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My Aero Board Racer in soft black steerhide review

Kuro

Practically Family
Messages
715
https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=15XGJIjXSI4P1iFF4hlfM7--LYJQkmBQH

Google drive link of the jacket in review.

This is an Aero Board Racer, in the Buco J100 design. I chose the soft black steerhide used in the 59er Highwayman.

First impressions: Man is that soft! No break in required. Comfortable, very much so. I got the jacket just as I hoped for, lots of anxiety disappeared in a moment's notice. The reiver weight tartan lining is super soft, like merino wool. The leather smells dreamy! Man is it small, but fits just as it is supposed to.

Build quality: Hand made jacket. Not everything is perfect. The stitching around the pockets is not rectangular for example. The pockets are at different heights, the ends of the jacket are not perfectly even. But overall impressive. I have seen the above flaws in many Aero jackets so I was prepared for it. The leather is dyed all the way through. Mid weight 3oz as I understand at 1.5mm thick. Full grain. I really like the texture and appearance. Without being a leather expert this leather feels amazing compared to other leather I have handled, the difference is obvious. The Locharron tartan lining is very nice. I found no faults in the leather or the making of the jacket. Pocket depth for my custom request was perfect, as my cell phone drops in and pulls out easily. Pocket moleskin lining is soft and durable. Had to rub down the jacket with a cloth to remove excess black dye. It was rubbing off on my hands turning them black.

Observations: Super comfortable and easy to wear for a fitted jacket. It has some heft but the weight is distributed very well through the shoulders you don't notice it. This is described as a shirt, and now that I own one, it is a very good way to describe the fit in one word. It can be a little tight across the back of the shoulders or perhaps across the back under the arms due to the high arm holes, but this leather has a lot of give so not a problem for me. Super comfortable otherwise, wearing it as I type this. Worn on two flights, worn pretty much everyday for the past two weeks. Did I say it was comfortable? Could not image this in chromexcel, due to the shirt like fit. Finish of the leather is superb. I feel like this was the right type of leather for the cut of this jacket, as it drapes and flexes and gives and moves with you, not against you. Sateen cotton sleeve lining is nice for wearing against skin or over a dress shirt. Zipper break works as intended. Jacket does not rise up when sitting and zipped up. Jacket looks small, not when worn, but small as a jacket goes. But that demonstrates the cut of the jacket, it looks the part.

Final thoughts: I love this jacket, I don't think I could be happier? I like how my choice of tartan allows for a black liner in my black jacket but still has that special something that is subtle. I really like the Buco J100 design. No arm movements are really a problem. Jacket drape is wonderful. Ordering is terrifying, because the vincenza fit jacket I used to determine the size to order was tight and created concern for me due to the half an inch tolerance Aero allows for. That could make or break I thought.

Ask any questions if I forgot something or if you want a photo of anything. Fit pics will follow when I get some good ones. I may post some temporary ones in the meantime. Thank you everyone for your help when I asked for Board Racer opinions here.
 

Hh121

Banned
Messages
3,004
Thoughtful review + high quality photos! Thank you, the grain (It looks similar to naked cowhide) coudn't be more beautiful!
 

Kuro

Practically Family
Messages
715
Some impromptu fit photos. I think these photos do a good job of that shirt like fit.

20180507_172737.jpg 20180507_172358.jpg 20180425_201829.jpg
 
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Messages
10,977
Location
SoCal
If the pockets and bottoms don't line up, it could be something with the zipper alignment. If it bothers you, send it back and they can fix it.
 

Kuro

Practically Family
Messages
715
If the pockets and bottoms don't line up, it could be something with the zipper alignment. If it bothers you, send it back and they can fix it.
I see it on pretty much every Aero BR jacket photo out there, and have decided it is part of their DNA. It does not really bother me, it is an observation that I wanted to make known. When worn it is hardly noticable, considering that we are not really symmetrical as humans left to right. You can see it in my fit photos if you look for it.

But in hindsight, it probably is zipper alignment...
 
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Powerband

Practically Family
Messages
840
Man that’s a good looking jacket! Looks great on you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Kuro

Practically Family
Messages
715
Jacket looks great but I have to agree with @handymike. The pocket and hem alignment is absolutely a result of the zipper. My Fontana (basically a boardracer before the boardracer pattern) is dead on in both regards...

I agree, yours looks like perfection, even the stitching around your pockets has straight lines, or are nice rectangular boxes of stitching!

I had not considered it before. Pretty obvious when you look at it with new eyes. For the record, the fitting BR that was sent to me had the same issue. Many photos I have looked at had the same issue. That led me to believe that it was just how they were made. So I just finished taking a good hard look at mine, and unfortunately if the zipper were re-sewn in with the intent to fix the uneven bottom of the jacket, the pockets would still be out of alignment on my jacket. The right side pocket is higher than the left side. The opposite is true for the hem unevenness. Even out the bottom of the jacket, and the pockets would be even more out of alignment on mine. I made sure the zipper tail is fully seated in the box.

So I don't think that the zipper will fix the issue. I have posted some photos for reference. And since there is less than half an inch in error in all things I am looking at, it falls within their tolerance, so I don't know that anything should be done about it.

I am not really unhappy with it, since I have seen so many similar examples with this issue. I just wanted to point it out in my review. If I did want to do something with the zipper, (you can see in the one photo the box is a bit twisted etc) I would wait until winter to send it out, as right now, I love this jacket!
 

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Hh121

Banned
Messages
3,004
Jacket looks great but I have to agree with @handymike. The pocket and hem alignment is absolutely a result of the zipper. My Fontana (basically a boardracer before the boardracer pattern) is dead on in both regards...
View attachment 117922
View attachment 117923

Every time I saw this jacket I am speechless(5 minutes past and I am still looking at this jacket)...... It makes my B looks like a crap, please don't sell this jacket.
 
Messages
17,106
Location
Chicago
That's the very first thing I notice on any CR. The chest pocket alignment is the true degree of difficulty in the pattern. There's a few makers, Thedi, Aero and Himel that consistently hit it with surgical precision. I've had some Brooks, AMF and even Bates where I'd think the machinists were drunk. I'll have to keep a keener eye, typically this element seems very apparent. I didn't notice the alignment at all in the google pics but I do notice it on your fit photos. The jacket looks great and I'm sure the Schott does too. Hate to beat a dead horse (or cow) here but I feel these are both jackets worth really thinking about having remade or repaired. You paid a premium price and deserve a premium result. Just my opinion and for what it's worth. Like I said the CR looks great and I'm sure the Schott does too. Suppose it depends entirely how affected you are. Personally, I fall far to one side of the spectrum.
 
Messages
17,106
Location
Chicago
Every time I saw this jacket I am speechless(5 minutes past and I am still looking at this jacket)...... It makes my B looks like a crap, please don't sell this jacket.
No I'm keeping this one. It's the easiest jacket I've ever owned and my wife likes it. 1 out of 20 million isn't bad.
And no it doesn't. Your B is every bit as good, fit build quality etc.
 
Messages
17,106
Location
Chicago
I agree, yours looks like perfection, even the stitching around your pockets has straight lines, or are nice rectangular boxes of stitching!

I had not considered it before. Pretty obvious when you look at it with new eyes. For the record, the fitting BR that was sent to me had the same issue. Many photos I have looked at had the same issue. That led me to believe that it was just how they were made. So I just finished taking a good hard look at mine, and unfortunately if the zipper were re-sewn in with the intent to fix the uneven bottom of the jacket, the pockets would still be out of alignment on my jacket. The right side pocket is higher than the left side. The opposite is true for the hem unevenness. Even out the bottom of the jacket, and the pockets would be even more out of alignment on mine. I made sure the zipper tail is fully seated in the box.

So I don't think that the zipper will fix the issue. I have posted some photos for reference. And since there is less than half an inch in error in all things I am looking at, it falls within their tolerance, so I don't know that anything should be done about it.

I am not really unhappy with it, since I have seen so many similar examples with this issue. I just wanted to point it out in my review. If I did want to do something with the zipper, (you can see in the one photo the box is a bit twisted etc) I would wait until winter to send it out, as right now, I love this jacket!
In this last series of pics the alignment seems much closer to on spec. Fit pics holding the phone can be deceiving. God I hate to be a parade pisser. Just want to see you get what you paid for.
 

Guppy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,282
Location
Cleveland, OH
No I'm keeping this one. It's the easiest jacket I've ever owned and my wife likes it. 1 out of 20 million isn't bad.
And no it doesn't. Your B is every bit as good, fit build quality etc.
I wouldn't worry about it. I've been trying to see it in your pictures, but I don't have a fine enough eye. I doubt that anyone who isn't a military drill sergeant doing a dress inspection would notice anything.
 

dan_t

Practically Family
Messages
950
Location
Sydney, Australia
Man, I think it looks AWESOME!
Sure, certain aspects may, or may not be laser perfect, but then again how often will the jacket be worn in such a way that it’ll matter?
If, like me you’ll wear it open often it’ll be impossible to tell anyway.
There was a post here a year or more ago where the pockets were mis-aligned. Now that jacket was worth a remake.
Yours....? I’m not so sure.
If YOU love it, then I say keep it!
These are hand made & by nature come with imperfections.
 

dubpynchon

One Too Many
Messages
1,045
Location
Ireland
The jacket looks fine to me. My bootlegger doesn't line up perfectly at the bottom but since so many jackets have this I let it go. The soft steerhide looks amazing, kind of like the soft cowhide I had in a Schott 530 (one of the newer ones) but better.
 

Peacoat

*
Bartender
Messages
6,296
Location
South of Nashville
I have a new level of respect for HD now that I know he was an Army Drill Sergeant. They were tough.

Your jacket looks great to me. I didn't notice any imperfections in the first set of photographs; however, in the closeups, I do barely notice what You are complaining about. That wouldn't bother me one bit. You got a great fit and a great jacket. BTW, a 3 oz. weight is 1.2 mm not 1.5 mm.
 

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