A2 sizing

[EugeneAus]

Hello all,

This is my first leather jacket. I went with a size 44 because I have wide shoulders.

It has quite an oversized look which I don't mind.

The sleeve length is usually good, but that is because the chest is roomy. Once I pull my armpit to the pit hole of the jacket, the sleeve becomes too short.

The problem that I have is that when I'm riding my bike, the sleeves become too short because my armpit pulls to the sleeve hole.

i wanted to get some general thoughts on this fit, as well as opinions on whether the sleeves of goat will stretch with time....

its a shame because I really wanted to get into leather jackets with the goal of having one jacket to serve for a long time. However the more I research, the more it seems like a bottomless pit :')

thanks very much.

Eugene

 

[El Marro]

Eugene,
that is not a bad looking A2, I like my jackets a little looser as well.
The problem you are experiencing with the sleeves has more to do with the way the jacket is put together then anything else. The A2 is a really cool looking jacket but it is pretty terrible when it comes to moving around and doing things. It would probably be my last choice for a jacket to wear on my bike, or while doing any other physical activity for that matter.
I do not think the goat sleeves will stretch with time, certainly not enough to solve the length problem on the bike.

 

[EugeneAus]

Eugene,
that is not a bad looking A2, I like my jackets a little looser as well.
The problem you are experiencing with the sleeves has more to do with the way the jacket is put together then anything else. The A2 is a really cool looking jacket but it is pretty terrible when it comes to moving around and doing things. It would probably be my last choice for a jacket to wear on my bike, or while doing any other physical activity for that matter.
I do not think the goat sleeves will stretch with time, certainly not enough to solve the length problem on the bike.

Hey El Marro,
Thanks for a considered response. That is all good insight and something I'll have to keep in mind in deciding whether this jacket suits my lifestyle.
Eugene

 

[Blackadder]

Eugene,
that is not a bad looking A2, I like my jackets a little looser as well.
The problem you are experiencing with the sleeves has more to do with the way the jacket is put together then anything else. The A2 is a really cool looking jacket but it is pretty terrible when it comes to moving around and doing things. It would probably be my last choice for a jacket to wear on my bike, or while doing any other physical activity for that matter.
I do not think the goat sleeves will stretch with time, certainly not enough to solve the length problem on the bike.

Agree that an A-2 may not be a good riding jacket. However
1) such is the problem with any type of jackets not just A-2. Sleeves got pulled up when one raise his/her arm. Reason why some fellow loungers prefer to have longer sleeves on riding jackets while others pick the length like any other jacket.
2) the sleeves are quite short for the OP. The jacket is oversize and still the sleeves with the knit just cover his wrists.

 

[bn1966]

You don’t want a too tight A 2 ..trust me. I use mine for riding but then I’m on a Vespa scooter sat upright. A G -1 with the bi swing back may suit you better if you are wanting a classic flight jacket for two wheeled jaunts

 

[Brettafett]

Welcome to the A-2
I think that is a great fit for an A-2. Generally, most WW2 A-2s were worn this way, they had to be able to layer...
I think lengths are good and this jacket will wear in beautifully over time.

Further to what has been mentioned above... This is not the best design/ type of jacket to wear on a bike.
Its not the best design sitting in a car or even a plane for that matter. Sized correctly, its ok, but...
For military... The M-422A/ G-1 design is so much better with the bi-swing back. When you lift you arms, the back opens up. Tha, plus the rayon lining and goatskin make for a superb jacket for practical use.

High end, Dave Sheeley, Goodwear, Bill Kelso and Eastman (Japanese brands also OK, overpriced)
Mid range (quality, but at a lower price, less authentic in detailing, but good enough), Cockpit USA and AVI LTHR.
Originals also available, but fraught with drama if you need to clean, refurbish etc.

Civilian styles made for this purpose abound, cafe racers etc...

 

[Fifty150]

Just like this guy........ wear the jacket if it feels good. Is it comfortable? Then that's all that matters. You do not need to wear a tight jacket just because someone saw a 75 year old photo of the jacket fitting tight.

 

[Aloysius]

The A-2 is a genuinely bad jacket that just has cachet because it's in some striking historical photos.

Wartime pilots themselves said this. It was bad to move in, provided no protection against the elements, etc. This is why every A-2ish civilian jacket is basically a G-1 with epaulettes and a leather collar.

Just like this guy........ wear the jacket if it feels good. Is it comfortable? Then that's all that matters. You do not need to wear a tight jacket just because someone saw a 75 year old photo of the jacket fitting tight.

View attachment 495854

Bad example because he's wearing a civilian jacket like I'm talking about, not the actual and crappy A-2 pattern.

 

[Dumpster Diver]

Nice Jacket!

I had This cooper A-2, and had the same problem riding a bike with it.

Try an MA-1 Jacket, or the N2-B if you want a flight jacket for bike riding.

A-2's are pretty good for driving though.

 

[Fifty150]

I got my 1st "A-2" decades before there was a Fedora Lounge, or even the internet. I was in high school. I went to a place where they made leather jackets. I told the lady that I wanted a jacket for motorcycle riding. She showed me the "Brando-style" jackets that looked like double breasted, cross zipper, Schott Perfecto models. You have to understand that this was in a certain era. I lowered my voice, and said under my breath, "I don't want to look like The Village People. I'm not wearing leather pants and a leather cap, for the leather festival." Not that I wouldn't look good with leather chaps, and no jeans.

I asked her if she had a jacket that would make me look more like Fonzie. She took some measurements of my body. Then brought out a few jackets I thought of as "bomber jackets". We got one which fit my chest, and where I could comfortably move my arms around. We went outside to my motorcycle. She measured some more as I sat on the bike. A few weeks later, I had a jacket. It fit my chest. I could reach for the handlebars. And it was fitted so that I didn't have a bunch of extra material around my belly. It fit just right. Years later, I see that it's an "A-2" style of some sort. Only top entry pockets. Weird hook thing at the neckline. Single piece of leather across the back.

Maybe not "authentic", but a good tailor could make that jacket to fit your body, in the way that you like it. I wore that jacket until I became a man...... a fat man.

 

[sshack]

The A-2 is a genuinely bad jacket that just has cachet because it's in some striking historical photos.

My Rainbow A-2 is currently my favorite jacket. I don't think the A-2 is a bad jacket at all. If anything, it's a bonafide icon. I don't even feel like I'm doing "dress up" when I wear it... it goes with everything.

As for the OP, that size is too big for you. See how it's hanging/drooping off your shoulders? These are hard jackets to get a good fit. So... check out other makers. There's a ton of different styles of A-2, all with different fits. And you can always get custom sleeve lengths from a few makers if you can spend the $$.

 

[Aloysius]

My Rainbow A-2 is currently my favorite jacket. I don't think the A-2 is a bad jacket at all. If anything, it's a bonafide icon. I don't even feel like I'm doing "dress up" when I wear it... it goes with everything.

As for the OP, that size is too big for you. Also, check out other makers. There's a ton of different styles of A-2, all with different fits. And you can always get custom sleeve lengths from a few makers if you can spend the $$.

I love the A-2 lol. I just mean historically speaking it was the cheapest possible design, which ended up becoming a minimalist classic as a result. It looks effortlessly cool, if you nail the fit.

But the Navy, which had a higher budget available for its jacket procurement, had a much better wearing (and more involved) pattern. The flip side is that the M-422a/AN-6552/G-1 doesn’t look as clean from behind due to the action back.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

That jacket is at least one size too big. I don't ride, but I don't think an A2 is a good jacket for that. Narrow shoulders alone make it weird to move your arms too much.

 

[Fifty150]

And you can always get custom sleeve lengths from a few makers if you can spend the $$.

It all depends on your budget. You can buy the most expensive jacket off the rack, and it still won't be made for your body. Or you just wait until you can afford it, and have the jacket tailored for your body. I can't speak for specific pricing, and what each jacket maker would charge you for alterations. But I would imagine that a shop like Johnson, which everyone here knows, or some other shop of equal caliber, could make a jacket to fit your arms, shoulders, chest, back, and midsection........ and still cost less than some of the more expensive off the rack jackets.

historically speaking it was the cheapest possible design, which ended up becoming a minimalist classic as a result

That sounds like the Brooks Brothers suit jacket.

I don't ride, but I don't think an A2 is a good jacket for that.

I do ride. I've got different jackets for riding, including "motorcycle jackets" made for riding. I think the A-2 is fine. The jacket does 2 things for me. It keeps the wind off. Wind does not blow through it. And with the right leather, it will protect my skin from road rash. In the event that I go down, the jacket gets ripped up, not me. In those ways, it's a suitable jacket for riding. As for fit, you can have the jacket fitted. A tailor would work out the fitment issues.