How durable are the knits on A-2s?

[icecold]

Hi guys, I wonder how durable are the knits on A-2 repros, e.g. Aero?
In my mind (thin) wool is a relative fragile material - it stretches, frays, moths eat it, gets dirty easily, gets caught in sharp objects, etc. etc. etc - i.e. all things that would make me think that it would get trashed long before the jaket is even properly broken in?

But obviously, the above is just a speculation, so I just wonder what have been your actual experience with the knits...

 

[scotrace]

Eastman knits can stretch out and snag on things. My own experience is that it's smart to pull the jacket off by tugging on the leather behind the knit cuffs, never on the knits themselves.

 

[blethook]

Well...the leather surely is going to outlast the knits, but they're not that fragile...

On all of my A-2 jackets the knits are all stretched out, but still no hole/snag. The hides are all broken in already.

Yes, they will stretch, get caught on something, etc. but it's going to take a few years of wear to completely render them completely useless...Unless of course you're Indiana Jones...

I think the bigger problem with them is moth attack, ironically from long storage, not from wear...

 

[icecold]

Yes, they will stretch, get caught on something, etc. but it's going to take a few years of wear to completely render them completely useless...Unless of course you're Indiana Jones...

So true . Knits definitely make it less likely to catch on something in the cockpit, but more likely to catsh on something when you have a wider range of motion (i.e. when you're outside said cockpit ). And by extension, the jacket was never designed for primarily rough outdoor use, though, of course it's perfeclty suitable for that. But the point is that these were actually some of the actual considerations in the (re)design of the Indiana Jones jacket, which as far as I know started off of an A-2 as a general model.

In my ongoing quest to trim my list of jackets I'm basically looking for an excuse not to buy an A-2. WHich is very, very, very hard with it being such an icon and all... So the knits might be it, lame, I know. Also, the fact that I live in the south, and knits make the jacket a bit warmer, or at least more insulated, than the open cuff/waist designs...
I'll buy a ka-bar USMC knife and a Colt 1911 instead

 

[Senicko_Spain]

Eastman knits can stretch out and snag on things.

Not true. ELC remedied this a couple of years ago. You are going on old hearsay information.

 

[scotrace]

I am going on my own experience with my own jacket. So let me correct to say that with the Eastman I own the knits got stretched pretty quickly, and there have been three good thread-pulled snags in 2.5 years. One of which was impressively repaired by a lovely woman who made the fix in three minutes with the back of an earring.

 

[Senicko_Spain]

Then you have one of ELC's older jackets. Much R&D has been done to improve their product. Also, it's my understanding that ELC will replace ballooning knits free of charge on any of their jackets having this earlier problem. As for snags, well, that can happen with any knit.

 

[aswatland]

I own two 2008 ELC A2s and the knits are robust and as good as those on my originals.

 

[kojax]

i think the new a-2 jackets the waiste knitts are way to big.......my new g-b jacket the waiste about 3 inches -------

 

[Senicko_Spain]

i think the new a-2 jackets the waiste knitts are way to big.......my new g-b jacket the waiste about 3 inches -------

Now that's funny...lol :eusa_clap

Take a look.

Yeah, G&B's knits are spot on...lol Gimmie a break. A little retaliatory comment maybe. Truth be known, G&B knits are about the most freakish looking on the market. Too long and bunched up like they were plucked off a GI Joe and sewn on. Pleazzzzzzzzze...lol

 

[miles_archer]

Funny you mention this, my cat just chewed up one of the knit cuffs on my bomber jacket. He has a serious fetish for tearing up all things wool. Does anyone know how to go about getting these cuffs fixed?

 

[John in Covina]

In one of the threads on aviator jackets there is a discussion about getting a jacket refurbished and they wrote about sending it out to get new knitted cuffs and bottom section if I recall right.