little off topic :Jacket quality (US-Wings, Cockpit USA)

Cougarnrw · Post by **Cougarnrw** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:06 am

Hi@ll,

does somebody know or had the chance to compare US-Wings Flight Jackets (A-2) Horsehide or cow with other manufactures like Cockpit USA?
It seems that US-Wings is a little cheaper than Cockpit USA jackets.
What about the overall leather and "build quality" of US Wings jackets compared to Cockpit or maybe to upscale manufacturer like Eastman Leather?

thank you
cris

PLATON · Post by **PLATON** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:19 am

Hi,

They're all good quality.
I don't know about US Wings, but I can tell you about Flightsuits and Cockpit. They are both good. Eastman is also good quality but different philosophy. Eastman gives you a clone of the original WWII jackets with attention to every little detail and that's what you are paying for (the devil is in the details).

The other makers don't care for the details as they are addressed to a broader public that also doesn't care about the details.

But the quality of manufacture, is more or less the same in all of them.

I am sure that if quality (and not details) is what you are looking for, you will be the same happy with a US Wings, Cockpit or Flightsuits (maybe a little happier with a flightsuits)

Regards,
Platon

rrhanselka · Post by **rrhanselka** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:03 pm

I'll second that emotion.
I've got an older Cockpit A-2. At the time it was called Avirex, and it has been part of my everyday wardrobe for 15 years. I love the jacket, even though some say it isn't exactly accurate. Two years ago I bought a Gibson & Barnes Historic Horsehide A-2 in Russett and have to tell you, nothing is better made than a G&B jacket. I will be handed down to my grandchildren. However, a few months ago, It wanted to replace my aging Avirex A-2 and bought a U.S. Authentic, which I sent back.
Then I got hooked on Indy jackets, and the rest is psychotic. Amongst my several Indy jackets, I have a G&B in Goatskin, and again, it is like armor. It will last forever.
I would have to say that all are great jackets, including the U.S. Wings, but if I were buying another A-2, it would be a Gibson & Barnes.

Just my thoughts
Rndaman

Lao Feng · Post by **Lao Feng** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:11 pm

I have had a "Cockpit USA" (former Avirex) cowhide A-2 since 1987...I have knocked the cXXp out of it in China, in storms, in cities, in the bush...you name it. I N D E S T R U C T I B L E !! May not be 100% acurate but, brothers and sisters, this jacket will outlive me even if I have gone and changed sizes on my old friend.

I am now in the market for another and I happened to be in NYC last month and went to the Cockpit store. Their A-2 in horshide is great! I'll probably get one. I should have bought it on the spot because their website says they have gone up in price from $345 to $425. Argh!

Tron7960 · Post by **Tron7960** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:56 am

I've owned an Avirex A-2 and G-1, and both were quality jackets that were durable and looked the part. Neither would satisfy the "hard-core" flight jacket afficianados ( you think gear heads debate accuracy and details) but I was happy with them. I currently own an Eastman "Roughwear"A-2 in HH which is a beautiful and highly authentic replica, but even it has it's critics who write it off as not 100% accurate. Goodwear seems to be the current favorite. Lots of options, a lot like what goes on here.

Cougarnrw · Post by **Cougarnrw** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:30 pm

Hi,

thanks for all your posts.
But which manufacturer is Gibson+Barnes--> flightsuits.com or flighjacket.com?

thanx!
cris

Technonut · Post by **Technonut** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 12:34 pm

Cougarnrw wrote:Hi,

thanks for all your posts.
But which manufacturer is Gibson+Barnes--> flightsuits.com or flighjacket.com?

thanx!
cris

http://www.flightsuits.com/leather.html

Cougarnrw · Post by **Cougarnrw** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 1:07 pm

compared to G+B how is flightjackets.com is the quality also as good as Cockpit and G+B?

thx

Rundquist · Post by **Rundquist** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:14 pm

This is the deal with many jacket companies. The quality usually doesn’t stay the same. Eastman jackets 10 or 15 years ago could hardly be touched. They were all hand made. Today it’s not the same jacket. They’re more mass-produced. The quality is not the same as it once was (they're still good, but not what they used to be). You simply cannot totally judge jacket makers on their history. At one point Avirex was pretty authentic. None of today’s top companies were around back then. Avirex was one of the few producing A-2 jackets. Then Avirex got bigger, started producing fashion jackets, was partly sold off, and all sorts of stuff. An Avirex jacket today is not the same as one from 25 years ago. I couldn’t really tell you what the quality of one of their jackets is today. Gibson & Barnes (Flightsuits) on the other hand has remained small enough throughout the years to maintain quality. I’ve heard contrasting things about Flightjacket.com, but have never owned one so I can’t give you much help there. Cheers

PS- I always liked my Avirex stuff, but that was a long time ago.

Tron7960 · Post by **Tron7960** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:37 pm

I'm under the impression that Eastman A-2's are as good or better today than they were 10-15 years ago, and are still a pretty "small" business. It's just that there is more competition in the high end repro business, with McCoy, Buzz Rickson, Goodwear etc.

G & B makes a great product, but not considered to be as historically accurate as some.

Of course I'm married, so I'm often wrong.

Tron

Rundquist · Post by **Rundquist** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:59 pm

Tron7960 wrote:I'm under the impression that Eastman A-2's are as good or better today than they were 10-15 years ago, and are still a pretty "small" business. It's just that there is more competition in the high end repro business, with McCoy, Buzz Rickson, Goodwear etc.

G & B makes a great product, but not considered to be as historically accurate as some.

Of course I'm married, so I'm often wrong.

Tron

Everything is a matter of opinion, but I would personally disagree with the assessment of Eastman being the same or better than it once was. As far as G&B goes, their A-2 is a conglomeration of original A-2 patterns, so in that sense it is not a “true” specifically patterned replica. In terms of small companies, Goodwear is the new “Eastman”. To maintain that level of detail though, you have to remain small. Goodwear is a one or two man operation, as Eastman used to be. The bigger you get, the harder it is to maintain quality, which is one of my main points, I guess. Cheers

Hunter Jones · Post by **Hunter Jones** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:58 pm

Tron7960 wrote:Of course I'm married, so I'm often wrong.

Tron

How long did it take to figure that one out? I know I forget this bit of wisdom every so often.

Tron7960 · Post by **Tron7960** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:29 pm

17 yrs.

rrhanselka · Post by **rrhanselka** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:28 pm

As I said in my post, I ordered a Flight Jackets A-2 and was disappointed. I sent it back. It had a nickel zipper, instead of brass, and other snaps or grommets were nickel rather than black anodized. I was told that they were available as a custom option. It also had a rough cotton twill lining that made it difficult to get your arms in. I was told there was nothing they could do about the lining. I sent it back.

I do have a Flight Jackets G-1. It is very nice except for the storm flap. It isn't accurate and is unacceptable, but not worth the cost of a custom jacket.

Many Thanks
Randoman

PLATON · Post by **PLATON** » Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:20 pm

As I said in my post, I ordered a Flight Jackets A-2 and was disappointed. I sent it back. It had a nickel zipper, instead of brass, and other snaps or grommets were nickel rather than black anodized. I was told that they were available as a custom option. It also had a rough cotton twill lining that made it difficult to get your arms in. I was told there was nothing they could do about the lining. I sent it back.

I wouldn't buy flightjacket (US Authentic) ever again. I bought one once and quickly got rid of it on ebay. It had a really strange fit. In fact, it was so bad that I would never wear it even if I got it for free or even if they paid me to.

G&B is much better but I think Cockpit has a slimmer fit (the WWII model).