So my Belt Gizmo, PKE Meter and Ecto Goggles are done … time to hunt for bigger fish.
It seems to me the one thing I’m going to have to spend money on is the flight suit. Not a huge amount, but cheapo, button-up boiler suits and coveralls just don’t look right. I want the real thing.
Or as close as I can justifiably get.
After combing through the excellent uniform thread on here and examining the prices online, I came to the conclusion the Tru-Spec flight suit would be the best compromise.
But there’s the whole shipping-charge issue. Shipping frequently doubles the price of anything from the States.
By an unusual quirk of fate, I accidentally and unexpectedly found myself in Florida. As sometimes happens. Orlando, to be precise. By an even bigger quirk of fate, I realised there was an Army Surplus store a couple of miles away from my hotel. Being car-less in the US means I can’t really wander too far, but a couple of miles … yeah, why not?
And so it came to pass late one August evening I sallied forth from the hotel in search of said Army Navy Store.
Now, two miles isn’t far. It’s an easy stroll. The Floridian heat makes it a little harder, but it’s still an easy wander. The flip flops I was wearing weren’t helping though. Although comfortable knocking around the hotel, mall or pool … after a mile or so they’d ripped all the skin off my feet and given me quite sizeable blisters.
Still, it would be worth it - a cheap, reasonably accurate flight suit! Can’t wait!
Another mile on and in quite considerable pain, I was delighted to walk up to the store … and crushed to discover it was closed - turns out I’d missed closing time by five minutes. The car which drove out of the car park as I was hobbling in was the manager going home.
Bugger.
So back I trudged, two miles back with my feet squelching in my own blood and a third mile’s detour to pick up half a ton of Peanut Butter M&Ms from Target (everyone I know over here is addicted to them and a kilo bag from the US costs the same as the smallest bag imaginable in the UK).
The next day, bandaged and wearing suitable footwear, I once again struck out in search of khaki-coloured gold.
This time, my feet were fine (ish). This time, the store was open. This time I discovered they don’t stock the Tru-Spec flight suit, just the Rothco ones and the proper nomex surplus type.
More disappointment.
The Rothco ones are fine … but when you’re looking at the colour next to the proper nomex ones … well, they just don’t cut it.
On a brighter note, buying a nomex suit from a US store instead of online means no shipping, which means the nomex flght suit costs exactly the same as getting a Rothco suit shipped to the UK.
Technically (for my wife’s benefit) I’m getting the most expensive option for the price of the cheapest!
It’s a bargain! Who can resist a bargain?
Not me, anyway.
I still need to sew the patches on and remove all the velcro … but I’m very happy.
