What jacket(s) are you wearing at the moment?

[Lord Flashheart]

Righto Smithy I gather that "just get on with it" is the approved method. So layered up A2 under my padded high vis work jacket for some time fettling my road bike in the garage. Not cold enough for it but didn't want to get gunked chain oil over it.

 

[Smithy]

Righto Smithy I gather that "just get on with it" is the approved method. So layered up A2 under my padded high vis work jacket for some time fettling my road bike in the garage. Not cold enough for it but didn't want to get gunked chain oil over it.

That's perfect. You just can't underestimate how much manual labour helps to break a jacket in, start developing wear and also the process of moulding to your body and how you move. So many are scared of using their jackets to do physical things in and that's a real shame. Everyone oohs and aahs over photos of A-2s from the war but many forget that the very reason they look the way they do in those photos is because they were worn hard and not babied in the slightest - they were used for physical activity. And unsurprisingly physical activity is what will make any repro A-2 look more like an original.

 

[Micawber]

^^^Practical and functional items of work and uniform clothing.

 

[Lord Flashheart]

Mind you at ELC prices you'll forgive me for thinking very, very, carefully first

 

[Micawber]

It's only money and you can't take it with you

 

[Officer Dibley]

It's only money and you can't take it with you

But you have to have it first in order to not be able to take it with you !

 

[Micawber]

But you have to have it first in order to not be able to take it with you !

Let's not get bogged down in trivialities like that

Of course I am only kidding, filthy lucre is stupidly hard to come by and very easy to loose.

 

[Smithy]

Mind you at ELC prices you'll forgive me for thinking very, very, carefully first

That's true but once you throw caution to the wind the first time, you'll never look back and the jacket will look and feel a million times better. Sure it costs a pretty penny (especially an ELC) but it's outerwear, it's designed and made to be worn hard. It's not a suit or tuxedo made only for fancy occasions. Wear the hell out of it and try not to worry about it. Your jacket will look better and when you stop fretting and stop worrying about it, you'll be much happier when you wear it.

 

[Lord Flashheart]

A point well made Smithy. Entertainingly my drinking chums pointed out that the leather reminded them of the smell inside my vintage Rover. I think this was a thinly disguised ploy to get me to drive them to the pub in the Rover which is all very well but another night on the softies whilst they savour some hop based energy drinks!

 

[ausreenactor]

Feels like spring today. View attachment 31235

That's a ripper!

 

[busdrivermike]

New to me vintage unlined deerskin biker shirt, thrift shop find for $20
Awesome shirt , zipped sleeves, zipped sides, underarm gussets
Bought it to inspire more weight loss, but even still it was snug
If I moved my arms back it would pop open if you sat it would pop open
So I upsized it yesterday, soaked in hot water massaged it wore it over two sweaters
Then Put two sleeping bags in it some towels and now I can put over a
Insulated carhartt hoodie, wore for a few hours that way today shoveled the drive
now I just got to pecards it , it’s got such wonderful Character

 

[A2 B3au]

My Aero pre-war Irvin finally arrived. Oh God it's beyond awesome, I'll make sure to post some fittings tomorrow

Looks saweet, I love a new jacket...enjoy
View attachment 31214View attachment 31215

 

[newagegeezer]

having owned a '44 Willys jeep for over 40 years, up till last year, I can confirm all that Mr Micawber stated, and will add that it looks from photo that his has the manual wind screen wipers, like mine ,which if driving on own in traffic in heavy rain added another bit of interest to the driving. But great fun driving on a sunny day in town, could surprise drivers with the fast acceleration from stop at lights, for about 5 seconds , also mine with teh bar grip tyres would practically stop on its own without using the brakes and that with a 2 litre side valve engine led to about 15 odd mpg. A long run, such as London to Portsmouth to get the ferry to Normandy for teh Dday reunions was not a lot of fun, OK, only 90 odd miles but at 40/45 mph top wack on just minimal padded seat and back rest had me feeling as if I'd been beaten up when I got there after about 3 hours or more, my hard tail 1943 HD was much more comfortable with its sprung seat post, but then tootling around the Normandy back roads more than made up for it and of course one could indulge in A2s, G1s, Irvins, B3s at will depending on weather and look the part. I'm still in seller's remorse but it needed to be used and loved, have 3 other classic cars and 2 bikes that never get used enough as it is, and old vehicles, like us old geezers, need using to keep in fine fettle.... and old leather jackets, of course

 

[Serghei87]

I received my ELC jacket bought some days ago for 350€.

It is an old version of Pearl Harbor in American walnut.
Comparing the leather of this one with the Warhorse...i gotta say the Warhorse is so much better! The feeling when you touch it and feel it is better on the Warhorse. The older leather feels like fake leather, not natural. I am not an expert in leathers at all, but the old one just does not feel so great. But i love the colour and how it looks after years of use. Just beautiful.

I put the patch from Sean Collins and it is like they were meant for each other looks Awesome!

I just need to find someone now here in luxembourg that can stitch the patch on to the jacket

 

[mulceber]

I’d be inclined to just enjoy the jacket as is. But then, I’m not a patch guy. Sweet jacket either way.

 

[Lord Flashheart]

Nice jacket Serghei. Like Mulceber I'd enjoy the jacket for what it is (guess I'm not a patch guy either) but each to his own it's a great looking jacket

 

[Serghei87]

Thanks guys for your honest opinion as always
I am a patch guy indeed but i plan to have as well one jacket without any patch. I just need to decide which one will be

 

[Serghei87]

I would like to do another small review comparing the zippers on both ELC. Talon vs Crown

Well the Talon one is just another level. No wave effect and i can close it with one hand only without even having to hold the jacket with the other hand...it is so smooth!!

The Crown just sucks :/ even closing it with both hands, it gets stuck several times on the way up

Can someone tell me which model is exactly the Talon one?

Please see photos below

 

[Smithy]

+1 again today, bit of snowfall on the afternoon constitutional so A-2 and submariner again the same as yesterday. I'm quite sold on it as a combination. MASH A-10s to keep the paws warm and this beanie thing that makes me look like a try hard snowboarder or wannabe rastafarian. Kept the noggin warm though.

 

[mulceber]

+1 again today, bit of snowfall on the afternoon constitutional so A-2 and submariner again the same as yesterday. I'm quite sold on it as a combination. MASH A-10s to keep the paws warm and this beanie thing that makes me look like a try hard snowboarder or wannabe rastafarian. Kept the noggin warm though.

Think you forgot to attach pics, Smithy...