Before getting an Aero Board Racer - things to consider.

[Bullitt]

I’m planning to have my first Aero jacket made, a Board Racer. Looking at this forum’s posts has been quite helpful so far. I have compiled a list of things to remember and decisions to make before ordering the jacket.

Did I forget anything? I’d appreciate your feedback; feel free to add to the list.

1. Leather:

1.1. Horween, Vincenza, goat or steer.
Horween: no grain.
Vincenza: with more or with less grain.
1.2. Leather colour and colour of stitching.​

2. Lining: for the warmer or colder season.

2.1. Cotton drill. Colour and weight.
2.2. Tartan. Design and weight.​

3. Pockets:

3.1. No, one or two chest pockets. Angled or straight.
3.2. Hand-warmer pockets or not. Open, zip or snap closure. Not really sure if the Board Racer is made with handwarmer pockets.
3.3. Inside pocket or not. Open or snap closure.​

4. Back:

4.1. Single piece or two piece back.
4.2. Like Buco J-100 jacket, straight-slim.
4.3. with Buco back only.
4.4. with yoke or with kidney panel.​

5. Arms: a bit longer because of shrinking/greasing when choosing horse leather.

6. Windflap: I have seen a few Board Racers without, but on the Aero website they seem to have windflaps.

7. Zipper:

7.1. Talon or YKK. Talon is more accurate in style, YKK is a bit better quality.
7.2. material/colour: nickel, brass, antique brass.​

 

[ProteinNerd]

If I were to order my BR again I would go.

Steer (that I have) or Vicenza. I really like how the steer has broken in (I like it more than the FQHH in terms of break in) but I do prefer the slightly lighter weight of the Vicenza. Not sure which way I would go when push came to shove.

Brown steer or Seal Vicenza (very similar in colour). I already have 3 other black cafe racers so don't need another black one!

Tartan 100% - the one jacket I didn't get a tartan in, every time I put it on I think I Should have gone with it......light, medium or heavy weight depending on your local climate.

2 Angled Chest Pockets 100%. Such an iconic feature of this jacket that looks awesome.

Hand warmers, probably prefer without for this style but zips if you do go for it.

Inside chest pocket 100%. Each jacket I didn't get one in I miss it. Just skip the snap, maybe go a lightweight zip option or no fastener but it's just way too handy in the world of mobile phones and sunglasses etc.

I'd go the Buco back, top yoke with no centre seam (personal preference)

Prefer without windflap, always seems to get in the way when zipping up on the jacket I have that has one.

Antique Brass (personal preference).

Just make sure the very slim fit of this style suits your body shape......it's not very forgiving!

 

[Sloan1874]

If you go with tumbled horween, it will have grain - this is mine:





I'd avoid the inside pocket on this jacket if I was you, it would ruin the line of what is meant to be slim elegant jacket.

 

[Witchtrip]

Jesus, Sloan, your jacket is spectacular. Did you request very dark brown? That's exactly the color & the look of the hide I have in mind for a 2nd Aero. How does the weight & hand of tumbled compare with Vicenza?

 

[Monitor]

This is what I would go for right now.

1. Leather:
Horween CXL HH. Always.
Cordovan or black. Black, I guess.

2. Lining: for the warmer or colder season.

Tartan. Either olive or red.​

3. Pockets:

Angled chest pockets - or - just one straight chest pocket (left).
No hand-warmer pockets.
One inside pocket.​

4. Back:

Single piece back (no middle, vertical seam), straight yoke across shoulders. No kidney panel.​

5. Arms: a bit longer because of shrinking/greasing when choosing horse leather.

6. Windflap:
Yes

7. Zipper:

Talon, antique brass​

 

[Sloan1874]

Jesus, Sloan, your jacket is spectacular. Did you request very dark brown? That's exactly the color & the look of the hide I have in mind for a 2nd Aero. How does the weight & hand of tumbled compare with Vicenza?

It's actually very dark cordovan tumbled FQHH, but it has very strong brown undertones - looks as good in real life. The tumbled has a lighter feel than the full-fat FQHH but is a bit stiffer than Vicenza, but not what I would describe as markedly so, it's close to mid-weight, so I tend to use it during late spring through to early fall (Scottish, obviously). The fact that it's an easy wear but has the heavy duty properties of FQHH means I've become very attached to it. It's taken on a lot of character in the intervening two years since these pics were taken.

 

[ton312]

Lots of of very good config ideas above but the real money shot is the hide choice. What are you after? Depth of color? You won't get that with goat or Vicenza. From what I've seen/handled they don't posses the properties CXL does to develop those multiple layers of color. They may wrinkle up and crease quite nicely but the hide looks quite uniform in terms of color.
That said the CXL is a heavier, stiffer hide that requires you to earn the reward.
The pocket config, lining, back design should be of your choosing. I've never seen a single Aero CR I didn't like and wish was my own. Enjoy the process and the wealth of quality info you'll be prevy to here.

 

[Peacoat]

Horween CXL does develop grain, witness the pics posted by Sloan above. Absolutely beautiful, and that is a term I usually reserve for females. My Horween CXL jackets also have developed grain, so don't worry about that.

The Aero brown has been my favorite color, but the richness of Sloan's jacket is amazing. It is similar to my ELC Luftwaffe jacket. I don't know what hide Gary uses. If anyone knows please let me know.

 

[ton312]

Horween CXL does develop grain, witness the pics posted by Sloan above. Absolutely beautiful, and that is a term I usually reserve for females. My Horween CXL jackets also have developed grain, so don't worry about that.

The Aero brown has been my favorite color, but the richness of Sloan's jacket is amazing. It is similar to my ELC Luftwaffe jacket. I don't know what hide Gary uses. If anyone knows please let me know.

My point was that CXL does what Vicenza and goat can't. It develops depth of color that the other two just aren't capable of. The tumbled stuff seems along the same lines as the straight up CXL.

 

[Monitor]

My point was that CXL does what Vicenza and goat can't. It develops depth of color that the other two just aren't capable of. The tumbled stuff seems along the same lines as the straight up CXL.

Yep! Just look at Dav's HWM. There's shades in that jacket ranging from black to light brown. Just incredible. It's not just the questions how the leather has been died, tanned, whatever, this sort of stuff happens on its own and is what I consider real patina. Didn't notice that in Vincenza, bless 'im. Or in any other jacket for that matter, other than the CXL. Ken knew what he was doing, I always said.

 

[ProteinNerd]

To be fair, Vicenza hasn't been around long enough to develop the patina that some of the FQHH jackets have.....lets have this conversation in 10 years [emoji6]

 

[plainsman]

I’m planning to have my first Aero jacket made, a Board Racer. Looking at this forum’s posts has been quite helpful so far. I have compiled a list of things to remember and decisions to make before ordering the jacket.

Did I forget anything? I’d appreciate your feedback; feel free to add to the list.

1. Leather:

1.1. Horween, Vincenza, goat or steer.
Horween: no grain.
Vincenza: with more or with less grain.
1.2. Leather colour and colour of stitching.​

2. Lining: for the warmer or colder season.

2.1. Cotton drill. Colour and weight.
2.2. Tartan. Design and weight.​

3. Pockets:

3.1. No, one or two chest pockets. Angled or straight.
3.2. Hand-warmer pockets or not. Open, zip or snap closure. Not really sure if the Board Racer is made with handwarmer pockets.
3.3. Inside pocket or not. Open or snap closure.​

4. Back:

4.1. Single piece or two piece back.
4.2. Like Buco J-100 jacket, straight-slim.
4.3. with Buco back only.
4.4. with yoke or with kidney panel.​

5. Arms: a bit longer because of shrinking/greasing when choosing horse leather.

6. Windflap: I have seen a few Board Racers without, but on the Aero website they seem to have windflaps.

7. Zipper:

7.1. Talon or YKK. Talon is more accurate in style, YKK is a bit better quality.
7.2. material/colour: nickel, brass, antique brass.​

You can also choose different collars.
My advice would be 1) to look at photos of different board racers and decide the look that you like most, and 2) to decide on the future use to understand if you'll want a heavy or a light hide.
I recently ordered a board racer in black goat, buco style, sateen lining with one inside pocket. My reasons: I liked the buco design the most, I wanted black, it will be for spring or fall and I wanted a light hide, I prefer an inside pocket for my wallet. Understand your likes and future use and the choices will be easier. You cannot go wrong with an Aero)

 

[nick123]

My point was that CXL does what Vicenza and goat can't. It develops depth of color that the other two just aren't capable of. The tumbled stuff seems along the same lines as the straight up CXL.

I don't know. The Vicenza may end up with color variations. I also don't know how this jacket aged so quickly!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGwzLvOMfmC/?hl=en

 

[navetsea]

1. Black!
3.angled chest pockets with slightly exposed zipper teeth
6. no windflap
7.if you're thinking YKK, then 2 wayzip in.antiqued brass
I personally like more symmetrical collar

 

[Sloan1874]

I would probably ditch the wind flap if I was going to make any changes - it's just not necessary as I'm not a biker.

 

[Witchtrip]

I don't know. The Vicenza may end up with color variations. I also don't know how this jacket aged so quickly!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGwzLvOMfmC/?hl=en

The first batches of Vicenza were a very different leather compared to what's available now. Take a look at the first 5 pages of the Thurston Veg tanned/Vicenza thread, you'll see what I mean. This jacket is from one of those early batches it seems. They had gorgeous marbleing & color variation when new. The current incarnation of Vicenza has perfectly even color. So it's anyone's guess how it will age - but I will place my bet on definitely not like the early stuff.

 

[navetsea]

I don't know. The Vicenza may end up with color variations. I also don't know how this jacket aged so quickly!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BGwzLvOMfmC/?hl=en

it seems undead

 

[Monitor]

The first batches of Vicenza were a very different leather compared to what's available now. Take a look at the first 5 pages of the Thurston Veg tanned/Vicenza thread, you'll see what I mean. This jacket is from one of those early batches it seems. They had gorgeous marbleing & color variation when new. The current incarnation of Vicenza has perfectly even color. So it's anyone's guess how it will age - but I will place my bet on definitely not like the early stuff.

Agreed. I was just doing some comparing the other day and really, the leather in the first couple of pages could be another type of hide from another animal altogether. It should be noted that the early batch was quite similar to the CXL while the stuff that's recently been posted could pass for a goathide. So yeah, I also wouldn't bet on the new stuff looking like that jacket above. . .

 

[nick123]

Agreed. I was just doing some comparing the other day and really, the leather in the first couple of pages could be another type of hide from another animal altogether. It should be noted that the early batch was quite similar to the CXL while the stuff that's recently been posted could pass for a goathide. So yeah, I also wouldn't bet on the new stuff looking like that jacket above. . .

Some of the grain on my seal HB does look pebbled, very much like it could be goatskin. It's a nice hide. I'd say it's relatively uniforn in color, but lighting drastically changes its color. Sometimes to a russet!

 

[Monitor]

I don't think it's bad at all but I personally preferred the early stuff much, much more. The colour variation, highlights and shades is what made CXL so special to me and different from most other hides on the market.