Field Leathers

[sarevook]

Love the graining.

 

[marker2037]

Yeah thats the kind of constructive criticism that I appreciate and is helpful.

It's funny because I fully agree with everything you said, but I didn't express it properly in the review and my opinions have probably changed a bit.

Part of the issue is thst I make all of this information and my shift in opinions known on here, Instagram, and my video reviews, but I still need to update the old written reviews where some things I wrote are outdated.

I have now updated the review. I think it's more accurate now, but any further constructive criticism is welcome. My reviews are meant to be helpful so anything thay helps me do that is appreciated.

This jacket continues to pop up and haunt the forum like it’s some sort of ugly duckling turned Cinderella lol. I’m “that forum member” who has owned it for a couple of years now. No, it doesn’t drape well, but that’s more due to the characteristics of Badalassi than the pattern I would say. Badalassi notoriously holds creases and it’s shape well. Just look at the sleeves on any Badalassi jacket; they are always incredibly creased.

I think it looks good enough on me though as I clearly had the larger frame necessary to fit this.

P.S. I don’t really like the B3 Greg is doing either. It misses the mark for me completely. I’d much rather own an RAF Irvin or traditional B3.

 

[Aloysius]

This jacket continues to pop up and haunt the forum like it’s some sort of ugly duckling turned Cinderella lol. I’m “that forum member” who has owned it for a couple of years now. No, it doesn’t drape well, but that’s more due to the characteristics of Badalassi than the pattern I would say. Badalassi notoriously holds creases and it’s shape well. Just look at the sleeves on any Badalassi jacket; they are always incredibly creased.

I think it looks good enough on me though as I clearly had the larger frame necessary to fit this.

View attachment 498432


P.S. I don’t really like the B3 Greg is doing either. It misses the mark for me completely. I’d much rather own an RAF Irvin or traditional B3.

@dudewuttheheck would I be correct in assuming this was from when Aero first started stocking Badalassi?

I ask because there was a VLJ thread by Ken about how he thought the Badalassi jackets were turning out too stiff/lacking drape, so they started sending the hides to be reprocessed in the UK before using them. I wonder if this is from that earlier batch.

That said, as beautiful as both Badalassi and the A-1 design are, I think the only Aero leather that might drape enough is the goatskin.

As for Greg’s shearling collab, it’s certainly not for me, but at the same time I don’t see straight military repro working for him given his alma mater is one of the top firms for those shearlings. I get why he went for something more fashion forward.

Oddly I think the same design elements that don’t quite work for me look great when Sam is wearing them. I think that might be because seeing a man in an “almost but not quite” B-3 looks off whereas it’s not a women’s jacket to begin with.

Going forward, though, I’d love it if Field shearlings (when they happen) went for purely civilian designs, rather than hybrids. They look great and were once ubiquitous, but barely anyone sells those anymore. I think Schott has a couple, perhaps some fur companies make women’s versions, but there’s a middle ground that the market is not catering to.

 

[MrProper]

Oddly I think the same design elements that don’t quite work for me look great when Sam is wearing them.

+1

 

[marker2037]

Very true. It actually looks great on Sam, but I am not a fan of how it looks on Greg lol.

 

[marker2037]

@dudewuttheheck would I be correct in assuming this was from when Aero first started stocking Badalassi?

I ask because there was a VLJ thread by Ken about how he thought the Badalassi jackets were turning out too stiff/lacking drape, so they started sending the hides to be reprocessed in the UK before using them. I wonder if this is from that earlier batch.

That said, as beautiful as both Badalassi and the A-1 design are, I think the only Aero leather that might drape enough is the goatskin.

Goat would probably work well, but I think a capeskin/ribby lambskin would work best. Basically, this design needs an Indy leather drape for it to look it's best.

 

[Aloysius]

Very true. It actually looks great on Sam, but I am not a fan of how it looks on Greg lol.

Exactly. It’s that contrast that emphasized my view on it. And it’s clearly a well made jacket either way. On the plus side it’s something the ladies can enjoy, in this field, that’s a relative value so that’s a bonus.

Goat would probably work well, but I think a capeskin/ribby lambskin would work best. Basically, this design needs an Indy leather drape for it to look it's best.

I agree. I just meant among Aero’s offerings goat is probably the lightest and drapiest. Capeskin would be best of course. Badalassi/CXL/horse don’t work (despite the people who pejoratively used to compare Vicenza to lambskin here because it wasn’t the 5oz Storse lol)

 

[Canuck Panda]

Damn it I am getting another ladies jacket.

Seriously though, I'd wish the fur used was the blacked out one like the William Gibson collection. But that's ¥300,000.

 

[Aloysius]

Damn it I am getting another ladies jacket.

Seriously though, I'd wish the fur used was the blacked out one like the William Gibson collection. But that's ¥300,000.

The best BR William Gibson coat for Canada is probably my N-3B with the blacked-out coyote fur ruff. I have one but it doesn’t get nearly enough wear in the US.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

@Aloysius yes that was from when they first started stocking the Badalassi leather.

 

[Marc mndt]

almost as thick as my addict sheepskin jacket which is built for motorcycle use.

Who told you that? I don't think sheepskin is suitable for use on a motorcycle. Abrasion resistance is quite poor.

 

[Peacoat]

Who told you that? I don't think sheepskin is suitable for use on a motorcycle. Abrasion resistance is quite poor.

Agreed. I have been riding for over 20 years as an adult, and have never heard it mentioned as a proper motorcycle jacket. Goat, steer and horse are the big three in riding. With horse and steer (by far) being the most popular.

 

[Marc mndt]

Maybe the Lewis leather sheepskin jackets really aren’t made for actual motorcycle use, I’m no expert.

Their current sheepskin jackets are fashion jackets that have motorcycle jacket designs.

 

[ton312]

I can’t imagine a worse hide for protective purposes, than sheepskin. I wouldn’t trust goat either. For a light weight hide I think Kangaroo is the best choice. Despite its ugly appearance, Vansons current comp weight is leaps and bounds above anything Lewis Leathers offers for the purpose of protective gear. LL to me is absolutely not protective gear. Not in any way shape or form (and I don’t think they are trying to be).

 

[Carlos840]

There is a difference between

this is actually a really interesting topic (to me at least), from what I can gather, there seems to be some distinction between sheepskins. Lewis leathers makes an entire line of motorcycle jackets in sheepskin. It’s their signature hide. Langlitz, addict and various other makers have sheepskin variants of their jackets and what was explained to me is these are different than sheepskin with sherling which is somehow much less abrasion resistant. Maybe sherling sheepskin is skived down or something. Someone told me that goat and sheepskin have been used for a long time here in the southwest US as warm weather motorcycle jackets. Shoot I hope that is correct because I’ve been riding around in my AD10 sheepskin jacket in the summer. Anybody care to weigh in? Maybe the Lewis leather sheepskin jackets really aren’t made for actual motorcycle use, I’m no expert.

There is no such thing as a sheepskin motorcycle jacket, Lewis and Addict are fashion jackets, not MC jackets.
I felt naked the few times i rode in my Lewis Leathers.

 

[MrProper]

Their current sheepskin jackets are fashion
jackets that have motorcycle jacket designs.

Exactly. I like my LL sheepskin jackets, but motorcycling I would rather not. At least not if I want to be well protected.

Goat, steer and horse are the big three in riding.

I would add kangaroo. At least when I was still riding motorcycles, this was the optimal leather for light, but very abrasion-resistant jackets / pants. Can be of course that this is no longer the case.

 

[Carlos840]

Is

Is there a difference between regular old sheepskin leather, and whatever they call it when the sherling is attached? Is it the same leather they just glue or sew sherling to it. I’ve had a few people tell me they ride in sheepskin Lewis leather monzas. The leather def feels different then sherling

I'm not sure you understand how a sheep works...

 

[ton312]

Is

Is there a difference between regular old sheepskin leather, and whatever they call it when the sherling is attached? Is it the same leather they just glue or sew sherling to it. I’ve had a few people tell me they ride in sheepskin Lewis leather monzas. The leather def feels different then sherling

Well yes there is definitely a difference in terms of how the skins are processed but the frail nature of sheepskin (in any form) makes it super prohibitive in terms of abrasion resistance.
Shearling leaves the wool, trimmed on the hide. The sheepskin used in LL jackets has had the wool fully removed. In the article you posted above the author concedes a “reasonable” abrasion resistance. I don’t know what is considered reasonable. For me, there is no substitute for chrome tanned cow or horse. I have heard kangaroo is superior to both but have never owned a roo jacket.
Of the few sheepskin jackets I’ve owned, not a single one felt it would offer equal protection compared to any cow or horse I have owned.
But what one chooses to wear in this regard is purely a matter of choice. I see guys in shorts and flip flops blasting down the Dan Ryan with a thicc chick in a bikini struggling to hold on all the time. Certainly anything is better than that.

 

[FullSnd716]

Did anyone order the new offering from Field Leather?

 

[willyto]

Well yes there is definitely a difference in terms of how the skins are processed but the frail nature of sheepskin (in any form) makes it super prohibitive in terms of abrasion resistance.
Shearling leaves the wool, trimmed on the hide. The sheepskin used in LL jackets has had the wool fully removed. In the article you posted above the author concedes a “reasonable” abrasion resistance. I don’t know what is considered reasonable. For me, there is no substitute for chrome tanned cow or horse. I have heard kangaroo is superior to both but have never owned a roo jacket.
Of the few sheepskin jackets I’ve owned, not a single one felt it would offer equal protection compared to any cow or horse I have owned.
But what one chooses to wear in this regard is purely a matter of choice. I see guys in shorts and flip flops blasting down the Dan Ryan with a thicc chick in a bikini struggling to hold on all the time. Certainly anything is better than that.

The Top end motorcycle suits are made of Kangaroo leather. That says something about it.