Review of the Eastman 'Luftwaffe' jacket, NEW

johnnyjohnny · Jan 26, 2011

wow, eastman should put me on the payroll...but not really, he deserves the word of mouth...you should love the jacket. i see these posts about other companies making luftwaffe jacks, such as noble house, and really, people don't have any idea that there is a categorical qualitative difference between the eastman and any other maker (i've bought other brands, sadly noble house was one of them). no slight to any other manufacturer, but i highly doubt anyone does this particular jacket anywhere near this well, and very few do any jackets as well as eastman does this model...those that do are likely countable on one hand.

hi to my pal legumejacket, who is experiencing a mild vulcan mindmeld with me and, despite understanding my inner psycho-workings, has the courage to move past the fear. nicely done!

as for those stearmen hijacking the thread, we'll get a squad of me-109s out after them. uh, ooops...allied bombing has reduced the squad to tatters...oh well, guess we'll have to just learn to coexist.

whattaconcept ;D

andreasmario · Feb 9, 2011

The Eastman Luftwaffe Jacket was in the mail to Day, WOW! Fits good (with the ad on inches) i was not sure, great leather , good workmanship . I think in time i will forget the $$ i spent on it . The quality is clearly there and looks stylish for sure , to my taste anyway

PADDY · Feb 9, 2011

ADMIN: Gents - I know 'enthusiasm' can have us 'all' going off on tangents at times. But, going off topic just waters down the individual threads (as I think you know anyway). So, I'm going to prune this to keep it on LUFTWAFFE JACKETS (There's a GREAT IRVIN THREAD already that you can contribute to) - Thanks Chaps.

_RAGNAR_ · Feb 9, 2011

I have a few questions concerning sizing. I wear a US 44R in almost everything but can fit into some 42R pretty well, more a shoulder width issue than a chest size issue.

I will wear the jacket with turtlenecks more than anything most likely.

So just wondering do you suggest a 42 or 44?

I really like the slim look Danner has in his jacket, so in the end that’s what I will be looking to achieve, if I have to find a leather tailor, so be it, I just want to start with the closest thing I can.

Any help appreciated.

BTW I have been looking at the Noble House version, thanks for helping me spend twice as much!

Orlan · Feb 9, 2011

For Eastman you should go to a 44. The cut of this model jacket is cut close to the body

johnnyjohnny · Feb 9, 2011

ORLan is correct, this is a nice lean jacket and you should go 44, it is also nice size in the shoulders, so should work for you ragnar...i doubt you'll need to tailor it, especially with turtlenecks...DEFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFinitely don't go (ig)noblehouse...they simply make a $100 jacket, and not authentic, more a visual copy, where eastman does it right, correct, museum accurate.....i know, i bought noblehouse first, and returned it...shocking how much of a mall jacket it was, and shocking how superb the eastman turned out to be...i feel i'm looking at history with it

_RAGNAR_ · Feb 10, 2011

Thanks a lot.

Another question: Does anyone know if the original german jackets were made with natural colored thread? Almost all other German stuff of the era used natural thread and had that contrast stiching look. I would personally love the look on a brown jacket (plan to get an areo FQHH with contrast stiching) but am wondering if it would be a little much on a black jacket.

johnnyjohnny · Feb 10, 2011

have a lot of pix of authentic ones, don't see any stitching that looks different than the jacket...seems it would give it an unGodly 70s disco stitch look...i wouldn't do it

_RAGNAR_ · Feb 10, 2011

You wouldn't be able to see it in pictures. It’s not pure white, just natural off-white. Pretty much every period piece of German clothing or equipment I own (or have seen) is done with natural thread, fliegerbluses, tunics, pants, boots, magazine pouches, leather belts and straps, etc.

For leather items as they are maintained with various products the thread darkens, but in my experience never fully takes the polish or whatever and always remains a slight contrast.

German sewing was of very high quality so even on thick leather good the stitches are small and very regular, hard to see the contrast except for close up.

I was just wondering if anyone had handled for sure original leather jackets and noticed.

johnnyjohnny · Feb 10, 2011

living color

just looked at my eastman luftwaffer...thread is exactly the same color as the leather in the horse leather black, which is really a very charcoal gray...so it's at least not darker than the leather, so whilst not any lighter, it does do a respectable job of imitating the original color thread (according to your learned description) if not replicating exactly

_RAGNAR_ · Feb 10, 2011

well I'm not learned on german leather jackets! I was just wondering.

johnnyjohnny · Feb 10, 2011

yes, now that i check what you said, you were talking about clothing, but not necessarily leather clothing...i do have photoshop, and so blew up my photos biG of authentic luftwaffe jackets, black and brown, and didn't see any thread that was any other color than the leather itself...until someone gets their hands on one of these $1000+ jackets and reports, i guess my evidence is all there is...others can also blow up their pix...i have photoshop cs4, and the shots get biGGG

andreasmario · Feb 18, 2011

I also wanted to say to ragnar that the eastman jacket is fantastic. when you order know your sholder you like and the waist is critical on that one so make sire it fits you there , and the arms are not as long as some motorcycle jackets of to day, perhaps that helps. anyway good luck with your purchase.

eClairvaux · Feb 18, 2011

johnnyjohnny said:
...i have photoshop cs4, and the shots get biGGG

you should try CS5, the magnifying ratio has been greatly improved, I hear.

(just kidding

Philalethes · Mar 4, 2011

Rain?

To Luftwaffe owners: how well does the aniline-dyed leather hold up in the rain? Is it as water-repellent as other horsehides (e.g. Lost Worlds and Aero)?

I haven't been able to find much info on aniline-dyed leather, aside from some furniture websites. There are different kinds, but regular aniline appears to get water stains. I find it unlikely Eastman would use this kind, but I figure it is worth checking.

Also, how do Luftwaffe owners like the moleskin? Is it warm or lightweight?

Xenophon · Aug 16, 2013

Johnnyjohnny, I just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you for a very good review of this jacket! I agree it looks really, really nice and as Aero's waitlist has shot up to 6 months now I abandoned my idea of purchasing another of their products and am looking around for alternatives. Saw the jacket first on a German site, then found your post and the Eastman site.

Fastuni · Aug 16, 2013

Edward said:
So Boss's involvement was production only rather than design?

Emphatically Yes. This "Boss designed the SS/Nazi Uniforms" nonsense is a myth.
I guess many who spread this online, think that "brand fetish" always existed and "luxurious menswear" back then must have come from "Boss".
Of course any "style conscious" civilian or officer of that time would have gone to a master tailor (with understatement key to advertisement) to get a suit/uniform made.

Boss was factory producing utility/work clothes at that time - thus they got a contract to produce uniforms for many state/party organisations.

ButteMT61 · Aug 16, 2013

Info is here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Boss

bn1966 · Aug 16, 2013

Second favourite jacket (after Roughwear A2). Love that ELC Luftwaffe/French cycle jacket. Keeps the weather out though it's not a light piece of kit.

johnnyjohnny · Aug 17, 2013

Das Eastman ist gut!

just saw this Xeno and wanted to thank you...i've gone through some changes in my tastes for the military leather, and have left all behind but my interest in the fur-lined G-2 jacket, my interest going to motorcycle jackets.

but my initial love of the luftwaffe jacket, to wit the one by Eastman, presaged this eventual taste destination as it was itself a cycling jacket to begin with, albeit for pedal bikes.

while i buy and try harley cafe jackets, one of my fave styles, and find new loves, i will look at my Eastman luftwaffe and marvel at it's superiourity to every other jacket i come across, tho my schott 641 steerhide is almost on a par (probably is...they both are cut from the same, if not cloth, then sensibilites).

the buttery smooth horsehide, and light weight, but warm enough, lining, enhance what is admittedly a purchase based on style...how often to get something that delivers on substance when purchased for style (note, the schott 641 does as well).

glad the review helped explain, as so many others on here, how premier the Eastman luftwaffe is, and continues to be even a half-dozen years after my purchase of it....--johnny

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