Gustin L1 Horween CXL

[AmericanIron]

Hey guys, happened to come across these while browsing reddit and wondered if anyone here owned one or had any thoughts on them. They're in stock now with no wait time and returns are accepted if the fit is wrong for a full refund. I'm considering it, sometimes my black stallion is a bit much for warmer days or days when I'm not on the bike. I also love a non-black leather jacket for the way they fade over time. This horween CXL #8 is also my favorite color, I was hoping to find one of those Schott CHIPS jackets made of the same stuff but it hasn't turned up on ebay yet lol.

Love to know what you guys think, and better yet if someone has a fit pic or knows someone who has done a review etc.

Thanks!

https://www.weargustin.com/stock/the-l1-horween-cxl-8

 

[handymike]

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/gustin-to-make-jackets.84907/

Many of our opinions were expressed here.

 

[AmericanIron]

I did see that, wondering if anyone has since seen a post about someone who purchased. Can't seem to find any reviews even though the product is out now.

 

[handymike]

None here so far. If you buy one, please let us know what you think. AND include pictures.

 

[ProteinNerd]

I think you just volunteered to be the guinea pig lol

 

[Sloan1874]

Nice leather, but the whole thing lacks any real style or design.

 

[ton312]

Nice leather, but the whole thing lacks any real style or design.

I agree. It's like The Gap got ahold of some CXL. For the money I think a better deal could easily be had. Too many options out there with much more personality.

 

[Sloan1874]

The back is particularly unappealing, it's just a big rectangle of leather, but the cuffs and collar both look like afterthoughts.

 

[ton312]

The back is particularly unappealing, it's just a big rectangle of leather, but the cuffs and collar both look like afterthoughts.

Yeah. It's so safe that it lacks any form that might make it interesting, at least to me. I like easily recognizable features in my jackets, perhaps to a fault, but this one hits no chord and stays super beige. If I were looking to fork over this kind of cash, due dilligence would have to include a marginal upcharge for something far more unique and ultimately, far more valuable. Not trying to poo poo the op's question here but there's just a better deal out there and ultimately a happier customer.

 

[Fanch]

I like Gustin's Okayama and Zimbabwe denim jeans though.

 

[nick123]

I'm not keen on the label, but that color with the American flag reminds me of a log cabin in the thirteen colonies circa 1780. In a good way.

 

[AeroFan_07]

Looked at thier website a bit more. kind of strange...you "back" a product, help fund it through the purchase, then wait until it's constructed. Intersteing concept, not sure I trust it though. The jacket wold certainly develop patina and quickly, however seems a little too basic for me.

 

[Sloan1874]

Gustin's model is well-tested. I've bought something like five pairs of jeans from them, their denim's still their best product by far, and it's never given me a moment's concern. The jacket, however, is very basic and just not worth the wait. I'd have a look at the sale pages of Aero if you want a 30s half-belt. Here's a brand new size 36 for roughly the same price, and you'll get it straight away:

http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=2684

 

[tropicalbob]

Looked at thier website a bit more. kind of strange...you "back" a product, help fund it through the purchase, then wait until it's constructed. Intersteing concept, not sure I trust it though. The jacket wold certainly develop patina and quickly, however seems a little too basic for me.

Essentially, it's not a bad deal for jeans: I've bought four pairs and they're all very nice. The only problem I've had is the with the wait, which can go on for a couple of months. As far as the jackets go, I'd rather wait until I saw something in my size on the Aero Sales page or here on the Lounge. Also don't forget, first, that the current exchange rate is hugely in your favor and, second, that big Aero sale is coming up, and you never know what might pop up.

 

[AmericanIron]

It seems I'm in the minority here but I actually like the back and the lack of overstyling. I was looking at some aero jackets yesterday on Thurston bros and some of the backs have so many pleats and elements that it looks far too busy. Almost like something someone would wear on an African safari. Sure there's a time and a place for that type of jacket, but day to day I feel they can border on almost costumey. I wouldn't mind a seam of some sort in the upper back area of this jacket from Gustin, but I don't see the issue with simplicity. Less it more unless more is needed for function. I love my black stallion because I can carry a lot of items when I ride, but if I'm just walking around to the local bars and whatnot, how much does one really need?

 

[tropicalbob]

It seems I'm in the minority here but I actually like the back and the lack of overstyling. I was looking at some aero jackets yesterday on Thurston bros and some of the backs have so many pleats and elements that it looks far too busy. Almost like something someone would wear on an African safari. Sure there's a time and a place for that type of jacket, but day to day I feel they can border on almost costumey. I wouldn't mind a seam of some sort in the upper back area of this jacket from Gustin, but I don't see the issue with simplicity. Less it more unless more is needed for function. I love my black stallion because I can carry a lot of items when I ride, but if I'm just walking around to the local bars and whatnot, how much does one really need?

To each his own, though I'm not quite clear what you mean by "overstyling", nor the safari jacket reference (do you mean the pockets?). I'm guessing that the crux of your view is in your line "Less is more unless more is needed for function," which is a minimalist concept that entirely does away with all aesthetic considerations (I think of the one-size-fits-all Maoist suits of the Red Brigades). In this case, the minimalist design doesn't so much serve function (what's useful about a lot of excess leather?) as it serves the manufacturer's need for cost-cutting on the production end. Simplicity can be a good thing, as with Aero's Happy Days jacket, but the Gustin jacket seems to me to sacrifice design to cost-saving, which is not such a good thing. The proof of a design will only really begin to show itself after the jacket gets a lot of wear and it molds itself to your physique, and in this case I don't know how that jacket will look. Also, it seemed to me that the back of the jacket, when I first saw it, didn't match the front: I felt a kind of let-down. like "Is that all there is?".

 

[Sloan1874]

There's a difference between minimalism and a lack of imagination. Even a simple yoke across the shoulders would have worked, a la, the Highwayman. It looks sort of unfinished to me.

 

[Boyo]

I'm curious about the gustin L1 jacket also, I certainly don't hate it, and I probably would give one a try if I was in the market for another leather jacket.
There is a pretty active Gustin thread on Styleforum, and there is a pretty good review of a jacket on page 647.
If you can afford to, go ahead and buy one.

 

[AmericanIron]

The back of the Aero dustbowl jacket is the type of thing I'm talking about. It's just looks so busy to me. So many pieces of leather sewn together. It's funny the way these things feel to different people. When it comes to leather chaps and vests, one piece of leather spanning a larger portion of the garment is in fact preferred as the leather is all one piece and has the exact same grain because it's from the same animal. People pay EXTRA for chaps with a one piece front, and vests with a one piece back. I see a full jacket back with one swatch of leather and to me that means it's not cobbled together from several different smaller sections. I like the fact that it's clean and simple. As I mentioned before, my black stallion is a great riding jacket, but I feel a little silly walking around in it if I didn't just get off the bike. It's just a very busy piece.

Regarding the minimalist design not serving function and the comment about excess leather, one piece wouldn't be "extra" but rather just enough. It could be looked at as a cost saving measure, but as I mentioned some people just don't want all the bells and whistles. My function is walking around town and having a few things in my pockets when I do it. I believe that I could get all of that "functionality" with or without back accents.

As for that review on page 647, glad to see he's enjoying it but super bummed he included no pictures. The world is waiting to see anyone who actually has that jacket on lol, we will have to wait and see. I won't be pulling the trigger on it until I can see some fit pics, just too risky.

 

[Grayland]

Hard to really judge until a fit pic is presented.