Eastman Roughwear 1401 A-2 jacket - Holy Grail!

[Brettafett]

A couple of quick pics post-water-treatment. Felt brave and decided to give it some 'life'... The grain has really 'popped', it looks and fits amazing. Nominal shrinkage, if any, only wet in cold water and air dried. Now just wearing it in...

 

[HPA Rep]

A couple of quick pics post-water-treatment. Felt brave and decided to give it some 'life'... The grain has really 'popped', it looks and fits amazing. Nominal shrinkage, if any, only wet in cold water and air dried. Now just wearing it in...

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Looks superb!!!

 

[handymike]

I think the jacket looks great, but did the HWT create that zipper wave? Do you think it will correct itself back eventually?
Just curious. Thanks

 

[Cocker]

Indeed, the zipper wave is a bit heavy. Except for that, it's looking really, really good! The HWT did bring out tons of grains.

 

[Brettafett]

Well, I washed (carefully) in normal/ cool water ie CWT , not hot. Very careful to not wet the knits.
The 'zipper wave', yes, I guess that occurred from me bunching/ folding the jacket up during the 'scrunching up' phase. I am sure it will ease over time. (funnily enough though, it zips up a little easier now...) The arm creases were mostly there before the wash also, just a little more pronounced now, esp at the shoulders.
The jacket stiffened up a little after drying, but has slowly softened up after wearing. I look forward to seeing how it ages from here on in.
Before and after.

After and before...

After, front and back

After... Not the best pic

 

[willyto]

It looks like it has been worn during years! A bit of sunbathing, some scuffs here and there and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference with an original. There must have been some shrinkage in some areas because it looks more slim to me or maybe is the picture.

 

[Brettafett]

Honestly can't tell of shrinkage... Nominal at best. Sleeves are the same, shoulders, chest... if anything, perhaps a touch, touch shorter in the body... But, that could be due to the back panel creasing.

 

[Monitor]

Holy cow, that leather is beyond words!

 

[rocketeer]

I know folks don't really like to read negatives into this sort of thing but I am one of those who simply says why not wear it from day 1 and let the look develop? It will soon develop its own look. I'm in the mind of if it gets wet in the rain ok, but not washing a new jacket.
Fake patina always looks like that, though just wetting a collar to shape it may be ok but looking at the zip area it appears the whole jacket has shrunk a little.
Just my opinion.

 

[Brettafett]

For those of you still interested, here are some 'closer' up pics showing detail of the grain and character of this leather.
The 'mottled' colour is a pretty good representation of the actual thing also. Going to be interesting to see how this jacket ages here on in.

 

[xmr]

This is great! Could you post size and measurements? I thought I'm done with A2s but looking at yours...

 

[Dugafola]

you did a number on that collar! looks good!

 

[rocketeer]

It's a nice jacket, I have an old Easty somewhere in my wardrobe. I just think you may have been happier in a few years if you had worn it in yourself. Apart from some second hand stuff I have worn in all mine from day one. And to be honest, it won't take that long to wear in and develop it's own patina and character. Just do everything you can in it though some will be a little reluctant to get under a car in a £700+ jacket.
My observation is the only way to get the look of a 30 year old jacket is to wear it for 30 years

 

[Brettafett]

Was happy with it, am happy with it, will be happy with it.

ELC RW 1401 SIZE 40 XL measurements post wash - I am around 5’11
SHOULDER SEAM TO SEAM: 18”+
ARMPIT TO ARMPIT: 21,5”+ front and 22,5” back
BACK LENGTH FROM NAPE OF NECK SEAM TO BOTTOM OF WAISTBAND: 23,75”
SLEEVE LENGTH FROM SHOULDER SEAM TO END OF CUFF: 26”
Zipper: 21.25”

Please NOTE that these are approximate measurements, taken after wetting the jacket in cool water.
There was negligible shrinkage. I lost about 1 inch off the body length and about 0.25 sleeve length, which was expected and suits me well (see before and after pic posted earlier).

I am sure the guys in WW2 wore their jackets a lot of the time during the war years, in and out of the cockpit in all weather conditions (I wonder how many guys wore theirs casually thereafter... Or how many just stored them or gave them away... Interesting to hear comments...)
I just don't wear my jackets enough to get the 'worn-in' look within an acceptable time frame, and I don't want to wait 30 years… (although this jacket will look i n c r e d i b l e in 30 years - if I am still alive to appreciate it

Not recommending to anyone, each to their own, just wanted to share my experience and the results.

By performing a carefully controlled 'wetting', I kept the cuffs dry, so they are still tight... the jacket remains in perfect condition, fits, feels and looks great.
As for the zipper and the character, its settling in nicely and the more I wear it, the more patina will develop.
Just gave it a wee head start is all
I'm not a big fan of the dancing in the rain technique myself. In a rain shower everything will get wet, incl me (and I'm not aiming to wear it in the rain if I can help it...).

Its interesting though. The 'wetting' certainly brought out the grain, highlighting the texture and character.... but much of the creasing had quickly developed before, shortly after I started wearing it. The 'wetting' just seemed to emphasize what was already there a little more. It also took a touch of the new leather 'shininess' away, which imo is a good thing...

Anyway, its not just for the 'look', but also for the 'feel'. I recon one can do far less 'damage' (actually none at all) to a jacket with a light water wash and then wearing it normally, than mistreating it or handling it roughly to try and get it worn in. Bonus, is that it now fits me like a glove.

 

[rocketeer]

Have to say the fit is spot on. Gary's modern jackets are a lot better than the old 'Off the shoulder' look they had in Eastmans early days(like mine)
In my early jacket days I wanted the 30 year old jacket 'next week' so to speak. Mine was roughed up with sand paper, wet and knotted the sleeves and even boiled the cuffs to get some of the elasticity out. All just to make it look old. This was in the days before A2s were as common as Harley's in the UK.
30 years later though the jacket looked fantastic with it's beer stained sleeves and road battle scars I needn't have bothered. The cuffs all ragged and the colour worn off the leather. I had even dyed it a couple of times with boot polish such fools we were in those days and even stuck a pin badge a girlfriend gave me on it as her champion so to speak.
No you don't have to beat up a jacket purposely to get that worn in look, it's just something that doesn't bother me too much if I need to get out and get under.
Just a warning to anyone though, don't wet a jacket, even in the rain and dry it in heat. Normal warm air should be ok but not direct sunlight or the hides may shrink even more and stiffen up.
Hope you enjoy it for many years and stay trim enough to look good, saying that, I'd wear it even if it only looked good un zipped haha.
Seeya, J

 

[Brettafett]

At the ELC Pop-Up in London recently, the gents loved the jacket. This pic was taken by Mr Gary Eastman himself. He said it looked just like an original High praise indeed.

 

[rocketeer]

If they have another pop up next year I may take mine along. I went straight after work but wearing a Rumble59 retro looking mackinaw.
Your sleeves look great and appear to have not lost any length to make a difference, they are probably about right in your pic

Just wondered. Has the wavy zip dropped out in time? I just wondered as I washing machined an original MA1 and this happened. Yes I know it's nylon but the waviness eventually slackened off quite a lot.

 

[kowalski]

IMHO
The jacket looks better before the shower. Why love is gone? and you gave it for sale?

 

[Flightengineer]

Hi Brett. Do you still own this jacket?

 

[Brettafett]

Unfortunately not.... It was the best fitting A-2 I have owned thus far. This was one of those, 'I don't want too, but I have to' things...
Still have all the details about the jacket though.