I just bought a new winter coat. I’ve needed one for a while, as I’ve pretty much worn all my others to rags. Hazards of farm living, I think — everything gets worn out for farm work eventually.
The coat I bought doubles as a farm coat and an office coat. When funds are spare, you quickly learn to make your clothes multi-task. Thanks to a lovely Christmas donation from my sister-in-law (and a 15% manager’s sale), what I ended up with is a nice, heavy-weight coat from Tractor Supply.
For those not familiar, TSC typically deals in two brands of winter work gear — Carhartt and Schmidt. Now, I’m a fan of Carhartt. My in-laws gave me a nice set of heavy bib coveralls a couple of years back, and after wearing them for an hour or two of barn work in January, I’m typically drenched in sweat. Saying they keep me warm is a bit of an understatement.
The trouble with Carhartt is that all their stuff is expensive. They are to farm winter wear what Levi or Abercrombie are to blue jeans. This time around, I decided to go with TSC’s other brand, Schmidt. I picked the heaviest weight coat I could find and brought it home.
I’ve been exceptionally happy with it already.
Which begs the question in the title of this post — what’s in a name brand? If this sample is representative, then both Carhartt and Schmidt are effectively equivalent in terms of quality. The only difference I see between the two is the name of the brand — and the price tag. I don’t really think, given my experience so far, that Carhartt merits paying twice as much as for Schmidt products, but then again I also won’t pay twice as much for my blue jeans when a product half the cost will do just as well, especially since all my clothes end ultimately end up in the barnyard anyway.
There are some products in which I am name-brand loyal, but Carhartt is not one of them. I’d much rather make every dollar in my wallet as far as I can. Hopefully, this coat will last for several years — and I suspect my next cost will also be a Schmidt.
I see this is an old post but I wanted to add to it. I work in the weather as an HVAC tech so I put winter gear through its paces I am in the commercial side of it so lots of cold windy roofs and I have been loyal to carhardt for twenty years I received some C.E.Schmidt outerwear as a gift this ain’t the junky stuff I thought it was by a long shot durability is pretty much the same and I think the Schmidt gear edges Carhardt on warmth a bit the value of the C.E. Schmidt is outstanding and I am changing my preference
I’m still using the coat I talked about in this post. It’s held up extremely well over the years, and I’ve put it through some brutal treatment and exceptionally cold winters. Schmidt still carries my seal of approval.
Car hart is made in USA. Schmidt is made in Egypt and Pakistan. Makes a difference to me.
I prefer to buy American wherever I can, too, but when the price point is as significant as it is between Schmidt and Carhartt for a product that’s effectively comparable, unfortunately, it’s cost that’s usually going to win out for me.
Don’t fool yourself. Not all of Carhartt’s clothing is made in the USA. They have four manufacturing plants in Mexico making Carhartt labeled clothing. I have a pair of Mexico made Carhartt pants in my home. Other Carhartt clothing products are tagged made in China.
That honestly doesn’t surprise me one bit. It’s hard to find products that are 100% American-made. When the bottom line is what really matters to most companies, you’re going to find a lot of production outsourced to outside the country. That’s just the way things are.
Why wouldn’t the bottom line matter? They’re in business to make a profit. I can’t blame them much for outsourcing when for years our govt. has been unfriendly to all but the biggest corporations. Their quality is still good though.
Dam it! You guys made me look! The boots I just bought 2 hours ago and was very happy with that I thought were American made are in fact made in China. They have a very small sticker that says FS made in China. I guess you can not believe in anything you buy is made here even if you pay a higher price for the item. They are very nice boots and are very comfortable for loggers boots. They seam very nicely made. They are twice as much as the boots I just took back to big 5 because they leaked water in. And the glue was failing. They were also made in China. I hope that I don’t have to return these.
I was at the local TSC looking for a Carhartt vest as my old Wrangler vest was worn out. However I didn’t like the Carhartt vests. They had two styles, a regular one and a water resistant one. The water resistant one was the more expensive, but I didn’t think either style was comfortable or fit right. I was very disappointed because I was kind of excited about getting a Carhartt vest.
Then my wife pointed out the C.E. Schmidt. I immediately poo-poo’d it as a cheap knock off, but the more I looked at it, the more i liked it. I tried it on and it fit great and looked nice. I began to try to talk myself out of the Schmidt, because I thought I wanted a Carhartt. The more I argued with myself about how the Schmidt wasn’t up to par, the more I realized my arguments were stupid; and I bought the Schmidt.
It’s a heavy canvas, like the Carhartt, but looks like a smoother, more refined cloth. It has the same features as the water resistant Carhartt, but fits better, looks better and is higher quality. I have a few different vests, because I like vests and am always on the lookout for new ones. The Schmidt has become my go-to daily vest. It’s perfect for all but the coldest Colorado days.
Carhartt makes more than 2 types of vests. I really like Schmidt and Carhartt but Carhartt is a step up in quality in my opinion. It always last a little longer.
I Love the fit of Schmidt carpenter jeans. They are at a price that I can afford. However I have found that they don’t last long. The belt loops are always letting go and the back pockets are always letting go on the top corners. I am looking at buying 4 pairs of jeans and I’m seriously looking at carhartts. I don’t like the fit as good and they are a little more expensive. They do wear longer. Carpenter jeans are bout All I wear
First, thank you for the post and all the respondents.
Having been a Carhartt supporter in decades past I find that is not the case anymore.
I was willing to pay that extra for quality that was made here in the USA, but like most clothing a lot of Carhartts are now manufactured overseas, Mexico, etc .
So if a Schmidt is $30 and Carhartt is $60 Buy the Schmidt, Why most likely they are both being manufacture at the same overseas facility.
That’s is why I Bought as Schmidt Vest, Carhartt Does not make them in the US
Carhartt exceptions (still made in USA)
https://www.carhartt.com/category/carhartt-collections-made-in-USA
I will still by US made products when I can such as my flannel line jacket. (that’s me I like keeping us dollars her in the US when I can)
https://www.carhartt.com/products/carhartt-men-outerwear/Duck-Active-Jac-Quilted-Flannel-Lined-J140