Help with first leatherjacket!

[Orash Schmid]

Hi everyone!

I am new to the lounge and hope that this thread is in the right place for this post.

I am going to buy my first better leather jacket and wanted to get some help from people that know more about them than I do.

I really like Levi's trucker jacket in buffalo leather (pictures below). I found one in my size on sale for about 350 dollars. I was wondering if the jacket is good value for the money and a good buy in general?

I want to find a jacket that will last me a long time and my budget is about 300-400 dollars.

All the best to everyone during these hard times.
Greetings from Europe,
Schmid

 

[jacketjunkie]

Haven't owned one of these and it's a long shot to assume any member here owns it (maybe some) and has worn it enough to give actual feedback in terms of durability - absolutely noone here wears each of his jackets more than a few days a year.

If you want durability, get a goatskin jacket. Considering your budget, I would suggest some foreign maker such as Five Stars leather. They use fairly thick, sturdy goatskin and their A-2 reproduction as well as their G-1 jackets are fairly well-made. Personally, I prefer the broad-shouldered G1- style over the A-2. Can recommend the seal brown and the black goatskin. Not too fond of the russet one.

 

[Boyo]

I believe few people have tried this jacket and have reported positive results.. use the search tab above for "leather trucker".. there is a good deal of info already posted.

also this thread

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/posts/2596512/

 

[Orash Schmid]

Thanks for the fast replys guys. I will check out Five Stars and also the thread you posted. I have just graduated so my budget is a bit low but I wish to buy a horsehide A-2 jacket in the future maybe from Aero.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

If you like that style, the Levis jacket in your photos is a nice well made jacket that would last you for years. Also the price seems right. Just keep in mind that it is not a cold winter leather jacket. However, layering underneath would make it more wearable in cold weather.
HD

 

[Orash Schmid]

If you like that style, the Levis jacket in your photos is a nice well made jacket that would last you for years. Also the price seems right. Just keep in mind that it is not a cold winter leather jacket. However, layering underneath would make it more wearable in cold weather.
HD

Thanks. That's a good point to keep in mind. I live in Finland so the weather can get quite cold.

 

[jonesy86]

Here is another thread:

https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/levis-trucker-jacket-in-buffalo-leather.93834/

 

[Seb Lucas]

Get the Levi's version. You can't lose. The Five Stars version's pattern and hardware doesn't quite convince me - the whole package is a bit ungainly. I have owned a couple of different Five Stars jackets they are good but for a Trucker style you can't beat a Levis at that price.

A leather Trucker is a mild weather jacket.

 

[Mandarin]

I owned one of these, and I had mixed feelings about it. Never quite got used to it, even though the fit and cut were OK. From the start, something about the buffalo leather made me uncomfortable. Not so much the very uneven grain than the feel of the hide, thick and permanently lacking suppleness. Since it's made in Pakistan, I think it's waterbuffalo rather than bison. I wore the jacket enough to break it in, and still it had that tendency to retain the same stiff shape. With wear, it started to show some signs of tea core effect that could've been appealing, but still I wasn't sure I wanted to keep it. The good side is it made me want to look for more and better. Thanks to TFL, I slowly learned what and where to look for, how to read sizes, and I ended up buying a lot of much better jackets. And I sold the buffalo trucker.
If you're itching to buy it now, treat yourself. If it doesn't work, you can still send it back. But if I were you, i would be patient and look around. The one you're after is a bit overpriced IMO.

 

[MrProper]

If I wanted this jacket (and maybe I will soon), I would send some photos of it and my measurements to Shawn from FiveStarLeather and ask what he can do. He will soon get 1.2 mm horse leather again, which would certainly be good for the jacket.
But the 1.2 mm goat leather would also be good.
In terms of price, that would easily fit your budget.

For example, this is a FiveStar goat skin jacket:

 

[Seb Lucas]

Not sure you are going to find anything better for $350 unless you go second hand. Other makers will charge you three times this and more.

 

[l0fielectronic]

Thread about this specific jacket is here https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/levis-trucker-jacket-in-buffalo-leather.93834/

I ordered one in the sale but it was too big unfortunatley or I would've kept it.

The price you mention is about what they sold for new, so if its a store and you can return it if you don't like it then its a fair price but 2nd hand on ebay they seem to go around the £150-200 mark.

 

[user290389023]

I have a levis trucker. But ive heard that the buffalo is thin and kinda flimsy. About 1.2 mm thick. I have one in black cowhide(check my profile). Its thick, about 1.3 mm, and if youre getting a levis jacket, get the one in cowhide. Ive worn it close to everyday the last year, and its amazing. Best buy. Beautiful grain and thick dense leather.

 

[Seb Lucas]

I have a levis trucker. But ive heard that the buffalo is thin and kinda flimsy. About 1.2 mm thick. I have one in black cowhide(check my profile). Its thick, about 1.3 mm, and if youre getting a levis jacket, get the one in cowhide. Ive worn it close to everyday the last year, and its amazing. Best buy. Beautiful grain and thick dense leather.

1.2mm is too thick for my taste for a trucker. That's 3oz.

 

[Monitor]

I have a levis trucker. But ive heard that the buffalo is thin and kinda flimsy. About 1.2 mm thick. I have one in black cowhide(check my profile). Its thick, about 1.3 mm, and if youre getting a levis jacket, get the one in cowhide. Ive worn it close to everyday the last year, and its amazing. Best buy. Beautiful grain and thick dense leather.

Yeah, 1.2 mm is really very thick. That's pretty much the upper limit of leather weight for normal people. 0.9 is mid weight hide and even that's considered pretty sturdy.

 

[JC225]

I have to go with Jacket Junkie on this one. I have a goatskin "Cooper A-2" that I bought when I started flying many years ago and it still looks like the day I bought it. My son will be flying in this one long before it will ever have to be replaced.

 

[tropicalbob]

Thanks. That's a good point to keep in mind. I live in Finland so the weather can get quite cold.

Also, keep in mind that many of the jackets we see in this forum are form-fitting and not meant to be worn with anything but a shirt underneath it. You could get a good idea of this by looking at the range of styles on Aero's homepage and the differences in fit: it might be a place to get a general idea.

 

[navetsea]

1.2mm is a good choice doesnt look paper thin when creased, do you really want a type3 denim jacket in leather for a first leather jacket?
You can layer denim type 3 under leather jacket, but it wont be fun if the mid layer looks similar to the leather jacket.

 

[user290389023]

Yeah, 1.2 mm is really very thick. That's pretty much the upper limit of leather weight for normal people. 0.9 is mid weight hide and even that's considered pretty sturdy.

What i meant is that 1.2 is quite flimsy. I would never want one as thin as 0.9. Mine is 1.3, and its a mid/heavy jacket. Much thicker than others i have had before. I prefer really thick. In the future i'm probably getting a Heavy Steerhide bootlegger from Aero. I dont even ride, i just love the feel of thick substantial leather.

 

[Seb Lucas]

What i meant is that 1.2 is quite flimsy.

You did say that and it's a extravagant use of the word flimsy. You may have a thing for super thick hide, which is perfectly fine, but that doesn't mean a 3oz hide isn't anything but substantial.