Have you slept in new leather jackets to break in?

[NamoAmituofo]

I caught a cold and didn’t want to pass onto others in the house - so last night I decided to sleep in the living room on a mattress.

I thought what an excellent opportunity to sleep in my new jacket to help break in!!

So after a hot bath I slipped into my cold, stiff and heavy armory aero KoTR, zipped up and belt on - wow it smells so nice under the duvet!

I laid on my back feeling very comfortable as the pillow cushions off the stiff collar. I did fasten all 4 studs on the collar as I didn’t want to accidentally fold the collar on wrong location when sleeping.

BUT, when I turned to the side, immediately I felt the collar choking on my neck artery - it’s not a killer choke but it did press the artery quite firmly and I worried I may get killed softly had I fallen sleep in this position - could easily get brain damage due to lack of oxygen…

So reluctantly I took the jacket off and dosed off to oblivion.

Have any of you slept in a new stiff CXL jacket with collar? Did you feel the same way?

 

[jchance]

I’ve tried sleeping in leather jacket before. If you tend to move around a bit during sleep like I do, the jacket would feel really restrictive and limit movements a lot. After I wake up, I felt my tendons (at the shoulder joint) really sore. It’s not recipe for a good night of sleep.

 

[vilkin]

I'd rather not - being comfortable during sleep is one of life's greatest pleasures. If I really want a faster break-in on a jacket, I'll go outside in the rain wearing it, and wear it until it's dry.

 

[NamoAmituofo]

I'd rather not - being comfortable during sleep is one of life's greatest pleasures. If I really want a faster break-in on a jacket, I'll go outside in the rain wearing it, and wear it until it's dry.

I actually have a more aggressive method - soak the whole jacket in cold bath, drain dry, then dab with a bathtowel to get rid of excess water. When still wet/damp, apply a old recipe saddle leather conditioner (lard, tallow and beeswax based) that is hard at room temp and only melts on hand - rub little amounts over whole jacket, then start wearing the jacket zipped up. This is more tolerable on a warmer sunny day, and likewise on a cold winter day indoor when heating is on max. Change top/shirt as it gets soaked wet. Within a few hours the jacket would mold to the body nicely, and it can be left to dry flat overnight. Then repeat the whole process next day. Takes 2 days in dry ambient air to dry the jacket.

Having said all that - I feel this is a bit like cheating! I’d want to enjoy the perhaps much longer journey of breaking in a new jacket a little at a time.

Perhaps sleeping in it it’s the best idea either!

 

[steve u]

Shoveling a driveway of heavy snow will break in a jacket.

 

[Guppy]

Turn the collar up, and it should remove the pressure on your neck.

 

[NamoAmituofo]

Turn the collar up, and it should remove the pressure on your neck.

You’re probably right. I do dread folding the collar at the wrong place though - getting an ugly fold line that’s going to stay on until the whole collar is broken in in X years (I think collars and pockets break in much later than body and sleeves?)