21'st century nametapes

[IceNine]

A couple months ago I decided to be brave and order the "fabric strip" nametapes from 1800nametape.com

After 7 washes/drys I have seen absolutely no fading, and more importantly no shrinkage which has eliminated "pocket pucker"  I would post a pic but it would be useless, nothing to report except awesome results.  I have been recommending these things like a new drug to everyone in all of my units and after some time testing feel that is appropriate here.

You can get them here you want white on blue

This company <Does Not> make "Civil Air Patrol" tapes but if you last name happens to be "Civil Air Patrol" 

And at 1.50 they are still cheaper then VG, but are .50 more than the webbed tapes from the same company.

[Spike]

Cool....thanks!

[USADOD]

1800nametapes.com is a awesome company for name tapes and dog tags. Since Day 1, with CAP I have purchased from them. But I was sadden that Civil Air Patrol attempted to put them to shame for selling name tapes without permission and regulation. Good to know their is still a way to purchase from them.

[arajca]

I got a set last year. Everyone I showed them to wanted to get some, but most folks had just finished equiping their bdus.

[O-Rex]

I swear by them.  Fabric nametapes for Fatigues/BDU's had their origins in the Far-East, where it was substituted for webbing.  I had a bunch made in the early '80's and lasted me throughout the decade.  I'm not a big advocate of recycling insignia, but I've had fabric nametapes that outlasted BDU's.  1-800 Nametapes match that quality.  Also, their customer service is top-notch.

[NIN]

I only buy my embroidered insignia from them.  Flight suit nametags, too.

Matter of fact, they did me up a nice nametag with my Army Crew Wings and my USAC Jump Wings, and didn't charge me anything extra for the jump wings (which are not the same as US Military jump wings) above what a two-badge nametag costs.

When we used to bulk-order our CAP stuff from them as part of inprocessing, I could order stuff on a Friday and have it before the following week's meeting.  They're FAST.  Same went for their engraved name tags, too.

They do army badges white on ultramarine, too. Gotta call 'em and ask, though.  Love their stuff.

[alamrcn]

Just to help out, it's...

http://www.1800nametape.com/

The "tape" isn't pluralizd, so no "s" at the end.
I've never used them yet, but I think I might next time


Desert... ain't it kuhl?!

What I've learned over the years is that no matter where you order tapes from, get your "CIVIL AIR PATROL" and "SMITH" tapes at the same time... Fonts and colors vary quite a bit!

[IceNine]

What I've learned over the years is that no matter where you order tapes from, get your "CIVIL AIR PATROL" and "SMITH" tapes at the same time... Fonts and colors vary quite a bit!

Second for sure.

It's rare that I find something for a uniform that I can't live without, I mean really how many new types of blousing bands, boots, ultra-thins can you find until you are content that your uni is equally as cool as the coolest guy around? 

This was my latest "Gotta have it"

I suppose its the GQ in me.

[Mustang]

  I would post a pic but it would be useless, nothing to report except awesome results.

Wouldn't be useless at all!  Post a pic!

[alamrcn]

"Remove Before Flight"

[a2capt]

Without pics.. 

This thread is about as useless as JPEGs to Helen Keller...

[IceNine]

This is of the fabric strip nametape on a set of propper BDU's, this set has been washed approximately a dozen times and dried on low heat.  You will note there is no pocket pucker, or shrinkage on the tape itself.



Next, is of a set of propper BDU's purchased at the same location as the first.  The difference is 1 year of wear probably another 15 washes.  Most notably this one has webbed tapes that have caused puckering on top and bottom of the tapes, and has begun to shrink and misshape the lettering.



Finally, is an exaggeration of what we are talking about.  This uniform is an off brand with webbed tapes, and is approximately 8 years old.

[a2capt]

Wow, those do look pretty good.

Thanks.

* a2capt orders some ..

With an impending promotion, the cut outs need changed anyway, might as well change all the blue stuff. Though.. the wings .. Hmmm...

[SarDragon]

The pix aren't showing up, in either Firefox or IE8. I can copy the URL from the page source, and see them, though.

[Mustang]

With an impending promotion, the cut outs need changed anyway, might as well change all the blue stuff. Though.. the wings .. Hmmm...

You can also special-order bright-on-blue rank insignia (SM officer only) from them, they look a lot better than Vanguard's! 

[a2capt]

...all I ever found was their quick and dirty C&D notice for CAP. So.. they must have that special order buried way in deep or obscure.

You gotta figure they can make everything .. if asked. ;-)

I'd really like to see what it takes to bust NHQ's nuts over this exclusive crap. But thats another thread. Many of these other vendors don't ream you on shipping and provide much better products, and are very happy to just mail in a normal envelope without making a federal case out of it.

[NIN]

I'd really like to see what it takes to bust NHQ's nuts over this exclusive crap. But thats another thread. Many of these other vendors don't ream you on shipping and provide much better products, and are very happy to just mail in a normal envelope without making a federal case out of it.

And you get it quick. Like "order on Monday, have it by Thursday" quick. For first class postage.

[Eclipse]

I think a reasonable compromise to this would be that anything exclusive to CAP such as metal insignia, cadet grade, epaulet slides, and ribbons, would be the parlance of Vanguard, and the things everyone else is making time millions for the rest of the world is open to all.

It seems to be that this has been their unofficial stance since HWSRN left, anyway.

[MIKE]

I wonder if 1800nametapes would make cloth CGAUX office insignia with colored "A"s.  They already make the Navy insignia.  Most of the CGAUX cloth office insignia available looks weired because it looks like CAP grade. i.e. Capt instead of USCG/USN style LT.

[NIN]

I wonder if 1800nametapes would make cloth CGAUX office insignia with colored "A"s.  They already make the Navy insignia.  Most of the CGAUX cloth office insignia available looks weired because it looks like CAP grade. i.e. Capt instead of USCG/USN style LT.

I guarantee they will. Call 'em up.  They're really super folks.

I had Lt Col made (white on Dark Blue) for my jumpsuit.  And white on black captains for my USAC demo team uniform.  They rock!

[a2capt]

So is that how you get the 'special' order? Call 'em? .. it's so much less error prone to submit orders in writing .. IE, online.

[IceNine]

Calling is the first step.

This company is high class, you won't be disappointed unless your expectations are unrealistic.

If they make a mistake they will fix it.  If you want something custom they will work it. 

If you want something they can't do well they will tell you to go find someone else.

They really want your business and do what it take to keep you coming back. 

[Mustang]

...all I ever found was their quick and dirty C&D notice for CAP. So.. they must have that special order buried way in deep or obscure.

You gotta figure they can make everything .. if asked. ;-)

That's exactly it. It's like ordering off the menu at your favorite mom & pop Italian restaurant.

I'd really like to see what it takes to bust NHQ's nuts over this exclusive crap.

It's all about the Benjamins.

CAP's leadership seems to think it should be making a profit off the backs of its membership for required uniform items (the WRONG idea, IMHO), so like every collegiate and pro sports team, it requires vendors selling official merchandise to license the rights to manufacture/sell said merchandise.  Additionally, CAP's contract with Vanguard probably calls for Vanguard to be the exclusive vendor of all CAP merchandise.  And in return, Vanguard cuts CAP a thick slice off the backside of the proceeds.

[Ned]

CAP's leadership seems to think it should be making a profit off the backs of its membership for required uniform items (the WRONG idea, IMHO), so like every collegiate and pro sports team, it requires vendors selling official merchandise to license the rights to manufacture/sell said merchandise.  Additionally, CAP's contract with Vanguard probably calls for Vanguard to be the exclusive vendor of all CAP merchandise.  And in return, Vanguard cuts CAP a thick slice off the backside of the proceeds.

You say it like it was a bad thing.

I can't think of a single organization that doesn't control who can produce their uniform items.  You are certainly correct about non-profit universities, but add organizations like the Scouts, Indian Guides, and the VFW to the list.  It is the norm, not the exception.

Remember, for multiple decades CAP tried to perform the function in-house with the Bookstore and CAPMart and lost thousands of member dollars doing so.

The Vanguard thing is a win-win for the members with no particular downside.  CAP doesn't have to maintain a CAPMart with a dozen or so full time employees, and Vanguard is forced to rebate some money that is exclusively dedicated to training.  Money that CAP would not otherwise get.

You assume that Vanguard (and others) would somehow charge less than they currently charge for CAP-exclusive items if they did not have the exclusive rights to sell.

I agee that - essentially by definition - they could charge less, but there is no indication whatsoever that they would. 

There can never be enough competition in supplying a 50,000 person organization with unique insignia to significantly affect prices.  Indeed, the most likely effect of eliminating the exclusive relationship is that no manuafacturer would even bother to make most of our items.  Simply because they could never expect to make signifcant money selling pre-solo wings, for example, after factoring design, manufacture, and distribution of an item that only several hundred folks could wear.

Kinda like how pharmaceutical companies can't make much money on vaccines - so they mostly don't make them.

Vanguard is not the enemy here.

Ned Lee

[Mustang]

You say it like it was a bad thing.

I can't think of a single organization that doesn't control who can produce their uniform items.  You are certainly correct about non-profit universities, but add organizations like the Scouts, Indian Guides, and the VFW to the list.  It is the norm, not the exception.

Remember, for multiple decades CAP tried to perform the function in-house with the Bookstore and CAPMart and lost thousands of member dollars doing so.

The Vanguard thing is a win-win for the members with no particular downside.  CAP doesn't have to maintain a CAPMart with a dozen or so full time employees, and Vanguard is forced to rebate some money that is exclusively dedicated to training.  Money that CAP would not otherwise get.

You assume that Vanguard (and others) would somehow charge less than they currently charge for CAP-exclusive items if they did not have the exclusive rights to sell.

I agee that - essentially by definition - they could charge less, but there is no indication whatsoever that they would. 

....

Vanguard is not the enemy here.

Ned Lee

I never said Vanguard was the enemy, nor do I believe that.  What I did say, is that *CAP's leadership* has no problem with profiting from licensing fees and sales royalties paid by the membership, and I think that's wrong.  No, I don't care what they do with that money (which, IIRC, has mostly gone to Hawk Mountain and Blue Beret, which benefit the tiniest minority of members).   Any commercial enterprise has to make a profit in order to exist, I get that.  CAP is not a commercial enterprise, and should not be profiting from what are expenses required of its membership. What I have a problem with is CAP using it as another revenue stream at the membership's expense.   And frankly, I don't care that it's the norm among Scouting and other organizations.  You've used that comparison time and again to justify increased encampment fees, and that dog just doesn't hunt.  It's an excuse, not a justification.

Yes, contracting CAPMart out to Vanguard was a great idea, and so far I've been happy with the service they provide. But CAP should eliminate the licensing fees and royalties it collects from Vanguard in order for its members to obtain required uniform items at the lowest possible cost, period.

If I sound like I'm tired of being nickeled and dimed by CAP, it's because I am, and I suspect I'm not alone.  I'm sick of CAP selling my personal information without my consent, sick of paying 2-3x market prices for things like nametapes (compare Vanguard's prices with Spur's), just so the powers that be don't have to cut back on things like their personal assistant's travel expenses, or having a dozen NHQ staffers on hand to cater to the NEC whenever it gets together.  Every time I watch the streaming webcast of an NEC meeting, I inevitably think to myself, "what a colossal waste of money that was".  Every time.    

And don't even get me started on the late Bill Schell's $10,000 budget--which comes from membership dues--to buy stuff off eBay for the CAP archives.  I can't tell you the number of times I caught him grossly wasting that money on eBay--like $60 for an ARCHER patch he could've had for less than $5 from CAPMart/Vanguard, or even the cost of a phone call to Drew Alexa.  I even raised the issue with my region commander, only to be told that it wasn't worth the political capital to bring it up for discussion amongst the NEC.   Misuse of corporate funds isn't worth the political capital to bring it up??   

Bottom line, when the powers that be start getting serious about being responsible stewards of our membership dues, I'll stop ranting about $3 nametapes.