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Eastman G-1 jacket

Brettafett

Brettafett

Well-Known Member
I would like to see pics of your Eastman G-1, preferable fit pics. Also your thoughts...
I tried one of these on at the pop-up and even though the leather is a bit thinern compared to other G-1s and M422as I've owned, I really like it. Is it worth the cash?
Thanks in advance
 
MikeyB-17

MikeyB-17

Well-Known Member
My eye is turning towards a decent repro navy jacket as well. Always think Romain Hougault's ELC looks good. I bitterly regret selling the RMJ M-422A I used to have, the nicest jacket I ever owned.
 
Brettafett

Brettafett

Well-Known Member
I had a fantastic ELC M422a, that I sold earlier this year. I regret that also.
ELC M422a AVG 42L.jpg
 
tjoenn

tjoenn

Well-Known Member
Brettafett said:
I would like to see pics of your Eastman G-1, preferable fit pics. Also your thoughts...
I tried one of these on at the pop-up and even though the leather is a bit thinern compared to other G-1s and M422as I've owned, I really like it. Is it worth the cash?
Thanks in advance
Click to expand...
I bought two G-1s, one Korean era and one Vietnam era and they are a fraction of the price of a repro. Why not buy an original? If original A-2's were that easy and cheap to find, I would have a bunch :)
 
Brettafett

Brettafett

Well-Known Member
Been through that palaver a few of times. Original A-2s, G-1s, M422as, CWU etc.... Personally, I'll not say no to an immaculate original, if one were to come my way that fit.
But I don't want to wear a 40-50 year old jacket worn by someone else, with its stains and smells. Im not a smoker myself, and many originals Ive handled (not all), but most have that musky smoke aroma ;)
Cleaning a G-1, at least here in the UK proved to be a mighty mission and expensive. No one really wanted to touch it and I doubt knew what to do with it.
Replacing lining or knit if need be is super expensive also. Almost the cost the the jacket! And again, I question the quality of the work done. And then there's fit. Original G-1s for me are always way too short in the sleeves. I had an original WW2 M422a, perfect fit and a stunning jacket... but, leather cracking and beginning to wear though in places, knitwear a bit smashed, etc... I never felt comfortable wearing it.
Thats when the penny dropped that I'd prefer to wear a repro. A jacket made for me and one I could wear-in myself and make my own.
 
Smithy

Smithy

Well-Known Member
What tjoenn says. ELC are charging £1,000 for one of these now which is nuts. It's your money but you can get a mint original or a secondhand repro for a fraction of that. Brett, you obviously also know what size you are in the ELC so why not buy a secondhand one of those and save yourself a packet?
 
Brettafett

Brettafett

Well-Known Member
I know I started this thread, but Ill not pay £1000 for one of these, no matter how curious I am or how much I like 'em.
I was just wondering what people who owned one, thought about them. And because I have never been able to try one on in my size (pop-up had a 44 and Im a 40) and have not seen many pics of guys wearing them.
To be honest, my AVI 55J14 is one of my go-too jackets and has more than paid for itself. Its looking better and better also. Leather is thicker and is way warmer than my ELC M422a was.
 
Lorenzo_l

Lorenzo_l

Well-Known Member
Brett,

I own an ELC G-1 and two original G-1s, one of them your old Star Sportswear C-series (and now Jay's Pritzker & Sons 78J23, which is on its way!). The ELC G-1 used to be my dad's. It's 20+ years old, comfortable and built like a tank. I still haven't managed to break it in! After wearing the Eastman, your old Star G-1 was a revelation! - super supple, yet tough goatskin and much, much nicer to wear than the ELC G-1 and at fraction of the price, plus it's an original! Much more comfortable than the ELC G-1 and with tons of character. I like that jacket so much that I decided to get another original G-1, hence I grabbed Jay's P&Ss G-1.
I'd much rather go for an original, wearable G-1 (preferably C-series or earlier) than a repro - cheaper, better-wearing and beautiful jackets to boot. And there are quite a few wearable ones out there for grabs at a decent price.
Don't get me wrong, ELC's offer is a nice and well-built jacket, but for the money, and the wearing experience, I'd much rather get a wearable original.
Fit pics later.
 
Brettafett

Brettafett

Well-Known Member
Nothing beats an original.
Yeah, that Star was very nice... and clean. But the sleeves were bit short, even with the bi-swing. I would be happy with something like that, but with longer sleeves. A golden goose? Perhaps.
 
Lorenzo_l

Lorenzo_l

Well-Known Member
Your old Star IS very nice and clean indeed! I am so glad I got it! Jay's P&Ss is a long 40, he tells me, with longer sleeves that a normal size 40. It'd probably fit you well. Let me see how it fits when I get it and if it is too long in the sleeves it may be a better fit for you. I'll let you know.
 
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Griffon_301

Griffon_301

Well-Known Member
owning both, an ELC G-1 and M-422a, I can attest that these are magnificent jackets;
I was lucky that I got the G-1 for my 40th birthday from my girlfriend as a present (when it cost only about 700 GBP) and I was able to get the M-422a second-hand for 500 GBP;
the M-422a has a G&F label inside and I read here somewhere that those are older jackets as the new M-422a´s come with an ELC house label - I am curious if thats right btw;

there is a marked difference in the leather, with the M-422a having a finer and thinner hide IMHO but it seems to be as durable as the G-1 which is a little bit stiffer but after starting to breaking in
is easy to wear and really a great jacket;

mine are both size 46 with the M-422a having added a little length to the body by the first owner, MeachamLake; while originally I found the jacket just a tad bit too long, I actually like the added length now as this makes
the jacket great for layering it over a pullover or longer sweatshirt;
the G-1 on the other hand is a stock 46 and is a bit shorter of course;

compare to an A-2 in the same size, the USN jackets are way more comfortable to wear and you can move around in them a lot better, thanks to the bi-swing back; for long car rides, I prefer the USN jackets to any other jacket I have, with the exception of the B-6, again thanks to its bi-swing back;

a weak point of the ELC USN jackets is their knits IMHO; my girlfriend had to fix the knits on one of the sleeves only last weekend - those knits do not like bigger watches (40+ mm crowns)

regarding the style, well, thats a case of personal preference - I like both, the A-2 and the G-1/M-422a; if I had to choose one jacket though, I would go Navy, as those are more pratical IMHO - the fur collar is also a matter of personal preference but it can be quite useful if the wind is whistling past your ears;

nowadays I think I would still dish out the cash for an ELC G-1 if I would not have one already as I really love that jacket; and if you find a good used one, go for it; I know that I will not part with my G-1/M-422a combo for a long time as I really like those jackets a lot!
 
MikeyB-17

MikeyB-17

Well-Known Member
I find another aspect to the original vs. repro scenario is that the originals look like what they are - old jackets. I have had I don't know how many original G-1's, and loved them, but they never, no matter how dead stock, looked like anything other than old second hand jackets I was wearing because I couldn't afford a new one. A new repro, which, I grant you, I will hammer and put my own stamp on, will still take a shed load of hammering before it looks like a fifty year old jacket. And, snob that I am, it's nice to give the impression that I can afford a nice new jacket, even if I've got it on the cheap, which is what I always aim for. This will no doubt be sacrilege to some. Sorry.
Additionally, not all originals are that nice. Some have horrible leather that looks like cardboard (I had an Irvin B. B-series once with a nasty grey colour to the leather which looked awful when the top coat wore off). Some wear better than others. It doesn't necessarily follow that because it's original, it's automatically better. IMHO, anyway.
 
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Southoftheborder

Southoftheborder

Well-Known Member
Yes I've had both and the Eastmans are much better made. And I'm too old to be wearing old well worn leather nowadays.

The other thing to remember is that these and the A2s were service clothing, and would have been withdrawn or depot re dyed when they began to look really well worn and tatty in service.
 
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