ELC 'House' A2 owners

[269sqnhudson]

I really do like the look of ELCs goatskin on their site and what with the Crown Zip the idea of a house style A2 is really pulling me away from a Star or another Roughwear....any recent house A2 purchasers' opinions/reviews would be very gratefully received. How are they holding up and what's the fit like?

Many thanks
Tom

 

[ausreenactor]

G'day,

I have a 12 month old 'House' A-2 that was made in a trial Vintage Horsehide. I assume as a work up model for the eventual War Horse. Loads of grain. Also came with the dark tape Crown Zipper. I love the Crown Zippers.!I have a 40 and can not fault the fit. It has fallen into my shape nicely. Regular evening wear to maintain the break in. I have no desire for anything aside from a well made jacket. New labels look the part too. While I would like a War Horse RW, I think the 'house' models are great and would not hesitate lashing out on a horse or goat version. Especially if you are in the UK. No international shipping.

Couchy

 

[269sqnhudson]

I noticed the labels actually, nice cream or white font, a lot better looking than the gold ones and I guess very like the Star label.
Thanks for the info
T

 

[Grant]

Not a recent purchase, but here's my three year old ELC house russet goat A-2 (sz. 40). Bought it second hand a couple years ago and couldn't be happier. It has the repro Talon zip with an original puller installed.

 

[269sqnhudson]

Grant that looks superb. One of those with a Crown is a tempting idea. i've got 3 weeks and 6 days to make my mind up between that and a Star!

 

[Lignemaginot]

Not a recent purchase, but here's my three year old ELC house russet goat A-2 (sz. 40). Bought it second hand a couple years ago and couldn't be happier. It has the repro Talon zip with an original puller installed.

Non-regulation hair-length.

 

[Chandler]

Non-regulation hair-length.

Did we all get inducted when no one was looking? :shock: I'm gonna need a month to get in shape!

I've only ever seen one ELC house a long while ago, in horsehide, but it was a nice piece. G&B also has some nice goatskin, you may want to check with them too.

Chandler

 

[Grant]

Also, the current batch of russet goatskin that John Chapman has is amazing. Perfect weight and nice mis-matched grain pattern. I recently had the chance to see a newly made Doninger in russet goatskin and it was awesome.

Grant

 

[269sqnhudson]

Non-regulation hair-length.

Did we all get inducted when no one was looking? :shock: I'm gonna need a month to get in shape!

I've only ever seen one ELC house a long while ago, in horsehide, but it was a nice piece. G&B also has some nice goatskin, you may want to check with them too.

Chandler

G&B gave me a stupendously silly shipping quote of $114 plus I'd need to pay VAT and all that nonsense...ends up at £500 (£100 more than an ELC house) It's a shame as for the US customers it's a great value jacket and they seem tough and well put together.

 

[269sqnhudson]

Also, the current batch of russet goatskin that John Chapman has is amazing. Perfect weight and nice mis-matched grain pattern. I recently had the chance to see a newly made Doninger in russet goatskin and it was awesome.

Grant

what's his waiting time lately? I may well go Goodwear just to get Rot off my back but I'd be really worried about getting sizing right first time what with the duty and VAT etc.

 

[Chandler]

G&B gave me a stupendously silly shipping quote of $114

Yikes. Well, now you know what we face when ordering from ELC or Aero on this side of the Atlantic. Too bad for everyone.

Chandler

 

[C.J.]

what's his waiting time lately? I may well go Goodwear just to get Rot off my back but I'd be really worried about getting sizing right first time what with the duty and VAT etc.

I'm in the process of ordering an Aero from John, now. The wait is still "90-120 days (hopefully sooner) depending on material availability. It's going to be a looooooooooong Fall/Autumn :lol:

 

[SuinBruin]

I just got one of John's Broncos in goatskin, and it is sweeeeet. Glad I ordered mine in March. Well worth the wait. One of these days I'll get around to having some pictures taken....

 

[Curahee]

I really do like the look of ELCs goatskin on their site and what with the Crown Zip the idea of a house style A2 is really pulling me away from a Star or another Roughwear....any recent house A2 purchasers' opinions/reviews would be very gratefully received. How are they holding up and what's the fit like?

Many thanks
Tom

Got mine last march, ordered a size 40 Havanna Brown HH(chest size exactly 40 inch) and it fits me very well. I normally take a size 42 but with some contracts like the Monarch it's way too blousy for me. At first I thought I made a mistake couldn't move, felt like a strait jacket but a week it loosened up. And it's holding up great, a very tough jackt and the
zipper works perfectly. Leather has some great grain here are some pics

 

[buzzthetower]

Wow! That is some beautiful horsehide. Looks just like what I would imagine leather from WWII when relatively new.

John

 

[C.J.]

That's a great looking jacket!

 

[Tim P]

It does look good. A return to the grainier leather they once used is a welcome option.
A house Eastman is a nice jacket to have. Too generic perhaps for some tastes (mine included although I have had house jackets in the past, pre 'maker') These days, with maker labels available anything non original maker burns my top thoracic vertebrae like holy water on a vampire, lol..
I would way rather have an own brand than a roughwear though. Cant get on with those.

 

[grommet]

After studying the history of the A-2 jacket and pouring through all of the minutiae written about it on the internet, I came to the startling and glaring realization that the three A-2 jackets I previously purchased were, in actual fact, of the "modern" style. I realized that I absolutely NEEDED a WW 11 style A-2. A friend who served in the 352nd fighter group out Bodney, England offered to give me his, but it turned out that his son had thrown it out since it was "falling apart".

I was considering getting one of the original maker repros from Eastman. At the same time, I was impressed by the way the House jacket is cut, with nicely squared shoulders and a no blousing. When I saw Grant's photo, it really sold me on this jacket. Tonight I ordered an ELC size 40 in seal brown horse hide. I am somewhere between 5'9" and 5'10", 153 lbs and have a 40" chest (with lungs fully expanded), so I think it will be a reasonable fit. In addition, my haircut is much closer to regulation than Grant's (a fact of which I am not proud, but it goes with the chronological territory).

It is a bit of a white knuckle experience laying down $700 for a jacket sight unseen. Hoping for the best...

 

[Chandler]

Looks just like what I would imagine leather from WWII when relatively new.

You really think John? 'Cause my ELC HH RW 1401 was smooth as glass when I first got it and now looks similar to the above jacket. My steerhide Star is breaking in similarly, but it had some fine, goatskin-like graining when new.

Chandler

Grommet, Eric Von Zipper?

 

[grommet]

Chandler, you've got it right.

I was actually considering ordering a Bronco from GW but decided that, in the event that it didn't look quite right, I wouldn't be able to exchange or return it. To me, the ELC brand jacket has a very similar shape and vibe, even though the pocket flaps and the hardwear are different.

In terms of authenticity, while it is true that the ELC is not a original maker repro, lets face it, the repros are only repros. At least with the ELC, you can truthfully say that it is an Eastman rather than an Eastman repro.