<<< Field Leathers ~ The Chicago jacket >>>

[Brandrea33]

I’m curious to know if anyone here has some real world experience with the Chicago jacket from Field Leathers. My questions mostly have to do with how this pattern wears.

Do the under arm gussets actually provide for increased mobility? I tried a Mulholland jacket back a year or two ago (a quick catch and release) but I remember thinking that they helped some …

I‘ve also read that earlier on Greg had some issues with patterns not quite being optimal in terms of arm rotation and overall pattern fit/comfort. Have those issues mostly been sorted?

Last, I also know that he no longer offers fully custom jacket designs (at least to the general public), but does anyone know if on a design like the Chicago, he’d entertain button sleeves vs the current snap offering for example?

Asking all of these questions for a friend lol

 

[Helix]

I have a Chicago I received a few weeks ago. I personally don't feel the underarm gussets improve mobility over my other jackets without this feature. Perhaps the back gussets would, but I chose to omit those.

I think I remember reading in the Field Leathers thread that the patterns were recently overhauled to alleviate the arm issue. I don't have experience with the older patterns, but I find this jacket fits very well and is comfortable to wear.

Greg seems to allow minor detail changes, for example I opted for no zippers on the handwarmer pockets, no inside pocket, and no stitching on the bottom panel. I would think he can accommodate a button sleeve. I think he tries to avoid major pattern changes because that slows down the process too much.

 

[Brandrea33]

I have a Chicago I received a few weeks ago. I personally don't feel the underarm gussets improve mobility over my other jackets without this feature. Perhaps the back gussets would, but I chose to omit those.

I think I remember reading in the Field Leathers thread that the patterns were recently overhauled to alleviate the arm issue. I don't have experience with the older patterns, but I find this jacket fits very well and is comfortable to wear.

Greg seems to allow minor detail changes, for example I opted for no zippers on the handwarmer pockets, no inside pocket, and no stitching on the bottom panel. I would think he can accommodate a button sleeve. I think he tries to avoid major pattern changes because that slows down the process too much.

Thanks alot, great feedback and much appreciated.

 

[Aloysius]

I think it would be hard to outdo your Good Wear. I know how tempting the hobby is though.

 

[Brandrea33]

I think it would be hard to outdo your Good Wear. I know how tempting the hobby is though.

You’re right … I really need to stay off this forum.

 

[Aloysius]

You’re right … I really need to stay off this forum.

On the contrary, you're a highlight! (Though I do see you on theforums too!) But I think your own journey, which has included a wide range of the best makers, has really driven in the lesson that having a pattern that works for you is not "the most important" factor; it's the determining factor.

So a nice way to filter (and this is a lesson I've taken for myself too) is that the starting point becomes: will the pattern fit me at least as well as that baseline? (The bonus: that saves money too!)

We know JC has your pattern dialed in, but of course there's a wait involved there. The guys at Johnson are also pattern wizards so that could work for an alternative that is pattern-first. I'm trying to think of who else is like this; I think Thedi if you visit his workshop is.