The Most Underrated Leather Jacket Brand: Rainbow Country A2 Jacket Review

When it comes to leather jackets, it’s impossible to ignore the hype, following, and mythology surrounding Japanese leather jackets and the brands that make them. I have owned about twenty of these jackets, tried on many during my two trips to Japan, and handled a ton more. As a result, I can tell you without a doubt that not all Japanese leather jackets guarantee the same quality that is expected from them. 

We have covered the 5 Best Japanese Leather Jacket Brands previously. Today I’m going to review my Rainbow Country x Mushmans A-2 jacket, and I’ll tell you why the Rainbow Country brand is almost criminally underrated in the world of leather jackets.

Rainbow Country A2 Jacket Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Shinki Horsehide is pretty much as good as it gets in a leather jacket
• Unique patina and wear patterns develop the more you wear it
• The cost is much lower than Freewheelers, which is the best overall
• Quality is so good that you won’t be able to tell it from other more expensive brands

Cons:

• It can be hard to find; it takes a while to track down what you are looking for
• The pattern is slim and long compared to other A-2s, which can be a deal-breaker for some
• Not the best jacket design for movement and flexibility
• Still going to be expensive for someone just looking for a good leather jacket

Overview: Rainbow Country

• Made in same factory as Freewheelers
• Close second for best Japanese leather jacket brand

Rainbow Country is a Japanese leather jacket brand that comes from the same factory — I believe it’s called Eights — as its more well-known sibling, Freewheelers & Company. People seem to jumble all the brands in jackets together like it’s one big amalgamation. It’s definitely not. Some Japanese leather jacket brands do not have the same unbelievable construction quality, leather, and patterns that many people like to pretend are there, even when they are not.

This is not the case with Rainbow Country, which I would argue is among the best Japanese leather jacket brands. You could say that some brands surpass them with their stitching details, patterns, and how much you can customize their jackets.

Freewheelers is my clear choice for number one, but I would put Rainbow Country as a close number two. I’ll go into detail on similar brands here later on.

What’s an A-2 Flight Jacket?

The A-2 flight jacket was designed and adopted by the US military in 1931 to keep pilots and aircrew protected from the elements while flying. Its design is uncomplicated, functional, and made from quality components. This makes it a popular choice in the Amekaji fashion world and for those looking for a good leather jacket.

The uncomplicated design is perfect for an A-2 type jacket because you really don’t need additional complications with one. Despite the rich history of painted artwork on flight jackets from their wartime use, the design of the jacket beneath is meant to be simple and rough-wearing. Rainbow Country excels in creating a perfect off-the-rack version of the A-2.

Type A-2 flight Jacket Key Characteristics

• Waist-length
• Zipper closure and snap-down pocket flaps
• Cotton drill lining
• Wool knit wrist cuffs and waistband
• Shirt-type collar with hidden snaps and a throat latch
• Armpit grommets for ventilation
• Stitched down shoulder epaulets

Rainbow Country A2 Jacket First Impressions

This is my Rainbow Country x Mushmans A-2 leather jacket. It is a discontinued burgundy Shinki Horsehide leather, so you probably won’t be able to buy this one. It’s still a perfect example of a Rainbow Country jacket, and what makes it so amazing and underrated.

Rainbow Country’s construction quality is on par with Freewheelers jackets, which, in my opinion, is the very best in the world. I have talked with people I trust who make the case that brands like Field Leathers and Thedi may do some aspects of construction better. When it comes down to it, though, the differences become smaller to the point of comparing and rating microscopic things down to the number of stitches per inch (SPI) in the seams. 

I bought this jacket used, and it has clearly held up to heavy use before it ever got to me. There were no snags or holes in the wool ribs or cotton drill lining, as you might find on other A-2s that do not have stitching this dense and cleanly put together.

I don’t love cotton drill in general, but this jacket’s lining is more comfortable and nicely made. Also, the sleeves have that great tunneling effect that comes from using top-quality leather in the jacket’s construction. Rainbow Country clearly does a good job building a very nice jacket.

Rainbow Country A2 Jacket Leather

• Vegetable-tanned Shinki teacore horsehide
• Where the teacore wears down, you get a nice bright red patina

This jacket uses the highly sought-after vegetable-tanned Shinki horsehide leather. This leather is known to have a tight grain and ages beautifully. Even its smell is widely praised. Rainbow Country does their own finishing for their horsehide, so you’re getting slightly different leather finishes than you would find even from other brands using Shinki. 

It’s also a teacore leather, and you can see a few places where the original burgundy color has worn to a bright red patina. It has a great effect and maybe a little more flashy than is found on a traditional A-2. The unique look of this jacket is one of the reasons why I keep holding onto this jacket. I bought this jacket to match my burgundy White Kloud boots, and I think it looks so cool wearing them together. Also, I just like having an A-2 jacket around.

Rainbow Country A2 Jacket Sizing and Fit

• Slightly too long for my frame
• I sized down to adjust for the extra length
• Looks great on most body types

This is a size 36, and my only gripe with Rainbow Country might be the patterns for their jackets. I find that they’re just a bit too long. This jacket is a pretty good length for me since I bought a size down, but I might have preferred a size 38 to be able to layer underneath. I don’t mind in this case because the A-2 is meant to fit a certain way to look right in my mind, and I have warmer jackets for when they are needed.

I’ve seen Rainbow Country A-2s on many different people with different body types, and I haven’t seen one that I don’t think looks good yet. It looks good unzipped or zipped up, and the slim/long fit might make it the best option out there for some.

Rainbow Country A2 Jacket: Is It Worth It?

• Excellent value for the materials and design

The price is a big draw for Rainbow Country jackets; a tempting aspect is that you are getting Freewheelers construction quality for around half the price. Right now nothing is as expensive as a new or even secondhand Freewheelers jacket. This is especially true of their most popular models like the Mulholland and the La Brea.

But even a new Rainbow Country jacket is not as expensive, running somewhere between $1200 to $1500 USD. That’s not cheap, obviously. But considering the prices for leather jackets of this caliber always going up, I think this could be one of the best value-for-money jackets you could get right now. 

Freewheelers is a brand known for going the extra mile with little details in their stitching, the materials they use, and additional customization options. However, since the Rainbow Country jackets are made in the same factory with amazing materials and construction, you are still getting a truly solid jacket made without compromises.

I recommend checking out Japanese online retailers like Mushmans, Mirrorball, and McFly if you want to find one. There are also places like Yahoo Auctions Japan, where I found a good deal on this one.

Rainbow Country A2 Jacket Alternatives

My top three Japanese leather jacket brands are Freewheelers, Rainbow Country, and Real McCoy‘s. After these, I would look at other brands outside of Japan, like Thedi Leathers, Himel Bros, Field Leathers, or even Lost Worlds. Alternatively, you could look for options that do not use veg-tan leather if that isn’t important to you, or search for a used jacket and find some buried treasures like my $250 Vanson that fit me perfectly.

Wrapping Up

I have considered selling this jacket before, and I might not have this jacket forever. But if I sell this jacket, would I want another Rainbow Country in the future? Yes, definitely. It would likely be another one of their A-2s, except in a color that’s a little more versatile for styling. 

I love Rainbow Country. I think they’re a great brand. They also make other styles like half belts and motorcycle-style cross zips that aren’t really quite the same as what everybody else is doing.

If you are after the best quality Japanese leather jacket but a Freewheelers one is out of reach, I personally think that Rainbow Country is your next best option in Japan.