Eastman B-3 query

[matei]

Hi all - can anyone here who has an Eastman B-3 tell me how the fleece holds up?

I have an Eastman B-6 and after 2-3 years the inside of the cuffs and the front trim has worn away altogether.

I was debating getting an Aero B-3 but I do like the fit of the Eastman better.

 

[Eagledog]

You can wear away the fleece on any brand shearling jacket by constantly rubbing it against something.
The more you rub it the faster it will wear down.
If you do a lot of walking and your arms brush against your side with every step it will wear down much faster.
The neck area also wears faster due to constantly brushing against rough facial or neck hair.
If you're riding a snowmobile the helmet and straps will accelerate wear.
Gloves will also speed up wear on the cuff area.

 

[MrProper]

Mine from Aero don't have that. I probably don't wear them often enough lol.
But even if they did, it wouldn't bother me as long as the fleece inside the jacket is ok.

I was debating getting an Aero B-3 but I do like the fit of the Eastman better.

If an aero is still an option, you can have it customised in terms of dimensions.
The basic fit is only relevant if you buy off the shelf, right?

 

[Xopher]

Hi all - can anyone here who has an Eastman B-3 tell me how the fleece holds up?

I have an Eastman B-6 and after 2-3 years the inside of the cuffs and the front trim has worn away altogether.

I was debating getting an Aero B-3 but I do like the fit of the Eastman better.

I have an Eastman B-3. The cuffs are made of the same 1/4” shearling as your B-6 and mine are worn in the same way as yours.

The thicker shearling doesn’t seem to wear away. It just compresses down slightly.

It does wear away at the waist where the buckles are and maybe a little bit around the neck

 

[Edward]

Pretty standard - I've seen cuff wear like that on every single brand I'm aware of. It's normal - same thing happened the originals. As long as it doesn't shed elsewhere, no biggie.

That said, if you can't live with the look, maybe worth considering an ANJ4 style?

It'll still have wear points inside (IME with shearlings that's always going to be at the side-seams, where it rubs on your belt or other pressure point where it's cinched in), but you don't get the same worn look round the cuffs or the hem when it's in use.

Obviously this is just one of those things the original designers never considered, I suppose any aircrew that lasted long enough to wear them to that extent was on a winner...