Leather Pea Coats?

[marksperbug]

You can pick up supposedly vintage, genuine u-boat peacoats on eBay for less money than that. If one of those appears and is in your size, why not go for it?

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yup,i agree.

 

[normanf]

For me there are a couple of factors.

Leather isn't all that warm, no matter how heavy. A good woolen peacoat will be warmer (better insulation) and allow better movement - being less stiff or cumbersome.

A leather 3/4 length coat such as you described will also be very heavy. I have owned dozens of leather jackets and find for my tate the heavy jackets are a pain to wear. Essentially they are uncomfortable - at around 7 pounds, no wonder.

I personally would get a jacket that weighs no more that 4.5 pounds and one you can wear layers underneath for warmth.

Agreed. You want a wool - or better nylon peacoat with a polyester lining. Will be just as warm and won't be as cumbersome. That's the reason full length leather peacoats aren't desirable. They are just too heavy and they don't insulate as well as a peacoat made of lighter and yet tough materials.

 

[Philalethes]

I "forth" the request to see your peacoat pictures, Cheech. I was even thinking about this the other day...

 

[esteban68]

Got this about a month ago, I don't think there's much age to it but thought I'd post it for interest, it is similar in design to the Swedish blanket lined military issue coats you see occassionaly, the buttons are very similar indeed(I own both), the rear upper shoulder design and front shoulders too are finished in the same way as are the cuff straps, however the collar is smaller on this one and there are two chest handwarmer pockets.;

pocket linings are a pretty thick soft serge /cotton, leather is just under 4mm when doubled over and uncompressed,

 

[esteban68]

and a few more;

there are two inside pockets, the left one has a zip fastener and both are leather lined roughly 1/3rd of the way down

the cuff fastening has only one button unlike the Swedish military issue coats;

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It is/was made by Private Planet whoever they were/are, it is a medium and I am a 42" and it fits almost perfectly just a tad (3/4") long on the sleeves if I want to be picky,lining is a quilted viscose

I nearly didn't buy it as I really wanted a brown one imagine leaving it on the rack!... the good lady wife prompted me to buy it as it fit so well and I left the charity shop a whole £10 poorer and still unsure but now after wearing it almost non stop since(it's already around freezing over here!) I love it...but I am still on the look out for a brown one!
Not sure I'd agree on the weight thing, this weighs just a tad under 6 1/2 lbs and I don't find it too heavy or cumbersome though the leather is soft whereas my Swedish issue coat is very stiff and cumbersome, as to warmth my Swedish coat is VERY warm though this modern 'version' not so much...the worst thing if I am honest is the coldness of the leather against your neck when you turn it up,the Swedish ones have a fur collar as standard)...however the good lad wife has promised me a rabbit fur removable collar, I might even get her to do a full removable rabbit fur lining!!!

 

[Seb Lucas]

.....and now, for those of us on a budget:

No offence, but I'd rather wear a fleece top than them.

 

[esteban68]

Not sure I understand? quality wise in relation to sewing and finish it's every bit as good as the Swedish army coat I also have, the leather on this is far more supple(and may be of a lower quality granted) cut is easily as good if not better as it's not such a slim cut and the sleeves aren't as baggy , it's also a bit lighter due to no blanket lining.

 

[Tony B]

Esteban have a look at this threadhttp://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?60902-Best-Vintage-WWI-era-German-Leather-Jacket

In your size you should be able to turn something up on german ebay....your probably going to have to invest more than a tenner thought you jammy git.

If you had posted a couple of weeks earlier I could have sent you a link to one on brit ebay in brown that went for buy now price of £40, like yours, no age to it but at that price very choppable and one of those with a fur or mouton collar would be a very handsome winter coat.....very fokker dreidecker.

I must admit I was thinking bunny wabbit for a collar as well and if I turned a cheap old fur coat up the idea of a fur lining did cross my mind but down here it probably wouldn't get that much use...a wax cotton one of the other hand would be handy down here.

Regards Tony

 

[Philalethes]

Great find, esteban! Epecially for 10 pounds! Good luck finding a similar one in brown.

6 1/2 lbs. is also the weight of my Barnstormer, and I likewise do not find it too heavy.

By the way, I don't think Seb's comments were directed towards your purchase: I think he was referring to the "fashion" jackets included in his post.

 

[esteban68]

Great find, esteban! Epecially for 10 pounds! Good luck finding a similar one in brown.

6 1/2 lbs. is also the weight of my Barnstormer, and I likewise do not find it too heavy.

By the way, I don't think Seb's comments were directed towards your purchase: I think he was referring to the "fashion" jackets included in his post.

Ah I think I misread the post, I have to admit to being very tempted to get my Swedish leather coat altered by losing the fur collar and reducing the size of the collar itself and having the blanket lining removed but though A. it would be expensive? and B . it would ruin the originality of the coat;I am just looking forward to some very cold weather like last winters so I can wear the thing as it's far too warm above 5 c !

it looks kinda blue in the pics but it's really a very, very dark brown almost black, the belt which appears original however is definately more brown...

 

[Seb Lucas]

I was obviously referring to the photos in my post, e68. Not sure how you got that confused. Your coat seems a decent item.

 

[Fifty150]

No offence, but I'd rather wear a fleece top than them.

Agreed. I don't think any military, ever, issued their pea coat in leather. If I want a leather coat, I get a leather coat. If I want a pea coat, I get a pea coat. Otherwise, it would be like buying a polyester A-2.

 

[esteban68]

I was obviously referring to the photos in my post, e68. Not sure how you got that confused. Your coat seems a decent item.

I can only plead insanity Seb!

 

[Philalethes]

Ah I think I misread the post, I have to admit to being very tempted to get my Swedish leather coat altered by losing the fur collar and reducing the size of the collar itself and having the blanket lining removed but though A. it would be expensive? and B . it would ruin the originality of the coat;I am just looking forward to some very cold weather like last winters so I can wear the thing as it's far too warm above 5 c ! it looks kinda blue in the pics but it's really a very, very dark brown almost black, the belt which appears original however is definately more brown...

Hi estaban,

I wouldn't alter the coat as you describe: it seems it would hardly be a Swedish coat anymore without the collar or blanket lining. And since you just bought the black coat above, which is a better warmer winter weather coat, I would recommend keeping the Swedish coat for those cold days. 5 C isn't that cold, so you should be able to get some wear out of it. If not, why not sell it on the Lounge? (I'm a size 38 ...)

By the way, what is the button configuration on the Swedish coat? It appears to have enough fabric to be double-breasted but only seems to have one set of buttons. Edit: looking again, I seem to see a set of button holes.

 

[esteban68]

It's is double breasted but has 1 button missing, though I may remove the two spare under the cuff adjusters and use one of them as I'll never alter the cuff.
I've since thought on and I am gonna leave it alone...I just need a hanger and a clothes rail strong enough to take it!...I am quite looking forward to the really cold weather so I can wear it to work as people turn up in all sorts of strange attire!

 

[Dinerman]

Just picked this one up. Unmarked. Corduroy lining- striped sleeve and pocket linings.

 

[Peacoat]

Good score. Don't know where you find these coats and jackets, but you certainly have a nose for it.

 

[guygardner]

Nice coat. Color seems to suit the style as well IMO. Was that an ebay find? I saw the exact same model on ebay a few months ago.