My childhood dream was to become a superhero who could also become any other superhero at will. Years later, not having given up on the dream, I found a way to get myself one step closer to that superhero reality – through the Angel Jackets Mission Impossible 5 Jacket. Wardrobe, as you may know, is the most important part of any superhero’s persona.
Light and stylish, this jacket will serve you well…whether you are hanging off the side of an Airbus 400 during takeoff or riding a motorcycle at 100+ miles per hour (we recommend doing neither).
About Angel Jackets
Paul Anderson created Angel Jackets in 2009 after the death of Michael Jackson in response to MJ’s fans looking for a unique way to remember Michael. By combining the costume element of movie star outfits with wearable jackets and real leather, Paul had hit on a winning combination that fans loved.
Today, Angel Jackets updates its collections regularly and takes custom orders. They offer a wide spectrum of jackets from past, present, and unreleased movies, television shows, and musical offerings. If you’re looking for a reasonably priced replica of the jackets today’s stars are wearing, Angel Jackets is a great starting point.
Construction
The shell of the jacket is made of genuine, chromium salt tanned, lambskin leather sourced from the Karachi and Sialkot areas of Pakistan. The shell is of good quality, though thin and designed more for the casual wearer. The entire jacket weights slightly under thirty ounces, making it a lightweight in its class. The other leather jacket I have hanging in my closet is sixty ounces by comparison.
The interior of the jacket is lined with viscose, a soft semi-synthetic material composed of regenerated cellulose, often used in the linings of sport jackets and dresses. There are two pockets sewn into the lining, one on each side. They are a nice touch in the event you need to conceal some clever spy gadgets while out on your impossible mission.
On the sleeves, outer pockets, and front of the jacket, you’ll find heavy duty YKK burnished metal zippers. YKK Group is a Japanese conglomerate well-known for manufacturing zippers, and the quality of metal used in this jacket is a nice touch.
The black stitching appears straight and is evenly spaced with no threads dangling at endpoints. Continued wear during cooler months will give a good indication of how it holds up over time.
The standup collar lends a casual look to the jacket without sacrificing any elements of appearance, a look Ethan Hunt would surely approve.
Function
If you’re a superspy finding himself tasked with protecting the world from ne’er-do-wells and need a light flexible jacket to keep you warm and make you look good, this is your jacket. While it is based directly on one of the jackets Tom Cruise sports in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, it will serve handsomely in the spring, summer, fall, and possibly the winter depending upon the climate you live in, whether you are saving the world or not.
The overall lightweight construction of the jacket feels like it would be best suited for a night out on the town or a summer pleasure ride. This is not a heavy duty jacket and should be treated as such.
The jacket I received is a Large (L), and is a very comfortable fit for my size large body. If you are a weight lifter or someone who is very bulky across the shoulders, you might consider going up a size to give your shoulders additional breathing room.
Aesthetic
I like the way the jacket looks and fits to my frame. I also appreciate the zippers on the cuff for giving the arms a flared look and a little extra ventilation. The burnished zippers don’t contrast the black lambskin too much and add a nice touch to the overall look. The black viscose interior is the only choice for maintaining a high-quality look while letting the jacket remain light and breathable.
The one concern I had when I received this jacket was a scent that reminded me of napthalene, the same smell some of you might remember when your mom put mothballs in your closet as a kid. After hanging the jacket up for a couple days, the scent dissipated to unnoticeable levels. As of this writing, there is little to no scent on the jacket at all.
After speaking with Paul, he stated that the reason for the smell is due to the leather not being able to breathe during shipping. The moisture content in the jacket can produce the described odor. He also mentioned that since the jacket is hand-wrinkled leather, it contains more moisture than similar leather processed by a machine. If you’re looking to wear this jacket the moment you receive it, you might want to keep this caveat in mind. Give it a couple days to breathe, and it will be superhero-ready.
Conclusion
This jacket is fun. It is lightweight, sports a modern, casual look, and is a comfortable fit. As someone who likes the idea of subtly emulating his favorite film stars, the Mission Impossible 5 Jacket does just that. I don’t think the jacket will stand up to heavy abuse based on its lightweight construction, but as with all things leather, it never hurts to own more than one.
At $189.00 for a genuine leather jacket, it’s a good value for the looks and fun factor alone. I plan on sporting it in the fall months to see how the stitching and stress points hold up, and to ensure the leather shell can take a few scratches without tearing.
On a final note, what you see on the Angel Jackets web site is what you’ll receive when ordering the jacket. No, Tom Cruise does not come with the jacket, but the look you see online is what you’ll get when you unfold the jacket for the first time. If you’re a fan of the MI series or are in the market for a casual, lightweight leather jacket, check it out.
