Rugged durability has always been a hallmark of Carhartt clothing. The letters written below are from customers who tell us just what that means to them. If you have a Rugged Tale you'd like to share!

Carhartt Takes Whatever I Dish Out!
Not only am I an avid outdoorsman, but I work outdoors all night long. Whether I'm at work, fueling aircraft in sub-zero weather, at home doing yard work in the blazing sun, laying in a field hunting geese or sitting on a frozen lake fishing... I know I can rely on Carhartt making some kind of clothing for all situations.

Here in Minnesota, we experience every kind of bad weather available. From blazing hot and humid summers to sub-zero temps with a blistering wind-chill, and everything in between. From the coolest of shorts to the warmest of coats... Carhartt has me covered!

John Keltgen

Carhartt Fights Road Rash
I am writing this letter of appreciation on behalf of my fiance, Gary. On March 23, he was out for a ride on his motorcycle with friends. He was wearing his Carhartt jacket; it's the only brand of jacket he owns. On the way home, he was in an accident with a car. The bike went down and so did he. He went sliding down the road on his back and then rolled a couple of times.

We were all amazed that the injuries were minor considering the condition of his clothing. He has road rash on most parts of his body, excluding the parts that his jacket covered. His jacket is beat up, yet still in tact. He is thankful everyday that he had it on.

Jodi Coatti and Gary Olsen

Superior Construction...
I am a construction worker here in Chicago. On January 19, 2003 I was working on a new concrete elevator shaft no a high-rise condo. While walking across the top, I slipped on ice and fell six feet, landing on a #5 reinforcement bar sticking straight up out of the concrete. The bar was two feet long... had it not been for the strength of the insulated Carhartt vest I had on, I would have taken that bar through the heart.

Instead, all I got was a trip to the hospital, some x-rays and a bad bruise on my chest. I will always speak very highly of Carhartt. Keep making this great product!

Mark A. Rogers

Working on the railroad... 
I have worked on the railroad for the past 14 years. When I first started I bought those other chore coats and bibs because they were cheap. One year I couldn't find any other brand but Carhartt, so I bought one of your chore coats. Up to this point, I had been buying a new coat every year... not because I like new clothes, but because the one I had from the year before would be frayed and full of holes.

As a railroad worker, I'm a carman inspector, an electrician, a machinist, a welder or anything else that is mechanically related to railroad work, so my clothes are getting snagged, burnt and covered in oil and grease on a daily basis. Getting back to my first Carhartt, I bought that coat five years ago, still got that coat, but it's still in good shape. I may have paid twice as much for my first Carhartt than I would have for another brand, but it lasted five times as long.

Since then, I've bought many Carhartt products... I'm beginning to wonder if your T-shirts will ever wear out. I now own an Arctic Lined coat and bibs, several pairs of unlined bibs, and 3 other chore coats. I don't mind paying more for a product that is going to last 5 times as long or longer. You have certainly impressed me with the quality of your garments.

Norris Bright II

Twice the Knee, Twice the Durability 
A couple of years ago, I was working in the snowmaking dept. of an eastern resort, and it fell to me to change the batteries on a 3000 hp cat diesel air compressor. Four 24-volt industrial batteries! The weather was cold and my hands were numb, and in the process of loosening the cable nuts, I dropped the channel locks I was using. They hit both posts on one battery, completing the circuit and causing it to explode in short order. When it exploded I was sprayed with battery acid from my rib-cage to my ankles. Fortunately, I was wearing double-knee dungarees. The same battery acid that completely devoured my $300 jacket only went through one layer of my double-knee dungarees!

Those pants saved my skin, and they are still a functional pair of work pants two years later.

Anonymous

Try It On For Size!

To Carhartt:
Just wanted to share this picture of our son, Jayden, with you. This is on Christmas day (12/25/01). At the time of this picture, our son was just six days shy of turning five months old. We had purchased a Carhartt jacket for our 14-year old son that Christmas. We are anxious to buy our youngest son a Carhartt jacket this Fall. As you can tell by the picture, he is really anxious. He decided to try this one on for size!

I think we may have to go with a smaller size for him...

Sincerely,
Rod & Anita Creps

(Comment:  Here at Outfitter Connection, we also have our very own brag section.  Our youth section is entitled "Carhartt Cuties" but is missing some very important pictures (yours!!!).  Enclose name, age (child's), city & state so we may label them correctly.  Please submit your photos via c_outfit@bellsouth.net or by mail to 127 South 7th Street, Mayfield, Kentucky   42066.....)

G'Day Carhartt!
My name is Todd Dunstone and I live in Mount Gambier, South Australia... down under!

While I was living in Montreal, Canada last year, my only pair of denim jeans wore out. I was worried I would not be able to find a replacement jean that would be as strong, and would be able to last all of my year long working holiday around the world. Luckily, I came across Carhartt clothing. I bought I pair at Paul's Hardware in Montreal. I walked into the store wearing my worn out jeans, and I walked out wearing a pair of your double-front duck dungarees... and I never looked back. They are the toughest, best wearing and most comfortable pants I have ever known. I am pleased to say your pants have survived being worn all day, washed, tumble-dried and rewashed... day in and day out for the last year, and still look as good as the day I bought them. My Carhartts have lasted the rest of my trip around the world, and they are now my favorite pair of pants.

I persuaded a mate, traveling in the United States on business, to bring some Carhartt clothing back to Australia (hard to find here!) Abelman's of Michigan did a fantastic job of organizing a package of your own clothing to be sent to the Californian hotel my friend was staying at. Now my father, my sister, my sister's boyfriend and myself proudly wear Carhartt clothes... down under!

Thank you, Carhartt!
Todd Dunstone

Electricians Battle Cold with Carhartt
I have been wearing Carhartt products from my first day in the electrical trade nearly twelve years ago. I've worked a lot of heavy industrial projects over the years and your clothing has never let me down. No popped buttons, ripped pocket seams or stuck zippers. Two years ago I began working in Canada's arctic region during the construction of our nation's second diamond mine. The majority of our work is either outside or inside poorly-heated buildings.

Last year the coldest recorded temperature was -76 Celsius with the wind chill. I know this because we were installing runway lighting that day. The daily average temperature is below freezing for about 8 months of the year, and the wind typically blows hard from the North so staying warm, while being exposed to the elements, is essential. Since I'm involved in heavy industrial construction, it is even more essential that my work clothes be durable and dependable. I've been wearing your lined Arctic bib coveralls and Arctic Jacket since my first shift in the North, and they have exceeded my expectations and met all of my requirements.

Thank you and keep up the great work!
Rich Stewart

I have been buying Carhartt for the past 10 years. I used to be a welder and the toughness of your ducks did not allow the sparks to burn thru on the pant legs. Now, I am a forklift operator in a glass factory. One day I was dumping some reject glass off the A-frames that we use to ship these glass pieces. I did not see all the glass fall, but I was sure that it did! I walked right by a piece of glass that was stuck on the bottom of the rack.

I could feel the pressure on my arm like somebody was squeezing my arm. If I was not wearing my Sandstone lightweight coat, my arm would surely have been cut very deep and long. I want to thank you for the toughness and durability of your product. Its tough fabric did not allow the glass to cut thru, saving me a lot of pain and no missed work time.

Anonymous

Roll It, Toss It, Turn It... Carhartt Stays Tough!
A few years back, I was in a fairly bad wreck due to my own fault. I was driving home one night after being awake for several days, and I fell asleep behind the wheel. When I woke up, I saw a fence post and a mailbox... I yanked the wheel and rolled the truck three times. Every time it went over to the driver's side, my back hit the road! Finally, after the last roll the truck landed on the driver-side door and slid about 20 feet on the road, continuing into a yard with my back to the road. Had I not been wearing my Carhartt light coat, I would have no back left... instead, I ended up a little bruised.

That isn't where the story ends, though. After the wreck, I had a good 5-mile hike to the nearest occupied house. It was negative 15-degree weather and that isn't counting wind chill. So I searched the wreckage for the one article of clothing I carry in every vehicle I ever owned... my trusted pair of Carhartt arctic bibs I have had for about 6 years. I found them pinched in the sheet metal behind the seat; I pulled them out, put them on along with my coat, and put up the hood. At the end of the hike, I was tired and wore out... but thanks to my Carhartt gear, I came out of that night alive and without frostbite.

Thanks for all the great equipment you make!
Derek

Carhartt Survives Accident 
I'm writing on behalf of my soon-to-be husband, Kyle. We live in northern Colorado, and on December 12th Kyle was out with friends. Due to the cold weather, Kyle was wearing his favorite jacket (a Carhartt traditional Arctic jacket). On his way home, he was "T-boned" by another car and was thrown from the vehicle, out the driver-side window. Paramedics found him 25 feet from his car.

The doctors were amazed that the injuries he sustained were mostly internal. Had he not been wearing his jacket, he currently would like a blob of hamburger! Needless to say, the jacket saved his life (it kept large chunks of glass from logging themselves in his chest, and literally saved his skin), and it managed to survive the accident.

Unfortunately, it didn't survive the paramedics. After three days of being unconscious, he woke up and asked what happened. After I told him about the accident, I broke the news to him about his jacket. He was furious! He was more upset about the jacket being cut off him than he was about his two broken legs and his broken arm...

Kyle Bell & Claire Jordan