Bootlegger questions for Bootlegger owners

Greetings Loungers. I haven't posted much here, but I have availed myself of the wealth of knowledge here many times by reading countless threads, and now I come to you directly. I've got a Bootlegger on order, Highwayman fit jacket for it on the way from Thurston Brothers (shout out to the ever helpful Carrie), and I need some opinions on a few things.

The first is the liner. What I'm after is a midweight liner that, when paired with a heavy sweater, will give me a jacket toasty enough for at least part of the winter (I live in Chicago, and am aware that this combo will not always cut it). Having said that, I don't want it to be purely a cold weather jacket. In the fall and early spring, I want to be able to wear it over a t-shirt or long sleeve and not feel hot.

The second question concerns the sleeves, specifically the cuffs. I had thought of ditching the storm cuffs, the idea being that it would be easier to wear a sweater without them, and I could more easily wear it in warmer weather that way. How do the storm cuffs feel to you guys? I also like the look of the button cuffs with this jacket, such as the Hooch Hauler and others have. But it's my understanding that those result in a narrower wrist opening. How narrow do they feel? Do they make a sweater a pain to wear?

Lastly, I could use some input on shoulder gussets, as well as a full bi-swing back. Truthfully, I prefer the cleaner look of a jacket without either of those things, but I can appreciate the functionality. What I want to avoid is the jacket riding up a lot when I lift my arms. Any of you guys run into that issue with the Bootlegger?
Thanks in advance for your opinions and experience. Sorry for the long post, thanks for reading. Cheers.

@ton312...paging @ton312

TheOldFashioned said:

@ton312...paging @ton312

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I've read a bunch of that guy's posts, and hopefully he'll chime in.

I own a Bootlegger. As well as various other Aeros. And first things first, most of them, in fact all except for the A2 ride up a good bit when lifting my arms. They are all great jackets for casual wear, but not really great for activities that require lots of arm lifting. Don't get an Aero if you plan to use the jacket on regular basis for outdoor activities. Not saying they don't get it done, just saying other makers out there make jackets better suited for that kind of work.

My Bootlegger is lined in moleskin, which I am very happy with. No clue about temperatures in Chicago but it's a three season lining (except for the few coldest days in winter) for me here in Germany.

If you plan to wear the jacket in the cold, get the stormcuffs. Makes a noticable difference to have no chilly air crawling up your sleeves. I picked zipsleeves because I wanted the cuffs to be narrower at the wrist. Can fit a sweater under easily still. Could easily wear sweater under my Teamsters button cuffs, too.

jacketjunkie said:

I own a Bootlegger. As well as various other Aeros. And first things first, most of them, in fact all except for the A2 ride up a good bit when lifting my arms. They are all great jackets for casual wear, but not really great for activities that require lots of arm lifting. Don't get an Aero if you plan to use the jacket on regular basis for outdoor activities. Not saying they don't get it done, just saying other makers out there make jackets better suited for that kind of work.

My Bootlegger is lined in moleskin, which I am very happy with. No clue about temperatures in Chicago but it's a three season lining (except for the few coldest days in winter) for me here in Germany.

If you plan to wear the jacket in the cold, get the stormcuffs. Makes a noticable difference to have no chilly air crawling up your sleeves. I picked zipsleeves because I wanted the cuffs to be narrower at the wrist. Can fit a sweater under easily still. Could easily wear sweater under my Teamsters button cuffs, too.

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Thanks for the reply. I honestly don't envision the jacket being used regularly for lots of outdoor activities. Just generally don't want to feel like I'm in something that doesn't move with me at all. But I imagine with break in it will be not too bad, hopefully. Mostly driving is what I'm thinking of.

Rock & Roll -
I have owned two BL's and the one I have currently used to belong to Tony. It's a well thought out jacket and I have really enjoyed both of them that I have owned. The first one was a very heavy steerhide jacket (Like 11.0 lbs heavy) and was lined with Cotton Drill. I highly reccommend Coton Drill, especially for a little more utilitarian jacket such as a Bootlegger. It's diurable, versitile, and worry free. I only sold it as the sleeves were about 1.5" too short in practical wearing.

The second one from Tony is FQHH has a completely differnet feel to it. Closer to 8 lbs, it's heavy but not bulky. The HH is breaking in well. This jacket has cotton drill in the sleeves, and cordoroy in the body. It's nice however my own preferance would be the drill througout, which tends to lengthen the season of wearing the jacket overall. The Cord is great for retaining warmth, but that can work against you early fall/later spring. A good Filson wool vest under the jacket is plenty for most midwester wintertimes until about 10F or less. At which point I ditch leather completely and go all wool.

Storm cuffs - I would pass on them. Easier to get shirts & sweatshirts on and off without these, and I would consider zippered sleeves if you wear a backpack often. It's a lot easier to get the straps on and off than the standard buttoned cuffes on the BL design.

I second the choice of moleskin lining for the jacket body-it's a good compromise in terms of comfort,warmth and durability.I find storm cuffs work well with a long sleeved t-shirt for example where the thin sleeve can be pulled through the cuff-this is comfortable and keeps draughts at bay.I have an apprentice Bootlegger which has the standard sleeve design but without storm cuffs and is comfortable with a thick sweater-great jackets in any case!

I don't have storm cuffs on my bootlegger but do have them on my long Hercules, I wouldn't recommend storms cuffs on anything other than a dedicated cold weather jacket.

It may be a different opinion to others but I don't find THAT much of a difference in terms of warmth between a lot of the liners like cotton drill, moleskin, light and mid weight wool. Of course alpaca and shearling are different.

If you want to get as many months wear as you can, just go for any of the above liners but make sure the jacket isn't so slim you cant layer under it and just layer for warmth in the colder months.

I don't find that the shoulder gussets do anything for improving mobility.

I have the standard cuffs on my BL which I like but the button cuffs look great too...

Good information here. I don't have any experience with moleskin. Cotton drill, is that the liner that's in my Aero Bronco A-2? If so it is indeed comfortable; in cold weather it would have to be the sweater that saves my skin. I can't really get a sweater under the Bronco, so I've never been in a position to gauge it as a cold weather jacket, if you know what I mean. I'm also interested in a tartan lining, but I know nothing about those either.

I own two bootleggers, one with cotton tartan lining, one with wool strome tartan.
IMO you can't do both with a single liner. Wool is always going to be too warm for summer, cotton is always going to be too cold for winter. If you want versatile or can only get one jacket to do it all, go cotton and leave enough room for layering.

Regarding storm cuffs, i have them in my Grizzly, and i don't like them.
They are positioned too high in the sleeve, they are annoying without really providing much benefit.

The Aero shoulder gussets are IMO mostly decorative, they don't really increase range of motion like a a Vanson gusset does.The full bi-swing back does work great though.

Both the jackets can be seen in this thread, first page:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/my-leather-jacket-database.93804/

My Bootlegger has strome tartan lining in the body and moleskin in the sleeves. This feels great on a chilly fall or winter day but it is a bit heavy for a three season jacket. I’m not sure if cotton drill lining would be much better though, I feel that it is the sun beating down on any of my leather jackets that quickly makes them too warm to wear when the temperature is over 60°.
No storm cuffs on any of my jackets and I think I like it better that way.
I have the Teamster back (bi-swing) on my jacket and I think it definitely does add a bit of mobility over the standard back. I know that I have more freedom of movement in this jacket than I did in the same size Highwayman that I owned previously.

I’m reviewing my case files. Will post my thoughts on the proper chi-town legger soon.

Ok. Per the liner. For me anyway, corduroy is my favorite for a 2.5 season jacket. Perfect with a T or button down in spring/fall, hoodie underneath when it gets cold. I always line my sleeves in drill. It’s just what I do but you could go full cord too.
Cuffs. I’ve had storm and zip on the BL, button on my 50’s/30’s HB. The false cuff/storm cuff set up is the most generous at the wrist. You can always spec the false cuff and delete the storm. The zip and button are more tapered. I like them all. Zip sleeves look the coolest, false cuff functions best and button cuffs are just pure class. I can’t really pic a favorite. PM me if you want any more specifics. I am pretty familiar with this jacket in a host of configs. I’ve had a shearling lined version (don’t do it) and alpaca. Happy to share my thoughts.

On the storm cuffs, I've never had an issue with them and find that they help the sleeves sit on the right place on your arm, if you don't like them you can have them removed but they are excellent for cooler weather. If you arent 100% on exactly how long you want the sleeves to be, if you have storm cuffs you can play it safe and go for a longer length and the cuffs will keep the sleeves sitting in the right place on your arm, also, with a bit of length and storm cuffs you wont have to worry about the sleeves riding up or coming up short.

Thank you everybody for the responses! I will definitely be back here with more questions when able. Plus the fit jacket comes on Friday, that'll give me a lot to ask about too.

El Marro said:

My Bootlegger has strome tartan lining in the body and moleskin in the sleeves. This feels great on a chilly fall or winter day but it is a bit heavy for a three season jacket. I’m not sure if cotton drill lining would be much better though, I feel that it is the sun beating down on any of my leather jackets that quickly makes them too warm to wear when the temperature is over 60°.
No storm cuffs on any of my jackets and I think I like it better that way.
I have the Teamster back (bi-swing) on my jacket and I think it definitely does add a bit of mobility over the standard back. I know that I have more freedom of movement in this jacket than I did in the same size Highwayman that I owned previously.

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Jacket cultures are so different - 60 degrees is winter here. I would break out my jackets as soon as it got to a chilly 60. probably explains why I avoid 3oz HH.

I find cotton drill the most durable and versatile liner. I actually have a jacket with light wool tartan and I think it may be cooler than the cotton. Need to wait for a 80 degree winter's day to test this properly.

I have this jacket : https://www.thefedoralounge.com/thr...-italian-horsehide-jacket.83554/#post-2000696

I bought it here 4 years ago and it's the best jacket I have ever owned : the cut is great and the leather ages very well.

The lining is great : light wool, cosy in the autumn and spring (in Belgium). I recommend it.

The cuffs are well designed and not too small. They are leather lined, this means that they are really wear resistant.

Stromcuffs : I have these on a Aero Barmstromer and it's a nice design for the winter (which is the dedicated use for this jacket) but I would not like them on a 3 season jacket.

Shoulder flaps and action back : I am happy without them, I like simple designs and I find these options a bit "too much" for a casual jacket, as I don't ride a bike.

I hope it helps

rockandrollrabbit said:

Greetings Loungers. I haven't posted much here, but I have availed myself of the wealth of knowledge here many times by reading countless threads, and now I come to you directly. I've got a Bootlegger on order, Highwayman fit jacket for it on the way from Thurston Brothers (shout out to the ever helpful Carrie), and I need some opinions on a few things.

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Carrie will make allowances for the different fits, but do note that the Highwayman has more room at the hem. It's a boxier fit; the Bootlegger is basically a 50s Halfbelt with a different front. Neater from the waist, though not crazy so.

The first is the liner. What I'm after is a midweight liner that, when paired with a heavy sweater, will give me a jacket toasty enough for at least part of the winter (I live in Chicago, and am aware that this combo will not always cut it). Having said that, I don't want it to be purely a cold weather jacket. In the fall and early spring, I want to be able to wear it over a t-shirt or long sleeve and not feel hot.

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Make sure you opt for room for layering if you want to do that. My Bootlegger has wool tartan lining in the body and moleskin lining in the sleeves. I had it sized so I can wear up to a waistcoat underneath, but not a sweater. I can wear it September/October / sometimes into November, and March to Maybe early May. The moleskin in the sleeves is what makes it unbearably hot first. Were I to buy another, it will definitely be a cotton lining; won't make much of a difference at the colder end of the spectrum, but based on similar jackets and hides I own (also Aero), it can extend the wear-time at the warmer end by two or three weeks each side. The lining makes a huge difference: I have an Aero A2 and AN6552 both in goat; the cotton liner of the A2 makes it wearable in weather in which the satin (non-breathable) liner and mouton collar of the AN6552 makes it unbearably hot.

I think the cotton drill is your best bet - it's also a lot more moth-proof than the wool, as well as all-around more durable.

The second question concerns the sleeves, specifically the cuffs. I had thought of ditching the storm cuffs, the idea being that it would be easier to wear a sweater without them, and I could more easily wear it in warmer weather that way. How do the storm cuffs feel to you guys? I also like the look of the button cuffs with this jacket, such as the Hooch Hauler and others have. But it's my understanding that those result in a narrower wrist opening. How narrow do they feel? Do they make a sweater a pain to wear?

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I opted for the button cuffs on mine, and never had a problem. I don't wear a sweater with it, but I don't see that being a significant issue. I do have storm cuffs in my Highwayman; I find they are great for cooler weather, but not a big deal in warmer weather - no more so than an A2. While I'd probably eliminated them if I was going for a lighter jacket exclusively for warm weather wear, in most cases a leather jacket will be too much for me in and of itself anyhow if it gets to the point where I don't want to be wearing a jacket with knits.

Lastly, I could use some input on shoulder gussets, as well as a full bi-swing back. Truthfully, I prefer the cleaner look of a jacket without either of those things, but I can appreciate the functionality. What I want to avoid is the jacket riding up a lot when I lift my arms. Any of you guys run into that issue with the Bootlegger?

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Mine is the standard shoulders. Never used it on a bike, so can't comment on that (though I suspect the bikes I like that wouldn't be an issue - it's the Harley ape-hangers type where people seem to find these issues). Never had a problem with reaching anything I needed zipped or unzipped, though.

Edward said:

Carrie will make allowances for the different fits, but do note that the Highwayman has more room at the hem. It's a boxier fit; the Bootlegger is basically a 50s Halfbelt with a different front. Neater from the waist, though not crazy so.



Make sure you opt for room for layering if you want to do that. My Bootlegger has wool tartan lining in the body and moleskin lining in the sleeves. I had it sized so I can wear up to a waistcoat underneath, but not a sweater. I can wear it September/October / sometimes into November, and March to Maybe early May. The moleskin in the sleeves is what makes it unbearably hot first. Were I to buy another, it will definitely be a cotton lining; won't make much of a difference at the colder end of the spectrum, but based on similar jackets and hides I own (also Aero), it can extend the wear-time at the warmer end by two or three weeks each side. The lining makes a huge difference: I have an Aero A2 and AN6552 both in goat; the cotton liner of the A2 makes it wearable in weather in which the satin (non-breathable) liner and mouton collar of the AN6552 makes it unbearably hot.

I think the cotton drill is your best bet - it's also a lot more moth-proof than the wool, as well as all-around more durable.



I opted for the button cuffs on mine, and never had a problem. I don't wear a sweater with it, but I don't see that being a significant issue. I do have storm cuffs in my Highwayman; I find they are great for cooler weather, but not a big deal in warmer weather - no more so than an A2. While I'd probably eliminated them if I was going for a lighter jacket exclusively for warm weather wear, in most cases a leather jacket will be too much for me in and of itself anyhow if it gets to the point where I don't want to be wearing a jacket with knits.



Mine is the standard shoulders. Never used it on a bike, so can't comment on that (though I suspect the bikes I like that wouldn't be an issue - it's the Harley ape-hangers type where people seem to find these issues). Never had a problem with reaching anything I needed zipped or unzipped, though.

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Right on, thanks. I know there is a wool tartan, do you know if tartan liners in cotton are about equivalent to cotton drill? I think I'm starting to lean toward that; I love the look, and that might fit the bill for the weight that I'm looking for.

Still completely up in the air about the cuffs. I like the look of the button cuffs, they've got a nice flair to them. I just don't know if I want a narrower wrist, even if I know I can make a sweater work with it. I wear a watch too, so that's a factor I guess. I'm already thinking of the possibility of spec'ing (sp?) button cuffs to give me a fraction if an inch more room. Maybe.

rockandrollrabbit said:

Right on, thanks. I know there is a wool tartan, do you know if tartan liners in cotton are about equivalent to cotton drill? I think I'm starting to lean toward that; I love the look, and that might fit the bill for the weight that I'm looking for.

Still completely up in the air about the cuffs. I like the look of the button cuffs, they've got a nice flair to them. I just don't know if I want a narrower wrist, even if I know I can make a sweater work with it. I wear a watch too, so that's a factor I guess. I'm already thinking of the possibility of spec'ing (sp?) button cuffs to give me a fraction if an inch more room. Maybe.

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I generally find Aero's button cuffs are narrower than an open cuff but not so narrow as the likes of a zip cuff for a
motorcycle jacket; I can take my jackets on and off without opening the cuffs.

In terms of liner, I haven't tried the cotton tartans myself; I believe they're not quite as durable as the drill, but at the same time Aero don't skimp on quality, so I'm sure there will be many years of life in it. Worth asking Carrie or Holly.