The Marine Corps is suspending its all-weather coat — also known as the “Inspector Gadget” trench coat — after a defect was discovered that caused the coats to “bleed” orange in the rain.
“The defect causes the coat to bleed a noticeable, orange-colored substance from the fabric when exposed to water or rain, resulting in a stained, unserviceable, and unprofessional appearance,” Marine Corps officials said.
Marine Corps and Defense Logistics Agency officials found “a significant manufacturing defect in a specific production lot of the All-Weather Coat,” according to a Jan. 26 Marine Corps administrative notice, MARADMIN.
Because of this unfortunate defect, the Marine Corps is suspending “all sales and initial issue” of its all-weather coat “until further notice,” according to the service announcement.
In lieu of wearing their trench coat style jacket, Marines “should” have a Gore-Tex Parka that they can wear for inclement weather, said Cpl. Zion Hermitt, a clerk for the Marine Corps Installation and Logistics Command. Marines who’ve purchased or were issued a recalled all-weather coat, he said, could submit a request for a refund.
“They should be reimbursed in order to get another one or be able to buy a Gore-Tex [jacket],” Hermitt said.
Marines are rarely short of opinions on questions of uniforms, and the all-weather coat is no exception, beloved by some and hated by others for its buttoned-up, dated vibe, with Reddit users saying it was ideal “for Inspector Gadget cosplay” or for dressing up as Mr. X from the original Resident Evil 2 video game. Over the years, the coat has been fodder for repeated jokes online, with current and former Marines all wondering if anyone has ever worn the thing, and if so, why?
Objectively speaking, the coat is perfectly suited for traversing the streets of London on a foggy day, so long as you don’t mind ending the day looking like a bright orange traffic cone.
