Best A2 jackets in each price range

BigBrother · Mar 20, 2021

(First off- didn't know if this belonged more here or in WWII, so I double posted. Thoughts?)

So! The title is pretty self-explanatory. I may be in the market soon for one of these, and though I've done some research with your help here before, I wanted to now gather thoughts/experiences on specific manufacturers in the following price ranges:

$0-$250:
$250-$500:
$500-inf (reproduction only though, not interested in originals at this time):

What would you say? Bonus points for the same on B3s!

Thanks all!

El Marro · Mar 20, 2021

I’ll take a crack at this one.
$0-$250.00: I think Five Star Leather is going to be your best (and perhaps only) option in this price range. I have never owned nor even seen one of their jackets in person but they are building up quite a following year on the lounge lately. The fact that they are doing some original maker reproductions in this price range is pretty damn impressive.
Lots of used jackets on eBay in this price range but nothing too special.
$250-500: Five Star is still a contender, probably some nicer leather options in this price range.
U.S. Authentic is another one to consider. Their jackets are solidly made and they are made right here in the United States, which is something that I like to see. The leather is not particularly interesting, and the knits are unusually long.
Used jackets on eBay would also be something to look at. I don’t think you’re likely to see an Eastman nor an Aero but it never hurts to keep an eye out. There are a lot of Cockpit A-2s in this price range and some of them look pretty nice.
$500 and up: Good Wear and Eastman are at the top of the pile. I own two GW A-2s that I picked up off eBay and they are beautifully made leather jackets that are fun to just look at. I don’t own an Eastman A-2 but I do own a G-1 and a B-6 from them and they are also magnificent.

BigBrother · Mar 20, 2021

Great to hear. Good Wear just interests me on the historical detail obsession alone. I often show their site to people when explaining this rabbit hole and just how deep it goes! Kudos to them, seriously, for being that level of obsessive on it.

Very interesting on Five Star; had not heard of them before. And yes, if they're doing original contract/mfr jobs at that price, that's amazing. About to go check them out...

Thanks!!!

BigBrother · Mar 20, 2021

Update- holy #$% their prices are insane! Thanks for this tip!!! Everything I'd seen at $200 and under looked like utter garbage, and posting on here to get such gems was really one of my objectives. Thank you thank you thank you!!!

El Marro · Mar 20, 2021

You’re quite welcome!
I’m not really much of an A-2 guy actually, but I went through a phase early on in my pursuit of leather jacket Nirvana.
Check out reviews of Five Star on the VLJ forum and you will see what some guys who are totally into A-2s think about them.

Fiver64 · Mar 20, 2021

What size are you looking for? Going to be posting a goatskin A-2 in size 44, and a horsehide in size 46, both from US Authentic in the next day or so. PM me if of interest.

Blackadder · Mar 20, 2021

IMO J A Dubow at 450 euro is pretty hard to beat at that price, but it is around $540 therefore competing with GW etc in your top bracket. I'd put it down as the best in the 250-500 bracket though because it is just $40 more while others like Eastman and GW are like in the thousand dollars range.

MrProper · Mar 20, 2021

El Marro has already written it for the lower price range. It's worth taking a look at fivestar. But please not on their website. The jackets often don't look good there. Better on facebook or here in the fivestar thread and in the VLJ there are umpteen pages with the different a-2 from 5*.
As a B3, I would immediately order one of 5*. The shearling is a dream and you can have it tailored to your own size.
In the lower price segment, my recommendation is clearly 5*

In this Facebook group you can see a lot a-2 things https://www.facebook.com/groups/522007678698277/?ref=share

draš katalenić · Mar 20, 2021

Agree with El Marro and Blackadder.

CBI · Mar 20, 2021

for NEW jacket prices....... 5 Star all the way until you get to Aero, ELC, GW, etc.

nick123 · Mar 20, 2021

I don’t think it’s there’s such a thing as the best, but members have reacted favorably to Platon’s Dubows for the price range. Caveat is no custom sizes or longs and a growing waiting list.

I also really like Headwind Mfgs stuff but again a long wait list, hit or miss communication, and not made in the US (if that matters to you).

to be truthful, the very best bargain IMO is sending a polite email to John asking if he has anything in your size on sale. Communication can also be spotty according to some members. Be prepared to spend a bit more but it’s quite a savings without a very extended wait.

And as always, continually checking eBay, Grailed, Aero’s sale page (and Quartermaster’s thumbnail on it,) or Yahoo Japan auctions. You’d be surprised at the deals that can be found on many Buzz Rickson’s products there. That may be the ultimate deal in my book actually, if you’re less than a true 42 chest. I’ve seen a G-1 that would have costed over $1500 new for $500.

Jwag · Apr 18, 2023

Imo

$0-$250: An older Cooper or Avirex

$250-$500: U.S. Authentic

$500+ Eadtman, Goodwear, Gibson & Barnes, Lost Worlds

Blackadder · Apr 19, 2023

Jwag said:
Imo

$0-$250: An older Cooper or Avirex

$250-$500: U.S. Authentic

$500+ Eadtman, Goodwear, Gibson & Barnes, Lost Worlds

Adding used Cooper's Avirex etc. changes the whole thing. I just paid 500 for a pristine condition the Few/RMNZ. That may be a rare deal but a used Aero for less than 500 is certainly not difficult to find.

dudewuttheheck · Apr 19, 2023

Good Wear and Eastman are definitely up there for accuracy.

I also like McCoys, Buzz Rickson, and especially Rainbow Country. If you like Japanese leather and the Japanese style or jacket, Rainbow Country is pretty awesome.

Canuck Panda · Apr 19, 2023

A2 jackets are quite addictive. You either stop at one or keep going further down the hole with the different contracts. Gently used repros are the best bang for the buck if you're gonna go down this rabbit hole. Three to Five hundred on the used market can get you a gently used A2 that retails for 1500 new.

Edward · Apr 20, 2023

Aero significantly revamped their A2 patterns for greater accuracy since 2012, and would most likely be where I'd go now. I was, a long time ago, looking at a Goodwear when they were about GBP100 over the cost of an Aero, but then the pound dropped markedly in value (long before it's 2016 nosedive), and I didn't quite have the scratch. At this point, the full price and the waiting time for a Goodwear are both higher on the numbers that would suit either my pocket or my patience. Eastman always made a nice A2, though for me personally I don't rate them as better than an Aero, and the rise in prices in the last ten years has also put the Eastman range well outside what I'd be prepared to pay.

I've actually owned both an Aero 42 contract goat (since sold) and an ELC Roughwear(I think - likely to be sold soonish). Of the two, I significantly preferred the Aero; the seal goat just did it for me. The ELC was a nice horsehide, but I didn't care for the way it patina'ed; for me, an A2 is much more appealing when its keeps its colour even. Eventually, I' like a nice pairing of Aeros, one plain, one patched, one russet, one seal. For the patched one, I'm actually leaning towards a custom patch bearing the BPRD logo (from the Hellboy property) rather than something historical.

sshack · Apr 20, 2023

Edward said:
Aero significantly revamped their A2 patterns for greater accuracy since 2012, and would most likely be where I'd go now. I was, a long time ago, looking at a Goodwear when they were about GBP100 over the cost of an Aero, but then the pound dropped markedly in value (long before it's 2016 nosedive), a.....

I think this touches on a key point-- all the A-2's fit differently, even if they have the same labelled size.

Rather than focus on price, find a maker that builds an A-2 that matches your body. In my prime, I had broad shoulders for a 44-46 size, long torso, average length arms 25.5", 33 waist. All my jackets had to fit my pit-to-pit requirements as a priority, so then nothing else on the jacket fit.

Compound this with some A-2 makers who cut a really blousy pattern that's accentuated/made worse by the wide knitting. This is one of the reasons I've avoided dipping my toe into this A2 pond... until recently.

Got my hands on a recent issue Rainbow A2 that is purposely cut for longer torsos, average length arms, wider shoulders and less blousy mid section (per Mushman's blog). Also, the knits aren't too wide.

Ever since I saw my first 1990's Avirex bomber jacket (which was too expensive for me then) I've thought about getting an A2. But I could never find a good fit... until now. Fit pics once I get this dang cast of my hand...

Just found some pics (one from a TFL user, size 36) of A2 which I think are about the same size, or at least the models are similar builds. You can see how the cut is so different. One is a Rainbow. Other is an A-A2... not sure what company that is. Also, no disrespect to the FL user... just borrowing your pic from another thread.

Canuck Panda · Apr 21, 2023

Goodwear seems to have the widest variety of different A2 contracts:

Eastman has a few and their own. They also have a wall display of all the vintage A2's they've got:

There is also Norshor who has a few different A2 contracts:

And of course Aero, but they seem to concentrate on the different Aero contracts:

Fivestar got a bunch of repro of original contracts too. But his ribbings and hardware may not be as "original" as the expensive brands. However his price is also a lot less.

There is also the Monarch specialist Dave Sheely brand.

I've seen mostly Roughwear contracts coming out of Japan, some Dubow, some Star Sportswear.

To go down the specific contracts is a very slippery road... I am three contracts in at the moment. A Dubow, and two Roughwears, a 5*, a Rainbow Country, and a Lost Worlds...

sshack · Apr 21, 2023

Canuck Panda said:
Goodwear seems to have the widest variety of different A2 contracts:
View attachment 510166
Eastman has a few and their own. They also have a wall display of all the vintage A2's they've got:
View attachment 510167
There is also Norshor who has a few different A2 contracts:
View attachment 510168
And of course Aero, but they seem to concentrate on the different Aero contracts:
View attachment 510169

Fivestar got a bunch of repro of original contracts too. But his ribbings and hardware may not be as "original" as the expensive brands. However his price is also a lot less.

There is also the Monarch specialist Dave Sheely brand.

I've seen mostly Roughwear contracts coming out of Japan, some Dubow, some Star Sportswear.

To go down the specific contracts is a very slippery road... I am three contracts in at the moment. A Dubow, and two Roughwears, a 5*, a Rainbow Country, and a Lost Worlds...

What complicates further is that even if a maker has the holy grail A-2 pattern, there's a whole lot of human error that can throw things off. That's why I feel like off the rack A2's are a bit safer. At least you can try it on as opposed to a custom job you're stuck with.

Aloysius · Apr 21, 2023

sshack said:
What complicates further is that even if a maker has the holy grail A-2 pattern, there's a whole lot of human error that can throw things off. That's why I feel like off the rack A2's are a bit safer. At least you can try it on as opposed to a custom job you're stuck with.

One cool recommendation I've seen from Ken at Aero is that if you want the most 'authentic' A-2, you should not only go off-the-rack but get one of the apprentice A-2s they have at Aero, rather than the ones by experienced machinists.

Best A2 jackets in each price range

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