Advice on Aero jacket

[Rickard_H]

First thread on this subject, right?

Well, gonna keep it as short as I can. My name is Rickard and I live in Gothenburg, Sweden and I'm a bit into buying my first Aero jacket. I've narrowed it down to Wayfarer, Long half back and Half back deluxe with Wayfarer as big favourite for the moment.

The plan with the jacket is brown horsehide, either the usual CXL or Vicenza in a brown tone. Aero has sent a bunch of samples but they haven't arrived yet. Temperaturewise I'm aiming to use it between about 0-10°C, 32-50°F, erhaps you could give me an advice on which lining to choose? Thinking a little of Loch Carron strome tartan, would it be nice in those temperatures? How is the wear resistance with that?

When it comes to sizing and fit it'd also be nice with a little advice. My measurements are:

Height 185cm – 6ft 1”
Relaxed Chest 100cm – 39.5”
Expanded Chest 103cm – 40.5”
Stomach 95cm – 37.5”
Waist (over belt) 101cm – 39.75”
85kg - 187 lbs

I've got a few pictures of me with my dad's Jofama goatskin jacket. The back length and sleeve length are pretty nice, but it's a bit wide in the shape and especially the upper sleeves.

Based on my measurements and the pictures, which back length do you think I should choose? Holly thinks I should get a little longer back than the standard models because of my length and I agree to that. The question is just, am I a Half back deluxe, Wayfarer or Long half back type of guy?

The Jofama is 124 cm - 50.5" around the chest, the back is 72 cm - 29.35" and the sleeves are 63 cm - 25.67" from my shoulder bone as in the last picture.

Hope I'm asking the right questions

 

[Fonzie]

The Wayfarer is a beautiful and very stylish model.
My vote for that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Seb Lucas]

This is largely a matter of personal taste so advice from us may not be helpful. I am six two and I wear 26-27 inches back length in a shorter jacket and 30 inches in a longer jacket.

The jacket in your photos is a baggy fit, unlike a good Aero. Shoulder width is important for a good fit and less well patterned or mass produced jackets seem to always have shoulders that are too wide (the seam shoulder end where the shoulder ends. Aero will be ok without your asking for anything here as they understand shoulder fit. I personally prefer a shoulder width of 19 inches, Aeros are usually snug.

Your sleeve measurement will need more consideration since the jacket you are using has over sized shoulders which makes the length deceptive. A trim fitting denim jacket may be a better source for measuring. My sleeve is usually measured from the shoulder seam outside the sleeve to the end of the sleeve at 26-27 inches.

My choice in a longer style would be an Aero Hercules but I would remove the pocket flaps as I dislike the look of cargo pockets and pocket flaps.

 

[Sloan1874]

Wayfarer or LHB. I own the latter in brown FQHH with the standard weight wool lining, rather than the Strome you're suggesting, and it's a fantastic jacket. I tend to wear it in the same temperature range that you say you will and just layer accordingly. This gives me maximum flexibility in wearing it - I pulled it out of storage in September and only put it away yesterday.

 

[Rickard_H]

The Wayfarer is a beautiful and very stylish model.
My vote for that.

Thanks!

This is largely a matter of personal taste so advice from us may not be helpful. I am six two and I wear 26-27 inches back length in a shorter jacket and 30 inches in a longer jacket.

The jacket in your photos is a baggy fit, unlike a good Aero. Shoulder width is important for a good fit and less well patterned or mass produced jackets seem to always have shoulders that are too wide (the seam shoulder end where the shoulder ends. Aero will be ok without your asking for anything here as they understand shoulder fit. I personally prefer a shoulder width of 19 inches, Aeros are usually snug.

Your sleeve measurement will need more consideration since the jacket you are using has over sized shoulders which makes the length deceptive. A trim fitting denim jacket may be a better source for measuring. My sleeve is usually measured from the shoulder seam outside the sleeve to the end of the sleeve at 26-27 inches.

My choice in a longer style would be an Aero Hercules but I would remove the pocket flaps as I dislike the look of cargo pockets and pocket flaps.

Thanks!

May I ask what jacket/s you have that are around 30"? Any of the ones I mentioned or anything similar?

Yes that jacket isn't very nice inte the shoulder area but if you look at the picture where I measure the sleeve length, you see I made a line on the tape a bit above the seam at where my shoulder bone ends and the actual arm begins, shouldn't that sort that problem out or is it meaningless to take that measurement like that? It's an early 90's model so maybe it can be forgiven, who knows, it may be regarded as vintage by my grandchildren!

Wayfarer or LHB. I own the latter in brown FQHH with the standard weight wool lining, rather than the Strome you're suggesting, and it's a fantastic jacket. I tend to wear it in the same temperature range that you say you will and just layer accordingly. This gives me maximum flexibility in wearing it - I pulled it out of storage in September and only put it away yesterday.

Great to hear! How much do you wear underneath the jacket at those temperatures?

 

[Monitor]

Hi! Welcome! I really like that jacket you're wearing, even though it's clearly too big. It's got super wide shoulders and it's baggy but there's something neat about it. Anyway, if you're gonna go with a Half belt; size 42, 26.5" sleeves, 26" - 27" back. We're similar built, height, weight and that works for me. 44 works too but it felt a bit too big on me without layering.

 

[Guppy]

My advice:

The world needs more Wayfarers.
Listen to Holly.
Make sure you are getting yourself measured properly, and don't try to second guess yourself.
Don't worry about the lining. Layer under the jacket for warmth.

 

[Sloan1874]

I have one of Aero's Harris wool fisherman jumpers that's just the ticket when it gets towards zero, but generally a thick-ish jumper is more than enough. The thing I would recommend though is that you have moleskin handwarmer pockets rather than plain cotton. They will really help you keep warm.

 

[AeroFan_07]

I agree with what has been posted above. Lining, unless you go to Alpaca wool, won't make much more than a bit of difference in warmth, and while the tartans look great, I have found that cotton Drill wears like iron, so if you plan to keep it long term, I might recommend this.

Now as to leathers - I like something with weight, heft and that takes a few months to break-in. So for me the FQHH or Steerhide makes sense. I have a couple of each, the Steerhide develops quite a bit more grain, especially the 4-ounce variety. However the Front Quarter Horse Hide , while initially very stiff, softens up well and gets very comfortable to wear, with a bit smoother finish. I do not want anything lighter, hence I have not tried the Vicenza, it's not "lambskin" like but it's certainly different and not as much to my liking.

Welcome - good luck deciding, and may your wallet someday recover after finding this forum!

 

[Fanch]

My imput would be to consider either a LHB or HB Deluxe for a slightly shorter jacket. The Wayfarer is a bit busy for my taste. Not only pockets lined with moleskin but also body shell as well but cotton drill sleeve lining for ease of use. Both moleskin and cotton drill are very durable. Since the LHB and HB Deluxe are based on the 1950's HB design, you should be able to layer under a size 40. At one time I would have said your jacket illustrated above was an OK fit, but after years of accrued taste from this forum I would have to say your fit jacket is baggy and way too big, pretty much what Seb Lucas verbalized, and not too much help in determining sizing due to the droopy shoulders.

 

[Sloan1874]

It's one size too large. An oversized FQHH jacket will weigh a tonne. The better the fit, especially across the shoulders, the more comfortable it is.

 

[Guppy]

If you do want to go with a warmer liner, you might try the rayon quilted lining. But, keep in mind the standard lining on the Wayfarer (if you go with that) is herringbone, which is a (free) £20 upgrade over a cotton drill lining on most Aero models.

Personally, when I get my Wayfarer made, I'm going with the herringbone.

 

[Edward]

If you can do it financially, it's well worth a visit to the Aero factory (or anywhere else you can handle their stuff - they had a stall at the Goodwood Revival last year, not sure if theyr'e gonig to do it again this year - I hope they do!). Ntohing beats being able to see all the styles in person, and try 'em on.

 

[Doublegun]

Have been wearing a LHB in brown FQHH for 8-years and it gets a little better every day I wear it. My advice for lining: cotton drill. It is probably the least warm lining so you can wear it almost year round, just put a warm layer underneath in really cold weather. Getting the measurements right is the most nerve wracking part of the process. Ask Holly exactly what they need then go to a local tailor and have the measurements done by a professional. He/she may make recommendation based on your body and posture.

Lastly, don't rush into the process. Are sure your measurements are spot on before sending them to Holly. Your making a jacket that will last a lifetime so best to make it perfectly on the front end. One more thing: have the lining stop a couple of inches short so if it shifts it won't sag down below the bottom of the jacket.

 

[Rickard_H]

Hi! Welcome! I really like that jacket you're wearing, even though it's clearly too big. It's got super wide shoulders and it's baggy but there's something neat about it. Anyway, if you're gonna go with a Half belt; size 42, 26.5" sleeves, 26" - 27" back. We're similar built, height, weight and that works for me. 44 works too but it felt a bit too big on me without layering.

Thanks for the advice!

Sure it's a high quality jacket but of a 80's or 90's cut. It's made in Malung in Dalarna, the center of Swedish leather industry since a long time.

My advice:

The world needs more Wayfarers.
Listen to Holly.
Make sure you are getting yourself measured properly, and don't try to second guess yourself.
Don't worry about the lining. Layer under the jacket for warmth.

Good thinking!

I have one of Aero's Harris wool fisherman jumpers that's just the ticket when it gets towards zero, but generally a thick-ish jumper is more than enough. The thing I would recommend though is that you have moleskin handwarmer pockets rather than plain cotton. They will really help you keep warm.

Thanks!

I agree with what has been posted above. Lining, unless you go to Alpaca wool, won't make much more than a bit of difference in warmth, and while the tartans look great, I have found that cotton Drill wears like iron, so if you plan to keep it long term, I might recommend this.

Now as to leathers - I like something with weight, heft and that takes a few months to break-in. So for me the FQHH or Steerhide makes sense. I have a couple of each, the Steerhide develops quite a bit more grain, especially the 4-ounce variety. However the Front Quarter Horse Hide , while initially very stiff, softens up well and gets very comfortable to wear, with a bit smoother finish. I do not want anything lighter, hence I have not tried the Vicenza, it's not "lambskin" like but it's certainly different and not as much to my liking.

Welcome - good luck deciding, and may your wallet someday recover after finding this forum!

Thanks! Maybe I'm overthinking this lining thing altogether. I'm getting a few samples of linings as well as leather, when they arrive I'll see for myself.

My wallet has been on a starving diet of photography and hunting for years, it's way too hardened to cry over a simple jacket

My imput would be to consider either a LHB or HB Deluxe for a slightly shorter jacket. The Wayfarer is a bit busy for my taste. Not only pockets lined with moleskin but also body shell as well but cotton drill sleeve lining for ease of use. Both moleskin and cotton drill are very durable. Since the LHB and HB Deluxe are based on the 1950's HB design, you should be able to layer under a size 40. At one time I would have said your jacket illustrated above was an OK fit, but after years of accrued taste from this forum I would have to say your fit jacket is baggy and way too big, pretty much what Seb Lucas verbalized, and not too much help in determining sizing due to the droopy shoulders.

Yes I know exactly what you mean by too busy. It's a thing that's been bothering me. Compared to the rest of their jackets from that period it's really got a striking design in the front so it's easy to notice among all their other models, but striking design wasn't what I was looking for when I started looking at leather jackets from the beginning. Quite the opposite actually.

But to the other hand, I really do lika the design and a part of the business might be the tumbled shiny leather in their pictures. A brown jacket that's worn in and beginning to change in color and getting less shiny might not be so busy... I'll see, thanks for your view!

It's one size too large. An oversized FQHH jacket will weigh a tonne. The better the fit, especially across the shoulders, the more comfortable it is.

That's right. Getting an oversized Aero would be a disaster.

If you do want to go with a warmer liner, you might try the rayon quilted lining. But, keep in mind the standard lining on the Wayfarer (if you go with that) is herringbone, which is a (free) £20 upgrade over a cotton drill lining on most Aero models.

Personally, when I get my Wayfarer made, I'm going with the herringbone.

Yes, that's a good point with the herringbone basically for free. Especially if the difference isn't that big.

Not so fond of the quilted lining though, got it on my Barbour Duke and hmmm probably not again.

If you can do it financially, it's well worth a visit to the Aero factory (or anywhere else you can handle their stuff - they had a stall at the Goodwood Revival last year, not sure if theyr'e gonig to do it again this year - I hope they do!). Ntohing beats being able to see all the styles in person, and try 'em on.

Been thinking about it, but it might be cheaper to buy three jackets and throw the two worst fitting away

But of course it would be a great holiday too.

Have been wearing a LHB in brown FQHH for 8-years and it gets a little better every day I wear it. My advice for lining: cotton drill. It is probably the least warm lining so you can wear it almost year round, just put a warm layer underneath in really cold weather. Getting the measurements right is the most nerve wracking part of the process. Ask Holly exactly what they need then go to a local tailor and have the measurements done by a professional. He/she may make recommendation based on your body and posture.

Lastly, don't rush into the process. Are sure your measurements are spot on before sending them to Holly. Your making a jacket that will last a lifetime so best to make it perfectly on the front end. One more thing: have the lining stop a couple of inches short so if it shifts it won't sag down below the bottom of the jacket.

Sticking with the cotton drill is a thought, I can definitely imagine that it'll last longer than anything made of wool.

Yes a proffessional will take my measurements before I do a final order. And rush is the last thing I'll do! Trying to think of every aspect, especially with the help of everyone here

Good point of letting there be a litttle room for the lining to slack. Happened on my Barbour...

 

[Carlos840]

I have two identical Aeros, one with cotton lining, one with strome tartan.
Wearing the same thin jumper i would say i could go comfortably to 10c in the cotton one and probably 2 or 3c in the Strome one.
To me there is a very noticeable difference in warmth between tartan and drill, but most people seem to think there isn't.
I do tend to run pretty warm, and i also get too hot much faster in the Strome one when the temperature goes above 15c.

I would say cotton is best in 20c to 12c and Strome is best 12c to 3c. If it's warmer i go cotton, if it's colder i go wool or sheerling.
I have been in freezing condition with both and although i wasn't warm in either, i definitely felt much warmer in the strome lined one, the cotton will not keep you warm at all.
In Sweden i think i would go Strome.

Also, to measure it is a better idea to use a soft tape measure, less room for error.
If you don't have one, use a bit of string and then measure the bit of string.

 

[Rickard_H]

I have two identical Aeros, one with cotton lining, one with strome tartan.
Wearing the same thin jumper i would say i could go comfortably to 10c in the cotton one and probably 2 or 3c in the Strome one.
To me there is a very noticeable difference in warmth between tartan and drill, but most people seem to think there isn't.
I do tend to run pretty warm, and i also get too hot much faster in the Strome one when the temperature goes above 15c.

I would say cotton is best in 20c to 12c and Strome is best 12c to 3c. If it's warmer i go cotton, if it's colder i go wool or sheerling.
I have been in freezing condition with both and although i wasn't warm in either, i definitely felt much warmer in the strome lined one, the cotton will not keep you warm at all.
In Sweden i think i would go Strome.

Also, to measure it is a better idea to use a soft tape measure, less room for error.
If you don't have one, use a bit of string and then measure the bit of string.

Ok, interesting! I'm also on rhe warmer side. Other people often need a garment more than I do at a certain temperature. I think I'll have a lot more use for a 0-10 C jacket than a 10-20 C.

How has your Strome lining held up to wear?

Yeah of course a tape measure is better, all the other measurements are done with that. Just used the what it might be called in english to measure the curve of the sleeve.

 

[Harris HTM]

I own a couple of aero's with different linings (lochcarron tartan - not the thickest though, alpaca, shearling, black cotton). I would say that an alpaca lined FQHH (my Mariner) is comfortable above 2-3 degrees Celsius. My tartan and cotton lined above 5c. For near freezing or subfreezing temperatures I use my shearling lined Long Half Belt or my navy melton peacoat or N3B. In general with normal lining (= no shearling) you will always need to wear a good thick wool sweater under your leather jacket in freezing temperatures.
I would vote for the Long Half Belt, I own it and I like its versatility. FQHH (and chrome tanned leathers in general) tend to behave a bit better in wet climates.
My last trip to Sweden was in Gothenburg by the way.

 

[Harris HTM]

PS - it is only a matter of time till your second aero, so keep in mind you have many options for style / lining / leather!

 

[Carlos840]

Ok, interesting! I'm also on rhe warmer side. Other people often need a garment more than I do at a certain temperature. I think I'll have a lot more use for a 0-10 C jacket than a 10-20 C.

How has your Strome lining held up to wear?

Yeah of course a tape measure is better, all the other measurements are done with that. Just used the what it might be called in english to measure the curve of the sleeve.

I have only had it since this winter, but it is pretty thick and i think it would take quite a long time to wear through it.