Field Leathers

[Aloysius]

If it is badalassi go with that - I think it is much nicer than shinki tbh (I have both)….

Yeah but navy blue…

 

[Spiney]

If Greg buys his Badalassi at the same thickness as the Aero ones (3.5oz) then it won't drape as well as the thinner Shinki (2.5oz). And as much as I love thicker leather, for a 30s jacket I would go for the 2.5oz Shinki for better drape. Don't get me wrong, the thicker Badalassi is very pliable, but not as drapey like the Shinki. It won't "suck/stick" to the body, it will just roll.

I know deerskin is all the hype in Japan jackets now, everyone is doing them and I got some. The scars and marks comes out after getting wet and dried. And I think that's why Greg didn't want to do them. He is not a rustic leather type of guy. The Shinki's give the same drape but no scars and marks.

Aero claim their Badalassi is 2.25oz / 1.3mm

 

[Canuck Panda]

Aero claim their Badalassi is 2.25oz / 1.3mm

Aero under estimated themselves. Haha. Good for me. The Aero Badalassi jackets I have are about the same weight as the CXL FQHH and most Vicenza which is about 3.5oz or 1.4mm. There is a lot of heft to them but very pliable and soft. Not sure what the newest batch is like but from the September sale/production its still the hearty but soft stuff which I like.

I am wearing my Badalassi Elvis jacket right now as I am typing this!

Even though I love aniline Badalassi leather. I believe the biggest value in Greg's jackets is in the Shinki. That's how I see his brand - getting jackets I otherwise couldn't get directly from Japan because no sizing or no available stock. So in my case my queue is for the navy Shinki Peter's jacket because I can't get one from Japan, not navy at least. I even sent him a Rainbow Country racer jacket to open up and see how they do the lining. Which imo is the best from Japan, or best everywhere. I know that word has been said a lot but everyone who goes nuts about Freewheelers are really going nuts for Rainbow Country who actually made the jackets for FW.

Anyways, it's gonna be different for everyone, leather choice. My leather decision has nothing to do with which is better, Badalassi or Shinki, but I wanted navy Shinki for the sake of getting a navy Shinki jacket. If Greg offered that Petrol/blue green Badalassi I'd hit it before navy Shinki.

And I think I finally figured out the Aero and now Greg's neck thing some people find discomfort about. It's close fitting but not weight bearing but gives the perception of weight bearing because it's close fitting, like how a blazer jacket hugs the dress shirt collar. But I need to eat dinner now.

 

[Aloysius]

Which imo is the best from Japan, or best everywhere. I know that word has been said a lot but everyone who goes nuts about Freewheelers are really going nuts for Rainbow Country who actually made the jackets for FW.

So here is a fun side detail. As many people know, the company that goes by The Real McCoy’s is not the repro brand that originally launched some decades ago. The current owner, though seemingly a savvy businessman, likes to do things like lie about his competitors in an attempt to hurt their sales. (He lied about Buzz Rickson’s to John Chapman, for instance.)

There are however several companies linked to the old TRMC.

One was “The Few”, formerly “The Real McCoys NZ”, which was the remnant of the old company including the factory in New Zealand that manufactured many of the TRMC jackets under the old regime. Their shearlings are particularly beloved. They also made quite a few products in Japan such as the nylon pilot jackets. Sadly, they no longer exist.

Others are Toys McCoy (which is the founder of the original TRMC), Freewheelers (designers and researchers from the original TRMC), Buzz Rickson’s (another close partner, which would collaborate with the old TRMC, is hated by the new TRMC), and presumably Rainbow Country due to the companies it manufactures for.

 

[Jaime]

The plot thickens, apparently the brown Italian cowhide on that Peters sample is not badalassi. In Sam's words "it is from Tuscany", but no name or brand. I will wait to see the sample in person but with no references or info about it I might consider switching to black shinki full aniline...

 

[handymike]

Tempesti is another great Italian leather, but there are many amazing tanneries in Italy/ Tuscany.

 

[Marc mndt]

Tempesti is another great Italian leather, but there are many amazing tanneries in Italy/ Tuscany.

There are 20 Tuscan tanneries which together form the 'Italian Vegetable-Tanned Leather Consortium"

https://www.pellealvegetale.it/en/associated-tanneries/

 

[Jaime]

Greg just posted this jacket for sale on his IG and I think this is the brown veg-tanned cowhide in question. It looks pretty damn nice to me tbh

 

[Canuck Panda]

The moment I saw the veg tan color core (teacore) I knew it's not Badalassi but it does look good. I need to get a sample to see what the temper is like.

The Peters test jacket looks really good. A different size I'd already BIN.

Does anyone ask for chocolate bar shaped Talon zipper pull? Rectangle instead of bell shape. Or fan "shell" shape one I forgot the name... FW Whizzer but there is another name, used on the FCL jackets.

 

[Dbrn]

And I think I finally figured out the Aero and now Greg's neck thing some people find discomfort about. It's close fitting but not weight bearing but gives the perception of weight bearing because it's close fitting, like how a blazer jacket hugs the dress shirt collar. But I need to eat dinner now.

I can't speak at all to FL jackets, but I think I have to disagree with you about the Aero discomfort (albeit based on my single Hooch Hauler). Close neck fit is definitely part of the problem, but I know my jacket sits more on my neck than on my shoulders. I think it must be the same for most people who have this particular problem, given the number of complaints on various threads here.

 

[Aloysius]

There are 20 Tuscan tanneries which together form the 'Italian Vegetable-Tanned Leather Consortium"

https://www.pellealvegetale.it/en/associated-tanneries/

I’ve said it many times but the workwear fetish practice of knowing tannery names and making quality assumptions based on them is one of the biggest delusions in the culture today.

People will assume that not knowing a tannery or not having one listed is an indication that it’s bad. In the other direction this leads workwear fetishists to overpay for the bad products from good tanneries!

The Peters test jacket looks really good. A different size I'd already BIN.

Does anyone ask for chocolate bar shaped Talon zipper pull? Rectangle instead of bell shape. Or fan "shell" shape one I forgot the name... FW Whizzer but there is another name, used on the FCL jackets.

Yeah I prefer a bar pulled on the main zip. I was disappointed that my Indian Ranger came with a bell main zip instead of the deadstock bar Talon it is supposed to from all the photos and descriptions. At least the bell zipper in its place seems to also be deadstock Talon.

 

[Canuck Panda]

I’ve said it many times but the workwear fetish practice of knowing tannery names and making quality assumptions based on them is one of the biggest delusions in the culture today.

People will assume that not knowing a tannery or not having one listed is an indication that it’s bad. In the other direction this leads workwear fetishists to overpay for the bad products from good tanneries!



Yeah I prefer a bar pulled on the main zip. I was disappointed that my Indian Ranger came with a bell main zip instead of the deadstock bar Talon it is supposed to from all the photos and descriptions. At least the bell zipper in its place seems to also be deadstock Talon.

Tannery names can be misleading. Too much focus on one name will make me miss out on something that is better.

My first sale page Indian Ranger also came with the rectangle NOS Talon, worked great. But my second one didn't. I specified for NOS Talon and got a different NOS. Thanks to Photo2u I got a Crown zip that will go onto my IR now. I just need to drop it off at the local leather shop.

 

[Aloysius]

I thought about replacing mine but I feel like this deadstock zipper is a piece of history so I don't want to destroy it.

 

[Daniel Veit]

Greg has come up with a splay collar. Beautiful in my mind!
Have a look:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CkfWGXIoBA3/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

 

[TG3]

Keep forgetting to post my Manhattan. Absolutely love this jacket and the leather is incredible.

Big thank you to Marc and Jib for their input during the fitting process. Your first hand experience really helped me dial everything in

 

[barnabus]

@TG3 that's terrific!

 

[TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead]

Keep forgetting to post my Manhattan. Absolutely love this jacket and the leather is incredible.

Big thank you to Marc and Jib for their input during the fitting process. Your first hand experience really helped me dial everything in

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spectacular. And to all those posting brown pony pics, sheeeet. I just missed out in the supply. Good on you though. Going to wait a couple months and see what happens, but the last thing I need is another black jacket.

 

[Jaime]

Deadly jacket!

 

[TG3]

spectacular. And to all those posting brown pony pics, sheeeet. I just missed out in the supply. Good on you though. Going to wait a couple months and see what happens, but the last thing I need is another black jacket.

Thank you! and I keep telling Greg that he just needs to do an upcharge for this leather so if people still want it and are willing to pay for it.. that's their preference. But I think beyond it being not very cost effective to match hides, this leather is hard to source right now. Just a guess

 

[Spiney]

Thank you! and I keep telling Greg that he just needs to do an upcharge for this leather so if people still want it and are willing to pay for it.. that's their preference. But I think beyond it being not very cost effective to match hides, this leather is hard to source right now. Just a guess

He was already up charging £200 before it was discontinued.