Aero lining - Tartan or Cotton Drill...?

[dan_t]

Hi all,
I'm well down the path of creating my next jacket with Holly & the final decision is the liner.
It will be a FQHH Brown hide & I am tossing up between the light weight Black Stewart Tartan or an Olive Cotton Drill lining.

To be very honest, there's not much in it for my mind and I could go either way, so I thought I'd reach out to ask for your experiences.

Holly has mentioned that with the heavier hides the Cotton Drill would be more durable (which is what I originally asked for), so I am inclined to go this way.
But there is something almost, authentic and traditional, about having a tartan liner from Aero. This is my first direct order, so I want to get this right.

I live in Sydney, Australia & it doesn't really get that cold here, so I do not require the warming benefits that some of you Northern Hemisphere folks do. It is purely down to the following 2 elements;
a) aesthetics
b) durability

Does anyone have any direct experience with the Black Stewart Tartan from Lochcarron & how it wear's over time?

As always, appreciate your input.

 

[gtdean48]

Tartan gets my vote.

 

[Fanch]

The light weight Black Stewart Tartan would IMO provide more pizzazz over an Olive Cotton Drill lining. I really like the simplicity, feel, look, and durability of cotton drill lining three of my Aeros (Pioneer, Mulligan, and Maxwell) and the sleeves of my Teamster (moleskin body shell lining). Can't go wrong with either of your choices, but if I were in your shoes, I would go with cotton drill throughout. However, I am not in your shoes.

 

[Sloan1874]

The light tartan isn't as warm as you'd imagine, and I've found it to be very durable - I've got it in two jackets - though obviously I'd keep the cotton drill in the sleeves.

 

[thor]

Tartan gets my vote.

+1

 

[Navydivedoc]

The light tartan isn't as warm as you'd imagine, and I've found it to be very durable - I've got it in two jackets - though obviously I'd keep the cotton drill in the sleeves.

+1

 

[dan_t]

Thanks everyone so far.
Sloan, that's the kind of thing I'm after really - real life user experiences after a few years.
Holly mentioned that the Tartan might not hold up as well as the cotton drill with a heavy leather. Now let's be honest, the cotton drill is (almost) bullet proof, so that's a somewhat obvious assumption.
I just don't want the light weight liner to wear out on key contact points after a couple of years, that's all. It'd cost me probably $200 Aussie dollars to send it back (both ways) in post alone to have it replaced down the track & I'd rather avoid that.
If however it is actually quite a robust material, it is most definitely in with a chance!

Keep the opinions coming & don't forget to vote!

 

[bretron]

Olive drill. More durable and palate neutral

 

[Edward]

Olive, but I'd consider a different tartan. I don't like mixing brown and black.

 

[Peacoat]

I have the lightweight wool (not Tartan but same thickness) in two jackets and the cotton drill. The cotton drill will never wear out. The tartan will wear at the high points within a year or so. I wear a cellphone and a Leatherman tool. There is a bit of wear on my wool linings where the tools rub against the lining. If you don't wear anything on your belt, the Tartan ought to be OK for a number of years. And as Fanch says, a lot more pizzazz with the Tartan.

 

[ProteinNerd]

Cotton drill in the arms, lightweight tartan for the body.

Thats what I've gone with each of my jackets so far, perfectly happy with it.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Cotton drill right through. I tried tartan once - so warm and uncomfortable in this climate - if you've got 3oz hide you're already pushing the boundaries. Just my subjective response.

Drill will wear much better is nice and neutral but it will start to fray and tear after 5-8 years. Especially if you wear the jacket a lot. Nothing serious but will require a few stitches in wear areas. Tartan with thin out and hole up quicker. Of course you'll probaly find someone who says they've had tartan for 20 years, they wear it in desert regions and it still looks new...

 

[Monitor]

Cotton drill right through. I tried tartan once - so warm and uncomfortable in this climate - if you've got 3oz hide you're already pushing the boundaries. Just my subjective response.

+1

Cotton drill all the way. Tartan is nice but I too can testify that it makes the jacket considerably warmer which shortens the time you can wear the jacket - plus I found it itchy, but that's entirely subjective.

I love the cotton drill Aero is using and olive cotton drill is my favorite of the four. Excellent fabric.

 

[Ribdoner]

Good fortune of havind a LW with drill and a couple of AEROS with tartan.

i prefer the tartan.

 

[bbq]

I have the Black Stewart in my new jacket and it looks very dramatic with dark brown leather. Only had the jacket for a month so I can't comment on how it holds up.

I vote for the tartan.

 

[dan_t]

Nice!!!

Very helpful indeed, thank you.
How would you describe it, does it feel particularly robust or delicate by any chance?

 

[nick123]

The durability of the drill was its selling point for me. But what attracted me to Aero in the first place were the colorful tartans! Next jacket I order will have a tartan lining. Life's too short. If it gets holed up, sure it will be an expense to replace, but again, life's too short!

 

[Edward]

I have the lightweight wool (not Tartan but same thickness) in two jackets and the cotton drill. The cotton drill will never wear out. The tartan will wear at the high points within a year or so. I wear a cellphone and a Leatherman tool. There is a bit of wear on my wool linings where the tools rub against the lining. If you don't wear anything on your belt, the Tartan ought to be OK for a number of years. And as Fanch says, a lot more pizzazz with the Tartan.

Sounds like it is the tools rubbing; I've yet to experience significant wear (the only small hole was due to a B!"£$%d moth that got in there...) on the tartan in my Bootlegger. It's certainly the case that the drill cotton will be harder wearing, though I wouldn't be put off the tartan by that alone.

FWIW, my regret with my Bootlegger is that I didn't think about sleeve lining, and they sent it as standard with moleskin. It's lovely, but very definitely limits the jacket's wear-time as weather gets warmer; I can get an extra coupel of weeks at the start of the Summer out of another FQHH jacket that has only cotton drill in the sleeves. I don't think the body makes as much difference in this particular case.

 

[Don Tomaso]

I have Tartan in a FQHH-jacket, cotton-drill in a Kudu-jacket and the "house"-tartan called Lannark in a OPHH-jacket. All are great, but given the climate you live in, I would suggest cotton, which would be Lannark or drill, and of these two I'ld take the Lannark in a brown FQHH. It is a bit "grabbier" than the cotton-drill, but it is so nice.

 

[IXL]

Every time I get a jacket with less than a heavy cotton drill, the lining gets shredded in the area which comes in contact with the top of my holstered handgun. I've several hobo-patched jackets as a result of this. But man, do I ever like those tartans!!