Help please on choosing jacket!

[NW Carver]

Hi all

As you all know I have had many repro A2s in my time..well currently I am in Florida and the chance has risen to pick up a repro A2...and I am after a beater jacket for everyday wear..

However, this jacket is a discounted Ralph Lauren RRL A2, discounted by a massive £750 (and no import costs) from usual UK cost...I have tried it on and it fits like my wartime Perry on chest and shoulders, and the arms are correct (no tunnelling), leather is actually nice -the fit I was after-but a bit baggy round the waist..my seamstress can fix this though easily, look below for picture..

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ralph-Lauren- ... 5d3d4eb8cc

Now question is this worth it (total cost £700) or should I go for a slim fit Eastman (the others are too baggy still)-at about the same cost (£750 with timeworn) accepting that generally the arms are a bit longer with tunnelling, and I may have to get that altered too (having had these jackets in the past, they always come up oversize)...

Appreciate you advice please ASAP

Thank you

 

[Peter Graham]

ELC, for many reasons.

 

[NW Carver]

Hi Peter

Yes, would agree but I have now had 8 different Eastman jackets, ranging from the 1980s when he first started, to now-in various types but none have fitted me correctly -all being too baggy and blousony - and that's despite going down several sizes...I love the jackets but just cannot get the right fit at all...if the chest is right, then the collar and back of jackets is too big etc...and have spent many hours at Gary's stall trying various types on...if he would offer to make then to measure, then I would be able to get one...and the RL one fits just like my wartime Perry..

And, lets face it, apart from us on here-who has ever heard (or cares) about Eastman, GW etc when it comes to leather jackets-the vast unwashed general public, they would take a RL over a ELC, GW or BK any day...even though we know what is usually better

I know it's not the most correct but I have correct A2s...ideally, I would like a Goodwear but the £1,200 cost, year wait for the jacket and import fees to the UK put me off a bit....

Thinking about it, I will Probably sent the RL jacket back, and get the Eastman slender-hoping it fits correctly this time, but I just have a feeling that it will have to go back too...unless I get that altered by my seamstress...and by the time I do that, it's dearer than the RL

Why can't I be normal size or prefer a baggy fit-I like slim fit (I have several All Saints leather jackets and my fav is a slim fit black jacket-not as well made as any of my flying jackets but the fit is 100% correct for me)...

 

[NW Carver]

Hi Peter

Yes, would agree but I have now had 8 different Eastman jackets, ranging from the 1980s when he first started, to now-in various types but none have fitted me correctly -all being too baggy and blousony - and that's despite going down several sizes...I love the jackets but just cannot get the right fit at all...if the chest is right, then the collar and back of jackets is too big etc...and have spent many hours at Gary's stall trying various types on...if he would offer to make then to measure, then I would be able to get one...and the RL one fits just like my wartime Perry..

And, lets face it, apart from us on here-who has ever heard (or cares) about Eastman, GW etc when it comes to leather jackets-the vast unwashed general public, they would take a RL over a ELC, GW or BK any day...even though we know what is usually better

I know it's not the most correct but I have correct A2s...ideally, I would like a Goodwear but the £1,200 cost, year wait for the jacket and import fees to the UK put me off a bit....

Thinking about it, I will Probably sent the RL jacket back, and get the Eastman slender-hoping it fits correctly this time, but I just have a feeling that it will have to go back too...unless I get that altered by my seamstress...and by the time I do that, it's dearer than the RL

Why can't I be normal size or prefer a baggy fit-I like slim fit (I have several All Saints leather jackets and my fav is a slim fit black jacket-not as well made as any of my flying jackets but the fit is 100% correct for me)...

 

[Silver Surfer]

why not a custom to fit bk. they have several a-2 contract repros with different hide choices, and they are able to alter the fit to your measurements. last i looked the prices were appx $833+-

 

[Rutger]

Ahm, if you already got the RL, why not put it on, have a couple of pictures here on the forum and let us give our opinions.
No harm done, except maybe to your ego.
Visit an air show that ELC also attends and have them take along some slender A2's for you to try on?

 

[mindful]

lets see the rrl ive always wondered what they look like

 

[B-Man2]

If you like the RL jacket and it fits you well....wear it and enjoy it.

 

[Peter Graham]

I see where you're coming from Nigel. ELC have the details but RL has the fit. Hmmm, tough choice. Personally I don't think I could spend that sort of cash on a jacket knowing that the zipper, label, etc are wrong. On the other hand, I couldn't spend it on one that didn't fit well either. Silver Surfer's suggestion of a BK sounds like a good idea to me.

 

[NW Carver]

Thanks for your help guys-sense prevailed and I sent the RL jacket back...then slapped myself around the face a few times!

Yep, I will check out BKs jackets - and the PMs that I got today - been a bit slow as not had broadband access today..

It's nice to have a great bunch of people here on the forum that I can share these things with

 

[Jeff M]

why not a custom to fit bk. they have several a-2 contract repros with different hide choices, and they are able to alter the fit to your measurements. last i looked the prices were appx $833+-

My own personal experience with BK and a M422 Willis and Geiger they made for me last fall was disappointing.
At this point in time I would hold off on recommending BK if somebody asked me for recomendations for an A2/M422 manufacturer.
Despite the many photos they post and their high self appraisal, there don't seem to be that many BK A2's out there to judge the quality of their work. Especially true with their new "Vintage Warhorse" hide. The jackets just don't seem to be going out the door.

There are several excellent A2 makers out there with proven track records I suggest the OP take a look at.
Good Wear, ELC, Aero, Johnson Leathers (San Francisco) Gibson and Barnes, and one of my favorites, Superior Flight Apparel (Mark Fisher).
Some are in the business of making "authentic reproduction" A2's, other just concentrate on making great leather jackets and offer an A2 design.

 

[bseal]

BK. Why? You can do a review.

 

[Jeff M]

BK. Why? You can do a review.

:lol:

 

[NW Carver]

Thanks Jeff-understood, appreciate your help on this

As I explained in my original post-I have had 8 ELC jackets since the late 1980s, all of which I could not get to fit properly-which is a shame, as I love Gary's jackets-think they are good and know him well

I have had his M442a, G1, Roughwear, Pearl Harbour, Own Label, Werber and Cable-of them all, the Cable was the one that I kept the longest...

With regards to Aero-I had a Bronco made for me out of russet horsehide, which I still have, but have worn all of 6 times since I got it 8 years ago...it's a good jacket but..the hide is quite thick and the colour is rather red, and my girlfriend has nicknamed it 'the pimps jacket'

So that's a gonna...

And I don't want to wear my 2 originals - a Poughkeepsie and a Perry - all the time...both of which my girlfriend does like

Ideally, I would love to get a John Chapmen, as I know this will be made to fit and be totally correct, but the cost plus the import cost to he UK is a bit prohibitive at present for me..

 

[Jeff M]

Well, one of my current fav makers is Superior Flight Apparel (Mark Fisher aka Fishmeok here on the forum.)
He makes an A2 design.
Wonderful workmanship. First rate materials. Custom fit...which in my case has been spot on.
Here is a link to a thread he posted some time back about an A2 Cable he made;

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13187

and another to a recent thread about a leather shawl collar A1 design he made for me;

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=15017

Somebody else to consider.

 

[NW Carver]

Thanks Jeff, will take a look

 

[CBI]

Get a Good Wear. Considering how picky you are with jackets, spend the extra and get it right! Considering the cost, you will only need put down a small deposit now, then you will have a year to save up! You could buy a handful of other jackets and still not be happy with what you have. Better to just nail it and be done!

The Mark Fisher idea is also a good one...............

 

[Anonymous]

My own personal experience with BK and a M422 Willis and Geiger they made for me last fall was disappointing.
At this point in time I would hold off on recommending BK if somebody asked me for recomendations for an A2/M422 manufacturer.

Jeff's jacket has been the subject of a miscommunication which ended up in giving him the wrong size. BK is aware, will address the matter and rectify it to Jeff's satisfaction. We are working on it.

 

[Vcruiser]

BK is aware, will address the matter and rectify it to Jeff's satisfaction. We are working on it.

With delays?