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Advice needed on new Aero Cafe Racer jacket

Rich22

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Eastman's Buco J-100 repro features extremely neat piping:
Dyk8wab.png

http://www.elmc.co/j100-cafe-racer-black-p-224.html?osCsid=6e501261aedfc7622b0a13d821c947da
 
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16,790
On the other hand, Aero leaves the piping when the zipper is in the sleeve seam and that's also something many makers won't do.
 

Rich22

Practically Family
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595
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On the other hand, Aero leaves the piping when the zipper is in the sleeve seam and that's also something many makers won't do.
It looks exceptionally nice the way Aero do the welding there. There's no added piping though, as far as I can see, when it's in line with the seam? I assumed all the manufacturers would do that, as it's simple and looks better than when piping is called for. Shame the seam isn't in the position where I'd like the zipper! haha
 
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16,790
Seems logical, yeah but nope, not many makers do it. Vanson rarely does it, haven't seen it on Schott too... RMC and those repro guys just copy vintage jackets so that don't count. But yeah, Aero's seam zippers are IMO the nicest on the market.

Here's Vanson.
p10.jpg
 
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17,475
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Seems logical, yeah but nope, not many makers do it. Vanson rarely does it, haven't seen it on Schott too... RMC and those repro guys just copy vintage jackets so that don't count. But yeah, Aero's seam zippers are IMO the nicest on the market.

Here's Vanson.
p10.jpg
Vanson's folded over and hammered cuff is also a thing of beauty. No visible stitch seam around the cuff is tasty.
 

Rich22

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@Monitor As you seem to the the font of all knowledge when it comes to these things, do you know if Aero do slightly larger gauge zippers for the main zip? The one on the fit jacket seems unusually small, and the male pin is tiny for example. By the way, I'm not looking for a crazy-giant one as featured on some Thedi jackets.
 

Rich22

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595
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G.B.
Vanson's folded over and hammered cuff is also a thing of beauty. No visible stitch seam around the cuff is tasty.
That is interesting, not sure I'd have spotted that unless you'd pointed it out. There's a fair amount of intricacies in making these aren't there!
 
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@Monitor As you seem to the the font of all knowledge when it comes to these things, do you know if Aero do slightly larger gauge zippers for the main zip? The one on the fit jacket seems unusually small, and the male pin is tiny for example. By the way, I'm not looking for a crazy-giant one as featured on some Thedi jackets.
They don't. You might be able to spec a larger pull tho.
 

Rich22

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They don't. You might be able to spec a larger pull tho.
I'm happy with the pull, with the leather through it. It just seemed difficult to engage a tiny pin when dealing with such thick leather. I was, of course, entirely handicapped by the male pin being on the 'wrong' side
 
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I'm happy with the pull, with the leather through it. It just seemed difficult to engage a tiny pin when dealing with such thick leather. I was, of course, entirely handicapped by the male pin being on the 'wrong' side
Yes I've had my share of difficulty with the small zip on CXL jackets. I don't think a lighter Vicenza jacket will suffer as much.
 
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16,790
@Monitor As you seem to the the font of all knowledge when it comes to these things, do you know if Aero do slightly larger gauge zippers for the main zip? The one on the fit jacket seems unusually small, and the male pin is tiny for example. By the way, I'm not looking for a crazy-giant one as featured on some Thedi jackets.

lol I don't know that much, just that coincidentally, sleeve zippers are my favorite part of the jacket so I've done some research on the matter...

Ton answered the question. For the main, you can choose between two or three types of this tiny zipper; Talon, Hookless and... Another Talon I think? I'm not sure.

I could be wrong, but I think that the only other type of zipper that might (or might not) be a bit larger is the one on the Original 59'er Highwayman but there's a chance they won't use it on any other jacket... But I could be wrong altogether.
 

Rich22

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Cheers for the answer there! I like the sleeve zippers too for whatever reason- a cool and useful feature.

Bonus zip question. Do any of these zip pulls 'clip' back, or do they always flop about?
 

Rich22

Practically Family
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Yes I've had my share of difficulty with the small zip on CXL jackets. I don't think a lighter Vicenza jacket will suffer as much.
I can only guess that the zip choice is a stylistic thing that Ken feels strongly about, otherwise they'd offer more practical zips.
 
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16,790
Cheers for the answer there! I like the sleeve zippers too for whatever reason- a cool and useful feature.

Bonus zip question. Do any of these zip pulls 'clip' back, or do they always flop about?

Clip back? What do you mean? Can't say I've ever seen this feature... But no, they're free to go any way they want.
 

Rich22

Practically Family
Messages
595
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G.B.
Clip back? What do you mean? Can't say I've ever seen this feature... But no, they're free to go any way they want.
I had a jacket before, when I lived abroad, that had zip pulls that when folded down flat would stay in place, until you flicked the pull back up again from the housing. To prevent pickpocketing in Vietnam I had hidden zipped pockets fitted in some shorts and trousers, and these all did the same trick. Never seen it since! lol. I'm struggling with the right terminology here, and when I say pull I mean the dangly bit, and housing to refer to the body of the female part that slots over the male pin.
 
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I had a jacket before, when I lived abroad, that had zip pulls that when folded down flat would stay in place, until you flicked the pull back up again from the housing. To prevent pickpocketing in Vietnam I had hidden zipped pockets fitted in some shorts and trousers, and these all did the same trick. Never seen it since! lol. I'm struggling with the right terminology here, and when I say pull I mean the dangly bit, and housing to refer to the body of the female part that slots over the male pin.
That's a "sprung" type zip. When it locks closed or open with the puller. To my knowledge Aero doesn't use them and they are actually fairly rare (in a style that would suit a leather jacket). I believe Lost Worlds may still have some Crown brand sprung zippers. I don't know of anyone else tho.
 

Rich22

Practically Family
Messages
595
Location
G.B.
How consistent are sizings for Aero jackets? Here's the Aero Cafe Racer measurements advertised on thurston vs my fit jacket. Both 44".

Pit-to-pit--25 inches/ 22.5
Shoulder--20.25 inches/ 19.75
Waist/bottom hem--21.25 inches/ 20.25

That's a full 2 sizes difference, surely?!
 

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