What would you tell your former self about ordering a custom Aero?

[zebedee]

Get Universal zips

Get D-Rings

OD/contrast stitching

Troy blanket lining

Opt for mid-weight hides or goat unless really needing a full-weight jacket

Size up on 30's patterns, size down on 50's patterns. For me, two sizes up on Café Racer.

 

[Monitor]

Don't try to model their jackets for the look you (think you) want & instead just trust Aero and go with their vision. Also, stick to the main line and ignore the moto styles.

 

[torfjord]

Revisiting this thread 3 years later is interesting. Having experienced Vanson (very thick and heavy leather) jackets fit me perfectly comfortable and with great range of motion have made me revise my opinions a bit. I’m now in the camp that thickness of leather does not have an effect on whether a jacket is comfortable or not. This is determined by the pattern mostly. Aero jackets have had poor mobility and comfort for me. In comparison with my many other jackets, new and vintage.
Specific issue is the jackets hanging from the neck rather than the shoulders. An issue I haven’t had in any other jacket from other makers.
My advice to any one looking to buy from Aero, don’t. There are many other better leather jackets on the market.

 

[Marc mndt]

My advice to any one looking to buy from Aero, don’t. There are many other better leather jackets on the market.

I definitely wouldn't advise anyone against ordering an Aero. Just make sure to order one of their styles with a refined pattern. Speedway, Bird of Prey, Rockafella, Thunderbay / Grizzly, Type III trucker. The Barnstormer and their military shearlings look good as well but I can't comment on their fit in terms of comfort as I've never tried one of those on myself.

Here's the Grizzly, perfect comfort and range of motion. At least for me.

@torfjord You were this jacket's first owner. Was this one uncomfortable for you as well?

 

[torfjord]

I definitely wouldn't advise anyone against ordering an Aero. Just make sure to order one of their styles with a refined pattern. Speedway, Bird of Prey, Rockafella, Thunderbay / Grizzly, Type III trucker. The Barnstormer and their military shearlings look good as well but I can't comment on their fit in terms of comfort as I've never tried one of those on myself.

Here's the Grizzly, perfect comfort and range of motion. At least for me.

@torfjord You were this jacket's first owner. Was this one uncomfortable for you as well?

View attachment 574211

The grizzly wasn’t as bad as some of the other Aero’s I’ve had, but it had a bit of the neck hanging issue for me. I’m glad it works better for you.

My hooch hauler had nothing of the neck hanging issue, neither did my dust bowl. The dustbowl was one size too big so might explain the lower and wider neck hole. My Blizzard had the neck issue, my 59’er had it, my 30’s half belt had it. My experience with Aero taught me that jackets needed to be oversized to be comfortable. Something that I don’t find true with Vanson or Thedi or any of the vintage jackets I own or have owned.

You might be right that the patterns you mentioned are more refined. Studying pictures of the speedway it does look like it compared to their other styles. But I can’t know for sure without trying one on. And I wouldn’t risk buying another Aero for that reason.

 

[Canuck Panda]

The purpose and intention of my this post is to help people find the best fit (neck hole width, especially towards the back of the neck) wise, without trying to offend anyone or any brand.

So here is the same jacket worn by two different guys, one is me, the other is who I think has the same build as me, but the jacket at the neck fits very differently on him than it does on me. The neck hole width is wide enough for him but I could use a bit more oval width towards the back of the neck:

If you think your neck line is more like the guy on the right, then you want the following Aero jackets:
Board Racer / Seven
Regular Highwayman
Type 3 trucker
Rockafella
There are more but I have to take a look at them again to be sure.

So basically you want to look at 60s patterns (or later) in general, and that would apply to all other brands too. A lot of the praised brands here (not Aero) actually started with jackets neck holes very similar to the Aero round ones (Cafe Racer), before widening them to fit more "modernly".

Even so, I still like earlier period patterns. Since I don't do vintage, closest repro works for me.

 

[Aloysius]

The thing about the "neck lines" thing is that I've gotten them on a lot of clothes, of all kinds… (Incidentally, not my Aero jackets lol.)

 

[ton312]

The thing about the "neck lines" thing is that I've gotten them on a lot of clothes, of all kinds… (Incidentally, not my Aero jackets lol.)

Me too. All my button downs and t shirts. I will say that the CR had the most uncomfortable “neck fit” for me. It was the only Aero I’ve had that felt like it was hanging from the back of my neck and pulling down on my shoulder. It wasn’t unbearable but it also wasn’t comfortable.

 

[MrProper]

Me too. All my button downs and t shirts. I will say that the CR had the most uncomfortable “neck fit” for me. It was the only Aero I’ve had that felt like it was hanging from the back of my neck and pulling down on my shoulder. It wasn’t unbearable but it also wasn’t comfortable.
View attachment 574369

Same here.
It was only noticeable with the CR pattern, but not so much that it bothered me. I can wear my PHWM and Vincent and Shearlings all day and everything is fine.
I think with the CR pattern the angle from neck to shoulders is too flat and so the center of gravity is at the neck and not at the shoulders. But maybe it's just that the neck hole isn't cut wide enough at the back.

 

[DamonCyclee]

y'all need to work out your necks to tame the famous aero cafe racer

joking aside it's painful, i got the same issue..

 

[Salmosalar]

Same here.
It was only noticeable with the CR pattern, but not so much that it bothered me. I can wear my PHWM and Vincent and Shearlings all day and everything is fine.
I think with the CR pattern the angle from neck to shoulders is too flat and so the center of gravity is at the neck and not at the shoulders. But maybe it's just that the neck hole isn't cut wide enough at the back.

Just to add to this - I have 20 Aeros of a range of styles and the only one where this is really an issue is my Cafe Racer - I don''t find the neck hanging problem in the other models, and even with the CR its not unbearable…its also not comfy either, so that one tends to sit in the wardrobe more than the others, unfortunately. I bought my CR second hand a while back too, so maybe the pattern has been “fixed” in the interim?

 

[Cyber Lip]

I'm going to add to this list: don't buy an aero jacket with the Premier collar in CXL. The neck hole is shaped like a vertical button hole, and the collar digs into the sides of your neck. You'll feel it too with their softer more forgiving leathers, but it's not as bothersome. But the CXL, it's brutal. For the life of me I can't figure out why they designed the Premier collar neck hole as a vertical oblong instead of a round comfy circle

 

[ton312]

I’d tell myself to order the Rockafella ya dumb ba***rd. One of two finished side jackets I’ve kept.

I really need to replace the bottom button. This is the best Aero I’ve ever had. Hands down.

 

[Aloysius]

I’d tell myself to order the Rockafella ya dumb ba***rd. One of two finished side jackets I’ve kept.
View attachment 596532
I really need to replace the bottom button. This is the best Aero I’ve ever had. Hands down.

I’ve been drawn to this thing for years, especially in roughout rust suede but at the time I was ready to order one they weren’t doing it in suede for some reason.

I‘m kind of glad I didn’t then though because I would have gotten it too short like my Field is. (I took TFL specific numbers for too long/short too seriously–my own fault–without compensating for the fact that I’m taller than average or indeed paying attention to the fact that the tall-sized vintage originals for most of the jackets we talk about were like 3” longer than the regular versions!)

 

[torfjord]

I'm going to add to this list: don't buy an aero jacket with the Premier collar in CXL. The neck hole is shaped like a vertical button hole, and the collar digs into the sides of your neck. You'll feel it too with their softer more forgiving leathers, but it's not as bothersome. But the CXL, it's brutal. For the life of me I can't figure out why they designed the Premier collar neck hole as a vertical oblong instead of a round comfy circle

Never had an Aero with a Premier collar but that's exactly what it looks like on everyone wearing it. Pinching the neck. Good to have it confirmed from someone with hands-on experience.

 

[MrProper]

Never had an Aero with a Premier collar but that's exactly what it looks like on everyone wearing it. Pinching the neck. Good to have it confirmed from someone with hands-on experience.

I wouldn't exactly describe the neck hole as a vertical buttonhole. What is noticeable on closer inspection, however, is that the shape at the back of the neck is rather straight, whereas on other jackets it is rather round and therefore slightly wider.
That's why I have 1 cm more back length with Aero jackets, because the measuring point, i.e. the collar seam, is slightly higher. I have the Premier 2 x in Badalassi and 1 x in CXSH and don't find it a problem, at least for my neck. But yes, if you are more sensitive or have a wider neck, it can be noticeable and possibly even uncomfortable if you wear the jacket all day.

 

[robinsongreen68]

interesting to read this thread, i just got a second hand regular highwayman in fqhh. the fit seems as i'd hoped, short and boxy. haven't really had a chance to assess the comfort yet but it doesn't seem too bad (of course it's already somewhat broken in).
anyway based on this, i'm already considering getting another in a lighter more 'year round' leather. any recommendations? i'm thinking about pinnacle, or perhaps something even lighter.

 

[Canuck Panda]

Pinnacle +1

 

[STPmotor]

Has anyone successfully, or unsuccessfully tried to customize the Aero neck hole for this pinching issue alone?

I have a Premier Highwayman with a Premier collar - for me at least, given my build its a great fitting pattern. Not to sound too much like an Aero fanboy but - I feel like I'm carrying the jacket appropriately on my shoulders, & no collar-to-pit creases to boot.

However the collar squeezes my SCM muscles quite noticeably - like a dress shirt that's half a size too small. It's bearable...but wondering if I could spec one wider

 

[Canuck Panda]

1930s Highwayman with a 1950s Highwayman collar?

I wish for that to happen too!

Maybe this photo below can help to make the case, left jacket is a 1930s jacket that looks like it has the Aero 50s Hwyman collar, and the right jacket has the Aero 30s Hwyman collar, both are said to be 1930s jacket... So maybe this could be used as an supporting statement. Although I have neither of these vintage beauties, just judging from the photos.

A wild guess that it (the oblong shape 1930s shirt collar) can be broken in, similar to how we widen the collar spread with clips, but with our necks. Work those neck side and back muscles! It would be easier if Aero just take custom requests to put that 50s wider collar on the 30s Hwyman, maybe it's a (new) 40's Hwyman?

FWIW, I do have a Sheene-Highwayman custom jacket in the queue. The Sheene looks like it has the 50s Highwayman collar, but it also looks like it may have the forward rotated collar like the Cafe Racer. And I ordered the jacket in CXL FQHH too...

Aero does one of the nicest jobs on Highwayman jackets, but they don't have enough versions of it to satisfy all different types of customers. Just look at how many different Perfecto models Schott has, and Aero only has 3 or 4 different Highwaman models. I think they could easily expand the offering to at least 6 to 7 different kinds of Highwaymans with small differences here and there. Highwayman is as important to Aero as Perfecto is to Schott, why let other maker have any opportunities. Just my two cents.