For anyone with an ELC A1

[horseback leader]

Gents,

Just received from Alan a second hand ELC Capeskin A1. What a difference compared to A2's! Not just the pattern, but the capeskin is so soft and luxurious it hardly feels like what I've come to know from a flight jacket until now.

There's been much talk of the less-than tough as nails characteristics of A1's, and so my questions are for anyone who has one of these jackets. Do you wear it more carefully, and if you don't, does it hold up well and strongly, or does it wear more quickly and take a beating poorly? The softness of this jacket reminds me of mall-jacket lambskin, but it seems to be stronger, and I'm wondering if it really is. Do you guys wear it out in the rain ever, and if so how does it handle that?

Dan

P.S. Sorry I let this go into 'vintage' instead of 'repro's, can't seem to change that now that I've posted it.

 

[deeb7]

... The softness of this jacket reminds me of mall-jacket lambskin, but it seems to be stronger, and I'm wondering if it really is.

Good question, I've been wondering the same thing.

 

[Persimmon]

Dan,
Its been worn in the shower, wrigged roughly dry and worn for an hour and a half to
fit dry and was ended up great as you now know.
Also two heavy rainfalls previous to that let me know it was more than OK and could handle
lots of water.
Capeskin is not that weak. Enjoy the jacket and know it can take many elements of life's
rough and tumbles.

 

[Falcon_52]

Dan:

I don't have an Eastman A-1 but I have one of the Willis & Geiger capeskin A-1s from the mid-1990s. I have used and abused the jacket and it's still in pretty decent shape. I have even spilled sulfuric acid on it while filling a motorcycle battery (bad day) and there is only a little surface damage. The sleeve has been snagged on a fence and it didn't turn out too bad - it didn't tear through.

I'd say that capeskin gives an awfully good comfort to toughness ratio. :geek: It's always a treat to wear.

Noel

 

[zoomer]

My W&G A-1 ripped where a button was attached while I was dry stretching it (WHAT A DUMMY :x ). However, I was able to sew the rip up rather neatly and reattach the button. Instant character.

I actually took a slow fall onto concrete while bicycling in my Eastman cape. No scuffs to speak of - altho I didn't slide any distance.

They're both good in the wet, especially the W&G, which is chrome-tanned.

The thing to watch for with the ELC is oils and greases. They will darken the aniline-dyed finish.

 

[Dr H]

I'm becoming more taken with the look of accurate A-1s. Could anybody give some guidance about the values of used (authentic) A-1 replicas please?
Thanks in advance.
Ian

 

[zoomer]

I got all mine used, either at eBay or thru VLJ'ers. They were all under, or slightly over, $500.

The ELC cape was the highest at $550, the ELC steer (oversized and heavier) about $500.
The W&G cape was $400 and the Lost Worlds goat $425 (a very nicely constructed jacket for the money - worth about twice that new).