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Replica Vietnam Tigerstripe Boonie Hats


RANDALL 1953
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Has anyone purchased any of the replica Vietnam boonie hats that sssmwholesale or eastasiasupplyco sells on Ebay. Like to know how the quality of these are. Bought a tiger boonie once from NCHS and it fell apart in less than a months use. Opinions and help appreciated.

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Mack-the-Finger

Hello, I've got a boonie from EA Co., unfortunately I haven't tested it (it's actually meant as a gift), but in my opinion is one of the better constructed items one could get his hands on, I take in the highest regards everything they produce & I'm ready to bet it could last a lifetime & take a very good deal of field abuse/everyday usage. Tag reads "100% Cotton" but there's clearly a good amount of poly in the weave (I think that today, the only thing 100% Ctn is just the cotton plant itself ..maybe); the dyeing (Golden Advisor Sparse) looks like it will last almost forever; it has inner black sweatband lining & the stitching appear to be solid nylon white thread, no loose ends nor frayings from careless manufacturing, rather a 1st quality sporting item at its best. As someone has stated in the topic about TS repros, it's somewhat softer than originals but I'm just reporting this 'cause my only experience is with original TS from around the 70s (ROK, Thai..), nothing from the "hard core", surely enough is a comfortable, right design with a perfect fitting for the size given.

 

As for quality and durability, I personally had a greatly rewarding experience with the Ebay seller catspluneo, who sells Vietnam era MACV boonie repros, original replica production directly from in-country standards of the period; he used to have a good range of variations although at the moment he sells only the black one, inner orange panel, which is my everyday cover of choice. The black dyeing has a really low rate of fading even after a very good deal of exposure to sunlight, countless drenchings from both sweat & rain & repeated hand-washings; the inner panel is not just a rag colored orange but real unfading V-17 signal panel, it didn't loose a bit of glare. Working constantly in the woods, summer & winter, under any environmental & weather conditions I can truly speak about its durability & that's why I'm mentioning it here, because I'm usually accustomed in seeying garments going into pieces one way or the other in a rather limited frame of time.

Being the short brimmed version from the factory, you can't cut the brim short at your will, and it has a bit odd looking shape (dunno if it actually looks like an original, we do know there were so many customary shapes), I personally call it "granny style" & tends to get the shape of a straight brimmed hat rather than the classic "bell" shape of a boonie, it just hasn't enough fabric around to fold down like in a bell shape. I think is one of the most effective, reliable & original repros I've ever seen; at the time I've bought any kind of hat he produced: OD W/ orange panel (typical in-country ARVN construction), Tadpole Sparse both W/ orange panel or black reversible side, the black one; I sold nearly everyone except for a couple I've kept for mine and if I should find that he sells TS again, and being looking for it, I'd grab hold of it at once. I must add that the whole construction & fabric used are the finest choice, as a matter of fact.. It Is Cotton Poplin, the whole thing.

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Thanks Mack, I ordered a silver boonie from sssmwholesale just on looks. Time will tell how it holds up. Thinking of ordering a shirt from EA Co.. I have a few original tigers but prefer close enough replicas for bumming/casual wear. Chiao!

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  • 1 month later...

RANDALL 1953,

 

I have one of George's (NCHS) boonies and it has held up pretty good for me. Did you reach out to him and let him know what happened?

post-110867-0-99892400-1362112049.jpg

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  • 10 months later...

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