siddhartha
Administrator
Eastman Roadstar Review:
I am a big fan of the D-pocket jackets. I had a Buco in highschool, in a size 38 that I wore for a couple of years. Eventually, it went to a girlfriend, and I rarely thought about it. It was a bit small on me, zipper didn’t work right, and it had separations in the stitching in places. So, at the time, no big loss...
I stopped riding motorcycles when I totaled one when I was about 22. If I recall correctly, I wasn’t even wearing a jacket. A woman pulled out of a parking lot, and rammed the rear end of the bike, sending it and myself to the asphalt. Bike didn’t make it, I was a bit sore, but invincible in that young, careless way.
I got into leather jackets again later on in life. I almost always had one, but they were usually of the “mall jacket” variety, and would quickly end up in the back of the closet. I went on to school in NYC, and the interest in jackets was stoked anew. I met my good friend Grant, and he turned me on to the military jackets. We met up all the time to talk about them, search for them, visit other collectors, and to eat lots of great pizza. In those days, this forum was started, in the original format. However, I did miss my motorcycle jackets...
I managed to buy an Aero Highwayman, which was my first taste of the Aero horsehide. Man, it was thick, smelled great, and tough as nails! I loved that jacket (and continue to do so some 12 years later) and decided to get another one of their FQHH jackets as time permitted. I settled on the Aero “King Of The Road” (KOTR) which was a true motorcycle jacket. It has a bunch of great features, and blends elements of some of the best motorcycle jackets out there. My particular jacket is thick, heavy FQHH, and came complete with a HH belt.
Fast forward a few years, and I was ready to become a father. I decided that my daughter should only remember her daddy as “fit/healthy daddy,” not the some 25-lbs overweight, out of shape man I’d slowly become. In fairness, I had been diagnosed with Type I diabetes when I was 36, and dealing with that, and settling in to a surgical life was a definite challenge for me. I didn’t want to have low blood sugar going into a 6-8 hour case, so I’d load up on calories before I started. That, and the insulin doing a great job of converting calories to fat, made me a bit soft around the edges...
So, I decided to do P90x. I started exactly 3 months before my daughter was born, and did it religiously. I lost about 15 lbs, and felt much better. My endocrinologist told me to lower my insulin rate, to eat less, and to keep up the exercise, which I continue to do. I’ve lost about another 10lbs, and no longer have the excess fat that I carried for 8 years or so.
This brings me to the need for another motorcycle jacket. While the Aero KOTR is a fantastic jacket, it’s a size 46. This type of jacket is cut smaller than you might think for stated size, but a size 46 KOTR is pretty roomy on me. I can still wear it, but it’s not the fit I wanted.
I always wanted to try the Eastman Roadstar, and I decided not too long ago to give one a go. I contacted Eastman, gave them my measurements (5’9”, 176lbs, athletic(!) build, with a 34” waist) and decided on a size 46...
About a month later, I decided a size 44 would probably be better. Even with the slimmer size, I think I’m somewhere between a true 42 and 44, so that size would probably work. Rob at Eastman thought so, too, so I waited my turn...
Total time from order to arrival was around 6 weeks. I chose the black “Warhorse” leather, and no customizations. Size 44 was entered. I got word from Rob/Eastman that the jacket shipped out, and within about 3 days, it arrived on the doorstep.
Opening the box, the fantastic smell of the leather greeted me. Now, I’m a pretty tactile person, and really get in to the details like leather feel, smell, etc. I’ve never had another jacket that smelled as nice as this one. I had a used RMCJP A-2 that similarly smelled wonderful, but this one trumps it!
At first, I was a little disappointed at the perceived thickness of the leather-it felt on the thinner side. (For reference, my Aero “King of the Road” jacket is approx. 6.5lbs in horsehide, and the Eastman “Roadstar” is about 4.5lbs in horsehide). It was quite stiff however, such that I initially thought I might have made a mistake on sizing. Within a few days, the leather started to relax a bit, and now, about a month or so later, the jacket fits like a glove. The leather too, gives me a much, much nicer impression-it is thick enough for the purpose, and molds quite well. The grain that you get with the leather is outstanding, and well worth the trouble of breaking it in. It reminds me of the high-quality leather shoes I’d get, that initially felt unforgiving, but soon became a favorite.
[img]http://tenaciousc.smugmug.com/Other/Eastman-Roadstar/i-4sGjPTH/0/L/DSC00475-L.jpg[/img]
As you can see, the leather is already developing fantastic grain, and a beautiful wrinkling effect.
The Roadstar does not copy any one historic jacket 100%, but appears very similar to the traditional Buco D-pocket jackets. It does not have rear passenger pockets, for example. Also, it doesn’t have a full “bi-swing” back, it has the “action back” or shoulder gussets only. This is a feature I like: it keeps the clean lines of a non-gusseted back, but you have freedom of movement that the shoulder gussets offer.
It also does not have any decoration on the shoulder epaulets-they are simple in design. The one detail that shows a bit of decoration is the dice keychain attached to the pocket-easily removed if it’s not your thing. All zippers are Talons, in contrast to what’s listed on Eastman’s site-a quick email to Rob, and he explained the Kwik zips offered on the description weren’t as accurate for the time period intended for the Roadstar. In any case, they look great, and operate beautifully.
The liner is wool plaid, and is very pleasing to my eye. Not thick, but comfortable, and appealing. The sleeves are lined with simple cotton drill, in a brown color. All pockets are lined in heavy cotton drill.
I have worn the jacket a lot since receiving it, rotating it a bit with another jacket (which will follow in a later review). The more I wear it, the more I like it. It is definitely a different “feel” than any Aero jacket that I own, and it’s nice to have the option to choose among them.
So the “big question” for those fans of moto jackets out there-would I buy this one again? The answer is yes-it is a beautiful jacket. However, there are some things to note:
If you are all about thick, horsehide leather, there are other options out there that might work better. This one does not strike you as being as “bombproof” as the FQHH of the Aeros I have owned and seen. But, don’t let that be a strike against it-it is simply a different type of horsehide, and one that you’d probably be quite happy with.
Things I’d change? Not too much, really: I might like a tighter lining in the sleeves, a bit more thickness to the liner in the body (not really sure about this one-it’s nice as is, but would be a bit warmer with thicker lining...that said, it’d be a bit warm in warmer weather...hmmmm), maybe include the belt (which I’ve read is an option-I don’t use belts though on this type of jacket) for completeness. Some people might prefer a heavier-gauge zipper on the front, but this one works well, and is super-smooth in operation. I have no misgivings about the zippers.
I definitely recommend this one for people into the D-pocket style, and think it ranks right up there with the other premium makers. At that level, it’s mostly personal preference that will dictate your choice, which is what it’s really about anyways...
I am a big fan of the D-pocket jackets. I had a Buco in highschool, in a size 38 that I wore for a couple of years. Eventually, it went to a girlfriend, and I rarely thought about it. It was a bit small on me, zipper didn’t work right, and it had separations in the stitching in places. So, at the time, no big loss...
I stopped riding motorcycles when I totaled one when I was about 22. If I recall correctly, I wasn’t even wearing a jacket. A woman pulled out of a parking lot, and rammed the rear end of the bike, sending it and myself to the asphalt. Bike didn’t make it, I was a bit sore, but invincible in that young, careless way.
I got into leather jackets again later on in life. I almost always had one, but they were usually of the “mall jacket” variety, and would quickly end up in the back of the closet. I went on to school in NYC, and the interest in jackets was stoked anew. I met my good friend Grant, and he turned me on to the military jackets. We met up all the time to talk about them, search for them, visit other collectors, and to eat lots of great pizza. In those days, this forum was started, in the original format. However, I did miss my motorcycle jackets...
I managed to buy an Aero Highwayman, which was my first taste of the Aero horsehide. Man, it was thick, smelled great, and tough as nails! I loved that jacket (and continue to do so some 12 years later) and decided to get another one of their FQHH jackets as time permitted. I settled on the Aero “King Of The Road” (KOTR) which was a true motorcycle jacket. It has a bunch of great features, and blends elements of some of the best motorcycle jackets out there. My particular jacket is thick, heavy FQHH, and came complete with a HH belt.
Fast forward a few years, and I was ready to become a father. I decided that my daughter should only remember her daddy as “fit/healthy daddy,” not the some 25-lbs overweight, out of shape man I’d slowly become. In fairness, I had been diagnosed with Type I diabetes when I was 36, and dealing with that, and settling in to a surgical life was a definite challenge for me. I didn’t want to have low blood sugar going into a 6-8 hour case, so I’d load up on calories before I started. That, and the insulin doing a great job of converting calories to fat, made me a bit soft around the edges...
So, I decided to do P90x. I started exactly 3 months before my daughter was born, and did it religiously. I lost about 15 lbs, and felt much better. My endocrinologist told me to lower my insulin rate, to eat less, and to keep up the exercise, which I continue to do. I’ve lost about another 10lbs, and no longer have the excess fat that I carried for 8 years or so.
This brings me to the need for another motorcycle jacket. While the Aero KOTR is a fantastic jacket, it’s a size 46. This type of jacket is cut smaller than you might think for stated size, but a size 46 KOTR is pretty roomy on me. I can still wear it, but it’s not the fit I wanted.
I always wanted to try the Eastman Roadstar, and I decided not too long ago to give one a go. I contacted Eastman, gave them my measurements (5’9”, 176lbs, athletic(!) build, with a 34” waist) and decided on a size 46...
About a month later, I decided a size 44 would probably be better. Even with the slimmer size, I think I’m somewhere between a true 42 and 44, so that size would probably work. Rob at Eastman thought so, too, so I waited my turn...
Total time from order to arrival was around 6 weeks. I chose the black “Warhorse” leather, and no customizations. Size 44 was entered. I got word from Rob/Eastman that the jacket shipped out, and within about 3 days, it arrived on the doorstep.
Opening the box, the fantastic smell of the leather greeted me. Now, I’m a pretty tactile person, and really get in to the details like leather feel, smell, etc. I’ve never had another jacket that smelled as nice as this one. I had a used RMCJP A-2 that similarly smelled wonderful, but this one trumps it!
At first, I was a little disappointed at the perceived thickness of the leather-it felt on the thinner side. (For reference, my Aero “King of the Road” jacket is approx. 6.5lbs in horsehide, and the Eastman “Roadstar” is about 4.5lbs in horsehide). It was quite stiff however, such that I initially thought I might have made a mistake on sizing. Within a few days, the leather started to relax a bit, and now, about a month or so later, the jacket fits like a glove. The leather too, gives me a much, much nicer impression-it is thick enough for the purpose, and molds quite well. The grain that you get with the leather is outstanding, and well worth the trouble of breaking it in. It reminds me of the high-quality leather shoes I’d get, that initially felt unforgiving, but soon became a favorite.
[img]http://tenaciousc.smugmug.com/Other/Eastman-Roadstar/i-4sGjPTH/0/L/DSC00475-L.jpg[/img]
As you can see, the leather is already developing fantastic grain, and a beautiful wrinkling effect.
The Roadstar does not copy any one historic jacket 100%, but appears very similar to the traditional Buco D-pocket jackets. It does not have rear passenger pockets, for example. Also, it doesn’t have a full “bi-swing” back, it has the “action back” or shoulder gussets only. This is a feature I like: it keeps the clean lines of a non-gusseted back, but you have freedom of movement that the shoulder gussets offer.
It also does not have any decoration on the shoulder epaulets-they are simple in design. The one detail that shows a bit of decoration is the dice keychain attached to the pocket-easily removed if it’s not your thing. All zippers are Talons, in contrast to what’s listed on Eastman’s site-a quick email to Rob, and he explained the Kwik zips offered on the description weren’t as accurate for the time period intended for the Roadstar. In any case, they look great, and operate beautifully.
The liner is wool plaid, and is very pleasing to my eye. Not thick, but comfortable, and appealing. The sleeves are lined with simple cotton drill, in a brown color. All pockets are lined in heavy cotton drill.
I have worn the jacket a lot since receiving it, rotating it a bit with another jacket (which will follow in a later review). The more I wear it, the more I like it. It is definitely a different “feel” than any Aero jacket that I own, and it’s nice to have the option to choose among them.
So the “big question” for those fans of moto jackets out there-would I buy this one again? The answer is yes-it is a beautiful jacket. However, there are some things to note:
If you are all about thick, horsehide leather, there are other options out there that might work better. This one does not strike you as being as “bombproof” as the FQHH of the Aeros I have owned and seen. But, don’t let that be a strike against it-it is simply a different type of horsehide, and one that you’d probably be quite happy with.
Things I’d change? Not too much, really: I might like a tighter lining in the sleeves, a bit more thickness to the liner in the body (not really sure about this one-it’s nice as is, but would be a bit warmer with thicker lining...that said, it’d be a bit warm in warmer weather...hmmmm), maybe include the belt (which I’ve read is an option-I don’t use belts though on this type of jacket) for completeness. Some people might prefer a heavier-gauge zipper on the front, but this one works well, and is super-smooth in operation. I have no misgivings about the zippers.
I definitely recommend this one for people into the D-pocket style, and think it ranks right up there with the other premium makers. At that level, it’s mostly personal preference that will dictate your choice, which is what it’s really about anyways...
