Mac's Jacket
Hi everyone. Just thought I'd share my experiences tracking down MacReady's jacket. Not being content with "close enough" I embarked on a 3 month long journey of searching and searching some more for the same jacket Mac wore in the film. Using screen captures and my large collection of photographs as reference I finally found it and get this, it's the same make and model as worn by "Flyboy" Dave Emge in the 1978 film "Dawn of the Dead". The jacket in question is a vintage Cooper flight jacket. It's lined with a cream colored synthetic fur and has a huge aluminum zipper and dark brown painted snaps. Cooper no longer makes this style anymore so Ebay's the only way to find one. If you find one, get one a size larger than you would normally wear as they run on the small side. I lucked out and found a brand new one and have been wearing mine for 7 years now and it still looks brand new. They;re nice jackets if you can get one. His flight suit was most likely made by the costume department. After many years of looking I've never found his exact type. Hope some of you find this useful. Later, Jared

Awesome! I knew it was a flight jacket but nothing more. This is a tasty bit of news! Thank you.

No problem man. It should help those who want to dress like Mac add a little more authenticity to their outfit.

Here's the jacket- this one's an old beater on Ebay right now.

What do you think about an "official" Outpost 31 embroidered patch? I'm currently working out a design that will include the wording "U.S. Antarctica Research Program- Outpost 31" with an outline of Antarctica and possibly a silouette of the station. I might base it on an Air Force patch, circular with the tab above and below. If I do it, I'll be getting 50 made up. I have a patch company that I've worked with before lined up to do it. Let me know what you think and I'll post pictures as soon as I knock out the design.

That sounds damn cool! Keep us posted IAFuchs!

No problem brother. Years ago, around 1996 I had a fleece jacket made up with the U.S. Antarctica Research Program Outpost 31 and my name embroidered on it. Everytime I wore it people asked me about it. Most of the time I just told them that's where I was stationed. It was my favorite jacket until I dropped a lit cigarette on it. I'm in the process of getting another one. I'll post pics when that's done too.

Hey Jared, Very cool info. I still have the pic you sent me of Mac's jacket: I'm looking forward to the patches, they sound awesome! Keep us posted! FYI: Jared has a THING tattoo and it is in our Fan Tattoos section. T

Cool man. I still need to get the reat of my tatoo sleeve done up some day. I want to get all of the the Thing creatures on there. I think Cooper made that jacket from the mid 70's to the mid 80's and there are very slight variations but none that anybody would notice. Some have a zig zag stitich under the collar and some don't and brands of zippers changed over the years but that's it. I believe mine is an early to mid 80's, Mac's was probably late 70's. Take care and I'll let you know about the patch soon. After I give my approval it takes about 3 weeks to get the patches in hand. Later, Jared