Saving up for a good leather jacket- any thoughts much appreciated...

[PhilD82]

Morning fellow loungers...

I've been looking for a "decent" leather jacket for some time, now, most of the off the peg ones seem to be made of really light, flimsy hide and I'm looking for something better made and harder-wearing. One option is a Schott leather pea coat. I've owned one of their bog-standard wool 740N pea coats for years and the build and materials quality is top notch, though the price has rocketed in the last few years, I paid £150 for mine back in 07, they're well over £200 now, and the leather one's about £500!- the pound must have plummeted recently. Another option is the Bad Wolf leather U-boat jacket (Thanks for the pics whoever posted pics of his brown jacket- it looks great- far better than the pictures on the site make it look!) I'm not a massive Dr Who fan, but the jackets look to be exactly what I'm looking for- the question is, at £500, am I paying for the quality of build and materials, or its unofficial association with the TV series? I know I can probably trust the last-leather-jacket-you'll-need quality of a Schott, but I have to say, I prefer the style and "look" of the Bad Wolf one. To further complicate things, I quite like the look of some of the longer Aero ones such as the Barnstormer, seeing as it looks like I'll be paying about £500 anyway, I may as well go for broke- your thoughts folks? Thanks

 

[Justhandguns]

Phil, since you are in the UK, I would strongly suggest you go for Aero. You really have to experience their horsehide once in a life time. Highly recommended. Oh, yes, they are also custom made to your size as well. If it isn't right the first time round (say, sleeves too long), just send the jacket back and they can sort that our for you.

The only down side is that, the waiting time may be a bit long, from 9-15weeks. But I would say, it's money well spent and is worth waiting.

If you want off the rack jackets, the Made in USA Schotts are definitely good enough. Vanson USA is also good stuff, but then if you want a genuine USA made jacket, they have just moved part of their production lines to El Salvador.

 

[Rudie]

I second that. Do it right the first time and go for Aero.

 

[Cheech]

Hi Phil,

I researched those Schott leather pea coats just a couple of months ago, so perhaps I can be of some help. According to Schott's USA website, only the 140 has chest-measurement sizes, as opposed to small, medium, large, etc., suggesting that it alone is primarily assembled in the USA. Moreover, only the 640F (fitted leather pea coat in 2.0- to 2.5-oz leather) and the 650 (black-only military-styled leather pea coat in 3.0-oz leather) are of finished leather. The remaining models are of naked cowhide, which is not water-resistant and will need to be babied to considerable degree relative to a finished leather product. Moreover, there has been some controversy, some of which has been documented/discussed here and on Schott's own forum (https://secure.schottnyc.com/forum/posts/lining_in_horsehide_jackets.htm), concerning the use of backing on the leather, the purpose of which is either to reinforce the structural integrity of the jacket, at least according to Schott, or to increase the sense of sturdiness of the leather, as suggested by the more intrepid among us.

Ultimately, I chose to save up more money and spring for a Lost Worlds model in horsehide. Sure, it was a big expenditure ($960, and that's with a 15% summer-order discount), but at this point in time, it's water under the bridge, and I feel like I have a worthy lifelong investment.

 

[blethook]

Phil,

Since you're in the UK, I think the suggestion for an Aero is a good one. However, Aero sizing can be hit and miss. Don't go by the tag size (fit is extremely generous for most models), instead use your actual measurements. Better yet, get a tailor to take your measurements.

Note Aero's heavy HH Barnstormer is extremely heavy (4kg+)! So think carefully before getting one to make sure you'll be comfortable wearing a jacket that's very heavy. I had a steerhide Barnstormer and ended up selling it because it was just too heavy.

Another company to consider perhaps is Wested Leather. I think they have the U-boat/peacoat, as well. It's UK made, and pricing is quite reasonable. I bought a jacket from them a long time ago. Quality was good. Don't know what they're like now.

Another one is Eastman's German WWI jacket (quite expensive at over £500 & only available in black).

Hope that helps a bit.
B.

 

[Davy Crockett]

Phil,
IMHO I would avoid buying from Bad Wolf as they state in their publicity that the jackets are made in London! which is not where they are based also any manufacturer worth his salt does not only supply one jacket, I suspect that they buy the jackets in from either Wested or Wolfwear (both in or very close to London) and add on a very large chunk for themselves (Westeds version being £165), also they do not go into any detail about the leather they use or how the jacket is constructed, both these manufacturers are way below the likes of the quality makers you will find on the Lounge, if I were you living in Chester I'd take a little time out and visit Aero and talk to Will who can make a jacket to your measurements for no extra cost, he will also advise you on how you can modify the jacket of your choice and you will (after a long wait!) have a jacket that is perfectly crafted, unique and will last a lifetime, I have done this twice, still patiently waiting for the second! you will not be disapointed!

 

[ButteMT61]

My 2¢ (0r 0.0124 £) is having gone through this myself, save yourself the trouble and letdown of cheap jackets and save for a good one now. Assuming you know what style/color you're looking for, research, save the cash, and order. The other option is to find a great used jacket from a top maker and get instant gratification.
I'm now getting rid of the lesser jackets I have in my closet for this reason. "Paying it forward" as it goes. Selling relatively cheap to give someone else a chance to try things out.
As an example, there's a sweet Aero A2 on ebay now (sized 42) starting at $399 US. That's about 60% of the price and no wait compared to new.
Good luck!

 

[Aether]

Good advice from ButteMT61, go for a quality jacket and you won't regret it.
As has been said above give Aero a try. There's a bit of a wait but even at £500ish they're still great value IMHO.

 

[pinkplaint]

Phil,
IMHO I would avoid buying from Bad Wolf as they state in their publicity that the jackets are made in London! which is not where they are based also any manufacturer worth his salt does not only supply one jacket, I suspect that they buy the jackets in from either Wested or Wolfwear (both in or very close to London) and add on a very large chunk for themselves (Westeds version being £165), also they do not go into any detail about the leather they use or how the jacket is constructed, both these manufacturers are way below the likes of the quality makers you will find on the Lounge, if I were you living in Chester I'd take a little time out and visit Aero and talk to Will who can make a jacket to your measurements for no extra cost, he will also advise you on how you can modify the jacket of your choice and you will (after a long wait!) have a jacket that is perfectly crafted, unique and will last a lifetime, I have done this twice, still patiently waiting for the second! you will not be disapointed!

hmm,i agree with u.

 

[Seb Lucas]

I'd go Schott or Gibson and Barnes - check out the websites and contact them.

 

[Lear]

I would also suggest looking around this website.

http://www.filmjackets.com

Take your time and get a feel for what styles are out there. Being able to see a recognisable face and body that's similar to yours, gives a better idea of how it'll look.

Also, make sure that as of today... you have another £100 to spare :eeek:

Not wishing to hijack your thread: how many have gone to a local tailor, and paid to have him run the tape-measure over their frames? Do most tailors like doing this sort of thing? Was it better than you could've done yourself?

Edit: I mean having this done, in order to provide Aero with accurate measurements.

Lear

 

[Aether]

Lear, don't bother going to a tailor just do it yourself or get a friend/wife etc to help, nothing to difficult, just chest inhaled and exhaled, arm length from the centre of the neck across the shoulders to the wrist, height, weight, stomach and true waist/hips. I'd also check the standard length with Aero as a lot of the styles are quite short by modern standards.

Overall I'd say the most important thing is making it clear to Aero how you want it to fit and if you'll layer it etc.

 

[Lear]

Hi Aether

Yes, know what you mean. However, I'm the kind of person who can measure the same thing five times, and get a different result on each occasion. It's hereditary, which rules out family or relatives helping. Friends are totally out of the question, as they're all worse than me

I 'm already a happy Aero owner, but with the switch to Mariner or Barnstormer, I don't want to get it wrong.

Lear

 

[PhilD82]

Hiya everybody, many thanks for your replies

I'm hearing a lot of enthusiasm for Aero, I really do like the look of them too, especially the Mariner and Barnstormer jackets, and I'm sure they're as excellent as people say, but the recent price hike has put me off them a bit. Admittedly if I'm speeding £550 on a jacket, then I may as well spend £650, but it's still a shame.

As for the Bad Wolf jacket, the reason there's only the one jacket is that it's meant to be a replica of a certain jacket seen on TV. In terms of quality, the pictures and other details on the site seem reassuring but I can't shake the idea that a lot of what I'll be paying for is screen accuracy and detailing (They seem very proud of the jacket's accuracy, and clearly went to a lot of effort as well), which to be honest I'm not all that bothered about. The only way to tell is to see one in person or have a word with an owner of one of these jackets.

Which brings me to the Schott (thanks for the info Cheech) Having had a look through the thread it seems most of the leather-backing controversy is about their horsehide jackets. the 740N leather pea coat is, as you say, naked cowhide. If looking after it means a coat of leather conditioner every now and then that's not a problem, but I suspect you're thinking it'll need more than that! Much as I love my wool Schott, the leather one is my least favourite option, as good as I'm sure it is.

 

[ButteMT61]

Just sayin' one more time. Aero USA has three more days of old prices on eBay. You have time.

 

[PhilD82]

Just sayin' one more time. Aero USA has three more days of old prices on eBay. You have time.

Wish I could friend, I'll need to do some saving/selling stuff on eBay before I get this jacket!

 

[Jeff M]

I would strongly recommend Aero over Bad Wolf. Not even close in my opinion.

I purchased a Bad Wolf jacket sometime back, and was very disappointed with it.

 

[Jeff M]

I'd go Schott or Gibson and Barnes - check out the websites and contact them.

I own a G & B jacket. It's ok, but nowhere near the quality of Aero, Lanlitz, Vanson, ELC.
By the time you pay the extra to have it custom made, you are not too far from the price of an Aero...even with their price increase.

 

[blethook]

Just sayin' one more time. Aero USA has three more days of old prices on eBay. You have time.

Wish I could friend, I'll need to do some saving/selling stuff on eBay before I get this jacket!

You do know that you won't be charged for the jacket you order until the jacket is shipped to you? It's going to take them 4-5 months to finish the jacket. So if you really want it, you can order now & will have 4-5 months to save up for the jacket...

 

[Seb Lucas]

I own a G & B jacket. It's ok, but nowhere near the quality of Aero, Lanlitz, Vanson, ELC.
By the time you pay the extra to have it custom made, you are not too far from the price of an Aero...even with their price increase.

I think G&B is as good a leather jacket as you can get. I tried to wear Highwayman from Aero for some months. It didn't do it for me. Lanlitz is terrific. The Vanson's I've seen are in competition hide which is fine for a rider but for everyday wear, too heavy. But my thing is I don't enjoy wearing jackets that weigh over 2 kilos or 4 pounds. Call it a foolish bias. I know there are others (not many, perhaps) who share this view.