Anyone know much about the J. Crew Millerain Field Jacket? (For motorcycle riding)

CLShaeffer · Aug 10, 2010

For $600 it had better!

That's more than my poor, neglected Hein Gericke jacket (that looks almost exactly the same, but in goatskin) cost 9 years ago. Nice jacket but way too hot- except in the winter when its merely too hot. Gets really toasty when you aren't moving no matter what.

yeah, new Belstaff is too rich for my blood but I agree that its a mighty fine coat. I'm still seeing if I can repair my old Belstaff well enough to keep using it, but we're in the midst of a terrible drought at the moment and it steadfastly refuses to rain so I can check my rewaxing and patching work.

captaincaveman1 · Aug 10, 2010

So true... 600 is alot for a cotton jacket.

Is your Hein Gericke a Dakar? I've actually owned two of them. They can be had a for a song on ebay nowadays.

Back in the day, like 15 years ago, I understand these cost 600+ brand new. My last one cost 150 through the bay though.

Pic below is not mine, just random google image:

Very tough jackets, at least 7 lbs in weight. Lots of pockets and very cleverly hidden ventilation. It's similiar to the original Trialmaster except updated with some modern features and made from heavy duty cowhide.

Todd V · Aug 11, 2010

Those Peregrine jackets are sharp, indeed. I've read that the J.G. Glover jackets run small compared to US sizing, though I do not have any direct experience with them. Since their Peregrine line has a limited range of sizes, I wonder if it, too, runs a bit small (i.e. Order one size larger than normal. )

At those reasonable prices, I may just have to take a chance!

CLShaeffer · Aug 12, 2010

Capt, yup its a Dakar. I love that jacket. I was considering taking it out and doing the ol' wet bandana around the neck to stay cool. Can't believe I didn't remember that old trick the first time I took the jacket out in the Hawaii summer.

The only thing about the Dakar is the venting. Its better than no venting, but you have to leave the coat open at the top for it to work well. Many a commute home from work on a hot Bay Area traffic crawl day saw me ripping the coat almost all the way open and opening the chest as wide as I could to get a little more air flowing through it. Kinda defeats the protection it offers, though.

I REALLY appreciated that coat on the way down skyline at the end of the commute, though: the fog was COLD.

Oh, and the nylon lining in the Dakar isn't my favorite. :-/ Not so good with short or no sleeves on a hot day - which is my (indeed, almost everyone's) standard wear here in the Islands. That's why I jumped ship to the Belstaff, too. The trailmaster has a cotton lining.

captaincaveman1 · Aug 12, 2010

yeah great jacket. But a bit too warm to ride in summer heat. I wear it almost exclusively off the bike now. It's got 75% of the Belstaff looks without the Belstaff price!lol

Still I don't know how you ride in tropical weather w/o perforated leather or mesh. FYI... here's how I beat the heat this summer (from another thread):

Fully perf'd white leather w/ matching white helmet. Everything stays cool to the touch even under intense noon heat.

CLShaeffer said:
Capt, yup its a Dakar. I love that jacket. I was considering taking it out and doing the ol' wet bandana around the neck to stay cool. Can't believe I didn't remember that old trick the first time I took the jacket out in the Hawaii summer.

The only thing about the Dakar is the venting. Its better than no venting, but you have to leave the coat open at the top for it to work well. Many a commute home from work on a hot Bay Area traffic crawl day saw me ripping the coat almost all the way open and opening the chest as wide as I could to get a little more air flowing through it. Kinda defeats the protection it offers, though.

I REALLY appreciated that coat on the way down skyline at the end of the commute, though: the fog was COLD.

Oh, and the nylon lining in the Dakar isn't my favorite. :-/ Not so good with short or no sleeves on a hot day - which is my (indeed, almost everyone's) standard wear here in the Islands. That's why I jumped ship to the Belstaff, too. The trailmaster has a cotton lining.

obie · Aug 14, 2010

Another option is a Aerostich waxed cotton

I have owned some of their jackets/suits before and they are well worth it. I would check out their closeout and seconds section and find a really good deal. Also check out the Darien and Darien Light, although they are more just riding jackets, where the falstaff is more of it could be worn off the bike..

http://www.aerostich.com/aerostich-suits/falstaff-motorcycle-jacket.html

http://www.aerostich.com/sale-items?cat=231

captaincaveman1 · Feb 10, 2013

Reviving a zombie thread since I just picked up a Crew Millerain field jacket on that auction site. Will post pics later when I can. I've been looking for an alternative Trialmaster type waxed cotton jacket for a long time. Stumbled upon this and couldn't say no. One thing I don't like about the Trialmaster and the International for that matter is the fussy waist belt. This jacket uses a draw string instead to cinch things up much like a m65.

Pros:
- Heavy but breathable wax cotton
- Water from the faucet just slides off the textile like a waxed car
- Lots of pockets, 4 outside cargo pockets, 1 hidden zipped exterior, another 3 patch pockets inside
- More fitted than, say, a typical m65
- Wife thinks it looks sharp

Cons:
- Velcro sleeve gussets, would've preferred buttons

CLShaeffer said:
First post. I was certain my first post would have been in the Adventure Gear or one of the Safari Jacket threads... but this came up first.

http://www.jcrew.com/AST/Browse/Men...egory/outerwear/cotton/PRDOVR~96051/96051.jsp

Anyone heard about this jacket? I'm ~thinking~ of replacing a very world weary 60's Belstaff Trailmaster with one. For motorcycle riding here in Hawaii. I know the oilcloth is too thick for general wear here in the tropics but I've found it to be the best material for the hot-sun-to-heavy-rain-and-back-to-hot-sun riding that one gets used to here.

The oilcloth breathes better than modern cordura riding jackets and is more water resistant. Tough as nails, too, though I'm not specifically familiar with the Millerain cloth. And looks WAY better. Then I get to wear it when I travel to the mainland.

What's the scoop on J. Crew's general durability these days? Is this likely to be more a fashion jacket or a fairly functional item?

And if anyone has first hand experience with either this very jacket or Millerain cloth in general, I'm curious how heavy it is. I'm looking for what passes for light- to mid-weight for an oilcloth garment. I'd call the vintage trailmaster a mid to heavy jacket- partly because of its stout cotton lining.

I hate to think about giving up on the vintage Belstaff, but it really has seen its day. A few holes, age stressed seams and a dead zipper... 10 minutes of a good rain at 50mph and I'm wet. I've done my best to restore it short of replacing the zipper and at this point it basically works well enough for me to want a newer jacket of similar cloth. Its a good compromise for riding in quickly changing tropical conditions.

Thanks. Aloha,
Chris

Anyone know much about the J. Crew Millerain Field Jacket? (For motorcycle riding)

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