Help choosing a jacket

[Tedquinton]

Edit: decision made I'm going for the A1.

Next question which leather?

Original cape skin. Nice drape, but easily damaged.

Goatskin: similar drape to capeskin, much tougher, but I have several goatskin G1's. I like it, but it does have a prominent grain.

Horsehide: tough, nice grain, but will it drape?

Has anyone seen an A1 made with Vicenza?

Mods, I hope it's ok to alter my thread like this I didn't want to start a new one and clutter the forum.

Many thanks again for all the constructive replies, really appreciate the help.


Hi

I've been racking my brain trying to decide between two jackets - Whether to buy an A1 or an aeromarine.

As I see it, I actually prefer the look of the A1, but whereas leather starts to look better the more it is worn, the knits of the A1 will, however well you look after them, start to deteriorate. Obviously you can have them replaced, but that will be both costly and will have some negative impact on the leather. Surely it's impossible to re-use the existing stitch marks.

Realistically how long will the knits last before needing replacement? I see many A2's from respected makers advertised on here, listed as excellent apart from a small area of darning or similar on the knits.

I know the obvious answer is to buy both, but that really isn't an option.

Which do you think would be the best choice.

Many thanks!

 

[bn1966]

I purchased an A-2 from Eastmans & then wore it every day pretty much for a few years. Cuffs and lining eventually needed replacement which given the service I'd had from the garment was OK by me.

I've got plenty of jackets that have had knit repairs, especially service issue garments where the darns become part of the jackets story.

Fairly recently I acquired an A-1 which is made from Cape hide. I love the simple design and the lightness of the garment which makes it ideal for warmer weather.

 

[nick123]

Go with the A-1. I wear my knitted jackets much more than anything else. I imagine needing a knit replacement in twenty years granted I'm still living.

 

[Fanch]

I have found that when I am grabbing a jacket on the fly, it is generally something without knits. So my choice would be the Aeromarine over the A-1. Just my personal preference.

 

[bn1966]

Incidentally, my A-1 gets lots of use & doesn't have such a 'military vibe' as some other jackets...it's become a firm favourite

 

[Tedquinton]

Thanks guys, I'm going with the A1...no hang on a moment perhaps the aeromarine...ah I think I'll have to toss a coin!

ok I'm going to try and get both pre-worn, got to be worth a try and put a WTB on the classifieds.

 

[Edward]

Personally I much prefer the Aeromarine, but you can't go wrong with either.

 

[Sloan1874]

How about the chocolate suede Aeromarine on the sale page?

 

[Mark]

I have an A1 in Capeskin. Great jacket, light and easy to wear. Would'nt worry about the knits they'll last years before they replacing. I am pretty sure you can reuse the same holes when attaching new knits too, in fact they can and have to, weaken the leather if not.
Only gripe I have with my A1 is the collar don't like staying down, keeps popping up!

 

[El Marro]

I have had a local tailor replace the knits on two flight jackets recently and he showed me how he painstakingly reused the existing thread holes on the sleeves and waist. As Mark said above, it would add perforations and weaken the leather if it were not done this way.

 

[Carlos840]

I wouldn't worry about knit replacement.

Someone who knows what they are doing should be able to stitch new knits using the same holes, and make knit replacement completely invisible.
When my girlfriend ordered her Aero there was a mistake made in the lining. They offered her the choice of keeping the wrong lining or having it changed.
Like you we were afraid changing the lining would leave marks, but they assured us it would be invisible, so we went for the lining swap.

Even with my OCD eye i couldn't spot a single wrong stitch hole or anything. It looks like it never happened.

 

[rocketeer]

I don't normally give advice, just my ideas on a design.
Personally I would take the Aeromarine for casual wear with A1 pockets without the pencil division(I'm not keen on the deep 'chevrons'

How about the chocolate suede Aeromarine on the sale page?

This is nice for general wear though suede is not my thing, with a nice quilted lining, it looks like it will fall naturally in with some modern and older fashions.

 

[Tedquinton]

Guys

Thanks for the reassurance regarding the knits. The A1 it is.

Sloan, I love suede, but I find it doesn't love the British weather! Cool jacket though.

BTW - Watched the 'Man who fell to earth' over the weekend. What loses we suffered in 2016.