Aero Irvin Flying Jackets

jaffathehat · Aug 16, 2018

Hello all, it has been a while since I have been on here.

I am thinking of buying an Aero pre-war Irvin. I see most people on here seem to think Aero are great, but, does anyone know how they can make such high quality Irvin jackets for £400 less than ELC and Aces High? Do they compromise somewhere on materials etc.? I am mainly going for Aero because their fleece looks more like the original WW2 Irvins do. I already have an ALC Irvin, which, although a great jacket, is just so heavy warm and not 100% accurate.

Cheers

Jaffa

Dr H · Aug 16, 2018

Aces High is undoubtedly the best of the three that you have listed (if Jon is still taking orders), followed by ELC in my opinion.

jaffathehat · Aug 16, 2018

Hi Dr H, I tried emailing Jon a couple of days ago and got no reply so I moved on to Aero.

Dav · Aug 17, 2018

I have an Aero and an ELC pre war Irvin, both are awesome in different ways. The ELC is a heavier fleece imo although the slightly thinner Aero is more wearable in more situations. As for accuracy, well I'm no real expert, but I do prefer the ELC, just feels more authentic to me and I love their broken grain sheepskin.
Would have loved to have an Aces High but I think they stopped taking orders last year, shame really.

jaffathehat · Aug 17, 2018

Thanks Nick, I have emailed Jon at Aces High again and if he does not answer by the end of the day I will assume he has shut up shop. Do you or anyone else out there know if Aces High have closed down permanently?

The point you made about the thinner fleece on the Aero is exactly what attracted me to it. It is simply more practical for day to day use. As mentioned I already have an ALC Irvin and it is incredibly heavy and warm. Also, to my eyes, the Aero's fleece looks more authentic and more in line with what I see in old WW2 photos of pilots wearing original Irvin jackets. But do you or anyone else out there know, given the great reputation of both companies, why there is such a huge price difference between an Eastman and an Aero?

Regards

Jaffa

Dav · Aug 17, 2018

I don't know for certain that Aces High have closed, just remember reading that he only had so much hide and when that was gone that was it.
As for the price, ELC and Aero were pretty close until a few months ago, don't know why ELC have had such a big increase.

Sloan1874 · Aug 17, 2018

For a few years there, Jon at AH seemed to have trouble trying to get the materials to fulfill demand. As far as ELC and Aero goes, I haven't handled one, but they have been pushing their prices ever higher in recent years. I have a late-war Aero and tried on the original it was based on and it was very close in terms of construction and weight.

rocketeer · Aug 17, 2018

Andrew Swat (Irvin Guru on here) usually jumps on questions like these. He must be on holiday.

jaffathehat · Aug 17, 2018

Thanks guys for all this feedback,

So, the impression I'm getting here is that although Aero are not the absolute best like Aces High, they are still a very decent reproduction jacket in terms of quality, build and accuracy etc.?

Regards

Jaffa

Dav · Aug 17, 2018

Totally agree on quality and build, but the ELC is more accurate, at least to my eye. I'm no real expert though, just a happy jacket owner.

Sloan1874 · Aug 17, 2018

I've always had misgivings about the lack of

jaffathehat said:
Thanks guys for all this feedback,

So, the impression I'm getting here is that although Aero are not the absolute best like Aces High, they are still a very decent reproduction jacket in terms of quality, build and accuracy etc.?

Regards

Jaffa

That's probably a fair description. Also, with Aero it's made to measure, so you can get the right fit for you.

jaffathehat · Aug 17, 2018

Decision made methinks! I will go for an Aero as, to me, they simply look a tad more authentic, especially the fleece.

Thanks again all for the feedback.

Jaffa

Edward · Aug 17, 2018

When I was looking at buying an Irvin back in 2010, I went for an ELC (especially as I got a used bargain), as they were the best at the time. I've never handled an Aces High, but by all accounts they're the Goodwear of Irvins repros. Aeros' Irvins were always beautifully made, but for some years the pattern was lacking, with arms that were too tubular and thin. Since Ken returned to the bridge in 2012, however, Aero have radically reworked their Aero patterns so they look great now. They are still, I believe, the only company that repro the Coastal Command version ,which I fancy myself.

In terms of price differential, I don't think you can really compare Aero and Aces High directly, as the latter is a one-man operation, producing each jacket in turn against a custom order, so inevitably that's going to be much more labour intensive and therefore costly than Aero (who have a sheepskin team). ELC have raised their prices radically in recent years, which is probably why we see less of them here. I'd assumed they were aiming for the Japanese market, where a high purchase price is seen as a signifier of value, but that's only my own perception based on their marketing, the ELMC brand and so on. The Eastman stuff I have seen recently is the same high standard it always was - it's just suddenly well out of my price range.

Corsair42 · Aug 17, 2018

Hi, I've owned all three, wasnt a huge fan of the ELC which was my first, the finish on the hide was nowhere near that of the originals I had seen. I got an Aces High unworn at a bargain price but it was a little short, incredible jacket though, absolutely spot on. I had an aero made in my size and have to say, their most recent prewar irvins are close enough to the aces high that i was very happy. Maybe not a stitch perfect copy of a prewar but the finish and hide length was perfect.

jaffathehat · Aug 17, 2018

Thanks Edward and Corsair, that is encouraging enough for me that I am making the right choice. I think I get your point about the finish on the ELC Corsair.
I got a reply from Jon at Aces High and he said he no longer will me making Irvin Jackets, so, that is that I guess!

Regards

Jaffa

Dr H · Aug 17, 2018

jaffathehat said:
Thanks Edward and Corsair, that is encouraging enough for me that I am making the right choice. I think I get your point about the finish on the ELC Corsair.
I got a reply from Jon at Aces High and he said he no longer will me making Irvin Jackets, so, that is that I guess!

Regards

Jaffa

That's a great shame about Aces High - a very fine maker. I had an Irvin (The Aviator) made by Cockpit of Southampton, that pre-dated ELC, and was quite the best repro Irvin that I have ever seen (in terms of hide, fleece, and cut), lacking only accurate zips. Sadly it was a size too small and I sold it on to a collector in Scandinavia.

jaffathehat · Aug 17, 2018

Ah, so that's what became of The Cockpit Clothing Co. In Southhampton- they morphed into ELC? My first Irvin was from them but I made the mistake of ordering an extra thick fleece which was overkill. A great jacket but I had to sell it as it was way to heavy and warm.

Sloan1874 · Aug 17, 2018

Aero's Irvins have come on in leaps and bounds in recent years. The current sheepskin was matched beautifully to an a sample taken from original Irvin trousers that had been hidden behind a patch pocket, and therefore good as new. I've found it very flexible, wearable from November right through to March.

jaffathehat · Aug 18, 2018

Thanks Sloan, so, would you say when I buy an Aero I am getting what it says on the tin i.e the type of fleece in Areo's Irvin gallery photos is exacly what I want.
What I really don't want is that teddy bear type fleece seen on some other jackets.

Dr H · Aug 18, 2018

jaffathehat said:
Ah, so that's what became of The Cockpit Clothing Co. In Southhampton- they morphed into ELC? My first Irvin was from them but I made the mistake of ordering an extra thick fleece which was overkill. A great jacket but I had to sell it as it was way to heavy and warm.

No, there was no link between Cockpit Clothing Co. and ELC. I have heard that Gary might have some input into the earlier versions, or that the early ELC jackets might have been influenced by the Cockpit, but only Gary could confirm this after such a long time I imagine. FWIW, I've owned several examples of these jackets (as I was born in Southampton and the idea of a Southampton jacket appealed), but the later Cockpit jackets were not a patch on the early versions, whose hides were very convincing for issued Irvins.

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