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A Tale of Two Tankers

falcon_ib

Well-Known Member
I just received the wool lined tanker I bought from At The Front during their cyber Monday sale. I love my fleece-lined one, it's an absolutely fantastic jacket. I planned on giving it to a friend (who's been wanting one and bugging me about it forever) and upgrading to the more accurate wool-lined one. However, it's not for me, so here's some comparisons before I send it back.

Top - Brand new ATF wool-lined tanker
Bottom - ATF fleece-lined tanker after about 2 years of (hard) wear
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The fleece tanker has been through lots and had plenty of washes. Oh the stories it could tell ... :rolleyes:

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Frustratingly, neither of the zippers are completely accurate. The fleece version's silver Talon doesn't go all the way up the collar (correct) but extends all the way to the bottom (incorrect). The wool version's brass Talon goes all the way up the collar (incorrect) but stops short of the bottom (correct).

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(Fleece on left, wool on right). The knit cuffs on the wool version feel a little bit thinner than those of the fleece.
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Difference in lining, brand new wool-lined on left and well worn fleece-lined on right.

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Interestingly, the pocket openings on the fleece version are 6 inches long, whereas the wool version has 7 inch long pocket openings.

The new tanker also feels a lot bigger than my old fleece lined one, despite both being tagged Small. The fleece jacket has probably shrunk slightly in the machine wash, but fits a pretty good 36.
The brand new one definitely isn't any smaller than a 38, it could probably accommodate a 40 chest. Even if I could machine wash it, it would not shrink enough to fit me. Could it have been a medium mislabeled as a small?

Regardless, they're both very well made and accurate jackets, especially for the price. I highly recommend the fleece one, more now that I've had both!

Evan
 
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Juanito

Well-Known Member
How fitting--I just wore my ATF Tanker (fleece) for the first time this season. Mine's a medium and fits well up to or past a 44. Nope not totally accurate, but still a bargain and a great jacket for $99.
 

falcon_ib

Well-Known Member
Thanks guys! Besides washing and leaving it outside, I used sandpaper, rocks, and an exacto knife to weather it in certain areas. Definitely my go-to jacket
 

foster

Well-Known Member
I used to own both jackets, in the same size and bought at the same time (probably 2-3 years ago?). I have since sold both of them on to new homes.

I liked the wool lined one better, although the wool is thinner than in originals. I'm in North Carolina and don't often need the warmth of the fleece, which I found to be VERY warm! The wool lined jacket felt a little thinner and suited me better, but when it was cool enough for the tanker I just opted for an A-2 instead.
 

Heyjude7

Member
Does anyone have the measurements of the ATF fleece tankers? I don’t know what size to order. I normally wear a size 40 in jackets but that’s a close fit. Want a little room. Is their large really big ?
 

Brettafett

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the review! I really want to get one of the fleece-lined ones, but will have to wait for another sale or when I get to the US again.
 

Clark J

Well-Known Member
The thing is if you look at the zip box it has the same shape as a Crown, so I put a Crown pull on !
 
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