Anyone get their new Vanson delivered recently?

[Capncurly]

Wow, sorry for the bad news Jeff.

 

[Jeff M]

Actually it's good news. Sounds like it's finally on the launch pad.

 

[Capncurly]

Well, in that case (ahem)... My jacket arrived today! Full review w/ photos just posted.

 

[Lando]

Wow, you know I never really sat down and read through this whole thread because I always knew that Vanson had some long wait times, but after reading Capncurly's review I felt compelled. Wow. Vanson really has just gone to hell, that's very sad. I didnt know that they had declared bankruptcy but that makes sense. Around that time, without even knowing about it, I had started not buying direct from them as I just didnt want to wait forever. I get their jackets from dealers, or ebay at this point, although sometimes I have stopped by their factory store and looked through their available stock on site but I have not done that in years. Wonder if they keep any on site anymore.

This is all very upsetting for me since I grew up wearing Vansons and always thought of them as just about the toughest jackets made in the world. When Orvis and Vanson did a HH Ike coat together I thought it was a great and picked one up from Orvis. The hide was heavily waxed and after some heavy usage and some rain, I started to notice that the hide underneath was very rough and imperfect. I'll post pictures if anyone has any interest, but safe to say, Ive lost faith in Vanson's work of late. I really hope that they can come back though as the company I grew up with.

 

[53Effie]

Hi Lando. How is the fit of the Orvis Ike jacket insofar as length? I purchased one in cowhide from the factory and it is longer than the one represented in the website pictures. I was really expecting a waist length jacket but it came out longer...actually about 27 inches and is a size 44. I've not had a chance to ask anyone who has the Orvis model before; so I'm glad you posted. I have ended up soaking mine with water and then running it through the dryer. It shrunk it a bit and didn't seem to bother the leather...just a little more grain showing now. I have also treated it with Langlitz leather conditioner since the dryer and seems to have worked well.

 

[Jeff M]

I'd be careful with the Langlitz leather conditioner..though it's kind of a moot point now that you've used it.
It contains silicone, which is one of those chemicals that NEVER wears completely off/goes away. Makes things nice and shiny..and puts an impenetrable layer down that, should you decide to use some other leather treatment in the future, will prevent it from actually getting to the leather.
I also, to a small degree, collect guitars, and any product containing silicone is shunned by folks concerned about the potential for future finish/glue work needing to be done on their guitars.

FWIW, I stick with Pecard's Antique Leather Care for the rare "treatment" of leather jackets.
(Also....FWIW, I find leather really does not need "treatment" unless it is dry and cracking. Seen some overzealous folks who felt the need to "treat" their brand new leather jackets several times once they got it...only to end up with something rather...greasy.)

 

[Jeff M]

Latest news re; the Vanson Model B I ordered last September.

Received an email a month ago noting that the jacket was "in production".
Emailed them again last week asking where things stood, reply noted the jacket was "31% completed".
What does that mean? It took one month to complete 31% of the jacket...therefore it will take another 2+ months to complete 100%? Do they actually take that long to sew together?
I'm wondering if it is part of a large shipment being produced in El Salvador that is 31% completed......and it won't ship till all the other jackets are made.

 

[Lando]

Hi Lando. How is the fit of the Orvis Ike jacket insofar as length? I purchased one in cowhide from the factory and it is longer than the one represented in the website pictures. I was really expecting a waist length jacket but it came out longer...actually about 27 inches and is a size 44. I've not had a chance to ask anyone who has the Orvis model before; so I'm glad you posted. I have ended up soaking mine with water and then running it through the dryer. It shrunk it a bit and didn't seem to bother the leather...just a little more grain showing now. I have also treated it with Langlitz leather conditioner since the dryer and seems to have worked well.

The Orvis Vanson Ike is a baggy cut I think. I wasn't too thrilled with the fit to be honest, and the hide was...strange. It's HorseHide and it will age and take a beating well, just to be clear, which is what you want in the end. But when I also did the whole wash process to help trim the sizing a little, though I didn't put it in a dryer but let it hang dry and then mink oiled it, the smooth waxy finish all fell away and I was left with what looked to be a very rough hide beneath. Rough enough that I actually worry I will crack the hide long before I wear out the seems or the lining.

When I called Vanson, they told me that Orvis had provided the Horsehide and the specs to fit their sizing, which has always been baggy. So, Vanson built it, and Orvis gave them the specs and the materials. If I had known that before hand I may have just waited and bought it if it ever hit the sale section. I love old Vanson jackets and find at this point I'd rather buy used ones off eBay and then send them to Vanson to clean up and fix, which I'm almost positive still all happens in the US. You get good heavy leather broken in and you know where it was made.

Next time I see a Vanson corroboration with any other company, Ill call Vanson first and get the skinny on who's providing the materials. I'll try to post some pics but my winter gear is all packed in the steam room for now. I'll wear the Vanson Orvis Ike as a hardwear fall/spring jacket and see if it holds up to its Vanson construction. Though I bet you the Orvis materials will go first. How are you liking it?

 

[pjstrass]

Thanks for the info on the Ike jacket ...very helpful..I was tempted but not now...how about some pics as mentioned ...would be very interested...thanks in advance....

 

[Philalethes]

Latest news re; the Vanson Model B I ordered last September.

Received an email a month ago noting that the jacket was "in production".
Emailed them again last week asking where things stood, reply noted the jacket was "31% completed".
What does that mean? It took one month to complete 31% of the jacket...therefore it will take another 2+ months to complete 100%? Do they actually take that long to sew together?
I'm wondering if it is part of a large shipment being produced in El Salvador that is 31% completed......and it won't ship till all the other jackets are made.

I think that your latter claim is the best explanation - at least I hope it is the true one. Otherwise, not only would it take a month to complete not even a third of the jacket, but Vanson's employees would be among the wierdest in the world. Unless someone has very precise figures, who estimates that a project is 31% done? Do they spend all their time assiduously calculating their progress on each jacket? Maybe that is what takes so long...

 

[53Effie]

Lando. Getting along with jacket okay. It is better since the hot water and dryer treatment. It is just not the fit I was expecting since I ordered the factory jacket. As I have mentioned before the leather quality is no match for the other two Vansons that I have puchased on Ebay. Really, I guess the whole buying experience was less than positive. It is very unlikely that I would try it a second time.

 

[hhkiwi]

OK, here’s my recent Vanson story.

I’ve known about Vanson as a US manufacturer of premium motorcycle garments for some years and always toyed with the idea of getting one of their jackets.

So while I was browsing their website about five or so weeks ago I came across the Corsair jacket (http://www.vansonleathers.com/dw/prod/jacket/7ve3.html) which I really liked – it had all the features I was looking for. As it happened, they had a sale on so I spontaneously decided to pick up the phone and order the jacket.

To my surprise, it arrived after only a few days but my first shock came when I opened the jacket and looked at the label – “Made in Pakistan”, former home of Osama!! There was nothing on the website at the time I ordered to suggest that the Corsair is made in Pakistan. In fact, if you follow the above link to the main page describing the jacket there is still no mention of the fact that it is imported, although Vanson now states “imported” (without saying from where) on another page.

Then I find a blue paper slip in one of the pockets which was used by the manufacturer in Pakistan to track production of the jacket. On the slip clearly documented is the jacket’s date of manufacture: October 2008. In other words, my new jacket is three year old stock!

To top it all off, when I search for the jacket’s serial number which the warranty card says is embossed in all Vanson jackets I find that there’s no number anywhere, serial or other... then again, it’s not really a Vanson jacket is it, never mind the Vanson shoulder patches.

My e-mails to Mike van der Sleesen (Vanson President) go unanswered until I finally get a “tough luck, return it if you don’t like it” response from Kim van der Sleesen. I decided to save myself the hassle and keep the jacket but I can’t say that I am proud of my garment from “America's leading producer of high quality motorcycle apparel”.

After a bit of research I found the following statement by Mike in an article published on the Vanson website: “We did some manufacturing in Pakistan but it was pointless because their production is so low quality that we would have to remanufacture the jackets here before they met our standards.” I find it bizarre that Vanson would post something like that on their website while, at the same time, still offering jackets made in Pakistan. I guess that explains why Vanson still fails to disclose where the Corsair is actually made.

In her e-mail, Kim explained that “we have changed our direction and opened our own facility in El Salvador for the mid range and textile lines we produce”. So chances are that your next Vanson garment will be an import, even if they won’t say so on their website – you need to decide if you’re OK with that. I am not.

 

[ButteMT61]

Not me. They can keep the cheap junk IMHO.
USWings is a bit better in coming clean on "No Imports" on their website by stating which jackets are not. Still, seems like BS to me that these companies can't make affordable jackets "here". Just use a "right to work" state for your factory. I'd sell that thing on eBay after that exchange.

 

[Justhandguns]

Not me. They can keep the cheap junk IMHO.
USWings is a bit better in coming clean on "No Imports" on their website by stating which jackets are not. Still, seems like BS to me that these companies can't make affordable jackets "here". Just use a "right to work" state for your factory. I'd sell that thing on eBay after that exchange.

It looks to be that the admin of Vanson has gone downhill in the past year or so. I was lucky when I had Dan (Logan's Chest) to serve as middleman
when I bought my House Model B jacket. And I believe that was the second batch that they made, and they were still manufactured in the good old
US of A.

I think it maybe better off getting the Made in USA Schott NYC jackets these days.

 

[Jeff M]

Follow up on my Vanson saga.
Brief re-cap....placed the order in September 2010, standard model "B", standard size, brown leather instead of black. No jacket as of June/2011.
Contacted Vanson...the color brown I specified (on the recommendation of the Vanson rep.) not currently available...no idea when/if it will be. Nobody contacted me to see what I wanted to do.
Told them to go ahead with whatever "standard brown" they had.
Was told the jacket would go into production with the next batch.
Approx 5 weeks later...I contacted Vanson to see if my jacket was finished. Reply stated the jacket was "1/3 rd done".
It's approximately 15 weeks after my first June email now, over a year since I placed the original order.
Emailed Vanson yesterday asking them to cancel my order.
Reply sent that the jacket was finished and they would be shipping it to me tomorrow.
Should be receiving it in a few days.

 

[too much coffee]

Hello Jeff;

Thanks for adding to your continuing saga of the Vanson. Really hope you'll be happy with the soon to arrive jacket.
I know it's been a nightmare.


Regards,
coffee

 

[53Effie]

Hi Jeff. Will look forward to the outcome and some pics when you receive the jacket. I thought I had it bad last year when I waited 7 months for mine; but you must be a saint, tolerating this as long as you have. I hope it turns out perfectly for you. You sure deserve it.

 

[hhkiwi]

Jeff,

Also let us know what the label in your jacket says where it was made!

I guess I should have done more research before I purchased mine. I relied too much on Vanson's profile and reputation. Based on the postings here I have since looked at other brands not known to me previously and, for example, love what I've seen on the Fox Creek Leather website. It's great the way they clearly identify the items made locally - unlike Vanson.

I'll probably get rid of my Pakistan-made Vanson and go for something like a FCL Grayson....

J.

 

[CodeRed]

I wont buy from Vanson anymore based up this.

 

[Jeff M]

Received my Vanson model A today.
Placed order in September 2010, during the "Vanbucks" promotional.
Standard design/size...dark brown leather rather than black.
I'm happy with it.
Well constructed. Leather feels to be of very good quality.
For those that asked, the label says it was made in the USA....which I find interesting. When I contacted Vanson in June asking about my order, they noted they failed to contact me re; the original color leather I specified was not available. I ordered a different shade of brown, and they said they would begin production. A month later I contacted them and they noted the jacket was "1/3rd done".
I assumed that meant it was part of a group of orders being made in their El Salvador plant...and that it would ship out when the entire batch was finished.
At that rate I expected it to be done sometime early September.
It looks like that was not the case. No idea what the "1/3rd done" after one month comment was about..