AERO LEATHER WATER RESISTANCE TESTS

[nightandthecity]

Well I did this for my own purposes but i thought you guys might be interested in the results.

I have a good number of Aero leather samples in the house (I expect I'm not alone) and thought I'd do some crude experimentation on water resistance. Here's the results: some of it expected, some of it rather surprising. All the leather samples were about the same size except the two black jerky, one of which was smaller and a few years older.

Both tests lasted 30 minutes after which I got bored (talk about watching paint dry).

LIMITED TEST 1 at 15oC, 48%RH. SEVERAL DROPS HAND-SPRINKLED ON EACH SAMPLE, water immediately beaded on all

Black Vicenza: all soaked in after 10-15 minutes

Blackened brown Vicenza: still a few droplets after 30 minutes

Battered Steer (seal) : ditto

Black Jerky 1 [small sample]: hardly any soaked in, still plenty of droplets after 30 minutes.


FULLER TEST 1 at 22oC, 46%RH. ALL SAMPLES WELL SPRAYED WITH SPRAY BOTTLE, water immediately beaded on all

Dark Seal Vicenza: all droplets soaked in by 2 minutes

Black Jerky 2 [large sample]: 3 minutes

Black Vicenza: 5 minutes

Oil Pull Horse: 7 minutes

Seal jerky: 12 minutes

Black Goatskin: mostly gone by 12 minutes but several droplets remained when I closed the experiment after 30 minutes

Black Jerky 1 [small sample]: as black goatskin

Battered steer: 22 minutes

Blackened brown Vicenza: 23 minutes

Dark Seal Jerky: about half the droplets remained after 30 minutes

Battered seal Horse, Black Steer, battered tan horse, seal goatskin, and a random sample of of ELC Irvin sheepskin : had hardly absorbed any droplets ( possibly none), after 30 minutes.


Only one to show visible damp on underside was seal goatskin, although it didn’t seem to be absorbing anything – this was possibly spray that had got on the carpet.

Only one to feel a bit damp on the underside was the Large sample of Black jerky, this too could be from the carpet.

As expected the Chrome tanned horse performed best, the veg-tanned Vicenza the worst. Similarly, the blackened brown vic with its extra black top coat did much better than the dark seal and black Vic. But there still some interesting anomalies here e.g.

Black jerky [1] performed differently in the two tests (much better in the first test)

the two pieces of Black jerky performed very differently; and the dark seal jerky performed much better than both.

The black and dark seal goatskin also performed very differently.

I will probably repeat this some time. Meanwhile over to you......

 

[nick123]

Water on Vicenza doesn't bead...it turns into water spots! I am careful with getting it too wet.

 

[nightandthecity]

got to admit there were a few surprises.....the battered steer looks and feels veg tanned to me, but it performed remarkably well if so, and in both tests. The very different results between the different jerky horse samples (and between the same sample in two tests) also took me by surprise, and isn't easy to explain.

 

[Fanch]

Very interesting comparison. Fortunately not too much rain in N Texas to soak through my two Vicenza Sheenes. I never worry though about my FQHH Teamster getting wet.

 

[rocketeer]

Sorry had to hijack a small part of this topic
Here's a proper test for Front Quarter Horse.
Saturday 21st October,Blackpool prom in a bit of wind and rain, sometime known as Brian. No it wasn't quite Irma.
At first the water beaded but after around 1/2 hr in non stop rain dark patches started to form on the more exposed areas. An hr later there were more wet patches but the lining was still dry though a little water had run off into the pockets. The leather football buttons had got a little soggy and became rather malleable like old chewing gum but stood up to being undone and done up a few times due to calls of nature.
After a short while we caught a tram from the just along from the pleasure beach(No big Dipper photo's sorry) to the Tower we then searched out a Fish and Chip shop where the smell of frying haddock, cod place and vinegar was irresistible, though the Horse did not soak any of that glorious odour.
So, no one really wants to hear about me and my 'Little Stick of Blackpool Rock' or trip to the Tower Ballroom(Lancashire's own Versailles) therefore we will get on with the pics.

Before looking at these photo's I suggest you play this Youtube clip as you read.
Yes it's Reginald Dixon on the Mighty Wurlitzer at the Tower Ballroom.

Technical stuff. Aero Front quarter horse Teamster about 4 years old. Worn in colder months, no conditioner ever used.
Camera operator Mrs T and made in china selfie stick.
Distance travelled to obtain results shown. Approx 3 miles from Winter Gardens to Pleasure Beach and back to the Tower then tram after dinner.



Before the storm, just a little windy and slightly spitting with rain outside the Winter Gardens

A go on the little train and now the rain gets heavier.
I know you'r not interested in my holidays so here's what you really want to get to grips with

It has now been raining about 1/2 and hr, Me and the Mrs are still smiling after a trip on The Big Dipper, a classic wooden roller coaster(not the Pepsi max in the background)

And for the big finish!
On the seafront for the full force of it.
Most of the coat is now darkened with rain.

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside, but usually when the sun is out and I can wear my front quarter horsehide swimming trunks

 

[Downunder G Man]

Chite ! I just remembered WHY I emigrated from Scotland to Australia in 1990 !

Actually I had never "forgotten" , just pushed it into the repressed memories along with being caned and leather strapped at school haha !

I admire your bravery sir , I used to ride motorcycles in that chit , can't believe it now myself !

 

[nightandthecity]

thanks for that Rocketeer, I take it as a ringing endorsement for FQHH! Also good old Blackpool, a place I know well (six years of band practices there for one thing)

 

[nightandthecity]

I have incidentally, repeated my experiment...

FULLER TEST 2 at 15oC, 52%RH. ALL SAMPLES WELL SPRAYED WITH SPRAY BOTTLE, water immediately beaded

Black jerky 2: all droplets soaked-in by 5 minutes

Oil Pull Horse: 6 minutes

Dark seal Vicenza: 7 minutes

Black Vicenza: 8 minutes

Seal Jerky: 9 minutes

Black Goatskin, Battered Steer, Black Jerky 2: a lot soaked in by 10 minutes but significant beading still remained at 30 minutes when I closed down.

Blackened brown vic: about half the droplets remained at 30 minutes

Dark seal jerky, Seal Goatskin, Battered seal Horse, battered tan horse, Black steer showed no significant soak-in at 30 minutes.

There is some change in the order, some change in the timing, but the overall picture seems largely unchanged with the same anomalies, notably the different performance of the two black jerky samples, and the different performance between differently dyed samples of the same leather.

They seem to divide into three groups.

Black jerky 2, oil pull horse, dark seal vic, black vic, seal jerky were still the worst performers with the best (seal jerky) still only lasting around ten minutes. You wouldn’t choose these leathers for their water resistance.

Black Goatskin, Battered Steer, Black Jerky 2 and blackened brown Vicenza performed better. For the first three a lot had soaked in by 10 minutes, but significant beading still remained at 30 minutes. For the Blackened brown Vicenza soak-in was even slower and about half the droplets remained at 30 minutes. These can be classed as moderate to high water resistance with the battered steer and blackened brown Vicenza performing particularly well over the three experiments (the steer not as well this time but still good)

Dark seal jerky, Seal Goatskin, Battered seal Horse, battered tan horse, Black steer showed no significant soak-in at 30 minutes. The last four must be presumed as close to waterproof as any leather can be: the dark seal jerky didn’t perform quite as well last time, but still performed well, and must be regarded as highly water resistant.

I’d be very interested to hear how other people fare if anyone can be bothered to replicate the experiment. The difference between the two black jerky samples and between differently dyed versions of the same leather make me suspect some of these apparent anomalies may be down to the particular samples I have. In particular it might be wise to take an average for the performance of the different jerky samples, ditto the goatskin. Vicenza, however, I think we can take to have low water resistance, the exception – blackened brown – can be explained by the black top coat.

I have a Royale coming in battered steer so it seems I chose well, (though totally by accident) given that heavy leathers are not an option for this jacket. I'm planning another in black (hence the experiments) and was originally inclined towards the black jerky, but I'll now probably go for the blackened brown vicenza. It rains a lot in the south Pennines.

 

[Peacoat]

Thanks for taking the time for the tests. Wish you had done some FQHH for some comparison.

rocketeer: Did any of the rain soak through?

 

[nightandthecity]

Peacoat, you're right. When i wrote the above I had the idea the Battered seal Horse and battered tan horse were FQH, but of course they are mid-weights. Still thicker than the other leathers tested, and a lot more water resistant - still holding out after half an hour when I gave up! Very impressive.

 

[Mich486]

What about a nice umbrella when it rains?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Worf]

Wow! Went to visit Consumer Reports and a leather jacket thread broke out! Who knew??!!! LOL! Thanks for doing this testing, I found it fascinating! Though when it rains I don't wear leather I grab my Filson Tin Cloth and have at it!

Worf

 

[nightandthecity]

What about a nice umbrella when it rains?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I hate carrying things that won't fit in my pockets. And I hate holding my hand up in the air for long periods of time!

I honestly wouldn't want to spend nearly a grand on a leather jacket that wasn't water resistant. Especially as it seems to rain more often than not round here!

Mind you, i do have a lot of nice trench coats.......

 

[Mich486]

I hate carrying things that won't fit in my pockets. And I hate holding my hand up in the air for long periods of time!

I honestly wouldn't want to spend nearly a grand on a leather jacket that wasn't water resistant. Especially as it seems to rain more often than not round here!

You sure don’t wear glasses [emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[nightandthecity]

You sure don’t wear glasses [emoji23]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I sure do. But I also wear hats.

 

[Mich486]

I sure do. But I also wear hats.

Sorry but cannot resist

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rocketeer]

What about a nice umbrella when it rains?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mine blew inside out! Then outside in and inside out so I then put it inside the outside dustbin and got wet. To windy to wear my trade mark trilby beside the seaside

 

[rocketeer]

Thanks for taking the time for the tests. Wish you had done some FQHH for some comparison.

rocketeer: Did any of the rain soak through?

Not really, maybe a little but the lining (wool blanket) was fairly dry. Though the coat weighed a ton

 

[rocketeer]

thanks for that Rocketeer, I take it as a ringing endorsement for FQHH! Also good old Blackpool, a place I know well (six years of band practices there for one thing)

One thing to remember, I let the coat dry out in a warm room in a normal heat, not near a radiator, what you could call slightly warmer than normal day to day room temp as we were freezing.
As to Blackpool, we need to go back as we could not go up the tower. It has stood for over 100 years, as has the Eiffel Tower, in worse weather and the Health and Safety morons say we could not go up it and to be honest I wanted the full on wind blast effect though Mrs T had other ideas

 

[born113]

These are extremely useful tests and information. Does anyone have more data on the qualities of =Aero leathers= leather?