GoodWear vs Eastman. Does it have to be a battle?

[Anonymous]

By the way- just check out the detail photos on the Goodwear 27752 site and the Eastman 27752 site. Play the little game children play on those place mats you get in a diner- you know- the "Which two duckies are the same?" game! Look carefully at the photos- there are mistakes to be found in Eastman's own comparison! Then check out the Goodwear...

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Van- same to you! Still crazy after all these years! (Me that is...)

 

[watchmanjimg]

Great seeing you on the forum again, Jeff--even if it's just this once. Merry Christmas!

 

[bfrench]

Hi, Jeff,

Merry Christmas to you and your family and a Happy New Year.

Here's hoping that you eventually find the RW repro that has no faults.

Cheers,
Bill French

 

[Grant]

Jeff, Welcome back to the forum. Good to hear from another one of the old timers. What Good Wear are you rocking these days? For me John's Rough Wear 18091 and 27752 are my favorites. Now that I've managed to get a hold of an original painted Talon zip I'm tempted to go for a Monarch.

 

[deeb7]

Wow, Jeff's back.

I can just imagine you reading some of these posts, whilst shouting at the computer.

 

[Anonymous]

Good to hear from you guys! I actually pretty much have found the PERFECT Roughwear repro- it should keep me happy for a while! It is a GW 27752- It's got the same measurements as that Florida size 48 (I think you found that one Grant-?) except it's 1/2 smaller in the shoulder. I added 1" for my ape-like arms. This jacket is made from John's russet spray finish Japanese horsehide. It's pretty thick and grainy but very close to the leather on that MacArthur jacket which sold recently. The jacket fits me kind of big which I love- a bomber crewman fit. The collar and shoulders and eps combine to give it that undefinable Roughwear look- no more looking in store windows- I know it looks right. I am very happy with this jacket- it has the look. Anyway- I hope you all are well- I probably won't "honor" you with my commentary after this...

 

[John Lever]

Good to hear from you Jeff.
Like I said Eastman are a mass producer and John is a bespoke tailor/historian. Very different animals.
I imagine where John makes 10 jackets, Eastman make 100. It's like comparing a Ford to a Ferrari.
For many people the Eastman is good enough.

 

[Roughwear]

Welcome back Jeff. Thanks for adding so helpfully to this post. Some of the newer members who have not handled originals or owned GWs need further advice when it comes to the accuracy ELC A2s.

 

[MikeyB-17]

Goodto hear from you Jeff-I for one was wishing you were around to weigh in on this one! Merry Xmas and enjoy the Goodwear!

 

[cmk-2]

Hi everyone,
I'm happy to state that John, good to his word has replaced my knits and has returned my jacket. I will say that his current knits are MUCH better then the old ones. Thanks you John, Robin

 

[Dr H]

Glad you saw fit to post Jeff - missed your attention to detail and knowledge of the subject.

 

[Andrew]

Hey Mr Mak, nice to see you posting again. I'm sure it's just me but every time I read your posts the voice I hear in my head is that of Jello Biafra..... don't ask me why.

Anyhow, just for reference here's a shot of a real 27752, size 48. This is the one I restored earlier in the year with help from the VLJ paramedics.

 

[Roughwear]

Your restored RW 27752 looks great Andrew. Here's a pic of mine to show the contrast with the current offering from ELC.

Rough Wear W535ac27752-size 44

 

[269sqnhudson]

Good to hear from you Jeff.
Like I said Eastman are a mass producer and John is a bespoke tailor/historian. Very different animals.
I imagine where John makes 10 jackets, Eastman make 100. It's like comparing a Ford to a Ferrari.
For many people the Eastman is good enough.

Not really a mass producer....they're hardly M&S

 

[269sqnhudson]

Welcome back Jeff. Thanks for adding so helpfully to this post. Some of the newer members who have not handled originals or owned GWs need further advice when it comes to the accuracy ELC A2s.

Or maybe they don't?
I've been at this for 12 years and again I fear we are once more on the precipice of an hysterical game of 'mine's better than yours'. I think the newer members are capable of finding out themselves rather than having you two ram it down their throats. I concur with the weaknesses of the ELC design but the smugness of those 'on high' really p****s me off.

 

[Roughwear]

This is re-assuring to hear, but others clearly do!

 

[better duck]

Hi there and Merry Christmas! A discussion tailor made to my tastes- I'll break my silence just this once as a Christmas present to you all! (.............) that the current Eastman is as good as a Goodwear won't make it so!

Ahhhh, loved this one, really missed you! (mean it!) Thanks for breaking silence and cover, good to know you're still out there - and in here. Merry Chrismas!
And let's enjoy our little debates, and let the temperature rise, but at the same time realising they are about subjects so very, very far removed from the really important things in life: health, family, friends, good job!

 

[Roughwear]

Welcome back Jeff. Thanks for adding so helpfully to this post. Some of the newer members who have not handled originals or owned GWs need further advice when it comes to the accuracy ELC A2s.

Or maybe they don't?
I've been at this for 12 years and again I fear we are once more on the precipice of an hysterical game of 'mine's better than yours'. I think the newer members are capable of finding out themselves rather than having you two ram it down their throats. I concur with the weaknesses of the ELC design but the smugness of those 'on high' really p****s me off.

I think perhaps you have over-reacted here. The debate is about the relative historical accuracy of Eastman A2s compared with Good Wear. The current GW A2s are much closer to originals than Eastman A2s. This is not an opinion but a fact. I'm very sorry if you feel I'm smug and am ramming my views down your throat. My comment about further advice for newer members was actually tongue in cheek and not intended to be smug. This forum is about informed debate and not about making personal comments as the code of conduct makes explicit.

http://www.vintageleatherjackets.org/vi ... p?f=4&t=10

 

[philip.ed]

Out of curiosity, surely the repros are only as good as the model the manufacturer is using as reference? So if your Monarch was a close match to the one which GW modelled theirs on, then that would suggest that that is the best version. But who's to say that the one ELC uses is exactly the same? There's every chance it's different, isn't there?
For example, I have seen a large number of RAF b-type flying helmets, and they are never the same helmet. When Sefton made his repros, I saw how it differed from the helmet I had, but then I have seen other helmets which match his repro very well. It can be a mixed bag, sometimes.
So whilst the knowledge everyone have is brilliant, perhaps it's best to take it with a pinch of salt? I mean I always take the knowledge of forum members on board, and if I were to buy a repro A-2 for myself I would save for a GW, but at the same time there is always a chance (in my opinion) that these repros will differ from other originals out there, even from the same contract.