Aero/LVC Rough n Ready Bird of Prey? jacket

[jacketjunkie]

I am looking at the Aero Bootlegger again recently (thx @ton312 ), always liked the style and @torfjord 's jacket with the mouton collar looked so great, I decided I NEEDED this as well. Not sure yet whether brown clxsh + irvin collar or cordovan clxsh + irvin collar, but one of the two it's gonna be. However I considered a few changes to the style, because I don't like amercan cuffs, I have fairly small wrists and these american cuffs are usually very wide which looks super odd when worn imo. I also don't like that diagonal chest pocket positioning, I think it's too high to access it comfortably and frequently. And at this point I stumbled accross the Aero and LVC collaboration from a good while back; the Ruff N Ready / Bird of Prey jacket. I'm not sure whether these are the same model, they pretty much look identical in all their features and details, but ey, one of them got that bird of the back, so I'm not sure.

Anyway, that model has all the details I would want on a Bootlegger, button cuffs, different pocket positioning, a slightly curved frontzipper and different collar+lapels shape? and a bit of front drop, so I thought I would make a thread and see who knows more about the style. Has anyone owned it? (I vaguely remember @tmitchell59 sporting it, I believe) Does anyone know whether Aero still has the patterns to this and could recreate the style in a sort of custom bootlegger order?

Any input welcome!

 

[tmitchell59]

Yep, I owned one. Here it is. Got it for a bargain price and sold it for same. Excellent fitting jacket. Should have kept it.

 

[Guppy]

It looks quite similar to the Bootlegger from the front. The Bootlegger has a button hole on the lapel, but it's a fairly pointless feature. I don't care for the "Bird of Prey" artwork on the back. I think it looks awful. I know it's a reproduction of an actual painted vintage jacket, but that doesn't mean it doesn't look awful. Without the "artwork" on the back, it'd be a much more attractive jacket. For some reason there's always at least one on eBay, maybe the same one, being re-listed over and over again, always for a lot more than what it should be listed at.

 

[ProteinNerd]

I believe the differences are the Birds of Prey has the "Thunderbird" print on the back while the Ruff'N'Ready has fake distressing and fake stitching. I'm pretty sure I've also seen a version without the print or the fake repairs.

I'd expect Aero would still have the original patterns laying around somewhere, they obviously kept the pattern from the LVC Blue/Black goat jacket that is now the Aero Speedway.

 

[ton312]

I always thought these were super short but looking at TM's I think I was wrong...agree w/Guppy about the art. It's too much. The rest of the jacket looks great tho. And yes I've begun the process (yet again) on a Bootlegger. Keeping it simple this time tho. A bit of a less is more approach.

 

[Windward]

I always thought these were super short but looking at TM's I think I was wrong...agree w/Guppy about the art. It's too much. The rest of the jacket looks great tho. And yes I've begun the process (yet again) on a Bootlegger. Keeping it simple this time tho. A bit of a less is more approach.

And I always thought that these model are only available in S and M Sizes - never saw it in my 46" Size...

 

[handymike]

Aero has the pattern, a while back they sold a couple on their site...no bird and no rip-n-repair distressing. Just ask after the holidays.
Here is the plain version:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...ro-levi-lvc-2002-horsehide-thunderbird.76268/

 

[tmitchell59]

And I always thought that these model are only available in S and M Sizes - never saw it in my 46" Size...

The Roungh N Ready I'm wearing is a large. I would say a 44 for sure, near a 46. I was very impressed by the jacket, fit and finish. I got it for cheap and no one else seemed to want it. It went off ebay in a jacket deal. If I was to order a jacket in that style I would want that pattern.

I use to see them lingering on ebay, haven't seen one of late.

 

[Mich486]

@jacketjunkie how did this one go? Did Aero say they still have the pattern and could make a custom order no problem? Cheers


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[jacketjunkie]

@jacketjunkie how did this one go? Did Aero say they still have the pattern and could make a custom order no problem? Cheers


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I ended up getting a mix of this and a Bootlegger; bootlegger pattern but pocket configuration as on this style here. So I never got to ask whether they still have this exact pattern.

 

[sweetfights]

on eBay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Levis-vint...690668?hash=item260631e5ec:g:lOEAAOSwmzZbbeC1

 

[Rich22]

Yep, I owned one. Here it is. Got it for a bargain price and sold it for same. Excellent fitting jacket. Should have kept it.

Was that the one with the fake repairs? I liked the jacket aside from those.

 

[Mich486]

I ended up getting a mix of this and a Bootlegger; bootlegger pattern but pocket configuration as on this style here. So I never got to ask whether they still have this exact pattern.

That’s still good to hear. I’m thinking of an hooch hauler with this pocket config and possibly same collar too.


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[tmitchell59]

Was that the one with the fake repairs? I liked the jacket aside from those.

Yes, it is. Superb jacket.

 

[Edward]

I believe the differences are the Birds of Prey has the "Thunderbird" print on the back while the Ruff'N'Ready has fake distressing and fake stitching. I'm pretty sure I've also seen a version without the print or the fake repairs.

I'd expect Aero would still have the original patterns laying around somewhere, they obviously kept the pattern from the LVC Blue/Black goat jacket that is now the Aero Speedway.

Denny or Holly can correct me on this if I'm wrong, but as I recall, the Speedway patterns were created for the original Levis run and it was written into the contract that, once the Levis run was done and sold out, Aero would retain ownership of the patterns and could choose in future to make their own jacket based on them. I'm sure that was mentioned back when Ken brought the Speedster into the Aero line a few years ago. If I've remembered that correctly, it would seem plausible there'd have been the same arrangement for this version. I always liked this design a lot, though I'm not a fan of the pre-distressing or the artwork Levis applied. Still, I'd love a jacket in that blue-black goat they used that was like a teacore but with blue rather than brown on the underlayer...

 

[ProteinNerd]

Denny or Holly can correct me on this if I'm wrong, but as I recall, the Speedway patterns were created for the original Levis run and it was written into the contract that, once the Levis run was done and sold out, Aero would retain ownership of the patterns and could choose in future to make their own jacket based on them. I'm sure that was mentioned back when Ken brought the Speedster into the Aero line a few years ago. If I've remembered that correctly, it would seem plausible there'd have been the same arrangement for this version. I always liked this design a lot, though I'm not a fan of the pre-distressing or the artwork Levis applied. Still, I'd love a jacket in that blue-black goat they used that was like a teacore but with blue rather than brown on the underlayer...

Tats interesting @Edward thanks for the info re the agreement to keep the pattern.

I did get my hands on one of the Blue-Black goat speedways a while and did really like the unique leather, the pattern was just too short for me unfortunately but if they ever made more.....

 

[Marc mndt]

I think I've found the granddaddy of both the 'Birds of Prey' and the 'Ruff'N'Ready'.

This is a Levi's pre-production sample. It must be over 20 years old but judging by its state I don't think it has ever been worn. No signs of wear on the leather nor on the pocket lining. At 1,9kg the leather is heavier than Vicenza but lighter than CXL. It feels a bit spongy so I guess it's made from steerhide. Beautiful grey distressed leather with some green undertones. Best thing; it's my size and it's a perfect fit. The label says M but I think it's a 42. Fitpics will have to wait, outside it's -5 celcius atm and the wool lining looks pretty but doesn't do much of a job in keeping me warm.

 

[Rabbit]

Yes, these exact samples turn up once in a while. It appears they used cheaper leather and hardware for these. May or may not have been made by some manufacturer other than Aero, too.

 

[Imuricecreamman]

I think I've found the granddaddy of both the 'Birds of Prey' and the 'Ruff'N'Ready'.

This is a Levi's pre-production sample. It must be over 20 years old but judging by its state I don't think it has ever been worn. No signs of wear on the leather nor on the pocket lining. At 1,9kg the leather is heavier than Vicenza but lighter than CXL. It feels a bit spongy so I guess it's made from steerhide. Beautiful grey distressed leather with some green undertones. Best thing; it's my size and it's a perfect fit. The label says M but I think it's a 42. Fitpics will have to wait, outside it's -5 celcius atm and the wool lining looks pretty but doesn't do much of a job in keeping me warm.
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Really cool.... I need one of these simpler crosszips .

 

[Marc mndt]

CXL Horsehide Bird of Prey. Aero's best design imo. Size / fit is absolutely perfect. I'm really not a fan of CXL and how it ages though.