I have been trying to write the full story of how i ended up getting this jacket made for a couple hours, but i don't seem to be able to write anything interresting right now.
Still, i really wanted to post pics of this jacket, she is a beauty and i know you guys will enjoy it.
Basically, last year i picked up a used X150 Commando in the classifieds, one thing led to another and before i knew it i had a second one on order, and then as you do on TFL, i bought a third one before the second one was even in production...
Yesterday was a crappy day, had my dad's funeral at 1pm...
As i arrived back home around 3pm i noticed a cardboard box had been thrown over my fence and was waiting in the middle of the yard, soaked, in the pouring rain. "Great i thought, now i also have to deal with a F'up jacket!"
Thankfully the jacket had been double bagged inside and it was perfectly dry.
So, here is the one that started it all, the regular (X-150):
The second i picked up this jacket i started thinking about a padded version and called Constantine at Vanson to get the ball rolling.
My dream was to have a padded CXL version made, with a few mods. My vision was a combination of the Commando, the LaBrea and the padded Buco J-81.
Planning it was great, Constantine is awesome, he got me in touch with Theresa, the lady who designed the Commando pattern and together we designed my dream commando live on Facetime, it was amazing!
A few months later, a CXL version appeard on eBay, i hit BIN as fast as my mouse allowed it, and still have no regrets getting the CXL version, if you find one get it!:
The Gold Standard:
Now, here is the one that arrived yesterday, the "Ultimate Commando"
It is basically i regular Commando with these mods:
CXL leather + Gold rayon lining.
-1" in body length front and back
tighten wrists circumference 2" getting rid of the weird flared wrists
chrome snap caps on lapels, no snap caps on collar
brass zippers (regular main zip, no double pull)
double stitch D pocket
add mutton collar, black collar snaps
add commando padding (the padding on the shoulders is inspired by the J-81)
add leather lined gun pocket
delete handwarmer pocket and ticket pocket.
no plastic stiffener in kidney pannel
IMO the jacket came out great, the stitching is great, the leather is great, i really like the mutton collar, it goes much lower in the neck than other collars i have, it really makes a difference. All in all i really have nothing bad to say about this jacket.
The only negative is that it took a year to deliver instead of the planned three months, but i can only blame Covid for that.
The fact that i had a part in designing it, that it came out so nice, and the fact that it was delivered to me on this day really makes it a special jacket to me... Because of it, a crappy day ended with a smile.
Interrestingly the leather is really different from my Gold standard.
The CXL on my GS has a super thin top coat, you can see the brown clearly through the black, it barely has any grain but it is rough and scratchy to the touch. That isn't the case on the Ultimate, it is much blacker, there is barely any brown showing through, it is shiny and smooth, much waxier, much grainier.
I had heard tha some makers were complaing about poor consistency at Horween, and i have to say that the fact that both these jackets were made from leather coming from a single batch is a bit shocking.
They really did a good job matching the hides...
Here are pics of both to compare:
And to finish, fit pics, the Gold Standard first, the Ultimate Second:
Edit: here is the original review i wrote about the commando:
https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/vanson-x-left-field-commando.98275/
Gustin Vintage Heavyweight Sweatshirt - Natural Rainbow Nep - $119 Rugged 14oz cotton that gets better with every wear. 
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Iron and Resin - Buffalo Shirt - $119 Classic, yet modern. 6.5oz yarn dyed cotton flannel with a warm micro polar fleece lining. 
