We went ahead and invested in a Aerostich Darien jacket and pants a good while back (Lois bought the Darien pants), and as anyone that has purchased a Darien or a Roadcrafter knows, the gear is stiff as cardboard when you first get it, and it looks like, well,,,,"You ain't been nowhere". So founder of Aerostich Andy Goldfine suggests the following beak-in procedure for making the Darien globe weary:
1. Remove pads and all contents of pockets.
2. Soak jacket in bucket of muddy water.
3. While jacket is soaking, dig, or hire someone to dig a hole in the ground large enough to bury the jacket fully.
4. Wad up the still wet jacket and bury it in the hole.
5. Water the dirt covering the jacket liberally, like the hole contained a plant seedling.
6. Wait three days, then dig up the jacket and let it air dry.
7. After drying out, grab the jacket by the collar area and whip it hard against the trunk of a tree five times.
8. Replace pads and wear the broken in jacket with pride.
or..you can just wear it for a while and it'll limber up. 