Does anyone have one of the new mesh show coats? Are they see through at all? Do they look tidy? Is the cooling effect worth it?
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Totally see thru on the back. Tighter fit like the coolmax shirts. Lots of stretch.
I miss the ‘old’ days when show clothes actually laid a little better on bodies.
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Yuck no thanks to wool coats. I have a softshell but need something in black or navy so I’m looking at the mesh.
I hear the mesh are popular now
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I don’t own one, but I know many who do. I’ve also tried them on. I find them NOT see-through. They look very nice and traditional IMO.
I’ve admired the RJ Classics mesh coat in hunter green. Rider wore it over a white shirt. I couldn’t see that it was mesh until I was handing her her ribbon. It draped well and the fabric behaved similarly to any other soft shell.
I haven’t seen anyone wearing the AA one- or, that is, I haven’t noticed anyone wearing it.
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I saw the Alessandro Albanese at the Hampton Classic a few years ago so they are not that new. And from just a short distance away I had a hard time telling that it was mesh, it looked like a regular jacket until you are standing next to it. A friend loves her Alessandro Albanese so much she is planning to buy another one in a different color.
New?
Or are you asking about the mesh styles that have been out for several years? The AA one is most popular. You can find those on sale for around $200.
Probably smart for showing in hot weather areas like FL, TX, CA ect.
Think they look best on slimmer body types and not worn two sizes too small. If properly fit, they are less than see through.
Biggest downside is that the nature of the material being stretchy mesh it is easily snagged.
Cheers!
The AA are my favorite! I actually sold my navy one and I regretted it - so now I’m on the hunt for a black one! I will say they run a little big, so I’m a true medium and will be buying a small next.
I also have an Equiline soft shell that I wore for the first time at a summer show this last year and really loved it. It’s unlined, so maybe that’s why.
Happy shopping!
Well gosh, I guess I’m behind the times
I’m just looking for a new coat that’s both cool and is show worthy/not going to fall apart because it’s fragile.
Definitely try the mesh!!! I don’t find them to be see-through, and definitely not when you are in the ring. When Kerritts came out with one in my size last year, I bought it in black and navy, and haven’t worn my softshell coats once since I got the mesh. In fact I just sold most of my softshell coats on FB because I know I will never wear them again. The air flow you get makes it not much different than showing in just your show shirt, but of course it looks sooo much better!! Even in the hottest of summer weather, I was able to keep it on. I’ve seen both the AA coats and the RJ coats in the hunter ring in the SE, and both have more shape to them than the Kerritts coat, but the Kerritts one comes in a wider range of sizes and mine have been very comfortable.
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The RJ mesh coat is a pretty traditional shape (it fits and looks almost exactly the same as my RJ soft shell). None of the mesh coats are see through, and the mesh isn’t really distinguishable from more than a couple of feet away.
The AA is a nice coat but more of the modern/trendy cut and fit (shorter length and closer cut). It did not suit my body type at all but they’re everywhere and they can look great on others.
Mesh must be cooler than soft shell but to tell the truth, I get really hot/overheated at shows and mesh didn’t solve that problem, unfortunately.
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I have an AA mesh. I don’t think it’s see through at all, and I wear a white shirt under it. It is WAY lighter than even the technical fabric coat I have. I can’t recommend it enough.
Love my AA mesh coats… I need a black one to round out the collection. Anyone who claims they can tell they’re mesh (or says they’re see-through) from more than 6 feet away is, well, lying, IMO.
(Just realized that I’m also wearing the much-debated Equiline breeches in this pic, in which people on this board also claim that the thigh emblem resembles a splotch of boot polish and is distracting. 
)
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I had a navy mesh AA coat but ending up selling it because the cut was too short for my tall frame (I’m 6 ft). I got the RJ version instead (which comes in tall sizes) and I much prefer it. Both coats look similar to traditional ones from more then a few feet away though, and you can’t see through them.
Pic of the navy AA coat for reference:
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I had the same issue as a tall person with the AAs–I love the look of them, but they just do not fit me. I’ve had both a FITS mesh one and two of the RJs and liked them both. Honestly I’m looking through pictures and can’t tell which ones were the navy softshell and which were the mesh. It was never seethrough; it was DEFINITELY cooler.
ETA: I know this is the older FITS, which was mesh. 
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I have one of these, same color. I had an old assistant trainer come up to me at a show and say that the coat looked every bit as expensive and nice as some of the pricier Animo etc jackets. I really love it.
I will suggest that sizing up and then tailoring also might be a good way to make a less expensive coat look stellar. I have a long torso and long arms, but have a small waist and small bust, getting the RJ 2R worked for me, but I wish the sleeve was a hair longer.
Really like many a mesh coat - tried on AA at Wellington early Feb 2020, ugh loved it, but didn’t NEED it and again, slightly too short for my proportions (5’9). Call me on the Dani Waldman/Starwyn train, but riding is a sport and while I love the traditional looks, they can be done with different, updated technical fabrics. Though as a base layer / a cooler / quarter sheet gimme real wool!
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Is this your young horse? Classy animal.
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Yes! Thank you! She is the best lady.
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I have an AA in black, size large, and I love it. You can tell it’s mesh if you’re REALLY looking- in some of my show photos you can see where my white short sleeve ends. But if I wore a long sleeve shirt, or a darker short sleeve shirt, I imagine there’d be no way to know. I event, so coats are optional at training and below and often get waived for prelim+ at my summer events, but for some reason everyone still feels like trying to roast themselves to death in dressage. The AA coat is so cool and comfortable relative to a normal coat that it’s the only way you’ll get me to be a little lemming and wear a coat in order to fit in in the heat. Even when it’s not a million degrees, the AA is still my go-to if I decide to wear a coat because it’s just so dang comfy.
I also own an older FITS Zephyr mesh coat in navy/large. It fits a bit tighter but still has a nice fit. There’s no knowing it’s mesh, but it’s also a bit warmer than the AA.
