Contacting Quartermaster Inspector (qmi.be) for return/refund

[MeachamLake]

Has anybody ever dealt with Quartermaster Inspector before? I bought one of their horsehide A2 jackets and sadly it's just not the right jacket for me, so I want to return it. There was no returns info or address provided on the invoice in the box.

Obviously I need to know this before I can return it, so I've been contacting them via email to try and get this info, but at the time of writing I've heard absolutely nothing back from them. I now notice that the returns page of their website is a dead link that just redirects to their contact page.

As you can imagine this is slightly concerning. Has anybody got any experience with returning stuff to these guys?

 

[Technonut2112]

QMI had some decent HH A-2's from what I've seen in pics a number of years back, but sadly wasn't the same jacket when I ordered one a few years ago. One of the cheapest-looking A-2's I've seen, with poor knits, and VERY highly placed pockets, which had little scallop to the flaps. I still have it since it was too much bother for me to ship it back overseas at that time, but did have an approved return in place via telephone. I suggest that you give them a call:

+32 473 90 77 62

I wish I would have returned mine now. I've been trying to figure out what to do with it. I've toyed with the idea of using it for a display patch jacket, because I wouldn't feel good about selling it to anyone else (as on eBay). Shame, since the grain looks really authentic after giving it a soak in warm water.

 

[MeachamLake]

QMI had some decent HH A-2's from what I've seen in pics a number of years back, but sadly wasn't the same jacket when I ordered one a few years ago. One of the cheapest-looking A-2's I've seen, with poor knits, and VERY highly placed pockets, which had little scallop to the flaps. I still have it since it was too much bother for me to ship it back overseas at that time, but did have an approved return in place via telephone. I suggest that you give them a call:

+32 473 90 77 62

I wish I would have returned mine now. I've been trying to figure out what to do with it. I've toyed with the idea of using it for a display patch jacket, because I wouldn't feel good about selling it to anyone else. Shame, since the grain looks really authentic after giving it a soak in warm water.

I tried the phone but nobody answered...hmm.

The jacket I received is actually pretty decent for the money. The knits didn't stand out as being especially terrible to me, so perhaps it's a different one to the version you received? Looks like a ripoff of a Monarch with elements of a Star Sportswear in the collar. If I can't get hold of anyone at QMI, then maybe somebody on here would want it as a patch jacket or beater.

 

[Technonut2112]

QMI is a fairly large outfit from what I gather. Every time I phoned them during business hours, someone answered (EDIT: it's currently around 2:00 AM in Belgium). Here's pics of mine.. I actually 'improved' the pocket flap scallops after I decided to soak it when missing the RMA window. Note that this jacket was brand new, only worn to try on a couple of times, and only soaked in warm water once. (I'm not going to put it in the Classies, but if anyone here from the USA is interested as-is, I would ship it out for $75.00. Tagged a 46, fits like a 44)

 

[MeachamLake]

QMI is a fairly large outfit from what I gather. Every time I phoned them during business hours, someone answered. Here's pics of mine.. I actually 'improved' the pocket flap scallops after I decided to soak it when missing the RMA window. Note that this jacket was brand new, only worn to try on a couple of times, and only soaked in warm water once. (I'm not going to put it in the Classies, but if anyone here from the USA is interested as-is, I would ship it out for $75.00. Tagged a 46, fits like a 44)

View attachment 5395
View attachment 5396

View attachment 5397

Yeah, mine is a different jacket. Pockets seem to be placed much better on mine...

 

[Technonut2112]

Now, THAT looks like the pic that originally had me interested over at the 'Hat Place'.. Yours looks pretty decent. I wish it would have been the one I received. My own dumb-ass fault for not sending it back when I had the chance though...

EDIT: Here's the pic that influenced my decision to purchase the QMI, and what I thought I would be receiving (a bit of waterboarding and wear would have made it nice for the $$ IMO):

EDIT: It's been awhile since I've looked at the below pic, and I didn't notice that the epaulets had so much length to my eye until now... Could it be the collar being done-up making them look that long?

 

[Silver Surfer]

keep it. water board it, and kick it around the block a coupla times.....it wont get worse, and who knows, it may just end up as your chore-beater jacket. the hassle of returning stuff sometimes just aint worth it.

 

[Thomas Koehle]

I‘m pretty sure Peter was in France during the DDay celebrations

Try again to get him on the during this week

 

[Greg Gale]

I tried to contact them a few times for information. I never got a reply...

This being said I bought an A3 cap from them and I'm very happy with it.

 

[Cocker]

Never had an answer by email, best way to contact Peter is during office hours on the phone. As Tom said, I'm almost 100% sure he was in Normandy this week-end, though.

The problem with Peter's gear is that, most of the time, the initial run of his products are pretty neat, but the later ones are losing a lot in quality.

 

[Technonut2112]

I didn't speak with Peter De Brabander when I called their store. The person I spoke to was named Alain.

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

The problem with Peter's gear is that, most of the time, the initial run of his products are pretty neat, but the later ones are losing a lot in quality.

This is standard practice with Asia manufacture. This is the reason Aero only did one run of Indian made A-2s, the initial order was excellent, the second delivery was so poor we refused delivery and turned round the whole lot at Aero's front door. Fortunately the deal was COD so it only cost us the Talon zippers we'd supplied

 

[Cocker]

At least you had the honnesty to send them back to the manufacturer and don't enforce them on your customers, using the first production pictures...

 

[Technonut2112]

This is standard practice with Asia manufacture. This is the reason Aero only did one run of Indian made A-2s, the initial order was excellent, the second delivery was so poor we refused delivery and turned round the whole lot at Aero's front door. Fortunately the deal was COD so it only cost us the Talon zippers we'd supplied

I'm pretty sure that when I asked Alain from QMI where the jackets were manufactured, he said 'somewhere in Europe'... or perhaps I asked where the HH was sourced (can't recall for sure) There is no country of origin tag in my jacket.

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

I'm pretty sure that when I asked Alain from QMI where the jackets were manufactured, he said 'somewhere in Europe'... or perhaps I asked where the HH was sourced (can't recall for sure) There is no country of origin tag in my jacket.

The price tells everyone that is clearly not the case
Pike Bros for example get theirs made in Turkey and they retail around the £600 mark, that's what it costs to use "Western" manufacture. I use Pike Bros as an example of mass produced good quality garments generally selling at a reasonable price

 

[Technonut2112]

The price tells everyone that is clearly not the case
Pike Bros for example get theirs made in Turkey and they retail around the £600 mark, that's what it costs to use "Western" manufacture. I use Pike Bros as an example of mass produced good quality garments generally selling at a reasonable price

Not always the case IME... I purchased a USA made Legendary USA civvie 'Warhawk' A-2 in HH only around 2 years ago, and it was on sale for $340.00 USD. Construction was quite good. The only problem was that the back panel was of inconsistent thickness, and in other places 'veiny'... Turns out the HH was sourced from South America. Sent that one back, only to receive another like it. I then personally made the 7 hour round trip to exchange that one at their store, only to find more of the same in my size there.. Ended up getting a refund...

EDIT: I very much regret not purchasing their Schott-made HH 'Black Stallion' 'D' pocket for $500.00 USD when offered to me while there.. From what I gather, they were discontinued at the time, and only a few in the store. SWEET jacket.

 

[Smithy]

That one in Meacham's post above doesn't look too shabby.

I'm really excited that we're starting to see the emergence of some really quite accurate A-2 repros for reasonable and fair prices, especially AVI LTHR and SM Wholesale. I'm just waiting to see what AVI's upcoming new original contract offering is before putting an order in. I'd seriously consider one of SM's ones too but fear that duties and shipping would screw me being in Europe.

 

[MeachamLake]

Would anybody fancy taking this off my hands? Just looking to get back what I paid for it, circa £190 ish. Will accept best offers. Just creating a classifieds listing now.

It's actually a really good jacket for the price - just not my size/fit at all. If it fit me better, I'd keep it and patch the heck out of it, but alas not.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/253670336987?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

 

[MeachamLake]

Now, THAT looks like the pic that originally had me interested over at the 'Hat Place'.. Yours looks pretty decent. I wish it would have been the one I received. My own dumb-ass fault for not sending it back when I had the chance though...

EDIT: Here's the pic that influenced my decision to purchase the QMI, and what I thought I would be receiving (a bit of waterboarding and wear would have made it nice for the $$ IMO):

EDIT: It's been awhile since I've looked at the below pic, and I didn't notice that the epaulets had so much length to my eye until now... Could it be the collar being done-up making them look that long?

View attachment 5409

Yeah, they've improved it a lot since then - the shoulders on mine are clearly much narrower than that.

Classified listing is up now - if anybody is interested, let me know.