eagle5 Posted May 29, 2012 Report Share Posted May 29, 2012 For those of you wearing black flight suits, do they fade after a handfull of washes (like my black jeans), or do they keep their color for a very long time (like my black slacks)? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbo2181 Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Gibson and Barnes holds the color well. Black also doubles as an easy bake oven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDHelicopterPilot Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Agree. Holds color well. Hot in the sun. You get used to it though. I used to have a red one. Also from GB and those faded to orange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gingerw00ki3 Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 I'll have to see if I can snag a couple of tan mil spec flight suits before I get out >.< Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Pig Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Just out of curiosity.....why black? If its Nomex it will keep its color fine. I wear a green one. I dont like tan because it shows all the dirt. Might as well wear a white one! To me, green seems to be a happy medium. I couldnt imagine wearing black all day. Of course, thats in a 500. If I had AC maybe it wouldnt be so bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle5 Posted May 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Just out of curiosity.....why black? It looks cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ridethisbike Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Just out of curiosity.....why black? If its Nomex it will keep its color fine. I wear a green one. I dont like tan because it shows all the dirt. Might as well wear a white one! To me, green seems to be a happy medium. I couldnt imagine wearing black all day. Of course, thats in a 500. If I had AC maybe it wouldnt be so bad. Some companies require their employees to dress in uniform. Some of those companies pick black flight suits as said uniform. And for the record, I HAVE seen black flight suits fade. I'm sure it took a long time, but it does happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heligirl03 Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Wash it in white vinegar the first time around, it'll keep it from bleeding too badly and hold it's color a little longer overall. Sun/weather fading will depend more on where you're working. In the southwest desert stuff fades badly in just a year. Up north, it'll last a lot longer. Even my leather SHOES fade down here :/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Pig Posted May 30, 2012 Report Share Posted May 30, 2012 Some companies require their employees to dress in uniform. Some of those companies pick black flight suits as said uniform. And for the record, I HAVE seen black flight suits fade. I'm sure it took a long time, but it does happen. That Im aware of. I was just curious what eagle5's reason was. If its because it looks cool, as stated by eagle5, Id say cool will be the last thing that comes to your mind come about July and August in most parts of the country Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gomer Pylot Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 Some Nomex colors fade badly, some very little. I don't know about black, I've never had the misfortune to be required to wear black Nomex. All flight suits suck, some a little less than others, but they all suck. Any sort of two-piece ensemble is infinitely preferable, but I understand that employers require them because they look cool. Washing doesn't cause the fading, however, it's the sun that fades Nomex, while also causing the fiber to deteriorate. The only solution for fading is to keep out of the sun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDHelicopterPilot Posted May 31, 2012 Report Share Posted May 31, 2012 I have not seen black fade to much. RED yes! It will turn orange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trans Lift Posted June 1, 2012 Report Share Posted June 1, 2012 Black most definitely fades. It turns purple! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wally Posted June 1, 2012 Report Share Posted June 1, 2012 (edited) Y'all tickle me with your nugget enthusiasm for aviation tribal regalia. It used to be sunglasses (Randolphs or Ray Bans), bushy mustaches, big watches and boots, and faded Velcro on the flight suit marking a real old-timer. Oh yeah, and exotic personal weapons, especially Swedish Ks and sawed-off M79s.I'd rather take a beating than wear a one-piece flight suit, especially a black "bake-in oven bag". You're going to climb into a solar powered sauna in the color that absorbs heat, keep your sleeves rolled down, collar and zipper up or you lose the benefits of that non-breathable Arimid, Nomex. Can you say "heat injury"? Somebody will, if you're not careful.It's better with a 2-piece even if it doesn't look like astronaut gear. It's very useful to be able to unblouse when you climb out of the cockpit, or take the 'shirt' off, if appropriate, and don it quickly when you need it. And if you use all the pockets on the one-sy bag, it all hangs from your shoulders. But the boss says the crew will war identical overalls with funny pockets to set us apart from the tractor mechanics.They all fade in the sun, no experience with black, but teal goes grey on the shoulders and arms within a year. Green gets kinda yellow, royal blue does okay but loses color saturation. Ask Aureus or whoever you're buying from, they'll know the most durable colors. They told us teal was bad... Edited June 1, 2012 by Wally Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oceancowboy Posted June 3, 2012 Report Share Posted June 3, 2012 It looks cool! my flight suit makes me look like a 'Teletubbie'... how can that be cool??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DS_HMMR Posted June 4, 2012 Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 Y'all tickle me with your nugget enthusiasm for aviation tribal regalia. It used to be sunglasses (Randolphs or Ray Bans), bushy mustaches, big watches and boots, and faded Velcro on the flight suit marking a real old-timer. Oh yeah, and exotic personal weapons, especially Swedish Ks and sawed-off M79s.I'd rather take a beating than wear a one-piece flight suit, especially a black "bake-in oven bag". You're going to climb into a solar powered sauna in the color that absorbs heat, keep your sleeves rolled down, collar and zipper up or you lose the benefits of that non-breathable Arimid, Nomex. Can you say "heat injury"? Somebody will, if you're not careful.It's better with a 2-piece even if it doesn't look like astronaut gear. It's very useful to be able to unblouse when you climb out of the cockpit, or take the 'shirt' off, if appropriate, and don it quickly when you need it. And if you use all the pockets on the one-sy bag, it all hangs from your shoulders. But the boss says the crew will war identical overalls with funny pockets to set us apart from the tractor mechanics.They all fade in the sun, no experience with black, but teal goes grey on the shoulders and arms within a year. Green gets kinda yellow, royal blue does okay but loses color saturation. Ask Aureus or whoever you're buying from, they'll know the most durable colors. They told us teal was bad... One persons "heat casualty", is another's "maintaining the bodyweight guidelines" per the employee manual. ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippiesdrainage Posted June 4, 2012 Report Share Posted June 4, 2012 Be sure your flightsuit is fireproof, I hear catching on fire will change the color of a flightsuit pretty rapidly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawkeye0001 Posted June 5, 2012 Report Share Posted June 5, 2012 (edited) Be sure your flightsuit is fireproof, I hear catching on fire will change the color of a flightsuit pretty rapidly.  Nope, not the black ones About the only "Pro" for them on my list... I'm using tan flight suits for two years now, no problems with fading colors. They might become a bit greyish after a while but it doesn't wash out as badly as green or especially black. Edited June 5, 2012 by Hawkeye0001 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trans Lift Posted June 6, 2012 Report Share Posted June 6, 2012 Hey Hawkeye, its not like you are in a sunny or hot environment with that tan suit.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Death2Daleks Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 Wow, why all the hate against flight suits? If you want to remove the top, I always just tied the arms around my waist. You get to wear a onesie to work and they're about as comfortable as you can get... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightsta1ker Posted June 8, 2012 Report Share Posted June 8, 2012 I still have 4 or 5 brand new two piece deserts that got issued to me at the END of my year long Iraq tour (such a horrible year with only two serviceable flight suits and laundry service 3 days apart, then we get new stuff right before we go home... pffft!). Still prefer my pickle suit to those tho. It's like wearing a onesie! I just wish I had one with feet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trans Lift Posted June 11, 2012 Report Share Posted June 11, 2012 I have to wear black and it gets pretty hot. It is what it is... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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