A-2 Help anyone?

[RayR]

I posted this in another section. I don't know which is the correct place. Please forgive the repeat, and moderator, please help me have this done properly.
Greetings, I'm looking for a great A-2 22752 and need your suggestions and expertise, please.

It seems Goodwear Leather http://www.goodwearleather.com/pages/a2_rw27752.html and Eastman Leather Co. http://www.eastmanleather.com/produc...roducts_id=167 both have what they claim to be exact replicas that you can not tell from the original. Eastman even has a "Time Worn" option to make it look more authentic. Finally, there is a cool looking jacket made by Eastman for Japan based on the darker McQueen version seen in The Great Escape. All seem to be priced within a few hundred dollars of each other.

I would really appreciate your advice on which is better made, more authentic, anything on quality. And size tips, too. This will be a big expense and I can't afford to mess it up.

BTW, I really like the look of the Eastman Great Escape model, but can't get past the Japanese web page to know much about it. http://www.mash-japan.co.jp/eastman-...ape/index.html
I usually wear a 40R suit jacket, and I want the authentic trim cut... so that's what I'm working with.

Thanks

 

[zhz]

Go for Goodwear, if you like the "Time worn" effect, you can ask GW for the Combat option, which is a better effect than Time worn. As for sizing, you only need give your measurements to GW, and they can help you to decide what is best for you.

 

[Sloan1874]

If you're looking for time worn, GW's Combat Clone is the way to go: http://www.goodwearleather.com/photos/Combat_Clone_No1/

 

[Interbak]

Agreed, Eastman have apparently upped their game in the past few years, but there is no comparison to Good Wear, John is OCD about A-'s!

B

 

[Jeff M]

I own both Good Wear and Eastman A2's.
I haven't gotten around to putting my Eastman's up for sale yet.
As forum member CBI posted on the forum not too long ago;
"A John Chapman (Good Wear) jacket is like a Hattori Honzo sword. Better get in line."
John sews all his A2's himself. He continually researches and updates his designs to reproduce the original contracts. He offers several different leathers, linings, thread colors used for the different contracts.

One big difference between a Good Wear and Eastman, Good Wear jackets are custom made to the customers measurements. Eastman sells their jackets "off the rack". (You can custom order an Eastman, but last I heard, if it doesn't work out, it is non-returnable, and from my experiences with other jacket makers, I approach "custom made" leather jackets with trepidation unless the maker specializes in them. More often than not they still seem to be "off" on their sizing somewhere.)

I've found the fit of A2's to be very finicky.
I stand 5'9", 44 inch chest. Weigh #180 with a 34" waist. A bit "muscular" but not overly so.
"Standard size" A2's tend to be "off" somewhere. In my case, either too tight across the back/chest/ arm pits, or too long in the sleeve length.
Being able to have an extra 1/2" added the back/chest, a bit more space in the arm pits and an inch or two taken off the sleeve length is very important for me.
Good Wear has my measurements nailed down.