New Eastman B-15 - great trip to the London pop up shop!

[MeachamLake]

Well, this lasted long. Up for sale in the classifieds. http://www.thefedoralounge.com/thre...basically-brand-new-46r-end-zone-twill.92200/

Sigh...after all my previous stuff with the Pike Bros version and finally being able to acquire one of these, I have to be honest with myself - I just don't love it. Even though it fits me bang on, there's something about the overall style of the jacket that I'm not really feeling when it put it on. It's almost like I don't feel this jacket suits me...if that makes sense? And at these prices, I feel like I have to absolutely love it - and I'm just not feeling it. I would rather put my money into another sheepskin - wearing my B-6 just feels special.

Why is this hobby of ours such a pain at times, eh...

 

[LaymanX]

Holy smokes guy

 

[dubpynchon]

Well, this lasted long. Up for sale in the classifieds. http://www.thefedoralounge.com/thre...basically-brand-new-46r-end-zone-twill.92200/

Sigh...after all my previous stuff with the Pike Bros version and finally being able to acquire one of these, I have to be honest with myself - I just don't love it. Even though it fits me bang on, there's something about the overall style of the jacket that I'm not really feeling when it put it on. It's almost like I don't feel this jacket suits me...if that makes sense? And at these prices, I feel like I have to absolutely love it - and I'm just not feeling it. I would rather put my money into another sheepskin - wearing my B-6 just feels special.

Why is this hobby of ours such a pain at times, eh...

I felt the same, I bought an Eastman G-1 and I can't help but see that as an upgrade to the B-15 (it's made of leather!) So I sold the B-15 I had. Makes no sense.

 

[MeachamLake]

I felt the same, I bought an Eastman G-1 and I can't help but see that as an upgrade to the B-15 (it's made of leather!) So I sold the B-15 I had. Makes no sense.

When I was at the store, I tried on everything they had. Two jackets that stood out were the Rough Wear B6 - absolutely unbelievable, I would order one in a heartbeat even though I already have an Aero B6 - and the G1, which was simply awesome.

 

[CBI]

must have been fun to go to the store!

I find one can't really compare leather and cloth jackets, 2 entirely different animals.

 

[MeachamLake]

Dang it, I've decided to hold on this jacket for now. I may as well see how much wear I get out of it before deciding to sell it - I should give it a chance I guess!

 

[Edward]

Makes sense. Let it bed in and become part of your wardrobe. If you give thnigs a while, you'll be amazed by how often something that wasn't your absolute favourite to begin with becomes a go to that you really very much prefer over the others.

 

[MeachamLake]

Makes sense. Let it bed in and become part of your wardrobe. If you give thnigs a while, you'll be amazed by how often something that wasn't your absolute favourite to begin with becomes a go to that you really very much prefer over the others.

Very true. I think part of the problem is that I realised I had spent £500 on a cloth jacket...which kind of seems daft really. However, I’m not denying that it’s a beautifully made, very faithful repro.

It’s also super comfy, although the waistband is extraordinarily tightly knitted; as such, the jacket tends to ride up quite easily at the back when moving around. So here’s hoping it loosens up!

 

[Edward]

Knits will alays loosen and give over time - if anything, it's good that it's on the tight side to begin with, as it should still have some stretch to it over time.


I hear you on expenditure on the cloth thing: I find the same problem myself with justifying a spend on cloth where I wouldn't blink an eye were it leather. What you have to remember, though, is that sourcing the cloth and materials are only part, in terms of cost price, of what you pay: most of the cost to you will be in the expertise that has gone into producing the patterns, and in actually sewing up a jacket that is well made, in a first-world country (so labour will be much higher than were it produced in the third world, even if the end result is of the same quality), accuratre to a historical pattern; the cloth requires expert handling just as does leather. Once you start to break it down like that, it makes more sense. I think, ultimately, we're just all too used to seeing "cheap" cloth jackets in a way we're not so much leather (albeit that cheap leather exists); also, despite The Hunter and various other films, nothing seems to have givne the cloth jackets the sexy factor that Virgil Hilts bestowed on the A2. I'm also convinced that the relative lack of B15s seeing action in ww2 (the design was certainly around by 44, though I think limited in issue) and moreover the associated films means that it just lacks that romanticisation / fetishisation that the leathers get.