A2 different contracts

[MikeyB-17]

Welcome aboard mate. Oh the fun you're going to have. Hope you've got plenty of disposable income because this ain't the last jacket you'll be buying. You'll get your A-2, you'll no doubt be chuffed with it, then you'll start thinking perhaps a different contract may be good. Then maybe a sheepskin. Or nylon. Ooh, those cloth jackets look nice. And how about a decent civilian jacket? Not to mention any second hand bargains that are just too good to miss. Abandon hope all ye who enter here!
If I may chuck in my two penn'orth, many are now thinking, including me, that Eastman are now catering for the seemingly bottomless pockets of the Japanese Market, and are charging prices way beyond the actual quality of of their products. Great jackets, but no better than many other makers nowadays, and in some cases maybe not even as good. Goodwear are arguably the most accurate repros out there, but John is a one man band and waiting times are very protracted. Good things are being said about J. A. Dubow recently.
Pay no attention to old misery guts Smithy, his bark is worse than his bite (actually that was a very uncharacteristic outburst, he's normally a splendid chap, perhaps his seagulls aren't laying, or his polar bear has been scratching the carpet).
Enjoy and good luck!

 

[Smithy]

Pay no attention to old misery guts Smithy, his bark is worse than his bite (actually that was a very uncharacteristic outburst, he's normally a splendid chap, perhaps his seagulls aren't laying, or his polar bear has been scratching the carpet).
Enjoy and good luck!

Ran out of Vegemite old boy!

 

[Brettafett]

Gosh, I miss Vegemite! In South Africa we have a meatier version called Bovril, great on toast. Anyway, I don't want to be lambasted for diverting the thread.
Cabbie - Wait till you try on a B-10! So comfortable and easy to move around in. Great for those cold, blustery winters days. Hope ELC has stock at the pop-up, prepare to walk out with one.

 

[Silver Surfer]

start with an affordable, wearable original,

 

[MikeyB-17]

Ran out of Vegemite old boy!

There you go, explains everything!

 

[London Cabbie]

Welcome aboard mate. Oh the fun you're going to have. Hope you've got plenty of disposable income because this ain't the last jacket you'll be buying. You'll get your A-2, you'll no doubt be chuffed with it, then you'll start thinking perhaps a different contract may be good. Then maybe a sheepskin. Or nylon. Ooh, those cloth jackets look nice. And how about a decent civilian jacket? Not to mention any second hand bargains that are just too good to miss. Abandon hope all ye who enter here!
If I may chuck in my two penn'orth, many are now thinking, including me, that Eastman are now catering for the seemingly bottomless pockets of the Japanese Market, and are charging prices way beyond the actual quality of of their products. Great jackets, but no better than many other makers nowadays, and in some cases maybe not even as good. Goodwear are arguably the most accurate repros out there, but John is a one man band and waiting times are very protracted. Good things are being said about J. A. Dubow recently.
Pay no attention to old misery guts Smithy, his bark is worse than his bite (actually that was a very uncharacteristic outburst, he's normally a splendid chap, perhaps his seagulls aren't laying, or his polar bear has been scratching the carpet).
Enjoy and good luck!

Oh dear, I’ve obviously found a new home...

 

[Bombing IP]

Dont forget the guy out in Greece making $500 A2s that rival all the makers in quality and cut ,price cannot be beat .Welcome to the forum mate best wishes from NYC ex Brit pat .

Jeff

 

[Silver Surfer]

yeah, and welcome to the abusement park

 

[mulceber]

Welcome to the board!

I second what a lot of others have said. Beyond the fit of the jacket, price and wait time are going to be major factors. My experience has been with BK, which has been great, but expect a 6 month wait with slow communication. They're very good at advising on sizing though. If you have the opportunity, trying on some different sizes is a great idea, as it will not only give you an idea of what an A-2 feels like, but which contract is right for you. You can pick your poison from there.

 

[London Cabbie]

Thankyou. Will be going to the Eastman pop up store in London Nov to try some on. So far I have never put an A2 on...

 

[Smithy]

One other thing to add is what chaps like Mikey and some others have touched upon...

Eastman make fantastic jackets but they're grossly overpriced now, obscenely so, for what you get. It's probably a great call to try a few on at their pop up store but I personally wouldn't be too hasty to buy right then and there. Once you've tried a few on you'll probably get an idea of what you are after and the kind of fit you're looking for and therefore you can shop around a bit.

For example an "original marker" ELC is £1,100 now whereas you can get one of Platon's Dubow A-2s for roughly £400 (providing you're not too tall as they don't offer long sizings) or an Aero "real deal" for 660 which can be full custom fit. Just my 2 rupees but I'd be buying from someone like that rather than paying the ripoff new price for an ELC.

 

[London Cabbie]

Makes sense if I ended having more than one, like you fellows keep warning me...
#slipperyslopedowntherunway

 

[Brettafett]

Again, Tim speaks wise words.
ELC's prices are high, but they do have some of the best customer service out there. The guys are great!
Before you go to the pop-up, pop in to Real McCoys in Covent Garden. They have a few RW23380s in stock in various sizes. It would be good to handle these and maybe try on, before you play with ELCs, just to be able to compare... Just don't look at the price tags. Silly.
A broken record to some perhaps, but I wore my Dubow from Platon yesterday and even though I have a few A-2s and a couple more on the way, I absolutely love this jacket. Its easily on par with any other jacket I have owned, GW, ELC, BK, Aero all included. The leather is so much like an old original A-2 I used to own. This jacket is a keeper.
That said, I'll be at the pop up in November also

 

[Smithy]

That said, I'll be at the pop up in November also

Remortgaging the house eh Brett :-D

 

[Brettafett]

I see it as my duty to those on the forum, who cannot attend, to go and investigate and take fit pics.

 

[Smithy]

Good man Brett, hopefully someone shouts you a pint for your efforts! I will when I'm next over ;-)

 

[Brettafett]

Any specific jackets you want to see shmodelled , let me know!

 

[ausreenactor]

Welcome! Anybody craving Vegemite only needs to ask.

 

[Brettafett]

Mate, ELC has recently released a special edition Dubow 1755, which is essentially the same as the earlier 27798 Dubow pattern. However all these companies, although copying original WW2 jackets, all have their own 'take' on the jacket, so there may be slight variations. I recon that 1755 will be at the pop-up, but doubt there will be one to try on.
I would say try ELC's Monarch and Star A-2s for a fit similar to a Dubow.
The Dubow has an interesting cut, its actually very comfortable and wearable (by that I mean, you can actually wear it an not feel constricted, esp coming from a G-1)... It has slightly narrower shoulders, but opens up in the torso. If any ELC jacket fits well, note the size and then take those measurements down (I sometimes remember to bring a tape measure). The gents will help, they are great guys and always up for a chat.
You can then, as Tim said, do some homework. Check with Platon for measurements of his jackets, that compare (most guys may go one size up for best fit with these).
At least you're doing due diligence. You can always order an ELC later again, and if so, may want some length added to account for creasing that often develops at the elbows and under the armpits after wearing in (you will lose 0.5 to 1 inch in sleeve length), and having sleeves ride up to the elbows when you drive aint very nice. Again, this is a personal thing.
When trying on a jacket, lift your arms to shoulder height, and consider how the jacket feels... You may notice some jackets may pull more or less than others...
Besides the Monarch and Star, make sure you try the Roughwears and ELC's House model, which has a slightly fuller cut and is said to be very comfortable. You may just walk out with one

Regs Real McCoy, I don't recall all the sizes in stock, likely not larger than 44 or 46, but its worth a look-see. Will give you some bearing when you handle Eastman''s jackets, you will notice the differences.
The RM jackets are nice enough, details are there, but the leathers are thick and lack character... Check for your self.

BTW - Clutch Cafe also has a couple of A-2s. Real McCoy also I think. Another great spot to pop in and check out. American Classics used to have ELC and BK A-2s, but now only civilian jackets I think.
Great to see Bill Kelso's Liberty hides. BK is another option. I received my first BK a couple of months back and its a fantastic jacket, well worth every penny. They have a lot of options also.

 

[Smithy]

Welcome! Anybody craving Vegemite only needs to ask.

Luckily got family and mates who send the red cross packages but sometimes they take their bloody time sending the damn things!