Cooper A2...Is this a good price?

[Blackgrass]

A guy has a Cooper A2 he is selling on another forum and he is asking $188.00 including shipping. It is the uninsulated model. Do you guys think this is a good price? How does the jacket standup to some of the other A2's that are available?
Thanks...

 

[Bebop]

It depends on what condition the jacket is in. $188 might be a good price if the jacket is near new. They can be had new for about $200. They are not considered great quality but I think they are not bad quality. I just paid $269 for an A2 from U.S. Authentic flightjacket.com and it is very nice for the price.

 

[Flitcraft]

Cooper used to have the Government contract back in the '80's and '90's when the Air Force went back to issuing leather flight jackets.
They're pretty good quality.
As stated above, if the jacket is new, or near new, that's not a bad price.
U.S. Cavalry sells them for about $275.00 new- to give you some comparison.
Hope this helps.

 

[Doctor Strange]

You can get them for well under that from the Vermont Army Navy Store - check out these prices:

http://www.vtarmynavy.com/cooper_leather_flight_jackets.htm

These prices are considerably lower than Cooper's own prices at their own site!!!! (http://www.neilcooperusa.com/)

BTW, the Vermont ANS prices on Alpha and imported nylon jackets are very good too. I've bought jackets from them before, and they're very civilized.

(But these are current designs: if you're looking for a WWII-style A-2, I also highly recommend the US Authentic goatskin model mentioned above.)

 

[green papaya]

Cooper A2's do run a little small, my chest measurement is 40 - 41" in
but a size 42" Cooper is too small, so I had to buy a size 44" for a comfortable fit.

$188 for a used Cooper is too much, your better off buying a brand new jacket.

some of the Cooper A2's look too shiney and paper thin, I would rather have something more authentic

 

[airfrogusmc]

I hear that Real McCoys New Zealand have some of last years inventory for sale in limited sizes at reduced rates and the US dollar has been doing much better against the NZ dollar.
http://www.realmccoys.co.nz/
Heres Paddy at McCoys e-mail
realmccoysnz@clear.net.nz

Heres a couple of photos of my RMNZ Dubow

They're some of the best repros you can buy. I also had one of their 1939 Werbers and it to is an incredible A-2

 

[green papaya]

the Dubow looks like about as closest to an original WWII A2 as you can get.

 

[Stony]

I have an original WWII Cooper A-2 if you're willing to pay the price.

 

[A2_Junkie]

Very nice

Hey airfrogusmc, that's a nice looking Dubow. It fits you well and it looks like it's breaking in well. I'd love to see more detail shots when you get a chance - especially close-ups of how the leather is wearing.

I'm confused about the color. The leather looks much darker in the close-up photo of the pocket. Which would you say is more accurate color-wise?

-Peter

 

[Swoosed]

I hear that Real McCoys New Zealand have some of last years inventory for sale in limited sizes at reduced rates and the US dollar has been doing much better against the NZ dollar.
http://www.realmccoys.co.nz/
Heres Paddy at McCoys e-mail
realmccoysnz@clear.net.nz

Heres a couple of photos of my RMNZ Dubow

They're some of the best repros you can buy. I also had one of their 1939 Werbers and it to is an incredible A-2

that zipper costs more than a cooperlol

 

[Raymundo]

Cooper is no longer in production so if you want one of their jackets you will have to buy a used one. The general consensus is that the Cooper jackets made for the USAF in 1988 thru 1995 had better materials and workmanship than the newer ones. I can attest to that since I have an 88 A-2 of theirs and have owned a 95 as well. Check Ebay for Cooper Saddlery A-2's and look for one ( go a size up from your normal size). You might get lucky and pick up a bargain. IMO they are much nicer than the newer ones. If you win the Lotto, then you will have enough money to buy an RMNZ A-2 repo.

Ray

 

[Swoosed]

Don't waste your time or money on a cooper unless that's where you want to end with this hobby. Save up your $$ and get a real repro from a high end manufacturer. You will definatly be saving alot of money in the long run, trust me I did the same thing. Started with a cooper, then another, then a Schott then a flight suits then a USa then a...... you know. Could have saved a thousand bucks, just getting the best first. The closet is getting crowded with unused leathers. Just my story but it may help.

 

[Grit]

I also started with a Cooper--I think I paid $60 for it on that famous online auction site. If you're patient, and slot in last-minute bids, they seem to be had consistently for well under $100 which is a relative bargain.

I liked the goatskin, which isn't authentic but boy, it sure held up well and scrunched up small for packing. Ultimately, I got rid of the thing because I couldn't stand the cut. It wasn't just that the cut was generous (Homer Simpson would've liked it), but that my size 40 jacket had a ridiculously huge collar--more than 18 inches! Granted, it's designed to go over a shirt collar, but still...who's gonna have a 40 chest and a 17-inch-or-so neck?!? As a consequence the jacket just never hung right on me--the throat hook hung at least an inch or so below my sternum, and that was fully zipped. Unzipped, it was at nearly armpit level. Hardly acceptable, much less military.

Granted, I have only that one example to go on, but it was enough. I won't go there again.

In the end, I moved on to nicer, better stuff. And managed to sell that $60 Cooper for $80 on eBay, so I had a happy ending.