Aero Board Racer fit advice please.

Hello all,

A friendly introduction, and then a question concerning your knowledge and experience in purchasing a custom made leather jacket!

I am retired from 20 years active duty service in the US Navy. I am now a watchmaker. I enjoy mountain biking. I just recently sold my motorcycle, but it was a Ducati Monster 796. I prefer items of quality over mass produced throw away items.

So with that out of the way, it has been a pleasure reading some of your threads discussing your leather jacket purchases and the thoughts that went into purchasing them. Thank you.

Looking for a fit opinion on this 42 BR, as many of you have experience with that. This is my first Aero jacket, and my first fitting, so I lack experience to know what is normal and what is not. I do not intend to use this jacket for motorcycle use, it is for casual wear.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=180UaaRyq1wz2deRyaRN5NGHZWptXpQe9

A couple of notes.

1. The torso is fine, feels good. I can layer a t-shirt and a dress shirt and a pack-able down filled vest for warmth, or a t-shirt and a tight fitting merino wool sweater underneath without concern. A bulky sweater does not fit properly in the sleeves (tight), but is fine in the torso. Obviously the most comfortable with just a t-shirt and dress shirt as I tend to dress for work. I am 6'1", 190lbs, and go down to 180ish during the summer. My chest measures at 40.5". This jacket I am wearing measures at P2P: 22.75", shoulder: 18.25", waist: 20.25"

2. Sleeves are fine when the arms are down, but things get tight when moving the arms. It is a fight to get into a chest pocket, or scratching my head, hugging. Tightness is felt in the elbows and under the arms. I don't know what to make of this. I feel like I am fighting the jacket, does not feel natural or normal. Freedom of movement is restricted. You can see the shoulder rise up in the photos as I move.

3. The yoke stretches with me, so it does not feel like the limiting factor in arm movement. It gets tight, but not uncomfortable, I assume that is normal.

4. Chest gets tighter than the back, pulls a bit when rolling my shoulders back, but not like the jacket is going to pop a stitch... Just tighter than the back. I assume the zipper is a limiting factor in this compared to the yoke.

5. This jacket is Vicenza HH, however I am ordering my jacket in Soft Black Steerhide, that is slightly thicker leather, which in turn will make the jacket tighter as I understand. Horse and goat are not options for me for personal reasons.

Looking for your advice, thank you all.

The measurements work out, and the photo you linked to looks good, but it would be better to see additional photos from different angles.

It's possible that a jacket with wider shoulders would be more comfortable on you. The Board Racer is narrow in the shoulders, more so than the Cafe Racer, which is the next closest style to the BR.

You may find a jacket with an action back or shoulder gussets is more comfortable and easier to move in. Their 30's jacket designs predate those innovations and aren't meant to have them, but, well, there's a reasons those innovations were innovated later on in history -- they do make a difference.

It's also possible you have bigger arms than the average bloke, in which case you might need to give Aero full custom measurements and get their opinion as to whether they can fit you in this style at all.

I don't know that soft steer will be less comfortable than Vicenza, ask Aero for their advice on that one.

Guppy said:

The measurements work out, and the photo you linked to looks good, but it would be better to see additional photos from different angles.

It's possible that a jacket with wider shoulders would be more comfortable on you. The Board Racer is narrow in the shoulders, more so than the Cafe Racer, which is the next closest style to the BR.

You may find a jacket with an action back or shoulder gussets is more comfortable and easier to move in. Their 30's jacket designs predate those innovations and aren't meant to have them, but, well, there's a reasons those innovations were innovated later on in history -- they do make a difference.

It's also possible you have bigger arms than the average bloke, in which case you might need to give Aero full custom measurements and get their opinion as to whether they can fit you in this style at all.

I don't know that soft steer will be less comfortable than Vicenza, ask Aero for their advice on that one.

Click to expand...

Hello Guppy and well met!

Thank you for your advice.

I am considering arm gussets. I wanted to keep the jacket less bulky, but I may not have a choice if I want the fit of the jacket and some freedom of arm movement.

My comment about the steerhide is only that it is thicker, and therefore would make the jacket in the same size tighter, given that we measure from the outside. I don't think that steerhide is less comfortable than Vicenza. But a tight fit might be.

I am wearing the jacket now and taking some comparison measurements to other jackets I own. I will see about more photos if a good opportunity presents itself.

Here is a link of the tight areas on the jacket.

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=1xdlM0Zs30bM_6MSl2zVBh_H25u11fX2G

Kuro said:

Here is a link of the tight areas on the jacket.

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=1xdlM0Zs30bM_6MSl2zVBh_H25u11fX2G

Click to expand...

I wouldn't call myself an expert, but I'd say you need more room in the upper sleeves.

Kuro said:

Here is a link of the tight areas on the jacket.

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=1xdlM0Zs30bM_6MSl2zVBh_H25u11fX2G

Click to expand...

Hi im pretty new to this but will tell you what i experienced with a recent CR. When i first got it... it was very form fitting... and the fqhh... well it almost felt like a straight jacket... as it still had some breaking in to do.

I was able to zip up over a hoody however... and i wore this jacket around quite a bit with the hoody (a lot actually!)... and about 6 weeks later the leather has molded to me quite well. Noticeably around shoulders, elbows, etc. The leather is much more pliable as well.

It seemed to stretch almost a size up... it is much more comfortable and is beginning to have that molded glove like feel. I suspect the comfort level will just get better and better with wear.

But if it is way too tight in those areas may be problem. As guppy mentioned best to provide measurements

The steer will definitely feel tighter in the same size jacket.

Have you thought about going for a Cafe Racer modified to look more like Board Racer?

They can make the torso longer and off set the zip. To give the same length etc. The benefits will be slightly lower arm holes (which seems to be an area causing your concern) plus the shoulders are significantly wider as well. Is this fit jacket through Thurston Bros? It might be worth asking Carrie if that’s an option for you. They will probably advise a size and add 0.5 inch to each side panel to get the fit right as the CR is REALLY tapered.

Looks like a good fit to me but photos don't give us the feel of a jacket. Incidentally, these are trim fit jackets and many people will experience a perfect fit as too small, I suspect. What I can talk to is that a new jacket that feels too small today can fit perfectly in a fortnight if worn constantly. Jackets need to hold to your torso.

Thank you all. I have decided that point 2 in my OP, is not 100% correct. There is some tightness in the elbows, but the majority of my fit issues seem to be located at the arm holes on the jacket. It gets tight enough there, as shown in my second fit link, to be tight. The tight spots are mostly in the front of the jacket where the sleeve joins the front panels, and then from the rear under the arms. The sleeve also creases high on the bicep near the shoulder and that gets tight as well.

Rest of the jacket, and in situations where I am not hugging myself... It is comfortable. I just feel like if I knew what to ask for to make the jacket fit just a little better around that arm hole...

I don't have big muscles either. I feel like I can pinch and inch of leather with my arm inside the sleeve.

I am not certain that I need to step up to a 44... I am considering trying a 44 BR.

I am discussing this with Carrie, she is providing the fit jacket, and I will be asking about the CR as a potential. But I am trying to step away from bulky MC jackets, I already have one.

Thank you all for your suggestions.

If the jacket feels uncomfortable in the armhole and upper arms, you may want to check out other styles, because the high armholes and slim sleeves are signature features of the BR.

The first fit picture, the back shot, looks wrong to me too; too tight in shoulders and on the hips, odd wrinkles at the waist. If I was you, I'd consider trying Aeros CR or Sheene for more casual look; wider shoulders, larger armholes, wider sleeves.

Kuro said:

Rest of the jacket, and in situations where I am not hugging myself... It is comfortable.

Click to expand...

Realistically, how often do you hug yourself throughout the day? Is it really an issue?

It's when you start kissing yourself that the real trouble begins.

Nice jacket, good fit
My size is usually 40. My Board Racer is size 40 with 1 cm longer arms and back.
Even though I am quite slender, the jacket is more a shirt than a jacket. The sleeves are slim and armholes very high. It's the design of the jacket : in the beginning I was a bit upset but now I am happy with it.
The jacket is now moulded around my body and I can do every move without feeling (too) restricted. In the beginning, for example, it was hard to reach the safety belt with my right arm while seated in my car (left hand drive).

If vicenza leather : don't soak it in water to soften it, it will probably shrink and also darken... (been there done that ...) Just wear it often.

Kuro said:

This jacket is Vicenza HH, however I am ordering my jacket in Soft Black Steerhide, that is slightly thicker leather

Click to expand...

Have you verified with Aero that the soft black steer is thicker than vicenza?

jacketjunkie said:

If the jacket feels uncomfortable in the armhole and upper arms, you may want to check out other styles, because the high armholes and slim sleeves are signature features of the BR.

The first fit picture, the back shot, looks wrong to me too; too tight in shoulders and on the hips, odd wrinkles at the waist. If I was you, I'd consider trying Aeros CR or Sheene for more casual look; wider shoulders, larger armholes, wider sleeves.

Click to expand...

The thing I've found about high arm holes, is you need to put your arm completely into the sleeve. You'll feel like the edge of the sleeve, where the arm hole is, goes right up into your armpit, in a way that the relaxed-fit jackets you're likely used to do not. If the arm isn't in the sleeve, you're going to feel the edge of the arm hole digging into your upper arm near the shoulder and bicep. If your arm is all the way into the sleeve, and it's a good fit, you won't feel it, especially once the jacket is broken in. It's definitely not like how most jackets fit, and takes a little getting used to, plus a little break-in, but once it breaks in, you'll know a good fit.

Kuro said:

I am discussing this with Carrie, she is providing the fit jacket, and I will be asking about the CR as a potential. But I am trying to step away from bulky MC jackets, I already have one.

Click to expand...

With a proper fit and the right leather you need not worry about the Cafe Racer looking like a bulky MC jacket. As ProteinNerd mentioned you can incorporate the design features you like in the Board Racer while taking advantage of the extra upper body room in the CR.

ProteinNerd said:

Realistically, how often do you hug yourself throughout the day? Is it really an issue?

Click to expand...

I used hugging as a way to easily express an arm motion. Reaching to use any of the jacket pockets causes the tightness in the upper arm area. So it can be an issue if there is a problem with the fit. If it is just a break in issue then no, probably not a problem. Currently I don't know which one it is.

I don't want anyone to think I love myself enough to give myself hugs throughout the day!

Harris HTM said:

Have you verified with Aero that the soft black steer is thicker than vicenza?

Click to expand...

Carrie @ Thurston Bros has told me it is thicker.

This is probably my main concern on the fit of the 42 jacket. I believe I could live with that fit as it was, but I don't have enough experience to know what a more snug fit in steerhide would do with a break in period, or if I should size up knowing it will be a tighter fit. It is the soft steerhide, so it may flex and stretch more than the Vincenza?

^^Nice!

Looks like a nice jacket. I haven't anayized the fit of my 4-pocket CR (from Thurston as well) quite this much, but it's heavy steer and fits very well. Worth a consider perhaps.

Kuro said:

Carrie @ Thurston Bros has told me it is thicker.

This is probably my main concern on the fit of the 42 jacket. I believe I could live with that fit as it was, but I don't have enough experience to know what a more snug fit in steerhide would do with a break in period, or if I should size up knowing it will be a tighter fit. It is the soft steerhide, so it may flex and stretch more than the Vincenza?

Click to expand...

Hi Kuro,
I would recommend asking for samples, then you'll see that the difference in thickness is not visible to the naked eye - I just checked some samples I had received from Aero in the past.
My Happy Days is made out of Vicenza; my girlfriend's MC jacket is made out of the soft black steerhide. The steerhide is really soft and does not need any break-in period. The Vicenza, though in no case a CXL FQHH, is quite stiffer than the steer.