Did Carhartt cheapen up thier zippers?

rockyridgefarm · Nov 18, 2018

I wear out a Carhartt coat about every three years. My last coat broke the zipper shortly after buying it, and I just wore it without zipping it. I just bought another coat last week and notice that its zipper is chintzy as well. Pretty disappointing for a $130 coat. this one will get returned if it breaks. Yes, I lubricate them from time to time, but the zipper mechanism and the teeth are just smaller than they used to be.

Anyone else notice this of late?

OregonAaron · Nov 18, 2018

Carhartt cheapened their everything. The last 3 items I bought from them were terrible quality and cost too much. This year I bought a jacket by dri duck, it was the horizon model. Quality surpasses carhartt and the price is good. I think it was $60 on Amazon. I would recommend it. Also, if you do have an issue with your carhartt item the customer service is terrible.

Bob Bancroft · Nov 18, 2018

I bought a Levi brown duck hooded coat last year. I like everything about it better than the latest Carhartt.
I have an old, patched up Carhartt I wear unzipped, in the spring and fall, doing really grungy work. I have a decent one I'm wearing around here now. And a new one waiting in the closet. The new one has a miserable double zipper, which I hate.

oliver power · Nov 18, 2018

I don't buy Carhart any more. I switched to Filson. After about 6 years or so with Filson, Filson done away with the zipper on there tin jacket. Time to look for another brand...

db4600 · Nov 18, 2018

Had a Dri Duck through work. I wish I still had it. Problem is
we get premiums from vendors and now at the rate I wear out
stuff I don?t think I have to buy another one.... Unless my belly
keeps growing. Dri Duck and Red Head have good stuff.

ollie gm · Nov 18, 2018

Here's what I did with 2 nearly new flannel lined chore jackets. First, I cut out the zippers and then went to the local boot repair who sewed in velcro full length strips. These are almost 2" wide and one of them has survived months of grinding, welding and burning. You don't causally unzip these coats to remove, you need to literally tear yourself out.

JayinNY · Nov 18, 2018

I looked at a Sherpa lined Carhartt last month, I
wasent sold on it because of the zipper, I bought the
Schmidt brand from tractor supply.

Russ from MN · Nov 18, 2018

I bought my first pair of Carhartt work pants a few years ago, I was very disappointed how quickly they
wore out. I have a jacket that looks like a Carhartt from Menard that is very good, and a whole lot
cheaper. Menards is my favorite place to buy clothes!

Ole Ringneck · Nov 18, 2018

I would have to agree. I have had three zippers brake the last two years.For the ones I get really dirty I buy at auctions ,flea markets and
garage sales ,for good I buy Cabela?s on sale.

JMS/.MN · Nov 18, 2018

You know that they do shrink while hanging in the closet, right?

Janicholson · Nov 18, 2018

These seem like what Carheart should be. Jim
Duluth Trading Co.

SVcummins · Nov 18, 2018

I have a Carhart hoodie that I bought two years ago
even ran it over with thr Ih 370 disk in plowed
ground didn?t hurt it . No zipper problems it helps to
zip them up when you wash and dry them I?ve
noticed that if I don?t zip em up the zipper gets
sticky

K Effective · Nov 18, 2018

You know that they do shrink while hanging in the closet, right?

I can attest to that!

I bought the Carhartt Extremes bibs and hooded coat for trimming grapes, they are almost too warm when you are active. And the zippers are still the old, high quality ones. At least up to two years ago.

The bibs don't get zipped anymore

Northvale PA · Nov 18, 2018

YKK makes the best zippers. They also happen to make commercial aluminum window frames.

gtractorfan · Nov 18, 2018

I was in the local Rural King store last week, looked at Carharts. Then I noticed the tags say "Made in Guatamala". For their price? When I got home I looked at the tag on the Carhart I have. It says "Made in Mexico". Berne has outerwear made in the U.S. much cheaper. I have several of their coats and they seem okay. How can they be made in America and sell for less?

W_B · Nov 18, 2018

(quoted from post at 04:35:30 11/19/18) I was in the local Rural King store last week, looked at Carharts. Then I noticed the tags say "Made in Guatamala". For their price? When I got home I looked at the tag on the Carhart I have. It says "Made in Mexico". Berne has outerwear made in the U.S. much cheaper. I have several of their coats and they seem okay. How can they be made in America and sell for less?

I have a Berne coat. Has been a good one, big strong zipper too. Got it at RK.
It is almost too well insulated to wear in all but the coldest weather.

John M · Nov 19, 2018

Sure if you like overpriced clothes that fall apart in the washer. Work bought us some stuff from there a couple of years ago. Don't recall what it was, I do know hoodies, that literally fell apart in the washing machine.

sammydwm · Nov 19, 2018

I looked at Carhartt stuff last year and it was all overpriced cheap crap. Not the same stuff it used to be at all.

David from Kansas · Nov 19, 2018

Don't know about Berne coats, but have used their bibs and the strap latches on the bibs pull out after only casual use. Have a Carhartt I've been wearing for probably ten years or more. The sleeve cuffs and pockets are totally worn out and it has been washed so much it is white but the zipper still works perfectly. Made in Mexico.

CaseChev · Nov 19, 2018

Stopped buying Carhartt about 5yrs. ago when I learned about the political activities of the current Carhartt family members and heirs.......very, very anti 2nd amendment and anti-gun. Did you ever notice that there are no adds for Carhartt clothing which show hunting or guns ?

Bret4207 · Nov 20, 2018

Carhartt dropped in quality a big bunch maybe 10-15 years back. I gave up on them. Walls is still decent, so is Berne. Honestly, I buy my stuff either at Salvation Army store, a local military surplus type place or off Ebay. I really like the waxed cotton type coats the Brits and Australians use for rainy weather. I can go to a store and pay $250-350.00 or I can go on line and get a used one off Ebay for $40-75.00 and wear it till it dies. Same for cold weather coats. I was buying surplus Swedish, knee length coats for $27.00. Our local place ran out, but Colemans Surplus has then for $35.00 and they are worth every penny and then some. It's really hard to find an unlined, hip length denim chore coat anymore, unless you go on Ebay. Same only more so for any wool coats.

As far as zippers, any canvass shop or any real tailors or place that does alterations on clothing can put in a real heavy duty YKK zipper for you. I have an old Woolrich button up coat I'm going to have a zipper added to if I ever get the time. It's not rocket science!

Carls70 · Nov 20, 2018

Agreed on the poorer quality observation.

I purchased a nice heavy warm winter coat and well insulated set of bib overalls (Black Duck brand) from Rural King by Angola, In for less than $100 (winter of 2006).

Lasted me till last year. Went to Menards and found a nice set of overalls for $60. Not as heavy duty as the old set but better than the comparable Carhart pair I found for double the price. Been using them daily and so far so good.

Carl

marloweg · Nov 20, 2018

the Berne jackets have a inside pocket that's to small for a handgun

Did Carhartt cheapen up thier zippers?

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