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Aero Horween horse hides

Faux59

Familiar Face
Messages
72
Location
Toronto
CXL
Tumbled CXL
Pinnacle

What would you go with from this list if you were buying a jacket today?

I'm ordering a black motorcycle jacket soon. I have a good idea of which way I'm going. I just wanted to read people's opinions.

I'm only interested in these 3 leathers for this jacket but I will be getting a 2nd jacket with a different choice.
 

AeroFan_07

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,663
Location
Iowa
There seems to be a genuine fascination with Horse Hide and jackets. It's not completely a bad thing, but have you personally handled, or worn any of these leathers on an Aero or other-brand jacket?

I ask because I have. I have owned in excess of 14 Aero's and just from experience, if you want a jacket to actually ride a motorcycle, this is not what you really want. There are plenty of threads talking about this topic. They also discuss the leather, the patterns, the design, and honestly at this point for me most of it falls flat. I have one Aero left, an Indian Ranger in Horween FQHH and I do not think I'll even keep it around much longer.

I do agree with Photo2U that the CXL-Steerhide is at least a slightly more flexible choice for a M/C style jacket (it softens noticeably once you have had it on a while) it still cannot help the rest of pattern and design traits that have steered me away from this brand overall. Username or not, there are greener fields out there and I encourage you to research those out before you spend $$$.
 

Faux59

Familiar Face
Messages
72
Location
Toronto
It's not completely a bad thing, but have you personally handled, or worn any of these leathers on an Aero or other-brand jacket?
Not in the 3 leather choices here (unless you count steer CXL boots) but I have 3 Aeros. A Vicenza, goat, and Badalassi that I just moved on. I have a Himel and Schott P571 too. I like Aero and want this to be a Horween HH of some sort and that's what I'm getting. I know there's a placebo aspect to HH and I'm OK with that.
 
Last edited:

KBlake

One Too Many
Messages
1,808
There seems to be a genuine fascination with Horse Hide and jackets. It's not completely a bad thing, but have you personally handled, or worn any of these leathers on an Aero or other-brand jacket?

I ask because I have. I have owned in excess of 14 Aero's and just from experience, if you want a jacket to actually ride a motorcycle, this is not what you really want. There are plenty of threads talking about this topic. They also discuss the leather, the patterns, the design, and honestly at this point for me most of it falls flat. I have one Aero left, an Indian Ranger in Horween FQHH and I do not think I'll even keep it around much longer.

I do agree with Photo2U that the CXL-Steerhide is at least a slightly more flexible choice for a M/C style jacket (it softens noticeably once you have had it on a while) it still cannot help the rest of pattern and design traits that have steered me away from this brand overall. Username or not, there are greener fields out there and I encourage you to research those out before you spend $$$.
Out of genuine curiosity, what pattern and design traits have steered you away? I haven’t owned many but the ones I did have weren’t the best fitting.
 

MrProper

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,259
Location
Europe
CXL
Tumbled CXL
Pinnacle

What would you go with from this list if you were buying a jacket today?

I'm ordering a black motorcycle jacket soon. I have a good idea of which way I'm going. I just wanted to read people's opinions.

I'm only interested in these 3 leathers for this jacket but I will be getting a 2nd jacket with a different choice.
If I have to take one of the three, then tumbled.
If I don't have to, cxl steer or vicenza.
 

Canuck Panda

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,632
CXL
Tumbled CXL
Pinnacle
Out of the three my first choice would be Pinnacle, then Tumbled CXL FQHH, then CXL FQHH. If you're open to CXL SH, then I would rate it before Tumbled CXL FQHH.

For context I have had all the leathers listed above. And while I am major fan for Horween CXL finish, there are a few things to keep in mind,

1) Black does not really have any pull up. So There really isn't much advantage of going CXL if you're getting a black jacket. The biggest aesthetic advantage CXL has over the other types of leather tannage is the surface glass finish and the pull up, so best in the brown tones or other color tones, to get the most outta CXL special finishing.

2) CXL FQHH takes FOREVER to break in. I have one from 5 years ago, and it is still not broken in to the point where I find it comfortable. CXL SH breaks in much faster, within the same year. This is why I say if you insist on CXL FQHH, get the tumbled version. However, the tumbled version is gonna be extra grainy and wild, so no glass finish.

Pinnacle is gonna be your safest bet for comfort and ease of wear, but it's struck through leather not surface dyed teacore. So if you are looking for teacore then you have to settle for the stiffer CXL FQHH or other options.
 

panigale

New in Town
Messages
39
I have two Aero’s in CXL FQHH. I love them. Beautiful grain on day one. One in black and one in reddish brown.

My favorite Aero is in black Badalassi Steer hide. The jacket is tough as nails but it is more forgiving than the horse hide offerings.
 

Alfredodelavega

New in Town
Messages
10
In fact, I think it all depends on how often you plan to wear the jacket!? If it's 10 times a year or maximum once a week then you will take more than 15 years to break in the cxl (especially the HH) and you will have gotten tired of it and you will have sold the jacket a long time ago. If this is a jacket that you plan to wear every day during the auspicious season then you may want to consider the cxl HH
 

MrProper

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,259
Location
Europe
In fact, I think it all depends on how often you plan to wear the jacket!? If it's 10 times a year or maximum once a week then you will take more than 15 years to break in the cxl (especially the HH) and you will have gotten tired of it and you will have sold the jacket a long time ago. If this is a jacket that you plan to wear every day during the auspicious season then you may want to consider the cxl HH
I had a CXFQHH and wore it every day, in all weathers. It took an infinitely long time before they were even halfway broken in. Certain parts of the jacket weren't really worn in even after years.
That's why I'll only use it if it's the only way to get the colour I want. Always CXSH for black, brown and cordovan. Or then tumbled.
I don't know the Pinnacle, but from the pictures I don't like it so much that I would order a jacket from it (at least not a black one).
 

Alfredodelavega

New in Town
Messages
10
J'avais une veste CXFQHH et je la portais tous les jours, par tous les temps. Il a fallu un temps infini avant qu'elle ne soit à moitié rodée. Certaines parties de la veste n'étaient pas vraiment usées même après des années.
C'est pourquoi je ne l'utiliserai que si c'est le seul moyen d'obtenir la couleur que je souhaite. Toujours CXSH pour le noir, le marron et le cordovan. Ou alors le dégringolé.
Je ne connais pas le Pinnacle, mais d'après les photos je ne l'aime pas tellement que je lui commanderais une veste (du moins pas une noire).
Mon expérience du CX fqhh est très variable certaines vestes sont rodées dès le départ (mais non sans difficulté) d'autres malgré le temps, ayant bravé les éléments n'ont jamais montré de réels signes de rodage commençant à les rendre un peu confortables et pourtant sur le papier c'est le même cuir de la même tannerie.
I had a CXFQHH and wore it every day, in all weathers. It took an infinitely long time before they were even halfway broken in. Certain parts of the jacket weren't really worn in even after years.
That's why I'll only use it if it's the only way to get the colour I want. Always CXSH for black, brown and cordovan. Or then tumbled.
I don't know the Pinnacle, but from the pictures I don't like it so much that I would order a jacket from it (at least not a black one).
My experience of the CX fqhh is very variable some jackets are broken in from the start (but not without difficulty) others despite time, having braved the elements never showed real signs of breaking in starting to make them a little comfortable and yet on paper it is the same leather from the same tannery.
 

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