Are vintage jacket disgusting?

Pa12 said:

Few years back I bought a CAF cloth flight jacket off eBay. When it arrived it looked brand new and no stains. It came with the added bonus of the gut wrenching schtank of puke. Washed it twice and it was odour free.

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Was there an additional charge for the puke?

B-Man2 said:

Was there an additional charge for the puke?

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Nope. He “chucked “ that in for free.

B-Man2 said:

Was there an additional charge for the puke?

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Found it strange that there were no stains. Like it was stored in a vomitorium

Pa12 said:

Found it strange that there were no stains. Like it was stored in a vomitorium

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I was issued rain gear when I was on Active Duty in the early nineties. This was just prior to the Goretex jackets coming out.

Anyways, brand new out of the bag and it smelled of puke. I think they all did.

Monsoon said:

I was issued rain gear when I was on Active Duty in the early nineties. This was just prior to the Goretex jackets coming out.

Anyways, brand new out of the bag and it smelled of puke. I think they all did.

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I remember my dad's 50s issue (US) Army rain coat smelled the same way. It finally stiffened to a cardboard consistency and got thrown out.

Chandler said:

I remember my dad's 50s issue (US) Army rain coat smelled the same way. It finally stiffened to a cardboard consistency and got thrown out.

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Strange. Everything stored in a cheese factory?

Pa12 said:

Strange. Everything stored in a cheese factory?

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Never equated vomit & cheese, but everyone's palate is different, I guess.

But no, pa's weird plastic raincoat went from the front closet to an open area in the basement. Would have expected mustiness, but not spit up.

Probably the 50s (maybe 40s?) material and waterproofing.

Strange 'outgassing' of synthetics or rubberized materials as they begin to deteriorate perhaps?

I joined the Canadian army in 1990 and we were issued ground sheets/shelter halves that smelled very much like vomit. They all did. No doubt it was off gassing of the rubber coating used in their manufacture. Items stored next to those ground sheets could certainly absorb some of that memorable aroma.

Infanteer90 said:

I joined the Canadian army in 1990

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I've heard of CF guys developing a sensitivity to Nomex stuff after many years.

Is it 'out gassing' or 'off gassing'? I think you're correct that it's 'off gassing' it's a term I've rarely heard or used.

I don't mind the army surplus smell, unless it's a bit cheese...Every now and then (once or twice maybe) I've caught a whiff of that if you open up an old musty dry bag or valise that had something weird stored in for a time, but generally It's got a stale neoprene type smell, but that isn't at all vomity.

Maybe it had been stored with some rations that were past their 'best before' date?

Steve1989 "I think that might be cheese...Gnarly!"

He stanks up his entire room!!! Ghastly!!!

B-Man2 said:

They’ve been hidden away in attics and storage bins with mildew and among rodents, vermin and insects ( let’s be honest here) in some cases since 1945.

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You forgot old sheds in the backyard with leaky roofs, also abandoned houses full of racoons and bats, and don't forget barns and wet basements. I've not yet been surprised what people will hoard away and let go to pot and take with them.

(That sounds oddly specific doesn't it? )

As for depleted uranium, agent orange etc...

Friends of mine often talked about buying gieger counter and inspecting our WWII Collections, or anything that was Euro surplus that came from Ukraine from 40 years ago...I have a couple soviet era flight jackets I suspect.

Seems the OP is so disgusted with this thread he hasn't returned....

Happy Hooligan said:

you wash your m65 and shirts every time before you wear them?

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I wash pretty much all vintage clothing before i use them first time, yes.. Mostly because of the smell of some of these jackets. I dont wash them before every use after that…

Sorry for the lack of response. I have been away. Glad to see all the answers in this thread! Appreciate it.

I have to say, i have never tought about this myself, other then my natural instinct of actually washing old and smelly jackets/clothes.

Many of my jackets have been in excellent condition, and hardly any signs of use, even originals from Vietnam era. But many has had a very bad smell, that dont even wash away after several washes. I also tried the spraying vodka trick and having them outside in -30c during the Norwegian winter. The smell is still there! Any advice that actually works?

I think it is a little disgusting to wear a 50+ old jacket that smells like hell, and that i have no idea who has owned it or how the jacket has been stored. But i have always believed that a good wash in the machine is fixing these issues.

Iam not very concerned and i wear vintage jackets all the time. Especially m65 and jungle shirts.

Try a presoak solution of Borax to remove musty, mold and sweat odors from cloth. Safe and fabric friendly. Then machine wash at a gentle cycle.
You also can add Borax directly in the washing machine with your soap...

D

Don't worry, for every 100 us soldiers been in Viet Nam, less than 10 of them who actually exchanged fire with NVA or VC.
Get a field jacket or jungle fatigue shirt , been close to dead body, after 50 years, is near impossible.

Thanks for the advice.

Regarding Agent orange on vintage clothes. It seems that it depends on a lot of things. How much the jacket or clothing actually was used in these areas of course, but if they was and was heavy exposed to Agent Orange (dioxin), it depends on the storage of the jacket. If it was put down in a box with no use, no washes, air or sun all these years, there might still be on the jacket. If the jacket is used, went through rain, sun, washes and fresh air, it will be just fine.

That being said, i think it is hard to believe that the exposure are very high anyway, after all these years.

Shanghai-Mayne said:

Don't worry, for every 100 us soldiers been in Viet Nam, less than 10 of them who actually exchanged fire with NVA or VC.
Get a field jacket or jungle fatigue shirt , been close to dead body, after 50 years, is near impossible.

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Just wondering, was there many of the M65 jackets that was made during 1968-1975 that never made it to Vietnam? I guess many vintage jackets today on ebay never saw action in Vietnam at all, even if they were made for it?

OhyeahitsJorn said:

I have several m65 jackets and also jungle shirts from Vietnam era. I always wash them in machine before use, but it is hard to get rid of the «old smell» sometimes.

However, yesterday i heard that the Vietnam era jackets are disgusting to wear. They may have dangerous bacteria,diseases from Asia that still live in the jacket, and the jackets may also have been exposed to Agent Orange. And even with washing this will not go away.

What is your take on the vintage jackets? Especially from the Vietnam era..

I dont buy used clothes in general, but i have always been in to the history and look of the Vietnam era M65 and jungle shirts.

Is it very gros and disgusting to wear?

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Yip they will be filthy, I will do you a favour and take them from you free of charge, just pm me and I will forward my address.

petermack09 said:

Yip they will be filthy, I will do you a favour and take them from you free of charge, just pm me and I will forward my address.

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Very informative and a massive contribution to the disussion

OhyeahitsJorn said:

Just wondering, was there many of the M65 jackets that was made during 1968-1975 that never made it to Vietnam? I guess many vintage jackets today on ebay never saw action in Vietnam at all, even if they were made for it?

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Those field jackets made for potential war with Soviet Union. Only jungle fatigues were special made for viet nam war.
At Asian , majority of the field jacket supply stored at Okinawa, Japan. Only relatively small quantity were stored at viet nam, for soldier or marine who fought at cold environment , I. E. central highland.