I need your advice about my Eastman Perry B3

[raymos]

Hi Everyone,

I received my Eastman Perry B3 last week and wow is it gorgeous. I will do pics of it after the holidays. I was blown away after taking it out of the box. But now I have an issue that I'm not really happy about. The sleeves of my B3 are wearing through big time after only wearing it for a week. Also I see the sheepskin which is the wind flap has some areas wearing through as well......I have had jackets for years where the sleeves didn't wear through. Please tell me what you think about the wear and what should I do about it.

Thanks a lot.....

 

[Anonymous]

Wow, I would contact Eastman see what's up. That is rediculous, after one week.

 

[John Lever]

That's not right, there is a problem there. Did you treat the jacket in any way, hot water or rubbing ?
My advice would be to contact Gary immediately with photos to show the problem.

 

[raymos]

No John I didn't.... I'm also getting wear on the wind flap as well....John how do your sleeves look now? How often do you wear the Perry?

Thanks a lot for responding back to me so quickly John.

 

[John Lever]

I haven't worn it more than a few times. But I have had other B-3's though that have had plenty of wear and show almost no wear at all on the cuffs.
The wear is in a complete circle around the cuff rather than at a single point or area of contact. That would suggest a general problem of some kind. ELC are closed now until January, but Gary would probably answer an e-mail in a couple of days or so.

 

[bseal]

Looks like an original. They wear out eventually. Keep it.

 

[TOMG1401]

return it, period

 

[MikeyB-17]

The cuffs wear like that eventually-but after years of wear, not a week. 'Ave a word.

 

[Persimmon]

The cuffs wear like that eventually-but after years of wear, not a week. 'Ave a word.

Is that not want we are all after all for the jackets we put on.
That instant years of wear look and in this case after just a week as well.

Perhaps Eastman now present their new version of time worn
"1945 after three hard years of war time wear in a box"

 

[raymos]

Thanks to everyone for their comments. I have emailed Gary. I have also heard back from a fellow collector who has worn his ELC Perry for 2 years and he said he has a few spots starting to wear a bit. I just felt the sheepskin on the cuffs felt thin. I don't care about wear over the years. I don't lock my jacket in the closet and never wear it. I want my Perry to look like the old vintage ones as well. But after only a few days of wear I think that is not right.....

I will let all know what Gary says........

 

[Aerosquad]

I feel for you. I went through the same thing with an Eastman B3 from HPA, in the US. And I know what they are going to say..."thats the way the originals were, just like back in good ol WWII". I went through 2 jackets from HPA that were defective and their US rep Charles refused to hear of it.
Even worse is Aero. I returned 2 B6's that were cracking and peeling and got the same thing, thats the way the originals were. Everytime I put on the Redskin B6 I have I have to look at the bald sleeve that disappeared in a week. By the end of this season it wont be much mare than a beater.
Since most members here are loyal customers of Aero and HPA they are timid to critisize. It sucks spending hundreds of dollars then months having to go back and forth with Aero and HPA.

 

[raymos]

Aero...Thank You for the support.....

Yes Charles has already started doing the "dance". But regardless I'm keeping the jacket..... It looks awesome and I'm going to use it and wear it anyway....I would just like Gary to tell me what he thinks......

 

[ScottoLaw]

Raymos

My year old B-3 and month old B6 both have similiar wear. My B6 more so within a month. I've used a small neelde to pull out some wool trapped under stitiching and it can help slightly.

 

[John Lever]

Probably why the Anj-4 type jackets superceded the B-3 and the others. I would seriously consider having worn cuffs trimmed with leather, authentic or not it would look better.

 

[stanier]

I too feel for you Raymos.

I've got an Eastman Roughwear B-3 that I've had for about a year and I've hardly worn it so can't comment on how it wears.

I do, however, also have an Eastman D-1 that I've had for about 4 years and it's pretty much my favourite jacket that I wear a lot in the winter months. The cuffs barely show any wear and the waist has a couple of tiny wear points, but nothing major or like your pics. I can't understand what might have happened with your jacket. I've been tempted to order a Perry since I got the RW and after seeing John's but if the current batch of skins are wearing like this then I'm having second thoughts.

You've not done any of the mods you mention in another thread? If not, I'd send it back painful though the wait might be.

Cheers

 

[raymos]

Thanks all for the comments guys.... I sent pics to silversurfer and Vic said my jacket was one of the best ones he had ever seen to date.....He thought it was amazing....I get comments everywhere I go and I never had that with the Roughwear B3........So I will definitely keep it but I'm waiting to hear what Gary says as HPA is doing the foxtrot and the two step around the issue.....I would like to hear Gary say he will replace the cuffs at the end of the season....I would never send it back now as i live in Iowa and our daytime high temps have been in the 20's(F) for 8 days and its not getting above freezing for the next 10 days.......

As for the mods....This jacket is perfection for me......I can't quit looking at it....Every time I wear it I can hear the B3's engine revving...and the new horsehide color is one of my favorite things of the jacket.....

Seriously if anyone is on the fence with the Perry don't wait........take the plunge...you will be glad you did......

I have one very positive thing to say about HPA....I had called Charles and talked to him many times about my preferences with the Perry B3...Then when he got in the batch of 46's he looked through all of them and choose the one that best fit my preferences......That was awesome.....and the coat is my dream one....

I'll post pics here in a few minutes....

 

[chamboid]

I'm sorry, but if the jacket is pretty much new, and you have worn it, truthfully for a about a week, no there should not be any wear like that, are you not worried the jacket will just disintegrate in 6 months?

If you spend a certain amount of money, you should get what you WANT and not have to compromise.

Originals would never have been, 'like this' after a week of wear, I don't know if you've been on any bombing raids in the past week, or doing much hard manual labour in a £850 jacket, but if you've been wearing it in cold weather, in a car, or on the street thats the least you'd expect from it.

Military items are meant to be tough, durable and utilitarian, even if you do molly-coddle a prize jacket, I'm surprised at the wear, and the willingness to accept it?

I can understand a jacket that has wear, and looks vintage because it is vintage, and you've worn the hell out of it. But from a new jacket? I've always thought you earn that by actually wearing the jacket hard.

I wouldn't buy a £85 pair of jeans that are pre-worn, or will fade super quick, nor that has been frayed for that designer-labourer look, you want a jacket you can wear, and not worry that in 5 months you'll be left with a zip and strips of horsehide

 

[bseal]

Vindicated. :shock:

 

[SuinBruin]

I'm sorry, but if the jacket is pretty much new, and you have worn it, truthfully for a about a week, no there should not be any wear like that, are you not worried the jacket will just disintegrate in 6 months?

If you spend a certain amount of money, you should get what you WANT and not have to compromise.

Originals would never have been, 'like this' after a week of wear, I don't know if you've been on any bombing raids in the past week, or doing much hard manual labour in a £850 jacket, but if you've been wearing it in cold weather, in a car, or on the street thats the least you'd expect from it.

Military items are meant to be tough, durable and utilitarian, even if you do molly-coddle a prize jacket, I'm surprised at the wear, and the willingness to accept it?

I can understand a jacket that has wear, and looks vintage because it is vintage, and you've worn the hell out of it. But from a new jacket? I've always thought you earn that by actually wearing the jacket hard.

I wouldn't buy a £85 pair of jeans that are pre-worn, or will fade super quick, nor that has been frayed for that designer-labourer look, you want a jacket you can wear, and not worry that in 5 months you'll be left with a zip and strips of horsehide

Agreed. When the new jacket high wears off (and it always does, or we wouldn't own so many of them :mrgreen: ), you'll probably be unhappy with the premature wear. It's better in the long run to get it taken care of now.

 

[Aerosquad]

Since we all agree that this is an issue and has been why dont these repro makers simply put a notice on their advertising that within weeks you will notice cracking, grazing, wear spots etc. The pictures they show are of perfect unblemished jackets. No sales rep ever mentions premature wear "just like the originals". I have seen 60 year old originals that have less wear and were used for the original purpose. Couldn't they just put onother coat of finish on if you don't want a sheepskin flight jacket to look like it went through WW II 60 years ago after a week ?