Once again with the uniforms...

[wjohnc]

I live in a city (the capital, actually) of about 120 000 people, in a province of about 500 000. Except for the company I work for (but they're close) everyone around here has a lethal case of WBS, all minimum wage and the like, so getting any really good quality uniform apparel is almo... well, it is impossible. And I'm not about to buy uniforms over the web, gods only know what I'll end up looking like.

In any case, I found a little - and I mean little, only about 50' square - shop the other day that does uniforms, it seems, mostly for nurses.
Well, I got to talking with the owner about my situation. I like good quality gear, and am always ready to pay for it, but it's so hard to find, if it's even to be found. He seemed very interested in what I had to say, even to the point of taking notes on certain companies and their products (he'd never heard of Elbecko, but had heard of Galls and Quatermaster, and carried some Dickies).

One company's products that he liked, and for which he had a catalogue, but did not carry due to supply and demand (no demand from the WBS'ers) was Horace Small. He said that he would order something of my choosing in for me if I wished, if only to see it in real life.
Excellent customer service.

Anybody of the company Horace Small? I remember hearing (reading?) something about them in passing. Something about being the supplier for the CHP or something...

btw - isn't it strange and funny how the city's biggest security uniforms supplier doesn't carry anything remotely like a dedicated uniform (Arrow shirts, and Ash Mountain whatever, just items for a uniform, not uniform items), but this little tiny shop knows almost of what I speak?

wjohnc

[Charger]

Horace makes good quality stuff... As does a company called Flying Cross..

But if you really want high quality uniforms, I'd go with Blauer... I had a Blauer Streetgear uniform that lasted me darn near 5 years without a single rip, tear, or any kind of blemish.. The only downside is last I checked they only made them in solid black or solid navy... No other colors.. The price is also pretty spendy, but you do get what you pay for.

[Guest]

Horace Small is pretty popular in So. Cal. I only have direct experience with their pants, I am not sure if they make uniform shirts or not.

Anyway, I had two pairs of the Horace Small 100% wool blue pants with sap pockets when I worked for the college. I wore them for nearly three years straight and they were still going strong when I had to turn them in after we got disbanded. Once, I balled up a pair and threw it in the corner of my closet because I was going to bring them to the dry cleaners the next day, but I forgot about them for just over a week. When I picked them up off the closet floor and shook them out there was not a wrinkle to be seen! The only drawback to the wool pants was that they had to be dry-cleaned, you cannot machine wash 100% wool clothing, but I paid the price gladly. I also believe that LAPD issues the Horace Small pants, but do not remember because it was so long ago.

For shirts you cannot beat Elbeco. Again, I had 100% blue wool Elbeco shirts at both the college and LAPD, and never had a complaint. The wool kept you warm in cold weather, but was still able to breathe in warm weather; although, I do admit when it got over 100 degrees Fahrenheit it got a little uncomfortable, especially when wearing a bullet-proof vest! The shirts kept their shape well and held sharp creases. A large, reinforced badge tab kept your badge in place and upright. The badge would not hang over the top of the breast pocket like you see on the cheaper shirts! The drawbacks were the need to dry- clean them, and the expense, if you have to buy them yourself.

The last time I checked, which was back in 2004 or so, 100% wool Elbeco shirts were selling for around $60, and 100% wool Horace Small pants were around $90. IMHO money well spent, since they will last you for a while. Would you rather spend $20 for a cheap shirt you will have to replace once a year, or $60 for a good quality shirt that should last you 3 years or so?

[Jackhole]

Not to come off like a jerk, but why are you buying your own uniforms? Your employer doesn't provide you with any?

[N. A. Corbier]

Its Canada. Probably not.

Horace Small is now "The Force," which is a budget line of uniforms. They're not bad, I've work Horace Small uniforms before.

[Mr. Security]

Horace makes good quality stuff... As does a company called Flying Cross.....

I agree. Flying Cross has benefited from more than a few of my dollars when I started my consulting company. $$ Thus far, I'm pleased with the quality.

[CAR54]

I'm real happy with the Quartermaster uniform I wear (Law Pro). The bomber jacket looks great, though it would be nice if it had an inner liner. I spilled coffee all over the front of the shirt a while back, a few minutes in the mens room with a wet paper towel had it looking as good as new (almost).

Though my pants had a run in with a feral kitten and now have a number of threads sticking out..dam cat got it's claws stick in the threads (good thing I'm working an unarmed post.

[HotelSecurity]

Its Canada. Probably not.

He's in Newfoundland! (It's a inside Canadian joke! - sorry wjohnc I couldn't resist! LOL)

The 2 contract companies I worked for when I first started out before going In-House paid for my uniforms & I'm in Canada. (Until the next referendum?)

[N. A. Corbier]

I'm real happy with the Quartermaster uniform I wear (Law Pro). The bomber jacket looks great, though it would be nice if it had an inner liner. I spilled coffee all over the front of the shirt a while back, a few minutes in the mens room with a wet paper towel had it looking as good as new (almost).

Though my pants had a run in with a feral kitten and now have a number of threads sticking out..dam cat got it's claws stick in the threads (good thing I'm working an unarmed post.

Amusingly enough, LawPro does make an LAPD certified jacket with Thinsulmate liner.

[Mall Director]

My input, stay away from LawPro, an off make of DutyPro.. Its shirts pill after a while, and these weird black marks keep popping up!

[N. A. Corbier]

Keep in mind that...

LawPro is Quartermaster Uniform's in-house brand of budget equipment.
DutyPro is Gall's in-house brand of budget equipment.

DutyPro is Gall's new "Cheaper than Gall's Gear" brand, specifically marketed for cheap security companies. A good example of this is Gall's "DutyPro Baton," which is a cheap extendable baton sold at the flea markets. In actuality its a Bud-K "Solid Steel Stick" baton. Twenty five dollars.