CWU-45/P & MA1 quality

Walkman · December 16, 2011, 05:07:41 PM

Doing some pre-Christmas money investigating

(Thanks Grandma!)

I need a flight jacket. I see a lot of different brands for both the CWU-45/P & MA1 (green) available online. Can anyone vouch for the quality for any of these non-AD issue jackets? Rothco & Alpha seem to be all over the place. What about the MA1 from VG?

Thanks!

MIKE · December 16, 2011, 05:28:18 PM

I would go with the CWU-45/P if you are wearing the green bag... The CWU-45/P is the currently issued style, while the MA-1 is obsolete.

Walkman · December 16, 2011, 05:38:32 PM

Thanks for the tip on that, didn't know.

Cliff_Chambliss · December 16, 2011, 06:30:32 PM

Go for class and style: I don't know if they are still in business, but there was an outfit named 'Flight Suits Limited' that had the CWU-45 in leather, both black and brown. It's not a bad jacket at all.

vento · December 16, 2011, 07:18:18 PM

Alpha makes really good flight jackets. A bit pricey but much better in quality than the chinese knock offs.
http://www.alphaindustries.com/Mens-Flight-Jackets/Mens-Flight-Jackets.asp?gclid=CIbyr5anh60CFQhbhwod0VOdlw

Flying Pig · December 16, 2011, 07:51:37 PM

http://www.gibson-barnes.com/

At work we get everything from Gibson & Barnes. Flightsuits, Nomex and Leather jackets, gloves, skull caps etc etc. We wear it hard and it wears well. A little pricey sometimes but youll pass those jackets down to your kids!

Definitely look at their "clearance" section before you buy anything.

http://www.gibson-barnes.com/Clearance+items/

AngelWings · December 16, 2011, 08:52:29 PM

Quote from: Flying Pig on December 16, 2011, 07:51:37 PM
http://www.gibson-barnes.com/

At work we get everything from Gibson & Barnes. Flightsuits, Nomex and Leather jackets, gloves, skull caps etc etc. We wear it hard and it wears well. A little pricey sometimes but youll pass those jackets down to your kids!

Definitely look at their "clearance" section before you buy anything.

http://www.gibson-barnes.com/Clearance+items/

Gibson and Barnes are definately the highest quality manufacture of flight items.

SarDragon · December 16, 2011, 08:57:23 PM

One of the guys in my unit works at G&B (sorry, no discounts).

Alpha is OK. Ropthco is cheap crap.

MA-1s are comfortable, but are made of nylon, and burn spectacularly. The CWU-XX Nomex jackets are the way to go. G&B has them in blue, too.

Al Sayre · December 17, 2011, 04:36:06 AM

You can also pick the issue ones up frequently on ebay pretty cheap (<$50). Unless you live in a fairly cold northern area, you may find the CWU-45/P a bit too heavy and too warm. I also have a "summer weight" CWU-36/P that's more than warm enough for the south...

PHall · December 17, 2011, 05:05:08 AM

Quote from: Al Sayre on December 17, 2011, 04:36:06 AM
You can also pick the issue ones up frequently on ebay pretty cheap (<$50). Unless you live in a fairly cold northern area, you may find the CWU-45/P a bit too heavy and too warm. I also have a "summer weight" CWU-36/P that's more than warm enough for the south...

The CWU-36/P is nothing more then a Nomex windbreaker. The CWU-45/P is a good "three season" jacket.
If you live someplace where the snow flies in the winter, the CWU-45/P is probably a better buy. You'll get more use out of it.

Walkman · December 17, 2011, 02:43:45 PM

Quote from: Al Sayre on December 17, 2011, 04:36:06 AM
Unless you live in a fairly cold northern area, you may find the CWU-45/P a bit too heavy and too warm

I'll take it! Michigan gets pretty darn cold.

The CyBorg is destroyed · December 17, 2011, 03:05:31 PM

Quote from: SarDragon on December 16, 2011, 08:57:23 PM
Alpha is OK. Ropthco is cheap crap.

MA-1s are comfortable, but are made of nylon, and burn spectacularly. The CWU-XX Nomex jackets are the way to go. G&B has them in blue, too.

I don't know if we actually need NOMEX (and definitely those exist who disagree)...that was designed for jet jocks who basically ride rockets full of jet fuel. Yes, we risk the chance of fireballs on crashes, but much less than someone flying an F-16, F/A-18 or Tornado.

Rothco is cheap crap, no argument there. Gibson & Barnes are undoubtedly good stuff, but too rich for my blood. Alpha seems to be the best compromise, although they have a "Knox Armory" brand that are made overseas.

I personally don't like the MA-1, though I've owned several over the years. The collar chafes my neck and it's not able to be upturned to ward off wind.

NIN · December 17, 2011, 04:24:35 PM

I own both a CWU-45/P and an inexpensive MA-1. Love them both.

The 45/P _does_ get hot. When I got mine circa 1987 in Korea, we literally got them from Osan AB still in the individual boxes, and we called them "Osan jackets." Army aircrews at the time wore slightly different jackets that were, as I recall, originally combat vehicle crewman jackets. (the heavier weight ones had a built-in recovery strap for hauling a guy out of an armored vehicle..) My 45/P never got worn on the aircraft, as it was so nice and shiny new that I didn't want it to get covered with JP4 and hydraulic fluid.

I took all my "Top Gun-style" patches off it a couple years back, it serves as "just a flight jacket" now.

gw263 · December 22, 2011, 04:47:18 PM

The Propper CWU-45 is cheaper than the other nomex jackets, around $160 or so. My two issue jackets (one CWU-45 and one CWU-36/P) were made my Valley Industries. The Propper jacket is almost identical. Other brands can cost twice as much. There are nylon knockoffs available for much less. As far as an MA-1, the Alpha is probably the best (not the Knox Armory imported one). As far as actually wearing around, the MA-1 is more practical, as the pockets are more usable, and there are two inside pockets usable as holsters, if you are so inclined.