Help From The Experts

[Leutnant G.M.W.]

You people in this forum must know best...

Where should I buy the best tunic (Wehrmacht) for re-enacting?

Im thinking Hessian Antique.

Yes? No? Help me out.

[pzrwest]

Before you buy anything check with the group you are thinking of joining as to what they allow in the way of tunics and field gear. Hessian sells Sturm tunics. My first tunics came from Hessian and was very pleased.

[DennyB]

Sturm uniforms

Are the ones sold at www.atthefront.com the same as Hessian? I was thinking both were made in China originally.
DennyB

[Andy Harris]

I'd recommend At The Front or Bill Bureau.
I've done business with both, and have been happy with their quality and prices.

[CWP]

At the Front and Hessen sell the same product, made by Sturm in China. These tunics are not bad for the money but feature some tailoring errors, these can mostly be corrected by a skilled tailor. Uniforms from Lost Battalions are more expensive but are perfect out of the box, the tailoring is spot on and the correct insignia is already applied. Check with your unit's authenticity officer to see what he recommends.

[pzrwest]

I have 2 Sturm tunics an older one and a newer one and you can tell the difference just in the weight of the tunics. The older one was pre-chinese made and the new one is chinese made. The wool in the older one feels heavier hence the difference in the weight of the tunic even though they were both the same size. Also the quality of the buttons is different. The new one the buttons looked very cheaply made.

[pzrwest]

If you want a very good tunic I would also recomend Lost Battalions. The cost is more but excellent made accurate tunic and trousers. Plus they are made in the USA

[Leutnant G.M.W.]

So many choices....

What if I asked "Where can I get the cheapest tunics without looking really stupid?"

I plan to get kinda soiled.

[pzrwest]

well if you aren't worried about quality and being accurate then Hong Kong Keith... But still check with the unit you want to join first they may not allow the HKK

[Leutnant G.M.W.]

Nope. I dont like the stuff from Asia.

I dont know what Im gonna do.

Its way to hard.

Oh well.

[pzrwest]

Well if you don't want anything made in China then looks like Lost Battalions(USA) or Gmax Tailoring(Canada) but it's going to be expensive. ATF, Hessian, etc are Sturm and they are made in China

[deiter]

i will differ from the opinions stated so far.........i honestly think all tunic are made in china regardless what business sells them........i have a tunic/trousers from sportsmans guide from 2004.........they no longer sell german wwii stuff--i read they were bought by a french company..........it supposedly is a sturm........its pretty thick........i have ripped the pant in many places......and the tunic 2x............i also have bought an tunic from HKK........it is clearly thinner......but that doesnt really matter since that tunic is for a officer.........also.....what so bad about a thinner tunic..........have you ever heard a german reenactor say...."i wish my tunic was thicker......im not sweating enough".........the price is right for HKK...........also.....werent late war tunics kind of crappy anyway?

[pzrwest]

personally I find Sturm tunics and pants greatcoats are ok. I haven't had a HHK tunic in my hands to compare to my Sturm tunics so I can't really speak on them. As for where a tunic is actually made is not so much a factor as cost and quality.

[CWP]

HKK tunics are garbage. Lost Battalions tunics are made in their own shop in the USA and not in China, you can go visit and see for yourself. Anything worth doing, is worth doing right. Trying to take the cheap way out is going to get you a crappy impression. Leutnant, what unit are you in?

[pzrwest]

That's why I recomended Lost Battalions and Gmax Tailoring. Because they are quality made and accurate and made in North America and north of the Mexico border. But they are expensive but that goes hand in hand with quality. No one can nit pick you with either of these companies products