Gloves

[JB17COT]

With winter approaching (kind of, at some point I guess), I'm thinking of getting a new pair of gloves. I like the USAAF A-10 and see several jacket makers sell them (Aero, US Authentic for example)... Anyone owns a pair and have any recommendations? Any other gloves to consider, in "aviator" style? I'd like to wear them on a daily basis so need something that’s goes with everything really.

Thanks

 

[Stand By]

That's so weird - following my (cold!) weather forecast thread, I was musing on this as I rode in this morning!

I have three pairs of A-10s - my personal favourites are the ones I bought from ELC many years ago (made by MASH Co., I believe). The goatskin has aged so beautifully and I love the colour. And they're warm too. I've worn them so much that the lining is worn through in places ... and still they're my favourites.
I went in the ELC tent at RAF Duxford a couple of years ago hoping to get another pair but I didn't care for the quality of them quite the same - the seams on the fingers were bigger, the leather looked to be a shade less appealing and the carrier film on the AAF decal was very noticeable - so I passed.

I love my Buzz Ricksons A-10s too (from History Preservation Associates) - in the natural finish which breaks up the russet B3/B2 tones a bit - though IMO they're a touch small (they didn't stretch as I'd hoped) and I wish I had a larger size. I'd gladly have another pair though. If my old ELC pair are a 10, then I'd give the Buzz Ricksons a 9.5 IMHO.

And I have a pair from Aero - they're very comfy and look the part (and are a lot less expensive) but aren't nearly as warm - but in a temperate climate like the UK would be just fine. Remember, I'm taking mine out on pre-dawn dog walks when it's -25C with windchills of -35C !!! So bear that in mind.

I vividly recall my first two winters out here and I froze my a$$ - I had the best British clothes for the worst British winter: wholly inadequate and I was miserable. My first winter here just happened to be a very bad one (where I discovered what -42C felt like!) and it was sub-zero for 10 weeks! Nothing ever thawed as it never broke freezing point - I couldn't believe it, me. I didn't know if I was going to remain in Canada then, so I resisted buying any decent gear as i thought it'd never be worn again if I returned to the UK. I remember buying some half-decent gloves - and losing one of them in late January - and one glove is no good, of course, so I went downtown to get a new pair - with no luck; only XS/S and XL were left - and all the Spring lines were coming in ... Nightmare. So on I froze ...
After my second wretched Winter, I knew I'd be staying on and I finally decided to get my wallet out and start gearing up properly (beginning with flannel-lined jeans! Fantastic! No more f-ing long johns!!!) - and that way, one can embrace Winter - and not resent it!
And then later, I discovered ELC and I learned to dress warmly and in a style that suited me best, I felt ...

Since the trauma of losing that one glove in the bleak mid-winter so long ago (1996-1997), it seems that I've developed "a thing" whereby I feel I must be able to be very unlucky and lose at least two gloves of different pairs - just in case - and still be warm, so I have a good few now.
The next ones I'm after are the wool/leather palm ones by Buzz Ricksons.
http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/vintage/item/br02008/?key=123456
As you say, they'll totally look great with an A2/B3. The leather on the A-10s can get cold, so I wonder how these will fare? There's only one way to find out ...!

 

[Stand By]

PS. I also have the M-387G gloves. http://www.eastmanleather.com/product_info.php?products_id=139
Made of capeskin, they're super-comfortable, very well made and can go with an A2 if you don't mind mixing the USN/USAAF look. The cuff is semi-open, so are a bit draughty for that (more so than the BR wool/leather palm goves that have no cuff at all!). Not quite as warm as the ELC/Mash Co. A-10s IMO, but mine do get a lot of use on the cooler Autumn and Spring days.
Nor are they as robust as the A-10s - I fell face-first on ice wearing them and they now both have scuffs on the palms - which the goatskin A-10s woud have shrugged off. That said, the scuffs now look good though!

 

[Otter]

I have the A-10's that Aero sell, ok for the money, but not 100% authentic. They are dark brown goat, with a blackish nylon cuff, lining is a blackish woven material on a foam based backer.

 

[aswatland]

I have an original pair of A-10s and repro ones from ELC. The ELC ones are remarkably close to the originals. I owned my ELC A-10 gloves for at least 8 years and worn them regularly every winter. The goat skin has broken in nicely and they are comfortable and worm to wear. For me they are the best repro A-10s on the market.

 

[archbury918]

I have two pair of original A-10's. One is actually a 'redskin'. I love them dearly, but seldom take risks w/ 70+yr old items. The original cotton thread was deteriorating so had a cobbler restitch.

I bought a pair of ELC's last winter but was disappointed w/ them especially for the price. I did settle on a pair of Aero's.
Agreed they're not the best, but for daily winter wear, I'm good with it. I also use a silk glove liner for the colder zero and below Fahrenheit we get here.

Anyone selling their older ELC's I'm game!

 

[ButteMT61]

I like the style, but don't want any lettering. Does anyone make those with a more subtle look?

 

[archbury918]

Do you mean the little 'Hap Arnold wing and star'? On the repro, its a decal and scrapes off easily.

 

[Sloan1874]

I do think that ELC charging £109 for a pair of gloves is taking the p*** somewhat...

 

[bn1966]

I too have a pair of ELC A-10s in Goatskin which are my favourite pair of gloves. & yes they are not cheap.

 

[aswatland]

I bought mine second hand on Ebay for around £30 and they appear to be superior to the current ones they make. I guess they were made over 10 years ago.

 

[Stand By]

I like the style, but don't want any lettering. Does anyone make those with a more subtle look?

Buzz Ricksons make one of their A-10s in a "natural camel" finish - which, because they're not standard USAAF spec., don't have the USAAF decal.
These darken beautifully with age, wear, weather and conditioning.
http://historypreservation.com/hpassociates/detailpop.php?uniqnum=362

 

[Stand By]

I do think that ELC charging £109 for a pair of gloves is taking the p*** somewhat...

It's the Yen that makes Japanese products expensive (so Gary once told me). If memory serves, I paid 70 quid for mine about 8 years ago - which was a lot at the time, I agree, but I think I can say I've had my money's worth ... and they're still going and I love them the most of the 3 pairs I have.
And when it's -25C, their cost is the last thing I'm thinking of.

But I agree with Aswatland; the more recent ones do seem to be of lesser quality to a degree - which is nothing to do with ELC but MASH Co. They look fine on the MASH Co website though, so maybe it was just a bad batch that I saw ?
http://www.mash-japan.co.jp/oversea/eng_moc/collection/a-10_gloves/index.cgi

 

[ButteMT61]

Buzz Ricksons make one of their A-10s in a "natural camel" finish - which, because they're not standard USAAF spec., don't have the USAAF decal.These darken beautifully with age, wear, weather and conditioning.http://historypreservation.com/hpassociates/detailpop.php?uniqnum=362

Thanks. Usual story. None large enough. I wear a 11/12. Thanks for the link though - those I like.

 

[ButteMT61]

I buy my work gloves (Bison) from here. They've got lots of good stuff at good prices.http://www.leatherglovesonline.com/index.htm#section=start

 

[eggleman]

I bought the Aero A10s before last winter , and they're great for the money.
Also have the Aero RAF gloves , but you really need a light glove under these in cold weather .

 

[archbury918]

Stay away from the one's sold by Garcia Aviation.....pure crap!

 

[rocketeer]

That's so weird - following my (cold!) weather forecast thread, I was musing on this as I rode in this morning!

I have three pairs of A-10s - my personal favourites are the ones I bought from ELC many years ago (made by MASH Co., I believe).

I bought my A-10s from Eastman probably about 18 years ago, I remember he send a pack of leather samples at the time rather than the 'Golden Book' and in it was a flyer for the new gloves. I am sure Eastman made them as I requested "No Decal" on both the jackets I ordered, or the gloves and still have[The gloves] them.
Love the gloves, not seen his latest offerings.
J

 

[aswatland]

The MASH ones are not exactly the same as my older ELC ones, which have Eastman Leather Clothing on the label, so does this mean ELC made them or imported them with their own spec label on them?

 

[Blackadder]

I prefer the Few's A-10s
http://www.thefewmfg.com/data_list.cgi?name=GOODS
Anyone ever tried ordering directly from the Few New Zealand? Anyway, the Yen is coming down and Rakuten is having a "supersale" between 1/9 and 4/9 Japan time.