Fallout Jackets Explained: Vault Dwellers to Tunnel Snakes
In all Fallout games you find yourself in the wasteland in that blue and yellow vault suit, but seriously, no one’s in that suit for very long. In less than an hour, most players are running around looking for something with more substance, that’s where the true fallout jacket craze begins. Mostly because a lot of the franchise’s clothing is also an actual faction identity, the Prime Video adaptation has made this more visible to those that haven’t held a controller.
The Origins of Iconic
Consider taking the Tunnel Snakes. You’re familiar with Butch DeLoria and his gang, right? You played Fallout 3, and you remember how they were all in leather jackets, yelling “Tunnel Snakes rule” like it was a thing. It kind of did, within the vault at least. The fallout 3 tunnel snakes jacket didn’t come as a result of its rarity in tabletop, but more for its plain it simply looks proper, greaser energy fell into a post-apocalyptic world.
But then there’s the Brotherhood of Steel, which is entirely another style. More paramilitary order and less street gang, obsessed with the technology of pre-war. The fallout brotherhood of steel jacket is functional, stamped insignia, reinforced panels, generally fairly self-respecting folk in a world, for the most part, that hasn’t taken itself seriously much these days.
The Newer TV Crowd and Maximus
The Amazon series brought in a lot of people and especially Maximus got a lot of people into wanting to dress him up. The transformation of his arc from squire to knight is echoed in his attire as well and the search uptick for fallout maximus jacket was almost instant following the show’s release. Season 2 ended only a couple months ago (February), and Maximus finally got his knighthood in the very last episode, so this one has not diminished in popularity since now rather than after the end of a season like most show tie-ins.
The In-Game Variants Worth Knowing About
Fallout 76 brought a twist of its own in the form of the fallout 76 tattered field jacket, which has more of a scavenger-survivalist tone than any of the faction looks, and was worn-in, patched, built for a game that’s a bit more survivalist than the previous ones.
Fallout 4 has a couple of jacket variations to break out of its own. We will see the bomber jacket fallout 4 version on many NPCs and it has become a popular item for those who want an item that can be worn as part of a video game cosplay, but isn’t quite as over-the-top as some of the other bomber jacket fallout 4 items. Also in the wasteland style, there’s a fallout 4 biker jacket style which sounds more like a raider gang style than anything official.
The other two are less frequent but are searched. Both of the fallout 4 letterman jacket and fallout varsity jacket take the same throwback trend that the series has so successfully captured, a pre-war Americana that never got past the 50s style-wise. Jacket patches and varsity letters persevering through two hundred years of nuclear catastrophe is a trifle amusing, though not to be thought about too long.
I have observed that people seem to be attracted to any jacket that fits their body type and character build and not just for aesthetic reasons, that makes perfect sense. The look of the Tunnel Snakes simply doesn’t fit with a power-armor-clad Brotherhood knight.
Create Your Own Wasteland Wardrobe
This doesn’t have to be a precise replica of the prop. A good leather jacket is more of a statement than it looks like and layers count more than most fashion guides would have you believe, a simple shirt under it, a strap around the chest for scavenger style, not for faction style.
At Fav Jackets, the fallout collection we have is not just a “post apocalyptic style” guess at what might be found in-game and on screen, but in fact a direct match to whatever era or faction you’re shooting for, usually. If you’re looking for a particular outfit, rather than vibe, give the full collection of fallout jackets a good read through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Tunnel Snakes jacket just Fallout 3 or in addition is there other places that show it up as well?
Primarily Fallout 3, which is connected with Butch’s gang in Vault 101, but they are mentioned elsewhere in the others as well.
What sets the Brotherhood of Steel jacket apart from the rest?
It’s all about that militant, techy faction identity, but it’s more armored and regimented than the scrappier survivor look, elsewhere in the series.
Was the Maximus jacket already in existence before the TV show or is it new? It was its general Brotherhood appearance and look that were present from the start of the games and maybe even more so since the show was given a face and a story for the character, namely, that of Maximus himself, who was knighted in the season 2 finale.
Does season 3 go on or is it a false rumour?
It’s confirmed, it’s accepted by Amazon and it’s expected for 2027 and reportedly set around New Vegas, so I would imagine that the interest in Maximus isn’t going to be going away.
Does the Fallout 76 tattered field jacket actually have to appear worn out?
Yes, this is the whole design intent, it should look like an object that was scavenged or come from a time when survival was the name of the game and not clean or official.
For a new player to the franchise who wants something he/she can wear, which jacket is the best fit?
Probably the bomber jacket variant, honestly, it’s the one that translates best outside a full cosplay context and doesn’t require knowing the lore to pull off.
Do the letterman and varsity styles actually appear in the games, or are they more inspired by the general aesthetic?
They’re inspired by the same pre-war Americana visual language the games use throughout, so they fit the world even without being a one-to-one in-game item.
Can these jackets work for everyday wear, or are they strictly costume pieces?
Most of them hold up fine outside a costume context, the bomber and biker styles especially, they just read as regular jackets with a bit of an edge to anyone who doesn’t recognize the reference.
