Hastening the Break In - My New Vicenza Board Racer

[Lord LALA]

Living in SoCal I rarely get to wear my new Vicenza (Dark Seal) Board Racer so I'd like to expedite the break in process. I'm hoping that I might get some tips from the FDL collective.

Ultimately I'd like the jacket to be a bit softer and hopefully a bit looser. I do receive compliments on the jacket, but to my eye the sizing seems to be a tad too "fitted" and the fit a tad restrictive.

Searching through the forums I've come across the Hot Water Treatment (HWT) but I'm unclear if this causes shrinkage. I've also come across "Pecards" leather treatment which sounds to be a solution. I've also softened new shoes with coconut oil, but I'm hesitant to use coconut oil on a jacket for fear of smelling like one.

So, any suggestions would be appreciated..... TIA

 

[Guppy]

[Update: Looking at the photos again, I have to agree with Ton and the others, this jacket fits you extremely well, and exactly as it should. Once the leather breaks in it should feel less restrictive. The only thing it should need is time.]

I haven't handled Vicenza in person, as I actually prefer the heavier hides, but I've always heard that it is requires very little breaking in compared to Horween CXL FQHH.

I would advise against doing anything to the jacket other than wearing it. If it's too hot in SoCal, wear it indoors in air conditioning, and give it a few hours a day.

I don't think a HWT will help you obtain a more relaxed fit. Often leather becomes stiffer after getting wet, and can shrink. HWT will knock some of the new out of the leather, and make the grain more pronounced. But Vicenza already has great grain characteristics to start with. HWT can also be used to re-shape a collar that has an undesirable bend to it.

Pecards can soften it up, but that's really something to do as a last resort on a jacket that stubbornly resists all efforts to break it in. A brand new jacket already has all the oils and waxes in the leather that it's going to need for years, and you can run the risk of overconditioning it, which can be bad for the stitching, and leave a sticky or milky residue on the surface.

Apart from just wearing it, you can roll it up, unroll it, roll it the other way a few times. Rolling it up and using it as a pillow can also help. Basically you want to just get the leather flexing and stretching a bit.

Some people will advocate really beating on a new jacket, but that's a bit extreme, and shouldn't be necessary for a Vicenza jacket. It'll look old and beat up soon enough, no need for artificial methods to accelerate it.

 

[ton312]

Count me among those in the compliment group. The jacket looks fantastic and the fit is tremendous. I've only ever tried on but one Vicenza fit jacket but I'd think simply wearing it (even if indoors, and not really out and about) would do the trick. I'm always skeptical of anything involving water and leather...especially if said leather rang you up for north of 1k!

 

[ton312]

Count me among those in the compliment group. The jacket looks fantastic and the fit is tremendous. I've only ever tried on but one Vicenza fit jacket but I'd think simply wearing it (even if indoors, and not really out and about) would do the trick. I'm always skeptical of anything involving water and leather...especially if said leather rang you up for north of 1k!

High five Guppy. We tied!

 

[Butch_Coolidge]

View attachment 90246 View attachment 90245 View attachment 90238

Living in SoCal I rarely get to wear my new Vicenza (Dark Seal) Board Racer so I'd like to expedite the break in process. I'm hoping that I might get some tips from the FDL collective.

Ultimately I'd like the jacket to be a bit softer and hopefully a bit looser. I do receive compliments on the jacket, but to my eye the sizing seems to be a tad too "fitted" and the fit a tad restrictive.

Searching through the forums I've come across the Hot Water Treatment (HWT) but I'm unclear if this causes shrinkage. I've also come across "Pecards" leather treatment which sounds to be a solution. I've also softened new shoes with coconut oil, but I'm hesitant to use coconut oil on a jacket for fear of smelling like one.

So, any suggestions would be appreciated..... TIA

I think that jacket fits you fine. I would just wear it normally, and not be concerned. I’m guessing you don’t have as much cold etc. that I get in PA. I have a leather that I wear with a hoodie all winter long. It has a zip out liner, that’s never been out. I just exposed it to the elements and it’s got the cool [emoji41] look that develops naturally over time. I never have a reason to zip mine up. I don’t ride, but that would probably be the only reason why I would. The combination of the hoodie gives me protection from the elements. From the pictures you’ve posted, I think you’ve found the “one”. Enjoy it.


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[handymike]

The great thing about wetting your jacket is that you can either stretch your jacket or shrink it depending on how you dry it.
If you want it to mould a bit, wet it- either hot or cold, then wear it until it's almost dry. You can even selectively wet certain areas.

 

[Fanch]

To my eye your BR appears to fit exactly the way a BR is supposed to fit. Eventually it should mold to your body in a way that is unique to anything else in you closet. Wear it in good health.

 

[AeroFan_07]

Perfect fit! Wear it and enjoy it, it's a $1k jacket, I would recall what Guppy & Tony say and just let it happen naturally.

 

[apba1166]

This will sound crazy for Socal. But works in colder climates. I have an alpaca poncho. I wear it over the jacket. And I do a lot of outdoor work. Will break in less than 10 wears. It is the body heat that breaks it best. Like if you slept in it, inside out. Something I have never done, but a friend swears by. Keep in mind if you soak the jacket, the lining will often shrink tugging the corners and hem. But yes, getting it a little wet and then actively working in it will help too.

 

[AeroFan_07]

^^ The Aero website states something very similar:

The Savile Tweed Suit Method
This was a old favourite with the aristocracy when they still had estates, on taking delivery of a new Savile Row tweed suit, the Lords Of The Manor would give it to his gardener to wear for a couple of months so he could knock the newness out of it. His lordship then reclaimed the suit and wore it until it got too shabby for his tastes at which point, he gave it back to the gardener as a "keeper". This is a great method for breaking in a Horsehide jacket but does have a couple of minor drawbacks. Firstly this involves hiring a gardener that's the right size, and secondly, hiring one who is not going to abscond the second he gets a new Aero on his back.

But I still like this better
Wearing A New Horsehide Jacket
This is much easier, just wear it, don't be precious with it, don't mollycoddle it, but don't ever hang it up on a hook at the back of the neck.

Otherwise, these jackets like to be treated roughly... but don't leave it on the back of a chair in a pub whatever you do, it'll be gone in a flash in most areas, quicker than you could say "Where's the gardener?"

 

[Seb Lucas]

I see what you mean - its a bit stiff and tight looking at front. It looks pretty good at the back. It may well loosen up in 6 months. Breaking in is hard to do...

You may well prefer your jackets a little looser than some of the folks on here who often prefer close fitting garments.

Do not treat the jacket with any conditioners or other sticky shit. Not necessary for about 10-15 years.

If you are not used to proper hand crafter leather jackets the breaking in process can seem intractable.

 

[Superfluous]

Looks good as is. Don't mess with it. Just wear it as often as possible.

 

[ProteinNerd]

It looks great! If you really want it looser, do you mean stretch it out a bit in the shoulders etc? If that’s what you are after either wear it in the rain or just dampen it with a spray bottle and wear it till it dries. I wouldn’t use hot water on a vegetable tanned leather but really, you just need to wear it as much as possible. Wearing it zipped will probably let it break in faster as well.


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[Fonzie]

Congratulations, the jacket fits you superbly, I wouldn't mess with it. Let it happen and enjoy.

 

[dan_t]

+1 on what everyone else has said - just wear it.
The Vicenza is plenty malleable, particularly compared to the FQHH stuff. It'll shape in no time at all.

 

[Sloan1874]

From the look of the sleeves, it's well on it's way to moulding to your body. I'd just live in it, wear it instead of a jumper when out etc, and it'll become a second skin. Vicenza's a fairly benign leather, doesn't require much breaking in. My FQHH Bootlegger, on the other hand is putting up a fight and then some - it's still standing up straight when I take it off!

 

[barnabus]

I agree with what pretty much everyone has said: the jacket looks brilliant and appears to fit you superbly. Perfect in all observable ways.

I'd just wear it and wear it and not mess with it.