What would you tell your former self about ordering a custom Aero?

[Tom71]

Pattern issues?? Huh? No pattern problem here:

or here:

Nothing wrong here:

Pattern felt good here:

Come to think of it was good here too:

Jeez pattern actually felt pretty darn good here too, actually the easiest jacket to wear that I've ever owned:

Good to go here:
View attachment 285789
I could go on and on....
None of these had low armholes...I dunno I must be missing something!?

Unfair comment, Tony! You must be the only person around who actually wear his Aeros and not the other way round...

Seriously: That´s exactly what I meant with the uniqueness of CXL FQHH in my earlier post.

 

[ton312]

Unfair comment, Tony! You must be the only person around who actually wear his Aeros and not the other way round...

Seriously: That´s exactly what I meant with the uniqueness of CXL FQHH in my earlier post.

I don't think that's true! Look @Radz108 and countless others! Just like with any maker, you have to get the sizing right. If you can't do it yourself, use Thurston Bros. (although I suppose this option only applies to US buyers).

 

[Carlos840]

Pattern issues?? Huh? No pattern problem here:

or here:

Nothing wrong here:

Pattern felt good here:

Come to think of it was good here too:

Jeez pattern actually felt pretty darn good here too, actually the easiest jacket to wear that I've ever owned:

Good to go here:
View attachment 285789
I could go on and on....
None of these had low armholes...I dunno I must be missing something!?

I disagree, all these jackets hang on your neck, the creases running from your neck to your pits show it pretty clearly...

 

[Guppy]

Pattern issues?? Huh? No pattern problem here:
[...]
I could go on and on....
None of these had low armholes...I dunno I must be missing something!?

I cannot for the life of me understand how you could have sold off any of those, having hit the nail so squarely.

I'm also kicking myself for not seeing most of them when you had listed them. I'd buy pretty much anything you have for sale if I had the money and saw it in time. You should put me on speed dial, and buy another J-106.

After wearing my first Aero hard for two years (@Guppy, it is the Board Racer you bought of Aero´s sales page with the "Kentaurus" label)

You did such a nice job of breaking that Board Racer in, Tom. Thanks

 

[Carlos840]

Here, this is what i mean:

To me this is a sign of poor neckhole/shoulder design, it rests all the weight of the jacket on the wearer's neck rather than the shoulders.

Some people will say it is a problem with your specific body shape not matching a specific jacket pattern, i don't think that's true, i have seen it happen with far too many different people and far to many different Aero patterns for it to be true.
I think Aero just have a bad neck/shoulder design.

I don't think any of your 5 star jackets have that problem for example.

 

[Guppy]

All that said: If you value comfort over the look of a tough-as-nails jacket, you may want to turn to a different maker. Others have pointed out pattern. In this regard, I am most impressed with Lost Worlds, Thedi and perhaps Himel. They are much easier to wear than a FQHH-jacket from Aero and are by no means insubstantial pieces.

I see that the OP is considering the Bainbridge leather. I wonder if a Vanson in this hide may not be the better choice.

CXL Steerhide is a great leather to consider, especially if you're concerned with stiffness/break-in issues. It's faster to break in and every bit as tough and looks great, patinas beautifully. I actually think I like it better than FQHH, especially the heavy stuff.

 

[ton312]

I disagree, all these jackets hang on your neck, the creases running from your neck to your pits show it pretty clearly...

I do t consider that a problem. I had a problem with this pattern, which does not display those creases, but again, the problem was me.

 

[ton312]

I cannot for the life of me understand how you could have sold off any of those, having hit the nail so squarely

The journey is the destination!

 

[Marc mndt]

Be careful for @Carlos840 eagle eye hehe.

Here, this is what i mean:

To me this is a sign of poor neckhole/shoulder design, it rests all the weight of the jacket on the wearer's neck rather than the shoulders.

Some people will say it is a problem with your specific body shape not matching a specific jacket pattern, i don't think that's true, i have seen it happen with far too many different people and far to many different Aero patterns for it to be true.
I think Aero just have a bad neck/shoulder design.

I don't think any of your 5 star jackets have that problem for example.

Too late

 

[Monitor]

Alright, you've convinced me & I agree that my armor vs. leather jacket comparison isn't so brilliant but my initial point & the purpose behind it was that if 400 years ago, they could make you a freaking suit of metal that's comfortable to wear than a leather jacket today... All I'm sayin' is, how hard can it be? Especially since other maker got it right.

We've obviously got a lot of people beginning to notice it, just in this thread alone.

Leather DOES stretch, though. You can observe this by taking a leather belt that you've worn for years, and noting that the hole you use the most is no longer a perfectly round hole, but has stretched to something more like an oval. If you were to measure the overall length of the belt when it was new and compare it to the length after wearing it daily for a period of time, you'd see a difference as well. It will not be a tremendous difference, this isn't spandex we're talking about, but there will be some slight stretching, occurring at the stress points, mostly at where the buckle is, that will account for it.

With a jacket, the amount of stretching should be minimal, but there will be some stretching on the outside of the elbows, for example, and possibly in other areas where the fit is tight and where stress is placed on the leather in order to cause stretching. If there's no stress, there will not be stretching, of course. It doesn't just happen spontaneously for no reason. It's not going to make a Large into an XL, or anything, but it will make a jacket that feels uncomfortably at first feel considerably more relaxed after a decent amount of wear.

Huh! Haven't ever measured any of my belts but I believe you so that be the case, let me rephrase my previous statement; Let's take it that leather does stretch - though I'm still inclined to write that off as molding when it comes to a leather jacket, rather than actually changing dimensions - I don't believe it'll ever stretch enough to make a difference and it certainly isn't something that any manufacturer should be telling you to rely upon, in case your $1K plus jacket will become more comfortable once it stretches out. That's t

What I'm tryna say is that stretching/molding/whatever isn't something that should EVER be taken into consideration and wait for it to happen so that your jacket'd magically become comfortable.

It's the same as saying oh your car is gonna be braking much better with time, you'll see.

Many... Most people today wear their fancy, pricey leather jackets in a car and those few steps it takes 'em to get to it. So that stretching/breaking in won't ever gonna happen & the jacket will remain uncomfortable. I think the biggest difference makes us getting used to it because getting used to stuff is something human beings absolutely excel at.

In a word, again, fit. Langlitz takes many more measurements, and creates something closer to a bespoke fit. Their patterns are also designed for riding motorcycles, and so are built to be comfortable primarily when the wearer is in a riding position. The jackets will be more comfortable to move in overall, because they are primarily sporting equipment.

Aero jackets are primarily not sporting equipment, they are primarily something else, depending on the pattern you're talking about. Without the specific pattern in mind, it's a bit pointless to continue talking.

That may very well be so, I've no experience with buying a brand new Langlitz though judging from their sizing form, the bespoke fit shouldn't be that much more extensive than Aero's.

Speaking fro the experience that I got, though, every single Langlitz I've tried on felt the same, which is to say, as perfectly comfortable as I could've only ever wanted.

As for Langlitz being a motorcycle gear maker... That's debatable. Their styles are outdated as a proper bike protective equipment by any standard of today and I don't consider them more of a riding gear maker than fetish gear maker. But let's say they are - Since Langlitz is from times when riding jacket had to look as good as a suit, just because their origin is rooted in motorcycle clothes, I don't see why it shouldn't apply for any style? I mean, there's no contra to having a very comfortable heavy leather jacket, regardless of a style.

I like the way that the Aero motorcycle jackets I own look on me, and I like the way they fit. I think they have better leather than a lot of the motorcycle jackets I've seen from less-reknown makers (First Gear, Xelement, etc.) that cost about 1/4th as much. But with modern jacket designs, you can get armor pockets, vents, and other comfort features that make the jacket a piece of gear, not just a jacket.

Agreed on all points.

 

[Monitor]

I don't think enough people have realized that.
I think too many people still think that an uncomfortable leather jacket is a sizing problem rather than a jacket pattern problem.
It took me 7 years and 50 jackets to understand that!

I realized it with my first pricey purchase. I just refused to acknowledge the truth of what was happening, after selling a perfectly fitting and perfectly comfortable $150 Walter Dyer to buy a jacket I had trouble moving in. And I recall exactly feeling how sleeve seams were pushing into my shoulders but... Figured I needed to "break it in". Nonsense, of course.

The jacket looked awesome on me, though. That was good enough reason to give it chance, too.

 

[Cheech]

The fit on Tony's jackets look superb to me. I've had a slew of jackets--Lost Worlds, Aero, Johnson Leather, Real McCoy's, Himel Bros., and Simmons Bilt. Only the Lost Worlds, Johnson Leather, Simmons Bilt, and one of the Aeros were purchased new and based on my specs. Of those, the Aero (a Sheene) and the Simmons Bilt (a cafe racer) fit me to my total satisfaction. The sleeves were too short on the Lost Worlds (sold it), and the Johnson Leather jacket is too boxy and has giant armholes despite being spec'd to be slim-fitting (still have it). If I buy another jacket new and to my specs, I'll be buying from Greg Field--Greg made my Sheene--or Simmons Bilt, primarily based on my personal track record and their leather options, although I know that others have had significant problems with Simmons Bilt. I just refuse to deal with the small zippers on Aeros, and I believe that, stylistically, I have different expectations for how a jacket should fit me than the typical Johnson Leather jacket, although I will say that Alan will bend over backward to deliver what you want.

Note that I've edited my post here to reflect that Alan Johnson is the consummate jacket maker and will make every effort to deliver customer satisfaction.

 

[red devil]

Edit: posted too quickly without looking for replies...

 

[ton312]

If we could tell if a pattern is good by eyes alone... I think we would be much better off lol

You yourself went to a looser fit when you realised that the "picture perfect fit" is not the most comfortable it was with your version 3.0 Aero if memory serves

*sort of....
Actually the problem I had with 2.0 was the sleeve length. I spec’d them too long. I also spec’d the body a bit too long in 2.0. I mean we are really talking inches and half inches but truthfully v 2.0 was by and far away the best of the three. If I have learned anything from my experiences with Aero it’s that I do not require a 27” back length.

 

[red devil]

*sort of....
Actually the problem I had with 2.0 was the sleeve length. I spec’d them too long. I also spec’d the body a bit too long in 2.0. I mean we are really talking inches and half inches but truthfully v 2.0 was by and far away the best of the three. If I have learned anything from my experiences with Aero it’s that I do not require a 27” back length.

Well your experience really shows with 5* leather! I think you are better off being on the driver's seat when choosing every aspect of a jacket. Aero won't cut it for you anymore

 

[ton312]

Most importantly I think the OP was looking for constructive reviews of previous Aero purchases, not a shoot out between Thedi and Aero. Both makers are quite good and I’d imagine the OP has done the research to realize this.
I have a bit of a hard time comparing the two to begin with. Thedi takes a more modern approach to vintage styles and Aero sticks closer to the original patterns. So it may well be that the OP has chosen Aero for just that reason.

 

[ton312]

Well your experience really shows with 5* leather! I think you are better off being on the driver's seat when choosing every aspect of a jacket. Aero won't cut it for you anymore

LOL! Well I certainly appreciate the compliment but I’ll say it like this...I love roast beef sandwiches and a perfectly marbled ribeye. As delicious as roast beef is, I will not eat it for dinner. I’m not knocking roast beef. It’s damn good! But for dinner I’m eating ribeye. Aero is my perfectly rare ribeye, juices dripping down my chin, charred fat and all.

 

[red devil]

LOL! Well I certainly appreciate the compliment but I’ll say it like this...I love roast beef sandwiches and a perfectly marbled ribeye. As delicious as roast beef is, I will not eat it for dinner. I’m not knocking roast beef. It’s damn good! But for dinner I’m eating ribeye. Aero is my perfectly rare ribeye, juices dripping down my chin, charred fat and all.

I like the analogy!

I am wondering if it is worthwhile for you to supply hide and hardware to 5*. For me, there are still too many unknowns, waiting for my jacket to complete. They were delayed, and I suspect it is due to the intricate design

Edit: to keep this on topic, OP if you can tell us what you were looking for exactly, we could better advise you.

 

[Guppy]

Alright, you've convinced me & I agree that my armor vs. leather jacket comparison isn't so brilliant but my initial point & the purpose behind it was that if 400 years ago, they could make you a freaking suit of metal that's comfortable to wear than a leather jacket today... All I'm sayin' is, how hard can it be? Especially since other maker got it right.

We've obviously got a lot of people beginning to notice it, just in this thread alone.

It's... surprisingly not that easy! It takes skill to do it really well. Tailoring is not exactly arcane, but is more of a lost art now than it used to be. Most people today have little understanding of fit, because they're conditioned to wear off-the-rack, cheaply made clothing. Most of us spend our entire childhood wearing clothes that don't fit us, because we're growing, and it's expected that we'll "grow into" things. We then experience a spectrum of "too big" to "too small" and may never actually have it fit exactly right. Most of us are not really served perfectly by S/M/L/XL sizing, and learn to wear "good enough".

Everyone wears clothes, but that doesn't mean that we know very much about it. We don't train our eyes to know what to look for, and it really helps if you have a knowledgable person educate you on fit. Some of us here have that eye developed better than others, and some of us may have even had some formal training in the matter.

So I take what people have to say with fit with a large grain of salt. It varies widely what the expectation as well as the experience are. It's highly individual. A lot of people will try on a stiff, heavy leather jacket from a maker like Aero without any previous experience wearing the style of clothing that Aero emulates. They take what they know from wearing clothes bought at the mall and apply it to what Aero does, and the complaints usually are: too stiff, too heavy, too tight. And they might be right about it, or it might be that they didn't know what to expect, and were unprepared by their experience with wearing modern off-the-rack clothing designed for "relaxed, comfort" fit.

There are certain things that you can probably tell right away are off with fit. If you can't breathe with it zipped up, or if you're absolutely swimming in it, you've got the wrong size. Sleeve length, also. But stuff like how tight it feels through the shoulders, in my experience, can change quite a bit with just a couple of days of wearing.

Bottom line, when someone says "it didn't fit me", I can't disagree with them if they say they didn't like how it fit them. But unless I can see it for myself, or unless I trust that they have the experience and the eye to really know, or had the advice of someone who did, I don't put a lot of stock in it. What they often mean is "I didn't like it" which is fine for them to decide, but I do think a lot of people decide too quickly, with too little information, and not enough expertise.

Speaking from the experience that I got, though, every single Langlitz I've tried on felt the same, which is to say, as perfectly comfortable as I could've only ever wanted.

As for Langlitz being a motorcycle gear maker... That's debatable. Their styles are outdated as a proper bike protective equipment by any standard of today and I don't consider them more of a riding gear maker than fetish gear maker. But let's say they are - Since Langlitz is from times when riding jacket had to look as good as a suit, just because their origin is rooted in motorcycle clothes, I don't see why it shouldn't apply for any style? I mean, there's no contra to having a very comfortable heavy leather jacket, regardless of a style.

Langlitz was always equipment/gear for motorcycle riding, from the very beginning. They have chosen to remain traditional, rather than to seek to innovate, that's all. Their jackets they make today are every bit as much gear as the stuff they made in the 1950s when it would have been state-of-the-art. Now, it's just art.

Granted, if they're filling an order for a leather fetishist, it's not necessarily going to be incorporating features that make for ideal riding equipment, and will be more for the look and "statement". So a leather daddy might be looking for something impractically heavy, or impractically tight fitting, or covered with metal studs and hardware that serves no practical purpose and could even be dangerous to a rider in a pavement encounter... but that aside, their designs are all originated in riding gear and apart from the more costume-y stuff that they might make for a customer, that's what it is. You can call it outdated, and yeah, if you're comparing it to modern, armored riding gear, it will not perform as well in certain aspects of surviving a wreck as that gear will. But it's still every bit as comfortable and practical as riding gear.

Riding, not crashing. Even then, you can slide on pavement just fine in a Langlitz suit, but if you're hitting something solid, I'd take the armor, thanks.

From a comfort standpoint, Langlitz is so good because long riding days demand comfort. It helps reduce fatigue, which is important to avoiding making mistakes that lead to wrecks. A lot of other leather motorcycle jackets that were design contemporary to Langlitz just aren't in the same league in terms of fit, comfort, quality of materials, quality of manufacturing, etc.