Aero FQHH jacket - odd leather

[Monitor]

Need a little help from some of the Aero (leather) experts.

Recently I acquired an used Aero FQHH in black and I can't quite figure it out. Okay, so this jacket is of older manufacture and it was well used to begin with so the leather is completely broken in, but still, comparing it to my new Highwayman, it's totally different in a way that the leather has a much more organic and greasy feel to it and it is helluva lot more pliable than any horse, steer or goat that I'd ever seen. The collar, in example, stays the way you bent it for a long while until it returns to its original position which is just weird!
Also, the jacket is matte to the point that it barely reflects any light at all.

At first I thought it had been heavily treated with something but I've thoroughly checked the jacket and went through the most inaccessible parts of it, like small pieces of leather inside pockets, under the zippers and such that nobody would mess with, only to discover that the leather feels equally strange all around.

My question is, as this is my first vintage, so to call it, Aero, is this normal for a jacket that has seen years of wear, or am I to be worried? It's not that I mind the thing, it is a beautiful jacket and more comfortable than any I've ever had, but I'd just like to know why is it like that. Other than that, it is in a remarkably good condition, almost as if it wasn't really worn that much at all. Any help would be most welcomed.

Thanks!

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Sounds like the 'Vintage' HH that Aero once offered. I had one in black around 10 years ago. Quite grainy and relaxed leather. Nothing like their normal FQHH. Very nice actually. Posting a pic would help identify exactly what you have.
HD

 

[winterland1]

Probably a combination of the leather being totally broken in and possibly a different leather as hoosier points out. I am sure your new Highwayman will be way different when it gets to that state of wear also.
We love pics.

 

[Monitor]

Just spent five minutes looking for this thread in the Outerwear section of the forum, convinced that it was there that I had made it, where it clearly belongs, only to find out that for whatever reason, I had mistakenly posted it here. I apologize for that, and I hope it can be moved to a proper sub forum!

HD and Winterland, I had no idea of that other leather! Any more info on it?

Anyway, due to the jacket being so ungrateful when it comes reflecting light, it is quite difficult to take proper pictures of it, but I've tried and here's the best I got. This is with a flash. It is a classic Aero MC jacket, I tried to get you guys as close look at the leather as possible, but if more pictures are needed, let me know!

Pictures are quite large and I don't know how to do thumbnails.

http://www.imageupload.co.uk/viewer.php?file=4yirppq3i085m56j457o.jpg
http://www.imageupload.co.uk/viewer.php?file=hm0q6dp8n6jdru7afr07.jpg
http://www.imageupload.co.uk/viewer.php?file=7lkzm642sqmve9msi9ux.jpg
http://www.imageupload.co.uk/viewer.php?file=5420olmpfauretruozfe.jpg

Also, due to it's odd nature, the jacket collects dust like crazy. Oh and regarding weight, the jacket is slightly heavier than my highwayman - though that could be attributed to hardware and thick lining. The leather of both jackets appears to be of the exact same thickness all around, but this one is somewhat more consistent in grain and patina than the Highwayman.

 

[Monitor]

Few more, better images of it. Standard Aero The Wild One bike jacket, size 40 Can't seem to get a macro of it but... I've had a chance to handle another Aero Highwayman today and it's still nowhere near close to this jacket so I'm hoping that perhaps someone with more experience can identify this type of leather as it's something I've really never seen anything like it before.

 

[wild_balls]

Hi there,

I have a very early Aero 50's half belt in black, feels just like you describe! Quite heavy and matte waxy kind of feeling! I like it alot!


Cheers Joakim

 

[Monitor]

Hi Wild Balls!

I've been searching throughout the forum for any info on Aero's Vintaged FQHH and I am now fairly convinced that this is what my jacket is - Only difference being, people seem to mention that the Vintaged HH is showing a lot more grain, which isn't the case with my jacket. It's almost as smooth as Aero's standard FQHH though at some parts it is showing considerably more grain than any other HH Aero that I've seen. I am really happy with it too, it's an outstanding leather both to look at and to wear, and especially to touch due to this strange, organic feel the jacket has to it - I hope that doesn't sound too weird . It also creases in such a cool way when worn, I've actually gotten that exact look I was going for for all these years and quite out of the blue, at that, as this was somewhat of an impulse buy. I've placed an order with Aero for the same jacket not a month ago and I bought this one because I couldn't wait, thinking it's the same thing, only used, but now I'm seriously worried that I might end up wearing this one while the new jacket will be sitting in a closet.

 

[Rudie]

Easy fix. Cancel the order. I know, the others will say change the order and get a different jacket. But I say cancel it, use the saved money to fix your jacket addiction with the help of a hypnotist and save thousands in the long run while being happier with your one jacket than the addicts with twenty.

 

[Monitor]

Thought about it. On one hand, I'm never too fond of cancelling the order but on the other hand, this would be a logical thing to do as I simply can't justify having two of these jackets that cost way too much money than I can ever possibly comfortably afford. I know what you mean about changing the order - that MC jacket is really the only one that I wanted, so I can't think of anything else I'd like to change my order into. The difference between most of those jackets from their motorcycle range is marginal. Though I'd still like to have one in their standard FQHH... Jacket addiction indeed, I wish there actually was a hypnotist for that sort of thing.

 

[Windward]

I like to agree with HoosierDaddy - it must be 'Vintage' Horsehide from Aero. I still own a Windward in Vintage black FQHH since 2007 - and it look quite the same.
Quite grainy, heavy and relaxed leather with differents parts of grainy and smoother parts.
Here's a pic for comparison:

 

[Navin323i]

Lovely jacket, Monitor! I hope you decide to keep it.

 

[Monitor]

That close up looks pretty much exactly like my jacket - thanks for posting it, Windward! I've also noticed that my jacket has an odd mix of brass and chrome hardware. I don't know if that was a design choice at some point, as some of these old jackets really did have mixed hardware, or someone specifically requested it like that.

I'd still like to have one of these in their classic FQHH...

That's a beautiful jacket you have, by the way. I've never seen this style before, but I absolutely love it.

Navin323i: can't think of a reason not to! Thank you! It is a lovely jacket and that leather is so comfortable... It's just so much fun.

 

[Windward]

That close up looks pretty much exactly like my jacket - thanks for posting it, Windward! I've also noticed that my jacket has an odd mix of brass and chrome hardware. I don't know if that was a design choice at some point, as some of these old jackets really did have mixed hardware, or someone specifically requested it like that.

I'd still like to have one of these in their classic FQHH...
That's a beautiful jacket you have, by the way. I've never seen this style before, but I absolutely love it..

The Model calls "Windward" from AERO - a totally underestimated model!
Regards
Windward