watchmanjimg
Well-Known Member
Roughwear said:Having owned all the ELC original maker jackets ( and I still own a Werber and a Monarch) and several GW A2s I don't completely agree with this sweeping statement about ELC and GW. The current crop of GWs made from the Japanese hh are excellent accurate repros but this was not the case with all the earlier ones. My ELC Werber is made of grainy Warhorse leather and is as good as any GW in terms of fit, accuracy etc.. I'm also delighted with my GW Dubow and 1939 Werber. GW offers a wider range of original maker jackets than ELC or Aero so John Lever has a wider choice with GW.
I'm not sure one can objectively talk about a "superior fit" as there never has been an ideal fit for an A2 (I'm not talking about the blousy mall jacket fit!) Wartime pictures show an enormous variation in fit. John's jackets are custom-made and provided you get the measurements right they fit well (but this is not always the case as members here know to their cost!).
Andrew:
I definitely respect your knowledge and experience regarding A-2s as you seemingly either own or have owned examples from practically every known maker.
I admit having a bit of bias toward GW, but this is based on at least some personal experience with jackets from numerous other makers. You make a valid point as to the improvements reflected in JC's current product, but then again that's what John would be getting should he decide to order from GW.
I contend that there is indeed an ideal A-2 fit, which of course depends entirely on individual requirements. My comments regarding the "superior fit" of a GW stemmed from one's ability to provide JC with measurements and specific requests as to sizing. I brought this up because I have the impression that a custom jacket would better suit John's athletic build. While no doubt everyone makes mistakes once in a while, JC seems to have nailed my fit rather easily where other makers have fallen short.
I suppose in the end it's a win-win situation for John as he'll likely end up with a nice jacket whichever way he goes.