Help with custom Aero Jacket sizing and cxl Horsehide vs Steerhide?

[benami]

I recently purchased a used aero cafe racer size 36 that I absolutely love but sadly it just doesn't fit as I'd like especially length wise (if someone is interested in getting this beauty it's for sale, feel free to message me) I decided to go the custom route and want your opinions on sizing to ask for and leather choice. (aware that high rise jeans might make it look better but 99% of the time I wear the jacket with untuck t shirt and opened up so prefer the jacket to be longer)

The one I got is cxl fqhh and I love the patina and would like my custom one to be as close as possible after it patina and heard cxl steerhide is pretty much the same but breaks in faster and more comfortable. what I really like about the fqhh is that even after being broken in and patina there's not too much graining its still pretty smooth, is the steerhide the same in that regard or more grainy than the fqhh? and should I go the tumbled option or does that add a lot of grain?

the jacket in the pictures measurements
pit to pit - 53.5 cm / 21 inch
shoulders - 44.5 cm / 17.5 inch
hem - 45 cm / 17.7 inch
back length - 60.5 cm / 23.8 inch
sleeve - 59 cm / 23.2 inch

how much do you recommend I add to the jacket back length and front drop (pictured jacket has minimal front drop maybe 0.5 inch) so it'll be just under the belt (belt is 1.5 inch) and how much to the sleeves so after breaking in it'll drop an inch more than what it currently does on this jacket.
should I increase the shoulders a bit to 18 inch? the shoulders seem ok but a tiny bit tight.
how much should I add to hem and pit to pit if any?

does it matter if I ask the custom aero to be based on size 36 or 38? on this 36 I really like how the sleeves are close fitting to my forearm and wrists.

lastly I'm in Canada do you recommend I go through aero directly or thurston bros?

 

[MrProper]

what I really like about the fqhh is that even after being broken in and patina there's not too much graining its still pretty smooth

I wouldn't bet on that being the case in every instance. It varies from batch to batch.

Fqhh


Steer

 

[benami]

I wouldn't bet on that being the case in every instance. It varies from batch to batch.

Fqhh
View attachment 766545

Steer
View attachment 766546

Oh great example! thanks for the comparison pictures! between the cxl horse and steer how would you rate them comfort wise at the start and after breaking in from 1-10?

 

[TartuWolf]

IMO you'd be paying a ton of money to get a 10% better (fitting) jacket.
But if you're sure about it then just add a bit of length length to the body and sleeves, I wouldn't touch the width unless you feel restricted (apart from the bottom hem due to adding length). 0.5-1" to the back and 1-1.5" to the front. I like longer sleeves so I'd add 1" to the sleeves, but 0.5" if you like them shorter.
Get tumbled only if you're really impatient about the break-in, but I'd advise against it.
I doubt you could tell the difference between FQHH and SH unless told explicitly which is which. But on paper SH is easier to break in and ends up softer and grainier while FQHH ends up stiffer and smoother.

My FQHH Hooch Hauler has both qualities depending on the panel:

So it's mostly a toss up. Either will do fine, no way you'd regret either choice. FQHH has a bit more exclusivity due to it being horse.
For some reason CXL (only FQHH or SH too?) now has an upcharge, which seems silly to me.

PS: Consider keeping the zipper start around where it is now or 0.5" lower despite increasing length more. I like that setup on CRs after getting my altered. Really helps with the stiff leather and bending/sitting down while zipped.

 

[RDS]

So it's mostly a toss up. Either will do fine, no way you'd regret either choice. FQHH has a bit more exclusivity due to it being horse.
For some reason CXL (only FQHH or SH too?) now has an upcharge, which seems silly to me.

Aero Leather appear to only have a surcharge on their CXFQHH, not CXSH. Presumably this is because it’s a more costly hide to obtain from Horween than CXSH.
That being the case if you want a jacket made from a leather which is more expensive than another hide then it would make sense that you have to pay extra for it.
Otherwise, if the prices for both Horween leathers were the same then either Aero Leather would be making a loss on CXFQHH, or those who wanted CXSH would be subsidising the CXFQHH jackets because they’d be paying more.

Also, Simmons Bilt charge an additional £250 for a jacket made from what they call ‘Horween CXL Steer Brown’

 

[TartuWolf]

Simmons Bilt charge an additional £250 for a jacket made from what they call ‘Horween CXL Steer Brown’

That's a "we don't want to deal with this **** anymore" fee haha.

 

[newtojackets]

IMO you'd be paying a ton of money to get a 10% better (fitting) jacket.
But if you're sure about it then just add a bit of length length to the body and sleeves, I wouldn't touch the width unless you feel restricted (apart from the bottom hem due to adding length). 0.5-1" to the back and 1-1.5" to the front. I like longer sleeves so I'd add 1" to the sleeves, but 0.5" if you like them shorter.
Get tumbled only if you're really impatient about the break-in, but I'd advise against it.
I doubt you could tell the difference between FQHH and SH unless told explicitly which is which. But on paper SH is easier to break in and ends up softer and grainier while FQHH ends up stiffer and smoother.

My FQHH Hooch Hauler has both qualities depending on the panel:
View attachment 766570

So it's mostly a toss up. Either will do fine, no way you'd regret either choice. FQHH has a bit more exclusivity due to it being horse.
For some reason CXL (only FQHH or SH too?) now has an upcharge, which seems silly to me.

PS: Consider keeping the zipper start around where it is now or 0.5" lower despite increasing length more. I like that setup on CRs after getting my altered. Really helps with the stiff leather and bending/sitting down while zipped.
View attachment 766569

Seconding this- i would stick to the current one

 

[benami]

Seconding this- i would stick to the current one

the length just looks too short and bad when I'm wearing my usual t shirt untuck for these pictures I raised my pants high and used a belt which I normally don't do this is my normal way of going out

 

[Tom71]

I agree that sleeves and torso look too short.

I wouldn’t overthink the chances. Just show the photos to Denny/Holly at Aero (or Carrie, if you decide to go via TB) and get their thoughts. It’s not much that’s missing from “perfect”.

As to shoulders and hem - if you feel restricted, do voice it by any means. It looks good in that department, but personally I don’t want to bother with a jacket thats not comfortable to wear anymore.

I am a fan of CXL FQHH, so that would be my choice. It’s not the most pleasing of hides in terms of break-in or wearing it in milder temps (zero breatheability), but it does look and age spectacularly. I wouldn’t go near the tumbled alternatives, as I’ve been disappointed in how they feel compared to the “real thing”, but that’s strictly subjective.

 

[benami]

Thanks for the advice! @Tom71 @TartuWolf @MrProper @RDS @newtojackets my next thing to decide is the lining do you have advice on lining for this type of jacket what would be your top 2 lining from aero? and if anyone have worn both type of leather to breaking in point how do they scale on comfort level from 1-10?

 

[JacketFit08]

Firstly you have a great leather jacket here. I enjoy looking at this type of leather from Aero. It is quality, a lovely shine and thick. You (or the next) are going to get good wear out of this regardless.

I have two Aero jackets (Brown and black in FQHHCXL) and they are giving of lots of shine still after around 8 years of wear. The more you wear it, the more it will feel better on. I wear mine often and enjoy the break in phase and also once they are broken in. I do see however, the length is a bother for you. I would add to it a little. The others have mentioned great info already - agree with this.

Last thing I would say as a fellow Canadian is that I love wearing leather jackets and when it gets cold I try to push through as long as I can. So think about layering or how cold you can stand when wearing these jackets. These beauties deserve to be worn a lot.

Wish you best with your choices!

 

[AeroFan_07]

Having done several custom Aero's in the past, I simply 100% recommend Thurston Brothers for your order. Sure it may cost a little more overall, but Carrie will help you nail the fit, and they tend to order their jackets a bit longer (sleeves & body) anyway so that will already be easier. Just reach out to her and inquire.

I prefer CXSH. The Steer after ~ 10-15 minutes warms up and is a bit easier to work with on an everyday basis. That said, I really do not wear Aero jackets anymore, I prefer other brands but do miss some of the amazing (appearance-wise) leathers. Being in windy Iowa, I zip up my jacket 99.8% of the time, and the #5 zippers with the heavy Steer or Horse hide just is not fun to deal with. Finally, I have found other brands with a pattern that works with my body better, so while my screen name remains the same and I have a lot of respect for Aero & Thurston Brothers, I no longer have any Aero jackets at all.

 

[MrProper]

Thanks for the advice! @Tom71 @TartuWolf @MrProper @RDS @newtojackets my next thing to decide is the lining do you have advice on lining for this type of jacket what would be your top 2 lining from aero? and if anyone have worn both type of leather to breaking in point how do they scale on comfort level from 1-10?

As I have already mentioned elsewhere, I would only choose CXFQHH if the color is not available in CXSH. I simply find it more comfortable to wear. Even after wearing my FQHH extensively, I could still stand it up, whereas the CXSH collapses.
I can't rate it on a scale, especially since what counts as a 10? For me, a 10 would be a fabric jacket, e.g., my N-B2.
And visually, there is no difference for me. If someone told me that my CXSH is actually FQHH, I couldn't refute it based on visual characteristics.
If you want FQHH because of the horse status, go for horse; if you want something reasonably comfortable, go for steer. Of course, always in relation to CXL. My Vicenza horse is more comfortable than CXSH.

Regarding lining... what are your requirements for the lining?
I have cotton twill, satin, wool tartan, and moleskin. I don't find wool tartan any warmer than cotton twill drill/satin, but it's scratchy. I find satin and moleskin the most comfortable to wear.
For a new jacket, I would try corduroy.

 

[RDS]

Firstly, the Aero Cafe Racer has the internal leather kidney panel which helps to protect whatever lining is selected at one of the more obvious wear points. Even so, for reasons of longevity I would go for cotton drill, or if a heavier weight lining is wanted then it would probably be Harris Tweed.
Some of the other available linings, especially the Lochgarron tartans, may look more attractive, but they won’t have the same wear resistance. And if a more eyecatching lining is preferred just choose the Red cotton drill as this would contrast well with either a black or brown jacket
It may take some time but with regular usage all the linings are going to suffer wear, particularly where they rub on the internal leather seams of the jacket or the belt loops of jeans. And although not in any way more uncomfortable the seams will probably be a little more prominent with CXFQHH and CXSH as they are thicker and stiffer hides.

It is for this reason that I would select cotton drill or Harris tweed if I were ordering a new jacket.

 

[Tom71]

Thanks for the advice! @Tom71 @TartuWolf @MrProper @RDS @newtojackets my next thing to decide is the lining do you have advice on lining for this type of jacket what would be your top 2 lining from aero? and if anyone have worn both type of leather to breaking in point how do they scale on comfort level from 1-10?

I would go for the Cotton Twill. It´s easy to wear and durable.

The Llocharron linings are very beautiful (if you can ever make up your mind between the nearly 600 designs!!!), but not hard-wearing. They are prone to wear and tear at friction points which I find disappointing on a heavy jacket. Not a biggie to get repaired, but I usually never have issues with the lining and simply find the Llocharrons age prematurely.

 

[RDS]

I notice ‘Cotton Twill’ has been referred to in a couple of posts above, however I don’t believe Aero Leather actually offer ‘Twill’ as a lining (at least it’s not in their ‘Linings Guide’) and in case there’s any confusion this fabric is actually called ‘Cotton Drill’

https://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/content/pdfs/our-linings.pdf

 

[MrProper]

I notice ‘Cotton Twill’ has been referred to in a couple of posts above, however I don’t believe Aero Leather actually offer ‘Twill’ as a lining (at least it’s not in their ‘Linings Guide’) and in case there’s any confusion this fabric is actually called ‘Cotton Drill’

http://[URL]https://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/content/pdfs/our-linings.pdf

[/URL]

Exactly. I also meant cotton drill and wrote twill

Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Tom71]

Exactly. I also meant cotton drill and wrote twill

Thanks for clarifying.

...and I got coerced into following suit. .

I meant the Cotton Drill from Aero´s homepage. It´s a good fabric.

 

[RDS]

...and I got coerced into following suit. .

I meant the Cotton Drill from Aero´s homepage. It´s a good fabric.

Indeed, it is a good, hardwearing fabric and I don’t think it’s just coincidence that in their guide Aero Leather say:
‘Cotton Drill’s quality and versatility has made it our “default” lining fabric for most of our range’

 

[Leathergato]

When I ordered jackets from Aero in CXL FQHH Holly had recommended the cotton drill because it was more durable for the heavier leathers.