Diamond Sportswear Company was born from a vision that began with the creation of faithful replica WWII "Crusher" caps and has grown to garments that are hand-crafted in the United States from top quality products and tailored to fit. This US company is the latest of only a few in the business of creating custom quality period leather outerwear, but appears to be the only around with true customer service.
I recently received an e-mail from a reader and very happy Diamond Sportwear Co. customer who was so kind as to share his experience with this single-man operation and a great review of his "1949 Buco J-100."
Here is Jason's "Reader Mail" with photos:
Dave most known for his crusher caps, but lately he's ventured into making repro sportswear. Most notably his great wool/leather jackets. I've been a big fan of the Japanese Buco J-100 repro, unfortunately it's neither affordable nor available in my size (46). Luckily Diamond Dave was willing to make my size and his prices are extremely reasonable.
Dave was extremely helpful to deal with. He always answered his emails promptly and never got tired of my questions. I provided Dave with my measurements (43" chest, 27" arms) and he recommended a jacket with a 46" chest. He was very careful to explain the jacket had a "vintage fit" and would not fit as roomy as modern jackets. That was just what I was looking for. The fit was perfect. It's slim fitting but not uncomfortable. There is enough room for a thin sweatshirt. I would recommend sticking with a t shirt or long sleeve shirt. I have large hands and forearms and the zippered sleeve cuffs are too narrow to zip all of the way. It's not a problem for me in that I would have them unzipped anyway. I also have an overly large neck so the collar snap will not close. Again, I did not provide Dave a measurement for my neck and I would not wear the jacket with the neck buttoned. As a whole I was ecstatic about the fit of the jacket. It literally fits me like a glove.
He has a couple of options for the jacket. You can have the jacket with YKK zippers or Talon. You can also have black thread or an almost gold thread. Price with YKK zips is $800 USD and Talon zips was $900 USD. Not knowing the difference between YKK and Talon zips I opted for the YKKs. I regret that decision....while the zips are perfectly serviceable, they just don't have the same sturdy feel as the zips on my Aero jacket or my Irvin. In hindsight I would recommend the upgraded zip.
The horsehide is great. It's very soft and much lighter weight than my Aero LHB. I love my Aero and the heaviness of the jacket is sometimes welcome, but it does weigh me down. The Aero is so stiff and heavy that it's difficult to ride a motorcycle. Dave's J-100 is just what I needed. It's very comfortable and easy to move in. The arms are just the right length for riding, which is a bonus. I can rarely by a jacket or shirt that fits in the arms.
The lining is a black cotton drill and there are no inside pockets. It should be noted that there are no hand warmer pockets on the outside of the jacket. Only two horizontal breast pockets.
The entire transaction couldn't have been simpler...at the time of order Dave quoted me 4 weeks for completion plus shipping time. Amazingly, Dave had the jacket completed in 2 weeks. It's amazing when you realize Dave is a one man operation. Each jacket is made by himself. Crazy.
Since I got the jacket two weeks ago I haven't taken it off. I've been wearing it everywhere I go. I can't recommend this jacket enough. Dave is making a helluva a product and I hope more people start ordering from him. Once his name gains some recognition I think he will have more orders than he can handle. $800 dollars for a handmade horsehide cafe racer? Where else can you find that?
Jason,
Thanks for taking valuable time out of your schedule to provide such a super informative e-mail regarding this great company. It's clear his pieces are of the highest quality sought after by collectors and the fact that he is easily willing to work with his clients speaks volumes. I look forward to perhaps working with him in the near future for a custom-fitted leather jacket.
Prototype 1930's Moto/Aviator Cap - Heavy Cotton Drill with Horshide
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