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Aero 101J Leather Jacket

Messages
15,563
Location
East Central Indiana
Very nice jacket...but what I have never understood..what is the purpose or advantage of no lining in a leather jacket? Just seems unfinished to me. What am I missing..?? I do understand unlined denim as it is easy to take off and on but the roughout underside of leather can be a bear...
HD
 
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BobJ

Practically Family
Messages
609
Location
Coos Bay, OR
Einstein liked his unlined leather jacket:

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albert-einstein-a-brown-leather-cossack-jacket.jpg


LINK: http://www.christies.com/Features/T...examines-Einsteins-leather-jacket-7510-1.aspx
 

Gav

Practically Family
Messages
528
Location
UK
This jacket looks like a beauty. I wish Aero could take good photos of jackets for the listings. I had a browse through the other jean jackets and some look a bit odd... You snatched the best of the bunch there.
 
Messages
16,402
That is one awesome jacket! I really like the curved back yoke and the curved back seams. And the grain on the back is a thing of beauty already. Of all the new jackets I've seen on here lately, THIS is the one I would get, if I were getting another one.

I agree that the Jerky HH is inexplicably underrated. Like you said, it's kinda what you think of when you think of garment leather, especially if you like it grainy.

And don't worry about the stiffness, it didn't take long before mine was about as stiff as a damp bath towel.

It isn't tanned and topcoated to age artificially fast, you have to wear it and earn the character and patina. But it does record the life that is lived in it. My jacket is also dark seal Jerky HH.

It's surprisingly breathable for leather - very comfortable to wear. And since it's dry and absorbent, is will keep you warmer than leather that is stuffed with oil and wax.

Are you happy with the fit? Good range of motion? Did I notice hidden hand warmer pockets?

I bet you're going to find this an easy jacket to reach for.

Congratulations, very nice catch. I envy you... except the washing machine part ;)

Y'know, planned on linking to your post about Jerky HH in another thread that I found while researching the hide, but forgot to... But it was an invaluable source of info for me and another thing that assured me Jerky's the right choice. So thank you for that! It's a really sweet jacket. Most work of art jacket that I have (had).

Anyway, fit is great (I think?) and it's really comfortable. Just like you'd expect from this style. No hand warmers and that's good 'cause they'd sit at my ribs how short the jacket is. XD

Oh, and the washing machine has just been replaced too so all is good!

Very nice jacket...but what I have never understood..what is the purpose or advantage of no lining in a leather jacket? Just seems unfinished to me. What am I missing..?? I do understand unlined denim as it is easy to take off and on but the roughout underside of leather can be a bear...
HD

Honestly, no clue. I know though that they've been made before - quite a few of these jean jacket styles in leather were actually unlined - but I have no idea why. It is a bit of a choir taking it off and on and fingers often get stuck on stitching but I guess I'd have to get used to it.

By the way, something else I have to point out - Yesterday I took the time to closely examine the stitching of this Aero and, well, it would appear that the rumors were all correct! Literally all the seams are double and triple stitched. There's a stitching row just below (or behind) the one that that's visible. Crazy stuff!
 
Messages
16,402
This jacket looks like a beauty. I wish Aero could take good photos of jackets for the listings. I had a browse through the other jean jackets and some look a bit odd... You snatched the best of the bunch there.

I think so too! But turns out it had my name on it long before I even knew it existed... :3
 

dudewuttheheck

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,260
The stitchwork looks better than usual. I especially like how the shoulder seams are facing backwards instead of forward as is the norm for Aero.
I was going to say the same thing. The stitching looks quite nice. Also, that hide looks great as well. I like how it looks a bit like a veg tanned cowhide as well. A lot of character.
Great jacket and I like your thinking on just getting the damn thing and not overthinking it all. I can tell you that I've made that mistake many times.
 

AeroFan_07

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,313
Location
Iowa
^^ Well Stated. You just saw it, considered it briefly, then hit the "buy it now" button. Way to go! :)
 

BobJ

Practically Family
Messages
609
Location
Coos Bay, OR
Fell in love with this jacket the moment I saw it. Figured if I missed out on it and decided to get one later, I would've paid twice as much for what is essentially the same jacket, while messing something up in the process of ordering so...

...here it is. Aero 101J jacket in Jerky Horsehide. Yeah, that's the one from the Sale page.

Normally I would've passed on an unlined jacket in leather that's not CXL FQHH but having recently handled an A2 in Jerky, it was actually this very hide that tipped the scale.

Read a lot unflattering things about Jerky, how it's lightweight and whatnot and honestly, I couldn't disagree more.
This is a very under-appreciated and absolutely fantastic leather. It's full of character, texture, grain and color variation while being equal (or very close) in weight to most CXL HH jackets I've seen. It's a very hard wearing, relatively stiff hide with a tougher surface that won't be showing wear nowhere as quickly or break in as fast but no doubt, it'll get there with a vengeance.

So yeah, I'm absolutely amazed at how nice Jerky HH is and can't say enough good things about it. It's exactly what comes to mind when I think of how leather should be.

Anyway, back to the jacket...

I wanted this Lee 101J style for quite a while now so not only was the timing perfect but the entire jacket is at good as it gets. There is something very raw and cool about it. Being unlined and all, the jacket is right to the point and that's what I really dig about it.
Sure, if I was getting a made to order jacket, I would've predictably come up with a whole bunch of stupid mods with the end result being something I probably wouldn't nearly appreciate as much, due to constantly overthinking how I should've gone with this or that... So this jacket simplifies things for me. A lot.

I'm still not sure whether I like snaps or buttons more on these jackets but one thing is certain; snaps are a lot more convenient and there's no fear they'll fall off, plus vintage 101J's had snaps as well so even that turned out for the best.

Anyway, enough talk. Here's the jacket and... That's it. Enjoy.

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I just spent five minutes staring at all these pictures of your jacket... again.

You should never, ever think about getting rid of it.

It really is a work of art - much nicer than Einstein's.

M527__73539.1444881229.386.513.jpg
 
Messages
16,402
I was going to say the same thing. The stitching looks quite nice. Also, that hide looks great as well. I like how it looks a bit like a veg tanned cowhide as well. A lot of character.
Great jacket and I like your thinking on just getting the damn thing and not overthinking it all. I can tell you that I've made that mistake many times.

Yeah, otherwise I'd be moping around for month or more thinking of reasons why I (don't) need this jacket... And that's the worst. Now I just gotta be as decisive when it comes to actually wearing the damn thing.

I just spent five minutes staring at all these pictures of your jacket... again.

You should never, ever think about getting rid of it.

It really is a work of art - much nicer than Einstein's.

M527__73539.1444881229.386.513.jpg

Haha will do. I'll seriously try to wear this as much as possible. Man, can't believe how cool Einstein's jacket is. But I wonder why he didn't mind that it was unlined?
 

MET

A-List Customer
Messages
310
Location
Ankara
Read a lot unflattering things about Jerky, how it's lightweight and whatnot and honestly, I couldn't disagree more.
This is a very under-appreciated and absolutely fantastic leather. It's full of character, texture, grain and color variation while being equal (or very close) in weight to most CXL HH jackets I've seen. It's a very hard wearing, relatively stiff hide with a tougher surface that won't be showing wear nowhere as quickly or break in as fast but no doubt, it'll get there with a vengeance.
Thanks for the review and for the photos.
I agree with you. I have an Aeromarine made from the same leather. Not as heavy as CXL but not a middleweight leather either. It has the character. Breaking in won't be as long as you assume. The arms, around the elbow area, show some wear with 20 or 30 wears.
A decent jacket with a good price. Wear it in good health.
 

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