Aero worth the wait? Horsehide shootout; Aero vs. Schott

[trainspotter]

Don't worry about those wrinkles. That's where that part about the natural properties of leather comes into play. No matter how well matched, panels will always be slightly different and the difference might get more and more pronounced as you continue to wear the jacket. Really, don't worry about it. You'll notice a lot of other creases forming with time and there won't be much you can do about it but that's part of a charm of owning a leather jacket.

Back is simply from a different part of an animal. Your jacket seems to be constructed exactly the same as mine.
Anyway, on my 613 HH, one sleeve was wrinkled from since I got it with the other being smooth and shiny. Now I can no longer recall which one is which.

maybe water exposure has had this effect? Pure conjecture on my part, I personally am a bit wary about exposing expensive jackets to rain/snow

 

[Monitor]

maybe water exposure has had this effect? Pure conjecture on my part, I personally am a bit wary about exposing expensive jackets to rain/snow

I used to be wary as well but not anymore. You can see my 613 in another thread from the other day, sitting on a snow covered table, drenched in water. Once I got home, I shook every drop off from the jacket and realized yet again that it didn't get damp even in the slightest.

Anyway, exposure to water might affect the look of the leather if you got the jacket soaked through and through, as in, if you submerged it or rode wearing it for 50 miles during a downpour or something like that but a short rainy ride wouldn't have any noteworthy effect.

This is just pure forming that's happening on your jacket but again, it's really nothing to be worried about. It's a good sign Schott is using such organic looking hides, even tho the surface finish might suggest otherwise.

 

[Carlos840]

maybe water exposure has had this effect? Pure conjecture on my part, I personally am a bit wary about exposing expensive jackets to rain/snow

The best thing you can do to break in a jacket is to get it wet.
If it rains when i am home i like to put on a leather jacket and go for a walk just to get it wet, I will then wear it untill it is dry. It really speeds things up, gets the grain to pop out, and mould it to you.

Ahh I see, ok

Do yall hang your jackets up? Mine is just laid flat atm for fear of deforming it

If you hang on wide coat hangers you should not have a problem. Some people also use pool noodles on regular hangers.
I have jackets that have hung 8 years on wide shouldered hangers and they show no deformation. I don't hang jackets when wet or humid though, so the two or three jackets i am currently rotating ususally live on the floor.

 

[AeroFan_07]

I hang mine up, everyday.
I use wide hangers, mostly wood or plastic but nothing else special.

 

[blobsterroll]

Right now since its dry I am just using the Schott hanger it came with. I've had lesser jackets that warped because of the hanger, and since the arrival of the 618 is now in the box about to be donated.

Part of me is looking forward to the aging this jacket the way Im wearing it, but seeing this on my recommendations made me reconsider

see how fine and clean it looks? Someone once told me patina on a leather jacket only looks good with brown leather jackets. Not that I have to worry about it for at least a year (or 10? IDK how horsehide ages lol)

 

[roadking04]

Schotts are battle tested. Look how many are on ebay from the '70s and '80s. They are made for motorcycle use. 618's are made to protect you in the rain. They are made to be shoved in a saddlebag after use. I throw mine on the floor of the closet when not in use.

 

[Downunder G Man]

I only have the one Aero, a Blue label Highwayman in brown steer. I don't wear it on my Harley as no zipper sleeves.
So it's a "car jacket" by default. Perhaps my "best smelling" jacket. Typical "baggy" Aero Highwayman fit.

I have several Schott variants, (and have sold a few), most all zipper sleeves, mostly steerhide but one 641HH horsehide.
This Schott 641HH smells good, but not as good as the Aero.(One of my favourites but don't tell the others !).Quite warm.

I ritually cycle thru' the zipper sleeved Schott jackets wearing them on the bike roster here in Perth western Australia.
I avoid riding in the rain , principally as the roads are so greasy here after the long dry spells we get all year round.
That and it turns a pleasurable ride into an ordeal similar to a "Japanese game show of bizarre endurance".....
There are 2.5 million folks in the greater Perth metro area now, many of them "chit" drivers who are worse in the rain !
I have ridden in 5C, and occasionally cooler, on the way to work of a morning, but only on a dry forecast with 16C later.
Being out on the bike and being caught in an unforecast shower ? Well yes of course over the last 25 years, but not often.

Snow here ? Not since 1963 apparently.

I also have 2 Vanson Firenze steerhide jackets, a Comet and a Sturgis vented. Both exclusively used on the bike.
These do not smell "particularly nice" even after a couple of years.

I have 2 black goat Simmons Bilt jackets, a J100 café racer and a Nebraska. Both fit well and smell OK.

All are hung on either the OEM Schott hangers they came with, or a recycled hanger for a "genuine" HD jacket.
After a day's wear, that jacket will be hung on it's hanger outside in the dry shade to air, before being hung back in a door frame with the rest of the fleet.

Apologies if this has not added to the thread.

 

[willyto]

Ahh I see, ok

Do yall hang your jackets up? Mine is just laid flat atm for fear of deforming it

That can also add creases in the sleeves in the sides.

 

[nattevagten]

How does Schott's horsehide compare to their steerhide? Will it get just as soft and supple after a while or is it too much to expect?

 

[dannyk]

How does Schott's horsehide compare to their steerhide? Will it get just as soft and supple after a while or is it too much to expect?

It’s nice. It’s not nearly as robust and thick as Aero, or LW. It’s fairly thin. But it creases and ages really nicely in my opinion. I know @Monitor for example would agree. Compared to their steer it might be a touch thinner, but also a touch stiffer. But they have various kinds of horse and steer. So it depends on which one you’re comparing. If it were me, I would go with the horse they use on the 613SH. It’s their thickest and most robust stock horse. Now again it’s not like CXL or LW. It’s more comparable to most Japanese brands. But it is thicker and stronger than their regular HH. It’s shiny like the regular HH. But because it’s a bit thicker than their regular HH, it holds more dramatic creases and patina. The one thing I do like about Schott HH is how nice it looks after 5 years.

 

[BoDeen427]

I am a big fan of the CHPQ, as a matter of fact I own two of them!
View attachment 285489
Fit and movement are very good on this jacket although not as good on as on my other Vansons because the Chopper has the heavy duty padding and reinforced kidney panel.
Regarding leather I prefer the octagon (pictured above) or the X150 to the current Comp. weight.
I also think you should consider other Vanson cross zips, such as the CHP2 or the C2 that Monitor posted above. I guarantee you would be amazed by the comfort and range of movement you experienced when compared to the problems you were experiencing with your Schott. Also the Vanson jackets have a real taper from chest to waist unlike the Schott “beer belly” cut. Vanson is tough to beat when it comes to functional patterns for movement.

I really like the looks of this jacket! Is that a removable winter collar? What do you think about the leather, does it seem like high quality? Is the leather fairly thick? I'm gonna have to check these out.

 

[TREEMAN]

It’s nice. It’s not nearly as robust and thick as Aero, or LW. It’s fairly thin. But it creases and ages really nicely in my opinion. I know @Monitor for example would agree. Compared to their steer it might be a touch thinner, but also a touch stiffer. But they have various kinds of horse and steer. So it depends on which one you’re comparing. If it were me, I would go with the horse they use on the 613SH. It’s their thickest and most robust stock horse. Now again it’s not like CXL or LW. It’s more comparable to most Japanese brands. But it is thicker and stronger than their regular HH. It’s shiny like the regular HH. But because it’s a bit thicker than their regular HH, it holds more dramatic creases and patina. The one thing I do like about Schott HH is how nice it looks after 5 years.

As far as I know all there HH is the same.......

 

[dannyk]

As far as I know all there HH is the same.......

Mostly yes. As far as I know same tannery and same tanning/finishing process...the 613SH is just a heavier cut. I actually owned both and it definitely was thicker. Like I said nothing like a vanson or lw...but thicker/heavier than their standard. But that was the only differnce, how it looked and felt was exactly the same as the HH on my 618.

 

[dannyk]

So it appears things may have changed recently. My comparisons and “facts” were based on two years ago when I bought a 618hh and 613sh. The 613 was noticeably thicker. The overview section on the website stressed its heaviness and listed it at 3-3.5oz hide. The 618hh said 3.00. But now that section on the 618 is gone and doesn’t appear to list any oz. so I wonder if they now changed the weight on the 618 to match the 613sh or are using false marketing?

 

[El Marro]

I really like the looks of this jacket! Is that a removable winter collar? What do you think about the leather, does it seem like high quality? Is the leather fairly thick? I'm gonna have to check these out.

Thank you!
Yes, it is a snap on removable collar. Regarding the leather it is fairly thick, a bit lighter than their competition weight steerhide but still quite stiff and robust. As far as the quality of the leather it certainly seems good to me although I have not put too much wear into it yet at this point.

 

[BoDeen427]

Thank you!
Yes, it is a snap on removable collar. Regarding the leather it is fairly thick, a bit lighter than their competition weight steerhide but still quite stiff and robust. As far as the quality of the leather it certainly seems good to me although I have not put too much wear into it yet at this point.

I've been looking at their jackets but this jacket only lists it in black, how did you get a different color?

 

[El Marro]

I've been looking at their jackets but this jacket only lists it in black, how did you get a different color?

I placed a custom order directly with Vanson. I worked with a gentlemen named Constantine to iron out all the details, he is well-known and well liked around these parts. One thing I would caution you is that the pandemic has put a real hit on the Vanson factory as well as their leather suppliers. If you place a custom order with Vanson right now you might be in for quite a wait until your jacket is ready. Having said that, they make a great product and it will be well worth it when you do receive the jacket.

 

[BoDeen427]

I placed a custom order directly with Vanson. I worked with a gentlemen named Constantine to iron out all the details, he is well-known and well liked around these parts. One thing I would caution you is that the pandemic has put a real hit on the Vanson factory as well as their leather suppliers. If you place a custom order with Vanson right now you might be in for quite a wait until your jacket is ready. Having said that, they make a great product and it will be well worth it when you do receive the jacket.

Yes I did see something about the hit that they took from this pandemic. Thanks for the info, it's like a merry go round for me, I've looked at Schott, Aero, LW, Simmons Bilt, Johnson Leathers, etc etc and go back around and around. I like different aspects of all of them, trying to decide is a mental pain in the kaboos.

 

[dannyk]

Definitely agree with @El Marro on Vanson. Constantine is super helpful and a nice guy. You can never go wrong with Vanson. They aren’t the nicest or most intricate. They don’t have all the little details of other brands. But their jackets are built to the nuts in terms of super strong stitching, tough ass leather, almost always nail the fit, first try. Helpful and nice people working there. To me they are the single best company for bang for the buck. Their are cheaper that are great. There are more expensive that are way cooler or built with so many beautiful details. I just mean for the price they are the one maker you get exactly what you pay. The value per dollar is spot on.

 

[TREEMAN]

I wish Schott would come out with a special of there one star in CXL Horween leather... that would be my grail jacket ...