have washed, that did appear affected and changed the shape and feel of the jacket.
Have another which is completely different & I presume hasn’t been washed.

I have almost all alpha jackets ( 80s ma1 , 70s m65 , 70s n2b and n3b ) but although all of them have been made in USA ( not Chinese made ones ) but older ones seems to have made with greater fabrics and zippers such as scovill zipper that are not used in newer ones

 

[John_Z]

Anybody able to advise on what size I would need, S,M or L, for a 41” chest?

 

[Aloysius]

Anybody able to advise on what size I would need, S,M or L, for a 41” chest?

I mean there are a million N-2Bs so no.

 

[John_Z]

I mean there are a million N-2Bs so no.

Oh well it was worth a shot I guess although I should’ve specified that I particular meant the US military issue item.

 

[Aloysius]

Oh well it was worth a shot I guess although I should’ve specified that I particular meant the US military issue item.

Then probably medium but I don't know. Look at the size label; the military ones will say "for chest sizes X to Y".

 

[John_Z]

Then probably medium but I don't know. Look at the size label; the military ones will say "for chest sizes X to Y".

Well on the CWU-45/P jacket the size Medium is suffixed (38”-40”). The labels in the N-2B’s merely state Medium without the suffix. I’m guessing that both being military issue flight jackets the size speciations would be the same for both jackets.

 

[John_Z]

I’ve decided a Medium size will be what I need and I’ve found two for sale online that have caught my eye. One is dated 1961 which is in as near dead stock condition as you’ll likely find these days. The other I believe is from the 1970’s(?) and is in almost as good a condition as the earlier one. My heart is set the earlier spec of the 61 version but my head is saying but the 70s one.

I can get the 70s one for a little over £160 posted while the 61 one will rush me around £450 plus proxy costs, shipping and if I’m unlucky import duties. I’m really struggling to decide and looking for you guys to help me out with your thoughts and opinions.

Here are the respective labels from each jacket.

 

[Aloysius]

I think medium should be fine since these coats are designed to be wide so you can wear over a flight suit.

 

[John_Z]

I think medium should be fine since these coats are designed to be wide so you can wear over a flight suit.

Thank you. Any thoughts on which of the two I should buy?

 

[Aloysius]

Thank you. Any thoughts on which of the two I should buy?

The 70s one seems the better bet.

 

[johnnyjohnny]

Thank you. Any thoughts on which of the two I should buy?

hi...i started this thread like 12yrs ago, and that's me in my profile pic iN an n2b. so when i saw your comment i decided to check out sizing forya. the most accurate to past milspec (of current makers) is cockpitusa, and the medium is listed as going up to a 43" chest, and alpha (which used to make them for the US military) has their medium going up to a 42" chest. so it should work but be a bit snug. i wear a current replica by alpha and like mine a bit roomy, so i have an XL with a 44" chest. if you don't mind the fit being snug with no real room for layering, that should work. i've worn my alpha in 38 degree fahrenheit San Francisco at Christmas and it worked with a warm shirt. if either one is too small you shouldn't have a problem reselling it. cheers.

 

[John_Z]

hi...i started this thread like 12yrs ago, and that's me in my profile pic iN an n2b. so when i saw your comment i decided to check out sizing forya. the most accurate to past milspec (of current makers) is cockpitusa, and the medium is listed as going up to a 43" chest, and alpha (which used to make them for the US military) has their medium going up to a 42" chest. so it should work but be a bit snug. i wear a current replica by alpha and like mine a bit roomy, so i have an XL with a 44" chest. if you don't mind the fit being snug with no real room for layering, that should work. i've worn my alpha in 38 degree fahrenheit San Francisco at Christmas and it worked with a warm shirt. if either one is too small you shouldn't have a problem reselling it. cheers.

That’s great info. Thank you. I’ll only be wearing T-shirts under it and don’t like my jackets my roomy than is necessary so I’m now feeling confident a Medium will suit.