G&B Civil A-2 in Cowhide

[South]

I'm considering a G&B Civil A-2 in cowhide, since they don't offer the Civil in horsehide. However, I've read that cowhide doesn't stand up to being rained on as well as horsehide and goatskin?

Does the cowhide dry and crack?

I do like that it's thicker/heavier than goatskin and that it will age (which goatskin won't do).

Is it a mistake to get it in cowhide? I'm sure it would get rained on numerous times.

Thanks.

 

[Seb Lucas]

I'd go the goat: softer, stronger, slightly lighter, more impervious to water. And it does age - just more slowly. My one week old goat G&B is breaking in well. I wet down and wrinkled it up under some heavy cushions. Looks like I've had if for months now.

But anything made by G&B is fantastic quality.

Cheers

 

[South]

Thanks for the info. I wanted a heavier weight - something that feels substantive. I felt a recent L.L. Bean jacket that was goatskin and it felt so thin, it felt flimsy. I wanted something that felt like leather.

Maybe the G&B goatskin would feel better.

Thanks.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I have two G&B jackets - a Civil A-2 and Historic M-422A - and wouldn't characterize the goatskin on either one as flimsy. It's a very substantial leather: supple and flexible, but nearly indestructible. No, it's not as thick as a cow/horse motorcycle jacket, but it will last for decades in normal use...

As far as hide aging, both my jackets (vintage 2001 and 2005) have hardly changed from their new condition. Neither one has dried out at all, and since goatskin is so resistant to abrasions, they barely even have any scratches. The black goatskin on the A-2 has worn to its gray undercolor only on the edges of the epaulets and windflap.

I'm sure that G&B's cowhide is great stuff too, but their goatskin is awesome... you will never mistake it for anything other than tough leather.

Added: the one thing I don't like about my Civil A-2 is the "texturized nylon" knits. Though indestructible, it immediately frayed and pilled - it looks all hairy and worn, though cutting off the individual threads is nearly impossible as the nylon is very tough. I vastly prefer the wool knits on the M-422A. (But in keep in mind that my jacket is from 2001 - for all I know, they are using different nylon knits now that don't look quite so ugly.)

 

[Interbak]

Hey South,

Don't worry for a second about a good quality cow hide having any problems with weather. I've got a cow hide motorcycle jacket that's almost 30 years old, and it's been rained on, covered in bugs and road grime, and even slid down the road at 70 mph. There is no sign of drying out or cracking what so ever, and this jacket has never been treated with anything in it's life. I honestly don't know where this myth that cow hide is so fragile comes from, it really comes down to the quality of the leather and how it's processed. I highly doubt G&b would sell you something that would die prematurely.

Brian

 

[Seb Lucas]

Thanks for the info. I wanted a heavier weight - something that feels substantive. I felt a recent L.L. Bean jacket that was goatskin and it felt so thin, it felt flimsy. I wanted something that felt like leather.

Maybe the G&B goatskin would feel better.

Thanks.

The G&B goat is very thick and quite heavy - not notably thinner than most cow jackets. This goat is very substantive and I can't wear it unless it's cold as it is too warm and heavy. I've owned dozens of leather jackets over a couple of decades and their goat is the toughest most substantial leather I've owned.

 

[South]

All good info - thanks to everyone.

Why do some say that cowhide doesn't hold up as well to being rained on? I have a friend with a Langlitz cowhide and his has held up great for years, in spite of being rained on.

Thanks.

 

[Seb Lucas]

What they say about leather!!

How the leather is tanned, treated, cured, dyed and what part of the animal it's from and how the leather has been cut determines how good the leather is. I put both my cow and goat jackets in the washing machine with soap and they come out great. It breaks them in. Water is never really a problem. Goat is just more resistant to liquid because as a rule it has a tighter grain.

Nothing dries and cracks if you stick some Pecard or Lexol on it once a year. Buy good qual and it will last.

Langlitz (like others including Vanson) use thick competition cow which is like a suit of armour. I find them unwearable but they are lovely works of art. Ditto for Aero horse.

Sounds like you need to read up on leather a bit before you decide. There's plenty written here already.

 

[ron521]

Simply getting cowhide wet doesn't hurt it at all, I've got a Berman's flight jacket which I've owned since 1983, as well as several Schott motorcycle and flight jackets, some of which have been soaked completely through when I've been caught in extended downpours.
The most I've ever done for any of them is to hang them over the back of a chair in the kitchen AWAY from heat, and let them drip on the linoleum floor.
I think cowhide can be damaged by getting wet then drying WITH HEAT...there was once an episode of "Leave It To Beaver" in which he ruined a pair of wet boots by drying them near the water heater.