Seeking Help on Choosing a Civil Version A-2

[Seb Lucas]

LL Bean indeed has some respectable not-quite-military A2 jackets in its past. At one time Golden Bear made them in the US from a very heavy goatskin, in both one-piece back and three-piece configurations. My only beef with the Beans is their enormously generous sizing: their old Mediums were about a 46 in military sizing. Their longs are clearly intended for Kobe Bryant-- I have a Bean XLT that has a 32 inch hem-to-collar measurement!

One other decent value-priced A2 you might find on ePrey is an older Banana Republic with the crested label. These were often Korean made, usually a hearty sheepskin with striations, and seem to age really well, patinating into a terrific cream-and-mahogany mottled hue (see photo from a recent eBay auction, not mine). The pockets are oversize, but otherwise these are respectable jackets, often for $50 or so.

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I've never really understood why people like these versions. They look like the baggy, pre-distressed thing Michael Landon wore in that creepy show Highway to Heaven.

 

[GoodTimesGone]

The LL Bean A-2s I have look and fit more like Jake Cutter's jacket (Tales Of The Gold Monkey) than the Highway To Heaven jacket. The key is buying one that fits you correctly and staying away from the later versions (S, M, L, XL) which are blousier. I agree the pre-distressed ones do not look authentic, which is the case with most '80s or '90s jackets. The dark seal LL Bean jackets look much better.
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Tom

 

[thor]

The LL Bean A-2s I have look and fit more like Jake Cutter's jacket (Tales Of The Gold Monkey) than the Highway To Heaven jacket. The key is buying one that fits you correctly and staying away from the later versions (S, M, L, XL) which are blousier. I agree the pre-distressed ones do not look authentic, which is the case with most '80s or '90s jackets. The dark seal LL Bean jackets look much better.
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Tom

+1

 

[blazerbud]

I've never really understood why people like these versions. They look like the baggy, pre-distressed thing Michael Landon wore in that creepy show Highway to Heaven.

Why did you have to put that Michael Landon reference in there? I had to look it up to remind myself how horrible.
Now I can't get it out of my head.

 

[armscye]

Tailoring a civilian A2

I had one of my LLB jackets tailored in the body and especially the arms, and it completely transformed it. Amazing how much difference slender sleeves make in A2 fit.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Why did you have to put that Michael Landon reference in there? I had to look it up to remind myself how horrible.
Now I can't get it out of my head.

Sorry, whenever I think of civilian A2's I think about Landon. That awful jacket is burned in my mind and when I was young the streets were full of pre-distressed A2's just like that one. In fact that look - middle-aged man in flying jacket and bad jeans put me off A2's generally.

 

[1961MJS]

Sorry, whenever I think of civilian A2's I think about Landon. That awful jacket is burned in my mind and when I was young the streets were full of pre-distressed A2's just like that one. In fact that look - middle-aged man in flying jacket and bad jeans put me off A2's generally.

O.K. I never watched that show, but me and about half the guys on the Lounge resemble that remark. I would assume that Wranglers purchased on sale at Atwoods would qualify as bad jeans (as opposed to Bad Genes...).

Later

 

[Asienizen]

I just looked up that Highway to Heaven jacket I think it is iconic of what was WRONG with jackets in the eighties: too baggy, fake distressed look, big handwarmers and dreadfully done epaulettes. What a disaster! But I don't think LLBean jackets or Sporty's, or GB civilian styled A2 jackets look that bad. As long as the leather is good and the fit is no over-sized, a civilian A2 should be fine.