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Whats the magic with japanese made A2's?

Enigma1938

Well-Known Member
Hi
Can anyone tell me why japanese made A2 jackets like Buzz Rickson or Real Mccoy are so popular and high priced?
They may be well put together but there are also a few points who doesn't justify this prices. The leather has nice colors but looks... um... unexciting, it's mostly smooth throughout and lacks character like old ELC ones for example. There are often liners and knits attached that seem pretty off in color, details are not as accurate as on other top tier makers, they often don't even have original maker labels...
You can find this jackets all over the internet but always similar or higher in prices than ELC or GW, BK.... etc.
I simply don't understand that hype.
 

Kermit3D

Well-Known Member
I so agree.
I have no doubt that the quality is excellent. I don't have a lot of experience with Real Mccoy's earlier productions which seemed to be quite authentic. But Real McCoy seems to have gone in a different direction. It is now primarily a luxury clothing manufacturer that plays on the high quality image of Japanese products. But authenticity does not seem to be a priority anymore... (... if I were a bit "prickly" I would say that ELC is slowly going in the same direction, but that's not the point). :p

Of course this is only my opinion and I realize that it may sound very snobbish (I'm a boring guy who is looking for historical authenticity above all, and fortunately not everyone has this kind of obsession).

But man, when I see this :
This is almost double the price of my B-6 Good Wear !!!
 

Enigma1938

Well-Known Member
But man, when I see this :
This is almost double the price of my B-6 Good Wear !!!
not only twice the price but also not nearly as good looking as your GW B6
 

Brettafett

Well-Known Member
Have to agree with the above. I know there are fans out there, but I simply dont get it.
Hey, one can throw ones hard earned cash at whatever one wants. Doesn't make it a better thing because its more expensive.

Dont get me wrong, their earlier stuff was good. I was fortunate enough to visit with Paddy in NZ, back when RMNZ was winding down and they were making The Few jackets...
Handled and tried on some great jackets, A-2s, M-422as etc. (boy, did they have a collection of originals!!!!) Some were a bit odd, very red/ orange shiny hides, but most were decent.
Have handled, tried on and nearly bought some secondhand in the past. A couple of RMNZ A-2s that look fantastic, mid brown hide, great patterns...

But the recent stuff, well-made sure, over engineered, certainly. Leather on the heavier thicker side, lifeless - Not very comfortable... Way over-priced for what you're getting.
I was in a UK store the other day, they have a number of RM and BR flight jackets. The leather stuff, no thanks. The M-422A and G-1s neither appear, nor feel anything akin to originals.
Weird patterns, large collars, pocket profiles looked odd, heavy, stiff shiny leather... I'd rate my AVI over one of these any day.
Theres a Rw23380 there, doesn't hold a candle to my Kelso, let alone anything John would make.

Go figure.
 

Kermit3D

Well-Known Member
not only twice the price but also not nearly as good looking as your GW B6
I think the Real McCoy B-6 is one of their best looking jackets. Honestly I think it looks great and seems pretty accurate.
But it's just not worth the asking price.
Doesn't make it a better thing because its more expensive.
Amen ;)
 
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mulceber

Moderator
Yep, generally agree. I'm a big fan of Buzz Rickson's cloth jackets, but I don't give the leather stuff a second look. A special point of frustration is that they (or RMC? Can't recall - it may even just be a rumor) are the only maker apart from Eastman to have taken their A-1 jacket pattern from an original...and they choose to make it out of horsehide. :rolleyes: I get that capeskin isn't everyone's cup of tea, but could you at least give us the option of authentic materials to match the pattern???
 
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Shanghai-Mayne

Well-Known Member
Buzz’s original sample collection:
4C8D9A66-3CB5-4A30-8E9A-0A976D55BD05.jpeg
ECA0FD24-7D28-423F-9FA9-E92F08C73B58.jpeg
186DCA9E-8F8E-411E-BD8C-CD9E68AFB558.jpeg
08C1C16A-8EC8-4F47-A341-AAE951E13CFB.jpeg
 

MikeyB-17

Well-Known Member
It’s the same strategy that ELC are pursuing-charge what they can get away with. They’re also not necessarily the most accurate jackets around, but they’ve managed to create a scenario where people will pay whatever they charge-even the completely off-piste, ‘we know it never existed but it looks cool so we’ll do it anyway’ stuff. They’re by no means bad jackets-probably the nicest leather jacket I ever had was a Real McCoys Japan-but, like ELC, they’re not worth what they’re charging.
 

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
I think the attraction stems from the earlier jackets that were made by these companies . Early on before there were the quality jackets being made by other companies , Buzz and Real Mc Coy produced some top notch jackets for that period. Some of the fleece that they used was the nicest available at the time . Like most things their quality of their jackets diminished over time while their prices increased.
 

ZuZu

Well-Known Member
Hi
Can anyone tell me why japanese made A2 jackets like Buzz Rickson or Real Mccoy are so popular and high priced?
They may be well put together but there are also a few points who doesn't justify this prices. The leather has nice colors but looks... um... unexciting, it's mostly smooth throughout and lacks character like old ELC ones for example. There are often liners and knits attached that seem pretty off in color, details are not as accurate as on other top tier makers, they often don't even have original maker labels...
You can find this jackets all over the internet but always similar or higher in prices than ELC or GW, BK.... etc.
I simply don't understand that hype.

They are incredibly well sewn. They look good when worn at least in smaller sizes. But all that aside I think that it is the weird cultural divide between us and the Japanese which makes the jackets interesting. They make the repro a thing unto itself (if that makes any sense). The Japanese don't necessarily care about making a perfect copy- it's about picking and choosing the parts that catch that Japanese aesthetic and incoporating very fine focused details with it.
They make it so the reproduction becomes as cool as the original itself (in their eyes) so they don't have to make a perfect copy.

I went to the Real Mcoy's store in Tokyo- one of the most interesting days of my life. All this American stuff laid out beautifully- every piece seemed interesting and cool- like a museum piece. Echoes of a perfect fantasy 60s surplus store. There was an unusual reverence there (as everywhere in Japan)- but what's also true is that the jackets when sold to the native Japanese will be part of specific culture which doesn't really have any reverence for what WE think. It is all about the look and that strange overarching historical fact of the American occupation.
 

Stravaiger

Well-Known Member
This was an educational thread. Over the years I have looked at Japanese leather jacket makers and wondered if their prices are totally justified. Now I believe I know and will stick to supporting more local makers.That said I know their blades and their motorcycles are about the very best available and their slight premiums are absolutely justified.
 
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