A few preliminary questions before ordering an Aero A2

[Dr H]

Platon on VLJF (associated with the BK company) confirms that the newer 'contract' jackets are military sizes (I.e. One size below modern sizes), but the 'house' A-2 is tagged as size (modern size), but this will in time revert to mil. spec. size in time for consistency.

 

[Graemsay]

I have never heard of Goodyear jackets! I guess you mean Good Wear and yes they are the best you can buy being a happy owner of three GW A2s!

Aero use some nice hides on some of their A2s, but they do not get the details quite correct and are inferior to ELC A2s. The recent ELC price rise makes BK jackets an even better deal.

I typed Goodwear, but my phone decided to autocorrect. It's got an annoying habit of doing that.

I thought that the hide of the (only) Aero A2 I've seen was nicer than the Eastmans I saw at American Classics in London, but I haven't had a chance to compare them directly. Hence my preference for Aero over ELC.

Then again, I'd be looking for a jacket to wear around, rather than a historically accurate reproduction. Other people, particularly those at the VLJ forum will have a different opinion on what's important.

I do want a Good Wear (not Goodyear) at some point, though probably the M-422 rather than an A2. Whilst I'm not a vintage jacket fetishist, I get what he's doing, and the nerdish / obsessive side of me responds to that.

For the cost of an ELC or Aero in the US, I'd go for a Good Wear. And I'm a big fan of Aero's utility jackets (just talking to Amanda about another one).

 

[Dr H]

Embrace the nerdish side and let the obsessive run free ;-)
JC's naval jackets are a good choice - technically they appear even stronger than the A-2s in some cases.

 

[Graemsay]

You're probably right, but it's looking like my job is about to go south, so it might have to wait.