NEED ADVICE: Iron Heart Deck Jacket Vs. Real McCoys Deck Jacket
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I have the RMC USN deck jacket in olive and it is a terrific garment. It is extremely warm and one of my favorite pieces of outerwear.
If I were to buy a deck jacket today, I would go IH, only because my style has shifted a little bit away from overt militaria. Even though I haven't seen one in the flesh, my prior experiences with IH and IH outerwear and the testimonies in this forum leave no doubt as to the quality and robustness of the IH version.
I think it comes down to which design you prefer.
If you get RMC, I was surprised that for me this Japanese garment was true to size and a 40 (my real size) was a perfect fit.
If you find wool itchy, I think the RMC is pure alpaca and not a wool/alpaca blend, so that would be a better choice in that scenario.
I have no doubts about the quality of the IH jacket. Full disclosure, IH is my favorite clothing brand and I find their garments to be incredibly well made.
I guess I am more concerned with the construction quality and material choices used for the Real Mccoys version. Do you think it is very similar in terms of build quality, overall material costs, fabric weights, etc..?
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If you are going to go down the rabbit hole, Freewheelers has to be on the list too. I wear almost nothing but IH, but I have to say Freewheelers makes absolutely amazing outerwear.
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Yeah–Freewheelers is a great brand too.
@phillyforager , IMO the construction quality of my RMC N-1 (and my RMC pea coat) are impeccable. I don't know how they could possibly be improved, so that places them at an IH level.
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One more thought: where RMC strives for reproduction accuracy/authenticity, IH uses past designs to inform modernized versions. I don't know how that applies to the deck jacket, but thinking about my 1913 USN pea coat from RMC, they retained woolen liners in the sleeves. Haraki would probably use nylon or something more "slippery" to make it easier to get your arms into the garment.
For M-65s, RMC uses a lighter fabric to be true to the original. IH uses a heavier fabric (at least in the one I foolishly sold). The latter is for me superior.
Might not be relevant to this specific garment, but it is an important philosophical distinction between the brands.
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@phillyforager I believe the Iron Heart version has the windproof interlining added in between the shell and the wool for even more robustness, warmth, windproofing, and heft of the jacket. I have the vest and it is incredibly windproof. Haraki is forward thinking in ways that literally make you warm and fuzzy.
You can also spend $1300 on the Dehen 1920 version that is waxed, but my biased opinion leans towards IH.
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The RMC uses double alpaca lining, so it is also exceptionally windproof.
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Sorry to derail the thread, but I'm trading in our Bimmer for a Merc on Monday…..
Ohhh Nice –-which model did you go for?
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Really nice choice –- these wagons are so underrated.
Plus plenty of room to use if need be.
Happy driving
