Schott 650 or Aero Long Half Belt?

[kronos77]

I am having trouble deciding between the Aero long half belt and the Schott 650. I want to go with a longer jacket and these are the two options I like.

The schott 650 looks incredible to me but I have not seen much enthusiasm for it here. If anyone has this jacket, could they give me some reasons to love it or not?

Also, I am a bit worried that the long half belt might look like a too-long short jacket. I do love the FQHH though.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Carrie @ Thurston Bros.]

I am having trouble deciding between the Aero long half belt and the Schott 650. I want to go with a longer jacket and these are the two options I like.

The schott 650 looks incredible to me but I have not seen much enthusiasm for it here. If anyone has this jacket, could they give me some reasons to love it or not?

Also, I am a bit worried that the long half belt might look like a too-long short jacket. I do love the FQHH though.

Thanks for the help.

Hi kronos77,

The Schott 650 is a very nice coat and we've ordered it many times for customers...it may be a little like comparing apples to oranges with the Aero Long Half Belt due to the differences in fit, leather and overall styling! The leather used for the Schott is a shiny finish chrome-tanned cowhide that is thick and somewhat pliable from the start (it softens up with wear). It is a fitted jacket with no adjustment and has a very military peacoat look.

The Aero Long Half Belt can be somewhat less fitted (however, you can size down to a get a tighter fit), but can be adjusted at the waist for transitioning between seasons and layering. There's a ton of choices for leather type and color, as well as choosing your body and sleeve length, and the choices for the liner are extensive (over 600 choices)!

One particular difference between the two that may be the deciding factor is the leather...the Schott's leather will become softer, but you won't see much change in the leather over time. The Chromexcel leather that is the most popular choice for Aero's Long Half Belt will show much more wear and variation in grain (and color if you choose brown or cordovan).

If you're concerned about the Long Half Belt not translating well to a longer fit, check out the Plain Teamster, the Stockman, the Veste de Rallye, or the Barnstormer...

Hope this helps!

 

[kronos77]

Hi kronos77,

The Schott 650 is a very nice coat and we've ordered it many times for customers...it may be a little like comparing apples to oranges with the Aero Long Half Belt due to the differences in fit, leather and overall styling! The leather used for the Schott is a shiny finish chrome-tanned cowhide that is thick and somewhat pliable from the start (it softens up with wear). It is a fitted jacket with no adjustment and has a very military peacoat look.

The Aero Long Half Belt can be somewhat less fitted (however, you can size down to a get a tighter fit), but can be adjusted at the waist for transitioning between seasons and layering. There's a ton of choices for leather type and color, as well as choosing your body and sleeve length, and the choices for the liner are extensive (over 600 choices)!

One particular difference between the two that may be the deciding factor is the leather...the Schott's leather will become softer, but you won't see much change in the leather over time. The Chromexcel leather that is the most popular choice for Aero's Long Half Belt will show much more wear and variation in grain (and color if you choose brown or cordovan).

If you're concerned about the Long Half Belt not translating well to a longer fit, check out the Plain Teamster, the Stockman, the Veste de Rallye, or the Barnstormer...

Hope this helps!

Yes, that does help. Thank you. I actually asked the Aero folks if they could copy the jacket in FQHH but they said they don't make copies. Probably an ethical or legal issue.

 

[Seb Lucas]

The problem for me with the Schott (and I like this company's products) is that the 650 has a generic leather pea coat look to my eye. You could probably find a similar leather car coat on ebay for $150. A long half-belt just seems a more authentic, vintage style. Although I would remove the pocket flaps (I think they look clunky) from the LHB. The Schott will be a solid jacket but the look is so different form the LHB, how did you come to choose between them?


Here's the 650

 

[Seb Lucas]

Here's Clooney in an unnamed long half-belt.

 

[Cyber Lip]

Here's Clooney in an unnamed long half-belt.

View attachment 15520

What a coincidence, that's the spitting image of me!

 

[Seb Lucas]

We all look that good in the right jacket.

 

[kronos77]

The problem for me with the Schott (and I like this company's products) is that the 650 has a generic leather pea coat look to my eye. You could probably find a similar leather car coat on ebay for $150. A long half-belt just seems a more authentic, vintage style. Although I would remove the pocket flaps (I think they look clunky) from the LHB. The Schott will be a solid jacket but the look is so different form the LHB, how did you come to choose between them?


Here's the 650

View attachment 15521

This is interesting as I don't think the 650 looks like a generic anything. The design seems unique and really sharp, especially compared to most peacoats. Maybe it is the leather that does it.

I came to choose between these two jackets as I wanted something longer. I already have a Schott 141 and another short jacket that I just donated. I have a hard time putting into words my impressions of the two jackets, but the other Aero long jackets look plain to me. On the other hand, I would like a break from the naked cowhide, which while beautiful, doesn't change much opver the years.

 

[Sloan1874]

Here's a left-field suggestion. When I was up at Aero today, Denny showed me an amazing midnight blue Horween CXL - and I do mean midnight: it's very subtle and only really shows up as a slightly lighter shade of blue when the leather is creased. I think a LHB in it would look pretty special

 

[Seb Lucas]

kronos, sounds like you really dig the Schott, I just don't care for the leather pea-coat look (which was worn by every second Dr Who fan a few years ago and by more than a few sloppily dressed cops I've met) but it's you that needs to be happy with it. Go for it, the quality will be fine. On the naked cowhide, I find it breaks in and fades well, because it has only minimal surface treatment applied to it. My naked hide jackets (including a Schott cafe racer) are nice and wrinkly and breaking in much more than some of my other jackets.

 

[kronos77]

Here's a left-field suggestion. When I was up at Aero today, Denny showed me an amazing midnight blue Horween CXL - and I do mean midnight: it's very subtle and only really shows up as a slightly lighter shade of blue when the leather is creased. I think a LHB in it would look pretty special

That sounds REAL interesting! The odds would be astronomical of running into someone with the same jacket and yet at the same time, it doesn't sound like an outrageous color.

 

[kronos77]

kronos, sounds like you really dig the Schott, I just don't care for the leather pea-coat look (which was worn by every second Dr Who fan a few years ago and by more than a few sloppily dressed cops I've met) but it's you that needs to be happy with it. Go for it, the quality will be fine. On the naked cowhide, I find it breaks in and fades well, because it has only minimal surface treatment applied to it. My naked hide jackets (including a Schott cafe racer) are nice and wrinkly and breaking in much more than some of my other jackets.

You are right, I really love that look of the 650. The Dr. Who jacket was actually single breasted, wasn't it? That always looked very plain to me. I think the Doc's was a thin, floppy fashion leather too. Never a Who fan anyway, so I wasn't impressed by those.

 

[Sloan1874]

That sounds REAL interesting! The odds would be astronomical of running into someone with the same jacket and yet at the same time, it doesn't sound like an outrageous color.

It's not outrageous at all - certainly nothing like the fad for striking blue leather that jumped up for a few months - it's a very subtle colour and suitably robust leather that I think will age beautifully. Contact Aero and ask for a sample.

 

[morrison2951]

I'm partial to blue myself. I have a blue suede Context jacket with cargo pockets that surprisingly gets many compliments.

 

[Seb Lucas]

You are right, I really love that look of the 650. The Dr. Who jacket was actually single breasted, wasn't it? That always looked very plain to me. I think the Doc's was a thin, floppy fashion leather too. Never a Who fan anyway, so I wasn't impressed by those.

No, the Dr Who one was vintage and double breasted, well worn and very thick.

 

[SpeedRcrX]

Kronos if you like leather peacoat then I suggest that you take a look at Lost Worlds' peacoat.
It looks a lot like peacoats from WWII and you can have it made in horsehide.

I have one in goatskin and love it. It's my coat to go during winter.

 

[kronos77]

No, the Dr Who one was vintage and double breasted, well worn and very thick.

View attachment 15713

Now maybe that picture has hit on something that makes me hesitate to get the 650. It is double breasted and should be worn buttoned to look its best. I never wore a double breasted before and worry it might be a pain to constantly button and unbutton.

So many decisions. I should just buy two or three jackets and forget about food for a while.

 

[zebedee]

Get the long half belt. Pea coats look fairly disastrous on even not-very-stout folks, especially in black. This, of course, is only my view (they can look ok in brown, but make people look a lot bigger. Too much heft). I recently got a lhb in cordovan Fqhh and it is the most amazing thing I own- in fact, I prefer it to the black stockman, the brown highwayman and the (damn slim-fitting) double-breasted dark brown aero steer hide one-off I own.

 

[kronos77]

zebedee,

This is also a concern. I am not tall by any means. Conventional wisdom says stay away from both long trench coats and double breasted coats or sport jackets. Thanks for reminding me.

 

[zebedee]

zebedee,

This is also a concern. I am not tall by any means. Conventional wisdom says stay away from both long trench coats and double breasted coats or sport jackets. Thanks for reminding me.

In that case, veer toward the lhb. It'll hit halfway down your back jeans' pockets which looks far better on average-height guys. Overcoats and pea coats look better in wool on just about everyone anyway. As I say, the lhb is probably the best purchase I've made in a line of GOOD purchases. If you choose a longer button type, go with a teamster. You won't regret brown HH or cordovan. The thing to remember with double-breasted coats is the (protruding) thickness- in HH or steer hide which is thick even as a single layer, options like the teamster or a stockman make more sense. It's only my view, but try to find an example to try on before committing to the pea coat option. I've kept my pea coats wool-only.

J.