Main Menu

Vanguard fleece

Started by Turtle1, November 30, 2017, 03:20:00 PM

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Turtle1

Good Morning several members of our squadron have purchased the black fleece. After repeated washing and drying the jacket is still leaving black lint over everything. Did anyone else experience this problem?
Thank you.
Marybeth Williams
Major, CAP

Spam

Yes. It is much like house breaking a pet:

"Bad fleece! BAAAAAD fleece! Back in the wash for you".

The thing that really sucks is when your spouse drives the car after you and gets out with black fleece droppings in a vertical bar down their white shirt (and doesn't notice until after their amused coworkers). You'll hear about it for days. The seat belt is a major fleece remover.


V/r
Spam

CS

Yes, The Rothco Fleece is crap and no amount of washing will ever stop the shedding.  Need to find a a good Polar Black Fleece if you don't want to be embarrassed.

chuckmilam

Along the same lines, I had my knit dark blue polo go through the wash with some soft baby clothes.  I'll likely never get the fine white lint off it. 

So far, I haven't had too much trouble with the black fleece, but I've been babying it so it doesn't have to be washed too often.  It helps that I'm a Wisconsin-grown boy now living in Kentucky, so I pretty much wear short sleeves year-round. 

hamburgee

I bought a Rothco fleece (only because it was the only thing I could afford, it's also super soft) and I haven't had this problem. I have, however, had problems with holes opening along the seams.

Phillip

I turn my Vanguard fleece inside out when washing.  It helps with the shedding, but it's only resulted in about a 50% reduction.
Captain

Turtle1

Thank you for all your replies. Problem solved Vanguard sent me a return packing slip and will issue a refund. So far they do not have a replacement vendor for a new jacket. Vanguard did acknowledge that this is a known problem with the jacket.
Marybeth Williams
Major, CAP

SarDragon

I have two civilian black fleece jackets - one from Weatherproof Garment Company, and the other from Port Authority. Neither of them have any shedding problems.
Dave Bowles
Maj, CAP
AT1, USN Retired
50 Year Member
Mitchell Award (unnumbered)
C/WO, CAP, Ret

PHall

The Black Fleece I was issued by the Air Force was made by Peckham.
100% Polyester Synthetic Fleece.

CAPSOC_0pur8ur

So if a fleece is 'Small R', is it made to fit over 'Small R' ABU's, or is it sized like a 'Small R' ABU blouse? Basically, if I wear a 'Small R' ABU blouse, should I get a 'Small R' fleece, or a 'Med R' fleece?
"To be somebody or to do something. In life there is often a roll call. That's when you will have to make a decision. To be or to do? Which way will you go?" -Col John Boyd

Turtle1

I would go with the medium, especially if you order the fleece from VG.
Marybeth Williams
Major, CAP

J2H

I wear a foliage Green Rothco and never had shedding problems.
SSgt Jeffrey Hughes, Squadron NCO
Glenn L. Martin Composite Squadron MD-031
#217169

CAPLTC

Quote from: CAPSOC_0pur8ur on December 12, 2017, 03:31:08 AM
So if a fleece is 'Small R', is it made to fit over 'Small R' ABU's, or is it sized like a 'Small R' ABU blouse? Basically, if I wear a 'Small R' ABU blouse, should I get a 'Small R' fleece, or a 'Med R' fleece?

Negative.
It is not made to be worn that way, we're wearing it in a manner for which it was not designed.
The lighter-weight fleece was never meant to be worn over the ACU/ABU.
ECWS is a nested system of layers, cotton BDU/ABU isn't designed to be in the mix.
An oversized Polartec 300-weight Series ECWCS Cold Weather Fleece Jacket can be worn nicely over the ABU/ACU.
The lighter-weight one, not so much. Arm holes are smaller, etc.
"Find the enemy that wants to end this experiment (in American democracy) and kill every one of them until they're so sick of the killing that they leave us and our freedoms intact." -- SECDEF Mattis

HGjunkie

Quote from: CAPLTC on February 02, 2018, 09:34:19 PM
Quote from: CAPSOC_0pur8ur on December 12, 2017, 03:31:08 AM
So if a fleece is 'Small R', is it made to fit over 'Small R' ABU's, or is it sized like a 'Small R' ABU blouse? Basically, if I wear a 'Small R' ABU blouse, should I get a 'Small R' fleece, or a 'Med R' fleece?

Negative.
It is not made to be worn that way, we're wearing it in a manner for which it was not designed.
The lighter-weight fleece was never meant to be worn over the ACU/ABU.
ECWS is a nested system of layers, cotton BDU/ABU isn't designed to be in the mix.
An oversized Polartec 300-weight Series ECWCS Cold Weather Fleece Jacket can be worn nicely over the ABU/ACU.
The lighter-weight one, not so much. Arm holes are smaller, etc.

Uh, standard wear in the AF/Army is wearing the fleece over the blouse. I wear a medium/X-long fleece over chest size 36 ABUs for reference.
••• retired
2d Lt USAF

kwe1009

Quote from: CAPLTC on February 02, 2018, 09:34:19 PM
Quote from: CAPSOC_0pur8ur on December 12, 2017, 03:31:08 AM
So if a fleece is 'Small R', is it made to fit over 'Small R' ABU's, or is it sized like a 'Small R' ABU blouse? Basically, if I wear a 'Small R' ABU blouse, should I get a 'Small R' fleece, or a 'Med R' fleece?

Negative.
It is not made to be worn that way, we're wearing it in a manner for which it was not designed.
The lighter-weight fleece was never meant to be worn over the ACU/ABU.
ECWS is a nested system of layers, cotton BDU/ABU isn't designed to be in the mix.
An oversized Polartec 300-weight Series ECWCS Cold Weather Fleece Jacket can be worn nicely over the ABU/ACU.
The lighter-weight one, not so much. Arm holes are smaller, etc.

The fleece is most certainly made to be worn over the ABU/BDU.  That is why it has name tapes and rank.

CAPLTC

Quote from: kwe1009 on February 05, 2018, 08:13:05 PM
The fleece is most certainly made to be worn over the ABU/BDU.  That is why it has name tapes and rank.

Incorrect.
That is not how ECWCS was designed (Google it).
We beta'd that stuff for PEO-Soldier in 01/02.
"Find the enemy that wants to end this experiment (in American democracy) and kill every one of them until they're so sick of the killing that they leave us and our freedoms intact." -- SECDEF Mattis

CAPLTC

Quote from: kwe1009 on February 05, 2018, 08:13:05 PM
The fleece is most certainly made to be worn over the ABU/BDU.  That is why it has name tapes and rank.

100% incorrect.
That is not how ECWCS was designed nor how it's supposed to be used. (Google it).
"Find the enemy that wants to end this experiment (in American democracy) and kill every one of them until they're so sick of the killing that they leave us and our freedoms intact." -- SECDEF Mattis

68w20

Quote from: CAPLTC on February 05, 2018, 10:23:11 PM
Quote from: kwe1009 on February 05, 2018, 08:13:05 PM
The fleece is most certainly made to be worn over the ABU/BDU.  That is why it has name tapes and rank.

100% incorrect.
That is not how ECWCS was designed nor how it's supposed to be used. (Google it).

That may be the use for which it was designed, but the practical reality is that it isn't used that way.  AFI 36-2903 states that it will be worn only as an outer garment.  TM 10-8415-236-10 (Army TM for the ECWCS) says that it can be worn nested within other layers of the ECWCS, or as an outer garment for utility uniforms.  We may be wearing it in a manner for which it was not designed, but so are the Army and the Air Force.

kwe1009

Quote from: CAPLTC on February 05, 2018, 10:23:11 PM
Quote from: kwe1009 on February 05, 2018, 08:13:05 PM
The fleece is most certainly made to be worn over the ABU/BDU.  That is why it has name tapes and rank.

100% incorrect.
That is not how ECWCS was designed nor how it's supposed to be used. (Google it).

Can you provide a CAP or USAF reference to back up your statement? 

The fleece is listed as an outer garment in CAPM 39-1, AFI 36-2903, and the CAP ABU Wear Guidance memo.  I am also a SNCO in the Air Force and have never seen anyone wear the fleece under their ABU shirt.  It doesn't make sense that it goes under the ABU since it has rank and name on it.  No undergarment has mandated rank and name on it.

So is the former AF Chief of Staff wearing it wrong in this picture:

abdsp51

Both the AFI and CAPR says it's an outer-garment.  What is/was done in other branches is a moot point and irrelevant.