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Best Sherpa lined denim / canvas jackets?

Marc mndt

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,298
I really love my levi's plaid sherpa. Too bad the quality is rather poor.
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Messages
11,366
Location
Alabama
This is an entry level 'polo' jacket (not RRL). Quality level is just below Levi's.

It’s actually a jacket from POLO’s Authentic Dungarees line, which along with the also deceased Western line sort of morphed into RRL. They’re nice jackets with a quality well above Levi’s.
 

Marc mndt

I'll Lock Up
Messages
7,298
It’s actually a jacket from POLO’s Authentic Dungarees line, which along with the also deceased Western line sort of morphed into RRL. They’re nice jackets with a quality well above Levi’s.
They do look alike those labels, but there is a significant quality difference.
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8F71303D-AC77-460D-9475-31E92DCE0D67.jpeg
 
Messages
11,366
Location
Alabama
Which one is the good one?

Seb, I’m not a denim geek but I have a couple of western shirts and the jacket from that line and just noticed that the jacket is made from selvedge denim from when I put it away after the pics the other day. They’ve all been quality items.
 

jimmer_5

Practically Family
Messages
668
Location
Oregon
Wow, that looks great! What size did you order? Do you mind measuring the sleeve length in a straight line? I'm curious if they came longer than advertised. I'm happy to know that the cut is good, these type of jackets can be really oversized.

In this case, I would be paying for good cut. I tried on a current Levi's Sherpa lined jacket, and it was the double whammy of being too big in the body while also being too short in the sleeves. I was really uninpressed.

The only downside I notice is that Bravestar does not refund your money - if you return a jacket, you get a store credit. Worth noting if you are unhappy with an item in general.
 
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Ernest P Shackleton

One Too Many
Messages
1,243
Location
Midwest
Most Polo retro items I've ever seen have been solid quality. Military, Americana, or whatever. They've got a good eye for the mundane that can be turned into fashionable. Their downfall is in their editing. They take a utilitarian garment and attempt to make it fashion via a hundred logos, patches, stenciled words, and other accents to play into authenticity and nostalgia that often make the item ugly. "Keep it simple, stupid" isn't in their vocabulary. I wish I had a nickel for every time I ran into one of their deals that I really liked but skipped it because, "Why is that ugly thing there?" I know why it is there, but had it been edited out of the final product, it would look a hell of a lot less goofy.
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
25,074
Location
London, UK
I don't believe I would ever again pay a dime over $150 for a denim jacket, no matter how stunning I still find all this top shelf gear to be but... Nah. Take for example Zara truckers, they're really well made, from tough and heavy denim and even the sherpa is of decent weight, yet they cost like $80 tops. I know high-end denim looks better, will fade better, etc. but ultimately, it's not $300+ better and frankly, it's just a denim jacket, not exactly a pinnacle of high-fashion.

But that's just me, I don't at all think you'd do wrong to spend major money on a denim trucker - primarily because my reasons originate from having very little money - just that I personally find vintage Levi's sherpa Type-3 to be as good as anything out there.

I think it does depend a lot on what you want out of denim, and availability. For instance, it's hard *not* to find a very decent Type 3 style for little money, but I'm not a fan. Got to spend a bit more than that if you want a different style, but I agree no need to go crazy if you just want a decent dewnim jacket to kick about in. My mother bought me a Type 3 style from Dunnes Superstores - their own "St Bernard" brand - back in 1989; I wore it hard until one of the cuffs finally went and I retired it in 1998. These days, I'd have cut off the sleeves and kept it for "F*** you, Summer! I'll still wear a jacket!" wear, but that didn't occur to me at the time...

I've picked up a few bits of pricier denim (mostly SJC, but nothing over about GBP150/pair) here and there. TBH ,for me jeans are very much a utilitarian thing; I've found cheap versions that are durable with the fit I like, so I'd rather save the money to spend on boots or leather jackets. What I find helps is that it's not hard to find lighter denim jackets cheaper; if you get into the heavyweight thing it gets pricey fast, but for me a denim jacket is something to wear in the Summer when it's warmer, so I'm fine with 8oz -12oz.
 

Jin431

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,912
Location
Bay Area CA
Messages
17,476
Location
Chicago
Wow, that looks great! What size did you order? Do you mind measuring the sleeve length in a straight line? I'm curious if they came longer than advertised. I'm happy to know that the cut is good, these type of jackets can be really oversized.

In this case, I would be paying for good cut. I tried on a current Levi's Sherpa lined jacket, and it was the double whammy of being too big in the body while also being too short in the sleeves. I was really uninpressed.

The only downside I notice is that Bravestar does not refund your money - if you return a jacket, you get a store credit. Worth noting if you are unhappy with an item in general.
This is a medium. I ordered it based on their size chart which would’ve translated to a Levi’s large. It does not. It’s smaller. Fits like a halfway between medium and large Levi’s.
My sleeves are dead on 26” straight down from the shoulder. If I could do it over again I’d opt for the L. My other two Ironsides are L and they fit a bit better. This doesn’t give me any room for layers. I do like it though.
 

jimmer_5

Practically Family
Messages
668
Location
Oregon
This is a medium. I ordered it based on their size chart which would’ve translated to a Levi’s large. It does not. It’s smaller. Fits like a halfway between medium and large Levi’s.
My sleeves are dead on 26” straight down from the shoulder. If I could do it over again I’d opt for the L. My other two Ironsides are L and they fit a bit better. This doesn’t give me any room for layers. I do like it though.

Man, you've got me looking at a medium myself - the numbers look right, but if you say it runs a bit small, I'll probably stick with a large. How's the arm circumference? Close fitting in the forearms?

I emailed them to see if they can make one more Large in the blue denim/white sherpa, but I showed my wife and she likes the black one. Go figure - she surprised me with that one - maybe I'll give black a try.

I am always trying to find that perfect size - just big enough for a light hooded sweatshirt underneath, but not so big that it looks funny worn over a shirt by itself. Oregon weather is kind of weird - it doesn't get super cold here, but we don't have much time where an unlined jacket is warm enough without another layer. I get more use out of a blanket lined coat, but they're not common in high-end stuff. I want the sherpa for the coldest days we get around here - 25-30 degrees or so.
 
Messages
17,476
Location
Chicago
Man, you've got me looking at a medium myself - the numbers look right, but if you say it runs a bit small, I'll probably stick with a large. How's the arm circumference? Close fitting in the forearms?

I emailed them to see if they can make one more Large in the blue denim/white sherpa, but I showed my wife and she likes the black one. Go figure - she surprised me with that one - maybe I'll give black a try.

I am always trying to find that perfect size - just big enough for a light hooded sweatshirt underneath, but not so big that it looks funny worn over a shirt by itself. Oregon weather is kind of weird - it doesn't get super cold here, but we don't have much time where an unlined jacket is warm enough without another layer. I get more use out of a blanket lined coat, but they're not common in high-end stuff. I want the sherpa for the coldest days we get around here - 25-30 degrees or so.
I’d get the large for sure. The measurements aren’t that much different. No way on earth I’d get a hoody under this one. A heavy flannel, maybe, but couldn’t button it. Arms are trim but not excessively so. Certainly trimmer than the Ship John Rambling jacket.
 

Rosecitymike

One of the Regulars
Messages
185
I picked up a Brave Star Sherpa last year and love it. I found it TTS at XL with some room for layering.


Edited to add: I can also highly recommend the Glory Days hoodie!
 

jimmer_5

Practically Family
Messages
668
Location
Oregon
Surprised that no one mentions Wrangler seeing that the Wrangler lunch jacket is one of the iconic sherpa jackets. The USA Wrangler is still made as workwear hence more durable than the Levi's. The European and Asian Wrangler is another story though.
https://www.wrangler.com/shop/men-jackets-outerwear-lined-jackets

I was looking on their website, and I don't see anything that appears to be USA made - is there a separate site? I do really like broken twill. I've only tried their jackets out but once, and that one (unlined) ran really small.
 

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