Not impressed ELC

[Deacon211]

Mihai,

Glad that you found something that works for you! In the end, if you are not comfortable with it, you will always be ill at ease.

I've already demonstrated my general lack of knowledge about leather earlier, but I do wonder about how much of this stuff isn't a tempest in a teacup.

I don't honestly know how robust WWII leather was. Certainly, many pretty knowledgeable people say that it was great stuff. But, having spent most of my life in the military, I somehow doubt that every one of the millions of pieces of leather flight gear was universally spectacular.

Beyond that, I've already owned my B-6 for about 4 times longer than WWII lasted...for the USAAC at least. So, I'm just not sure that we don't elevate this original gear to the level of some kind of Golden Fleece.

Eastman makes a good product. Is it the same quality as the original WWII issue? I honestly don't know. And I, as much as anyone, get sweaty palms when I read that old ELCs are better than new ELCs, or new ELCs are better than old ELCs.

But what I actually haven't read yet here, is anyone who has owned an ELC for any length of time saying that any ELCs are BAD ELCs.

This is not me being an ELC fanboy (I don't think). I don't love everything ELC makes universally. But, from my experience, I'm just saying that they still seem to make a pretty tough and good looking jacket.

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[nick123]

I still hanker for an ELC jacket. I feel as if it's the one brand I've kind of neglected to show enthusiam for. But it's on the list.

 

[mihai]

@Stand By - thanks for the tips, great deal of information on these jackets. I'll go for an Aviation Leathercraft if price will be right. I wore today the LW AN-J 4 jacket in about 37 deg F and it fit/looked great. Only downside was holding it while getting somewhere indoors, is bit heavy and bulky. However is more elegant and wearable(shorter fleece) than B-3.

@Deacon211 - you got a point, it's hard to objectively compare modern vs old sheepskins in their prime. I have some ww2 sheepskin pants but hard to tell how they felt/looked when new. Even harder to assess their integrity right now.
One thing I like about the Eastman sheepskin is the grain that looks like wartime pieces. I'll eventually get one(for the right price), is somewhere there on my wishlist.

 

[Capesofwrath]

I’ll second what Smithy says about the Eastman Irvin being lighter than an Aviation Leathercraft Irvin. I tried a couple of them on a few years ago at Thruxton when I went down there to buy another jacket and they were like suits of armour. Stiff and heavy and very bulky. The Eastman Irvin is much lighter, and since weight was always an issue with warplanes they would have been specified not to exceed a given weight I should imagine. Apart from that it would have been hard to operate in and even to turn around in the tight spaces of a wartime aeroplane in an AL one. I have tried on originals but it was so long ago that I can’t now remember exactly how heavy they felt, but they were much lighter than the AL for sure.

My current Eastman is from the late eighties, but it was almost unworn when I bought it because the first buyer couldn’t do it up! So it stayed in his wardrobe until he died and then it got sold. The hide is certainly thicker and less crinkly looking than the modern ones with a distinct pebbly grain.

 

[tropicalbob]

During the Depression, a great many theaters across the country were designed, often opulently, as fantasy palaces: places where folks could get away from the grim realities of the time. One of the most popular themes was ancient Egypt, which, I'm guessing, was the reason for the name of that theater. I remember a huge theater in Jersey City that was done in that style.

 

[tropicalbob]

Isis, wife of Osirus, was a fertility goddess, but I don't think the name for that current bunch of desert rats is related to it. I believe it's an acronym for something or other.

 

[Doctor Damage]

I have no horse in this race since I can't possibly afford current asking prices for shearling flight jackets, but I can't get over the appearance of that crinkly surface. I know it's historically accurate, but... wow.

 

[Deacon211]

I have no horse in this race since I can't possibly afford current asking prices for shearling flight jackets, but I can't get over the appearance of that crinkly surface. I know it's historically accurate, but... wow.

So, you don't like the crinkly surface? I think everything I own from ELC is kind of crinkly.

Even my G-1 came pretty stiff (compared to any other G-1 I had ever seen).

I have often wondered if this is historically accurate. Most navy jackets seem to have a softer feel...but again, I have no idea what these jackets wore like new, or what my ELC will wear like in a dozen years.

I did find this pic with similar creasing

And the old Panther pilot in the ELC pictures had a similar crinkly aspect.

My B-6 was a little less crinkly than the Irvin, which is very veiny. Again, both these other jackets were fairly stiff when new, but soft now. And they seem to match the wear on some wartime examples, so that does suggest a similarity between the hides on some level at the very least.

I hope we haven't gotten too far off the OPs post, but I always find these discussions informative...and sometimes even true! ;-)


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