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Field Leathers

MrProper

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,375
Location
Europe
I should’ve clarified - what’s the build quality comparison here? Are Aero and FL pretty similar?
I think the quality is equally good from both. It's more a matter of taste which one you prefer.
As Handymike and Canuck say, Aero is more rugged, which personally appeals to me more in a leather jacket than this fine, almost delicate one. And Aeros fit me better.
Great info here. I sent Greg a message on Instagram. @MrProper Hiw did you communicate with him?
Back then with Instagram messages. How does it work today? Probably by email. No idea ;)
 

Gav

Practically Family
Messages
528
Location
UK
I don't have a FL Route 66 so I can't give direct help there. But Mr Proper has the very first FL Route 66 and he has an Aero BR on the way so he would know best the difference between the two. However, also note that Greg has been tweaking his cuts and constructions since he started so things may be different now than he first started.

Like HandyMike said, the look is different. Greg use smaller needles. Aero uses bigger needles. Neither is better or worse they just give very different looks.

Real Mccoys (is somewhere in the middle) vs Aero (is more rugged) vs Field (is less rugged, although he can accomodate, like Marc's jacket)
View attachment 513080

My best advise is to pick your leather first, that's half the jacket in every leather jacket.
The jacket in the middle - is the puckering on the zipper stitching from age or is it a construction thing?
 

Canuck Panda

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,730
The jacket in the middle - is the puckering on the zipper stitching from age or is it a construction thing?
The creases are from wearing not from construction. I also store some of my jackets rolled up to speed up the creases.
 
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Damon141

Practically Family
Messages
928
I should’ve clarified - what’s the build quality comparison here? Are Aero and FL pretty similar?
Please Do not make the mistake I did and buy into stitch count equals build quality, you will get just as nice of a jacket with any of the recommended makers on this board.

ALL BRANDS have some flawed sections on some of their jackets, even the famed Japanese brands. When your jacket fits great then the difference between 9 stitches per inch versus 5 stitches per inch becomes redundant. As long as there are not major flaws that certain brands are known for.

With that said it is well known Greg has some serious skills on that walking foot machine.
 

BisonT4R

New in Town
Messages
36
Please Do not make the mistake I did and buy into stitch count equals build quality, you will get just as nice of a jacket with any of the recommended makers on this board.

ALL BRANDS have some flawed sections on some of their jackets, even the famed Japanese brands. When your jacket fits great then the difference between 9 stitches per inch versus 5 stitches per inch becomes redundant. As long as there are not major flaws that certain brands are known for.

With that said it is well known Greg has some serious skills on that walking foot machine.
Thanks a bunch for the insight here. I really like the look/idea of the Seven in the Pinnacle HH cognac with contrast stitching as my first custom jacket. Plenty of years to build out a collection and get into the exotics and one offs. I’ll never be able to wear much of the non-custom Japanese stuff so that’s not even really on my radar for now (outside of Fine Creek’s longer cut).

Now just to decide on shoulder gussets for the Seven. My fit jacket from Carrie arrives this week.
 

Aloysius

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,000
Please Do not make the mistake I did and buy into stitch count equals build quality, you will get just as nice of a jacket with any of the recommended makers on this board.

ALL BRANDS have some flawed sections on some of their jackets, even the famed Japanese brands. When your jacket fits great then the difference between 9 stitches per inch versus 5 stitches per inch becomes redundant. As long as there are not major flaws that certain brands are known for.

With that said it is well known Greg has some serious skills on that walking foot machine.

I’m proud of you, lol. I still remember the “Why is no one else as good as Japanese brands?” era.
 

Daniel Veit

One of the Regulars
Messages
177
Badalassi is about to make a return...
Screenshot_20230509_143901_com.instagram.android.jpg
 

TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,286
@TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead you have to post about that jacket of yours Greg shared!
haha, sure thing. In all honesty, photographing this thing is really hard. Especially the back, I can't get the right angle to showcase it, but I'll post a few front shots in the meantime.

The brown pony is a dream, no doubt my best leather all things considered. Weight is in-between a Vic and FQHH but totally pliable, soft, supple. All the good qualities of CXL, none of the bad. Just lights out. But I can see why Greg doesn't want to work with it. Matching panels has got to be a pain and there's a lot of marks and scarring. I also learned the hard way it probably shouldn't get wet and be exposed to sun (some water marks and staining). Color varies so much depending on lighting. I would say generally it's in the walnut stain range with a tinge of cherry wood. There's lots of black undertones/freckling.

Design was La Brea inspired with lots of changes to front (remove belt, epaulettes, change to snap pocket). Back is pretty much a LaBrea rip off. Liner was dealer's choice and I think Sam/Greg did well. At last second we added the sleeve cuff studs.

Fit is pretty close to what I wanted. Reason why I got it wet and hung in the sun was to tighten it up a little bit and help with the sleeve creases. But I have room for a mid weight sweatshirt. I did pad the stats a 1/4 inch at last second because of all the winter binging, but probably didn't need to. I wanted it longer as I like how my J24L fits, but I wouldn't argue with you if you said it should be a little shorter. I definitely recommend getting the fit jacket though as a few major things were caught. Most importantly the shoulder bulging thing that has been discussed. I ended up asking for the patented "Marc" rotation and I think that did the trick.

Some tiny nit picky things that only the obsessed think about but literally detract nothing. I think the lapels could be a little wider and flare out a little deeper. Given the lack of pockets, that might have balanced out the negative space better. Maybe the D Pocket placed a tiny bit higher, again for same reason of the spacing. I might have gone .25 too long on the sleeves, but from experience, these are going to come up a little more so I'm not worried about it. At some point, I might pimp out the snap, maybe some sort of GoodArt Hollywood kind of thing. Greg doesn't have much variety to pick from as part of his stock.

Diff in color, shade vs sun:

20230509_083401.jpg


IMG_20230507_145855_924a.jpg


Some examples of the brilliant craftsmanship Greg is known for. Also note the variance in grain, panels, etc. Probably not good for a picky customer expecting some sort of homogenized treatment.

20230507_124917.jpg
20230426_113609.jpg
20230507_125403.jpg


And fit:

20230507_140714.jpg
20230507_140814.jpg
 

JCSD

Practically Family
Messages
904
haha, sure thing. In all honesty, photographing this thing is really hard. Especially the back, I can't get the right angle to showcase it, but I'll post a few front shots in the meantime.

The brown pony is a dream, no doubt my best leather all things considered. Weight is in-between a Vic and FQHH but totally pliable, soft, supple. All the good qualities of CXL, none of the bad. Just lights out. But I can see why Greg doesn't want to work with it. Matching panels has got to be a pain and there's a lot of marks and scarring. I also learned the hard way it probably shouldn't get wet and be exposed to sun (some water marks and staining). Color varies so much depending on lighting. I would say generally it's in the walnut stain range with a tinge of cherry wood. There's lots of black undertones/freckling.

Design was La Brea inspired with lots of changes to front (remove belt, epaulettes, change to snap pocket). Back is pretty much a LaBrea rip off. Liner was dealer's choice and I think Sam/Greg did well. At last second we added the sleeve cuff studs.

Fit is pretty close to what I wanted. Reason why I got it wet and hung in the sun was to tighten it up a little bit and help with the sleeve creases. But I have room for a mid weight sweatshirt. I did pad the stats a 1/4 inch at last second because of all the winter binging, but probably didn't need to. I wanted it longer as I like how my J24L fits, but I wouldn't argue with you if you said it should be a little shorter. I definitely recommend getting the fit jacket though as a few major things were caught. Most importantly the shoulder bulging thing that has been discussed. I ended up asking for the patented "Marc" rotation and I think that did the trick.

Some tiny nit picky things that only the obsessed think about but literally detract nothing. I think the lapels could be a little wider and flare out a little deeper. Given the lack of pockets, that might have balanced out the negative space better. Maybe the D Pocket placed a tiny bit higher, again for same reason of the spacing. I might have gone .25 too long on the sleeves, but from experience, these are going to come up a little more so I'm not worried about it. At some point, I might pimp out the snap, maybe some sort of GoodArt Hollywood kind of thing. Greg doesn't have much variety to pick from as part of his stock.

Diff in color, shade vs sun:

View attachment 515684

View attachment 515686

Some examples of the brilliant craftsmanship Greg is known for. Also note the variance in grain, panels, etc. Probably not good for a picky customer expecting some sort of homogenized treatment.

View attachment 515682 View attachment 515685 View attachment 515683

And fit:

View attachment 515694 View attachment 515695
Damn that jacket is sweet!
 

jeo

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,080
Location
Philadelphia
haha, sure thing. In all honesty, photographing this thing is really hard. Especially the back, I can't get the right angle to showcase it, but I'll post a few front shots in the meantime.

The brown pony is a dream, no doubt my best leather all things considered. Weight is in-between a Vic and FQHH but totally pliable, soft, supple. All the good qualities of CXL, none of the bad. Just lights out. But I can see why Greg doesn't want to work with it. Matching panels has got to be a pain and there's a lot of marks and scarring. I also learned the hard way it probably shouldn't get wet and be exposed to sun (some water marks and staining). Color varies so much depending on lighting. I would say generally it's in the walnut stain range with a tinge of cherry wood. There's lots of black undertones/freckling.

Design was La Brea inspired with lots of changes to front (remove belt, epaulettes, change to snap pocket). Back is pretty much a LaBrea rip off. Liner was dealer's choice and I think Sam/Greg did well. At last second we added the sleeve cuff studs.

Fit is pretty close to what I wanted. Reason why I got it wet and hung in the sun was to tighten it up a little bit and help with the sleeve creases. But I have room for a mid weight sweatshirt. I did pad the stats a 1/4 inch at last second because of all the winter binging, but probably didn't need to. I wanted it longer as I like how my J24L fits, but I wouldn't argue with you if you said it should be a little shorter. I definitely recommend getting the fit jacket though as a few major things were caught. Most importantly the shoulder bulging thing that has been discussed. I ended up asking for the patented "Marc" rotation and I think that did the trick.

Some tiny nit picky things that only the obsessed think about but literally detract nothing. I think the lapels could be a little wider and flare out a little deeper. Given the lack of pockets, that might have balanced out the negative space better. Maybe the D Pocket placed a tiny bit higher, again for same reason of the spacing. I might have gone .25 too long on the sleeves, but from experience, these are going to come up a little more so I'm not worried about it. At some point, I might pimp out the snap, maybe some sort of GoodArt Hollywood kind of thing. Greg doesn't have much variety to pick from as part of his stock.

Diff in color, shade vs sun:

View attachment 515684

View attachment 515686

Some examples of the brilliant craftsmanship Greg is known for. Also note the variance in grain, panels, etc. Probably not good for a picky customer expecting some sort of homogenized treatment.

View attachment 515682 View attachment 515685 View attachment 515683

And fit:

View attachment 515694 View attachment 515695

Wow that jacket is stunning and the fit is perfect too!

You can definitely see the cherry wood undertones on that gorgeous leather. The top lapels are curled so maybe that’s why you think they could be wider. You can always flatten them out if it bothers you.

Between this on your Thedi you don’t need anything else…well maybe some more Field and Thedi!
 

TooManyHatsOnlyOneHead

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,286
Wow that jacket is stunning and the fit is perfect too!

You can definitely see the cherry wood undertones on that gorgeous leather. The top lapels are curled so maybe that’s why you think they could be wider. You can always flatten them out if it bothers you.

Between this on your Thedi you don’t need anything else…well maybe some more Field and Thedi!
thanks, man. The collar is fine, we went a little wider than his usual spec and I purposely tried to give them some shape.

you notice the balance more when the jacket is fully zipped, but then again, probably won't wear it like that ever. anyway, like I said, very nit picky stuff, nothing to see here LOL.

Yeah, other than a Thedi down the road of some kind, I know I want one more, I'm pretty much done, or in the very least a very strict 1 in and 1 out. I'm at 13 leather jackets (not including shearling, shirts, and suede... all these considerations to keep my sanity LOL), and would like to get to 10 as my magic number. But I know my 2 sons are going to grab a jacket or two, so I'm pretty close.
 

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