New U.S. Authentic A-2 Review

[Baggers]

Scotrace makes a great point regarding the fit. I have more than one jacket in my closet right now that I hardly wear because the fit is slightly off. Yeah, the sleeves may seem a bit long now, but once the jacket begins to break in.... Also, I hate sleeves that are just a touch on the short side. It bugs me when they ride up as I'm driving. I wouldn't fiddle with it.

Just get this one exchanged. If you want to get one of the high dollar "stitch perfect" repros later, you can always start prowling eBay or go directly to one of the sources. In the meantime you've still got a great fitting jacket you can enjoy.

Cheers!

 

[Kevin Popejoy]

You should have a good chance of finding a jacket on ebay. 40reg is a common size. I was in a similar situation a few months ago. I looked closely at US A but nailed an Eastman on ebay. I had Shaul replace the knits and lining and install a name tag for me. Considerably cheaper than a new Eastman but more than a US A once the repairs were done. Awesome hide and already broke in. No regrets.

Kevin

 

[Baggers]

And I've got a second hand Eastman on which the sleeves had been tapered just enough that my hands have to squeeze through at the point where the wrist knits meet the leather. And those wrist knits need to be replaced too. It's one of the "Closet Queens" I referred to in my earlier post. I really don't want to sink any more money into it.

Get the U.S.A. jacket fixed and enjoy it.

Cheers!

 

[SamReu]

Spokes Man

This is probably piling on, but I agree with everyone else: Send it back. Shaul will make good on it.

 

[fedoralover]

Okay, I talked to Saul on the phone and I'm going to exchange it. He said he's pick up the shipping by crediting back to my account. It'll take several weeks for the exchange to take place. Thanks for the input.

fedoralover

 

[kojax]

a2 jacket

when i got my jacket from u.s.mfg when it came it was to big i sent it back i got my new one in two days.......some thing is funny here ...

 

[fedoralover]

He won't ship me a replacement until he gets the one back. I live on the west coast and it takes about a week via UPS to get coast to coast. So one week going back and another to get the new one.

fedoralover

 

[kojax]

i hear what you are saying. you will enjoy your jacket good choice i like mying very wel.......good luck buddy........

 

[green papaya]

you will lose money if you sell on ebay, especially for size 40 because small sizes tend to sell for lower prices

sz 40 is kind of a small size

send it back to the factory and request a full refund if they dont pay for the shipping

 

[Nic Charles]

A-2

fedoralover,

That looks like a very high quality A-2 (there are so many bad ones on the maket today). Do you mind telling what they are going for? With the prices we pay today for good quality reproductions, they better be perfect. I just bought a British Irvin fleece lined jacket, made by Eastman. Those babies sell for over 1,000 smackers now! Unfortunately, I bought mine "slightly used" for a fraction, and I've blown out two seams already, just opening and closing my garage door!

 

[fedoralover]

The price

The standard horsehide A2 is $394. shipping depends of course on where you live. For me on the west coast it was $23.00. U.S. Authentic is in NY. They have a vintage horsehide for another $100. They will also do custom work, if you want an inside pocket or someother change for $100.

fedoralover

 

[green papaya]

The standard horsehide A2 is $394. shipping depends of course on where you live. For me on the west coast it was $23.00. U.S. Authentic is in NY. They have a vintage horsehide for another $100. They will also do custom work, if you want an inside pocket or someother change for $100.

fedoralover

maybe you should send it back and get the vintage horsehide? because we all know how long it would take to get that vintage "look"

I have a Cooper A2 made of goatskin that I bought back in 1991 and it still looks the same after 16 years of wear

 

[Stinchcomb]

maybe you should send it back and get the vintage horsehide? because we all know how long it would take to get that vintage "look"

I have a Cooper A2 made of goatskin that I bought back in 1991 and it still looks the same after 16 years of wear

From what I've read the goat does hold it's new appearance for a long time due to is softness, and that the stiff horse hide will show wear and age much sooner, yet last longer. Now this is only what I've read no personal experience on that.

Fedoralover, here are some pics of my jacket you had asked for. Unfortunately I didn't have anyone to take pictures with it on me. This is exactly I week after I bought it, and a week of wear.

 

[Doctor Strange]

Tough topcoat!

I have a US Authentic seal horsehide that I got back in 2002. Despite what Shaul told me when I got it, the finish has NOT worn off at all. Oh, it's developed plenty of really nice grain and wrinkling, a few scuffs, and some slight wear on the edge of the wind flap and epaulets... but the much-vaunted "topcoat wears away to reveal a more vintage look" hasn't happened.

Now mind you, I haven't worn it hard - mostly just in and out of the car - but it's been rained/snowed on plenty of times. If the topcoat was really meant to wear away quickly...

None of which is to say that it isn't a great jacket for the price, it DEFINITELY is. But don't kid yourself that it's going to acheive a vintage look anytime soon: the topcoat they use (or did as of 2002) is pretty substantial...

 

[Swoosed]

If you want the vintage look, buy an original. There are 3 or 4 on ebay right now you could fit in. Size 40 is not hard to come by. I'm a 46 and have been trolling ebay for months for the right repro, no luck yet. They are all custom made so the measurements are all over the place. be sure to double check the measurements and not just the size.

 

[Stinchcomb]

Well as long as it wrinkles a bit and gets to be a bit more flexible, I'll be happy. I guess if I want to age the finish prematurely, there's always sandpaper, but I’ll stay away from that for now.

I would think the way they tan it is different than the way they did 60 years ago. I do plan on wearing mine for everything as long as the weather is cool. I’ve already wore it while going 4 wheeling. I don’t want to intentionally scrape it up, but don’t mine it getting a little beatin’ on.

 

[green papaya]

it would probably take decades of wear to get this weathered look

thats why I prefer a pre-weathered or distressed look

 

[scotrace]

That's sandpaper...

This is years of wear.

 

[fedoralover]

Thanks for the pics. I keep floppying like a fish out of water on whether to send mine back and or just exchange it. I was going to exchange it, but I wore it for a few hours yesterday and one of the cuffs was really tight on my wrist, to the point that my hand was turning numb. I noticed that where they had sewn the cuff onto the leather there was an excessive ridge or welt that made the arm hole tighter than the other one. It seems like I got the friday afternoon just before quitting time jacket. I'll wait till next week to make up my mind.

fedoralover

 

[Swoosed]

Sounds like you may have got a lemmon. I would send it back for sure and tell them what the deal is. Make them eat the postage and give you a new one. Make sure you get a NEW one. They told me that I was to get a new one when I sent it back for the zipper repair, got the same one back with a repaired zipper. Only took two days though.