AVI LTHR BRONCO A-2 Jacket Review & Pics

[Dr H]

Here's another in the same $$ range:

View attachment 5457

Looks like a Switchyard repro...

 

[Smithy]

Great looking jacket Burt. The colour doesn't look at all bad on my monitor at least.

I'm going seal with mine as it's my favourite A-2 shade.

 

[Technonut2112]

Looks like a Switchyard repro...

I think the Chinese are concentrating on copying premium Japanese makers for the most part...

 

[Dr H]

Yes, that doesn’t look half bad as a replica.

 

[johnwayne]

Don't wish to get into the debate really but those A1's are poor IMO, the second on the model better but compared to premium makers still below par but, you pay your money you take your choice and you get what you pay for judging by what I can see. The Chinese repops I must say do look pretty good for the money though but need to get the sizing issues resolved, it's certainly prevented me from dipping my toe in the water!!

 

[Pilot]

Free speech and all.... Fair enough, you are entitled to your opinion, and thats all it is and not an accurate one.
I have always respected Aero for producing great jackets and have experienced some good cs from your team over the years, but I also see fermenting grapes.
You've been around a long time and I've kept relatively quiet about all this nonsense, you and your 'tribe' have dragged on, all over a friendly review of 'a really good original maker A-2 jacket'.

Alan, Ken did not buy a cheap jacket to source a Pakistan 'partner', he clearly is trying to undermine someone else who he perceives is threatening him.
(He would need to do some serious upgrading anyway, to get it to the std of AVI's jacket.. and then it would cost as much as AVI's again).

AVI didn't get involved in the 'poking and prodding', doubt they cared, until a number of us brought your 'issues' to their attention and 'offered' that it may be a good idea to add something about where the jackets were made/ provenance, etc...

And PILOT, are you receiving a discount on your next Aero? I hope its a good one.
I wouldn't hold my breathe btw, I doubt Morten or anyone at AVI is bothered in the least about your 'where' nonsense. I don't recall them ever 'promising' anything... I don't recall them ever 'appearing' on this or any lounge, in fact, they do not have a presence here, besides what those of us have posted as positive reviews of our AVI LTHR jackets!.
They have responded beautifully with their CSR 'small print' and still you plotter on.

I couldn't agree more with Smithy and Technonout above, its a bit sad, and like watching Gollum stalking a fish in the dark. Boring.
Trust me, AVI does not care about your opinion and they are not going to lose any summer daylight running around trying to please trolls.

The A-1 jacket Ken bought is not what he would have received, had he bought from AVI, neither is the 'Bronco' he links. I think he wasted his money, sorry. Maybe you should actually order a 'proper' Bronco from AVI, Ken. I'm sure they wouldn't mind sending you one at all.

Hey, maybe someones cousin has shared a jacket with him to make some copies... What you have is a copy, of a copy... of a copy. These are not the same jackets.
AVI's Bronco for example has an M-39 repro Talon zipper, Carr snaps, authentic seamless double ply knit (for the seal version in this case), a faithfully reproduced label, lining stamps, etc... Do you not think these 'extras' would not elevate production costs?

Anyway. Go ahead, order whatever you want, from whomever you want... And post fit pics. We all love those.

Peace to all,
I am happy, proud and keen to invest in family Co’s like Ken’s , Gary’s , John’s etc...They are all in all the future of my kids someow...
Also, I dont need discounts..( nor do I need to buy “this” just because its cheap and looks alike...) .I can buy whatever I like without asking for a rebate...not showing off ... sorry, just because someone asked for it...
Just for the record, sold my BR, Aero, ELC, GW etc..., jackets here check my history) and for less than any AVI jacket costs...Thanks for the discount suggestion...I discounted a lot...
I just want the provenance and fair trade ( promised here and there with standard compliance sentences but no evidences ..not even confirming materials used...) to be shown as granted here earlier...so maybe a lot here dont get it...legally speaking, there are a few issues...Okay, also fair enough...( those will pop up later, if anyone is still interested...but it may come out “sour” )...
Lets move on and peace!...
BTW, Ken, Gary , John and all others working in the so much prized “compliance” show their workshop and team...hence document officially their compliance...commitment...to what they promise...

Would love to see the AVI ( compliance) team and workshop...the real one...not only some phrases and others copied from the web.....


ANYWAY...

...The prospects will decide , fair enough...if they are happy with all the facades and not caring about the behind the scene, fine......( no need of all the whisle blowers...!)...Be happy with your buyings...and to some thanks for your kind phrasings.

 

[herk115]

Well,

I got a reply from londonretailer -50, and they definitely get an "A" for effort, as they found somebody in Pakistan to make pictures of the actual jacket.
Are the jacket from the auction photo and the actual jacket identical...? Hmmm, tough call ...not! Missing the rivets for the neck hook, different leather, color, knitwear, stitching...

The auction:

s

Does anyone know where they may have stolen this picture from? So if the jacket I ordered turns out to be a POS, I can accuse them of false advertising and have some leverage with eBay over a refund.

 

[Technonut2112]

Kind of looks like a pic of Charles DiSipio (HPA) to me... Perhaps a pic from his site, or sale threads in the FL Outerwear forum. If I run across it, I'll post back.

 

[herk115]

Kind of looks like a pic of Charles DiSipio (HPA) to me... Perhaps a pic from his site, or sale threads in the FL Outerwear forum. If I run across it, I'll post back.

Thanks. I may need it. I think I see the mail truck approaching.

 

[herk115]

Okay, that $125 USD jacket from Pakistan arrived. I won't post pictures because they'll just make you cry. Where do I start? There are no epaulets! There is no throat clasp! The workmanship reminds me of those cheap light blue NASA flight jacket knockoffs made in Mexico for Space Camp. The dimensions of pocket, wind flap, collar, etc., are WAY out of proportion. In short, horrible! I asked earlier, "how can I go wrong for $125?" EASILY!!!!!!

FWIW, I've just sent off a blistering message to the seller demanding a return and refund. I will enlist eBay and PayPal's help in this. I will refuse to pay return shipping since this was obviously a scam. If you guys can find out who's jacket picture this clown stole for his ad, that would be of great help. Yeah, it's only $125, but it's still $125...my beer budget for the month.

And FYI, to console myself, I just ordered an AVI russet Bronco size 48. I'll give you a review when it arrives.

 

[Pilot]

Does anyone know where they may have stolen this picture from? So if the jacket I ordered turns out to be a POS, I can accuse them of false advertising and have some leverage with eBay over a refund.

Stolen from HPA, the RW pics posted a few years ago.

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Bec

@Ken at Aero Leather , what makes you think that Five Star Leather jackets = re-labeled AVI LTHR jackets? Even if they were made in the same factory.

Because I have one and have loads of photos of the earlier 300 Euro AVI jacket, they are identical

 

[Teddy]

I think herk115's experience and the photos Ken posted from Five Stars still suggest to me that AVI's production partner in Pakistan is of a higher standard. The A1 and the G1 display from Five Stars on ebay gave me a cringe that I'd never press the button whereas AVI's G1 jacket gave me a "wow". Maybe it's the Photoshop editing but these display images also signal a seller's dedication to his/her products. Personally, I speculate there are different standards in the same region or even in the same production site.

@Ken at Aero Leather 's comments here might seem hostile to some but it signals "skin in the game" to me He provided great information for us to investigate more, even if I came to a different conclusion in the end and still like AVI's products.

 

[2BM2K]

Where is the shoulder seam on the AVI Bronco? It should be behind the epaulette but
I cannot see it in the photo's.

Also, as far as I can tell from the photo's, the pocket flap underside leather is sewn flat. The edges
should be folded over.

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

A couple of members have predictably taken umbrage at "The Whistleblower"
Why did we go looking?
Because Aero & ELC and to a le sser extent Pike Broshad been getting slagged off for our price increases while AVI we being held as an another EU maker who didn't charge £600-£800 for their A-2s, Smithy knows all about this.
When pressing AVI's agent Brett for the country of origin, we were met with smokescreens and mrrors
Now it looks really bad if most of the EU makers are charging so much more than the new kid on the block and their "Danish" made versions.
Level playing field.
Now we've found out where they are being made and how much they cost we could have kept it to ourselves and had everyting think we were profiteering when, in fact, we can't buy the raw materials for an A-2 for the AVI retail price without delving deep into the 3rd World
These jackets are costing no more than our 1999 Indian Made A-2 which we sold at £200, they are costing less than some of our (Made in Scotland) machine knitted sweaters that retail at £130 for God's sake
Now, Smithy/Brett if we really felt AVI were a threat, we could get a range made in the same faxctory who are very keen to work with us and undercut the AVI price till the pips squeaked.
Right now the Aero directors are discussing whether we should offer a jacket or two made in the same factory, after all even if they'd retailed at just under £200 we'd make twice as much as we make on our Fair Isle sweaters for the same sort of outlay.
The general feeling is we won't go down this route but we might reinstate our "Quartermasters A-2"

RE the Chinese At least they are right upfront about where their goods are made

Please feel free to slag us off, we've got thick skins and the truth is on our side

 

[Southoftheborder]

I'm a bit surprised that anyone would think those cheap eBay jackets would look like the ones on the listings. I've reported them to eBay in the past because they are a pain when you do a search. I've also mentioned it to Rob at Eastman that they were using images from their site and he's reported them. Ebay has taken them down briefly but they soon go back up again. If you search for Aero Leather for instance there are scores of these jackets from the sub continent all using Eastman and Aero pictures. The feedback usually has a lot of complaints that the jackets aren't like the ones on the listing too...

But you can see the hide quality on most of those pictures of the real jackets and there is obviously no way you will get that quality for the money they're selling this rubbish for.

 

[Smithy]

Bec


Because I have one and have loads of photos of the earlier 300 Euro AVI jacket, they are identical

But the so-called Bronco that you say is identical apart from the labelling isn't Ken. The pattern, leather, hardware (zipper, snaps), stamps, etc, etc are entirely different from AVI LTHR's Bronco.

Ken, the more you try and badmouth the opposition the more it tarnishes your own brand. When I first started working in advertising, one of the first things I learnt from one of the best in the business was that badmouthing the competition whilst perhaps enjoying short term traction will only end in loss of integrity and brand image to your own.

Posting here and trying to throw muck at a company isn't actually going to stop anyone from buying from them. All it's going to do is make you look like a sour and sore loser, and it'll make punters question why on earth you'd be bothering to put so much effort into trying to sink a new player unless there was something amiss with your own offering which is directly threatened by the appearance of AVI LTHR.

It might be from the corporate playbook, but the CEO of an established company having to take potshots at the small newcomer will never make the company or brand look better or stronger.

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

I think herk115's experience and the photos Ken posted from Five Stars still suggest to me that AVI's production partner in Pakistan is of a higher standard. The A1 and the G1 display from Five Stars on ebay gave me a cringe that I'd never press the button whereas AVI's G1 jacket gave me a "wow". Maybe it's the Photoshop editing but these display images also signal a seller's dedication to his/her products. Personally, I speculate there are different standards in the same region or even in the same production site.

@Ken at Aero Leather 's comments here might seem hostile to some but it signals "skin in the game" to me He provided great information for us to investigate more, even if I came to a different conclusion in the end and still like AVI's products.

The Five Star A-1 is identical to the earlier AVI version, made in the same factory, the emails I've had from the factory quote AVI as one of their customers along with Sears and Alpha Industries

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

I'm a bit surprised that anyone would think those cheap eBay jackets would look like the ones on the listings. I've reported them to eBay in the past because they are a pain when you do a search. I've also mentioned it to Rob at Eastman that they were using images from their site and he's reported them. Ebay has taken them down briefly but they soon go back up again. If you search for Aero Leather for instance there are scores of these jackets from the sub continent all using Eastman and Aero pictures. The feedback usually has a lot of complaints that the jackets aren't like the ones on the listing too...

But you can see the hide quality on most of those pictures of the real jackets and there is obviously no way you will get that quality for the money they're selling this rubbish for.

Just look at the pictures of the AVI against the pics of the one I've bought from five star, and check the feedback by five star, nobody says the jackets are different to the photos

 

[Ken at Aero Leather]

Also, as far as I can tell from the photo's, the pocket flap underside leather is sewn flat. The edges
should be folded over.

You mean like this................ Gluing the top edges and trimming off a raw edge backing aftrer top stitching is an easy wayand quick to get a neat pocket flap