Favorite Coveralls?

[Handyandy23]

What are people wearing for coveralls in the garage? I'm tired of covering all my clothes in grease! Did leaf springs on my truck last weekend and washed the clothes I was wearing twice and they are still pretty black.

I see I can get Dickies coveralls on Amazon for a decent price so that's the way I'm leaning, but I've never been a coverall wearer so not sure what to look for.

Material preferences? Short or long sleeves?

 

[nelstomlinson]

I get old BDUs from the secondhand store. They aren't coveralls, but they cover me, and they're dirt cheap.

 

[blackwire]

Coveralls are great in the winter, but get pretty hot in the summer. I prefer cotton ones because they breathe better than the synthetic fiber ones and won't stick to your skin if they catch on fire or melt from chemicals.

 

[Millwrong]

I like The stuff from Big Bill. Made in Canada, and they have everything from $40 twill versions, to $700 FR high-vis stuff. TSC sells them around here.






http://bigbill.com/product/workwear?f[0]=im_field_category%3A21

 

[sberry]

Coveralls are great when you are really going to roll in it or paint etc but I really like bibs better. But I am a rather clean mechanic, don't wipe hands on cloths, wipe grease gobs off with paper towels and wash hands, don't roll in grease.

 

[gte718p]

Mine at work have to be fire retardant so they care stupid expensive ($150 a set), but I absolutely love my Bulwarks nomex coveralls.

Depending on the class of ship light weigh nomex for summer and heavy for winter. Steam and Diesel plants are always 100+ deg year round so it is light weigh year round. Gas turbine plants get flipping cold in the winter.

Coveralls get just a dirty and are just as hard to clean as normal clothes. The answer is to work clean. I find I wipe my hands a lot less when I'm wearing gloves. I also have develop sensitivities to oil and acetone so I almost always where nitrile glove. I'll throw cheap cotton gloves over them. Those are disposable.

When my coveralls are nasty, I will soak them in a 5 gallon bucket of hot water and Dawn. Then into the washing machine with copious amounts of Oxyclean. Come out like new.

 

[Handyandy23]

Coveralls are great in the winter, but get pretty hot in the summer. I prefer cotton ones because they breathe better than the synthetic fiber ones and won't stick to your skin if they catch on fire or melt from chemicals.

I agree, I tend to avoid them since they are hot. But realistically I'm hoping if I'm just wearing them and no clothes underneath they won't be so bad. Can't be a lot different than just clothes.

I like The stuff from Big Bill. Made in Canada, and they have everything from $40 twill versions, to $700 FR high-vis stuff. TSC sells them around here.





http://bigbill.com/product/workwear?f[0]=im_field_brand%3A1&f[1]=im_field_category%3A21

Thanks for the tip! I have a TSC close by. I now remember years ago having a pair of Big Bills. They were kind of scratchy and stuff, but I also think they were likely the cheapest material option I could have gotten. I'll check out what they have now.

Coveralls are great when you are really going to roll in it or paint etc but I really like bibs better. But I am a rather clean mechanic, don't wipe hands on cloths, wipe grease gobs off with paper towels and wash hands, don't roll in grease.

The bib overalls is a good suggestion. They might be better in the summer and will keep the majority of me clean.

I definitely wouldn't call myself messy, but I always find a way to get dirty somehow. Changing leaf springs last weekend there was no really clean way to do it. 10 year of truck in the rust belt, standing under it on the hoist using an impact. Just piles of rust and dirt falling all over me. I also tend to be clumsy and can go through a whole job pretty clean, and then at the end slop the oil drain pan cleaning up onto myself.

I know coveralls will get dirty too, but they will stay in the garage, and are generally a heavier and dark material. Right now I'll wear t-shirts most of the time and once that thin material gets stained it never wants to clean up. Plus they get ripped up and stretched and you end up looking like a hobo in no time.

 

[Shootinok]

In colder months I do like coveralls but still like the short sleeve version or I just get too hot. Bibs are good too but my most recent set is coveralls.
I like KEY brand because the ones I have don’t have zippered pockets and the main zipper is well covered. No metal exposed to scratch paint.

In the hot months I wear dickies pants and an apron. That keeps me pretty clean and I get a little more protection too.


Sent from my iPhone using The Garage Journal mobile app

 

[Danglerb]

Sears outlet store usually has cheap coveralls a few times a year. Bibs are fine for heavy wear, but around cars have too much exposed metal that can scratch paint.

 

[Mr. Tool]

A couple months back, I recently bought a pair of Carhartt coveralls (see picture below) that I can slip on and off, quickly, over clothing when working on vehicles.

I'm happy with'em cause they serve it's purpose.

 

[MushCreek]

I have a pair of fisher strips overalls for the vintage look, but I don't get them real dirty. I also have a pair of Sears coveralls for rolling in the mud at the junkyard.