Aero A2 with Harris Tweed lining?

[tweedydon]

Has anyone had an Aero A2 made with Harris Tweed lining? If so, I'd love to see pictures!

 

[ButteMT61]

I hope not

 

[nick123]

I bet it's awesome. Look at the NorShor flight jacket in the classifieds. It could work and if I was currently hovering over a "checkout" button for a (civie) A-2 I'd order Harris Tweed just to be a daredevil. Watch this place. In a few months one will pop up and everyone will ooh and ah.

 

[devilish]

I have my A-2 fix covered but wouldn't be opposed to the idea. If I order a jacket from Aero, it is most likely going to have Harris Tweed as it's lining? Either one of the button up styles or a Bootlegger. If only I could get a button up Bootlegger with a tweed lining? Now that sounds pretty good to me.

 

[ButteMT61]

A civi model, yes. But if I'm paying Aero, ELC, GW, etc bug money for an A-2 - a real A-2, no liners like that...
I'm sure it would look fine. And likely last longer too...

 

[Fanch]

Harris tweed is a very warm fabric that I personally wouldn't want to use as a lining on any A-2, including a "civilian" A-2 as the A-2 is designed as a warmer weather (summer) jacket. My Teamster is lined with moleskin body shell, although I would be intrigued by lining the body shell of a Teamster with Harris tweed.

 

[ButteMT61]

@Fanch, I have it in my Ventura, and honestly, it's not that "warm" to me. I wear that jacket almost year-round here, and like wool socks that I also wear all year, it's better than cotton for coolness and wicking away sweat, etc.

 

[Sloan1874]

I would say that in weight it's probably closer to Aero's standard wool lining. Fanch is right to say that Harris tweed, in its heaviest iteration is very warm - a tweed jacket will see you out in the same way a FQHH one will, and I have an Aero jumper made from the same wool which is extremely warm. But I would say that the thing about Harris tweed is its hard wearing qualities - it's a good compromise between wool and cotton.

 

[AdeeC]

I have an Aero jacket, not an A2 with Harris Tweed lining and would say it is more on the lighter side of medium weight. Not heavy or thick at all but thicker and heavier than a standard A2 lining. No one will roast in it unless it's a hot day. The weave is quite open and breathable

 

[devilish]

That's the thing with tweed and wool in general. People automatically think of the heavy stuff but it can be woven in quite a few weights. Like Butte said it's a much more versatile fabric than most folks give it credit for. Especially nowadays with better techniques and specialty breeds of sheep.
I personally prefer it over cotton 90% of the time. Dries quicker, wicks better, wider temp range and takes much longer to stink or stain.

 

[regius]

Has anyone had an Aero A2 made with Harris Tweed lining? If so, I'd love to see pictures!

I have a black jerky HH 50s flight jacket with blue harries tweed, to me it's amazing, an amazing combination.

 

[tweedydon]

I have a black jerky HH 50s flight jacket with blue harries tweed, to me it's amazing, an amazing combination.

That sounds awesome! Pictures?

 

[regius]

That sounds awesome! Pictures?

 

[Peacoat]

I have the Harris Tweed in my Sheene, and I agree with Butte, it just isn't that thick or that warm. Worn with a sweater it is good for temps maybe down to the upper 20s. Without a sweater, probably temps in the lower 40s. An A-2 needs the cotton mustard lining. That's how they were made back in the day, the way they are made today, and the way John Chapman makes them. If John makes them that way, that's the way they need to be made.

 

[cordwangler]

Harris tweed, as Sloan suggests, is not a single thing - it's made in different weights and different degrees of density. Lighter weight, less dense tweed will wear and be subject to abrasion at points of contact with belt loops and rucksacks, etc. Then again the same thing will happen to a cotton lining.

The hem of the cotton lining in my long-ago sold Aero Highwayman wore through in a few months, abraded during contact with jeans belt loops. The mid-weight herringbone Harris tweed of an Old Town jacket I had wore through after six years' regular wear (I discovered too late it was my rucksack rubbing against a certain point on the jacket's side). The cotton lining - lighter than Aero's - wore out first, though, about a couple of years in.

If you're thinking of an interesting contrasting lining, and not looking for a strictly limited period aesthetic in a garment, a lightweight tweed could work. I think it would look great, and might last just as long or longer than cotton. It wouldn't be a 'proper' A-2, though...

 

[tweedydon]

Absolutely beautiful!!!

 

[tweedydon]

Thanks for the replies! I'm now tending to agree that an A2 needs to mustard cotton lining; it seems churlish to have anything else if people have gone to the trouble of making their jackets authentic! And after seeing regius' jacket I'm hankering for a black jerky Hercules by Aero with a dark Harris lining!