Temperature Range for an A2

[Bluishsmoke]

Hey guys,

What is the temperature range for an A2 jacket? I wore my Gibson & Barnes "Historical" A2 jacket today. It blocked the wind, but I probably needed something warmer. It is a cold, rainy, 39 degrees in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Thanks for your input.

 

[kojax]

on coid days i wear my g1 jacket with the fur collar. alot warmer them my a2 jackets

 

[thor]

You can't layer under the A-2 too much so I'd say its good to about 40 degrees or so with a good sweater underneath. It also depends on your threshold to cold temps as well.

 

[gtdean48]

I consider my A2 as a leather windbreaker. It is good to the mid-50s then I need a fleece or sweater underneath it for insulation.
My Aero FQHH with alpaca lining is good for below mid-40s then I need layers.
39 degrees would be A2 with a North Face fleece underneath for me, more likely my Aero FQHH with a micro fleece....

 

[Deleted member 16736]

I wore my A-2 down to freezing without even a sweater underneath and I was okay with gloves and a scarf. If the A-2 is made of goatskin, it will be less warm. Mine was horsehide. Anecdotally-speaking, Fonzie wore his bomber jacket through all those Wisconsin winters.

 

[Fanch]

It is my understanding that the A-2 was designed as a summer jacket, although NOT in Texas unless worn strictly indoors! I wear my A-2 under the same conditions as I would a light cotton windbreaker, maybe 60-70 degrees.

 

[53Effie]

I would say that if the temperature is in the 40 to 45 degree range, I will normally need at least a light wool sweater with the A-2 to be comfortable. Below 40 degrees I will go with a heavier lined jacket. I find that I don't tolerate cold too well anymore.

 

[Gromulus]

I concur that what conditions you can endure have the greatest impact. I am an old fart of 55 now and cannot tolerate cold quite as well as I used to, even though I still manage at least one winter camping trip (tent) each year.

I live in the snow belt capital of Ohio (and one of the true lake effect snow areas) and I wear my (goatskin) A-2 down to about 30/35 F - depending on wind chill factor - then I switch to my lined Schott steerhide. Below 10 F or so I wear my winter coats.

If I wore my A-2 or any leather jacket here when it was above 60 I would some very strange looks indeed.

 

[Worf]

A1's and A2s hit the closet the second temps dipped into the 30's. I did wear the thicker Vanson and Langlitz longer. Now it's thick wool, Peacoat or Gloverall toggle or Irvin and D1. Wore the D1 yesterday 22 degrees, Peacoat today 32 and snowing. Warm and stylish. Next year.... Thunderbay!

Worf

 

[Peacoat]

I'm in Franklin, about 20 miles from you. I wore my A-2 earlier when the temps were in the 50s. Then when they got down in the 40s, I wore the Eastman Luftwaffe. Today with the rain and temps in the 30s, it was the G-1. Tomorrow, when it is colder--32/23, out comes one of the pea coats. Later, when it is colder still, it will be the ThunderBay (sorry you have to wait another year, Worf) after it arrives from Scotland by way of Seattle.

All of us have differing abilities to deal with the cold, so our ideas of temperature ranges will be different. For me, the A-2 doesn't get much use below the 50s.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Remember no style of leather jacket is particularly warm. They are windbreakers. Layering or lining provides the warmth.

 

[Doctor Damage]

For me, the A-2 doesn't get much use below the 50s.

Up here that's when we put on leather jackets over a cotton shirt, maybe!

 

[Justhandguns]

I am wearing my A-2 today in London, 6-10C, which translates to 40-50F. But there is also a bit of a variations between the A-2s from different makers. Say, my Eastman is much thinner than my Aeros and BK, I probably can even wear it even in a cool British summer evening (if it has not got wool knits.....), where as the BK Dubow that I am wearing today has a much thicker hide, which obviously is a much warmer jacket. But I totally agree with Seb.

 

[HeyMoe]

I wore an A-2 all last winter here in Vermont. On all but the coldest days I was fairly comfortable. Guess it just depends on the person.

 

[Doctor Strange]

As a temperature-sensitive fiftysomething, I concur that the A-2 isn't very warm. Even over a good sweater/sweatshirt/fleece, they're only good to 45 degrees or so, depending on wind and humidity. The fur collar on the M-422A/G-1 style makes them slightly warmer, but I generally switch to a pea coat or MA-1 once temps dip to the 30s...

 

[ButteMT61]

As a temperature-sensitive fiftysomething, I concur that the A-2 isn't very warm. Even over a good sweater/sweatshirt/fleece, they're only good to 45 degrees or so, depending on wind and humidity. The fur collar on the M-422A/G-1 style makes them slightly warmer, but I generally switch to a pea coat or MA-1 once temps dip to the 30s...

Same boat, same take. Even my Ventura with a nice light wool Tartan isn't going to work in much below what it is now at night (50ºs).
If I add a nice scarf, it's better. But I can't layer this one too much as I ordered it on the slim side (intentionally).
I had a cheapo B-3 and I have a RRL pseudo-Deck Jacket, and they're the cold weather gotos. My Aero HBD with heavy Tartan is also pretty good with layers. Leather at the end of the day is not warm - except in summer

 

[Ishmael]

^^ Fully concur with Butte and others. I'm never going to be wearing an A-2 below 50 degrees. Even my melton wool lined jacket is only going down to 40 for me (and that's with thermal undershirt, vest and scarf).

Although I'm from MI and used to be able to withstand the cold, years of relatively mild winters over here have spoiled me.

 

[Dr H]

Yes, the A-2 is currently on the hanger with the Buzz Rickson N-1 taking over for the moment.

 

[Dav]

My newly purchased A2 lasted about a week before I decided I need a bit of Alpaca lined leather wrapped around me, never mind, I didn't buy it to wear in the winter.

 

[Mr Badger]

My newly purchased A2 lasted about a week before I decided I need a bit of Alpaca lined leather wrapped around me, never mind, I didn't buy it to wear in the winter.

Nice A2, Dav! I agree with you, especially given that we live in the same neck o'the woods – it's getting chilly, eh?

Firstly, apologies for the temp anomalies, but I learned a bizarre mix of Centigrade and Fahrenheit when I was a kid, doubtless as part of the UK's somewhat unfinished Imperial to Metric conversion, so some temps make no sense in one measure or another!

I wore my Aero goat A2 down to about 5c (41f) in New York a couple of years ago, albeit with a five-button US Army sweater, t-shirt and scarf, and it just about kept the wind out & the chill off. Generally, though, I go for a wool-lined leather jacket, Cowichan & wax jacket combo, or an overcoat! Me legs get real cold with a short jacket... as far as highs go, never been able to deal with my A2 over around 14c (57f), the leather collar tends to stick to my neck – and yes, they're both clean!

Rumour has it that this Winter will get pretty cold, for the UK anyway – it got down to -13c (9f) a coupla years ago, on Christmas Day, no less! That's too blinkin' cold for England! The whole country stopped working!