Aero Teamster questions

I'm considering an Aero teamster, but since I've never owned a jacket that buttoned I have a simple and possibly silly questions: How easy is to use the buttons? Are they difficult to get into the leather buttonholes? How well-sewn are they to the jacket--taht is, how sturdy are they?

Finally, how often do you button the jacket?

Thanks!

Here's mine. I prefer the woven leather buttons which I think are easier to button. I most often only button one button if I button at all.....

I own a Teamster which I rarely wear because it is too big and too long (both errors on my part).
When it arrived it was almost impossible to button or unbutton and for a minute I was afraid that I had made a big mistake ordering a heavy CXL jacket with buttons. I am happy to say that the buttonholes loosened up with a little bit of use and got much easier to button up.
Mine also had the football buttons when it arrived (like @HoosierDaddy’s jacket) and I did not particularly like them. They are fine when the jacket is buttoned but when it is open they flop and bobble around. I had them replaced with some flat Corozo buttons I found and I like it much better that way. To each their own I guess.
I button the jacket every time I wear it because that is how I like to wear all my jackets.
If you are interested in this jacket I would say go for it, the buttonholes will loosen up and you will be just fine.

I’ve got the Aero Shackleton vest, which has the leather buttons and I wear it a lot. It was difficult at first but soon loosened up. I button it all the time and use 2-3 buttons each time. I have a half belt on order and I chose buttons.
I do wish I ordered my Shackleton with horn or corozo buttons however as the leather ones can fall apart. I’ve had to glue one back together.

The Teamster is a great style. I have two, and have had numerous leather jackets that button up.

Buttons on leather are fine, but if the leather is especially stiff and/or thick, you'll need to take some care with fastening and unfastening them. Heavy CXL is both heavy and stiff. Before you try to button it, it's a good idea to take a finger, or a dowel rod, and put it through the button hole, and ream it out, flex that leather, and break it in so that the button will go through.

When buttons go wrong on a leather jacket, there are three failure modes:

1) Thread breaks. This is annoying, but the easiest to fix. Thread is cheap, you can usually match it without too much trouble. Often the button will remain attached for a while, but you want to make sure you don't lose it. When you re-sew the button, you'll want to avoid putting new holes in the leather. I strongly recommend using a backing button to protect the leather on the back side (to avoid failure mode 3).

2) Button breaks. This sucks, especially if you do not have spares, and if the buttons are expensive. But it's not the end of the world, and usually you can find a matching button, or close enough.

3) Thread tears through the leather. This is the worst. When the thread saws through the leather and tears through, you now have a large hole in the leather where the button was, and it will be all but impossible to sew a new button in this place.

So buttoned leather jackets are best for leather that is not too heavy, not too stiff. You'll want to be careful with them when new, especially, and work the button holes to break the leather in, but if you do that, you'll probably be fine.

If you go with thinner/more flexible leather, like goat or vicenza, you'll need to deal with the break-in a lot less.

EDIT: You asked how often do I button them, I generally do it as needed (eg when it's cold and I need to keep the wind out). Otherwise, I leave it unbuttoned. If I do button, I will do at least two buttons, as I do not want to put too much stress on a single button.

Many thanks for all of your responses--these are really helpful!

I got my Teamster just recently in late December, and have found the button holes are stiff at first also. My has the woven buttons. Just wearing it and using the buttons helps, but I’ve found myself unconsciously gently tugging at the unbuttoned holes with my index finger to help the break-in. It seems to help.

I’ve got a Shackleton vest and had an A1 briefly. The buttons are tough at the beginning but definitely softens up with use!

I had a Teamster and then sold it on. In hindsight I would never do a stiff heavy duty hide with buttons, either football or flat. A jacket is a tool, and I should not be "thinking" about my buttons when using it. With the heavy hide, I was always prancing around the button hole etc. No thanks. If you're set on a leather button up coat, go thin soft hides.

jpk_NJ said:

I had a Teamster and then sold it on. In hindsight I would never do a stiff heavy duty hide with buttons, either football or flat. A jacket is a tool, and I should not be "thinking" about my buttons when using it. With the heavy hide, I was always prancing around the button hole etc. No thanks. If you're set on a leather button up coat, go thin soft hides.

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One of my Teamsters is the one that jpk_NJ sold me. It's a good jacket.

I have one and I had the same issues but they get easier with use.

The other consideration is to go for one of the less hefty hides; Vicenza or goat will be easier from the off. But yeah, even the mighty CXL FQHH will soften up enough to make buttons easy to use an awful lot faster than you might assume.

Guppy said:

One of my Teamsters is the one that jpk_NJ sold me. It's a good jacket.

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Ah, I forgot about that one. Kind of miss it! Lets see some broken in fit pics That hide was a beast

I have a very heavy thick Stockman with Leather football buttons, as many have said at first they are stiff but soon soften up, I've never had any problems with these becoming loose or falling to bits and personally I much prefer them to Corozo buttons, also aero guarantee them for life so thats good enough for me!

D

HoosierDaddy said:

Here's mine. I prefer the woven leather buttons which I think are easier to button. I most often only button one button if I button at all.....

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Hoosier daddy I’ve wondered this for years are you a Hoosier like me in the sense of where you’re from. (Trying to be vague but folks here are smart so take it fwiw) or is it a nick name for another reason? I’ve literally wondered that for years. Sorry for the sidebar op but I also own a teamster and I rarely button mine but I agree with Mr. Hoosier here in that the woven leather buttons are the way to go.

regards,

Josh

P.S. I also agree that they become easier with time and it becomes easy as buttoning a shirt eventually.

Yes...My hometown is Fairmount, Indiana. However I live 20 miles south of there now. Plus I am a Daddy and GrandDaddy. Thus 'HoosierDaddy'.

I own a Teamster in Badalassi leather with leather football buttons. The only thing I would change would be the buttons; for some reason they seem fragile (both the thread and the leather on them) and as said earlier when unbuttoned they tend to flop around.