My First B-3 Jacket from Simmons Bilt. Fit Advice Welcome!

[Carl]

Carl, I appreciate that you are sensitive in publishing contract information given your past experience but what other manufacturers of B3's didn't put their name on the label. I do have a contract list that I found online for B3's 1941-43. I can't remember where it came from-it might have been from here. I'm reluctant to post it as it wasn't mine in the first place.

Lol ! thanks for the understanding !! , the other makers ?? that could be like asking "how long is a piece of string " its something im still working on in between the USN contracts for the N1 and other jackets .
I do have a definative list so far of B3's that can positivley cross referenced against makers and contract numbers and its not that many makers actually ! i think i have found 5 makers that can be be positivley known from 1941 onwards, anything prevous to that is shear speculation unless an example has been seen and details taken . I do have a bit of a theory regarding some of them . But somebody at the time deemed it not water tight enough to be accurate .

 

[savage.dragon]

ELC Perry B-3. Size 40R
Front 21 1/2
Back 23 1/2.

This figure from ELC is even shorter than my size, though.
My jacket is size 38
front: 22"
Back: 25.25"

What gives? And apparently s4mark's is already size 40. No wonder why they keep telling you to ask for an extra inch if you're taller than 6" and want to wear an Eastman B3

 

[dmar836]

According to my 42 or 44 ELC(label is gone) and two originals, a 40 and a 42R, those measurements would be around a 40 or 42. I measured them this am but didn't post the actual measurements as you are getting a lot and they all appear to vary.
Dave

 

[savage.dragon]

Hi everyone. Thanks for your help so far.
It's been extremely helpful.
here's an update regarding my correspondence with SB

I have sent my pictures and actual measurements of the jacket back to SB's production for evaluation.
They told me that the front was indeed increased in line with my increased back length.
Therefore the jacket was made as it was intended. They said they've never had issues with their previous B3s before.
However, Debs told me that if I'm still unhappy with the jacket, she can send me the return form and they'll refund me.

I think now I'll take some time to get used to this jacket and consider if there are other remedies to this shorter length. Sending the jacket back should be the absolute last resort.

 

[Steve27752]

Hi everyone. Thanks for your help so far.
It's been extremely helpful.
here's an update regarding my correspondence with SB

I have sent my pictures and actual measurements of the jacket back to SB's production for evaluation.
They told me that the front was indeed increased in line with my increased back length.
Therefore the jacket was made as it was intended. They said they've never had issues with their previous B3s before.
However, Debs told me that if I'm still unhappy with the jacket, she can send me the return form and they'll refund me.

I think now I'll take some time to get used to this jacket and consider if there are other remedies to this shorter length. Sending the jacket back should be the absolute last resort.

You don't like the jacket. We have six pages of postings. They offer a refund.......................AND you decide to keep it! You will never like it, I would take the refund and start again.

 

[savage.dragon]

You don't like the jacket. We have six pages of postings. They offer a refund.......................AND you decide to keep it! You will never like it, I would take the refund and start again.

I have my reason for hesitating, Steve. I wanted this to be my main winter jacket. I tried to time it so that I'll get it in December. Now remaking this jacket would mean another month or two of waiting. Not the kind of prospect I look forward to, if you understand what I mean. I was excited to wait for this jacket. Now waiting for a second time while going out in the cold wishing "If only I had a darn B3" would be quite annoying to say the least.

 

[Steve27752]

I have my reason for hesitating, Steve. I wanted this to be my main winter jacket. I tried to time it so that I'll get it in December. Now remaking this jacket would mean another month or two of waiting. Not the kind of prospect I look forward to, if you understand what I mean. I was excited to wait for this jacket. Now waiting for a second time while going out in the cold wishing "If only I had a darn B3" would be quite annoying to say the least.

It's your decision. But it is clear that you are not happy, I know from experience that you will never be happy with it. take the refund, get a jacket that you like and wear it next winter.

 

[Smithy]

I wanted this to be my main winter jacket. I tried to time it so that I'll get it in December. Now remaking this jacket would mean another month or two of waiting.

You're better off getting a refund and getting a jacket that you're happy with straight off the bat even if you have to wait some weeks for it, than to hang onto a jacket which you have misgivings about.

Or to put it another way, send it back now, you get your money back and can put it towards one you'll be more satisfied with, or you can hang onto a jacket which you have niggles about (although you have it right now for winter), wait and watch those niggles grow and grow, then have to shell out again for one you'll be more satisfied with six months, a year, etc down the line.

 

[MikeyB-17]

If they are offering a refund I would bite their hand off. Many manufacturers would not do that with a custom jacket. It bothered you enough to come here and ask if we thought it was too short, so you obviously weren’t happy with it. The general consensus was that it is too short (I agree). You’re spending a fair whack of money, so get it how you want it-you should be over the moon with it, not ‘trying to get used to it’. A B-3 will last you many winters, so get it right now, if you have to wait a while , so be it. Otherwise it will carry on bugging you and it will be too late to do anything about it. There will be other winters, and in any case I imagine it will still be cold enough for it for several months yet.

 

[B-Man2]

Let’s make an analogy here;
Keeping a jacket that doesn’t fit right and that your not happy with, in hopes that one day you might like it........Is a like going to your refrigerator taking out a quart of milk and taking a drink out of it ..... only to find out it’s gone completely sour and rancid ...and then putting it back in the refrigerator with the hopes that it will be better next week!
That’s all I got.....

 

[Micawber]

Send it back - end of.

 

[Arthur]

Let’s make an analogy here;
Keeping a jacket that doesn’t fit right and that your not happy with, in hopes that one day you might like it........Is a like going to your refrigerator taking out a quart of milk and taking a drink out of it ..... only to find out it’s gone completely sour and rancid ...and then putting it back in the refrigerator with the hopes that it will be better next week!
That’s all I got.....

You are absolutely correct. I have found over 40+ years of watch collecting that if something doesn’t resonate with you from the onset, it never will!! You are never going to like this jacket. Never! I can assure you it will only get worse, not better. If you have the opportunity to send it back for a refund, you ought to do it now while you have the opportunity. Get something cheap for the winter and get another jacket made. I’m sure you survived multiple winters before this jacket and you can survive another while you wait for one with a better fit.
Something else that struck me while reading through all these posts. With your slim build and very long arms, it is entirely possible that this style jacket is not for you. Sure, you can have one made to your exact specs, but will it really be a true example of the original, or will it just be a shearling lined leather jacket? Sometimes, we have to ask ourselves “ is this garment going to fit my body style, or is it going to always look odd”? Women are much more aware of the “rules” but in actuality there are men’s rules as well. But in the end, what this all boils down to is personal. Are you going to feel comfortable in the jacket and look forward to wearing it, or are you going to be uncomfortable and self conscious, because if it’s the latter, it will quickly become an expensive “closet queen”.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[christophec]

send it back then. two months wait is nothing

 

[Otter]

Took me 2 Eastman B-3'sbirthday to decide I wasn't comfortable with that style of sheepskin. You have been thrown a lifeline, grab it with both hands and take a while to think, do you want another B-3, would a D-W be more useful of maybe even a nice Irvin?

 

[savage.dragon]

Took me 2 Eastman B-3'sbirthday to decide I wasn't comfortable with that style of sheepskin. You have been thrown a lifeline, grab it with both hands and take a while to think, do you want another B-3, would a D-W be more useful of maybe even a nice Irvin?

An Irvin would be even worse as it is designed to be slightly shorter than the B3

 

[savage.dragon]

An update: The jacket was sent back and I am waiting for a refund.

 

[Micawber]

An update: The jacket was sent back and I am waiting for a refund.

You have chosen the right path. Onwards and upwards.

 

[B-Man2]

Six pages to determine if a jacket should be returned or kept. Now that will go down as an all time record in the annals of the VLJ Forum for quite a while.

 

[kowalski]

You are absolutely correct. I have found over 40+ years of watch collecting that if something doesn’t resonate with you from the onset, it never will!! You are never going to like this jacket. Never! I can assure you it will only get worse, not better.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Let’s make an analogy here;
Keeping a jacket that doesn’t fit right and that your not happy with, in hopes that one day you might like it........Is a like going to your refrigerator taking out a quart of milk and taking a drink out of it ..... only to find out it’s gone completely sour and rancid ...and then putting it back in the refrigerator with the hopes that it will be better next week!
That’s all I got.....

it's like expecting from life that we will be younger and more beautiful with time

 

[Micawber]

it's like expecting from life that we will be younger and more beautiful with time

When I first scan read that I thought you'd typed "wife" not "life". Freudian slip my part I reckon