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Who has the best reproduction stuff between the different sources for following.

Web gear

HBT's

Wools

Boots

 

Web gear: It is a tie between At The Front and World War II Impressions

HBT's: World War II Impressions HBTs are better because their pocket placement is correct unlike At The Front and What Price Glory's pocket placement

Wools: World War II Impressions

Boots: World War II Impressions, hands down, they are the second most comfortable pair of shoes I have ever owned, just behind Red Wings Iron Ranger Boots.

 

-Josh

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Captainofthe7th

If you're looking to save money, WWII Impressions isn't for you. They have fantastic items, but the prices are through the roof, IMO.

 

I use beat up originals in the field, I am lucky enough to fit in the small sized original uniforms. If you're against this practice, WPG and ATF, while their uniforms have a few errors here and there, are your best bet for price vs quality. Small things like pocket location and the weave of the material is not important at a tactical event...it's better than wearing something that you'll be afraid to ruin or something completely incorrect. The only people that will hound you for having pockets that are an inch too low are either genuinely trying to help you out (and probably won't care either) or the stitch-nazis that will put up a fuss for no reason.

 

The only reproduction pieces of equipment I use are my boots, M41, and winter combat jacket. I bought the WPG two buckle boots and they are fantastic. After dubbing an some use, they look completely original (I have had vets and hard core reenacts ask if they were original). The only item I bought from ATF that I had a problem with was their last run of M41 jackets (prior to the latest run). The color, buttons, material, and construction was not up to par. However, the price was right and it gave me liberty to trash it in the dirt and rain. I just bought the latest ATF tanker jacket and it is remarkable. Certainly looks original and wears correctly.

 

My two cents.

 

Rob

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For gear, I use an original musette, first aid pouch, canteen and cover, carbine pouches and '36 belt. I use ATF repro '36 suspenders with the original 36 belt. I use the ATF 23 cartridge belt with an original 28 haversack. ATF roughouts, paratrooper boots and double buckles for boots with no problems.

 

I have the ATF '37 wools, which are good, '42 reinforced jump suit, '43 para trousers (with an original jacket) and HBTs and I dont see any problem with them except they make them to the original govt standards, which call for single stitched crotch seams. I'd reinforce them before use to avoid a blowout.

 

To be honest, I can't afford WWII Impressions prices. While ATF is a little pricey, its at least affordable. I'm not paying $195 for a repop 43 jacket when I can get one at ATF for what, $75?

 

For fairly accurate stuff at a reasonable price, make mine ATF...

 

Wayne

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He asked me what the best reproduction sources are not wear I get my stuff.

 

For Infantry, 99% of the time, everything except my boots are orginal.

 

For airborne, everything except for my rigger pouches, felt shoulder pads, M1942 Jumpsuit(or for Market Garden and later my Modified M1943 trousers), boots, and a couple other little things, everything is orginal.

 

For my USMC impressions, most everything is reproduction, depending on the time period portrayed.

 

This is what I would do if you were my size(5'11, 140 pds, size 36-40 jacket, size 30/32 trousers) and doing a run of the mill infantry impression:

Web gear-Original

HBTs-Either Original or World War II Impressions

Wools-Original

Boots-World War II Impressions

M43 Jacket-Original

M41 Jacket-Original(I just got 2 for $50) or wait for the next run from ATF

 

 

-Josh

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He asked me what the best reproduction sources are not wear I get my stuff.

 

For Infantry, 99% of the time, everything except my boots are orginal.

 

For airborne, everything except for my rigger pouches, felt shoulder pads, M1942 Jumpsuit(or for Market Garden and later my Modified M1943 trousers), boots, and a couple other little things, everything is orginal.

 

For my USMC impressions, most everything is reproduction, depending on the time period portrayed.

 

This is what I would do if you were my size(5'11, 140 pds, size 36-40 jacket, size 30/32 trousers) and doing a run of the mill infantry impression:

Web gear-Original

HBTs-Either Original or World War II Impressions

Wools-Original

Boots-World War II Impressions

M43 Jacket-Original

M41 Jacket-Original(I just got 2 for $50) or wait for the next run from ATF

-Josh

 

I have tons of original stuff that I used to wear for reeenactment in the 80's but I just do not want to wear any of it any longer since it's getting so hard to find. I'd much rather trash repros. (it all seems to have shrunk as well... :rolleyes: )

 

As for the stitch nazis, I have no time for that kind of stupidness. They are one reason why I never got back into reenactment. I went to one in Florida in the mid 1990's and everyone just stood around picking each other apart. At a private tactical battle who cares what the bottoms of my shows or the insides of my pockets look like. At a public show or display, I'll bring out the real stuff. I miss the good ol days where it was more about the comraderie at the events than what color the lining on my jacket is.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for the insight. I went with the WPG 2nd pattern HBTs with their low quarter rough outs. Could not pass up the boots since they were on sale! I just forgot to order a belt :crying:

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Mostly originals...At my sizeand height, Ebay are a great source..why buy a repro jacket at $100 or so, when I can get one on Ebay at $9!!!

 

Boots, repros...

 

Some repro stuff, like a tankers jacket, M41, and beanie hat does ...

 

As for the stitch nazis, as ATF explains, there where so may manufacturers that many variations in pocket size, shape and location, and colour occurred...Backed up with brand new unnissued right down to VERY used original items...

 

Thing with this hobby..The more I research, the less I know, or thought I did...

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  • 5 months later...

I can appreciate concerns about prices. Despite this many customers comes to us anyway with "I wish spent a little more and just bought from you to begin with!" Those who go less expensive to begin with invariably open themselves up with a follow up purchase later on from someone else. This ends up costing more money in the long run.

 

The thread was titled, "Who makes the best?" This is not the same as "Who is the cheapest?" I would never want to be the cheapest choice. You will definately get what you pay for with us. We haven't been in businss for almost 20 years because we were just in this for the quick buck.

 

Respectuflly submitted.

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I can appreciate concerns about prices. Despite this many customers comes to us anyway with "I wish spent a little more and just bought from you to begin with!" Those who go less expensive to begin with invariably open themselves up with a follow up purchase later on from someone else. This ends up costing more money in the long run.

 

The thread was titled, "Who makes the best?" This is not the same as "Who is the cheapest?" I would never want to be the cheapest choice. You will definately get what you pay for with us. We haven't been in businss for almost 20 years because we were just in this for the quick buck.

 

Respectuflly submitted.

 

 

It's good Juan that you make the best BUT if your out of stock on many things and have a 6 to 12 month wait what's the bonus?

 

 

Scott

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TheGrayGhost

I have uniforms and and other parts from both At The Front and WWII Impressions. Both of these companies make quality products and you would be fine to purchase from either one. What really matters is what exactly you are looking for. If you are looking for accuracy you will probably want to go with WWII Impressions, but you will pay a higher price. If a high degree of accuracy is not that important to you, At The Front makes great products at a very good price.

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Web gear - Have to look at this on an item by item basis. No one single vendor truly has superiority on every single last item. My only reccomendation is to buy American Made whenever possible - you will pay a higher price for it, but the quality control on the web gear is usually far superior.

 

HBT's - WWII Impressions OR At The Front - Depending on what style, color and options you want. WWII Impressions seems to have a better track record LONG term on color fastness and durability. Both companies make a good product that is "historically" cut. I've found that reproductions from other vendors are not oversized to fit over wools, and the "grading" in how the patterns were made can be a bit akward on the small and very large sizes.

 

Wools - No comment here other than to look for something that is actually wool and not a wool blend. Wool blends will pill up and look / feel like junk after some real use.

 

Boots - WWII Impressions first, SM wholesale second. Authenticity aside, as ATF, WWII Imp, WPG/SM, and a few others are pretty good - overall long term durability (value) - is WWII Impressions and then SM Wholesale. This comes down to a who has what you need in stock. If WWII Impressions has what you need in stock, buy it, you wont regret it. They will ship your product in a timely manner, if they have it in stock. SM Wholesale is flaky and has been for years. I dont know if they have got better recently or not. Your best bet on getting SM wholesale boots in a timely manner is to get them through WPG. I think that says enough.

 

 

 

I keep mentioning WWII Impressions over and over. I must say that I have very few things in my kit from them besides their boots, since I mostly wear junky original items. For the longest time I saw Juan talk about his items as "the best" and I thought it was puffery BS. Well, turns out he does make some pretty good products - so much so, that if I need to reccomend a place to get something and know its not going to break or be a POS - I have to reccomend him.

 

There are plenty of options out there. Sometimes its worth saving a few bucks - and sometimes its worth spending that extra $25. There is no singular rule on where to buy from. I find that the wise money is spent on picking an item at a time after some careful evaluation of the options.

 

 

Chris-

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It's good Juan that you make the best BUT if your out of stock on many things and have a 6 to 12 month wait what's the bonus?

Scott

 

I admit that restocking is not as timely as I would like. I wish I didn't have to contend with domestic mills closing down and the decimation of the textile and garment industry in this country. There have been many times when I made plans to go into production on an item and the source has closed down and discontinued offering my needed item. This has been the case for me for the last few years.

 

Like I say on my web site, I am not interested in selling foreign made products. I am committed to making my own products from raw materials that I can get on this continent not overseas. I am just not interested. The American garment industry is in a state of chaos with companies struggling to survive. Some of those companies have been in business domestically for well over a century. To some this doesn't matter when they need their item now. I can certainly understand that customers have their needs.

 

I shall continue to endeavor to produce quality and historically accurate products so long as there is a demand for it and raw materials are available, where ever I can find it. Some may have to wait a while but such is the state of things until the economy picks back up.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Michael J. Matzer

We use some stuff from WPG and they’re ok and also the price is nice. We don't have experience with WW2 Impressions because the price + shipping to Europe is quite high for us unfortunately. But one thing I can say: Don’t buy anything from Sturm (Miltech) from Germany. They HAD a nice run of stuff some time ago, so if you find it somewhere on the net, that’s ok. But the new runs are really bad. The cuts are wrong, but the worse thing is the fabric they’re using. It’s some kind of modern I-don’t-know-how-to-call-it fabric and it shinning weird, especially when it get used a little. So it’s not authentic at all then. And boots from them will break up in few months. We all have that experience. So try to avoid these products from them and their new runs if you want your stuff last more than few events.

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I initially bought my wools from What Price Glory. The color was off, and material was very light for the shirt and the trousers were also quite light. Bought a set from WWII Impressions...HOLY CRAP...they were/are without doubt the best quality wool uniform you will find.

Most of my webgear came from At The Front...again very high quality.

Let's not forget S&M Wholesale for some things...I have their tanker jacket and double buckle boots, which are both incredible.

Use original stuff??? Are you nuts???? Pry a few dollars out of your light sensitive self destructing double zippered wallet that is chained to your spiked waist belt and get new made gear...don't mess up original stuff, all you are doing is turning it into worthless trash...unless you are hyper anal about keeping things spotlessly clean, then there maybe be a future for your re-enactor used original stuff. Now...how many time have we seen in original photos, spotlessly clean web gear and uniforms worn by the guys "who were there"?? Zero to none I would say...with this in mind, face a fact that your gear will get ...omigod...dirty and worn. New made stuff may very well stand up better to average field use then 70 year gear....meaning you may end up replacing old original worn out gear anyhow. So cough up the dough and get the "good stuff".

Price??? Who freaking cares what the price is, when it comes down to high quality authentic stuff. If you are poser or a farb type of reenactor then buy the cheap stuff...you will just give the public the wrong impression, and you will be replacing it frequently. In order to properly present a historical impression, accuracy and authenticity is critical.

Admittedly there is a vast portion of the population out there who are not very smart and could not give a hoot about authentic materiel...we all know the kind...they are usually carrying a "Mega-Slurpee" and trailing a herd of runny nosed waifs with faces plastered with cotton candy and chocolate covered gummie bears.

Here ends my epistle...I shall step down off the soapbox and quietly return to browsing the rest of the forum.

Cheers

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ww2reproductions

I have a pair of boots from "at the front" and apart from wearing them 5 or 6 times a year at reenactments I wear them every day on the farm.

After 2 years of every day use the stiching failed in one area...so into town to the boot repair shop and a little glue and they are fine again.

My HB'T's and M43 set are from "at the front"....all fine and good price.

I have a paratroopers set from "ww2 impressions"....got that back in 1997 at the LA gunshow...and no I dont do the paratropers thing anymore...And yes I have jumped from a DC3 .

As for webbing I have the "at the front" medic set its fine and has not fallen apart but could use the extra metal clips like on the real ones.

I use reproductions only these days.

And yes I did meet Juan from "ww2 impressions" at the LA show back in 97...you sold me the uniform.

Also meet Jerry from "what price glory" on the same trip.

Both good men to deal with.

Leo

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