Leather Jackets: Post Pictures of the Best You've Seen/Owned?

[HeavenResign]

That Aero Board Racer synth was wearing is probably amazing in the italian veg tanned horsehide. out of my budget and I still want the vanson sf moto but awesome none the less

 

[Synthese]

Speaking objectively, that board racer is a damned nice jacket.

 

[HeavenResign]



Speaking objectively, that board racer is a damned nice jacket.

I didn't wanna ask it of you in the vanson thread for the sake of keeping it on subject, but you've had a pretty good range of different toj leathers. Lamb, calfskin, vtg and I know drew's said he thinks his stuff is nicer but is there any comparison you can make to the more recent fashion oriented offerings of aero and vanson? If not in terms of style then perhaps just the leather itself?

 

[LA Guy]



I didn't wanna ask it of you in the vanson thread for the sake of keeping it on subject, but you've had a pretty good range of different toj leathers. Lamb, calfskin, vtg and I know drew's said he thinks his stuff is nicer but is there any comparison you can make? If not in terms of style then perhaps just the leather itself?

@Synthese can comment more in depth, but objectively, there is nearly no way that this is possible from a construction or leather perspective.

Thurston and Aero have access to the best tanneries in the world, and Aero is a world class maker with a dedicated workforce trained to make specific garments, and have a training period during which all their garments are sold as trainee made, and not production quality.

Style is much more subjective.

 

[HeavenResign]

^^^

yeah I totally understand but I mean that is sort of the question that I'm sure will come up once these models are all done and can be ordered stock for $700. it doesn't have to be what's really 'better', I'm not particularly concerned about that. I just mentioned that drew said he thought his stuff was better cus he did say it hahaha (particularly in reference to calfskin, which I imagine he was thinking of the z150 leathers since he lived in japan for a time and vanson doesn't use calfskin and comparing to comp weight just isn't useful in drew's case i don't think). i just kinda wanna read more about dope leather jackets. even like his vtg synthese said isn't really worth comparing to other toj's but I thought he did a really good job at nailing down the kind of persona it has and where it might fit in terms of mindset of potential owners and even in his initial comments I think he nailed down what the vanson sf moto will kind of 'feel' like as well. But I'd just like to read some more personal comments thinking about how they might fit into his collection of leather jackets

 

[LA Guy]



^^^

yeah I totally understand but I mean that is sort of the question that I'm sure will come up once these models are all done and can be ordered stock for $700. it doesn't have to be what's really better i just kinda wanna read more about dope leather jackets

Understood.

It depends on the specific leather, then. Vanson generally uses proprietary leather. To me, the company weight leather is best. Starts off stiff, but wears in to look very deep and with smooth creases. Horween specializes in heavy leather. There is a lot out there, so I hesitate to generalize.

 

[HeavenResign]

Quote:
you're getting the sf dr in comp weight, right? If I go for the dr i'll probably do z150 (actually navy comp weight sounds awesome which I think is what you said you wanted) but I definitely wanna see what a super slim comp weight would look like, I know some of the old junya's are cw but no fit pics iirc

 

[Distorbiant]

Comp weight by Vanson is too much for me. That's heavy duty ****.

 

[Synthese]



I didn't wanna ask it of you in the vanson thread for the sake of keeping it on subject, but you've had a pretty good range of different toj leathers. Lamb, calfskin, vtg and I know drew's said he thinks his stuff is nicer but is there any comparison you can make to the more recent fashion oriented offerings of aero and vanson? If not in terms of style then perhaps just the leather itself?

@Synthese can comment more in depth, but objectively, there is nearly no way that this is possible from a construction or leather perspective.

Thurston and Aero have access to the best tanneries in the world, and Aero is a world class maker with a dedicated workforce trained to make specific garments, and have a training period during which all their garments are sold as trainee made, and not production quality.

Style is much more subjective.

I guess in my mind it's not really worthwhile to compare the two. They're just really different. Some of the TOJ's I've had have been pretty damn nice, in terms of construction, and I happen to like their lambskin and their suedes. The VTG jacket was an overreach in a couple of ways. I've never owned TOJ calf. Quality of the jackets is, at its worst, good; at its best, great, but it's too variable to really be the same thing as these established makers. TOJ doesn't offer the same level of choice in hides, and the Aero FQHH is...impressive. I kind of have a thing about horse leather, but wow. You're not going to find that at TOJ. But you're not going to find thin lamb at Vanson or Aero.

TOJ is usually high quality (recent production runs are panning out less ideally), the Vanson I've seen is high quality, the Aero I've seen is high quality. I'm not a master leatherworker or anything, though. TOJ is very much a fashion piece. Vanson and Aero are not, really - at least that's not their DNA. Unless you are riding a motorcycle or fighting large dogs, my recommendation is to just buy whichever you like the best.

 

[ChrisGold]



I guess in my mind it's not really worthwhile to compare the two. They're just really different. Some of the TOJ's I've had have been pretty damn nice, in terms of construction, and I happen to like their lambskin and their suedes. The VTG jacket was an overreach in a couple of ways. I've never owned TOJ calf. Quality of the jackets is, at its worst, good; at its best, great, but it's too variable to really be the same thing as these established makers. TOJ doesn't offer the same level of choice in hides, and the Aero FQHH is...impressive. I kind of have a thing about horse leather, but wow. You're not going to find that at TOJ. But you're not going to find thin lamb at Vanson or Aero.

TOJ is usually high quality (recent production runs are panning out less ideally), the Vanson I've seen is high quality, the Aero I've seen is high quality. I'm not a master leatherworker or anything, though. TOJ is very much a fashion piece. Vanson and Aero are not, really - at least that's not their DNA. Unless you are riding a motorcycle or fighting large dogs, my recommendation is to just buy whichever you like the best.

Two very honest answers... it's hard to compare these companies, which all serve different customer bases, and each are highly regarded for what they do... a motorcycle rider is not going to say anything nice about a lambskin jacket, nor is a fashion conscious buyer going to love trying to break in a stiff as a board Vanson competition weight jacket. Aero sort of straddles both groups, with a much wider range of styles. I think the best advice above was to buy what you like fashion wise, unless you do ride, then buy what you like and what will also protect your skin.

 

[HeavenResign]

yeah thanks for the thoughts synth and Fok! Really good to know, I didn't realize for example Aero's trainees sell jackets under a different line. I'm not torn between ToJ and Vanson at all I know I prefer the more biker oriented jackets with thicker leathers, it's just I finished re-reading the entire ToJ thread and I just want some meaty discussion on jackets. That is one thing that thread has had lots of over the years. perhaps I need more of my own so I can contribute !

in other news these are my fav fit pics i've ever taken of the 626. belt was open out of mostly laziness i don't go out like that though. I've put on ~15 lbs since I got it (the good kind, much needed weight) and I like how the jacket fits me much more now

 

[sinnedk]



I guess in my mind it's not really worthwhile to compare the two. They're just really different. Some of the TOJ's I've had have been pretty damn nice, in terms of construction, and I happen to like their lambskin and their suedes. The VTG jacket was an overreach in a couple of ways. I've never owned TOJ calf. Quality of the jackets is, at its worst, good; at its best, great, but it's too variable to really be the same thing as these established makers. TOJ doesn't offer the same level of choice in hides, and the Aero FQHH is...impressive. I kind of have a thing about horse leather, but wow. You're not going to find that at TOJ. But you're not going to find thin lamb at Vanson or Aero.

TOJ is usually high quality (recent production runs are panning out less ideally), the Vanson I've seen is high quality, the Aero I've seen is high quality. I'm not a master leatherworker or anything, though. TOJ is very much a fashion piece. Vanson and Aero are not, really - at least that's not their DNA. Unless you are riding a motorcycle or fighting large dogs, my recommendation is to just buy whichever you like the best.

Good write up.

1. I own a TOJ moto in calf the way its aging it reminds me of some of the pics of the vanson comp. Now i am not comparing the two at all since i have no experience on vanson comp. However, based on the swatches the Comp is thicker than TOJ calf, Toj calf is closest to X150 but a bit softer (probably because i wore it in). Based on that i'd say TOJ calf is equal to x150.

2. Lambskin is def the best fashion leather. I noticed my RO stooges in lamb is easiest to wear.

 

[brad-t]

I'll always wonder if I should've gotten my Toj in calf instead of lamb.

 

[HeavenResign]

^^^ I was actually wondering that myself about your particular jacket. The last pic I saw of it that you posted was your gf wearing it in 2013, right? How's it holding up?

 

[brad-t]

Overall, great. There is some slight rubbing at the cuffs and around the zipper, and the elbows are stretched a bit. I can't say I have any complaints, but I do wonder what it will be like in five years.