New M-422 is finally here

[airfrogusmc]

Hi Andrew,
This mouton color is my personal favorite too.
To answer to m444uk about the dark brown mouton,
we could have whatever mouton color, yellow, green, red, anything you like.
The problem is that to be able to have such options means have to pay more e.g. to make dark brown moutons, so consequently the price of the jacket can only increase.

Due to an accident we had to buy 3 different color knits for the navy jackets so now have russet brown, brown and dark brown. (Have not taken delivery of the brown yet).

Also, about the color of the jacket. I call this "dark chocolate" and we did it like this because all the high end repro makers have this color. And this is a high end repro you are looking at.
But the color of the originals I own are a lighter brown more like "milk chocolate". So we examine the possibility to offer a "milk chocolate" leather color for later, i.e. when can afford it.

Platon,

Do you have access to any of this milk chocolate brown you are refereing to in this post? I do have an order in now and if you could get the goat skin that matches the originals I would prefer that over the darker brown.

Thanks,
Allen

 

[airfrogusmc]

Hi Andrew,
This mouton color is my personal favorite too.
To answer to m444uk about the dark brown mouton,
we could have whatever mouton color, yellow, green, red, anything you like.
The problem is that to be able to have such options means have to pay more e.g. to make dark brown moutons, so consequently the price of the jacket can only increase.

Due to an accident we had to buy 3 different color knits for the navy jackets so now have russet brown, brown and dark brown. (Have not taken delivery of the brown yet).

Also, about the color of the jacket. I call this "dark chocolate" and we did it like this because all the high end repro makers have this color. And this is a high end repro you are looking at.
But the color of the originals I own are a lighter brown more like "milk chocolate". So we examine the possibility to offer a "milk chocolate" leather color for later, i.e. when can afford it.

Platon,

Do you have access to any of this milk chocolate brown you are refereing to in this post? I do have an order in now and if you could get the goat skin that matches the originals I would prefer that over the darker brown.

Thanks,
Allen

Hello, anybody out there???

 

[Vcruiser]

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQoZsXaEZ4M[/video]

 

[airfrogusmc]

:lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Allen,

Have quite a big batch of dark seal leathers, so unless few jackets are sold, there's no way of switching to other colors yet. Or, the price can climb to $1400 and make you one in milk chocolate tomorrow, what do you think?

Seriously, the milk choco is in the plan for later as have at least 3 more Navy jackets coming in the next months (and would like to have more color options).

But until then, think this color is great!

 

[airfrogusmc]

I do agree the color is nice but its not accurate most W&G M422s right?

Looks great on the G&F as shown above.

 

[airfrogusmc]

I do agree the color is nice but its not accurate compared to most W&G M422s right?

Looks great on the G&F as shown above.

 

[Anonymous]

well I have not seen many W&Gs how they looked when they were brand new

 

[airfrogusmc]

well I have not seen many W&Gs how they looked when they were brand new

Platon check your PMs...

 

[ButteMT61]

Anyone received a jacket yet from these guys? Just curious.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Anyone received a jacket yet from these guys? Just curious.

I've been having a hard time getting e-mials and PMs answered. Maybe just busy and time zone differences...

 

[airfrogusmc]

Just got a PM from Platon....The longer zipper should be with them soon. Probably before the end of the week. I'll keep everyone hee informed on the progress and I'll give a review once the jacket is in my hands.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Anyone received a jacket yet from these guys? Just curious.

I guess no one has...

 

[ButteMT61]

Bueller, Bueller...

 

[Rutger]

Anyone received a jacket yet from these guys? Just curious.

I guess no one has...

Well, I think I'm about to, as I've been informed that the pieces of leather of my A2 have been sewed (sawn? sewn? sewn sounds best) together and taken on the shape of an A2. Mails sent to Andy have been replied to rather quickly, maybe the time difference has a role in that.

 

[Peter Graham]

I was hoping for the price to be a little lower for me to pull the trigger on one.

With all due respect, you wouldn't say that if it was a Good Wear.

 

[airfrogusmc]

Anyone received a jacket yet from these guys? Just curious.

I guess no one has...

Well, I think I'm about to, as I've been informed that the pieces of leather of my A2 have been sewed (sawn? sewn? sewn sounds best) together and taken on the shape of an A2. Mails sent to Andy have been replied to rather quickly, maybe the time difference has a role in that.

COOL can't wait to see it. Which A-2 did you get?

I see that the zipper (m39 triple stamped Talon) I bought from MASH is now in Greece (in customs) so I'm hoping that things will get going very soon. Looks like we have sizing and color issues all worked out. Money has been sent, so we'll see.

 

[ButteMT61]

I was hoping for the price to be a little lower for me to pull the trigger on one.

With all due respect, you wouldn't say that if it was a Good Wear.

Ah, but it's not. No disrespect, but I had a Kelso here previously, and it was nice, but it was no GW either. Maybe the new ones have stepped it up a notch or two, but that was my experience. Honestly, we have no idea if they're worth the money until someone gets hold of one!

 

[Andrew]

I was hoping for the price to be a little lower for me to pull the trigger on one.

With all due respect, you wouldn't say that if it was a Good Wear.

Ah, but it's not. No disrespect, but I had a Kelso here previously, and it was nice, but it was no GW either. Maybe the new ones have stepped it up a notch or two, but that was my experience. Honestly, we have no idea if they're worth the money until someone gets hold of one!

Again with respect and following on from Scott;

I think what Jeff's aluding to (and this is just my reading) is that initially the teasing info supplied suggested they'd be a lot more affordable than an original. No price was given unless you requested it. The price of $772US (plus a jaw dropping $108 postage to Australia) which I was quoted and from my limited knowledge sounds high, and whilst it's a lot less than some original A-2's i've bought I wouldn't pay that much for an original Navy jacket. I'm not sure but from memory it's quite a bit higher than BK's A-2 price??

On top of that there's just not enough info, feedback or pictures of any of the Kelso range for me to be certain of what it is i'd be buying. Website's scant, no pics of jackets being modelled, bugger all really. I take a lot of stock from what other impartial guys who've owned them say-either they love it or hate it, post pics of it being worn etc and there's not really been many reviews I can recall. So frankly I see a fair degree of risk in buying a BK for the moment - i'm sure it'll get better with time.

On the other hand, John's stuff is beautifully presented, he shows you what you'll look like wearing it, what it'll look like being worn and comes with loads of testimonials and if I need to get something clarified he answers my phonecall and it's sorted on the spot. Plus he is the Expert and he loves this stuff and it's not a deal breaker by any stretch but I like the idea of my jacket being made in the US. I've been meaning to ask Platon what the business structure is- who's the John Chapman/ Gary Eastman at BK? I know Platon's responsible for sourcing the originals etc but is Andy the main guy?

Really the products can't be compared, they're so different, so opinions are based on what we can see and I personally reckon that the entry price sounds high on the above basis. I'll be happy to change my tune if I saw a few ecstatic customers raving about them and if/when Allen gets his and is impressed- that'll add weight as he knows his stuff. They offer a 10% dicount for early birdies but I reckon they should sell a buch to VLJ'ers at a bigger discount to get the juices flowing.

I really wish them well, I understand they have to sell at a price they set and I hope to squash the doubts in the back of my head over time as i'd love to buy a great jacket at a great price. However with the economy lagging as it still is I personally can't spend this kind of money at the moment (and we're supposed to have one of the healthier Economies on the planet).

 

[TankBuster]

I was hoping for the price to be a little lower for me to pull the trigger on one.

With all due respect, you wouldn't say that if it was a Good Wear.

Hey Peter,

Andrew is right. For some reason I had it in my own mind that the price was going to around the $500-$600 area. I'm not sure why. Maybe the implication of a very cheap price got the best of me. Honestly, I haven't bought any repros over the last couple of years due to the current prices.
When repros were selling for $500-$700 I thought they were a good value. However, when I can buy a excellent original USN M-422A for $700 or less, personally I would buy that over the same priced repro every day. I am lucky enough to be able to wear some original wartime 42's and almost everything labeled a 44. If I were a 46 or 48, I'm sure the repros would be more in play. This is all just my opinion of course however.