My day out at Aero Leather.

[moktabe]

At last, the day of my visit to Aero arrived!

The drive was in the region of 6.5 hrs so travelled up to just North of Newcastle last night (for the benefit of UK residents), stayed overnight and arrived at Aero at 0930 this morning.

What a place! The welcome was great and the way they look after you is more than expected. The young lady I dealt with was Chloe, very knowledgeable and helpful.
First thing to get sorted was a Sheene jacket. Chose the tobacco badalassi leather with an August collar, zips to the tops of the sleeves in nickel and plain zip pulls rather than the leather tags. lining in Minto tartan and jacket stitching in Olive Drab. The cafe racer jacket that fitted the best was a 44", hem will be lifted by 2" as per pic, the hem will be narrowed by 1" and shoulder gussets are also going on. On the advice of Denny the kidney part seam will not be on the jacket as he thought with the hem going up a little, the seam of the kidney bit would be too close to the yoke and maybe look a bit too busy.

So, onto the Hudson. Unfortunately they didn't have anything whatsoever to try on. I didn't fancy coughing up for a jacket I couldn't try on to see if the style suited however, they gave me a half belt to try on as the said the length was very similar. As soon as I put it on my thought was no, it isn't me. A mate came up with me and he's a tailor and he immediately said it wasn't me.

That led to the Windward.They had one that was a size 46" in black FQHH that was very well worn in and they said a member from here has sort of part exchanged it for another.Apart from the back length it fit perfectly, another inch was needed so one was ordered. Brown FQHH, size 46" and 1" longer. Sand alpaca lining, storm cuffs and an Irvine sheepskin collar. Planned on having it in heavy steerhide however, Denny suggested I went with the CXFQHH as it was slightly thinner. He said that with them not skiving the seams heavy steerhide would make some of the seams too thick. The way I see it is if I wasn't prepared to listen to advice then don't go up there.

All I need now is to learn to be patient

No pics of the Windward but have some showing the fit of the 44" cafe racer.
Ooops, the only pic that will upload is one of the back and no, have no idea why it's sideways

 

[Peacoat]

You had a productive trip. Thanks for the review.

 

[moktabe]

Has seemed like a long, long wait however, just had a mail from Chloe @ Aero asking me to confirm the measurements. Once I have sent confirmation the jackets will be forwarded to production.

She said they cannot give a precise date when they'll be done so have asked for an approximate one.

We're getting there.

 

[dubpynchon]

Has seemed like a long, long wait however, just had a mail from Chloe @ Aero asking me to confirm the measurements. Once I have sent confirmation the jackets will be forwarded to production.

She said they cannot give a precise date when they'll be done so have asked for an approximate one.

We're getting there.

From memory whenever any of my jackets went into production it was about two weeks before they turned up.

 

[TREEMAN]

OH BOY !!

 

[moktabe]

From memory whenever any of my jackets went into production it was about two weeks before they turned up.

Thank you for that.

Spoken to Chloe this morning and with having everything needed in stock it should indeed be a couple of weeks.

 

[Bfd70]

Needs more pics

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Sounds like a very productive trip! Excited to see the jackets.

 

[moktabe]

A slight hitch...

Turns out the only Badalassi for the Sheene they have in stock is black. The tannery is closed for August so unable to get any tobacco until early September.

In the meantime the Windward is under way and the lining etc for the Sheene will also be prepared.

What I will say is that the comms from Chloe at Aero have been outstanding and these days that sort of thing is becoming quite rare.

Will be going up to collect the jackets whenever they're ready so have a pair of these waiting for me to try on. If they fit well they'll also be coming home with me

 

[ai00344]

A slight hitch...

Turns out the only Badalassi for the Sheene they have in stock is black. The tannery is closed for August so unable to get any tobacco until early September.

In the meantime the Windward is under way and the lining etc for the Sheene will also be prepared.

What I will say is that the comms from Chloe at Aero have been outstanding and these days that sort of thing is becoming quite rare.

Will be going up to collect the jackets whenever they're ready so have a pair of these waiting for me to try on. If they fit well they'll also be coming home with me

View attachment 353701 View attachment 353702 View attachment 353703

Those are some serious soles! Are the metal rivits for grip?

 

[moktabe]

Those are some serious soles! Are the metal rivits for grip?

No, it's more of the old fashioned way of fitting this type of sole (according to my local shoe man anyhow). The soles are Goodyear welted and I think it's more of a throwback putting the screws in.
The screwheads are in the bottom of the treads.

 

[Tom71]

A slight hitch...

Turns out the only Badalassi for the Sheene they have in stock is black. The tannery is closed for August so unable to get any tobacco until early September.

In the meantime the Windward is under way and the lining etc for the Sheene will also be prepared.

What I will say is that the comms from Chloe at Aero have been outstanding and these days that sort of thing is becoming quite rare.

Will be going up to collect the jackets whenever they're ready so have a pair of these waiting for me to try on. If they fit well they'll also be coming home with me

View attachment 353701 View attachment 353702 View attachment 353703

Obviously you mustn´t compromise on the colour you´re after, but I put in a personal remark nevertheless:

I find the black Badalassi Aero is stocking absolutely beautiful. I combined it with an olive contrast-stitching and at times it appears more seal-brown than black. An optical illusion obviously (the leather is really black), but it does mellow the impression of "bad-boy jacket" considerably. It will never appear "tobacco", of course...

There´s a photo on Aero´s insta, if you are interested in a visual at all. The colour comes accross quite accurately (if anything the contrast in the stitching becomes more prominent in direct sunlight). It´s the original Hercules...

 

[moktabe]

Oh I agree, the black is very nice without a doubt.

However, when I went up to Aero I had the tobacco in mind as already have a black A2. On seeing the tobacco it was definitely going to be that.

I feel it's worth waiting the additional 3 or 4 weeks as until mid September it'll too warm to wear the Sheene.

 

[Edward]

No, it's more of the old fashioned way of fitting this type of sole (according to my local shoe man anyhow). The soles are Goodyear welted and I think it's more of a throwback putting the screws in.
The screwheads are in the bottom of the treads.

Yeah, they're there to help hold the outsole to the insole. Seems in some way superficial on top of a Goodyear welt, but on the other hand it must have some practical effect beyond merely being cosmetic or it would have died out long ago. It's something you do only see on this type of Commando sole, which of course emphasises that they're not an alternative to hobnails. Hobnails were supposed to come into contact with the ground to make a boot last longer before the leather sole wore out. (Notably, the standard Tommy B5 boot issued to the British army in the Great War had hobnails; the officer's boots didn't, as it was assumed they were better off and could afford a new sole here and there!) These screws are, as you note, tucked up "inside" the cleats of the commando sole, and the latter would have to wear almost entirely flat before they came into contact with the ground.

 

[Salmosalar]

Obviously you mustn´t compromise on the colour you´re after, but I put in a personal remark nevertheless:

I find the black Badalassi Aero is stocking absolutely beautiful. I combined it with an olive contrast-stitching and at times it appears more seal-brown than black. An optical illusion obviously (the leather is really black), but it does mellow the impression of "bad-boy jacket" considerably. It will never appear "tobacco", of course...

There´s a photo on Aero´s insta, if you are interested in a visual at all. The colour comes accross quite accurately (if anything the contrast in the stitching becomes more prominent in direct sunlight). It´s the original Hercules...

This is exactly my experience of the black badalassi - it is really special and I was so impressed with it on my last crosszip that I placed on order for a follow up with the same hide in a Wayfarer pretty much immediately! I was told they will be adding it to their regular line up so hopefully it will be there for the long run. I also have a jacket in the tobacco - I generally prefer brown jackets, but in this case the black badalassi edges it imo.

 

[Salmosalar]

A slight hitch...

Turns out the only Badalassi for the Sheene they have in stock is black. The tannery is closed for August so unable to get any tobacco until early September.

In the meantime the Windward is under way and the lining etc for the Sheene will also be prepared.

What I will say is that the comms from Chloe at Aero have been outstanding and these days that sort of thing is becoming quite rare.

Will be going up to collect the jackets whenever they're ready so have a pair of these waiting for me to try on. If they fit well they'll also be coming home with me

View attachment 353701 View attachment 353702 View attachment 353703

I have also been thinking of a pair of thee for the winter months for a while now - if you could post a review after a bit of roadtesting that would be really appreciated. They do look amazing I have to say!

 

[moktabe]

Update time!....and a post praising Aero.

A few mails back and forth with Chloe@Aero today. I suggested we might have a change of plan if the delays in them getting the leather went beyond the first week in October and suggested having my Sheene in Cordovan CX SH instead of tobacco Badalassi and my Windward in Brown CX SH instead of CXLHH.

She suggested maybe waiting for the Badalassi for the Sheene as it would be ideal for that jacket and they could crack on with the Windward as they had the brown CXSH in stock, they also had the Cordovan CXSH in stock but plumped for the brown. Apparently the comms as to when the CXLHH is expected in aren't going overly well.

At least I now have one jacket in production which is great. When I go up to collect I'll also get sorted with a MC jacket in black CXSH.

What I will say is that comms with Chloe, mainly due to her being my point of contact at Aero, have been nothing short of outstanding. It's a shame all companies aren't like that.

 

[Edward]

What I will say is that comms with Chloe, mainly due to her being my point of contact at Aero, have been nothing short of outstanding. It's a shame all companies aren't like that.

That's been my experience of Aero too. Always found them very much a 'team' - one of the bonuses of being a SME is you still have that sense they all know each other and work as a unit. Everyone I've ever spoken to from Aero really knows their product, which helps to. A lot of bigger businesses could learn from them!

 

[MrProper]

I can only agree with this. Both with Chloe and Holly only good experience made. Really top.

 

[moktabe]

Yay....

Just had a mail confirming I'll be able to collect the Windward on the 4th October!. Anticipation now in overdrive.

It's been a long 4 months.