Aero Shackleton Explored

[Canuck Panda]

Wore my russet jerky one today.

My oldest Shackleton vest would be my black Vicenza one which is about 3 to 4 years old, countless wears. Nothing wrong with it, yet. No pills on the melton wool back, no failure on the buttons. Aero does not back their button with another button but it uses so much thread I have not had a failure, yet. The person that sews the buttons did a great job, for all my Aeros. She/he needs some recognition. Pockets are very deep, it swallows my phone.
If you want to button it all the way up then you gotta go up in sizes. I got 40s and they are literally 40" around the chest. The wool back helps with some stretch, unbutton a few at the top will give you a few extra inch.
Best value in the Aero line up imo. Give the most impact, look wise, very versatile.

 

[Edward]

Is that Anderson Modern lining the black one ("Go on, Doctor Scott....")?

Nice to see a few of these laid out like that. I have my eye on one in black and one in brown, though I'm still undecided about the back. Goat with a leather back in tempting, though I might ask about cotton drill as an alternative. Wary of wool as its vulnerable to moths....

 

[Canuck Panda]

I asked for the end of the roll tartan upgrade for £15. The wool tartans wears very well. Very hearty material. I sweat a bit too so I tend to go with wool more so than cotton. But moths or silverfish is a problem. I hang my wool stuff on the top shelf to avoid the silverfish. But sometimes moths still manage to lay eggs in them and that's when the larva eats the wool. Wish there were an easier way of dealing with this. Doesn't happen often but just enough times over the years that pisses me off about it. Nothing really stops them either. Tried cedar. but the hungry larva still finds it way.
Goatskin would be one of the top choices for this design. These are jerkin length though, so a bit longer than regular vest.

 

[Gone]

Wore my russet jerky one today.
View attachment 404888
My oldest Shackleton vest would be my black Vicenza one which is about 3 to 4 years old, countless wears. Nothing wrong with it, yet. No pills on the melton wool back, no failure on the buttons. Aero does not back their button with another button but it uses so much thread I have not had a failure, yet. The person that sews the buttons did a great job, for all my Aeros. She/he needs some recognition. Pockets are very deep, it swallows my phone.
If you want to button it all the way up then you gotta go up in sizes. I got 40s and they are literally 40" around the chest. The wool back helps with some stretch, unbutton a few at the top will give you a few extra inch.
Best value in the Aero line up imo. Give the most impact, look wise, very versatile.
View attachment 404889
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View attachment 404891
View attachment 404892

Good information, thank you. I have a couple on order (5 month sand counting) with drill linings and the flat buttons, all in black, both a little large (one size up). Not having had my hands on one yet I was a little anxious as to how they hold up.

 

[Canuck Panda]

That's long, 5 months. Has your status gone from "factory" to "production"?

 

[Gone]

That's long, 5 months. Has your status gone from "factory" to "production"?

It has, I had to push a little to have them change the status, so I don't know if the status is even a realistic marker. I just got a couple of Mariners that took 6 months so I figure 6 months is the current turn around.

 

[Canuck Panda]

I know there is delays in Natural CXL because Horween is only shipping the core colors, black, brown. And maybe there are other factors. Scheduling has been wacky over the past two years.

 

[Grayland]

I really like the look of the Shackleton vest but I don't see the value. It's about half the cost of a new Aero jacket, but it's only leather on the front. While I'm not skilled in using a sewing machine, making a vest seems as though it would be pretty easy. I would expect the cost to be lower.

 

[Robson]

 

[Canuck Panda]

I really like the look of the Shackleton vest but I don't see the value. It's about half the cost of a new Aero jacket, but it's only leather on the front. While I'm not skilled in using a sewing machine, making a vest seems as though it would be pretty easy. I would expect the cost to be lower.

That was what I thought first too. Until I got one, and then another one and then another.
(This is my opinion, not from actual accounting records) The Aero price is mostly made of labor cost. Because of livable wages in a first world country. The material when counted as a whole will weigh less than the labor cost. So while it takes more materials to make a jacket (with sleeves), the labor cost of making the Shackleton isn't much different than making say a Cafe racer. Try sewing the buttons the Aero way and you will see how long it takes to do that. That's money. The Cafe racer can all be done on machine (no buttons) and a lot faster.
I wear my Shackletons the most out of all my leather. Not because I love them more than others or that they are any better than others. But the fact I wear them as mid layer and not outerwear I end up wearing mid layers way more often.
The same is said about my Filson vests. I got one in every color. And they seem expensive compared to actual jackets. But then again, given the livable wage and per wear cost, I believe I got a good value from them.
The Shackletons comes with wool backing for many reasons. It was designed to contour better on the upper shoulder with multiple contouring seams, it is not flat because our body is not flat. Most suits vest don't have as many of these features, aka more labor hours. Photos doesn't do these little giants justice. If you ever get a chance to try one on, you will see the difference. This is the biggest problem with purchasing things online. Even videos would not do this vest justice. There are free shipping and return online sellers like Farfetch, but Aero does not work with them. That's perhaps the biggest problem.

 

[Edward]

It's definitely true that the bulk of the cost in a jacket is the labour hours. That will largely even out the difference in material costs. There are markedly cheaper than a full jacket, even comparing like for like with the wool and leather mix halfbelts. And there's definitely a deceptive level of tailoring involved in the Shackleton to get the design right. While it is, as noted, not quite a 'waistcoat', it's a very long way from the British Army leather jerkin associated with the trenches:

That, of course, was purely utilitarian; repros like the one in the picture are fantastic for living history, but not as 'flexible' for day to day use.

Perceptions of value are a funny thing, though, and can be very subjective. I've always instinctively looked at clothes in terms of 'cost per wear'. I bought my first DJ and trousers because I had the opportunity to buy black tie in stunning order cheaper than a single hire would have cost me. Even now, I think about how often I will wear something and thus how much it costs. A jacket I'll wear once a week at, say, £750 ends up costing me just over £14 a wear in the first year. Twice a week, it goes down to £7 a wear. Twice a week for ten years, and it's seventy pence a wear.... the cheaper the per-wear price will get across intended lifetime, the easier it is to justify. May not be the best way of doing it, I don't know, but it's certainly helped prevent a few dangerous impulse purchases, especially at the size I started off in January versus where I intend to be by the Summer.

I asked for the end of the roll tartan upgrade for £15. The wool tartans wears very well. Very hearty material. I sweat a bit too so I tend to go with wool more so than cotton. But moths or silverfish is a problem. I hang my wool stuff on the top shelf to avoid the silverfish. But sometimes moths still manage to lay eggs in them and that's when the larva eats the wool. Wish there were an easier way of dealing with this. Doesn't happen often but just enough times over the years that pisses me off about it. Nothing really stops them either. Tried cedar. but the hungry larva still finds it way.
Goatskin would be one of the top choices for this design. These are jerkin length though, so a bit longer than regular vest.

Yes, moths are a curse. These days if I have a choice, even in knitwear, in all honesty I tend to go for cotton over wool where an option, for just that reason. I'm very much leaning in the direction of a drill back, I think, just to extend wearability as an outer layer into a period when leather all over is too much. I already have one of these for more casual wear with denims - https://www.fc-moto.de/epages/fcm.s...oducts/Helstons-Cotton-Vest-0002&Locale=en_GB but a Shackleton has an earlier period feel that this lacks. The Helstons is for air travel when I don't want to wear an overcoat and need the pockets; the Shackleton will be for more refined occasions.

I know there is delays in Natural CXL because Horween is only shipping the core colors, black, brown. And maybe there are other factors. Scheduling has been wacky over the past two years.

I vaguely recall Aero mentioning on the website they had a lot of stock jackets up that had been done to occupy staff during the period when the factory reopened after lockdown, but they were still waiting for deliveries of certain hides. A lot of supply chains went whacky in lockdown - that's what seems to have killed off the Hercules Leathers business as they couldn't get stuff in from the manufacturer in the Far East.

 

[Canuck Panda]

It's definitely true that the bulk of the cost in a jacket is the labour hours

As a consumer, we only judge the product by what we can see, the material used in the product. What we don't see is all the labor hours that provided for that final product. Only until we try to build something from scratch ourselves, then the amount of workload become clearer, by correlation.

I've always instinctively looked at clothes in terms of 'cost per wear'

This. Passion helps a lot. That (primal) instinctive gut feeling at purchase will determine how many times the purchase gets used or loved. Our style can evolve through time, but the core items stays.

I vaguely recall Aero mentioning on the website they had a lot of stock jackets up that had been done to occupy staff during the period when the factory reopened after lockdown, but they were still waiting for deliveries of certain hides. A lot of supply chains went whacky in lockdown - that's what seems to have killed off the Hercules Leathers business as they couldn't get stuff in from the manufacturer in the Far East.

It is no secret that Horween hasn't been filling its orders to its customers. They simply couldn't have with all the reduced hours and everything else that has happened. So the back logs builds up at the very beginning of the supply chain. We basically all just went through the effects of war but without the actual bombing. So in that sense we are still very blessed.
I've got a custom order with Aero now using Horween Natural CXL, (Thanks to that famous aged KOTR jacket). Holly has told me very clearly that there will be delays. And I still went forward with the build. Open and clear communication is all I need for now, anything else would be far from the truth.

 

[Gone]

It's definitely true that the bulk of the cost in a jacket is the labour hours. That will largely even out the difference in material costs. There are markedly cheaper than a full jacket, even comparing like for like with the wool and leather mix halfbelts. And there's definitely a deceptive level of tailoring involved in the Shackleton to get the design right. While it is, as noted, not quite a 'waistcoat', it's a very long way from the British Army leather jerkin associated with the trenches:

View attachment 405180

That, of course, was purely utilitarian; repros like the one in the picture are fantastic for living history, but not as 'flexible' for day to day use.

Perceptions of value are a funny thing, though, and can be very subjective. I've always instinctively looked at clothes in terms of 'cost per wear'. I bought my first DJ and trousers because I had the opportunity to buy black tie in stunning order cheaper than a single hire would have cost me. Even now, I think about how often I will wear something and thus how much it costs. A jacket I'll wear once a week at, say, £750 ends up costing me just over £14 a wear in the first year. Twice a week, it goes down to £7 a wear. Twice a week for ten years, and it's seventy pence a wear.... the cheaper the per-wear price will get across intended lifetime, the easier it is to justify. May not be the best way of doing it, I don't know, but it's certainly helped prevent a few dangerous impulse purchases, especially at the size I started off in January versus where I intend to be by the Summer.




Yes, moths are a curse. These days if I have a choice, even in knitwear, in all honesty I tend to go for cotton over wool where an option, for just that reason. I'm very much leaning in the direction of a drill back, I think, just to extend wearability as an outer layer into a period when leather all over is too much. I already have one of these for more casual wear with denims - https://www.fc-moto.de/epages/fcm.s...oducts/Helstons-Cotton-Vest-0002&Locale=en_GB but a Shackleton has an earlier period feel that this lacks. The Helstons is for air travel when I don't want to wear an overcoat and need the pockets; the Shackleton will be for more refined occasions.



I vaguely recall Aero mentioning on the website they had a lot of stock jackets up that had been done to occupy staff during the period when the factory reopened after lockdown, but they were still waiting for deliveries of certain hides. A lot of supply chains went whacky in lockdown - that's what seems to have killed off the Hercules Leathers business as they couldn't get stuff in from the manufacturer in the Far East.

These remind me more of trachen waistcoats than jerkins

 

[Gone]

I just received my first leather back Shackleton and I must say I much prefer this full leather version, however I am a little taken back at how much smaller the corozo button are compared to my other Shackleton's, the buttonholes are large enough for the regular sized buttons so whether they will stay closed is a concern. I may have to replace the buttons myself, which I dread as I know it wont look right in the end and I am certain there is no one in my area that would do that kind of work. Time will tell.

 

[Harris HTM]

I just received my first leather back Shackleton and I must say I much prefer this full leather version, however I am a little taken back at how much smaller the corozo button are compared to my other Shackleton's, the buttonholes are large enough for the regular sized buttons so whether they will stay closed is a concern. I may have to replace the buttons myself, which I dread as I know it wont look right in the end and I am certain there is no one in my area that would do that kind of work. Time will tell.

could you please post a photo? may i ask what the diameter of the corozo's is? thanks

 

[Canuck Panda]

If your button is falling out of the button hole I would send the vest back because that's a QC issue. Aero sew their buttons before sewing the panels together so there is no visible threads on the back. To get the factory look you need one of those hook needles and it's pain in the ass trying to sew with those. Better just send back and get remake.

My Aero corozo button is about the same size as the horn button. The horn one has a thicker rim so it looks smaller but they're about the same size.

 

[Gone]

could you please post a photo? may i ask what the diameter of the corozo's is? thanks

The usual size was about an inch, this new one is about 7/8in, I think the smaller buttons look a bit smarter, it was just a surprise

 

[Gone]

If your button is falling out of the button hole I would send the vest back because that's a QC issue. Aero sew their buttons before sewing the panels together so there is no visible threads on the back. To get the factory look you need one of those hook needles and it's pain in the ass trying to sew with those. Better just send back and get remake.

My Aero corozo button is about the same size as the horn button. The horn one has a thicker rim so it looks smaller but they're about the same size.
View attachment 520006

I wont know how well they hold for at least 6 months, it's just a concern. the more I look at it, the more I like the look, time will tell if the goat hide is firm enough to hold the buttons in place. I like the usual Shackleton's but I am hooked on the full leather now.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Goatskin is a great choice for the Shackleton vest. The grainier panels looks like deerk/bison. Hope the buttons works out down the road.

 

[Al 916]

Wore my russet jerky one today.
View attachment 404888
My oldest Shackleton vest would be my black Vicenza one which is about 3 to 4 years old, countless wears. Nothing wrong with it, yet. No pills on the melton wool back, no failure on the buttons. Aero does not back their button with another button but it uses so much thread I have not had a failure, yet. The person that sews the buttons did a great job, for all my Aeros. She/he needs some recognition. Pockets are very deep, it swallows my phone.
If you want to button it all the way up then you gotta go up in sizes. I got 40s and they are literally 40" around the chest. The wool back helps with some stretch, unbutton a few at the top will give you a few extra inch.
Best value in the Aero line up imo. Give the most impact, look wise, very versatile.
View attachment 404889
View attachment 404890
View attachment 404891
View attachment 404892

Looks great! Much better with a shirt than I imagined.

Occasionally they release a Trainee batch. I keep my eyes on the site (now even more).