fitted G-1 / M422a options

[the loco]

What are the best options here? There was a previous thread that compared G-1's from Alpha Industries, Cockpit USA and US Wings by Schott G-1.

Besides the Aero M422a and the Cockpit US Navy mil-spec G-1, that are great options, what other options should I look at?

 

[Sloan1874]

If you're feeling flush, Goodwear: http://www.goodwearleather.com/pages/m422_monarch.html

 

[Big J]

I would say go to Aero.
Ken got together with John from Goodwear and made me a great M442a!

 

[thor]

Eastman make a nice G-1 (a nice trim 55-J-14 version) as well as an M-422a. BK and LW also have versions of the G-1.

 

[Big J]

Eastman make a nice G-1 (a nice trim 55-J-14 version) as well as an M-422a. BK and LW also have versions of the G-1.

That's true. I have a LW G-1, it's great! Really great! But the price! Owch!

 

[the loco]

Thanks for the information, I have found Aero at $900, which seems reasonable considering the quality must be a step higher then the other option.

 

[the loco]

If you're feeling flush, Goodwear: http://www.goodwearleather.com/pages/m422_monarch.html

Not sure if it's twice as good as the Aero?

 

[nick123]

It looks like based on the measurements of the Aero M-422a in the classifieds, one would have to go up two sizes?? The BK one I briefly owned was a 42 (one up my usual size), and still felt pretty snug.

 

[devilish]

Just a word of caution, the early 55-J-14 can be a very trim pattern around the waste and torso. Check the measurements very carefully. If you want an Aero, maybe go through Insurrection/Thurston Brothers and get a fit jacket.
Good Wear really is as good as it gets but has a long wait list and are expensive. Aero have benefitted from the John Chapman expertise so are a pretty good bet.

 

[Sloan1874]

Not sure if it's twice as good as the Aero?

Given Aero's M422a is based on Goodwear's, it's a no-brainer. I was admiring one at the factory last week and the goat is fantastic. I was just giving you options if money was no limit and you were happy to wait to 2017 to get it. :eeek:

 

[Big J]

Given Aero's M422a is based on Goodwear's, it's a no-brainer. I was admiring one at the factory last week and the goat is fantastic. I was just giving you options if money was no limit and you were happy to wait to 2017 to get it. :eeek:

It really is a great jacket. I'm loving mine.

 

[HPA Rep]

The fit of the 55-J-14 is indeed trim. You can see fit images of the Eastman 55-J-14 and their M-422A on our affiliate thread here on TFL. Please take a look at this link; the M-422A is found on page 8 and the G-1 is on page 24:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...ervation-Associates-Official-Affiliate-Thread

You have many options and Bill Kelso is in the same sort of price range and makes a beautiful jacket. Eastman has been doing the USN styles quite well since the early 1990s and their latest incarnation of the G-1 and M-422A has been received with praises by many; we have sizes 38R-48R in stock now. Lost Worlds definitely has a loyal following, but I believe they offer the 7823 (AER) G-1, which may or may not be what you are seeking and I'm not sure if they offer an M-422A. Goodwear is deemed by many to be the omega but the lengthy turnaround and price can smoke some potential buyers, and don't confuse a Goodwear jacket with one made by others affiliated in a business relationship with Goodwear; that's not a John Chapman-made product. Do your homework and don't be afraid to ask plenty of questions from the brand reps. and/or manufacturers. Good luck and good hunting!

 

[Big J]

The fit of the 55-J-14 is indeed trim. You can see fit images of the Eastman 55-J-14 and their M-422A on our affiliate thread here on TFL. Please take a look at this link; the M-422A is found on page 8 and the G-1 is on page 24:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...ervation-Associates-Official-Affiliate-Thread

You have many options and Bill Kelso is in the same sort of price range and makes a beautiful jacket. Eastman has been doing the USN styles quite well since the early 1990s and their latest incarnation of the G-1 and M-422A has been received with praises by many; we have sizes 38R-48R in stock now. Lost Worlds definitely has a loyal following, but I believe they offer the 7823 (AER) G-1, which may or may not be what you are seeking and I'm not sure if they offer an M-422A. Goodwear is deemed by many to be the omega but the lengthy turnaround and price can smoke some potential buyers, and don't confuse a Goodwear jacket with one made by others affiliated in a business relationship with Goodwear; that's not a John Chapman-made product. Do your homework and don't be afraid to ask plenty of questions from the brand reps. and/or manufacturers. Good luck and good hunting!

This one?

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...liate-Thread&p=1751446&viewfull=1#post1751446

 

[nick123]

I will say, I've never seen it in person but I've always liked that what appears to be a more medium brown shade of goatskin on the Eastman M-422a jacket.

 

[Deacon211]

Hey J, how do you find the accuracy of the Aero? Looking on the website, I have always thought that the Aero G-1 didn't look quite right. Big collar, wide back belt, that sort of thing.

I have really come to like my Eastman G-1. My only complaints being the initial stiffness and the wear on the zipper area coming therefrom. But the fit, while trim, has got to be the best fitting G-1 I have ever owned.



Actually, although I find the leather to be a bit floppy, the Cockpit I tried in Pensacola also had a pretty nice military cut.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[flaminggroovy]

That's true. I have a LW G-1, it's great! Really great! But the price! Owch!

LW use outstanding material...dont look at the price

 

[Big J]

Hey J, how do you find the accuracy of the Aero? Looking on the website, I have always thought that the Aero G-1 didn't look quite right. Big collar, wide back belt, that sort of thing.

I have really come to like my Eastman G-1. My only complaints being the initial stiffness and the wear on the zipper area coming therefrom. But the fit, while trim, has got to be the best fitting G-1 I have ever owned.



Actually, although I find the leather to be a bit floppy, the Cockpit I tried in Pensacola also had a pretty nice military cut.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hi Deacon,

Long time no...er...'see'. How are you doing?

You know, I'd love to get my hands on one of those Eastman's in my size just to see what they're like. They look nice.

The Aero gets criticized sometimes for not being an 'authentic' replica, but Ken used a Gordon & Fergusson pattern for the first one he sent me (how can you get more authentic than that?), but there was a strange proportion, well, distortion isn't the right word, but the original G&F patterns for a size 50 (I'm a 48, but these WW2 era M442a/G-1s are proper trim) didn't suit my body shape.

I'm not Adonis by any measure, but you'd have to have the physique of Arnold Schwazenegger to have fit that; trim waist and big muscular shoulders and forearms.
Ken said that it was popular in Germany, and I can see some guys wearing one after their everyday iron pumping session.

So, after seeing pics of me wearing it, Ken consulted with John Chapman, who recommended that the Willis & Giger pattern would offer me a better fit. It is perfect.

Looking at your pic of you wearing your Eastman here, I would say that my Aero size 50 fits about the same around the shoulders and chest as your 48 Eastman does on you (and the same as all my issue E-series G-1s in a size 48), but from the chest down is a much trimmer fit.

The collar seems fine to me. I'm guessing that collar widths are the same for all sizes, so on a large size like mine, doesn't seem wide at all. In fact, it's not as wide as the collar on my Lost Worlds G-1 (which is the trimmest G-1 I own, very trim all through the body, and the sleeves, high arm openings- looks great though).
The belt on the back doesn't seem wide to me either, but maybe on a smaller sized jacket it might seem different?

The quality of the goat and the workmanship are great. Ken offered me a choice of seal browns, and I chose the darkest, it's nice, and Ken pays attention to things like making sure it's the correct weight.

I'd like to get two more in the future, that's how good it is.

I think the best thing would be if I ask my wife to take some photos at the weekend of me wearing the Aero, the LW, and the E-series, and then you'll be able to see how they compare.

 

[Big J]

LW use outstanding material...dont look at the price

Yeah, this is true. It is an awesome piece of work, and for that price, it has to be, but again, at that price, I'd be so unhappy if some clumsy jerk slammed into whilst they were walking and looking at their iPhone, and it got scuffed. At that price.

With the Aero, sure I'd be unhappy if it got scuffed by a fool, but I'm not so afraid of wearing it, and it picking up some character.

 

[Edward]

It looks like based on the measurements of the Aero M-422a in the classifieds, one would have to go up two sizes?? The BK one I briefly owned was a 42 (one up my usual size), and still felt pretty snug.

I think you're about right. I've owned an Aero AN6552 for a good few years, but sadly I'm going to have to sell it because it's just too neat on me and not getting the wear. I suspect that (much like a Schott 618) I really need a 46 in this one. (I'm a 42 in a HWM, 42 in a Bootlegger, which is based on the 50s HB pattern, and a 44 on the pre-war halfbelts and early A2 patterns.

LW use outstanding material...dont look at the price

Some of us jacket queens just aren't manly enough for a Lost Worlds jacket.

The Aero gets criticized sometimes for not being an 'authentic' replica, but Ken used a Gordon & Fergusson pattern for the first one he sent me (how can you get more authentic than that?), but there was a strange proportion, well, distortion isn't the right word, but the original G&F patterns for a size 50 (I'm a 48, but these WW2 era M442a/G-1s are proper trim) didn't suit my body shape.

I'm not Adonis by any measure, but you'd have to have the physique of Arnold Schwazenegger to have fit that; trim waist and big muscular shoulders and forearms.
Ken said that it was popular in Germany, and I can see some guys wearing one after their everyday iron pumping session.

So, after seeing pics of me wearing it, Ken consulted with John Chapman, who recommended that the Willis & Giger pattern would offer me a better fit. It is perfect.

I know what you mean about the shape of these jackets. Seems to me the USN jackets were cut much neater than the A2, as a rule, though all the photos I've seen of them in use show the guys wearing them much 'bigger' than tended to be the case with the USAAF and their A2s (insofar as there ever was a standardised A2 fit....).

 

[Big J]

I think you're about right. I've owned an Aero AN6552 for a good few years, but sadly I'm going to have to sell it because it's just too neat on me and not getting the wear. I suspect that (much like a Schott 618) I really need a 46 in this one. (I'm a 42 in a HWM, 42 in a Bootlegger, which is based on the 50s HB pattern, and a 44 on the pre-war halfbelts and early A2 patterns.



Some of us jacket queens just aren't manly enough for a Lost Worlds jacket.



I know what you mean about the shape of these jackets. Seems to me the USN jackets were cut much neater than the A2, as a rule, though all the photos I've seen of them in use show the guys wearing them much 'bigger' than tended to be the case with the USAAF and their A2s (insofar as there ever was a standardised A2 fit....).

If I was in peak physical fitness, with weeks of war-time physical training under my belt like a recruit straight out of high school, yeah, maybe it would be fine. But I'm 43, and fighting everyday not to get fatter. I got a 49 inch chest, and a 40 inch waist. My doctor tells me that waist measurement should be 10 inches less than chest as a general rule for men, so I think my size 50 Aero fits just fine.